Garden Stroll

Here are a few pictures from my stroll through the garden this morning. I am starting to get very excited since I have harvested my first tomatoes this week as well as pounds of arugula, swiss chard, kale and now a few summer squash. It is once again extremely hot and humid today and although I need to finish weeding I think I am going to sit at the sewing machine today and finish up some projects. More on that later this week!

The Pumpkins

Here is the first pumpkin in the pumpkin patch. I can't believe how crazy the pumpkins are this year, thanks to all of the humidity and rain they are out of control and I hope to get a good picture from one of the windows on the second floor so you can see just how HUGE these pumpkin plants are.

Monday Menus...a few days late!

This week the kids have been in camp down at the Boll Family YMCA in downtown Detroit-LOVE IT!!! I meant the camp, but I would be lying if I said that Greg and I haven't enjoyed our days together without breaking up fights every 10 minutes or the constant whining. Oh the joys summer can bring: delicious fresh & local food, warm weather & C-A-M-P!!!!!! We have spent most of these last few days wandering around in the city and I will post on that at the end of the week with a special post on our favorite new and old place in the "D," but for now I will leave you with a new weekly menu and recipe.

Monday: Taco Night

Tuesday: Spanish saffron rice, sauteed kale w/ golden raisins & pine nuts & an arugula, tomato, cucumber & feta salad

Wednesday: Left-over rice, steamed broccoli, sauteed summer squash topped w/garlic scape pesto & panzanella salad

Thursday: Arugula tossed w/goat cheese, pine nuts & red onion & a balsamic vinaigrette, gratin of potato & summer squash w/Herbs de Provence & fresh bread

Friday: pear, fig & gorgonzola salad w/ homemade personal pizzas night

Saturday: Graduations Parties

Sunday: Watermelon, feta & mint salad & a sweet onion tart



SPANISH SAFFRON RICE:

serves 4

3 Tbsp. of e.v.o.o.
1 medium onion minced
1 1/2 C. long grain white rice
1 1/4 C. stock (Veggie or Chicken)
2 C. peeled, seeded & chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
1 tsp. saffron threads
Coarse Salt ( I prefer Pink Salt for this dish...would love to try gray salt with it as well...)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C. roasted red peppers diced
1/4 C. Spanish green olives cut into thin strips
1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add rice and stir to coat the rice with oil for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add stock, 1 cup of water, the tomatoes, saffron & 1 tsp. of salt (Most of the time I use an extra cup of stock rather than water for extra flavor.) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed-about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with fresh pepper.

Add the red peppers, olives and parsley to the rice and fluff and mix with a fork. Season to taste with pepper & serve.

*This is adapted from the cookbook: You Say Tomato by Joanne Weir

Thinning the carrots....