Pesto Chicken Orzo

I've been trying to bring my lunch to work and eat less frozen, packaged meals. Granted the ones I tend to eat are organic, GMO free, etc. But still. Cooking food gives me control of what I'm eating. Sunday as I was making my list for the grocery store this week, I tried to think about what would be good to bring. Pesto popped into my head, which it tends to do this time of year when the basil in the garden is abundant (I didn't make fresh pesto for this, instead I purchased some, but either works!)

I looked at Pinterest for some ideas and created my own dish that works hot or cold. Rather than cooking up chicken breasts, I "cheated" and grabbed one of the roast chickens from the store, which allowed me to simply pull off the white meat and not have to dirty another dish while cooking. Zucchini have looked good and are healthy and easy, so I picked up a few of those that were locally grown from the grocery store (mine have yet to produce more than flowers, so far). Mushrooms seemed like a nice pairing with the zucchini. And of course onion and garlic had to go in.

As I was cooking, I realized I had some shredded mozzarella and I added a handful of it which helped give the dish an almost risotto-like consistency. I kept the seasoning simple since pesto flavor was what I was after. I'll definitely even try this with rice as well. Because, pesto is good on EVERYTHING.

You can play with the veggies you include as well to suit your tastes or clean out your fridge.

Chicken Orzo Pesto

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cooked chicken, shredded or cut in bite size pieces (for this I got a oven-roasted one from the store to speed up time)
• 3-4 medium zucchini cut in bite-size rounds
• 1 package orzo
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1- 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2-4 garlic cloves, diced
• about 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded (optional)
• about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
• 1 package (7oz) pesto (or make your own fresh)
• 2-3 TBSP olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:
1) Cook orzo according to box instructions/al dente.
2) When done, reuse pot. Add olive oil, onion, garlic. Saute until onion starts to soften.
3) Add garlic, mushrooms. Cook down a little.
4) Add zucchini, salt & pepper to taste, and cook until veggies are tender, browned and water is evaporated.
5) Turn off heat. Taste for seasoning & adjust as needed.
6) Add cooked orzo.
7) Add cheese. Stir.
8) Enjoy.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Garlic scapes

Today I cut the first of the garlic scapes from the plants that were the first to emerge after a most snowy winter. They're huge and looking good. At one point about a month ago, I noticed some of the lower leaves of the garlic plants was looking a little yellow.

I did some research and found that it could be due to low nitrogen levels in the soil. So I got some bat guano to try which is very high in nitrogen. It seemed to work. I spread a small amount around the plants in the soil, used the edge of my trowel to turn it in a little and then watered.

Typically by now the leaves start to dry up and the garlic is ready for pulling. But, we had such a late spring here that I have a feeling we might not be pulling the garlic out until July this year.

Now that I have the scapes, Hubs wants to make some scape pesto. I've recently gotten him on the pesto wagon (finally!), and I'm sure they'll be delish.

Cupcake recipes on my "to try" list

I love these interesting flavors. Now I just need a reason to make them. Lemon Meringue Cupcakes reminds me that spring is coming. Tiramisu Cupcakes because I love coffee and chocolate. Snickerdoodle Cupcakes are inspired by one of my favorite cookie flavors. Smore's Cupcakes sound like they'd be great for upcoming BBQs. Samoa (aka Caramel Delights) Cupcakes because I've resisted buying Girl Scout Cookies for the past 3 weeks at the grocery store where they have a table set up. Emerald Isle Pistachio Cupcakes just in time for St. Patrick's Day. Butter Pecan Cupcakes inspired by one of my favorite ice cream flavors. Mmm.

Cooking Shows I'm Watching

While roasting some cauliflower and brussel sprouts I was watching WGBH Create and for the first time stumbled upon a show called The Victory Garden: Edible Feast. Now I grew up being tortured by my mom making me watch The Victory Garden with her. I really disliked it when I was a preteen and teenager. But as I got older I didn't mind it so much. The cooking segment was always more interesting to me than the flowers or whatever they were showing.

