Wordy Wednesday: The Life of a Farmer

Fallen zukes. Rest in peace, sweet plants.

It happened. 

Last week was a very busy week; we had fun social engagements every night and that left me very little time in the garden. So by Friday morning, when I noticed a little frass—the sawdust-like tell tale sign of squash vine borers—at the base of one, two, three... all SIX of our zucchini plants, I had a little melt-down. 

Here's the thing: there's little to no chance I could have totally prevented this. The fact that we've had two full months of unbelievable zucchini harvest thus far is remarkable in my book. Now happens to be the laying time for the vine borer moth and that means that the susceptible plants—those cucurbits with hollow stems—were especially vulnerable. 

I shed a couple of tears (because, in my own words, "I let my little plants down"), suffered through my husband's extreme eye-rolling at aforementioned tears, and then got to work performing surgery on the plants. 

Damage has been done.

"Surgery" meant taking a very sharp knife and slicing into the base of each of the stems. Any plants that show signs of wilting are probably goners.* But three of ours still looked strong, so I sliced into the stems and carefully pulled out the white inch-long grubs that were eating the plants from the inside out.

Then I stuck that sharp knife right through each of them, without any feelings of remorse for killing a living being, because those little bastards were eating my plants. A farmer has to put her foot down. Right on the bug that's doing the damage.

At that point, I poured BT worm killer, which is approved for organic gardening, into each of the stems and covered them with compost. Then I watered the bed and waited with bated breath.

Rescued, for now.

We lost a total of six plants, and the remaining squash plants don't look too great. But three of the zucchini plants are still alive. In fact, I picked two zucchini from the largest plant this week, and there are blooms and small fruits on the others as well.

This is what the garden looks like today—Wednesday, six days after the surgery.

The less-full bed with a couple of thriving living plants. I'll take it!

Hope, in the form of baby zucchini on the vine!

It's an important lesson in gardening. My mom says, reassuringly, "That's the life of a farmer." But the thing is, my livelihood doesn't depend on these plants; we simply grow them to enjoy and share them. I can't imagine the heartbreak caused by drought or natural disaster or unstoppable infestation for a farmer who supports her family with her crops. So I am grateful that we have this backyard garden to pick and choose from; it truly is a luxury, albeit one that involves a lot of work!

Meanwhile, we're eating from the garden every day and sharing as much as we're able (which is to say, when we remember to take it to friends and colleagues).

And the fact that our more susceptible cucurbits were attacked makes me hopeful for the rest of them; the butternut, cucumbers, watermelon, and cantaloupe are doing fine. The bugs can't get them all.

Today's garden harvest.

*I should also note that the squash vine borer can live in the soil; so it's best not to plant squash in the same bed for three years. It works out well, though, since we have enough raised beds to rotate. We'll also have to rotate our tomatoes, but more on that next time on the Gardenerd Chronicles.

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Grilled Zucchini and Brie Sandwiches

Zucchini on the grill.

The long weekend meant I had plenty of time in the kitchen. A little too much time, if you ask my dear husband. It was my job to clean the kitchen within an inch of its life (or my life, depending on how you look at it), and every time I'd make some headway, I'd start another recipe. So I'd have a load of dishes in the wash, and decide I needed to do a batch of quick pickles. Halfway through that, I'd decide to add another vegetable to my pickling list and out comes the chopping board again.

It was exhausting, all the cooking and cleaning and cooking and... not cleaning. Oops.

Open-faced sandwiches: perfect for a backyard grill night!

My favorite new recipe from the weekend has to be this riff on Whole Foods' Grilled Summer Squash and Brie Sandwiches. It's fresh and delicious, and the leftovers today proved to be every bit as good as they were hot off the grill last night (with toasted bread and veggies broiled in a toaster oven—resourceful!).

It's also the perfect showcase for our Purple Cherokee heirloom tomatoes, which are finally red (purple?) and some of the last garden zucchini (more on that tomorrow).

I simplified the recipe out of necessity; we cooked these at someone else's house and I forgot a few of my ingredients at home. Suffice it to say, though, that the grilled bread topped with brie, a few slices of grilled zucchini, and a thick slice of an heirloom tomato make for an amazing summertime dinner. So even if you leave out the garlic and sprouts, this is a winning grill recipe.

