Our refrigerator bulged with garden produce. What a gift! What a challenge! I decided to tackle the veggie bins and came up with a hodge-podge casserole that leaned towards something, somewhat, Italian in a Minnesotan (hot dish) sort of way. Zucchini, tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, and hamburger. I added rice noodles, seasonings, and parmesan cheese. In the oven it went.
Then I decided as long as the oven was hot I’d bake a cake. Two lonely bananas caught my attention. They looked like they were being surrounded and bullied by the apples in the fruit basket. Apples like to peck a fight now and then. Okay. Bad pun. A banana cake it is.
I found Mom’s banana cake recipe in my file and mashed, beat, and creamed. Minutes later two round cake pans filled with fragment batter went in the oven and kept the casserole company.
Soon a cacophony of scents filled the house. Sweet and spicy. Spicy and sweet. (Sort of like my husband!) While at times I feel overwhelmed by the volume, I’m grateful for the abundance of vegetables, berries, and fruits our land provides. Our dinner was delicious in its randomness, and the best part of my day.
I adore the adventure of the season. I have decided to ‘buy first and plan later’ and have found it is wonderful fun. At the Farmers Market, I buy what I know I need and then let my senses rule. I buy vegetables that look beautiful, unusual and have fabulous colors. THEN, when I get home, I figure out,like you, Gail, what WILL I do with these gifts from the earth. It is WONDERFUL, silly, and terribly fun!!
Hi Claudia!
Real food. Even if the concoction is less than noteworthy, I feel like our bodies respond to the extra dollop of love folded into the myriad of earthly gifts. Do you find simple is often the best? Fresh corn with butter and salt? Veggies roasted with a splash of olive oil and herbs? Raspberries right off the stem? Nom, nom, nom.
My new corn ‘simplification’ is to cut the kernels off. Saute some peppers and onions in butter WITH salt and cumin, adding the corn a bit later. It is fantastic, simple, beautiful to look at, and nurtures my body wonderfully.
Ooooo. That sounds delicious. I love cumin and it is so good for us. My husband will consume anything that has corn in it…even my sense of humor…so I’ve got to give your recipe a try. Thanks Claudia!
I haven’t seen the movie. I was in a YA fantasy mood when I peikcd it up. the YA section is right along where the door to the back room is. Had already read The Hero and the Crown and The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley and was in the mood for more. I’ll have to look for Fairest.Oh, can’t wait for your book to come out!
Greetings! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could find a cahctpa plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one? Thanks a lot!
You keep it up now, unnedstard? Really good to know.