Elisa's Eye on Gardening, Cooking & Bikes from "Fat City Cycles."

Tomato Basil and Muenster on a Bolo Roll

A quick sandwich on a hot day. A toasted Grande Bolo Roll is always a good starting point. Then Munster cheese, slices of tomato (from the farmer market) and some torn pieces of (our own garden grown) basil were placed on top and placed under the boiler till golden. A drizzle of olive oil was added before putting the halves together and "smooshing" the pieces and slicing the sandwich in half.

Two of Four Salads for the Fourth

So far, for the lovely Fourth of July weekend we have:
Basil Pesto Pasta Salad with Peas. Using some vegan (no cheese) pesto from the natural food store, I added our own fresh grated Parmesan and a bit of the boiling water used to prepare 1/2 lb. of spiral pasta. During the last minute of the pasta cooking 1/2 cup of frozen peas were added to the pot, both were drained together and added to the pesto in a large bowl. Pretty darn good.

Fruit Salad. Cut up California cantaloupe and Hawaiian pineapple.

 

Clafoutis with Washington Cherries

This Recipe was in our food co-op's newsletter, it is a bit lighter than most.

Early July Close Up of Russian Mammoth Sunflower

Another view of the Helianthus annuusin the previous post, after the Pampas had a trim. Russian Mammoth Sunflower  

Volunteer Sunflowers along the Fence

These two sunflowers are volunteers which appeared on this sunny spot near the Pampas Grass. A few others were removed and placed in other areas in the yard since these two are showing all the signs of becoming huge plants.

First of the Leopard Lilies

The first of the Leopard Lilies to return this year has started to bloom; filling in the color gap of late June.

End of June view of Pumpkins, Tomatoes and Sunflowers

On the far left are a group of sunflowers; up close are two of the three pumpkins (started from seed) and three tomato plants of different varieties. Ready for takeoff!

Spring Lasagna

This cheese lasagna has one layer of roasted grated carrot and chopped steamed cauliflower and broccoli. The cheese mix is: mozzarella, ricotta, cottage with Parmesan on top. The sauce was a mix of one jar of Muir Glen and a large can of whole Italian tomatoes, simmered for about an hour with a cup of table wine stirred in at the end.

Tomato "Ark" Installed for 2009 Crop

Installed last weekend, this year's tomato staking looks much like an ark. Hubs fashioned this creation from bamboo stakes and plastic zip ties. No doubt it will withstand the indeterminate variety of tomatoes we have planted in this nice sunny spot.

Strawberry Shortcake: homemade biscuits and local berries

Berries: picked that morning, purchased at the weekly farmer market, rinsed, sliced and sprinkled with a wee bit of sugar. Set aside while biscuits were prepared. Biscuits: made in the food processor after dinner: flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, butter and plain yogurt instead of cream. Mine came out fat so they were cut in half to even out proportions. Topping: non-dairy frozen soy dessert. With all this goodness you hardly miss the sugar and fat.

Container Garden for a Friend

This container garden is sitting by our back door, awaiting delivery to a co-worker who just got an apartment with balcony. Brand new terra cotta pots from Italy can be purchased for under $5.00 - they stand up the elements and have a classic "cool" look. Clean potting soil filled the container, followed by diverse bits of Sedums from our garden. These will change in form over time, the key to neglect. They really don't need much water to thrive, making them an ultimate container plant for busy folk.

June Color Mix

Here is a nice mixture of Columbine, Foxglove, California Poppy, Bleeding Heart and Spider Lily. Only the stem and part of a Lupine leaf is viewable on the far left.

Another view of the Amaryllis in Bloom

The blooms here are so special, I could not resist posting another view of this crisp white Amaryllis with green tinges.

Complimentary Toppings Make a Great Pizza

Thursday tends to be pizza night, and this week the toppings were odds and ends which ended up being quite complimentary. Crust, store bought Focaccia bread topped with 1/2 a can of Muir Glen Pizza Sauce, canola oil was drizzled around the crust perimeters to avoid burning. Veggies were a mix of chopped fresh spinach, and some broccoli that was steamed, then chopped along with diced red onion. The usual cheese (mozzeralla) was set aside for a Provolone and Romano blend. Chopped walnuts were spread on top as usual for crunch and nutrition.