Grilling summer squash is easy. And if you've got an overabundance of zucchini in the garden, go ahead and let a few of them get huge. The one I sliced and grilled weighed more than two pounds, but tasted wonderful grilled with a little olive oil and season salt... Not to mention, it fed almost five people.

Have you grilled summer squash yet? What's your favorite way to enjoy it?

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Homemade Popsicles for Memorial Day

Summertime means homemade popsicles!

Happy Memorial Day! The unofficial start to summer is officially upon us, and what better way to show some gratitude than to make homemade popsicles with homegrown fruit?

We're already knee-deep in stone fruit season here in Texas, so I had a bowl of tiny peaches from my mom's tree languishing on the counter. The fruits were just beginning to shrivel, and I knew that was a sign that they needed to be used right away.

Funny enough, I also learned yesterday by way of Splendid Table that shriveled stone fruits and tomatoes (before they are at the rotting stage) actually boast concentrated sugars—and therefore, concentrated flavors. So what I thought was a bowl of peaches about to go bad on my kitchen counter was actually a bowl of peaches at the peak moment to be adapted into a new recipe.

After a little Googling and recipe searching, I came up with the idea to make peach and tequila popsicles. There's not enough booze in these to really set you off (only about one shot divided between 10 popsicles), but it imparts just enough flavor to make these an adults-only treat. It also keeps the pops from freezing too hard, meaning they have a wonderful texture and are prime for enjoying on the picnic table outside. The super-sweet peaches really stand out. These taste like summer ought to.

I added a 1/2 cup grapefruit Italian soda, which added a nice bit of tang—but is not totally necessary. Feel free to sub with another Italian soda of your choice or simply more orange juice. Pineapple juice might also be a good substitute here.

Peach & Tequila Popsicles
Makes 8 pops

Very ripe peaches: enough to equal about 1 cup, after peeling and removing the pits
5 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1/8 cup tequila (or one shot)
1 cup pulp-free orange juice
1/2 cup grapefruit Italian soda or 1/2 cup more orange juice

Peel the peaches and remove the pits. Place in a medium bowl and mash together with the sugar to create a simple puree (no need to use the blender; a few small chunks of fresh peaches add to the awesomeness of these popsicles). Add the other ingredients and mix well. Carefully pour into your popsicle molds and put in the freezer for about two hours. Then slide in the popsicle sticks, and freeze for at least 8 more hours before serving.

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Zucchini Enchiladas Verdes

If you had told me I'd have tried a dozen completely different zucchini recipes before June because the summer crop would be that prolific, I never would've believed you.

But it's the truth. I feel like the Bubba Blue of zucchini: zucchini salad, zucchini salsa, zucchini bread, zucchini brownies, zucchini pickles, zucchini pasta, zucchini tacos... You get the point. (And just to clarify... I am not complaining about my surplus of zucchini. It's finding its way to friends and colleagues almost daily so it's not going to waste, which makes me oh-so-happy.)

Here's a recipe to really drive home the zucchini madness: zucchini enchiladas verdes. They're both stuffed AND covered with fresh zucchini.

I made this as part of a vegetarian and gluten-free dinner party; despite its multi-special-diet appeal, it was wonderfully received by the omnivores. In fact, I'd planned on having leftovers for lunch the next day, but that wasn't in the cards since we polished 'em off. If you'd like to add cooked chicken to the filling or wrap the enchiladas with flour tortillas, be my guest!

This may look complicated, but it comes together fairly quickly. Pass the time while they're baking to enjoy some chips and zucchini salsa, and maybe a zucchini margarita or two.

Home-grown veggies featured in this dish: jalapenos, bell pepper, pattypan squash, and zucchini.

Zucchini Enchiladas Verdes

For the filling:
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 medium squash, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

To assemble:
10 to 12 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups Zucchini Salsa*
1/3 cup water or vegetable broth
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterrey jack cheese

Chop all the vegetables and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell pepper, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped zucchini and squash and saute until the vegetables are softened just a bit, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Add the drained black beans and the spices, and cook until heated through. Taste and season as you see fit. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Mix the zucchini salsa with the water or vegetable broth. In the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish, pour about one third of the salsa/broth mixture—just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. Assemble the enchiladas: in each tortilla, put a good sprinkle of cheese (about 1 tablespoon) and about 2 tablespoons of the zucchini/bean filling. Roll tightly, careful not to crack the corn tortillas, and pack tightly into the baking dish.

