Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup

I love soup!  Always have, and I always will.  Whenever I eat out, I most often choose soup over salad.  I should qualify that statement though.  I'm picky, and I'm not going to choose a generic soup.  I'm not going to choose chicken noodle, or even a tomato bisque over a glorious house made Caesar Salad with homemade croutons, and dressing.  BUT I will be persuaded away from that perfect salad by interesting soup options.  Tempt me with a homemade cream of mushroom, or a pumpkin or butternut squash soup.  How about a spicy black bean soup.  If it's out of the ordinary and something I can't get in a little red Campbell's Soup can, I'm in!  Homemade is the key word here.  I won't bother if it's out of a bag, or can.  You know the kind of places you can count on for a good homemade soup.  

In my little garden this summer I planted a small patch of Sugar Pie Pumpkins.  They are absolutely perfectly sized for making 2 pies, or in this case I big pot of soup.  Each pumpkin produces approximately 30 oz. of pumpkin flesh!  Yum!  I saw a recipe on Pinterest the other day that combined some of my favorite flavors together.  Coconut milk, curry, along with the pumpkin.  Interesting, and tasty.  I decided to try my hand at my version of this soup.  I

sometimes like a little more sweetness to my recipes so therefore you'll notice the addition of a couple of apples.  It's good, and it worked perfectly:)  If you need a Sugar Pie Pumpkin to roast just give me a call.  I've got a small trailer loaded.  Or a 30 oz. can will work just fine.

Thai Coconut Pumpkin Soup

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil (or any oil you have on hand.)
• 1  onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 apples peeled and cored and roughly chopped.  I used Gala.  Choose a sweet apple variety.
• 1 tablespoons curry paste (I used a yellow curry paste.  If you don't have paste, curry powder can be used.  It will be a little different, but close enough.  Curry paste comes in red, yellow and green colors and any will work.)
• 1/2 t. ground ginger
• 4-5 cups low-sodium Chicken broth
• 1 30 oz. can of pumpkin puree or the flesh of 1 Sugar Pie Pumpkin cooked
• here's a link on how to roast a pumpkin
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 c. sugar
• Cilantro or fresh parsley for garnish
• Pepitas or pumpkin seeds for garnish
• Cream or sour cream drizzle for garnish

directions:

Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add coconut oil. Once it's melted, add in the onions and the garlic, and apples with a pinch of salt and stir. Cook until the onions and apples are soft. About 5 minutes. Add in the ginger and curry paste and stir until it is incorporated. Cook the curry and onion mixture for a few minutes.  Add the pumpkin puree. Pour in the broth.  Start with 3 c. and add more later if needed. You can add more for a thinner soup, or less for a thicker soup.    Cover the pot and bring the ingredients to a boil.  Let bubble away for 5- 10 minute or until all the veggies are real tender.  It's easier to blend.  I have an immersion blender that I can blend my soup in the pot.  If not, work in batches and place the soup in a blender and blend until smooth.

 Add in the coconut milk, sugar, salt and pepper, and stir. Cover and cook the soup for 10 minutes until it's completely warm. Taste and season additionally if desired. Garnish with cilantro or parsley, and pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of cream.  

recipe adapted from How Sweet Eats

Tomato Cucumber and Avocado Salad

Also known as my favorite salad on the planet!  I know it's Oct., and my garden should be long gone, but I baby it these last few weeks.  I do everything in my power to keep it going just a little longer.   I remember the first year I was married to James and we lived in a cute little house in Ogden.  I had planted about 6 tomato plants.  That was my extent of gardening, but I remember by Nov. I was praying those tomatoes would just DIE.  In Avon it's usually a different story.  There's usually a cold snap some time in Sept., and if I can just keep my tomatoes covered for a few days I'm usually looking at a beautiful Indian Summer that I can squeak a few more tomatoes out of:)

This salad is so easy, nothing special, just straight from the garden goodness.  If you don't have garden tomatoes then cherry tomatoes will be your best bet.  I just used a combination of yellow and red tomatoes.  The colors were stunning!  I had small little Armenian Cucumbers, and a red onion.  Oh,avocados too.  It's great as a salad, as a salsa with chips, and as breakfast too.  Try it with a fried egg.  Enjoy the last little bit of garden goodness:)  I'll take every little bit that I can get.


Tomato Cucumber and Avocado Salad

tomatoes (cherry's cut in half, or just big chunks of red and yellow tomatoes)
cucumber cut thin in half circles
red onion slivered
avocado cut into large chunks
olive oil
rice vinegar
salt and pepper
fresh basil

In a large bowl place all the veggies except the avocados.  Drizzle a little olive oil, and rice vinegar and salt and pepper.  Toss lightly and taste.  Adjust to your liking.  Add the avocado right before serving and toss lightly so you don't mush the avocado up.  I like a sprinkling of fresh basil as well.

Pumpkin Pie (Made with a real pumpkin!)

