Zucchini Onion Mozzarella Bake & RBG Passes

Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...  

update...  RBG wouldn’t have wanted me to quit so here goes...  

This is one of the hardest posts to write...  

Just as supper was brought to the table we found out that RBG had passed.  Isn’t it the truth that everything in life can change in an instant?  And so it has...  an indomitable soul has shaken off her mortal coil...  it is said that when someone passes on Rosh Hashanah they have been a special blessing to those who knew them...  we certainly can say that about our beloved RBG...  she was a champion for human rights...  women’s rights...  she will be sorely missed...  rest in power RBG 💔

Our neighbor gifted us a humongous zucchini a few days back and although we used much of it...  half remained...  tonite’s supper brought to you by ginormous zucchini...  a bake...  shredded the beast, added one shredded red onion, salt, pepper, dill, eggs and shredded mozzarella...  topped with panko and Parmesan...  baked the 9X13 almost overflowing pan at 350°F for about 75 minutes till done...  probably enough left for another two dinners at least.

It’s windy tonite...  temperatures descending into the 60° range...  tomorrow’s high near that same mark.  Autumn has arrived and brought her blustery days...  seems fitting for tonite...  

How was your day?   What on your plate?   Thoughts?

Greek Chicken Stew with Cauliflower, Kalamata Olives and Eggplant & Baby Brussels Sprouts

 Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...

Today was a warm 80°F and humid...  a reminder that summer is still with us here in the Big Muggy Apple...  tomorrow the temps dive into the high 60’s with rain possible and by Sunday will hover near 63°F as the cool air arrives from Canada.

Found teeny little Brussels sprouts growing on the stalks of my plants in the garden...  they’re so small but have time to get bigger as fall weather encourages their growth.  Incredible how they grow right out of the side of the stalk underneath the rosette of leaves at the top providing shade and protection as they get larger.  

Had an invader in the greenhouse this past week and couldn’t catch the little thief...  a cricket found his way in... probably when I left the door open during watering and pruning...  and was munching away on the tomato leaves...  turnip greens and generally making himself a nuisance.  Today I saw him against the wall of the greenhouse resting on a tomato leaf...  the hubs caught him and we released him into the wild to find his own food and stop scrounging off our labor!  😂  He flew off into the neighbors yard...  so glad to see him GONE...  what a muncher! 

Tonite’s supper Greek Chicken Stew with Cauliflower and Kalamata Olives by Martha Shulman...  so delicious...  the taste of the cinnamon against the acid of the vinegar is mind blowing...  used the leftover grilled chicken kebab meat...  added eggplant, since we had them...  why not...  and used fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes...  such a simple recipe...  but the taste complex and warming.  Served with whole wheat pita...  the hubs must have loved it...  he ate four bowls!  Needless to say...  will make it again.

How was your day?    What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Vanilla Skies, Spicy Chicken Kebabs and Veggie Kebabs

 Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...

Today we had Vanilla skies...  high level haze from the smoky fires in the west infiltrating the jet stream...  all the way to Europe...  temps in the low and mid 70’s...  the sun a blurry orb trying its best to shine through.

Left the light on in the greenhouse most of the day to generate heat and light for the plants...  they’re certainly getting the chill at night as the temps dip into the 50’s.  High 70’s tomorrow then the temps fall into the 60’s...  fall fell...  summer didn’t even have a chance to cool us down a bit...  just gone.

Supper tonite was kebabs...  spicy chicken kebabs...  veggie kebabs...  grilled by the hubs...  served alongside leftover slaw, farro, tomato jam & applesauce...  a glass of Sauvignon Blanc along for the ride.   Made enough to have leftover chicken for some kind of repurposed dinner tomorrow.  Going to have to think about that one... maybe a hash.

Funny story...  ran into a friend at the market yesterday...  she laughingly said... “Hey there Julia Child”...  I thanked her for the compliment...  what a nice thing to say...  she accused me of having waaaay too much fun with food...  loved it 😅😂🤣

With five named storms in the Atlantic hurricane season is churning along...  so far the Northeast is not in the crosshairs...  finger crossed 🤞 

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Hot Cocoa and Apple Crisp

 It’s getting colder out there tonite...  57°F...  

