Recipes from the 4th

Greetings!

So, what would any celebration be without food?
This week, when I was chatting with my friend Heidi about our menu for the 4th of July, she mentioned that I had missed my calling. Perhaps, but I could never choose between growing the best tasting herbs, fruits and veggies and preparing them. The truth is, I love to cook. This is perhaps the main reason I garden. There is nothing better than fresh ingredients and there are none more fresh than those you grow yourself!

So what was on the menu? Garlic crusted beef. Herbed chicken breast with yogurt and curry. Bow-tie pasta with basil, arugula, walnuts & Gorgonzola. Israeli couscous with bay, basil, oregano, onions and golden raisins. A grilled vegetable medley of farm fresh onions, red and yellow bell peppers, Spanish squash and vine ripened tomato. And for dessert, frozen yogurt with honey and fresh peaches.

Yep, I love to cook. So friends, break out that ice cream maker and enjoy the sweetness summertime brings!


Frozen Yogurt with Honey and Peaches

1 2lb carton of European whole milk yogurt [Trader Joes]
4 oz creamed honey [Arnott Citrus Ranch - Greenspot Rd, Mentone]
5-6 Fresh, ripe peaches, mashed [Local source: Ortega Produce, Riverside [they are at the Redlands and Yucaipa Saturday morning farmers market]
Dash of nutmeg and cinnamon

Cream together the honey and peaches. Mix in yogurt. Chill. Prepare according to individual ice-cream mixer directions. We use a kitchen-aid attachment so we pour the chilled mixture into the ice-cream freezer and set mixer on 2 for 30 min. Remove and cover in freezer. Best when served the same day.

Enjoy the day!
Carrie-Anne

Garden Celebration

Greetings! We hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. Just a quick post to update you on the garden which seemed to join in on this weeks celebration by sending up the most beautiful bursts of color and whimsy. These are the seed pods on our alum [onion & scallions]. Amazing.

Do you remember a few weeks ago when we replaced many of the spent spring-time plants with plenty of lettuce for summer. Take a look at them now! Amazing how fast [and large] the 4 inch starters grow in no time at all.

What would summer be without the delicious tomato? Just this morning ,we harvested our first ripe tomato. I left several on the vine for the kids to find later today, knowing there is nothing better than a vine riped tomato that the sun has gently warmed during the day!

Did you happen to notice our "tomato cage"? My husband has found so many clever ways to use the branches from our mulberry tree. For this, he used some branches from the tree and copper wire. They are as beautiful as they are functional.

Enjoy the day!

Carrie-Anne