Happy Earth Day!

I know we wont be here for very long but I couldn’t resist planting a couple things that could be used right away.  Parsley, two lettuces, arugula, and basil. We have yet another hearty return of the monster chive plant and the oregano is peeking up too.  Those in the background are just our irises. 

Last week we had Aedan’s little preschool group over to our place and we had a lesson on rain.  I showed them how to plant some seeds, in this case green beans, and how to water and care for them.  The green beans sprout so quickly that I figured it’d be perfect for their attention span.  Aedan has been VERY excited about his plant and has been taking very good care of it.  We recycled the cups leftover from our cheap Easter egg dye kit to hold the plant and it turns out it was a brilliant idea – we can see the roots underground and there is more for him to look at. 

I love Spring!

Genoa use for basil?

In spite of Neal's backyard bonfire attempt, our herbs have been growing like crazy.  So much that what flowers actually survived the flames were eventually killed anyway due to crowding out from the herbs.  I'm sure if I would have been on the ball that wouldn't have happened but at least I can eat the herbs right?  Well...

This is roughly about a third of what I've harvested of the basil alone this year.  Luckily pesto freezes well right?  What does one do with excess pesto?  Make Genoese Minestrone... I know I know, soup in the summer?  It was a good lazy day meal.  I've had a lot of Genoese food this past month... and this month we will have loads of Chinese food!  Don't forget to do the Chinese Food Olympic Event!

Genoese Minestrone

modified from Soup by Debra Mayhew

serves 4 to 6

3 Tb olive oil

1 onion, minced

2 celery stalks, minced

1 large carrot, minced

5 ounces thin green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 zucchini, finely sliced

1 potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 Savoy cabbage, shredded or 1 cup shredded kale

7-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2Italian plum tomatoes, chopped

1 1/4 quarts vegetable stock

3 1/2 ounces spaghetti or vermicelli

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pesto

about 20 fresh basil leaves

1 garlic clove

2 tsp pine nuts

2 Tb freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tb olive oil

1) Heat the oil in a large saucepan.  Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes.

2) Stir in the green beans, zucchini, potato, and cabbage and stir-fry over medium heat for about 3 minutes.  Add the cannellini beans, and plum tomatoes and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes longer.

3) Pour in the stock with salt and pepper to tste and bring to a boil.  Sitr well, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4) Meanwhile, process all the pesto ingredients in a food processor until the mixture forms a smooth sauce, adding 1 to 3 tablespoons water through the feeder tube if the sauce seems too thick.

5) Break the pasta into small pieces and add it to the soup.  Simmer, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.  Stir in the pesto sauce and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes longer, or until the pasta is al dente.  Check the seasoning and serve hot, in warm soup bowls.  Serve with toasted bread.

* I did this in a crockpot and it worked great too

Nothing of Supreme Importance

I was hoping to sneak by without posting for a while (only a week, come on!) but it seems that you know me a little too well and some were beginning to get worried... Rest assured that we are doing relatively well! Actually, a whole lot of nothing has been going on for us. I just don't think I can bring myself to write about each little thing so I'll give you some big ol' pics and you can feel free to imagine the details.

If I'm feeling generous this week I might submit some of these recipes....

Ok the above movie posters are sized to our/my preferences: big = totally rocks, not so big = not sure if we will ever see again but not bad ... I should add that not all of these are new to us but these are all ones watched recently and/or abundantly.

Sage to Soot

I must apologize to Neal upfront - you know I just have to post this honey. Someday we will laugh at this.

I am playing catch up on posting things from this past week. To set the stage, imagine last Wednesday, I had taken off for the afternoon to map out an orienteering course for a scout campout and Neal was home with Aedan. I come home tired and ready to see my boys. The following is how I remember the conversation going:

Neal: Honey, something bad happened.

Me: (A million things race through my mind) Ummm... ok?

Neal: I thought I'd better tell you before Aedan does...

Me: Yes?...

Neal: As I was cleaning out the shed in the backyard, Aedan tossed a bottle of lighter fluid onto the patio and shattered it, leaving a big puddle.

Me: Oh no!

Neal: And I didn't know what would be the best way to clean it up. I thought I could either let it evaporate some but there was so much. So I decided to burn it up.

Me: Ummm...

Neal: I didn't think the fire would be so big! I was afraid the house was going to burn down! I wasn't thinking! I had to put it out with the broom - I couldn't stomp it because I was barefoot. I'm sorry. It just got way out of control - the flames were at least 10 feet high but it didn't catch anything on fire. I kept Aedan inside.

Aedan: Burn Burn! Da ring of fire!

I later took a good look at the backyard...

And this isn't even half of it. After seeing this I was literally in shock for a few minutes. I just didn't know what to do with myself! My precious herbs! My petite flowers! Reduced to cinders...

Neal said that if I had been there I would have been really mad. I suppose at this point I'm not so much mad as I am still in shock at what happened. Had I been there I'm sure I wouldn't have stopped to take a picture but this is what I imagined it to be like in my mind...

Roasting hot dogs and all...

Boys will play while the momma's away. I suppose I should be glad they are safe... I still can't believe it.

My Big Fat Greek Meatball

Greek mythology has always been somewhat humorous to me - I mean no disrespect to the culture or beliefs but I think I mostly get a chuckle that the gods and goddesses seem more human-like than god-like. Maybe that was the whole point. They had just as many tantrums or love affairs as did the mortals they served and I suppose that growing up LDS I have gained a testimony that we learn and grow and repent of our mistakes, ultimately so we can become like God and the Son, Jesus Christ. I can't think of one Greek/Roman god/goddess that I would want to be like as an end product.


