Sunday, June 24, 2012

Summer Plenty

As always an amazing helper - washing okra

Joe's Uncle Larry farms hundreds of acres - mostly peanuts and corn - and he always grows an enormous family vegetable garden - this year because we are living so close, we were able to go & pick veggies - we brought home 145 POUNDS of tomatoes among all the other bounty - this is what every surface in the kitchen looked liked when we got home

We worked all weekend to fill these jars.

Sampling the cherry tomatoes.  The first of our butternuts coming in.

collecting some sunflower seeds

skinning & coring tomatoes

Dancin' in the Kitchen

Ladling up crushed tomatoes while a batch of ketchup cooks down.  Indigo snoozing away in her favorite spot.

The first batch of ketchup I've every made.  24 pounds of tomatoes cooked down to 5 pints.  Homemade ketchup rocks.

Tropical storm Debby rolled in this afternoon - Levi takes an art break & listens to the pouring rain.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Tomatoes!


I arrived home to find the kitchen overflowing with tomatoes - the 45+ vines are in full production, with pounds coming in each day.  In the last few days we've put up stewed tomatoes, pizza sauce, and frozen a triple batch of fresh tomato salsa.  We're completely saturated with tomato goodness & combing cookbooks for new recipes. 

Tonight we tried "Sauteed Yellow Cherry Tomatoes with Arugula Pesto and Feta" and licked the bowl clean.  Summertime tomato perfection.  Joe Burnam went back for thirds.


Lemon Drop Cherries

Sauteed Yellow Cherry Tomatoes with Arugula Pesto and Feta
recipe adapted from New Flavors for Vegetables by Jodi Liano 

  • pecans, 3 tablespoons
  • garlic, 1 clove, roughly chopped
  • fresh basil leaves, 1/4 bunch
  • arugula leaves, 1 cup packed
  • olive oil, 5 tablespoons
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • yellow cherry tomatoes, 1 1/2 pounds
  • feta cheese, 2 ounces
Preheat oven to 375.

Toast pecans until they turn a shade or two darker & are fragrant, 6-8 minutes.

In a food processor, combine pecans and garlic.  Add the basil and arugula leaves and process until coarsely chopped.  With motor running, slowly pour in 4 TBsp of oil.  Process until mixture is moist & well blended.  Add S & P to taste.

In a pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 1 TBsp oil.  When the oil is hot, add tomatoes & a pinch of salt.  Saute until the tomatoes are warmed through & their skins are just beginning to split, 3-4 minutes. 

Transfer tomatoes to serving bowl, stir in pesto, and crumble the cheese over the top.  Serve hot or at room temp.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Field Trip to the Chert Pit

Where there were as many blackberries as rocks!












Sunday, June 10, 2012

2 weeks in Wildwood

The kiddos & I have been away a full week now and have thus far:

*discovered a new born goat
*spent time each day crawling/running/lounging in the lush grass
*basked in family love
*explored all nearby waterways
*taken first steps into Mama's waiting arms {Indigo!!!}
*visited the Chattanooga (Farmer's) Market and scored some lovely beets
*made a fieldtrip with friends to a local chert pit for some major rock discovers & treasures 

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Easy weekend at home

You get a line, I'll get a pole, honey

Daddy's tractor mechanic