Top the enchiladas with a handful of shredded cheese, and pour the rest of the salsa/broth mixture over the enchiladas. Sprinkle one more time with shredded cheese, for good measure, and pop them in the oven for about 25 minutes. Or until they smell amazing, the cheese is lightly browned, and you can no longer stand it.

Let cool and serve with brown rice and fresh salad. Serves 4-6.

*Any salsa verde will do, but the zucchini salsa really is tasty and cooks very well.

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Wordless Wednesday: Pretty Beans and Godzilla Zucchini

Jalapenos ready for pickling.

Heirloom pole beans in stunning purples and greens!

Strawberry-basil margarita recipe test #1: needed more tequila.

A typical garden harvest, twice a week.

The Godzilla Zucchini, which I missed on the vine: 2 pounds, 6 3/8 ounces = 11 cups grated.

Tomatillos that look like tiny paper lanterns. They're so beautiful!

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Match Made in Heaven: Fried Green Tomatoes & Pimento Cheese

Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches with Lone Stars on a hot summer day. PERFECT.

Sliced green tomatoes (purple cherokee heirloom variety).

 This all started more than a year, when Ryan and I took a staycation. After a little bit of bickering about what to do for lunch (I'm the picky one), we wound up at a trailer called Fried Green Tomato and all was well with the world. We enjoyed these unbelievably delicious, perfectly Southern, summery sandwiches loaded with homemade pimento cheese and the trailer's namesake. Ryan's even had bacon and ranch dressing on it. Mmm-hmmm.

Nothin' more Southern than frying some stuff in your cast iron skillet.

So when I picked a couple of pounds of green tomatoes from our vines, I planned on a weekend lunch to recreate the best part of that day. Let me tell you, fried green tomatoes and homemade pimento cheese are ah-maz-ing together. Add a little Cholula and some fresh slices of cucumber and jalapenos, and you have yourself a real bonafide Southern meal.

I used a very basic recipe (the first match from Google; it seemed reputable) for the fried green tomatoes, and we both agreed that next time I should slice them thinner (maybe 1/4 inch instead of the nearly 1/2 inch called for in the recipe).

As for the pimento cheese, I have my own version that's pretty tasty. And, shockingly, it's slightly healthier than traditional pimento cheese.

Day two, still delicious.

Less Mayo Pimento Cheese

1 cup 2% Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
1 4-ounce can diced pimentos, drained
1 fresh jalapeno, deseeded and diced
1 tablespoon real mayonaise
salt and pepper to taste

No real brain work here: Just mix all the ingredients together. If it's a little too creamy, just add more cheese.

Fried Green Tomato and Pimento Cheese Sandwiches
makes 4 sandwiches

1 recipe Less Mayo Pimento Cheese, above
1/2 recipe Fried Green Tomatoes
8 slices whole-grain bread
sliced fresh cucumber, sliced fresh jalapenos, and Cholula for garnish


Assemble the sandwich: a quarter-cup dollop of pimento cheese (or more!), a few cucumber slices and jalapenos if you're feeling spicy, and then the fried green tomato—one large slice per sandwich.

Cut in half and enjoy with a cold beer in the middle of the day.

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When Life Hands You Zucchini...

What's left at our house of this week's harvest. Godzilla Zucchini weighs 2 lb, 6 oz.

Anyone have a recipe for zucchini-ade? Hang on while I Google that... (Of course! Zucchini-tini!)

I may have mentioned at one point that we planted our garden strategically this summer, hoping for a large crop of a smaller variety of veggies (as opposed to a large variety of vegetables with low yields).

Well. Large crop we've got.

My love for zucchini knows no bounds at this point; ask me again in a month and that answer may be different. In fact, zucchini salsa has been the find of the summer already, and it's not even June. This weekend, I whipped up a batch two batches of zucchini bread to share, giardienara pickles, zucchini salsa, and grilled zucchini enchiladas verdes (recipe forthcoming).

And it's funny; my stepmom asked me, after I touted my ten-pound harvest, "How many zucchini plants do you have?" "Six," I said, proudly. She hung her head in her hands. "Oh, wow. My mother told me to only plant one, it's all you'll ever need."