Today, I was excited to see another evolution of the show. This one combines Edible Magazines with The Victory Garden and the focus on is less about flowers and ornamentals and more about growing food and cooking it. I did a little digging and it seems to be two seasons in. Not bad. You can watch all the series on vimeo too. I started with Season 1, Episode and think I'll work my way through them in order while I burn some calories on the elliptical.


Another PBS series I highly recommend is Mind of a Chef, produced and narrated by Anthony Bourdain. In its third season, it's almost hypnotic to watch and some of the personalities that come forward from interviews or from the chefs highlighted are just fantastic. Prior seasons are on Netflix.

And of course, the one other show that I'm hooked on is The Great British Bake Off (yes in the US they changed the name to The Great British Baking Show (why??? I have no idea). Anyway, what we are seeing on PBS is the 6th season. I started to take a look and then realized that the final aired in the UK in the autumn, so I stopped to keep me from running into any spoilers. After the final next week, my goal is to see if I can track down any of the prior seasons to watch as well. Any tips or info is appreciated.

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Rice

A few weeks ago, broccoli at the supermarket looked great. I had to buy some. But then what to do with it? My hubs only likes it if it's smothered in cheese. And that got me to thinking about broccoli & cheese with rice and chicken for some protein. Topped with a crust that provides a little crunch in contrast to the savory cheesy center.

In my head it sounded more simple but when I made it it did take a bit because all the pieces need to be cooked together. If I figure out a more efficient way to cook everything, I'll definitely update this recipe. But it's good, freezes well and is worth sharing now. Plus, if you do some of the parts in stages, it's totally manageable.

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Rice

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1 1/2 pounds of chicken, cut in bite size pieces
• 1-1 1/2 pounds broccoli (fresh or frozen), cut in bite size pieces (could also mix with roasted cauliflower)
• 1 1/2-2 cups uncooked rice
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2-4 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1-2 TBSP flour
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp mustard powder
• 1 TBSP djon mustard
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk (add a little at a time until consistency reached)
• 2 TBSP butter
• salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:
1) Boil broccoli in water until cooked and tender.
2) Start water to boil in another pan for rice. Once at a boil follow instructions on package.
3) In another pan (do this while broccoli cooks), add butter, onion and garlic. Saute until fragrant.
4) Add chicken and brown (doesn't have to cook all the way through).
5) Add oregano, salt, pepper, mustard powder, and djon mustard and stir well to coat.
6) Sprinkle flour over everything and stir well until combined.
7) Add cheese. Stir.
8) Add milk a little at a time until a good consistency forms for the cheese sauce.
9) When broccoli is done, drain it and set aside in large bowl.
10) When rice is done, add to same bowl as broccoli.
10) Add chicken and cheese sauce to broccoli and rice, then stir well to combine.
11) Pour/place mixture into 13x9 casserole dish.
12) Top with grated parmesan or pecorino romano and breadcrumbs. (can also add French's onions, etc)
13) Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Kale, Garlic & Bacon

How depressing that it's nearly been a year since I last posted. What a shame. Things got busy I guess and I just never got around to getting some things posted.

Anyway, let's work on fixing this.

We've been battling feet of snow this winter here in the Greater Boston area. And I've been trying a few new recipes. Lately I've been using more kale. Yes, it's a superfood and all that. But I've also been trying to find other ways to incorporate it.

One simple way is to use it in salad and mix it with romaine or other greens. Just make sure to remove the thick stems.

Another idea I had was to make it into something akin to a collard greens type of dish. Garlic, caramelized onion and bacon come together for a lip-smacking delicious side that elevates the kale from something nutritious to something delicious.

