What's Cooking?

 My garden has been so bountiful that I have found myself spending a LOT of time in the kitchen, preparing different things with all of it.  One day last week, I made a sort of fresh grilled veggie salsa with all of it.  I started with several ears of corn.  I just lightly brushed with olive oil, and then put them onto a screaming hot grill pan.  Turning every couple minutes to get those grill marks on all sides.  Season with salt and pepper.

I took those off to cool, and began to add a bunch of other veggies.  Broccoli, bell peppers, onion, jalapeno peppers.

Toss in a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill.

I have a Lodge cast iron grill pan, and I love it!

The smell is so good that you are going to want to dig in right away!  After the rest of the veggies are grilled on all sides, remove to cool.  Meanwhile, I removed the corn from the cob into a large bowl.  Adding in all of the rest after giving them a rough chop.

I chopped up some fresh tomatoes and added those to the dish.  Simply stir and check for seasoning.  It needing nothing else.  The flavor was so good.  You could eat it with chips.  Serve it as a salad.  Really yummy, and versatile.  I put it in glass jars, and gave my girls each one, and we brought one to the mountains and ate it with chips out on the boat.  Then, a couple of nights later, we heaped it onto our grilled hot dogs!  DELISH!!

I have also been harvesting an awful lot of basil!  I made pesto in a big batch, and froze some in ice cube trays, and put some in a jar to make a pasta dish with.

I rarely buy pine nuts for my pesto anymore.  They are so expensive, and I find that the flavor of the pesto is just as good, made with either sunflower seeds, or walnuts.  Much less expensive and a good substitute.  I blend several cloves of garlic, with my nuts, add parmesan cheese.  Put basil leaves in processor, and pulse.  Stream in your olive oil to desired consistency.  I like it a little bit thick for using as pizza sauce.  Season with salt and pepper, and there you go, a delicious sauce to use in many different ways.  As a base for your pizza, sandwiches, pasta,  put a dollop on fresh grilled fish.  Yum!

I made some home made vanilla ice cream to take up to Big Bear with us.  I have a Cuisinart machine that makes it in about 25 minutes.  But what put this batch of vanilla over the top, was a topping I made for it, out of fresh peaches and basil.  Yes, basil.  I saw this in one of my Pioneer Woman cookbooks.  I thought it sounded interesting, and there on the counter top, were several ripe fresh peaches, and a beautiful bunch of basil.  So, I made it.  And glad I did!

I had ripe peaches and nectarines, so I used both.  Peeled the peach, not the nectarine.   First make a simple syrup with equal parts sugar and water.  I used one cup each.  Cool syrup, and in your blender or processor, pour cooled syrup in, then add several basil leaves.  I can't remember what the recipe said, maybe 18. I didn't count them.  I just tore off a bunch and threw them in.  Pulse to blend.  Then add your diced fruit.  

Hers was more blended.  But let me tell you.....this is a delightful topping.  Refreshing and light.  So, so good!

I could have just slurped it right out of the jar without the ice cream!  It is an odd combination, but trust me, it works!!

The other day, I just so happened to catch The Chew.  It must have been on Wednesday, because Noah wasn't here, and the telly wasn't tuned to his shows.  They made these quick and easy Energy Balls.  I am not certain of the measurements, or ingredients.  But I will tell you what I did.  

One cup, or so, of whole oats.  About 1/4 to 1/3 creamy natural peanut butter.  About 1/4 cup or so of honey.  1/4 cup, or desired amount of chocolate chips.  A generous teaspoon of vanilla.  And a handful of natural coconut chips (chopped)  Blend in large bowl until holds together.  If dry, add more peanut butter and/or honey.  I lightly sprayed my hand with cooking spray and rolled into one inch balls.  Place on waxed paper and let harden in fridge.  That is, if they last long enough to make it into the fridge!  I made a second batch today!  YUMMY!!!

Because we have so many fresh tomatoes, and lettuces and avocados, and because it is HOT.....I make simple dinners.  One night we had a BLT with avocado on hot dog buns.  We were out of bread, but had a few buns left over from the 4th, so why not?

I lightly toasted the buns in the toaster oven, and then some mayo, and began to layer on the goodies.  We both loved them!

The other day I harvested all of my cabbage!  I can't remember how many now, but something like 40 cabbages!

What does one do with 40 heads of cabbage?  Well, I shredded up several heads, and we had a beautiful Chinese Chicken Salad last night.

My Mama gave me this recipe many years ago, and I make it a lot!  I didn't use all of that shredded cabbage.  About half.  I saved some for other meals.  So to several cups of shredded cabbage, add the breast meat of a rotisserie chicken, or any chicken you have cooked.  Several green onions, toasted sesame seeds.  Toasted slivered almonds.  Crush the ramen noodles of package of top ramen, discarding the seasoning packet....patooey!   I often add sugar snap peas, and a can of bright orange mandarin oranges to this too.  Toast your sesame seeds and almonds for maybe 5 minutes on 250.    Add chicken, onions, seeds, nuts, and ramen to bowl.  

For dressing:

1 cup vegetable or canola oil.  1/2 cup rice vinegar.  About 21/2 to 3 T granulated sugar.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Whisk well, and pour over salad just before serving.  Toss all together, and enjoy!  

Not a very good photo, but ever so good!  I assure you!

Yesterday, I decided to try my hand at making sauerkraut with all of my cabbages. So I watched several You Tube videos, and looked at recipes and got busy.  I shredded cabbage for what seemed like hours!  I used my Pampered Chef mandoline.

It is easy, but time consuming.  After my arm nearly fell off from slicing, I wound up with two large containers of kraut.  It will take about 2-4 weeks for it to ferment and be ready.  I will let you know.  

That sure doesn't look to me like a lot of cabbage!  But you shred it, then salt it, then press, press, press it down with a potato masher.  It releases liquid, and then it sits down in the brine.  I can hardly wait to make some beer steamed brats and smother them in homemade sauerkraut!

Nearly every day, I am bringing armloads of veggies into the house.

So what's a girl to do?  She cooks!!!  Thanks for coming by to see me today.  I so enjoy my garden and sharing what I do with it, with all of you.  I love to cook, and gardening is tailor made for someone like me.

Have a great weekend!!!

XO  Garden Girl Kris