Those little pumpkins are the one's I roasted to make these pies.  They're perfectly sized.
And just so you know.  Those pumpkins and wheat stalks are the extent of my fall decorating:)

*Just a quick note here.  My pumpkin pie post was linked to, from the Gourmet Live blog!  I'm flattered:)


I have a weakness.   I love walking through Costco!  I especially love walking through Costco around late Sept. early Oct. and spying the enormous Pumpkin Pies in the bakery dept.  And they're cheap.  Even in Hawaii they are cheap.  Like $5.95 for a huge pie.  And my dear friends, the crust may not be spectacular, but the pie is lovely.  My family can do some serious damage to a pumpkin pie in no time at all.

Another confession.  I will now make all of my pumpkin stuff with real pumpkins.  Next summer my entire garden is going to be planted in adorable Sugar Pie Pumpkins.   I'm going to have a huge pumpkin patch.  I love those perfectly sized pumpkins!  I have bought a few of them the last few weeks, and my word, they make the best Pumpkin Pies.  They even beat Costco's!  Add a homemade pie crust, and there is nothing better in the world.  I've made 4 of these in 2 days.  My family has only eaten 2, and the other two were given away.  One to my perfect neighbor who has taken my garbage out for me the last 2 weeks.  And I'll bet he's done it many more times without me noticing.  He's really nice.  I hope you all have a neighbor like George.   I will totally share a pie with perfect neighbors.

Each one of the lovely little Sugar Pie pumpkins pictured above makes 2-  9inch pumpkin pies.  I follow the Libby Pumpkin Pie recipe, but substitute 1 cooked Sugar Pie pumpkin for a 29 oz. can of pumpkin.  It works perfectly every time.  So enjoy your pumpkin pie my friends.  I keep telling myself I'm just practicing making these pies so they'll be perfect by Thanksgiving Day.  Who am I kidding?  Let them eat pie!  Every day!

How to roast a Sugar Pie Pumpkin

 This is easy!  Piece of cake or easy as pie:)  I preheat my oven to 375'F and put the whole pumpkin on a cookie sheet.  I don't wash it, or cut it or scoop the seeds out.  Just plop the whole thing in the oven.  Let the pumpkin bake for about 30-40 minutes.  It may start to leak a little and when you touch the pumpkin it will feel tender to the touch.  Take the pumpkin out and let sit until cooled.  After it has cooled I take a big knife and cut the pumpkin in half.  Scoop out the seeds and discard them or you can always save them to roast later.  Then scoop the flesh from inside the pumpkin.  It should be very easy. You can almost just peel the skin off.  If your pumpkin is a little stringy, no worries.  I mix the pumpkin pie filling together, and then either blend it with a blender or stick an immersion blender in to smooth the filling out.  Give this a try!  You'll be pleased with how it turns out:)

 Pumpkin Pie

make 2- 9 inch pies

recipe adapted from Libby's

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

4 large eggs

1 29 oz. can  Pumpkin or the flesh of 1 roasted Sugar Pie Pumpkin

2 can (12 fl. oz.)  Evaporated Milk

2 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, and ginger in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 375' F oven for 75 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving. 

Here's my favorite pie crust!

(this makes enough for 4 single pies, 2 double crusted pies, or 2 Galettes.)

3 c. flour

1 1/2 c shortening

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt 

1 egg

1/4-1/3 c. water

1 T. vinegar

3 T. cornstarch

Combine flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar.  Cut in shortening.  I actually like to use Manteca Lard  a lot of the times.  My sisters friend Makita gave us this tip a few years ago and it make delicious pie crust!  Mix egg, cold water, and vinegar.  Blend into flour mixture until it forms a ball.  Try to handle the dough as little as possible.  Makes 4 single pie crusts.  I always make the whole recipe.  If I have dough left over I just plop the dough ball into a Ziploc and put it into the freezer.  All you have to do is thaw and roll when needed.  

Raspberry Coconut Macaroons

I'm always on the lookout for a good recipe to use up some of my garden's treats.  I found this recipe yesterday at Tasty Kitchen, but the original was from Smitten Kitchen.  It looked so good, and I decided I had to make it today.  I've had a great season this year and my raspberries are doing soooo good.   This recipe found me on the perfect day.  I had just picked an ice cream bucket full of those red jewels, and I wanted to use them in something.  It is a harmonious combination of my all time favorite Coconut Macaroon and a fresh Bear Lake Raspberry Shake!!!  Heck Yes!!  For those of you who aren't familiar with a fresh Bear Lake Raspberry Shake, let me fill you in.  There's a beautiful little valley on the East side of the  Utah/Idaho border.  There is an enormous lake there that has the most beautiful blue water you have ever seen.  It is glorious in the summer.  The one thing that the Bear Lake area is most famous for is their raspberries.

Can you believe the blue.  Bear Lake is just one of those places full of fun, cousins, and amazing memories!

I remember as a kid going there every summer, and usually on one of the days we were there, a mom or two would spend the afternoon picking raspberries.  As you dropped down the mountain into Garden City, there were fields and fields of self pick berry patches.  My mom would then turn those raspberries into jam, and we'd eat bowls full of the fresh berries and milk.   Now days those same famous raspberries are going for around $40 a flat!  It's usually a fight to get some of those berries though:)

 My garden full of life.  The sunflowers are still amazing, even when they're on their way out.  

