Area behind the Barn

We have been working behind the barn getting more projects completed.  Or I really should say Gary has.  He got the fence up and he made a flower bed for me.  This is a very restful place morning or evening and has a great view to the east.  Still have ideas of things I want to do.  I wish I could find a before picture so you could really appreciate all that has been done.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Today is my sweet grandmother's birthday. So many wonderful memories of her and so many things I learned from her.  She was a perfect grandmother to me!

New Ideas in Gardening

"Just living is not enough...One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."

For me, this is very true to my heart.  I can only speak for myself but when I get out in the sunshine whether it is walking, swimming or working in the yard it can totally change my state of being.  You just automatically feel better.  Try it the next time if you are a little down and see if it doesn't cheer you up.  My youngest daughter's anatomy professor just told her class that sunshine activates the pineal gland.  The pineal gland is a sensory organ so there you go.

Over the years, I have read several books and listened to different people talk about the benefits of working in the garden with no gloves and barefooted.  Getting dirt under your finger nails, according to Dr. Jordan Rubin in The Maker's Diet, helps you get needed minerals that are in dirt at the cellular
level.  I've also heard another doctor speak about your DNA getting in the dirt while working around your plants without gloves and the plants picking up on what your body needs and producing that in your vegetables.  I know it sounds a little out there.  I'm not a left brain person and quantum physics is something I wouldn't even try to explain but for the little bit I understand I can see where this would be true. 

Now, I would like to tell you about something I have been reading.  This is a lady from Russia who has some ideas that I have never heard of before.  One idea that I found very interesting is taking your seeds that you are going to plant and putting them in your mouth and holding them there in your saliva for 9 minutes.  I know that seems like a long time, it did to me.  Then take them out and pat the seeds between your palms and breath on the seeds.   Plant the seeds but do not water for 3 days.  Plant according to the moon. I think that means to plant on a full moon.  She says, "when the seedlings start to sprout don't remove nearby weeds because that will protect the plants from insects, also touch your plants during every full moon cycle."  Consume the produce within 3 days of harvesting it.  She says that if you are lacking any thing in your body or if you have a disease what you have planted will heal you.  I know, I know this sounds out there but we really don't know what can happen on a quantum level.  If you have never watched Water, The Great Mystery it's very interesting and worth watching.  You can find it on You tube.  I am going to be doing this in about 4 weeks.  I'm planting a fall garden and I'll let you know what happens.

Pasta with Burst Tomatoes and Mascarpone and An Old Dessert with a little twist!

Our daughters came down Friday afternoon for a visit and I wanted to have something fresh from the garden as much as possible.  My new Southern Living had come several days before and I found this recipe that we all  loved. Pasta with Burst tomatoes and mascarpone.  I changed it up just a bit and also put little dollops of my basil pesto on it too. YUMMY! Here's the recipe.

1-24 ounce package of frozen cheese-filled ravioli (we used fresh and I think it is better)
3 pints of assorted grape tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, chopped - I used about 4 cloves (we like garlic)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup of butter, cubed
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of torn herbs, basil and parsley
1-8 ounce container of mascarpone cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Preheat broiler with oven rack 4 to 5 inches from heat.  Stir together tomatoes, garlic and oil in a large jelly roll pan.  Broil 5 to 8 minutes or until tomatoes are charred or burst , stirring half way through.

Transfer tomato mixture to a large bowl and add butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Add half of the herbs and spoon in hot pasta and mix well.  Sprinkle with remaining fresh herbs then put into individual pasta bowls and top with dollops of mascarpone cheese and basil pesto if you have it.

Now for the old dessert with a new twist.  I haven't had pull apart bread or it also used to be called monkey bread in ages. It had really been on my mind and sounded really good.  Being the chocoholic that I am, I thought it would be good to make a chocolate sauce to dip the pull apart in.  It was good.
I served the pull apart in a section with a little 2 ounce cup of chocolate sauce.