Kale, Garlic & Bacon

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-2 bunches of kale, leaves only, no thick stems
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and then crumbled (you can be fancy and use pancetta)
• 5-8 cloves garlic
• 1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced in half moon pieces
• 1-2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• Peperoncino or red pepper flakes - pinch or to taste
• salt
• pepper

METHOD:
1) Cook bacon. (When I made this I had cooked about 10 slices, some of which were consumed for breakfast).
2) When bacon is done, take it out of the oil and place on paper towels or paper to drain.
3) While bacon drippings are still hot, add onion and saute until transparent. You might need to add a little oil (olive or vegetable).
4) Then add bacon and garlic and saute until fragrant.
5) Add kale, a handful at a time. Stir once the kale on the bottom starts to wilt.
6) Add salt, pepper, peperoncino and balsamic vinegar.
7) Cook until all kale is sauted and tender to your taste, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Eat it as a side or use it to dress up a sandwich like below. YUM!

A photo posted by Jane G (@caff) on Feb 16, 2015 at 10:11am PST

Enchiladas with Ramps and Fiddlehead Ferns

Sundays we tend to do some cooking for the week. Hubs made a meat pasta sauce and I made my enchilada bake. I had purchased some dried chilies and wanted to use them so I made up my own enchilada sauce for it.

Making enchilada sauce. Red onion, garlic, dried Guajillo and Pasilla chiles and the water they soaked in, jalapeño, parsley, cilantro, tomato, tomato paste, shot of vinegar, cumin, salt, and pepper. I made the enchilada recipe with ground beef instead of chicken but you can find the recipe here.

I served the enchilada with spring goodies found at Whole Foods - fiddleheads and ramps.

Enchilada casserole topped with sour cream and avocado, served with fiddlehead ferns and ramps sautéed in garlic butter.

Sour Cream Belgian Waffles

Woke up too early for a Saturday morning, with a sick puppy. After dealing with the drama, cleaning up, and enjoying some coffee, I decided we deserved a nice breakfast. Our weekends have been busy and we've been doing simple cereal, toast, etc. I knew there was some sour cream in the fridge to use up so, I investigated the interwebs for a recipe to try. I landed on a slightly adapted version from The Joy of Cooking. It's absolutely delicious and will now be my go-to for waffles. Give it a try.

Sour Cream Waffles

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup flour (all-purpose or cake flour)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1-2 tsp. of vanilla extract
• Dash of salt
• 3 eggs, separated
• 2 cups sour cream
• Dash of milk (if needed for consistency of batter)

1) Preheat waffle iron.
2) In medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and baking soda.
3) In a small bowl, mix egg yolks, sour cream and vanilla until smooth, then whisk into dry ingredients.
5) Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Stir about 1/3 of the egg whites into sour cream mixture at a time, gently folding to combine.
6) Bake according to waffle iron directions. Serve immediately; they will soften as they stand. You can also keep them warm in a 170F oven. Top with maple syrup, roasted & chopped nuts, berries, etc. Makes 4 Belgian waffles.

Asparagus, Pea, and Cannelloni Bean Pasta

I love creamy pasta sauces, but they're not the healthiest. Plus, they can be very rich to boot.

After watching a few cooking shows recently that featured pureed beans, I was inspired to try using them to create a thick, rich, and creamy sauce to use on pasta.

Last night I decided to see if my idea would work out as I hoped. I debated between mashing the beans and whizzing them up in the food processor with the garlic and cheese. I ended up opting for mashing, but next time I might try whizzing, just to see what the difference will be.

The good news is that the result was amazingly delicious. And, it is a good source of protein and minerals. Bonus!

It's a quick, simple recipe to put together. It also can be enjoyed without the pasta. I was originally going to add chicken but our vegetarian cousin was visiting so it got left out. You definitely could add it in, but you certainly do not need it.