I planted a raspberry patch probably 9 years ago, and I have loved the harvest I get every year.  Seriously!  There is no other jam in the world that compares to homemade Raspberry Freezer Jam.   So now besides jam, and bowls of raspberries and cream I will be making these Macaroons.  This is one of those recipes that just turned out way better than I expected.  You could always dip the cookies into some dark chocolate, but I think next time, I'm adding mini semi sweet chips right to the cookie.  I can only imagine how delish they would be.

Her middle name should have been Berry.  She is my best picking partner:)

The recipe is an adaptation from Smitten Kitchen, but I used the Macaroon recipe I found years ago.  I've tried many over the years, and this recipe just works.  There's no puddling of egg whites or sweetened condensed milk.  It's just perfect.  I'll leave a link to the original Smitten Kitchen recipe, but I'll give the recipe I used as well.  I hope you love them:)

Raspberry Coconut Macaroons

Smitten Kitchen recipe here!  Thanks SM

Lovely Macaroons

I think I found this recipe off of Food Network, but I've never been able to find it again when I've looked for the source.  So let's just say it's theirs:)

1/2 c. flour

1 14oz. bag of coconut plus 1 1/2 c. from another bag

1/4 t. salt

1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 c. fresh raspberries

2 t. almond extract

Mix flour, coconut and salt together.  I used the Smitten Kitchen directions here and buzzed all the coconut in my food processor.  It pulverizes the coconut, but turned out a very pretty cookie.  I think I like this technique best.  Add milk and almond.  Buzz until combined.  Now add the fresh berries and buzz until just combined.  Don't overly buzz.  You want big bits of berries if you can.  Drop by spoonfuls onto a parchment lined or greased cookie sheet.  Silpats work fabulous here.  Bake at 350' F. for 12- 15 mins. or until browned around the edges.  This made 21 good sized cookies for me, but it could make about 24-30 smaller cookies.  To dip in chocolate take 8 oz. of Bakers Semi Sweet chocolate, and place it in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir and place in microwave for another 30 secs.  Repeat until the chocolate is melted.  Dip cooled cookies in chocolate and let set on wax paper until the chocolate is solid.  Enjoy

Corn Cakes with Tomato and Avocado Salsa

We love cakes!  Chocolate Cake, Crab Cakes, Banana Pancakes................you get the idea.  And we have a new favorite at our house as well.  These Corn Cakes were fantastic!  Right now, I have an abundance of fresh corn just waiting to be used in my garden.   It just came on.  I'm trying to use it up faster than the racoons can eat it each night though.  (Those dirty buggers are enjoying quite a feast each night.  Between the 4 deer who call my garden home, and the pesky racoons, my garden gets a tight haircut each night.)  Since it is fresh corn season these are the perfect way to use some of your garden produce.  I'm planning on making these year round as well.  I imagine they'd work out well with frozen corn, if you don't have access to fresh stuff.   I served these as a side dish the other night, but you could make this the main meal, and it would be wonderful.  Emma and I were snitching these little cakes as they came out of the pan, and thought they were dang tasty.  We instantly new we had a winner.

Corn Cakes with Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa

Slightly Lisa-fied, but from “Sara Foster’s Southern Kitchen”  

Thanks to Sara!  She's one of my favorite cookbook authors

Makes about 12 large cakes; serves 6 to 8

4 C. FRESH CORN, SHUCKED (don't worry about cooking it.  Just use it raw.)

1 CUP FLOUR

1/2 CUP CORNMEAL 

1/4 CUP DICED RED ONION

1/4 CUP THINLY SLICED FRESH BASIL

1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

2 LARGE EGGS, LIGHTLY BEATEN

2 TABLESPOONS WELL-SHAKEN BUTTERMILK

2 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER, MELTED

CANOLA OIL, FOR FRYING

CHOPPED TOMATO AND AVOCADO SALSA (RECIPE FOLLOWS)

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a brown paper bag.

Place 2 cups of the corn kernels into a food processor, and pulse several times, until the corn is slightly pureed but still chunky. Scrape into the bowl with the remaining corn kernels.

Add flour, cornmeal, onion, basil, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper to the corn. Stir to mix.

Add the eggs, buttermilk and butter, and stir just to combine. (Do not overmix.)

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add just enough canola oil to barely cover the bottom, and heat until sizzling hot.

One heaping tablespoon at a time, scoop the batter into the skillet. Cooking in batches of 4 to 5 to avoid overcrowding, fry the cakes 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown.

Drain on the lined baking sheet, and place in the oven to keep warm while cooking the remaining corn cakes. Serve warm topped with a heap of Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa.

Chopped Tomato and Avocado Salsa

Makes about 2 cups

1 LARGE TOMATO, CORED AND CHOPPED

1 SCALLION, TRIMMED AND MINCED

1/2 JALAPENO PEPPER, CORED, SEEDED AND DICED

1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED FRESH BASIL

1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO

1 GARLIC CLOVE, MINCED

JUICE OF 1/2 LIME

1 1/2 TEASPOONS EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1 1/2 TEASPOONS WHITE WINE VINEGAR

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER

1 AVOCADO, PEELED, PITTED AND DICED

Place all of the ingredients (except the avocado) in a bowl, and stir to mix. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve, for up to 2 days.

