Weekend Garden Walk and Garden Pasta Salad

This weekend wasn't really summer like, with temps in the 60s and drizzly rain, but the flowers are still blooming and not giving up on summer yet. But I can tell you..it felt like fall to me!


First stop on today's tour is the front yard. The hydrangea in the front has a nice bright pink color and some purple mixed in.


Here's a little closer look.


I planted some zinnias in the front bed a while ago and they have done really well, especially after I sprinkled some slug bait....(sorry organic gardeners but if you could see the size of them you'd be scared!).


This daylily still has quite a few blooms to go...most of my others are on their last legs



So heading around the side of the house...Look, there's a little somebody peeking around the corner waiting for you to come into the back yard for a look around.


Right at the base of the arbor I planted a few nasturtium seeds this year. Actually I sprinkled them throughout the yard. They have such cheery little faces.


One thing that you'll notice today are the phlox in full swing. That's a rose campion in the foreground.


Here's a new little perennial I've added this year, a Penstemon. Its looking happy in its new home.



The bees are going crazy at the moment. Bee Balm is attractive to them for sure.


But this Dark Knight Bluebeard (Caryopteris) is a magnet too.


The name to this one is escaping me at the moment...it will drive me crazy now til I remember. Its just starting to bloom. Rose Mallow maybe......


Super Fairy is still looking super :-) Let's go under the arbor and out the gate into the "wilderness" behind my fence. I think I spy a little exciting surprise out there.


While we're back here lets enjoy the wild flowers (also know as weeds to some).


This makes a pretty magenta flower when its open. But the bud is really interesting too!


Herb Robert...the wild geranium looking pretty and dainty


And here's a hint to what I spied over the fence


Yes!~ The blackberries are almost ripe! I actually found a few that were and I took a nibble or two. If they are all like my sample they will be good! It's too bad my sister-in-law isn't here to help me pick some! She was so excited when they came to visit to find that we had them growing just outside the gate. Time to come back and see us Sherry!


By this time next week I will have bowls full in the fridge! Until then lets get on with the rest of our little tour. A new opening this week....my pretty little pink anemone and look who was hiding. I didn't see him until I reviewed the pics on the computer.



Won't be much longer before the tall sedums are blooming. I think they look neat at this stage too.


Here's another daylily breathing its last breath.


And a cute little hardy geranium blooming for the second time. I think its Geranium oxonianum, maybe Katherine Adele.


Now finally we are at the veggie garden where there's not yet much to harvest, but there are some pretty blooms!


And that's the end of the tour today! Time for a light lunch. My friend Kathleen said my post yesterday was a heart attack on a plate, so to prove to her (and to me) that I can eat healthy I made up a Garden Pasta Salad, heavy on the veggies. This is the kind of thing you make based on what you have on hand so my ingredient list is just a guide and very sketchy.


Garden Pasta Salad

1 large carrot, cut into thin small pieces
1 bell pepper, cut into thin small pieces
2 small ribs of celery, cut into thin small pieces (are you seeing a trend here?)
1 large cucumber cut into thin small pieces
Cherry tomatoes, a couple of handfuls cut in half
Salami, I had maybe 2 ounces, cut into small pieces
Real Bacon, I had maybe a tablespoon left in the bag to throw in
Parmesan cheese shavings, to taste
Spiral pasta, about a cup, then cooked and drained
Ranch dressing to cover all ingredients

Mix all above with dressing. I ate some right away, but its probably good cold too. I'll find out tomorrow at lunch! This made quite a bit, enough for a potluck salad or a light lunch for a small family.

The Great Cooking Magazine Challenge ~Double Decker Truffled Grill Cheese

Its been a while since my last installment of The Great Cooking Magazine Challenge. Well over due given the stack of magazines I have :-) This is my way of making good use of my many cooking magazines and a challenge to all of you out there who might have stacks sitting around as well. Make something from one of them!

That's the challenge...will any of you take it and run? If so, grab the logo, link back to me in your post and let me know in the comment section of this post that you took the challenge. Then I'll add your link to this post. Now get to flipping through mags and cooking! :-)

Update!
Here are those brave souls that have taken up the challenge. Will you be next?
Carol at There's Always Thyme To Cook made Chicken and Yellow Pepper Salad from the August edition of La Cucina Italia.

Susan at Savoring Time in the Kitchen made Light and Lemony Potato Salad from the August edition of Southern Living.

Lynn at Happier than a Pig in Mud made Herb Spoon Rolls, also from the August edition of Southern Living.

Kate at A Spoonful of Thyme made Dilled White Bean and Grape Tomato Salad from the June edition of Bon Appetit



The May issue of Food Network Magazine has some great recipes in it. Lots I really would love to try and taste. This morning when I was looking through it, I was looking for ideas to use a half loaf of Trader Joe's brioche bread sitting on my counter waiting to go bad. I was thinking french toast, but ended up with grilled cheese instead! I'm sure Emeril's version was just as tasty, but I had Sandra's ingredients on hand for the most part, except for the fresh figs (I subbed nectarines).



