why not kale….pesto?

Tags

Charlottesville City Market, chive flowers, dinner, eat healthy, farmer's market, fast food, food, kale pesto, pasta dish, pesto, vegetarian, virgin olive oil, Whisper Hill Farm

Readers who follow my blog know I adore kale.

an earlier pasta dish with blanched kale and chive flowers

Truly, I eat it every day all winter long—steamed  and drizzled with olive oil. Recently, the calendar flipped into June, and although it is still spring, temperatures are warming and soon kale will be too bitter to enjoy. Just in the nick of time, I still find huge bundles of sweet kale at the farmer’s market and today I decided to make one of my favorite dishes—pesto. Why not kale pesto? Indeed, this dish will knock your socks off.

Diane’s Recipe for Fresh Kale Pesto

Find a large bunch of fresh kale. Strip the leaves off the vein and tear leaves into pieces. Rinse kale, while bringing a pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl, add cold water and a few scoops of ice cubes. Set this bowl near the pot of boiling water. When water is boiling, add kale in batches and blanch for 30-45 seconds, or until kale is bright green. Using a spider, lift blanched kale out and plunge into the bowl of ice water. Repeat process until all kale is blanched and iced.

fresh from the local grower, Whisper Hill Farm ~ 9 stems

ice bath

blanching kale until bright green ~ 30-45 seconds

icing kale to stop cooking

squeeze water out of kale using hands

almond and pecan stash ~ always store nuts either in the fridge or freezer

Squeeze iced kale with hands and place all kale into the bowl of a food processor. Add 3/4 C sliced almonds, 1/2 C pecans, 1 t. fine sea salt, black pepper to taste, 1/2 C virgin olive oil, juice from a whole fresh lime ( I use a citrus press), and pulse entire contents, scraping sides of bowl a few times during processing. Add additional olive oil until smooth consistency is achieved.

kale pesto fully processed

Meanwhile, boil your favorite pasta, reusing the blanching water. In this instance I used a combination of organic Casarecce and linguine. When pasta is al dente, remove it from the water using the spider. DO NOT RINSE. SAVE hot pasta water.

al dente Casarecce and linguine

Mix pesto into pasta, adding additional olive oil and a few tablespoons of pasta water to dish until desired consistency is reached. Add a large knob of room temperature sweet butter and gently toss adding freshly grated Parmesan just before serving.

cooked pasta, knob of butter, kale pesto, toss adding additional pasta water and olive oil as needed

I promise this recipe will make a believer out of you. A real tasty dish that will have your friends talking. Serve with your favorite beverage, crusty bread, and sexy tomatoes if in season. Serves 6. Also nice cold as a left over…

completed dish doused with fresh Parmesan

PS I adore pesto and make three signature pestos from home-grown herbs: French tarragon with pecans, chive artichoke with walnuts in the early spring, and classic basil with walnuts during the summer months. This new kale pesto rounds out my repertoire and I hope you will enjoy them all. There is more to life than basil pesto!

Bon Appetit!

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

heat wave cooler

Tags

beverage recipe, caffeine free beverage, Celestial Seasonings Herbal Tea, heat wave cooler, herbal beverages, Wild Berry Zinger

Although it is still spring in these parts, recently too many days over 90F degrees delivered conditions requiring a caffeine free cooler…try it!

try this easy heat wave cooler. Seen here topped with freshly harvested blueberries from my garden.

Diane’s Heat Wave Cooler Recipe

Bring two quarts of spring or RO water to a boil. Add four tea bags of Celestial Seasonings Wild Berry Zinger herbal tea to a large, heat proof pitcher. Pour boiling water over bags and allow to steep for fifteen minutes, pitcher covered with a plate. Remove tea bags and add 1/3-1/2 C local honey and stir. Chill completely in refrigerator and enjoy whenever that heat wave strikes. Although this photo shows ice in the glass, I prefer not to ice, as it can dilute the flavor. If you wish to ice, add two additional tea bags to the brew.

Diane is NOT compensated by Celestial Seasonings in any way. Just a great product and caffeine free!

