Simple Summer Squash Salad

A beautiful dish with fresh, homegrown produce. Use small summer squash, picked very young. It will be the star of this simple, summery, side or light supper! 

Summer Salad Poetry

Use one small squash per person 

(if serving as a light dinner) 

and slice very thinly on a mandolin

(Mine were as thin as the tine of my fork is flat.) 

Add a handful of fresh mint leaves 

(per serving) 

cut into chiffonade 

(Roll up a stack of leaves and cut crosswise into thin strips)

Toast a handful of pine nuts per serving

(over high, in a seasoned, cast iron pan-  must have)

Until golden brown and fragarant

Make a simple dressing with the magic formula

(for each serving)

1 1/2 tsp acid (here vinegar- infused with chives perhaps?)

1/2 tsp of mustard

(Dijon: Grey Poupon)

Salt & Pepper; a pinch and a pinch

Whisk now for a moment... 

          &  then slowly whisk in 1 1/2 Tb oil

Toss together the squash slices, mint chiffonade 

(oh how fancy you are)

pine nuts and dressing

A few curls of parmesan

(with a vegetable peeler)

And the flavors of summer join hands in

The End

Garden Update... Summer Lovin'

This spring was perfect for gardening; warm start, good amount of rain, happy plants.

My proudest accomplishment so far is my tomato "jungle." The 8 tomato plants (4 varieties) that I started from seed are doing amazing!!

So far I have harvested and eaten all the peas; tore them down last weekend, they were shading and encroaching on the tomatoes. We also had a great early harvest of radishes, with which I made quick pickled radishes.

We've had one Baby Gonzalez cabbage, with quite a few more to come soon.

Even had one beautiful Chioggia beet!

Onions are starting to look almost big enough to pick! And I had so many that some I planted really close and have been using like scallions, cutting the green parts as needed! 

Onions forming nice bulbs!

This bed has (left-right) Onions, Carrots (f), Beets (b) Golden and Chioggia, Cabbages, Cauliflower, Swiss Chard & Basil (not visible), some interplanted lettuce

Tomatoes :)

Green Beans
(Bush on left, Pole on right) 

Tomato Jungle, Peppers, Eggplants,
Cucumbers, Round Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Sugar Pumpkins

Yes, the tomato plants are taller than me!

 Looking forward to some delicious harvests coming soon! All ready picking beans everyday!

Quinoa Sweet Potato Burgers with

Carrot Slaw

Recipe modified from ://www.insockmonkeyslippers.com/quinoa-sweet-potato-burgers-with-snow-pea-slaw  - photo credit to above)

Serves 2 to 4

Carrot Slaw

3 carrots- shredded

1 small bunch scallions, diced

2 Tbs orange juice

1 Tbs apple cider vinegar

1 Tbs sesame oil

1 tsp honey or mirin

1 tsp fresh grated or ½ tsp powdered ginger

pinch salt and pepper

Burgers

1 cup water or veg. broth

1/2 cup quinoa (any color or mix, rinsed)

1 sweet potato- shredded and squeezed dry

2 eggs- beaten

1/2 cup bread crumbs (plus more if needed)

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp powdered ginger

1/8 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp dried coriander

pinch cinnamon

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil or cooking spray

Plain, non-fat yogurt

Bring water or broth to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa and cook 10-12 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is done. Drain any excess liquid and allow to cool.

Mix all slaw ingredients (except carrots and scallions) together. Toss dressing with shredded carrots and scallions. Set aside and allow to marinate slightly.

Once quinoa has cooled slightly, mix together with beaten eggs, bread crumbs, shredded sweet potato and spices/s&p. Form into 4 patties.

Cook patties in cast iron skillet or on griddle with a bit of oil or spray for about 5 minutes per side over medium-high heat until hot through and browned on both sides.

To serve: Place 2 Tbs yogurt on bottom of plates. Place patty over yogurt and top with a few spoonfulls of carrot slaw.

Early Spring

So, spring has sprung, and quickly!! I've been in garden mode since late winter, planning, re-planning! I've been using my newly acquired Excel skills to make spreadsheets (not the intended goal, but it's coming in handy!)

Here's a screenshot of my planting guide:

And here's my garden layout:

With the beautiful weather we've had Ben & I have all ready taken a few nice hikes. Last night we had a salad of daylilly shoots, garlic mustard greens and dandelion greens all foraged from a hike yesterday! I'll add a picture when Ben gets home with the camera! I am actually hoping for a little rain as I reminisce about the wonderful Morels I found last year!

As far as the gardening goes.... I started seedlings indoors in Feb and March. Eggplants, peppers (Cubannell and Cherry), tomatoes (five varieties), cabbage (Baby Gonzales) and cauliflower (Rainbow Mix). They're doing well and growing fast now that it's warmer in the basement under their lights!

Here they are on March 16:

And here on March 22:

Outside, our two 4'x8' beds were installed and prepared last fall:

 I added a little compost and ash (for potassium) and got to planting on St. Patrick's Day! Peas, radishes, lettuce, spinach, swiss chard and beets are in! 

Here are the radish sprouts:

And my newly made pea trellis:

Yesterday I got my onion sets in:

And even a few pretty flowers are coming up from the bulbs:

Stay tuned for more, I'm growing, foraging and cooking up a feast this year!

Foraging!

It's been 24 hours and we're not dead yet!