Just before serving, add the avocado, and mix gently.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Do you have one of these?  A giant, enormous, leafy mass that makes me feel guilty every day for not using it.....Every Day?  If you don't you need to plant one.  I feel so old fashioned when I make this pie or this new favorite of mine, the Galette.  (Fancy name for a lazy pie.)  Rhubarb stuff just seems so pre chocolate chip.  You know, when there was a time that raisins were the cookie addition of choice.  Chocolate chips were so indulgent!  The pioneers used rhubarb.  BUT......so do I!  I love it!  My kids are warming up to the idea of eating "Celery Pie" as they call it, but you know every time I taste it I'm in heaven!

Strawberry Rhubarb pie is my mom's favorite dessert.  I served a rendition of that pie on Monday night to some neighbors, and I heard a lot of yummy sounds.  Monday nights dessert was by far my favorite incarnation of Rhubarb loveliness.  It included some blackberries, and blueberries, and was AMAZING!  I didn't put it in a pie pan, but I left it as a free form, rustic pie or Galette.  Served with some homemade ice cream and we were happy people.  I'm sharing my favorite new recipe here, and I'm hoping someone will try it out and be converted to my way of thinking.  Rhubarb is the best!

Berry Rhubarb Pie

pie dough for a double crust (Come on and make it homemade.  It is sooo much better!)

My Favorite Pie Crust (this makes enough for 4 single pies, 2 double crusted pies, or 2 Galettes.)

3 c. flour

1 1/2 c shortening

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt 

1 egg

1/4-1/3 c. water

1 T. vinegar

3 T. cornstarch

Combine flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar.  Cut in shortening.  I actually like to use Manteca Lard  a lot of the times.  My sisters friend Makita gave us this tip a few years ago and it make delicious pie crust!  Mix egg, cold water, and vinegar.  Blend into flour mixture until it forms a ball.  Try to handle the dough as little as possible.  Makes 4 single pie crusts.  I always make the whole recipe.  If I have dough left over I just plop the dough ball into a Ziploc and put it into the freezer.  All you have to do is thaw and roll when needed.  

Berry Rhubarb Filling

4 c. rhubarb chopped

1-2 c. chopped strawberries, or blackberries or whatever berry you have.  Frozen would work too.

1 1/2 c. sugar

3 T. Clear Gel or cornstarch or flour  (Clear Gel is my fave!)

Stir the fruit together and let it sit until it starts to juice a bit.  Don't worry, the sugar doesn't have to be completely dissolved.

For the Gallette I rolled out half of the dough into a large circle.  Just do your best.  I then transfered it to a large silver cookie sheet.  I poured all the fruit mixture in the middle and folded the edges of the dough up around it.  It turned out soooo pretty I thought, and way easy.  Bake at 375'F for 60- 75 minutes.  Until the pie or gallette is browned and the juices are bubbling out.  Serve warm with cream or vanilla ice cream.  

Pesto

Perfect pesto!  It goes on anything.

I hate to admit it, but I sometimes hate harvesting my garden.   Like a few months ago when I finally pulled out my lettuce that was starting to bolt.  All it did was leave a large area of unproductive ground.  It looked like a scab on an otherwise unblemished face.  I love the neat, perfect little rows and sometimes harvesting ruins my aesthetic perspective.  Silly I know, but still it's hard for me:)  Well yesterday I did it!  I harvested a lot of my basil and then proceeded to make pesto sauce.  I trimmed up those basil plants neatly.  Kind of like a really good haircut.  The kind that you don't notice a significant change, and everything still looks real nice.  My mother-in-law told me that that is the sign of a very fine haircut.  I believe her.

So the basil in the garden is still beautiful, but I now have a very large stash of homemade pesto sauce.  It is so stinking pretty.  The most beautiful color green.  It totally matches my kitchen, and the walls at the bakery.  I must have a thing for Pesto Green.  What to do with all that pesto you may ask.  We use a lot of it at our house.  I stir it into the ricotta/cottage cheese mixture in lasagna.  We use it as the sauce for our homemade pizza's, and the best purpose for pesto sauce of all is to make a Swede Turkey Pesto sandwich at home.

The Swede Turkey Pesto, or STP for short is the number one selling sandwich at the bakery.  It probably out sells the other sandwiches 2 to 1.  If you haven't had one I'll give you the secret recipe now so you can make them at home.

Don't you love this pic.  My brother-in-law Doug does all the photos for us at the bakery.  This poster is a huge hit!

Swede Turkey Pesto Sandwich

courtesy of Great Harvest Bread Logan, UT

and my sister Hollie who helped me come up with this sandwich:)

Great Harvest Asiago Sourdough Bread

Mayo

Spicy Brown Mustard

Pesto Sauce

Good Deli Turkey

Swiss Cheese

Leaf Lettuce

Red Onion 

Tomato

Balsamic Salad Dressing

Ta-Da!!  That's it!  We take the bread and squirt on the mayo, mustard, and a smear of pesto sauce.  Add the turkey and cheese and grill.  We use a George Foreman grill.  We like how it does the job, but a fry pan, or griddle will work too.  When the sandwich is sufficiently toasty, add the veggies, and then drizzle the sandwich with the balsamic dressing.  I actually like to dip so do as you please.

