Watermelon update!

10 minute dinner

All local and organic dinner! This is swiss chard from the csa, sauteed just to wilt with a little white wine vinegar and some celtic salt. I topped the swiss chard with a poached egg, also from the csa. I found a blog that suggested swirling the water before dropping in the egg and that worked well. The meal is garnished with assorted chopped tomatoes, parsley and some borage flowers picked out of my garden.

It was good and satisfying.

Watermelon from our yard -

The watermelon that grew from someone's spit out seed next to our patio, was HUGE!!!!

The stem never turned brown, but I couldn't wait any longer.

It was the best, sweetest watermelon ever!!!

It was too big for us to consume, so I made some watermelon granita with part of it.

Yummy and sweet.

Gazpacho

When we were in Spain this summer, I learned to truly appreciate the joy of freshly made gazpacho. Everyone has their specific recipe and thinks theirs is the best.

I couldn't resist trying one with all the lovely tomatoes and peppers from the csa. Those vegetables are begging to be made into gazpacho.

I made enough to put in the fridge for later!

Birthday Cupcakes

First I baked a bunch, at least a million mini cupcakes . . .

Then I made marshmallow. I hate to use gelatin, but I was afraid to use a substitute for an important event such as a 15 year old girl's birthday party . . .

Then I covered the white fluffs with a dark chocolate coating . . .

Decadent!

Healthier spaghetti alla carbonara and a painted salad

This salad was made from an assortment of tomatoes, courtesy of my csa and one from my garden, cucumber from my garden, pretty purple borage flowers and fresh herbs from my garden. It's a painting made from vegetables. Dressed with a little olive oil, vinegar and celtic salt, popping summer tomato perfection.

I read that you could add the leaves of the borage plant to your salad for a nice cucumber flavor. Don't do it!!! Unless you enjoy a mouthful of spiky hair.

I really wanted to try spaghetti alla carbonara at home. I don't eat pork, so I substituted turkey bacon. I also substituted Tinkyada rice noodles. I used organic local eggs from my csa and fresh basil, parsley and chives to freshen it up. It was good.

Really, really . . . . . good.

We have this watermelon growing next to our patio. No one planted it,

it must have come from a stray seed spit out?

Ice cream cake again?

I love to bake and try new recipes. Why don't my kids love cake? This is my son's strawberry cheesecake ice cream cake. Boring.