Positively identified these Oyster mushrooms! Ben and I found them on a dead tree in a flooded bog on a hike on Sunday and cooked up some Wild Oyster Mushroom Risotto last night... and survived to tell about it! This was my second mushroom find since the morels I found this spring!

Wild Mushroom Risotto adapted from Epicurious,com

Two servings as a main dish

about 28 oz beef stock (or veggie or chicken... your preference)

1.5 Tb Butter (unsalted)

1 Tb EVOO

1 Shallot, chopped

1/2 Lb Wild Mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup Arborio Rice

1/4 cup dry White Wine ( or water with 1 Tsp white wine vinegar in a pinch)

1/2 tsp fresh Thyme

2 Tb EVOO or melted butter

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Heat stock over low heat until hot but not simmering, keep hot.

Head butter and oil over med heat and sauté shallots about 30 seconds. 

Add mushrooms and sauté until juices are released, about 8 minutes.

Add rice and stir to coat thoroughly, cook about 2 minutes until hot but not browning.

Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Add 3/4 cup of stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost completely absorbed (rice should be beginning to stick).

Continue adding stock 3/4 cup, then decreasing the amount after the first few minutes to about 1/2 cup at a time until rice is cooked through and tender. This may take up to 20 minutes, but start checking after 14. The last addition of stock should leave the rice slightly loose.

Remove from heat, mix in vigorously oil and Parm. 

Add thyme, season with S&P.and stir.

Enjoy :)

I would put up a picture of the Risotto finished but it's pretty brown! Really tasty though!

Would you eat mushrooms you found in the woods? If you learn enough about it first it's worth a try!

A few pics... More to come :)

 Cucumbers!

 Swiss Chard and Pole Beans (Growing on Fence)

 Pumpkin Patch! No babies yet...

 All ready harvested this Round Zucchini! It got about 1" wider.

 Cubanells, my favorite peppers! Also have had a few jalapenos all ready!

 Sun Gold Cherry doing GREAT!

 Heirloom Tomatoes!

Carrots, just starting to peek their shoulders up... will have a close up soon!


PS: Please read about the Oak Park Michigan case!
Oak Park Front Yard Garden...

Early Summer Harvest - Quick Any-Time Meal

Tonight I made a delicious frittata (or tortilla, or crustless quiche). It was fast and easy and can be adapted to anything you have on hand. It's all about knowing the ratio!

Here's the basic recipe:

4 Whole Fresh Eggs
4 Fresh Egg Whites (save the 4 yolks for a pint of ice cream if you have an ice cream maker)
1/2 cup Kefir or Greek Yogurt
1/2 tsp salt
few grinds pepper

First you will whisk these together just until blended.

To this, fold in: 1 cup (approx.) any fresh veggies on hand, cut small enough to cook through in a few minutes, and plenty of fresh herbs. (cheese optional- always)

Here I used:
1/2 of a med yellow squash cut into 1/8" slices
5-6 snow peas, sliced on the bias, 1/8" thick
1 handfull of green beans, cut into 1/4" pieces
2 garlic scapes, cut into 1/4" pieces
1 scallion, sliced 1/8" thick
Fresh basil
1/4 cup shredded cheddar

HEAT oven to 450 and a 10" cast iron skillet (please throw away your non-stick crap and buy one) over medium heat on stovetop. Melt 1 Tb butter. Add in frittata mixture. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until it starts to barely bubble underneath. Use a rubber spatula (see previous recipe post for note) to loosen around edge and drizzle a little EVOO around the edges. This will prevent them from sticking and give a nice golden crisp to the edge...

Now, move the skillet from the stovetop to the middle of the oven. Continue cooking an additional 7-10 minutes until set. Cool for a minute then loosen edges again with handy dandy spatula and turn out onto a platter (hardest part - but cast iron rocks and doesn't stick!)

Garnish with some flaked sea salt and fresh parsley & chives (which have more vitamin C in a teaspoon than a glass of OJ by the way).

Tonight's frittata was made with nothing from farther away than VT. From my own garden: Radishes, Basil, Chives, Parsley, Green Beans and Scallions! Play around, see what you have.

Garden Update 6/13

Harvested all the lettuce yesterday!

Monster Tomato! Golden Cherry from the nursery... got a nice cluster of buds!

These tomatoes I started from seed! Heirloom "Early Red Cheif"

Potatoes I pulled from the compost bin where they were trying to grow!

Heirloom "Top Crop" Green Beans. Bush type, growing intensively in a container!

And all ready lot's of little bean flowers!

Ridiculously fast growing radishes. "Cherry Belle"

Planted from seed only a few weeks ago and almost fat enough to harvest! I don't even know if I like radishes!

Basil... also from seed! Gonna be making some pesto in a few weeks!

Started this Chive and Thyme from seed. Eventually they will live in the back garden!

Jalapeno Babies!

Recently started "Kentucky Wonder" mix of green and wax beans! Pole type will cover that fence soon!

Pumpkins! Lost one to wind, still 2 healthy ones!

A  new cucumber "Spacemaster" that can be grown in hanging planters!

In the center of this photo is a big Horseradish plant Ben's friend gave us last year! I almost pulled it out thinking it was weeds but looks like we will have a bumper crop! Sinus cleanser anyone?

 So far so good, I'd say!

Ben's muscles and my green thumb will have us eating good soon enough!
We've all ready been eating salads for a few months, and peas too (though our crop was sad... will plant more for fall!) But this is what they looked like!

Fresh garden peas quickly blanched then sauteed in butter with shallots and kosher salt!