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

guilt free dessert ~ almost

Tags

chicken thighs, chocolate, chocolate lovers unite, cocoa, cocoa powder, foodie friends, grade b maple syrup, guilt free dessert, lavender honey, pantry ingredients, quick meals, quick recipes, summer cooler

As hard as I try to wean myself away, chocolate is my vice. At times I manage to distance myself from the stuff, yet always manage to fine the path back. Now, I don’t consume mass branded chocolate bars, yet consume the 60% up variety at least once per week.
With a fresh container of Fage yogurt in my fridge this week, and no chocolate in the house but cocoa, here is what I concocted with much success.
Two of my foodie friends agreed, this is worth sharing:

a delicious brand that lent itself to manipulation

found pantry ingredients

first finished version with dollops of local lavender honey ice cream

second version layered between heavily whipped organic cream

should mention the light meal with thinly sliced roasted chicken thighs and fresh fennel

Recipe for Diane’s Guilt Free Dessert:

To begin, add one container (500g) Fage yogurt to a mixing bowl and add 1/2C dark (grade B) maple syrup, 1/2C dark rum, and 2 heaping T of cocoa powder, unsweetened. Gently fold all together until well incorporated. Chill for 2-4 hours before serving as shown above. One container will serve 4. What could be simpler?
To all of you chocolate lovers out there, kindly let me know what you think about this recipe. Should we feel any guilt over this silky concoction?

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

bursting with pride

Tags

bluebird monitor, Bluebirds, nature, outdoors, predator guard, Virginia, young bluebirds

By now followers must realize my adoration of the US Native Bluebird. Four years ago, with the help of three bluebird experts, I joined the ranks of bluebird monitors. After a few rough starts and mortality rates, this year appears to be my most successful year. The following photos were shot this morning through my glass door, so some may appear blurry, yet the moment cannot be replaced. I hope that you enjoy!

for clarification this slightly blurry shot shows the predator guard acting as a perch for the 28 day old bluebird chicks. I rigged this private BB feeder in an unused BB box noel guard. It has worked splendidly–keeping other birds out.

28 day old chick safely explores the feeding ground below main feeder

adult male feeds chick and is instrumental in keeping fledglings healthy with food

OK, Smarty, as I named him, is the first chick to actually fly up into the private BB feeder

female adult perches amongst the chicks, as she has already completed her second nest in the other box used earlier (cleaned out by moi). I expect new eggs any day now.

Smarty enjoying the morning sun and awaiting more mealworms

notice Smarty’s blue tail feathers…at day 28 already we can see Smarty is a male. And how VERY adult he looks ~ very streamlined!

clever Smarty turned to the feeding bowl

I know, I am guilty of sharing too many photos, yet moi feels like a proud grandparent, with the hard parts left to the adult bluebirds

I surmise these three chicks are the ones that fledged first, before the last two from this clutch. If you recall, the last two chicks fledged two days after these, and I believe that somehow they do not associate themselves with the first three. I spotted a single chick with the adult male yesterday, a loner, who flew directly into my glass door window (despite the window ribbon) as I stood there, gasping. It was not killed, and flapped its way over the rooftop. The fifth chick alludes me to date. I shall hope to see all five together in order to soothe my concerns.
Observing wild birds can be difficult at times, as Mother Nature will take her course, despite the best efforts by moi. After all, I can only help so much, yet the hand wringing continues…
If you wish to see my other bluebird posts, merely type the word bluebird into the search bar on this site. I invite comments from readers more experienced than I. Yet, today I am one proud and grateful bluebird monitor. Kudos to the many naturalists who monitor bluebird trails and cope with hundreds of these beauties.
At home, garden, life, one box at a time is all I can manage.

Update as of 5/31. This face-guard is my adaptation to keep a nosy Thrasher out of the mealworm feeder. She happened by when adult BB was feeding the chicks. This quick contraption, made from another butter box, works perfectly.

PS I should mention another bird blessing this spring. A pair of robins decided to build their nest in the Little Gem magnolia, just outside my bedroom window. So close is the nest, that I merely need to glance through the pane to see their chicks eagerly gaping for food. A first for this birding woman, and a joy to behold.

