Herb Bread

After I did an egg wash, I sprinkled fresh thyme, fresh rosemary a little pepper and garlic powder then baked as usual.

I can't wait to cut into it tonight at dinner. It made my kitchen smell heavenly.

Happy Saturday!

Since I stepped up on the soap box yesterday with my little 'rant', I figured I'd lighten it up a little today. I'm definitely not all doom and gloom but I really do hope people start to pay attention and take better care of our world.

This is my new red pot that I had been eyeing for awhile and hubby got it for me for my birthday. I used it this week for black beans and rice and I swear they tasted better.

A couple of tomato plants and rosemary on the front porch. The hen and chickens are from my grandmothers garden.

This hot banana pepper was delish. Part of it went into a jar of salsa and the rest was chopped up and cooked into stuffed burgers.

I'm looking forward to cooking with all the wonderful things that are growing. We've really had perfect weather so far this year. I hope it continues.
Already tomorrow I will be making a batch of pesto to use some of the basil that seems to be going crazy.

How are your garden's doing? Reaping any of what you sowed yet?

Yummmmmmmmm

Emeril's Creole Seasoning
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

A little olive oil, potatoes cut and cooked anyway you like, fresh thyme and Emeril's Creole Seasoning makes a delicious side or snack.
These were wedged and cooked on the grill.

The annual repotting of the Aloe...

I gave away a lot of my plants when we moved from Florida to Illinois so on my Mom's first visit here she brought me this tiny little aloe plant probably from Kroger.

Every year I have to separate and repot this 'mother plant' because the base leaves get so heavy it starts to tip the pot over. It has produced well over 50 little aloes in the last 4 years. Close to half the town has an aloe plant from this one.

So today is the day she gets another larger home. I bought one of the largest indoor pots they make so lets hope she slows it down a little or else I don't know what I will do next year.

Now only if I had sold all that aloe instead of giving it away. LOL

It's a learning process...

I'm still learning about the climate and growing seasons here in the Midwest. SW Florida was the complete opposite growing season so it has been a little confusing. I have decided to start out VERY small and learn a little more each year so that by the time we get the land we want, I will be ready. The container gardening that I decided to try here this year is starting to yield some results.

The first of the 25 cayenne peppers that are on this one little plant has finally turned red and the green pepper plant has already yielded two large delicious peppers. Obviously pepper plants do very well in containers.

The rosemary, choc. mint, oregano, thyme and basil are all doing well and will be able to move inside to our bay window when winter gets close. I have been able to keep them going there since we moved here. I've been growing herbs in pots inside and out for years...that is a staple I just can't do without.

I did do one tomato plant in a container and it has not done very well and I will not try that again. It had a lot of tomatoes but so far the three that turned red had bottom rot from drying out too much in between watering's. I have three huge plants in the ground and this is a pic of the first RED one. I counted about 35 green ones of various sizes on the ground planted ones and they are all doing well.

All herbs, peppers and tomato's were grown in organic soil with no extra fertilizer or insecticides.

I am getting ready to try a large pot of various salad greens.

As you see, I'm just learning so mean while...we rely on the farmers market that is here with local produce June - October for my canning and freezing.

Three Heavenly Ingredients

My Basil

My three favorite ingredients are homegrown tomatoes, fresh basil and good mozzarella cheese. These ingredients on their own can be added to so many different foods to make a fabulous dish. But when you add them together...the taste is like heaven on earth.

My first experience with these three together was in the mid 90's at a place called Antonio's in downtown Ft Myers Florida. It was a cute little place with a gorgeous hand painted mural on the wall of New York City.

It was there that I tried a slice of tomato, basil pizza and I was hooked from the first bite. It was awesome.

After that, I started to grow fresh basil. Even now that I have moved north, I keep a pot growing in the bay window all winter long.

I have experimented with the three together on pizza dough, french bread, sour dough bread, pasta, plain old slices of Wonder Bread...you name it. It's a combination that I just love.

Tomato, Basil Pizza

Roll out favorite pizza dough recipe

Drizzle a little olive oil over dough

Spread 8 or so thin slices of tomatoes

Spread 10 or so fresh basil leaves

Top with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese

Bake according to your dough directions

Cheese should be slightly golden