Just so you know who Swede is, he's my cousin and was a baker for us for quite a few years.  And you say his name as it is spelled.  It's a family name on the other side, but when we made the sandwich we needed a catchy name, and Swede was so unique, and interesting the rest is history.   The sandwich is so famous that one semester Swede was sitting in a class the first day, and the teacher was reading down the role.  When she got to Swede's name she said it, he responded with, "Here!" and then she stopped.  She then went on to ask if Swede just happened to have a sandwich named after him at Great Harvest?  Of course he did and I don't think Swede had to do a single assignment in that class that semester.  He just got an A for being "the Man".        

To make the pesto it is quite simple as well.  If you've got a lot of basil in your garden, put it to good use.  If not, go buy some and make yourself a Swede!

Pesto Sauce

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts

3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

A food processor or blender

 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  I poured my pesto into cute bottles and then poured enough EVOO on top to cover it.  The pesto will discolor quickly if exposed to air.  I freeze mine.  It will last forever.  One tip I learned was to portion the pesto in ice cube trays, and then freeze the cubes.  When frozen place in Ziploc bags and use when needed.  

Fruits of My Labors

An evening spent picking beans in the garden with the redhead.  Love that kid!

I love my garden.  Next to my husband, my children, my dogs, my home, my family, my friends and neighbors, my garden is truly loved.  I pray for things in my garden, and yes, the prayers work.  I'm afraid this year though in all the hub-a-balloo of birthing babies, and nursing babies, and loving new babies, some things in my garden just didn't get the right start.  Cantaloupe won't be a staple from the garden this year, and I noticed that the new lawnmower in the family dismembered my cucumber plants.  And the tomatoes........well let's just say I may never get a ripe one this year, but at least I have plenty bottled from last year.  But the garden is beautiful still.  I have to admit that a lot of the reason I plant a garden is asthetics.  It's all about how it looks as I sit in my bathroom and admire it out the window.  The rows have to have texture, and be placed in certain order.  I love the tall lines of onions, the frilly wisps of fennel, and the beautiful color of giant Zinnias right down the middle of the garden.  Sometimes I don't even harvest something because I don't want to ruin how the garden looks.  I walk around the garden every day and admire the fruits of my labor.

As a kid I remember going to Bear Lake every year with my family and staying in Fish Haven.  I think it's the cutest little town, and there must have been a million little old grandma's who lived there who loved their gardens.  I loved driving through town and admiring each perfectly manicured garden.  Tall rows of corn, sprawling squash, and tons of raspberry bushes.  It all seemed so idealic to me, and it inspired me to do the same.

Every year I plant a huge row of pole beans right down the middle of the garden.  Why pole beans instead of bush?  Bush beans produce all in one big bang, but they're harder to pick, and they don't look as cute as the wall of bean vines that wind themselves up a fence.  A bean fence is just absolutely perfect down the center of my garden.  I LOVE the look, but the consequences are a load of beans.  So far I've picked quite a few 5 gallon buckets of beans.  Many get cooked with new potatoes, and bacon, but the majority have turned into Dilly Beans this year.  A lovely neighbor gave me the recipe a few years back and the fam and I decided this years harvest would be devoted to Dilly Beans.  Dilly Beans are better than pickles, and finger licking good.  They are easy to make, and don't take a lot of time, or even a pressure canner.  They're simple and delicious, and we love eating them by the bottle full.  The recipe is from the "Good Book" of canning.  The Ball Blue Book.  So it's safe and approved by the canning god's, and my neighbor Beanie.  (She's the canning god around Paradise.)  So when life hands you beans here's something a little different to make, but I promise you will be pleased with the outcome.  Especially come Christmas when you add these beans to a lovely relish tray, but let's not talk about Christmas............yet.

Dilly Beans

recipe courtesy of the Ball Blue Book of Canning

2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
4 cloves garlic, peeled
8 sprigs fresh dill weed or 1 t. dill seed and 1 t. dill weed in each bottle
1/4 c. salt
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
Directions

Cut green beans to fit inside pint canning jars.
Pack the beans into four hot, sterilized pint jars. Place 1 clove garlic and 2 sprigs dill weed in each jar, against the glass.
In a large saucepan over high heat, bring vinegar,  water, and salt to a boil. Pour over beans.
Fit the jars with lids and rings and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Holy Strawboly!

Yes, that handsome man of mine helps in the garden every once in awhile.  Thanks Jimmy!

Holy cow!! I have had strawberries coming out of my ears for the past few weeks.  My garden is such a miracle!  Every time I'm out there I am amazed at what has grown.  It seems crazy to me that these little dried seeds actually grow into something we can eat, and that I actually did it.  Truth be told I don't really have a green thumb.  My thumb is just short and stubby and really couldn't grow anything if my life depended on it.  I do believe that a little prayer for the desires of my heart can do great things for my garden.  It's true, and I'm not trying to get preachy or anything, but dang you've got to try the "prayer road"  for great gardens.