Take this lady pictured top left. This is Demeter, Greek Goddess of the Bountiful Harvest and the Nurturing Spirit or in Roman mythology, her name is Ceres. I suppose if I were to choose one as a role model it would be her. She was believed to bring fertility to the land, a teacher to mankind on how to cultivate the soil. She was also a very devoted mother. Demeter wasn't without flaw but she seemed far less temperamental than the other gods.

I haven't had very many opportunities to have good Greek food in my life. I used to work for a company called Isotech Laboratories, Inc. and one of the head guys working there has a wife with Grecian heritage and, oh my, she is a fabulous cook! I've had this recipe she passed on a few years ago and my herb garden is indeed bountiful this year so I thought I'd give it a shot. And now I'm wondering why I waited so long to try it as it is food surely fit for the gods (so to speak)! Just a note for future posts: you might see a lot of recipes coming up that use fresh herbs because I've got to do some major experimenting if I am going to keep up with it all.

Greek Meatballs (Keftethes)

by Terry Benson

and minor modifications by me (I sure hate to add my two bits to an old time recipe...)

2 lbs. beef, may use part lamb or pork if you like. (I did part pork)
2 cups moist bread crumbs
1 cup chopped onions
2-3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs, slightly beaten
4 Tbsp chopped fresh curly parsley
3 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
2-4 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp oregano (fresh worked great)
Salt and pepper
Tomato sauce thinned with water (I used one 28oz can)

Saute onion and garlic in a little butter until lightly browned and place in mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except tomato sauce and water, and mix well (this is much easier if you put it all in a food processor). Form into small balls (use a small meatballer scoop) and roll in flour.

NOTE: Traditionally , Greek meatballs are fried in hot oil. However, her preference is oven baked and this is how it is done:

Place a little corn oil in a baking pan and line up the floured meatballs in the pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven until browned on one side, then turn and bake until second side is nearly done. Mix tomato sauce and water (only enough to come to about 1/3 of the way up the meatballs) and finish baking until meatballs are fully cooked and sauce is heated through (about 5-10 minutes).

Makes approx. 4.5 dozen meatballs

NOTE: Also traditionally, Greek meatballs are served without tomato sauce although their family prefers it with the sauce as it keeps them moist it adds to the taste. Try some without the sauce and decide for yourself how you want to serve them. I have also seen recipes that serve them with a cucumber/yogurt/mint sauce (tsatziki) on the side in place of red sauce. I'm going to try this next time.

These were served to us as an appetizer all on its own however I made a meal out of mine by serving over a bed of couscous tossed with olive oil and Tuscan Sunset spice blend from Penzey’s (a salt-free Italian mix). I know, Italian mixed with Greek. How dare I!

Next Greek food on my list of things to make is Greek Dolmades but if you have any suggestions on things I should try send them my way. I'd even take samples....

Jackie, Jackie, strange and wacky, How does your garden grow?

... With marjoram leaves and basil stems, and pretty mint all in a row!

Aedan and I worked on our herb garden today. We planted Sweet Basil, French Tarragon, Curry Plant, Curly Parsley, Mint, Salad Burnett, Rosemary, Lavendar, Thai Basil, Dill, and Sweet Marjoram. We have a chive plant that was already here before we moved in and since then I have transplanted it a number of times and it is still alive, it never fails to impress me. We also have two hearty Oregano plants from a few years ago. (I love it when they keep coming back...)

I love having all these fresh herbs so close to the kitchen! Last year I discovered that parsley grows really well here and it made a huge difference in my cooking. Raw fresh parsley is amazing and is quite nutritious - it is packed with Vitamin C and iron, has some protein and fiber value too . Wikipedia says that when it is crushed and rubbed on the skin, parsley can reduce itching in mosquito bites - I might have to try that although I'm hoping I won't need to. Last year I dehydrated what parsley we had left and even that tastes much better than store bought dried parsley (even beats out my favorite Penzey's spices, now that is saying something!)

The salad burnett and curry plants are a bit new to me so we will see how it goes. The salad burnett has a cucumberish taste and I need to see what else I can use it for other than salads. The curry plant is not all I was hoping for as it seems it has a mild curry flavor although it smells just like curry. It seems it works best for deviled eggs, rice, or vegetables. Should be interesting.

I found a small pair of working gloves for Aedan at the nursery and he was very excited to be able to get his hands dirty, so to speak.

Like I mentioned in our last post, the previous resident must have really been into gardening because these terraces were here before we moved in. In the top level we will have some pretty irises soon. There is another set on the opposite side of our back patio which are also filled with herbs and flowers.

We also planted a lavender Chrysanthemum, Allyson purple Mexican Heather, and 'Soprano' Light Purple Osteospermum hybrid flowers (this is our lone flower pictured above). I'm trying out some things with our camera - I love closeup flower shots!

While working in the back yard, a guy from our electric company came to change out our meter for market pricing so we are another step closer to reducing our electric bills! Just in time for summer too.

I am really going to miss having a garden this year - in particular I am going to miss all of the tomatoes. It looks like I will be hitting the farmers market more often than not. All of this gardening made me crave a vegetarian dish so I made Ratatouille's Ratatouille again for dinner, this time with a side of Quinoa. I just love a good hearty meal from good ol' Mother Earth!