There is one ingredient in this recipe, truffle oil that many may not have on hand and I think you could skip it, but if you run across any I would recommend picking some up. It has incredible flavor even using just a tiny amount. I found this cheapo version at TJMaxx which has mainly olive oil and a touch of truffle, with a spritzer to use sparingly. It doesn't take much but still lots of truffle flavor!



This was pretty tasty. I love sweet and savory in the same bite! If you like Monte Cristos dipped in raspberry jam or turkey & cranberry sauce sandwiches, you will probably like this.

Double-Decker Truffled Grilled Cheese

Courtesy of Sandra Lee for Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 to 3 teaspoons truffle oil
• 6 thin slices challah bread (I used brioche)
  
• 7 ounces brie cheese, sliced, rind removed
• 4 fresh figs, sliced (I used nectarine slices)
  
• 6 ounces monterey jack cheese, sliced
• 1/2 cup fig preserves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt 3 tablespoons butter with 1 teaspoon truffle oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add 2 slices bread, and toast on both sides. Set the toast aside and reserve the skillet.

Lay out one slice of untoasted bread. Top with one-quarter each of the brie, figs and jack cheese, then a slice of toasted bread, then another layer of brie, figs and jack. Close with a slice of untoasted bread. Repeat to make another double-decker sandwich.

Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter with the remaining 1 to 2 teaspoons truffle oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the sandwiches and cook until golden on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden on the other side, about 2 more minutes, then transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve with the fig preserves.

It made a great Saturday brunchy meal for a rainy August morning. Good thing I brought a little Kitchen Bouquet inside to enjoy :-)

Flashback Friday ~Better Homes and Gardens

Every Friday I try to feature a flashback. My flashback this Friday is food related, but more about a memory than a recipe. I made Reuben sandwiches this week (no pics - we were hungry!). While I was assembling the ingredients to make the sandwiches I realized I had no Thousand Island dressing which is pretty key to the taste.

Now, I am an internet searching fiend...I can find anything I need, just give me enough time. But at that moment I didn't really want to take even the 5 minutes it might take me to search and find a recipe that I felt I could rely on, so I fell back on a recipe from one of the cookbooks I've owned the longest.


While I have older cookbooks in my collection, the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook is possibly the one I first acquired. My wonderful big sister, who just celebrated a birthday yesterday gave me this cookbook when I moved into my first apartment during college.

It's a gift giving tradition she has continued and one that I love! Many of my very favorite cookbooks, several of them signed by the authors were given to me by my sister Cindy. Along with the cookbook she gave me this cute bookmark, which I also collect. I recall her telling me that it was the only food related one she could find. The cover has seen better days, but it still works for me!



On one tragic note, I realized as I was browsing through the book and flashing back to this memory that 22 years has passed since I received it. Can I really be that old?????? EEEKS My only consolation is that I will always be 9 years younger than my sister!!!! hehehe

In addition to this weeks flashback I thought I would share a few early August things from my yard this week. Here is one of the last of my favorite daylilies this year


I'm so glad I bought this sunflower a few weeks ago.


It's really brightening up the bed its in.


This daylily isn't letting up yet!


This little guy posed long enough for me to get a few shots


This little ice plant is finally blooming


Another newly opened this week, this purple bee balm


And not quite opened rudbeckia...black eyed susan


How about one more day lily...may as well enjoy them while they are still around


These marigolds are almost glowing


A self sown nigella..not sure where it came from because I haven't had any in the yard for a couple of years.


I'm showing you half of my bubbling rock flower bed because I like the yellow blue thing I have going. The other half isn't cooperating with that theme though lol.


My little jungle corner with an angel peeping through.



If anyone has a Flashback of any kind please add your link below. It can be a flashback of any kind!



I'm also participating in Foodie Friday at Design's by Gollum

And Fertilizer Friday at Tootsie Time
Go check out all of the pretty blooms!

Mosaic Monday ~Hello August

Today for Mosaic Monday I'm sharing a few hydrangeas growing in my yard. I love the blue and am thankful my soil keeps them that way :-) I love pink in most other flowers, but blue hydrangeas are close if not at the top of my gardening faves. Go check out all of the other mosaics at Little Red House HERE.


I was inspired by my friend Debbie at Mountain Breaths to try these yummy lemon blueberry biscuits. Check out the recipe at her blog! This was another excuse to use my new pretty blue plates :-)



Tonight with dinner I tried a new little recipe that was pretty tasty. Kind of like Eggplant Parmesan without the breading. Those are green beans from my garden cooked with the potatoes.

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan From EverydayCook.com (4 main dish servings) Ingredients 1 large eggplant, sliced lengthwise into 4 slices 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced 2 medium tomatoes, sliced into 4 slices each 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil Directions Lightly brush eggplant slices with oil; season with salt and pepper. Place slices on grill over medium heat; grill for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender, turn once. While the eggplant is grilling, prepare cheese. In a small bowl, combine mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil. Top each eggplant slice with tomato slices and cheese mixture. Cover grill and cook 2 minutes, until the cheese melts and the tomato is warm.

Hope everybody's Monday is a good one!