2009 Peony Close Up

Thisis the best bloom ever from the Peony plant which was in the ground when we bought the house over 15 years ago. Hurrah!

Small, Supersweet Strawberries from the Garden

Fresh picked from plants set in raised beds - these are really small but delightful in form and color.

Stir Fry with Garden Fresh Snow Peas

An abundance of snow peas were ready Friday, so we decided on a stir fry to feature them. Other veggies were: onion, red bell pepper and carrots. For protein some frozen mock "chicken tenders" were thrown in. Brown rice was prepared ahead of time so I could concentrate on the sauce: catchup, molasses, soy, rice vinegar - kind of crazy but good. If I knew the exact ingredients, I would share them with you, but this time it was a real experimental dinner. The peas were added about 2 minutes before serving so they were tender and bright.

Pizza Variation with Asparagus

I usually make pizza with sauce, spinach, cheese, walnuts - but not this time. Here in place of spinach was some leftover asparagus and pistachios mixed together with olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese. There was only a small stash of grated Mozzarella in the freezer, so a bit of Provolone was added. The results were delicious!

First of the Foxgloves

These stunning Digitalis plants return every year putting on a colorful display through late spring. So far we have a white, soft yellow and varieties of pink and purple.

Fresh from Our Garden Sugar Snap Peas

This was earlier in the week, we had at least a dozen for stir fry last night. Yay!

Amaryllis Close Up

Stunning!

Amaryllis Blooms in June

The previously indoor Amaryllis has started to bloom now, there are two other buds standing by along with The Gang.

Mellow Yellow Iris Close Up

The mellow yellow petals and dramatic striping of these rhizome nuggets is holding strong. Around the neighborhood I've spotted bright yellow Iris, but nothing this soft in tone.

Closer View of Purple and Yellow Iris

Here's a nice up close view of the purple and yellow Iris posted the other day. Translucent petals and inventive striping make these real standouts.

Lupine in Purple Tinted Blue

The color seems to change with the lighting, but it's more blue than purple, a perfect compliment to the Johnson Blue Geranium in the background.

Lupines in Pink

 These are a dazzling color of pink - this photo also shows the interesting foliage of these hardy plants.

Late Sun Illuminating the Garden

The late afternoon sun adds an interesting perspective to flower petals as it back-lights many of the plants.

Melon Salad and Yogurt with Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

The melon salad was honey dew and cantaloupe; the yogurt plain non-fat and sauce a homemade concoction of strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and orange juice - topped with chopped walnuts.

Very Tall Yellow Iris

These are record tall rhizomes. The yellow is soft, not bright and the buds abundant. Supportive staking was added after they started tipping under the weight of the extra tall stems.

Late May Iris Blooms

Finally time for flowering among the Irises. The colors here remind me of the U of W scheme. Soon to follow are a similar sized all yellow variety.

Creamy Pink Columbine

A few creamy pink Columbines appeared on the new raised bed on the north side. The dappled sunlight and protected area near the fence suits their delicate form. More common is the purple variety to the right.

Asparagus and Pasta Salad

Based on a recipe I read online this morning, before going to the grocery store. I knew asparagus was on the list, since the season is so short. I remembered to get a nice big lemon (for juice and zest), Farfalle (butterfly shaped) pasta, and Pecorino Romano. I forgot the fresh ricotta, but it still came out great with a little Extra Virgin Olive Oil drizzled in and then tossed with toasted Walnuts.

Featured Columbine

This red Columbine with yellow center is probably my favorite plant in the garden. I hope it naturalizes.

The Amaryllis Gang

Here garden whimsy is added with Ali, Frank and Annie on daytime guard duty of the Amaryllis. This will be its first outside bloom. Before, it was forced to bloom inside in a container. The red bulb was planted alongside the pathway to the top of the garden. Along the way sedums and ornamental strawberry surround the stones and ornamental grass mark the top. Raised beds with the vegetables are in the background along with a few soon to be blooming iris plants.