Asparagus, Pea, and Cannelloni Bean Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz. peas (fresh or frozen)
• 1 bunch asparagus, diced into bite sized pieces (close in size to peas)
• 1 onion, diced
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 15.5 oz. can of cannelloni/white beans, roughly mashed with fork
• 1 package spaghetti or linguine
• 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 4 TBSP butter (more or less)
• 1 TBSP dried oregano
• 1 TBSP fresh basil (can also use dried)
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste
• OPTIONAL: <a href="http://www.fullmeasureofhappiness.com/2011/10/12/oven-roasted-tomatoes/">oven-dried tomatoes</a>, diced to garnish

METHOD:
1) In saute pan, add 1 TBSP of butter and let it melt. Once melted and starting to foam, add diced onion and saute on medium or medium high heat until softened and starting to get some good brown color - about 10 minutes.
2) Heat water in pot for pasta and bring to boil. Once boiling, follow package instructions. Be sure to salt your water.
3) Add diced asparagus and peas. Stir well.
4) Add oregano, basil, pepper flakes.
5) Add mashed beans 3 TBSP of butter, stir, then add garlic.
6) Add mozzarella and Romano or Parmesan cheeses. Stir well until incorporated evenly.
7) Slowly add pasta water bit by bit to thin out bean/cheese mixture to a consistency that will coat pasta. You might not need all 1 cup of it. Do this to your preference. Just go slow. You can always add more water, but you can't take it away.
8) Add salt and pepper to taste.
9) Serve over cooked pasta or eat it by itself.

Sadly there's not plated photo for you to see because we were hungry and devoured it before I got the chance. Oops. Maybe next time I make it I'll try to remember to snap a pic.

Tacos & Taco Baked Sweet Potato

The other night we, well I, made tacos for dinner. After getting two dinners out of it, there was just a little bit left over. So today for lunch I whipped up this Taco Baked Sweet Potato for lunch before going out and attempting to tackle the inches of snow.

Taco Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb (+/-) Ground beef, turkey, pork, or chicken (note: if using poultry, you'll want to up the seasoning a little as they tend to be less flavorful)
• 1 medium sized green bell pepper
• 1 medium-sized red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeño or poblano chile - if you want it more mild, remove seeds and any white on the inside.
• 1 medium or large onion (white/sweet/red - all are good), diced
• 3-6 garlic cloves, minced (add as much or as little as you like, I like a lot)
• 2 TBSP oil (of your choosing, I usually use veg or olive)
• 1 packet Goya culantro y achiote - OPTIONAL. You can also read up on ways to make a substitute seasoning in this thread

SEASONINGS

• 2 TBSP chili powder
• 2 TBSP ground cumin
• 1 TBSP garlic powder
• 1 TBSP onion powder
• 1/2 TBSP dried oregano
• 1-2 bay leaves
• Salt & pepper to taste

FOR SERVING

• Chopped lettuce (for serving)
• Chopped tomato (for serving)
• Avocado slices (for serving)
• Tortillas - corn or flour, slightly warmed (for serving)
• Shredded cheese (for serving)
• Sour cream (for serving)

1) Heat pan with oil. Add onion, stir to coat with oil. Add all of the seasonings. Stir to make sure all onion is coated evenly.
2) Add bell peppers and hot pepper. Stir. Let cook 5 minutes until vegetables are softened.
3) Add meat and garlic. Mix well with veggies, so that they are all well combined. This will help flavor your meat.
4) Once meat is cooked through, taste to check for seasoning.
5) Warm tortillas. If you have a gas stove, you can just set them on the burner to toast - BUT KEEP YOUR EYE ON THEM. Should only take about 1 minute per side.
6) Fill up your tortilla how you like it and enjoy!

Taco Baked Sweet Potato

1) Poke sweet potato with fork.
2) Place sweet potato in microwave. Zap until cooked through. Let rest.
3) Reheat leftover taco meat.
4) Cut a slit in sweet potato. Using a fork, smash and fluff the center.
5) Top with taco meat, a little shredded cheese.
6) Microwave until cheese is melted.
7) Top with your favorite fixin's.

Thai Chili Peppers

This is the first year we grew Thai Chili Peppers. They seemed to do well. To preserve them, you can dry them and also freeze them whole.