Maybe I've learned a little bit of a lesson for next season (plant only four zucchini plants?). That said, it's extremely rewarding to share this bumper crop with family and friends. I am not exaggerating to say I gave away ten pounds of home-grown vegetables to family this week (no, not just zucchini... a few peppers and squash, too!). It brings me so much happiness to share what we've grown. Tomorrow, I'll tote thirty-six zucchini muffins up to work to share with my colleagues. This evening, the neighbors are coming over for Sunday night zucchini dinner.

Maybe I'm missing my calling. Maybe I'm a little more like my farming ancestors than I first thought. Maybe I just need a big ole plot of land out in the country, and a tractor, and some goats.

But for now, I'm perfectly happy with our little backyard garden and its ridiculous yield of zucchini.

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Freshworthy Friday: Glass Gem Corn, and Why You Should Cook

Glass gem corn. No Photoshop tricks here! Image via Seeds Trust.

Glass Gem Corn
Discover Magazine
Holy corn kernels, Batman! This is part of the joy of heirloom gardening. Heirloom varieties are unusual—and gorgeous...and not widely available. This exceptional heirloom has been cultivated recently and seeds were to hit the market in August. Bet ya can't get any now. But hopefully this corn cob gone viral will inspire plenty of folks to find out what other varieties are out there. Nature has so much more to offer than what sits on grocery store shelves; just wait until you see my heirloom pole beans next Wordless Wednesday!

How to Make Healthy Eating Easier on the Wallet? Change the Calculation
NPR
For those who contend that healthy eating is "more expensive" than living off processed foods, think again. A new cost analysis of a diet packed with fresh fruits and vegetables versus one that's full of sugary and fatty calories proves that it isn't how much money you have; it's how you spend it. Turns out that when you factor price per average amount consumed, fruits and vegetables and other healthy foods are less expensive than their unhealthy counterparts (if you can even call them that). I still maintain part of a healthy diet is making provisions for things you really enjoy. My own diet in the last few years has become weighted by health food. I never, ever purchase processed foods at the grocery store (not even granola bars or cereal) and limit them when I'm in settings where I'm unable to control my food environment completely. And I also focus on not wasting food, meaning my grocery dollars are well-spent.

Home Cooking Increases Longevity
Huffington Post
Oh, really? Cooking at home is good for you? I never would've guessed it. Yes, it's amazing: when you cook at home, you tend to use more fresh foods and fewer prepared foods. I know of a great website where you can find plenty of recipes with whole, real, natural ingredients. :)

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Zucchini Salsa

Zucchini salsa with zucchini quesadillas.

It's still early in the summer gardening season, and already we've had such a bumper crop of zucchini that I'm having to get creative. (This is not me complaining, mind you.) I've steamed it, sauteed it, shredded it, sliced it; eaten it cooked, raw, and baked; tried it in sweet and savory.

But this week, I found a new favorite.

My mom planted the idea in my head that zucchini would make a delicious salsa. And because necessity is the mother of all invention, I winged it. The recipe was surprisingly simple, and with the help of a food processor, took mere moments to throw together. The result? A fresh, bright, tangy, barely spicy salsa that rivals its tomato counterpart.

We enjoyed this on tortilla chips, but it also made a wonderful topping for some zucchini quesadillas (whole wheat tortillas grilled together with cheese, black beans, sauteed onions and peppers, and shredded zucchini) alongside a little Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Next up, I'm thinking about using this salsa verde as an enchilada sauce. Stay tuned.

Zucchini Salsa

1 medium zucchini
2-3 jalapenos, depending on how spicy you like it
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup onion
1 teaspoon cumin OR 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Rinse all the veggies and trim off any ends or stems. Toss all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until the salsa is well blended.

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Wordless Wednesday: Pole Beans and Green Tomatoes

Sunset in the garden of good. No evil at the moment.

Pole bean blossoms backlit by sunset.

Green tomatoes!

Green tomatoes (they weren't ripening on the vine, so this is an experiment).

One of my favorite parts of the garden.

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Dining Alone: Tortilla Pizzas

Dining al fresco; this pizza is topped with pattypan squash and arugula.

