Enjoy the last few days of summer!

My husband has been saying for several weeks he thinks we'll have an early fall.  He came in this morning and said the weather reminded him of when he had two a days (football practice) before school started. 

Who knows whether we will have an early fall, just enjoy today and the remaining days of summer.

A Busy Day

This morning I was up to my elbows in eggplant and tomatoes and that is a good problem.  I'm very thankful for the produce. The only down side to gardening is it all gets ripe at the same time and it seems like it takes days to get everything processed so it won't ruin. 

I made two large pots of eggplant spaghetti.  This is really great on whole wheat pasta with fresh Parmesan sprinkled on top.  This will also freeze very well.  So as you can see, I have quite a few bags to put in my freezer.  This is the recipe.

2 large or 3 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
2 medium onions, diced
4 to 5 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons of olive oil
3-4 medium carrots, sliced
1 1/2 green peppers, cut chunky
1 small container of mushrooms, cut in chunks
2 cans diced tomatoes, you can use the ones with Italian seasoning
4 cans tomato sauce or a couple of jars of Ragu (I like sauce the best)
salt and pepper to taste

Put olive oil, garlic, onions and eggplant in a large pot and sauté for about 4 minutes.  Then add diced tomatoes and continue to stir.  Let this cook for a couple of minutes then add green peppers, carrots, and mushrooms and salt and pepper.  Mix well and let cook a couple of minutes then add the tomato sauce.  Stir well and simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. 

This is Granny's salsa.  I posted the recipe several days ago. This is not canned.  I put it into canning jars because it is easier to keep fresh and transport.  This really is great but it takes so much time to cut it all up but it's worth it.  It's good putting it in the blender but the cut version is wonderful.  My husband will be delivering this to our kids tomorrow.  They love it!

Now, while I was doing all that cooking I was entertained by these hummingbirds.  I put fresh sweetener in their feeder this morning and they were loving it.  They couldn't get enough. I watched a PBS special on hummingbirds recently and they can be territorial but these two ending up sharing and they also said that hummingbirds will come back to the same places every year.  It was fun watching them.

Last but not least is a peach pie.  My sweet husband ask for one more peach pie.  We had one when our kids came down for dinner and it was really good.  The peaches were great.   Since we didn't have peaches on our trees this year this will probably be the last one. 

Well, one more day of cooking and I should have everything cooked and put where it needs to be. I'm ready for a piece of peach pie!  :)

Interesting thought

To be who you are, you must be willing to let go of who you think you are. 

I've been thinking about this one all day.  I think we all associate our identity with what we do, our interests, profession, where we live, what we know.......the list could go on and on.  Who are we when all of these things are removed?   Something to think about.

Great Summer Sunday

This is a little quail that has been around our home since spring.  He or she is so cute. While I was mowing today he came running out from behind the barn and ran all the way across the pasture never flying just running until he reached my garden area and then ran in behind the tomato plants.  He sits on the fence morning and evening and sings his little "bob white" song.  It really sounds like he is saying "bob white." 

It brings back some dear old memories for me. When I was a child and would go to the lake with my parents there was always a quail that stayed around our cabin and would do the "bob white." It's just such a sweet sound.  I haven't heard it in years.  He is really a pretty bird.  I wish I could have gotten closer to get a better picture.

My tomatoes are finally coming on.  I picked and picked and picked this evening.  It looked like tons of little oranges hanging on the vine.  My pictures don't really show how bountiful they looked.

Well, we got the lawn mowed so it can rain again.  Got the garden picked so if we have several days of rain, I really need to clean house.  :(

It was a beautiful day and I enjoyed being outside!  I don't think I'm ready for summer to be over yet.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake and Squash Casserole

I get tired of eating steamed squash and this recipe is one my sister came up with years ago and it is delicious. I made a little individual portion for me tonight.  My husband wanted steamed so I made this for me but you can make a big casserole dish of this. I will give you the portions for a casserole dish (9x13).

6 to 8 medium yellow squash, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 stick butter, sliced
1/2 cup to 1 cup Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Lightly grease a casserole dish.  Place 3 to 4 thinly sliced yellow squash covering bottom of dish.  Then top with a layer of thinly sliced onions, then one thinly sliced tomato.  Place three to four slices of butter over the tomato, salt and pepper and sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese over the tomatoes. Repeat layers once more topping with Parmesan cheese.  Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
When tomatoes are not in season, I have used diced tomatoes (drained) in place of the fresh. Tonight I made mine with one layer.  I used one medium squash.  Also, one more tidbit - nutritional yeast is also a good alternative to Parmesan cheese and even taste a lot like Parmesan.

The zucchini chocolate cake is a favorite with our family and the recipe comes from a dear friend who is a wonderful cook.  This is a wonderful way to use up all that zucchini you are getting from the garden.  This recipe would be wonderful in small loaf pans as a special little gift for friends or family.  This cake is so moist and not to sweet, just right.  The topping for the cake is chocolate chips and walnuts.  You'll love it!

2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup coco powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated zucchini, unpeeled
1-6 ounce pkg. chocolate chips
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Mix flour, coco powder, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.  Cream together butter, oil and sugar until it is light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Blend in vanilla and start to add dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk starting with flour. After this is mixed well stir in zucchini.  Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle top with chocolate chips and walnuts. 
Bake at 325 for 50-55 minutes or until cake is done. 

I have never frozen this cake but it seems like it would be a good one to freeze.

Granny's Salsa

Years ago my mother-in-law would make this wonderful salsa out of fresh jalapenos, sweet onions, fresh garden tomatoes and fresh garlic. She would make some that was really hot and some that was a little milder.  She would spend hours cutting everything up and then she would put it in canning jars although it was not canned. We were lucky if it lasted two days around our house.  She would try to do it at least twice during the summer and our family absolutely loved it and couldn't wait for her to do it.  This was my attempt at making her salsa today and it sure wasn't as good as hers.  Don't get me wrong it was good but all I can say is she had the magic touch and this was her specialty.

Our family was all together today for lunch.  The first time in quite a while.  Everyone has been busy with summer classes and studying so we haven't gotten together much for a Sunday meal.   One of the meals we really enjoy in the summer is this salsa with what I call the Mexican brisket and guacamole.  I have posted the brisket before so I won't go into a lot of explanation.  It's an easy meal and somewhat light.  Just whole wheat tortillas, brisket, salsa and guacamole on the side or on the tortilla.

A week ago I tried freezing avocados.  I peeled them, left the seed in and put them in a freezer zip lock bag.  I unthawed them today and they were great.  Still green, the texture was a little different but still good. 

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tsu

The Tao Te Ching was written by a contemporary of Confucius, Lao Tsu.  He was the keeper of the royal archives at Loyang in the province of Honan in the sixth century B.C.  According to ancient legend, as he was riding off into the desert to die.....sick at heart at the ways of men, he was persuaded by a gatekeeper to write down his teaching for posterity. So we have the Tao. 

There are 81 short thought provoking "thoughts."  I don't know what else to call them.  Each one is something you would want to ponder.

This is one of my favorites because I used to be very unbending and it was my way or the highway.  This touched my heart and I love what it has to say.

Seventy-six

A  man is born gentle and weak.
At his death he is hard and stiff.
Green plants are tender and filled with sap.
At their death they are withered and dry.

Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death.
The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.

Thus an army without flexibility never wins a battle.
A tree that is unbending is easily broken.

The hard and strong will fall.
The soft and weak will overcome.