First of the garlic

Extend your picked herbs

Use the glass part of your french press to store and extend fresh herbs from the garden. Add enough water to cover the cut stems.

These are almost a week old. If it's super hot you can also put it in the fridge.

Ginger Crack Cookies

My friend Meesh introduced me to these yummy little gems. I will even give her credit for renaming these from Ginger Crackle Cookies. They are super addictive. And, after being out quite a bit on vacation this month, I decided to whip up a batch to bring into the office upon my return.

If you like spicy, molasses-y cookies, these puppies are for you. 

This recipe makes a few dozen (3-4 I think), but you can freeze the dough. Get to the point where you've rolled them into balls. Place the rolled balls on a cookie sheet and slip it into the freezer. Once they are frozen, you can put them into a freezer bag and back into the freezer. Then just pluck them out and bake at your whim.

Ingredients

3 3/4 cups sifted flour (can use wheat flour too)

3 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp baking soda (if you use baking powder, like I did by mistake once, it comes out less crackled and poofier)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cloves

3/4 cups butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup molasses

1 TBSP cider vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F.

Sift together flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and ground cloves.

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and beating well. Add molasses and cider vinegar. Blend well.

Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Form into 3/4 to 1 inch balls and roll in granulated sugar. 

Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes or until the tops just start to crack. 

NOTE: DO NOT OVERCOOK, THE COOKIES WILL BE ROCK HARD IF YOU DO.

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp ready to bake

Ah Fall. It's my favorite time of year. Warm days with crisp nights. Pumpkins, apples and changing leaves. What's not to love?

Over the weekend, we went apple picking. I was actually surprised at the variety of apples still available, considering it's a bit late in the season.

Never the less, we were able to easily fill our peck bag with Cortlands, Macouns, Empires, Mutsus, Mac Spur and a few others. Of course we snacked as we picked, one of the fun things about apple picking. You have to taste them as you go, right? ;)

With a mix of fresh eating apple varities and enough that do well for baking, we brought our mini-hoard home. I opted to make a apple crisp that was mighty delicious.

sd

Ingredients 
10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup water

1 cup quick-cooking oats (I didn't have any so I used crushed Special K, worked great)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C). Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

Serve: with vanilla ice cream.

YUM!

Latin-Inspired Braised Pork & Rice

Over the last month or so, work has consumed my time. Then there was the rain and hurricanes. The garden and house in general didn't get much attention. But I did do some cooking.

For whatever reason, the idea of slow cooked, shredded bits of meat have really appealed to me. Maybe it was the rainy days or the cool spell of weather.


I love latin cuisine and the flavors of those dishes. Pork is a very typical meat used in those recipes. So I was inspired to create something that included all of these things. I didn't really follow a recipe, but I'm sure that there is something out there that is not that different from this.


Braised Pork & Rice
2-3 lbs pork (I used bone-in country ribs but use what looks good)
1 large onion (large dice)
1 red pepper (large dice)
1 jalapeno (diced small, remove seeds - depending on how hot you want it)
2-3 cubenelle peppers (diced)
2 cans whole tomatoes (cut into 3rds or 4ths) + liquid 
4 large cloves, smashed with back of the knife
1 packet Goya Sazón with Coriander and Annatto
2 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP dried oregano
2 TSP dried cilantro or parsley
1 TBSP chili powder
1 can black beans, drained
1 can red beans (or kidney), drained
Salt
Pepper
3 TBSP oil
Fresh cilantro or parsley


Add about 3 TBSP oil (olive, canola, etc) to a large pot and let it get hot. Add cumin, dried oregano, dried cilantro, chili powder and packet of Sazón with Coriander and Annatto to wake up the flavors. Pat your pork so it is dry (this will help it get browned easier), season with salt and pepper on all sides. Slip it into the hot oil and spices and let it get brown. Once you have the pork browned on all sides, remove and set aside.