Things are busy these days. While my hubs and I normally dine together, the last few weeks have hosted an unusual number of solo dinners. Ryan is taking some evening classes (for fun things, not school-related), and when I'm left to "fend for myself" for dinner, things in the kitchen can get a little strange.

And by strange, of course I mean delicious. 

When I'm cooking for myself, I tend to take risks. With no one but me to impress (or let down), the pressure's off. This usually involves curry, or eggs, and always the mandoline. Something about paper-thin vegetables lends itself to a feeling of upscale dining. 

Everything is nice and crispy and delicious!

The words "tortilla pizza" don't normally conjure ideas of fresh vegetables and good cheese. They're a quick and unfancy way to shovel food in your mouth, right?

Wrong. My impromptu tortilla pizzas that were inspired by the garden and an arugula craving are quick, healthy, and even a little gourmet. They are bright and fresh and even totally worthy of a dinner party—for one, two, or twenty!

I made a couple of versions; some with zucchini, some with squash, some without arugula... But my favorite by far was the zucchini and arugula. Feel free to experiment!

Arugula, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Tortilla Pizza

Serves 1* 

2 whole wheat tortillas**

1 small zucchini, sliced paper-thin on a mandoline

2 cups (or handfulls) fresh arugula

1-2 ounces goat cheese

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste

1-2 lemon wedges

Prep the veggies. Place the tortillas on a baking sheet and top with a generous layer of the paper-thin zucchini slices. Add one cup or one handfull of arugula for each pizza. Drizzle the olive oil on top and evenly disperse the goat cheese. Top with a little shaved parmesan, salt, and pepper, and spritz with a squeeze of lemon. Pop in the oven for about 10 minutes at 400, or until the cheese is melted and the edges are crisp but not burnt. Alternately, this is very easy to bake in the toaster oven!

A word of caution: tortillas can sometimes puff up with steam when they are heated. Just keep an eye on it; I learned the hard way when I made mine in the toaster oven and toppings wound up falling onto the heating element. And of course, be careful of the tortilla bubble; it's full of steam and that will be very hot should you puncture it!

*I found that two of these little tortilla pizzas made for a perfect meal; they're just like arugula tacos. If you're enjoying them with a side dish or decide to add a cooked protein (grilled shrimp or chicken would make a nice fit), you might find that one fills you up. And if you're cooking for more folks, just make extras! These come together so quickly and require so little oven time that you'll find they're perfect for summer nights.

**The whole wheat tortillas offer a nice nutty flavor that compliments the arugula. They're also healthy. Win-win, but you can use white flour tortillas if you prefer and I won't be too embarrassed. 

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Returning the Favor

Most of this went home with my mom, whose summer garden hasn't quite kicked into high gear.

What a lovely weekend! I was fortunate enough to spend most of my weekend with my wonderful mom, showing her around town, introducing her to the Draught House and Upper Crust and a few of our other favorites, window shopping, and enjoying every moment of our time together.

One of my favorite parts of the weekend, though, was when I sent her home with a bag full of vegetables from our garden. Oh, how the tides have turned!

It was so rewarding to finally be able to return the favor. My mother's gardens span across the countryside, thriving in rich farm dirt. Since they have the room out there, many of the her fall vegetables (turnips, beets, collards, and more) are still going strong. Her summer plants aren't quite producing yet, so before she went back home I packed up a bag full of zucchini, pattypan squash, peppers, and cucumbers.

My favorite part of having a garden is being able to share it with others. Sure, it's wonderful to enjoy our own meals of home-grown vegetables, but there's something even better about helping to nourish someone else. Especially when that person has done the same for you.

Come to think of it, a little bag of vegetables is hardly "thanks" for a lifetime of nourishment.

Of course, the next day I went out to her place and brought back a few pounds of peaches...

Happily, life is cyclical. I'm grateful for the chance to share these things with my mother.

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Wordless Wednesday: Garden Progress

Butternut squash dance along the vines.

A cascade of fresh zucchini slices. 

The pole beans reach for the sky.

Someone took a bite out of our first red tomato. Here's a hint: it wasn't me.

The garden in the evening sun; some of my favorite light!

Cucumbers on the vine; this is the Diva variety. The fruit is sweet and seedless.

Is there anything more lovely than a tomato plant covered in blooms? Hmm?

The first of the cucumber crop—pickles, anyone? 