Last year I had a record breaking cherry tomato that I prayed over everyday.  I also stroked it and talked sweet little words of love to it and boy did it produce.  That tomato was at least 10 ft. in diameter.  We were eating cherry tomatoes way into Oct.  This year I've prayed for my garden every night and boy has it done well.  My mom taught me when I was 8 or so how much prayer helps when you need something.  I had lost a favorite something and she encouraged me to pray for help.  I trusted everything she said and did exactly as she asked.  I found the treasure moments later in a spot I had already looked in.  I knew then and there that my prayer was answered.  Pray for your garden if you need a little extra help.  Trees do really well too if they are prayed over.  James thought I was a little strange at first when I'd pray for my garden, but I think he's a believer now.

The strawberry patch is producing tons and tons of berries.  I've probably picked about 12 ice cream buckets full of berries.  My patch is only 15 ft. by 10 ft.  It is wonderful.  I've made jam, and pies, and my favorite.........strawberries and cream.  We'll be having smoothies from now until next July.  I've got one more picking and I think I'm going to make Strawberry Rhubarb pie.  Lot's of them and then freeze them.  Just as the strawberries are finishing the raspberries are starting.  What a treat a garden is.  Blackberries will be next and then some beans, corn, tomatoes...................I love this time of year.  So pray for your garden.  It compensates for any lack of green thumbness you may have.  Trust me on this one!! I'm starting to learn prayer can do great things for 15 year olds too!!

What To Eat For LOTOJA

At the finish in Jackson.  Great ride boys!

LOTOJA tattoos.  It was like a badge of honor.

I grew this!  Amazing huh!

So sorry if you wondering what in the world LOTOJA is, but in my little life it occupies quiet a bit of time during the months of Aug. and Sept.  This year was no exception.  For the last 8 or 9 years James has been participating in the annual road bike race from Logan, UT to Jackson Hole, WY.  206 miles to be exact, and it is completed in one day.  J has rode the entire race quite a few times. I've even done the whole thing once.  (Can you believe it.  That's a whole different blog.)  Recently though, we at the Clawson home, have found that doing the LOTOJA as a relay team is a lot more fun than the whole thing by yourself.  

The last couple of years a brother or two has participate with J, and last year my friend Erin and I even rode the first leg of the race.  By the way, we were amazing!  It is dang fun catching onto the back of a large peleton of men riding their bikes fast.  J has informed me since, that hitching a ride is illegal, but Erin and I found that just a little bit of sweet talking, and stroking those boys egos, could get us a few good miles of sailing until the next peleton came along.  It is just like flying.  On to the story of this years race though.  The 2009 Great Harvest Bread Co. cycling team consisted of 4 Clawson brothers on bikes.  It was the funnest race yet I felt.  J's older brother Dave had only ridden twice, and had never used clipless pedals.  He was amazing.  He flew into Preston going 300 miles and hour and came to a dramatic stop in front of an applauding crowd.  I was so proud of him.  I think he caught the biking bug and will be back next year.  Maybe it was the amazing Thai Lettuce Wraps that I made the night before that produced such stellar results, but I'd be willing to make them again for those Clawson brothers.  

I had to post the picture of the beautiful head of Butter Crunch Lettuce I grew.  It was devoured quickly, but it was a lovely specimen of what a head of lettuce should look like.  The lettuce wraps were sooo good.  My niece Ashlee and I had a hard time curtailing our eating.  I'm afraid more than once I almost ate all the wraps and fixed the boys Top Ramen, but I had restraint and the boys loved them.  Even Dave who usually doesn't eat lettuce loved them.  That means they must have been a real hit.  

Next year Thai Lettuce Wraps will be on the menu again for the LOTOJA.  I think it's the secret ingredient to a great ride!

Thai Lettuce Wraps

2 head of Butter Crunch lettuce or other leafy lettuce washed and dried

2 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

1/4 c. peanut butter

1/8 c. fish sauce or soy sauce

sugar to taste

Thai chili paste

Place chicken pieces in a fry pan with a little oil.  Saute until done.  Add the other ingredients and stir until combined.

Coconut Noodles

1 lb. or angel hair pasta or super thin rice noodles cooked until done

1 12 oz. can of coconut milk

1 T. of curry paste any color, or dried curry powder will work

sugar to taste

fish sauce to taste or soy sauce

Drain the noodles and place back in a pan with all the other ingredients.  Turn heat to medium and toss noodles until coated completely.  It may seem saucy now, but after it cools it will totally soak into the noodle.  I like it best when the noodles are cooled.

Shredded cucumber

Shredded carrot

Chopped peanuts

Take a lettuce leaf and top it with coconut noodles, peanut chicken and other veggies and nuts.  I like to put a little more soy sauce and vinegar on them, but do what you like.  These babies are dang delicious!

What A Little Prayer Can Do

Standing at attention.

Last May my sister and I were having a conversation about gardening.  Gardening tomatoes in particular.  We were discussing how to grow the best tomatoes, and the many different secrets we've heard from gardeners over the years.  I have to admit, my neck of the woods has not achieved very good tomato results over the years.  Late frosts in June, and early frosts in Sept. aren't the best conditions for tomatoes.  I was determined this year to get a good crop of those round red beauties, and I would do whatever it took.