1st Weekend at Neighborhood Farmer Market

May has been wet and cold, so my expectations were not too high for the opening day of our neighborhood farmer's market; but we still found yummy goodies to fill a tote:

• 2 "Clarance" tomatoes
• 6 "Pennsylvania Dutch Style" pretzels
• 1 mini-Rhubarb pie
• 1 piece Turkish Baklava

The tomato was sliced and placed on top of a casserole that's now in the oven with:

• leftover roasted potato and red pepper
• torn corn and flour tortilla shells
• Pinto beans
• grated Sharp Cheddar cheese

Late Afternoon Sun on the Tulips

Ginger Boy in the Garden

Like the previously featured giraffe this toy was found on the road during a bike ride. After enduring a tough winter he's looking good surrouned by ground covers and tulips.

Fuschia Starts in late April

Time will tell if this experiment to start my own hanging container of fuchsias using 4 "starter" plants will work. They have been getting regular water, but I've been informed fertilizer is essential, so that will be added to the routine to enhance their growth.

Tulip Extreme Close Up

I have to do some research to determine what type of bulb this is, it comes back every year with bright red petals and a stunning "interior."

Anne Greenaway Lamium

This is a lovely mint-green and chartreuse ground cover borders the emerging tulip bed. The botanical name is Lamium maculatum.

Late Blooming Daffodils

Mollie Katzen Style Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Peanut Butter - right from the grinding machine - no filler
• Sugar - only 3/4 cup
• Chips - from the bulk bin: economical and delicious
• Shape - the teaspoon scooper made short work of 3 trays

Friday Cooking Headstarts Spring Weekend

What a great afternoon of cooking projects. The last tray of cookies were coming out of the oven as the pasta water came to a boil. It was nice enough to eat dinner outside surrounded by the emerging tulips. Now, the sauce is cooling on the counter, maybe to drizzle on some gelato later. The cookies are stowed in two containers: one for us the other for the trail work party. What's left of the pasta salad is in the fridge and the dishes are done.

Today's List:

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Spiral Pasta with Asparagus and Smoked Salmon (With roasted red pepper and parsnips) dressed with a bit of Newman's Honey Mustard Dressing
• Strawberry and Rhubarb Sauce (with orange juice, sugar, ground ginger and a bit of vanilla)

Fresh Baked Strawberry Muffin and Milk

Over the weekend I tried a recipe from a cooking magazine we are receiving as a gift subscription. Strawberry muffins with the first of the California berries, with ground almond topping. The batter is a nice combination of white and wheat flour and the canola oil keeps them light.

Ground Cover Project Starting to Show Promise

What a nice surprise to find the ground covers transplanted to this area in front of the rockery has taken off! I have to say I copied the combination from other yards.

First Backyard Tulip of 2009

Hurray for the first of the bulbs to open in the backyard. This gem is surrounded by the Fancy Fringed Tulip collection and a variety of shrubs and ground covers.

Pasta Salad with Asparagus and Pistachios

A delightful spring dish:

• Shell 3/4 cup of pistachios and stir in a preheated skillet with 1 tsp. Canola oil for a minute
• Drain on paper toweling before transferring to a small bowl with a 1 tsp. salt and a dash of Cayenne
• Prepare 1/2 lb. pasta per package directions ( bow ties are preferred but penne work well )  
• About 5 minutes before the pasta is done, toss in 2" segments of asparagus. Drain well.
• Stir in 4 oz. flaked smoked salmon and 1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil with some fresh ground pepper
• Stir in the nuts and enjoy! Adapted from The Whole Foods Cookbook.

After: Ugly Slope Tranformed - Ready for Planting

During: Ugly Slope under light March snow

March 15 - weed excavation project underway and marked by green tarp.

Before: The Ugly Slope

Late March - before Hubs took charge of the weeds in this prominent sloping area.