PPS Just spotted Uno (the chick who crashed into the door glass yesterday) at the feeder. Female adult ignored it, yet in zoomed the adult male, who promptly stuffed Uno’s gullet with mealworms. Yay!

And off in the distance the din of a zillion cicadas….

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

a water feature added to the cottage landscape at moss mountain

Tags

Arkansas, bonnie plants, Cottage Home Challenge, HGTVGardens, Laguna Ponds, landscape design, Moss Mountain, P Allen Smith, pond installation, rain barrel, water features

How many of you watched P Allen Smith’s Garden Home Challenge on YouTube last summer? High goals were set in order to build a 1600SF cottage at Moss Mountain in 150 days for 150 thousand dollars. Yes, you read right. I was there, glued to every episode, taking notes, asking questions, as I too planned to build a small home with similar requisites. When the series came to an end, woeful me yearned to know the final details. Then came Allen’s invitation to join other garden bloggers at G2B13 May 6-9. My ultimate wish granted, I traveled to Little Rock, and soon was at the cottage threshold with Allen as host!

Allen welcomes G2B13 attendees to the Garden Home Cottage

Front door of the cottage

side pergola leading to lower garden

rain barrel at porch corner

rear deck from lower yard

Laguna constructing cottage water feature

overnight 1500 gallons of water flowed into the pond

Laguna makes installation appear simple

Byron Ford from Bonnie Plants is having fun during the pond installation while Janet Carson looks on

Allen applauds as water flows for the first time

Mallory Colliflower from HGTVGardens holds an aqua plant floatation ring

rear porch view of completed water feature. Allen will design a landscape around and below this site

another fully landscaped Laguna pond at Moss Mountain

is the link to Allen’s brilliant Cottage Home Challenge. Check it out and see if you too can create an affordable, cozy, green abode. And if you are lucky, a Laguna pond may find its way to your home.

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

p allen smith’s petit masterpiece

Tags

Arkansas, Arkansas Govenor's Mansion, Arkansas Govenor's Mansion gardens, city space, community, first lady of Arkansas, intimate spaces, landscape design, P Allen Smith, P Allen Smith genius, quiet elegance, silk purse, The Original City Garden Home

Ever heard the expression, make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear?
During P Allen Smith’s G2B13 event this month, attendees were invited to stroll Allen’s original garden home gardens—his city home—a former derelict structure.
Allen purchased this “fixer-upper” for one dollar then relocated to its current location.
There are photos on Allen’s Facebook page showing this sad structure when it was slated for demolition. Indeed, only a person with broad vision could see its potential.
The following images convey the simple, yet quiet elegance created within this city space. Please enjoy.

Enter the original city home gardens of P Allen Smith

Allen explains the history of this renovation

Allen simplifies the complex nature of this home’s phoenix

here begins the lush presentation

intimate spaces or garden rooms

oh the boxwood

raised bed area ~ complex planning within such a small space

quiet vista in this early spring garden

potting shed

it’s all in the details

Allen manages a small greenhouse on this property

garden path guides the visitor

finishing touches

a place to ponder

Not far away, another of Allen’s masterpieces awaited on a slightly larger scale—the Arkansas governor’s mansion gardens

State Seal of Arkansas

The first lady of Arkansas welcomes G2B13 garden bloggers and sings praises of Allen’s contribution to the mansion’s grounds

classic tuteur

stately pergola detail

detail of mansion’s rear addition

transition into the gardens

waves of roses and boxwood ~ a classic combination

Allen and the resident German Shepard greet again

impressive vegetable gardens at the mansion

Allen’s signature garden details

impressive composting going on behind the scenes at the Arkansas governor’s mansion

Throughout this city tour, I was continuously reminded how Allen is a problem solver and an artist. Often these two abilities escape the same individual.
Whether the challenge is a modest residential city lot or a grand swath of landscape, Allen’s ability to perceive the entire project’s scope, deal with endless details, while transporting human scale and unending beauty, is inspiring if not downright genius.

