A non-recipe garden recipe

So.... when we got back from our vacation there was a hodge-podge of stuff ready to eat in the garden - a few summer squash, some onions, various peppers, a few green beans and some roma tomatoes. I sauteed the squash and the onions in some olive oil and then added the beans and cranked the heat up. After that cooked a few minutes I threw in the peppers followed by the tomatoes and some crushed garlic. A little salt and pepper to taste and it made a wonderful, wonderful side dish. I used both hot and sweet peppers so it had a nice little kick!

I'm baaaaaccckkk....

Hi. I've been gone! I've been having a great time! I've been in Ohio where there is actual dirt everywhere and everything is green. It was amazing and beautiful.

After reading Karen's post my daughter and I started lusting after the Lilac Spoon plants only to discover we couldn't find them anywhere in AZ. Everytime we passed a garden center I made my husband stop AND I FINALLY FOUND THEM! I brought four home on the plane and they are so cool. Mine are blooming like crazy already. I hope they can withstand our ridiculous summer.

I realize I haven't shown the compost bin, finished telling how I plant tomatoes or anything. For the compost bin I have an excuse. We had a big birthday party here over the weekend and I went out to take a picture of the compost only to discover that it was filled to overflowing with birthday plates and napkins. Hmmmm....

The planting I will get to shortly.

But a few observations that I found funny and would like to share with you are:

Our son-in-law is from the West and when he saw all the great fields of grass and grass growing along the roads he wondered aloud "who plants all that?" I told him it just grows and he totally did not believe me.

My husband when encountering big green lawns asked "do you mow all this?" Our friend said "yes". My husband then asked "do you use all this?" My friend said "no" My husband then said "well why do you mow it then?" My friend said "we like the way it looks." My husband is still puzzling over that.

So different between the West and Ohio.

And it's so beautiful there right now.

It's only 105 here today. Just. Ick. Ick. Ick.

But the eggplants, gourds and beans sure love it.

Too bad I can't get as enthused.

Two weeks in the compost bin

Now I haven't added anything to this bin except water. It was full to the brim two weeks ago. I am surprised how much this is cooking down. It is hard not to add stuff to it but I think if I do it will be hard to tell exactly what is happening.
Here is the picture from last Sunday...


And this one is from this morning...

Two months after the fact but here's blog 1 of 2 about how I plant tomatoes in the desert

This is my method. Don't know if it's right but it is what works for me. I use three things when I plant: root stimulator, a banana peel and coffee grounds. Sounds scary doesn't it?

So first I dig a rectangular shallow trench in the dirt.

Next I fill the hole with water to which I have added root stimulator according to the package directions.


I let that water drain away entirely.

I lay the banana peel down in there toward the side of where the roots are going to go. Then I sprinkle a small handle of coffee grounds in the hole.

And then I get ready to put the tomato plant into it's fruity, caffeinated home.


Banana peels add potash and phosophorous to the soil. Coffee grounds add nitrogen. I often do not fertilize my tomatoes at all during the season but simply bury another rotten banana (or peel) and add another small handful of coffee grounds periodically. I buy packages of rotten bananas at the grocery store for around 25 cents for 7 or 8 of them. It's only my husband and I at home now and it's hard to eat enough banana for the garden.

Next time I'll show you how I actually plant.

Compost update

This has cooked down from a jammed crammed bin in one week. I haven't been able to roll it very well because I need to go buy four bolts and drill holes through the lid and the lip of the bin. The bungee cord didn't work on the handles at all. There is no smell so far.

But there is this black-ish run off on the cement block under the bin. Ewwww....

So I thought I'd show you something prettier after that icky photo of black goop. And these are some of the berries on my brand new brazos blackberries. Yum.

Speaking of yum. My dog must like these Carmello tomatoes (one of my favorites from Tasteful Garden last year) There were four beautiful tomatoes on here yesterday. Sigh. I must have left the garden gates open.

And can you see my first teeny, weeny Zephyr (also from TG's)squash on here? There was a little one a few days ago but ummm, I ate it. Sorry. Although I did NOT eat the green tomatoes no matter what the dog tells you.

Cherry tomatoes and cream

Have you seen this recipe? It is delicious! While you're waiting for fresh tomatoes you might want to give it a try. It's modified from a Paula Deen recipe.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fresh basil if you like
Directions
In a heavy skillet, melt the butter with the sugar and salt. Add the tomatoes. Cook stirring until the tomato skins begin to split. At this point, add the cream. Stir gently. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.

Bad, bad Blogger

Things have been crazy busy at our house. I have lots of pictures to share as well as my planting stuff to still show you. But just so you know I haven't round-uped the garden - ha! Here's some pictures to prove I'm still hard at work in it! I love it!