Add onions to the pan and saute until they start to go a bit translucent. Then toss in the garlic and all the peppers. Cook until the peppers get softened. Add in the tomato and liquid from the cans. Stir to combine. Place the pork you had set aside in the pot and make sure it is covered with liquid. You might need to add a little water or broth to bring the liquid level up over the pork.


Place on a low heat and cook until the pork starts to fall apart (about 3-4 hours). 


Once the pork is done, use a slotted spoon and take out all of the solids. If your pork has bones in it, carefully remove the bones and any fat or connective tissue that remains (there shouldn't be much of that left). Skim off any fat floating on the liquid. 


Now to make the rice. Pour out the liquid that remains. You'll want about 4 cups of liquid to cook the rice - but you want a bit left over afterwards so measure out the liquid you have from cooking the pork. Use about 2 cups (or can use more if your liquid measures over 4 cups), and then add another 2 cups of water. Place back in the pan and bring to a boil.


Once the water is at a boil, add 2 cups of rice. Stir and cover and let cook for about 20 minutes or until the rice is done. Once the rice is done, stir in the remaining pork liquid (ha that sounds funny). Then add your shredded pork mixture, black beans and red beans and some black pepper. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (you might want to add not only more salt & pepper but a dash of cumin, etc). Sprinkle with some freshly chopped cilantro or parsley.


Serve with slices of avocado, a dollop of sour cream or a sprinkle of your favorite Mexican or Latin cheese.

Chimichurri

My newest obsession is Chimichurri. So good. And good on almost everything. Last week we marinated some chicken in a bit of it before tossing the chicken on the grill (and then drizzled more over after it was cooked). We enjoyed it on some fresh bread from the Farmers Market. It was super tasty on a grilled chicken salad (in place of salad dressing). And it's super easy to make, especially this time of year.


This is my variation:

1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley
1 bunch cilantro
3/4 tbsp oregano (fresh)
3-5 garlic cloves (I also threw in some garlic scapes since I had them on hand)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup vinegar (red wine, apple cider, or plain)
(optional) 3/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper or hot sauce

Combine all ingredients in food processor. Blend until looks like pesto. Refrigerate for at least a couple hours...gives the flavors a chance to mingle and get all yummy. Makes about 3 cups (???? this is a guess) but it stays well in the fridge or you can freeze it up.

I think I'll try this next on one of our homemade pizzas.  Or on pork. Or on grilled burgers. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Too Much Chocolate Cake

Monday was a coworker's birthday and I offered up to bring in something sweet and delicious. I debated making these Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes as something new (and deadly delicious!) to try. In the end I went for a tried and true. But I will definitely have to give these suckers a try. I also found a recipe for Chocolate Chip Caramel Cookies that look tasty too.

I ended up making the ultra-reliable Too Much Chocolate Cake. Definitely give this one a spin. It's super easy, and even more delicious. And, the fun thing about it, is that you can mix up the flavors a bit and give it your own twist.

Links: In the Garden/In the Kitchen

In The Garden:
How to turn a pallet into a garden. Neat idea, especially for small spaces.

An idea I will be trying! EngineeredGarden shows how to use upside down tomato cages to prop up squash.

In The Kitchen:
Truly easy homemade cheese.

Apple dumplings that look delicious and chic.

Need to defrost meat you have sitting in your freezer? Try a hot water bath.

Chilled Double Chocolate Torte - the no-bake version, sounds perfect for hot summer days.

Leek toasts with blue cheese from the goddess at Smitten Kitchen.

Yum. Falafel & Tzatziki.

June Gloom Means Bloom

The cucumbers are starting to flower (along with the tomatoes, peppers and eggplant). Garlic is starting to scape now (and the shallots continue to do so as well). My succulent plant I purchased for my desk at work has flowers starting to open (sweet!) which means I'm not killing it (yet). Yay! And one little picture of baby bunny bum, munching away on grass in the yard. It may be June gloom and hard to get out in the yard to do much but, at least there are good things happening. :)

Also if you are interested in succulents, I found instructions on how to fluff your succulents when they start to get overgrown.