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

moss mountain ~ a place for the soul

Tags

Arkansas, community, creativity, Garden2Blog2013, Heritage Poultry Conservancy, Moss Mountain, P Allen Smith, sustainable living

This post is dedicated to P Allen Smith for sharing his caring heart, exceptional vision, horticultural brilliance, and unparalleled hospitality.
Thank you Allen for a visit of a lifetime.

Please view this post on your desktop…

the farmhouse at Moss Mountain

P Allen Smith sharing his wisdom

take a stroll and see for yourself

wisteria allee

view from Allen’s studio

koi pond

tuteurs lining a pathway

layers of texture

path to Arkansas River

endless rose hedges

color in profusion

below the mighty Arkansas

octagon building

garden ornament creating a sense of whimsy

gateway to the formal rose garden

kitchen dependency

exterior view of rear porches

300 year old oak at Moss Mountain

front porch detail

entrance hall

kitchen detail

mud room detail

view from second floor porch

main floor porch detail

bathing luxury on second floor porch

second floor landing

MBR detail

guest bedroom

guest room detail

intimate, charming spaces

Allen loves his poultry

one handsome rooster at Moss Mountain

sunbathing beauty

what flexibility!

Allen educates and inspires

can you feel the love?

Oreo feeling the love at Moss Mountain

someone’s lovin’ life!

detail of Allen’s one-acre veggie garden

Allen strolls his garden

details, details

white dorper sheep from Africa

Trudy ~ a rescue from a lab in Canada

Moose the mooch

a few of the handsome Heritage breeds

French geese in Allen’s care

Allen conveys the importance of preserving endangered heritage poultry breeds

dinner bell

one blogger’s repose

following many fine meals and lively conversation, we bid Moss Mountain adieu

day’s end at Moss Mountain

In addition to the activities listed above, Garden2Blog13 was chocked full of fun including a tour of the Governor’s Mansion gardens designed by Allen, a tour of Allen’s city home gardens, and Laguna’s construction of a water feature at Moss Mountain’s Cottage Home. Additionally, Troy-Bilt, Bonnie Plants, Jobe’s Organics, The Seed Keeper Company, Star Roses and Plants, Berry Family of Nurseries and LeCreuset added valuable lessons and fine dining for all the G2B13 attendees.

Allen’s highly professional support staff guided us throughout our stay, filling us with radiance and awe that will continue to inspire us and our gardens to come.
My final thought is you have not lived until you visit Moss Mountain.

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

just had to share…

Tags

bluebird nestlings, nature, nesting bluebirds, overcast skies, P Allen Smith, platform feeder, precious ones, virginia countryside

These are two quick photos of the bluebird nestlings here at Swallowtail Cottage—they are only a few days old. Still cold here with overcast skies, yet mealworms are keeping both adults and chicks healthy. Yay!
Just had to share…

Bluebird nestlings all snug in their box–five in all

Just bits of fuzz on their bodies. Adult female must keep them warm until nestlings are older and have feathers

Off to Arkansas in the morning while my neighbor becomes guardian of these precious ones until I return on Thursday. Some critter was in the garden overnight and attempted to turn over the platform feeder just across the lawn from this box. I suspect a cat, possum or skunk…I may lose sleep over this one.
Simply click on the images to view larger for a closer peep…

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

Swallowtail Cottage update

Tags

high tech farming, hot house, mealworms, Mennonite nursery garden, morning in the country, nature, nesting bluebirds, open house nursery, plants

Last night the moon was splendidly full yet overnight temperatures dipped to 34F again. For the end of April in central Virginia, this is cold.

Dogwood in full bloom

The nesting female bluebird survived freezing temperatures last week and was quick to find their private feeder full of mealworms this morning—ordered in specially for her, her mate, and the soon to be nestlings.
Freezing temperatures often limit the number of edible insects bluebirds require, therefore human intervention can aid the overall success of the pair and brood.

The order of 5,000 mealworms arrived this morning. After three days in the post, they are hungry and thirsty. Notice how they converge on the kiwi fruit for moisture. Organic lettuce leaves and the bed of organic oat bran provide food as well.