Hot cocoa and warm apple crisp to ease the chill 💞😷

Pernil, Red Cabbage and Carrot Slaw and Soft Poppy Seed Kaiser Rolls

 Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...

Today the temperatures plummeted into the mid 60’s...  the smoke from the fires out west slowly drifting across the country and leaving a haze over NY skies.  Luckily the greenhouse door and vent are closed so the temps inside climbed into the mid 70’s...  tonite will be a cold one...  thermometer and incandescent light bulb keeping the temps above 62°F...  just enough to keep the tomatoes and cukes comfie.  

The next couple of days will be warmer...  but by the end of the week the nights will dip into the 50’s.  It’s time to give the greenhouse a blankie...  the hubs is already concocting a plan...  I can’t wait to see what his imagination dreams up...  I’m sure it’ll be incredible.

The new cabinet arrived today...  it’s 12” wide...  12” deep and 72” tall.  I’m calling it the pandemic cabinet...  it’s going to relieve the dining room from its current state of storage bin for all the additional supplies we have purchased for cleaning...  masking up...  gloves... hand sanitizer...  peroxide and of course... bleach.  Of course you KNOW I’m also going to store non perishables inside as well.  I’m thinking of making it into a baking cabinet for all the flours, sugars, chocolates and accompaniments needed for my “projects” as the hubs likes to call them.  It arrived flat packed...  thank goodness the hubs is handy...  the instructions we so muddled... some of the drawings were inside down...  but he managed to put it together in record time...  so pleased.  

Tonite was leftover pernil with red cabbage slaw, tomato jam and soft poppy seed Kaiser rolls followed by summer fruit salad with lime juice squeezed over the top and chocolate chocolate chip cream cheese cookies (just one each 😩).  After installing the cabinet...  we were HUNGRY for sure! 

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Slow Cooker Pernil & Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies

 Quarantine supper tonite...  Live from NYC...  

Today was a taste of autumn...  blustery...  temps in the low 70’s...  bright skies...  few clouds...  opened the roof vent in the greenhouse for just a few hours in the afternoon sun but by 4pm it was getting too chilly and the vent was closed.  It stays nice and warm in there...  the fan running to keep a breeze moving and ward off mold or fungi.  

The cucumbers have begun hanging from the inner roof twining their tendrils around the center beam...  incredibly strong to support the weight of the fruit...  turnip greens getting thick once again (almost time for a haircut)  tomatoes still producing...  radishes, beets, collards, carrots and arugula all coming along nicely.  So much to learn...  an interesting experiment... gives me great respect for farmers.

Around noon it was time to set up the slow cooker for pernil.  Bought  a small pork shoulder...  seasoned it (NYTimes Cooking - Mark Bittman) and placed it in the slow cooker for 5 hours on high...  while it simmered away in its own fat and juices it was time to care for the plants...  bake the cookies...  video chat with a client...  clean two bathrooms (yuck!)...  cook the farro and roast tomatoes into jam...   a productive day to be sure.  

Can’t help but think about the fires in the west...  the Cameron Peak Fire has not spread further since the snow and rain fall...  cooler temperatures are helping Colorado hotshots manage the blaze...  so far...  fingers crossed 🤞 

Meanwhile on the west coast devestation in California... Oregon and Washington...  hoping the rain expected will help get the fires under control and save lives 💞😷

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

Leftover Frosting Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies

 Update:  found a recipe, Leftover Frosting Cookie Recipe...  to 1 1/2 cups chocolate cream cheese frosting add...  4 oz more cream cheese to equal 2 cups, 1 jumbo egg, 2 c flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 10 oz 60% cacao baking chips and 1/2 c shredded coconut...   make small 1” balls and flatten with fork in crosshatch pattern...  bake at 350°F for 10 minutes...  

DELICIOUS...  came out slightly cakey... very chocolatey...  moist and tender... like tiny cakes... so thrilled with this weird project’s outcome 💞😷

Frosting leftover over from Mom’s 90th birthday cupcakes...

I used about 1/3 of the frosting for the cupcakes.  

I have a chocolate cream cheese cookie recipe I would like to use but need help figuring out exactly what to add to make the cookies work?  I’m not tied to the recipe I have... never made it before...  so any chocolate cream cheese cookie recipe is appreciated...💞😷