H, suggested that talking to, and stroking my tomato plants might do something.  I knew if I prayed hard enough for them that might work too.  We laughed about it, but I decided it was well worth a try.  I also decided to plant a few plants around the house in my flower beds.  That should give them just a little edge on the frost I thought.  Everyday there was one tomato plant that I especially stroked and loved.  It was a cute little cherry tomato right by my front door and as I walked in and out I could run my hands on it and talk a little baby loving talk to it.  J, caught me doing this a time or two, but he only smiled.  He didn't tease or taunt me, he just smiled.  Deep down inside I think he knew that all anything needs is a little sweet talking and caressing.  (He will do anything for me when I caress and sweet talk him.  Why wouldn't the tomatoes! :) 

Well it worked.   I have had the best crop of tomatoes ever.  My little cherry tomato plant that I stroked and loved, grew to be about 10 ft in diameter.  It was amazing.  Little yellow cherry tomatoes everywhere.  I loved having them there.  It was always fun to see who would stop to eat a handful.  One of our employees wives stopped one night and parked her little behind right next to the tomatoes and ate every ripe one there was.  I loved it!  It's kind of like someone stuffing an extra treat in a napkin and taking it home.  If they feel comfortable enough to eat your cherry tomatoes then they are friends indeed.   Even our stake president stopped by the other night and absently grabbed a handful while he and J were talking.  That's the best.

Even with an early frost two weeks ago, I have more tomatoes than ever before.   I have learned a good lesson this summer.  All we need in our lives is a little love, care, talking to, and prayer and the lord will bless us..........and our tomatoes:)  I know I'm going to enjoy the bounty of this last summer for months to come.  Thanks to a good momma who taught me how to bottle and preserve, and thanks to the lord for a fabulous crop this year!  

I'm A Horrible Mother

We didn't have fuzzy catepillar soup.  It was....

green catepillar soup.  Yummy, yummy!

Anyone for catepillar soup?  If so, I fix a mean one.  And I served it to those I love the most.   The other night I was trying to be a good little wife and get dinner before J went to church and I made our favorite Zuppa Tuscana soup.  I have a hog in my freezer so there is plenty of sausage, and potatoes are abundant right now, and of course I grew my own kale just for this soup.  Little did I know what was lurking inside that kale.  

I wandered outside with knife in hand and cut quite a bit of the leafy greens.  They are still beautiful or at least I thought they were.  I brought them in, gave them a good wash, and chopped them up into the pot.  The soup smelled delish!  Emma loves this stuff and she was just hovering over the steamy pot.  I had a little kale left over and picked it up to put in the garbage.  Yuck!  There was the biggest greenest catepillar on the counter from the kale.  I gave a huge sigh of relief that that little bugger didn't make it into the soup.  

As I was getting ready to serve I noticed all these little dots floating to the surface of the soup.  They almost looked like little anise seeds from the sausage, but after closer inspection they were aphids.  What to do.......It's just the kids.  I served it anyway.  I couldn't eat it though.  I was thoroughly grossed out.  J was running a little late and didn't get any before he left, (divine intervention I'm sure) but it did smell lovely.  The kids were all starting into their bowls when Jake asks, "What is this in my soup?"  Emma tells him to just eat it.  "It's just a piece of cheese."  she says.  "I didn't put cheese in my soup and this is green.   Mom is that a catepillar?"  Jake asks.    "STOP!  Don't take another bite!"  I yelled.  Finally the guilt got me.  I could handle a little aphid or two, but not a squishy catepillar.  Who knew how many more of them there were.  Emma practically cried.  This is her favorite soup and she wasn't going to let a little catepillar stop her meal.  But I insisted.  Hey, I've taken the Bear River Health Department's Food Handlers Class, and I wasn't going to let my need for dinner on the table now, make me stoop to serving bug soup.  I would take the higher ground!

The pot quickly went out to the ditch where the neighbors dog quickly slurped it down, and we had breakfast burritos for dinner.  Breakfast burritos never tasted so.....safe in my entire life.  I promise I have never served anyone catepillar soup before or anything like it, except for the missionaries, but they're blessed right?  (I'm totally kidding on that!)

Cheesers!

Today we returned from a fun filled week of camping, friends, and family.  I am always excited to come home after a few days away to check on my garden.  It seems it grows a ton whenever I am not looking and today it didn't disappoint.  My tomatoes went nuts.  They are huge, and have tons of blossoms, and a few tomatoes, but the big surprise were the 4 big, red, ripe, lovely tomatoes!!  Yes, I have 4 tomatoes ready in July.  This just doesn't happen very often.  Actually it has only happened once before, and that was when I bought a giant tomato with full grown tomatoes on it already.  That's kind of cheating, but today's tomatoes were totally legitimate.   So with 4 beautiful tomatoes to partake of, we decided to make Cheesers.  