I bought frozen rolls that have to rise.  I let them un thaw about 30 minutes. Spay a bundt pan with oil.  Melt one stick of butter and in a separate bowl mix 1 cup sugar with 1 -2 teaspoons of cinnamon. Take one roll and cut it into fourths dip in butter and then roll in sugar mixture in put into bundt pan. Keep repeating this until you have used all the rolls.  Set in a warm place until the rolls double in size.  They will rise up to the top of the pan and then bake at 375 for 25 minutes. When you remove it from the oven turn the pan upside down onto a serving platter.  If you like pecans, you can also add chopped pecans during the assembling of the dough into the bundt pan. 

Chocolate Sauce
1-6ounce pkg semisweet chocolate morsels
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt

Combine chocolate chips and butter in top of a double boiler, bring water to boil and reduce heat until chocolate melts, stirring often.  Stir in powdered sugar and remaining ingredients.  Keep stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture is smooth.

We ate pretty healthy for dinner but we sure blew it on dessert! :)    Oh well, it was Friday!

All Natural Insect Repellent

This is the best all natural insect repellent I have ever used.  It is made from essential oils - lemongrass, lavender as well as other essential oils, distilled water, witch hazel and coconut emulsifier are the ingredients.  Can't get better than that. You can also put this on your pets.  Mosquitoes fly above the heads of my cats and this repellent sends them trucking.

Mosquitoes love me and they will come after me even through my clothes but when I have the repellent on I never have a problem.  You don't want to get it in your eyes but I even spray it around my head because they will go after my face.

I can't tell you how important it is to use something natural like this and not the deadly chemicals that are in the insect repellents you buy at the store.  They are deadly and I cringe when I think that adults spray this on their children thinking they are protecting them. 

The owner of this company is a true entrepreneur and I hope you will support her.  The company is called  "eScential Creations, 39 Point Drive, Fayette, Maine  04349.  Phone number is 207-685-9874.  It comes in 3-8 oz. bottles in an order for $35.00 and that includes shipping and handling. Just give her a call and they fill and ship your order promptly.

My Cantaloupes Are Ripe!

These are called Melon Golden Jenny (an heirloom).  They are succulent, sweet little 2 pound beauties.  My first time to grow cantaloupes.  They let go of the vine when they are ripe.  I was out picking things from the garden yesterday evening and saw that they had turned yellow and the smell was so sweet.  I was so happy to taste how wonderful they are.  I have already started saving the seeds so if any one would like some, I would love to share with you. I was reading about these cantaloupes and they are a version of the Jenny Lind variety. 

I forgot to take a picture of one cut open but I will post one soon so you can see the inside. 

Food Straight From Heaven

Basil Pesto, greens for juicing, fresh salsa and my lunch today....fresh tomatoes with basil pesto.  I can't even begin to tell you how good this was.  I love basil pesto.  It's just wonderful and it goes so great with so many things.  My youngest son called while I was making the pesto and he put his order in.  He loves it as much as I do.  The fresh salsa is to eat with the brown beans I'm cooking for dinner.  It's nice to not have to go to the store to buy all the food you need to eat not to mention the quality is a thousand times better.  If you don't have a recipe for pesto, here's mine.

2 tightly packed cups of fresh basil
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pack in all in the blender and let it go.  You might need a little more olive oil.  Store with a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto in an air tight container in the frig for up to 10 days or freeze up to 4 months.

Other uses for basil pesto:

add to unsalted butter for herb butter
spread on bread as a condiment for sandwiches
serve on steamed vegetables
use as a topping or sauce for pizza
use on grilled chicken or fish
put inside a warmed tortilla
toss pesto with hot pasta

Fresh Salsa

As many fresh tomatoes as your blender will hold
1 large sweet onion, quartered
1 1/2 to 2 Serrano peppers, cut in chunks
3 to 4 cloves of fresh garlic
salt to taste

Put all the ingredients into the blender and pulse.  I like salsa that is a little chunky especially to eat with brown beans. 

P.S.  Aren't the colors pretty .....red and yellow tomatoes and the green pesto.