Embrace Your Destiny: Enjoy Creating

Tomato Plant on Steroids

“Donnie, check this out! It looks a lot like a tomato plant but how can that be? We didn’t plant tomatoes here last year. Should we leave it or let it grow?”

We both agreed to let it grow to see if it was indeed a tomato plant. Confirming didn’t take long. It morphed into a big plant quickly. Now, it is an out of control tomato plant and exactly why we decided not to plant tomatoes in the first place. My handrail is useless!

We’ve enjoyed watching our kitchen garden mature into it’s summer splendor. So far, it’s mostly avoiding beetles, worms, fungus and other pests we don’t know how or what to spray for. We plant marigolds to add color and to keep plant diseases away. Seems to be doing a good job so far. 

Herbs and Peppers

The season of harvesting and enjoying the garden is in full swing. After a good two months, the lettuces succommed to the heat. I'll plant them again because they were pretty, productive and edible. That's my idea of a garden! We had cool nights through June and into July allowing them to stay hearty. Every time I picked, I thought that may be my last pick of the season. I broke down and bought supplemental lettuce for the first time July 4th week.

Peppers and onions are also coming in nicely. I was so enthused about my yummy garden pickings that I decided to make a fresh pasta sauce. I used produce from the local produce stand and my own garden herbs. As I was chopping the oregano, basil, and parsley, I was wondering if you can ever put in too many fresh herbs. I decided it could not be done.

Air drying after washing

In case you are wondering about my recipe, I made it up. Typically, that’s my preferred mode of operation for making most everything, especially soups and sauces. Here are the ingredients I used:

Small sweet onion - diced

Half sweet red onion (left over) - diced

5 medium cloves garlic-chopped

Bell pepper - diced

Banana pepper (garden)  -diced

1 yellow crook neck squash - diced

1 good size red tomato - chopped

1 medium carrot - diced

1 15 ounce tomato sauce

1 can water

Salt

Pepper 

Fresh herbs

 

 

 

 

Directions:

In a big skillet, cook diced onion (combined to 1 1/2 cup) till soft and slightly caramelized. Then add chopped garlic, bell pepper, banana pepper, squash, carrot and tomato. When the vegetables are all soft, add the can of tomato sauce. Then add as much of the can of water as needed to get your desired consistency. While the sauce is gently cooking, prepare the fresh herbs. I used lots of basil, oregano, and parsley in this dish. Dump all the chopped herbs into the pan and cover with a tight lid. Turn the eye down to a slow simmer. Stir occasionally to check for sticking.

The sauce cooking

Summer vegetable harvesting, cleaning and cooking is a ritual I love. It's mindless, repetitive, and sensual.  It is therapy for mind, body and soul. I love seeing the shiny, clean produce waiting for the next step in preparation. 

 

The earthy, cooking aromas are reminiscent of years spent helping my mother in the summer kitchen. The garbage can fills quickly and waits to be carried to the compost pile. I can almost hear Mama calling out, "Johnny, the garbage needs to go out, now!" 

 

The physical fatigue is even satisfying. I know I'm doing something good for me and the family. The melding aromas and flavors from the herbs, tomatoes, onions, and garlic wafting from the simmering skillet is the big reward. Some things are better when we have to wait to enjoy them.