Meet the Neighbors...

Driving down the mountain on our way home the other day, we saw our neighbors resting in the shade of a tree alongside the road. Such a cute little family, I couldn't help but take a quick pic. I got out of the car to take a few more, but I guess I scared them because they ran away down the hill. Must always be on the moooove. We will just have to wait for another day to make our formal introductions.

Pesto

Basil is a staple in my garden.  Even if I never used it for food, I think I would still plant it because of it's rich aromatic smell. One of my summer traditions has become harvesting some of the basil to make pesto. It is a fairly simple recipe. I usually double or triple it so I will have plenty to save and freeze. 

2 cups (2 oz) firmly packed fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2-3 tablespoons pine nuts or walnuts

1/2- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly grpund pepper

1 cup (8 fl oz) mild olive oil

1/2 cup (2 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, combine the basil, garlic, nuts, salt and pepper. (Be careful when adding the salt, as the cheese that is added later can be salty.) Process until well combined. Add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and puree using short on-off pulses. Stir between pulses to blend well. Add the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the cheese and process to form a thick puree. Do not overprocess; the mixture should have a little texture. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator.

Use pesto in pasta, pizza, crostini and grilled vegetables. It can also be thinned with olive oil or vinegar for a salad dressing or a sauce for grilled fish.

Pesto keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Be sure to pour a thin layer of olive oil on top; this keeps it from discoloring. It can also be frozen for up to 6 months, but do not add the cheese until after it is defrosted.

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Cottage Vegetable Garden

After returning from a week at the cabin, we found our vegetable garden had exploded. We've had a garden for the past eight years but it has never looked like this in early July!

 It now looks more like it usually does mid-August. But trust me, I am not complaining.

I wonder why though? Less rain? Hot temperatures? On our  ride home just the other day, the temperature on my rear-view mirror said 111 degrees!

I like to think maybe the Gardening Gods are just shining down on us this year.

Here are all the vegetables/fruits we have planted. Sorry for going a little photo crazy, I just love my plants!

Corn

Cucumbers

Grape Tomatoes

Beefsteak Tomatoes

Bell Peppers

Cherry Peppers

Jalepeno Peppers

Squash

Basil

Eggplant

String Beans

Watermelon

How are your gardens growing? I hope you are enoying just as much success as we are this year.

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