Knowing that both bluebirds were in good feed, I joined a neighbor and her darling daughter on a visit to a nearby Mennonite garden nursery. The sun shone brilliantly burning off any chill from the night—good day for an open house.
These fields are serious business for a man, his eight children, and many grandchildren.

High tech farming practices in place along the sleepy foothills of the Blue Ridge

Tomato plants already in the ground.

Inside the fragrant hot-house, the annual plants display row after row.

A pre-schooler learning the wonders of plants. A white petunia she had to have.

Little Abby back home from the nursery already in a farming mood!

While snacking on a freshly made donut, still warm from the kitchens, I managed to part with a few dollars for annuals that will go into the butterfly garden.
Abby inhaled two donuts, never blinking twice. Ah to be five again!
Another great day in the country, yet time to return to my kitchen as Saturday market will be here soon enough.
May you all have a splendid weekend.

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved

asparagus and strawberries ~ the true harbingers of spring

Tags

asparagus, asparagus spears, buffet party, dinner, food, grape hyacinths, healthy recipes, healty food, organic strawberries, party food, sheet pan, spireas, strawberries, vegetarian, virgin olive oil, whipped cream

Without asparagus and strawberries, there would be no spring in my book.

Sure, cheeses are good, yet spring headliners are asparagus and strawberries!

The month of April brings a flush of color to many gardens around the world. Despite Mother Nature’s mood this month, my garden is filled with blooms of the mighty daffodils, grape hyacinths, bluebells, primroses, tulips, dogwood, spireas, hellebore, laurels, spurge, willow, bleeding heart, blueberries, barberries, and rhododendrons. Yet while this show explodes in the home garden, my kitchen is another story—it is abundant with asparagus and strawberries!

Last week I created food for a buffet party of thirty-five. As the beef tenderloins dry-cured in the fridge, the hunt was on for perfect asparagus and strawberries. The food gods were with me, as I brought home eleven pounds of pencil-thin asparagus and a case of organic strawberries. The berries were the size of a Fiat so I planned to serve them with obscene amounts of organic whipped cream.

The asparagus were just the size I prefer and rather than do the blanching/ice bath technique, I decided to roast them instead. My recipe follows:

First determine the break point with one spear, then using the stack and cut method, process all stems.

Step two: Rinse all spears, catching the water in a basin for the garden.

Next, place spears on a large kitchen towel and blot with another removing as much water as possible.

In batches, toss dried spears with virgin olive oil.

Place oiled spears on a sheet pan, one layer thick. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

Roast asparagus spears for three minutes at 500F. Then open oven carefully, shake pan to roll spears, then roast another two minutes.

Cooling delectable edibles. For pleasant visual appeal, alternate layers. When completely cooled, cover with cling film and refrigerate. One hour before consuming, bring to room temperature. Squeeze half a fresh lemon over is nice per platter.

The orgasmic fruit ~ the strawberry. Always choose organic.

Leave strawberries unwashed in refrigerator until three hours before eating. Then carefully remove the stem, leave small berries whole, while slicing larger berries into thirds or quarters. Rinse as asparagus, placing on towel and blotting. Store washed berries in refrigerator, covered with a damp paper towel, until one hour before serving. Then sprinkle 1/2 cup of granulated sugar over all (this amount for eight pounds of berries). Gently toss with hands and leave at room temperature. Serve with a generous dollop of freshly whipped cream that is sweetened with a 1/2 cup of sugar (this amount added to four cups of heavy cream).

Giant bowl of these sensuous berries and cream compliment tender madelines and rich, lush brownies cut in one-inch pieces. The guests went wild…

Surely the beef and chicken, local country ham with cream biscuits, cheese boards, artichoke dips, sweet & spicy pecans, and generous full bar filled everyone to a happy place, yet the asparagus and strawberries left them wanting more.

Ah, what a beautiful life.

This is a great time of year to support your local farmer’s markets, grow your own, and generally celebrate another fine season of food. Bon Appetit!

Copyright © 2013 by Diane LaSauce All Rights Reserved