Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pasta. Show all posts
Yesterday I was finally able to pick one of my own home-grown Better Boy tomatoes! I forgot to get a photo of it before I started chopping, but I can tell you that it was ugly-- yet delicious!!! I made a spaghetti sauce out of it, along with some market fresh zucchini, broccoli & mushrooms.
It's a very exciting milestone for me because I did have one tomato before this that was ripened, but sadly it was devoured by hungry bugs. So, I missed out on eating my truly first ever tomato. I was very happy to actually be able to use this one! I officially feel like a successful gardener.
Look What My Tomato Turned Into!
better boy +
gardening +
pasta +
tomatoes
Yesterday I was finally able to pick one of my own home-grown Better Boy tomatoes! I forgot to get a photo of it before I started chopping, but I can tell you that it was ugly-- yet delicious!!! I made a spaghetti sauce out of it, along with some market fresh zucchini, broccoli & mushrooms. It's a very exciting milestone for me because I did have one tomato before this that was ripened, but sadly it was devoured by hungry bugs. So, I missed out on eating my truly first ever tomato. I was very happy to actually be able to use this one! I officially feel like a successful gardener.
Recently I had a large quantity of basil in my garden, so I made a homemade pesto with it following this simple recipe. It was really so, so easy. It didn't quite make the quantity I was expecting, but the flavor was delicious.
I used the last 3 tablespoonfuls of the homemade pesto in this dish, along with: tomato basil sauce, broccoli, yellow tomatoes, chopped walnuts, freshly-shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a bit of oregano. After cooking the pasta, chopping the vegetables and walnuts, all I did was stir together and pop in the oven at 350 until it was warm throughout and the cheese on top had begun to melt and bubble.
I've come to realize how great walnuts are, and how they can completely transform a dish from normal to unique. So note to self: add walnuts to LOTS OF THINGS!
Baked Pasta with Homemade Pesto
broccoli +
pasta +
pesto +
walnuts +
yellow tomatoes
Recently I had a large quantity of basil in my garden, so I made a homemade pesto with it following this simple recipe. It was really so, so easy. It didn't quite make the quantity I was expecting, but the flavor was delicious.I used the last 3 tablespoonfuls of the homemade pesto in this dish, along with: tomato basil sauce, broccoli, yellow tomatoes, chopped walnuts, freshly-shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a bit of oregano. After cooking the pasta, chopping the vegetables and walnuts, all I did was stir together and pop in the oven at 350 until it was warm throughout and the cheese on top had begun to melt and bubble.
I've come to realize how great walnuts are, and how they can completely transform a dish from normal to unique. So note to self: add walnuts to LOTS OF THINGS!
Lately, one of my favorite things to do on a Thursday afternoon is to go by the farmer's market. It's a small one since it's mid-week; only about 3 booths are available at that time, but it's so great because I'm able to find a lot of great vegetables that can hold me out until the bigger farmer's market at the end of the week. A farm that I find myself continually buying from is McAdams Farm, based in Efland, North Carolina. Their website describes how they farm, and every single time I've spoken with them in transaction they've been so happy and friendly.
I have goals to eventually go visit farms I purchase from to see what they're like and to get to know better the policies of the people I buy from, so hopefully I'll be able to go there soon and check it out. I just think it's really important to be aware of what you're putting into your body and to support local farmers rather than gigantic chains that are impossible to investigate (or worse, can be investigated but have not great reputations). While I don't want push my views on anyone else, I do appreciate awareness and recommend a documentary called Food, Inc. especially to meat-eaters. If you're going to eat meat you should know about what a monster the meat industry has become, and how everything in your local supermarket is affected by it. I still buy some things like cereal and pasta from supermarkets and I don't even feel great about that, but I still think making an effort is important.
That'll be the end of my rant on farmer's markets! Hope that doesn't turn anyone off; it's one of my passions. Anyway, the "loot" I collected this go around were a couple of tomatoes, a couple of squash (what is the plural of squash!?), and some garlic. I've never had garlic so fresh, but it was very strong and delicious, and also fun to unravel! With these veggies and leftovers from my last market visit (red onion, broccoli, star squash) and the addition of my own basil, I made a simple pasta dish for dinner. Veggies in a butter sauce with garlic, onion, and basil, over pasta with the addition of a splash of soy sauce and mozzarella cubes. The mozz cubes were actually a mistake—they became gooey and stretchy. I would suggest doing that with a cold dish instead, and shredding it over something hot. Dunno why that didn't come to me beforehand! Cooking is such a learning experience. Sometimes I'm great and sometimes I suck. I wonder if it's like that for most people?
Thursday Market Loot
farmer's market +
pasta +
squash
Lately, one of my favorite things to do on a Thursday afternoon is to go by the farmer's market. It's a small one since it's mid-week; only about 3 booths are available at that time, but it's so great because I'm able to find a lot of great vegetables that can hold me out until the bigger farmer's market at the end of the week. A farm that I find myself continually buying from is McAdams Farm, based in Efland, North Carolina. Their website describes how they farm, and every single time I've spoken with them in transaction they've been so happy and friendly.I have goals to eventually go visit farms I purchase from to see what they're like and to get to know better the policies of the people I buy from, so hopefully I'll be able to go there soon and check it out. I just think it's really important to be aware of what you're putting into your body and to support local farmers rather than gigantic chains that are impossible to investigate (or worse, can be investigated but have not great reputations). While I don't want push my views on anyone else, I do appreciate awareness and recommend a documentary called Food, Inc. especially to meat-eaters. If you're going to eat meat you should know about what a monster the meat industry has become, and how everything in your local supermarket is affected by it. I still buy some things like cereal and pasta from supermarkets and I don't even feel great about that, but I still think making an effort is important.
That'll be the end of my rant on farmer's markets! Hope that doesn't turn anyone off; it's one of my passions. Anyway, the "loot" I collected this go around were a couple of tomatoes, a couple of squash (what is the plural of squash!?), and some garlic. I've never had garlic so fresh, but it was very strong and delicious, and also fun to unravel! With these veggies and leftovers from my last market visit (red onion, broccoli, star squash) and the addition of my own basil, I made a simple pasta dish for dinner. Veggies in a butter sauce with garlic, onion, and basil, over pasta with the addition of a splash of soy sauce and mozzarella cubes. The mozz cubes were actually a mistake—they became gooey and stretchy. I would suggest doing that with a cold dish instead, and shredding it over something hot. Dunno why that didn't come to me beforehand! Cooking is such a learning experience. Sometimes I'm great and sometimes I suck. I wonder if it's like that for most people?