The garden haul from this weekend. See the lonely cherry tomato?

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Baby Shower Brunch Menu

Lemon tartlette with a graham cracker crust.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say brunch is my favorite meal. It's an excuse to eat a huge breakfast (which would probably take my favorite meal award if not for the brunch option); it can include sweet and savory items; there's often a way to sneak in a dessert on top of other sweet breakfast breads; and usually, there's an adult beverage to be had. Seriously, what's not to love about brunch?

Happily, I had the best excuse ever to throw a brunch: a baby shower!

Pennants and pom-poms and gifts, oh my!

Our new baby nephew will be here before we know it, and I can barely contain my excitement. Last weekend, I hosted a baby shower for my lovely sister-in-law, and didn't fool anyone. I heard from many of the attendees, "I saw that on Pinterest!"

I've been found out! Pinterest is a great party-planning tool. As soon as I'd offered to host the shower, I began pinning party ideas. The tissue paper flowers, party favors, recipes... I found my inspiration with pins. In putting together the brunch menu, it helped me with my lengthy list of brunch requirements.

The menu had to:
• Feed 12 people a nice, well-rounded brunch
• Have something for everyone
• Offer foods that were easy to pick up or bite-size, and also kid-friendly
• Make everything from scratch, and as organic/local/sustainable as possible
• Prep most of the food the day before
• Include some of the mom-to-be's favorites, like cinnamon rolls and cucumbers

After consulting my co-hostess (and my sister, and my mom, and pretty much anyone who would listen), I put together this menu:

Breakfast Strata with Sausage, baked in a muffin tin for individual servings
Vegetarian Frittatas with Zucchini and Basil, adapted from this recipe
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing, adapted from this recipe
Cucumber Tartines, adapted from this recipe
Lemon Tartlettes, adapted into mini tarts with graham crusts from this recipe
Rainbow Fruit Kabobs
Punch (half and half mix of pomegranate Italian soda and orange juice)
Mimosas
Cupcakes (from a local bakery)

The strata, cinnamon rolls, tartlettes, and fruit kabobs were all prepped and in the fridge by Friday night. Saturday morning, all I had to do was prepare the fritatta, and then set the oven to 350 to shuffle things in and out. This made for a fairly stress-free morning. Of course, when planning a party it's always wise to delegate a few things (I'll admit to being a control freak; but was so thankful to have a wonderful co-hostess and mother-in-law who swooped in and saved me, despite my best planning efforts!).

All the ingredients I used were organic, and the zucchini and basil for the fritattas, and the cucumber for the sandwiches, came from our gardens. The lemon tartlettes were the most surprising addition; the recipe could not have been simpler, and the end result (bite-size morsels topped with fresh whipped cream) was delectable. Sweet, but not overly so. The cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting were a big hit; cool-rise dough is a great trick for offering a fresh baked good at brunch.

Do you have any favorite brunch recipes or tips to share? Please do!

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Squachos

The Zucchini Fairy made these zukes appear overnight. Most will be made into zucchini bread.

Thanks to an early and prolific summer garden, the squash/zucchini-to-person ratio in our house is currently about 5-to-1. We plucked five giant zucchini (and I do mean giant; the biggest one weighed in at 1 pound, 7 ounces) from our plants this weekend and doled them out to neighbors. But we still have plenty in the produce drawer at home.

Dinnertime was upon us, and I'm not sure if I was inspired by the thirst-quenching Lone Star I enjoyed or the garden surplus, but suddenly I had the second-greatest idea I've had this year:

Squachos.

Squachos: grilled yellow squash and jalapenos top run-of-the-mill nachos, elevating them to new heights.

Go ahead and let it settle in your brain for a moment. Squash and nachos coming together in one unmistakably easy and delicious dinner. Mmmm-hmmm.

The word popped into my head and I got myself into a full-on giggle fest, right there in the middle of the kitchen, with a chef's knife in one hand and a frosty beverage in the other. The absurdity of it all is not lost on me.

Growing up, my dad made us oven-broiled nachos every Sunday night. They are the perfect weekend-send-off food—cheap, easy, fast, tasty; qualities I appreciate now more than ever. I've even figured out how to make them healthier (black beans instead of refried, fresh veggies on top, and a little less cheese than before).

