Azoresgal~Life on an Island

  Our red potatoes taters are ready to harvest, after 12 weeks of slumber in the ground. I have to admit these are my favorties, they are "new" potatoes still. They are tender, with a slight crispiness, and the skin is not tough yet, you can scratch it off with a finger nail. This time of year is when I believe we eat the freshest produce possible, from the garden to our table. The lettuce, the peas, the green beans, the cabbage, even the green onions (that I should leave alone, or we won't have onions in the fall). Everything is fresh and vibrant, and smells like the earth, and you just know that it will all taste wonderful with the addition of the simplest ingredients. This potato salad is just that, very few ingredients, just enough to compliment each other, but let the taste of the red potatoes shine! I used greek yogurt instead of mayo,  it is light but still creamy and it tastes amazing. 1 kilo red potatoes, skin-on, 3/4 inch dice 1 cup plain Greek yog...

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." Lewis Grizzard So excited to finally, have ripe tomatoes in our garden. I always wish they grew as quickly as the lettuce, or the zucchini. I suppose mother nature, knows what she is doing, and why it takes so long for them to be ripe. You cannot rush perfection ! I love, love a simple tomato sandwich, if you have never had one, you are missing out ! They taste like summer ! Just plain, white bread, some mayonnaise, salt, and pepper...Heaven !

HELP !! Once again the garden is being taken over by too many zucchini ! Every year when we start planning out the garden I tell mr.G  ask mr.G not to go crazy with the zucchini seeds. Every year mr.G, ignores me  and goes crazy with the zucchini seeds.  We must have 10 plants in the garden, this results in WAY TO MANY zucchs. So needless to say, everyday I have found some way for us to eat these little green guys. This cake, hands down is my favorite way to use them up. It is lovely without the cream cheese frosting, but I would be lying if I said I ever make it without it. Use some young, tender zucchini, it is easy to shred everything up all at once. Hope you give this a try ! INGREDIENTS: 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 cups grated zucchini 2 teaspoons vanilla ext...

Why is it the best salad ?? Because it all came from our garden ! Directly from the soil, to our table, I cannot not tell you how excited I get about this ! It is so wonderful to go out there, and see everything growing, this year we even have Arugula ! Mr.G takes such great care of our garden, and it shows ! It truly is a labor of love, and then to be able to make a fresh, organic green salad from it all, is just amazing. everything is growing ! Arugula/rocket lettuce,arugula,green onions,carrots~ a simple green salad,so delicous

I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.                          ~Henry David Thoreau  I was a lucky girl, and was gifted these wonderful pumpkins, from my cousin's garden !   Preparing pureed pumpkin is oh so very easy. The pumpkin may be stored in the freezer for using later in pies, muffins,soup etc. Preheat oven to 165 / 325 degrees. Cut the pumpkin in half, stem to base. Remove seeds and pulp. Cover each half with foil. Bake in the preheated oven, foil side up, 1 hour, or until tender. Scrape pumpkin meat from shell halves and puree in a blender.  Strain to remove any remaining stringy pieces.  Measure out 1 cup servings.  Store in the freezer in freezer safe bags or containers.

The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song of the birds for mirth, One is nearer God's heart in a garden Than anywhere else on earth. ~Dorothy Frances Gurney,   xoxo Diana