Today's Feasts

[Giulia]

Had our first serving of Pesto!!!!  We usually plant much too much Basil.  Planted 3 store bought plants and put in seeds. Basil is really easy to grow from seeds.  But only four plants grew from seeds this time around.  Usually we have an entire 20' row of basil plants.  Much too dry here.  So I'll put in some more seeds.  BUT there were still enough leaves to make our first batch!  It's such an amazing color when it's being processed.  You can also freeze it, I discovered.  And it's a REAL TREAT in the middle of winter, let me tell you!

Zucchini is doing fantastic.  Trouble is - Zucchini is so boring to eat!  Sorry dear Zucchini, but I have yet to find a recipe that's mouth watering with you.  Except the Zucchini cake recipe.  And fritter frying the flowers.  That's a taste delight delicacy like no other!

The Mesclun lettuce is also doing great.  For you crop gardeners out there, if you want to add some spice to your salads, I highly recommend it.  It's a combo of different spicy greens like from the Cress family, etc.  Really perks up a salad.  

Aside from those treats the day lilies are all in bloom here.  This one is truly amazing.  Looks like God took a paintbrush, dipped it in a bit of red and ran his thumb and forefinger across it in a flick to splatter some on the white central part.  I couldn't quite capture it in focus with my 5 pixel camera that's on it's way out but you get the idea.

[Giulia]

Posamari‌  God Bond!!!! I'll try that.  Perhaps it's the menthol that's the detractor?  Great idea!  I make my pesto in cup to a cup and 1/2 size containers for freezing.  An entire ice cube tray full would be about what we use in a single two-person serving.  We lather our spaghetti with it!  Can't get enough of it.  lol   It's great as a dip too for those zucchini or cauliflower pieces.  I was snooping and found that "holy basil" is an amazing curative.  The history of it is fascinating.

[Mandolinrain]

Tapping my foot here....waiting on the basil pesto recipe please ?????????????????????

[Giulia]

Mandolinrain  Fill your processor to the top with basil leaves.  Run it briefly so that you can add more basil on top.  I add about another quarter to half processor full.  Add 2 coves (or more depending on size - 2 jumbo) of minced garlic.  I don't measure, I do it by taste, but I'd say I put in around 1/2- 3/4 cup olive oil (not non virgin, regular has more flavor) and about an equal amount of grated parmesan.  You're supposed to use pine nuts, but they can be mighty expensive, so I just use walnuts - maybe 1/4 cup.  And some salt.  Too much garlic and too many nuts will tend to make it bitter.  Sometimes later in the season, when the basil has matured, flowered and has gotten a little bitter itself, I add a couple of pinches of sugar.

It should have a nice creamy consistency when you're done.  It's hard to make a smaller batch unless you have a smaller processor as the leaves aren't enough to give it bulk to churn until there are a lot of them.  I learned a couple of years ago that it freezes quite nicely.  We freeze several containers and it's a real treat to pull one out in the middle of winter!  I can try to measure it next time I make it to be more specific if you like.  But we seriously put in a LOT of leaves because we like a LOT of serious pesto.  If you were buying this in a store you'd have to buy a goodly quantity to make this recipe work.  We usually grow and entire 20' row of basil.  This year we only have 7 plants.  Though I'll probably put in some more seeds now.   That way when the older plants are getting to the bitter stage, the young ones will be just right!

As a PS to pine nuts - for what it's worth which may be nothing:  https://www.seriouseats.com/talk/2010/08/pine-mouth-yuk-read-this-if-you-ever-use-pignoli-nuts.html 

[Mandolinrain]

Thanks G! I am going to make this over the weekend. I don't measure much anymore unless its an exact recipe I have to follow....I will figure it out to our taste....its how I cook most everything.

Interesting on the line nuts...I will take a look at that video later today when I have a minute. Nuts in general are all pretty pricey anymore. I also sub walnuts for any nuts. I 

I am smiling now cause its raining  outside, again ....YAY, I don't have to water

Heded to Columbus to babysit the twins and their brother today . Have a great day  I think I also will be planting more basil as soon as I can.....I am excited to make that pesto!!!

[Giulia]

We got some rain today here too!  Thought not enough.  And it's supposed to rain ALL DAY tomorrow.  I sure hope so.  But the weather witch is tending to be wrong more often than not here.  Anyway, as far as I'm concerned one can't have too much Basil!  

We're going to have a ton of zucchini (we always plant too much - 6 seeds produces a LOT of zucchini), and I bought this  "as seen on TV" (god help me, lol) Veggetti thing that creates spiral vegetables.  So I'm going to try it to make zucchini pasta.  OY.  I'll let you know how it all turns out.  The great thing about the Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe is that you can use the HUGE club-like zucchini when it's way too big for eating normally.  And I mean this size:

 

Works just fine for the cake.

[Mandolinrain]

I have our grandson so only have a minute here on ex till later today. I have one of the spiral things and have yet to try it. Bought them last xmas for our kids wives and one for me  I totally forgot I had one, so I will also try that, Thanks again G

[Jennifer-Quit]

I have one of those spiralizers or whatever you want to call it and love zucchini prepared that way - I throw in a few meatballs and pasta sauce for my zucchini and meatballs - very tasty

[Mandolinrain]

I am so excited, I am going to try that recipe this weekend, thanks Jennifer

[Tanuaj]

Thanks for sharing. I like the pics. I only have tomato plants. I’m moving from the country to the city this month. Keep the pics coming!

[Giulia]

Will do Tanuaj‌  Hope city dwelling treats you well.