The squachos version involved just one extra step: grilling strips of pattypan squash in some olive oil and season salt prior to adding them to the nachos. I'm not sure this merits an actual recipe; you get the drift. Tortilla chips topped with cheese, black beans, grilled squash, fresh jalapenos, and baked at 450 until everything is toasty and the cheese is melted. I topped ours with store-bought tomatillo salsa and a few dollops of Greek yogurt.

Squachos are inspiring; I'm already thinking that squashadillas will be a regular part of our summertime diet, and I can't believe that I haven't already come up with the name "squacos" for these squash and zucchini soft tacos from last week.

The moral of the story is this: If you can't have fun cooking, why do it at all?

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Summer Goals

The backyard, through the fig tree. Many evenings will be are spent out here.

Speaking of finding inspiration, summer is almost upon us—long days, warm nights, sweltering afternoons. It's time for good cold beers, taking advantage of whatever water we can find to dive into, and trying new recipes that require little to no cooking.

Except it's also time for pickles, which often lead me to spend hours upon hours on my feet in the kitchen standing over a vat of boiling vinegar. It gets hot.

Anyway, I have goals for this summer. I am so very inspired to be in the kitchen and learn new things.

I'm feeling adventurous... Here's what I want to do with my summer:

• Grow curcurbits (squash, zucchini, cucumbers, melons...)
  Given my rocky past with the squash vine borer, this could be difficult, but I am up for the challenge. So far (knock on wood), the plants are thriving and we have eaten squash and zucchini for three meals and counting. 
• Make popsicles.
  My Progressive popsicle mold arrived at my doorstep last week, and the first recipe I tried was a mixed berry and Greek yogurt concoction. It's tangy, healthy, and hits the spot for something cold. But I can't wait to try some of the many, MANY recipes I've posted tons on my kitchen Pinterest board (which begs the question: should I start a popsicle Pinterest board?).
• Make small-batch pickles and jams.
  In a fit of spring cleaning, I emptied out about 20 jars of pickles and jams from the last two years that we never ate, into the compost bin. It broke my heart, but it also taught me an important lesson: turn to small batches. This will give me flexibility to try many more recipes (hey, how about making it through the Put 'Em Up canning book?), not to mention create less waste.
• Make homemade yogurt.
  I've been buying Greek yogurt by the quart, and I remember this being such an easy process. So I'll try it again. 
• Make something fermented, like kimchi or kombucha.
  Oh, yes, I'm going there. Having brought it up in conversation with colleagues, two of them (separately) said, "Oh, you seem like the type of person who'd do that." Though kimchi may be better suited for a winter project since it involves cabbage, home-brewed kombucha may be a lot of fun. Bring on the SCOBY.

And a couple of non-food related summer goals...

• Learn to play the ukulele.
  I'm somewhat musical thanks to my genes (not my practicing habits), and it is a dream of mine to lay in the hammock all summer playing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on a uke. Perched in the garden with my tiny not-a-guitar, Fin by my side, Ryan bringing me a fresh beer when mine runs dry... Sounds awesome, right? My sister just got one, so I imagine there will be some duets in our future. 
• Take Fin swimming. A lot.
  That girl loves park time, and we haven't gone nearly enough. So I want to try and do that for her, a lot.

What do you want to do with the summer?

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Wordless Wednesday: The Morning Routine

Here's what our morning routine looks like most days of the week. Fin and I are up first, and after the two of us go outside to check on the gardens and play, we settle in for a homemade breakfast.

Many folks skip this part of the morning all together, but in our home, we believe in it wholeheartedly.

It's simple, reliable, healthy, warm, and delicious. And even if I'm feeling rushed, I'm better off because we share breakfast together as a family. This meal is nourishing and enjoyable; but best of all, it gives us a moment in the mornings to sit at our table and quietly, ritually, enjoy.

Strawberries from a place decidedly not our garden.

Everything finishes at the same time.

Stovetop espresso and boiling water for americanos. We brew Lola Savannah's Caramella coffee, which I buy in half-pound increments each week at Central Market. It is by far the best coffee we've ever had at home.

Cooked oatmeal in an enameled blue cast iron pot. It gets a lot of love.

Oatmeal topped with flax seed, cinnamon, and brown sugar... In the early morning light.

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