When I was little, I was lucky enough to live next door to my grandparents, and lots of cousins. All summer long was spent running from one cousin's house to the next and stopping at Grandma's for Popsicles in between.  It was one of these fabulous summer days that I was first introduced to Cheesers.  Lynette was the leader of our little pack of cousins.  I was five years younger, with Hollie one year younger, LeAnn two years younger, and Karen five years younger than me.  There may have been a 10 year difference between the five of us, but we spent every day together having a blast.  Lynette introduced us to all sort of lovely treats.  Rhubarb with salt, tuna patty melts, and of course Cheesers.  We had picked a few perfect tomatoes out of grandpa's garden and brought them back to Lynette's house.  There we placed bread on a cookie sheet and broiled one side of the bread.  Then we flipped it and topped the bread with Cheddar cheese. We placed it in the oven again and broiled until bubbly.  Topped with big fat juicy slices of homegrown tomatoes and salt and pepper, it was and still is heaven on wheels!  

Tonight as we were eating our Cheesers out on the porch, using Lucy the lovely Labrador as our ottoman, James commented on the fact that he loves Cheesers.  It is the perfect summer evening meal he said.  These are the moments I am so glad we own a bakery.  Today a Cheeser just wouldn't be a fabulous dinner if it wasn't on the best bread in the world.  Yes I am totally biased, but Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat bread makes a Cheeser perfect.  I'll grow the tomatoes, and James can make the bread.  We make such a great team! 

Cheesers

Great Harvest Honey Whole Wheat Bread

Cheddar cheese slices

homegrown tomatoes

salt and pepper

Broil one side of a slice of bread.  Flip and toss the untoasted side with cheese.  Place back in the oven until the cheese is bubbly.  Top with fresh, thick slices of homegrown tomatoes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and enjoy.  

It Is Done

I just walked in the door with my hair all tied up in a knot, mud caked on the bottom of my feet and in my fingernails, and I am one happy little girl!  It is done!  The garden is planted.  I am feeling like it was done in the correct time frame too.  Some years it has been the end of June before everything is in, but not this year.  I am on top of it.   I've got beans, corn, zinnias, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, lettuce, parsnips, basil, kale, carrots, golden beets, tomatoes, sunflowers, peppers, tomatillos, cabbage, cantaloupe,  and a ton of varieties of squash......oh my word. Here is a picture of what it looks like out there right now....

and this is what it will look like in a few short weeks!! 

 

Lovely isn't it.   I know it isn't much to look at now, but can't you just see those little seeds warm and wet just getting ready to burst their little heads up out of the ground.  Every day I have to check and see what is poking up.  So far it is lettuce, and 2 parsnips.  Parsnips you say.  What the heck are those.  This is where my love of gardening started.   I am afraid that when it comes to loves, I have 4.  James of course, 4 children, cooking, and my garden.  

When I was a kid I was lucky enough to live next door to many cousins, aunts and uncles, and my Grandma  and Grandpa Barker.  My grandpa was an amazing gardener.  He had a huge garden, and that was why we never did a garden in the Garner household.  Grandpa B. had enough to share with every family in Pleasant View, and probably half of North Ogden.  When Hollie and I were about 12, and 13 we worked one really long summer for my grandpa.  Our job was to weed the carrots and parsnips.  Every morning we would head out at about 5:30am on our 3-wheeler and buzz over to the garden.  There we would spend the next 2 1/2- 3 hours weeding.  It actually sucked, but we were earning money.  You know underworked and overpaid.  Parsnips were my grandpa's specialty.  Everyone in town loved them, or at least they acted like they did.  We certainly did at my house.  

A parsnip looks like a white carrot, but doesn't taste anything like one.  In fact, I had a seminary teacher once that said when the Jew's celebrate the Feast of the Passover the "bitter herb" they eat to symbolize the bitter cup Christ had to bear, is actually a parsnip.  Obviously they didn't wait until a hard frost hit before they dug their parsnips up.  That sets the sugar my grandpa always said.  We love them roasted in a hot oven with butter and brown sugar.  Yummy.

When my grandma finally made my grandpa stop gardening it was a sad day in Pleasant View.  First off, my grandpa was never the same. He wasn't the type to just sit.   He was a goer.   I think the gardening kept his mind sharp and active.  Once he stopped he went down hill mentally quite quick.   Since our supply of fresh garden produce was now obsolete we planted our first garden.  There's a learning curve involved in gardening.  First thing you need to know is keep on top of the weeds.  We didn't do this so well, but we did reap some produce anyways.   I can still remember digging the potatoes out of the ground.  It was seriously like a treasure hunt.  My mom would get so excited as each shovel full of earth also contained some lovely red potatoes.  

I've loved a beautiful garden my whole life.  The ride around Bear Lake has always been a favorite, seeing all the cute little granny cottages with perfect little gardens.  All prim and proper, and not a weed to be seen.  I'm going for that look again this year.  Some years I do well, and others not so well.  I think I actually love the way the garden looks more than how it tastes sometimes.  So in a few weeks I intend to blog about something wonderful and strawberryish since that is the first thing to come on.  Next it will be a wonderful salad, and then some raspberry deliciousness, some ratatouille, and homemade tomatoes.......there is so much to enjoy when you plant a garden.  So happy dreams of yummy things to come!  I can't wait!