Apples … Red Delicious and more

Rouse the Spouse has been adding fruit trees to the mix of delicious produce available in the back yard. Looks like a good year for apples! The bumper crop, not the mention the high hanging fruit, inspired Rouse to purchase a new toy … an apple picker!

We've already enjoyed a couple of Gala apples … VERY tasty ... and several good tasting apples of unknown variety. We've picked a few Golden Delicious apples, my grandma's preferred variety for pies.

The Red Delicious apple tree is loaded! and Rouse has used his game camera to capture nocturnal images of deer visiting regularly to feast on the fruit that has fallen to the ground.

Potatoes

I've dug about half the potatoes, mostly digging and eating as we go. Here's a picture of the big dig I did recently. We still have 3/4 of a garden bed that has been untouched.

Purple Vikings, Fingerlings, Yukon Golds

Volunteer Gourds from last year's Autumn Decor

Processing Herbs

The Stevia was showing signs of bolting. I cut back the entire plant and made Stevia extract. After steeping the leaves for two days, straining out the leaves, and cooking down the infused alcohol, I ended up with 5 cups of home-grown Stevia sweetener! See my post dated July 2, 2014 for all the details on how to do it.

Leaves cut from stems, washed in cool water, drained and dried thoroughly

Quart jars packed with leaves  and covered with cheap vodka
Ready to steep for two days in a cool, dark place

I cut back four of my eight Basil plants to make Basil pesto for the freezer. Along with other batches already stowed away, this should get us through the winter. I gave away the rest of the plants while they're still in their prime. For the freezer I prepare a simple basic recipe … basil, garlic, salt & pepper, olive oil … freeze it in blobs, then store in zip lock freezer bags.

Trim off leaves, then wash, drain, and dry thoroughly.
All ingredients go into the food processor to make a savory paste.

The Parsley is still going strong, and it is SO easy to freeze! As with the other herbs, trim off the leaves, wash in cool water, drain and dry thoroughly. Pack the plain ol' leaves into a zip lock freezer bag. Keep pushing and rolling the leaves to the bottom of the bag until you have a big fat cigar shape. Roll up the bag. Secure with a rubber band. Break off what you need in future cooking endeavors. You'll be amazed at how fresh it smells and tastes!

Working with herbs is an olfactory treat!

Crispy Fried Okra inspired by Kurkuri Bhindi Fry, a common Indian street food

For crispy fried okra start with plenty of fresh pods. Remove stems. Julienne the pods, cutting them lengthwise into fourths. Toss the okra with chickpea flour (or your favorite gluten-free flour mix) that has been spiced with lots of black pepper and salt. Okra should be lightly coated. Let it rest ~30 minutes.

(BTW … Members of our family must have gluten-free, but I actually prefer it in this situation. Wheat flour results in a heavier breading that overwhelms the okra.)

Fry it in a shallow amount of oil over medium heat ... just enough oil to keep everything sizzling along. Stir and turn as needed. Cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oil. Drain on paper towels. Salt liberally!

One day I will invest in REAL Indian spices and give this recipe a try:
http://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/crispy-okra-fry-recipe-crisp-bhindi-fry/

You may be wondering, "What is on that back burner?" A pan full of peppers stuffed with spiced ground beef and cheese … ready for the oven. I learned to make them from my step-father, Don West. Click HERE to see the recipe in a post dated September 22, 2013.

This looks like a day for … SALSA!

Look at this pile of produce! I thought I would can a bunch of tomatoes, but you're not supposed to can fruit that has cracks and blemishes. I have very few "perfect" tomatoes. So, I looked at what was available … tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, roasted chile colorado … and decided to cook up a batch of Fiesta Salsa.

All ingredients chopped and ready for the pot

Red AND Yellow tomatoes were used

Fiesta Salsa and Spicy Tomato Juice
The yellow tomatoes contribute to a more orange color

I cooked down all the cherry tomatoes and the tomatoes that were left after preparing the salsa, strained out the skins and seeds, added salt and hot pepper seasoning, simmered for 5 minutes, and canned the resulting delicious tomato juice.

Refer back to my post dated July 30, 2010 for the Fiesta Salsa recipe.

(PS … I didn't have any fresh marjoram this year. I skipped it.)

Abundant Harvest

The garden has produced very well this year. Yields are better than ever! This time last year we were having trees cut down in order to increase sunshine on the garden. I think it's paid off. Plus, I haven't had to water much this summer. Mother Nature has blessed us with rain at just the right moment. Look at the veggies that are coming in!

Moon Flower Blooming

The vines have outgrown the 8" cedar post Rouse the Spouse put up for support. The flowers have a subtle, pleasant aroma. The blooms add an other-worldly beauty to the garden at night.

August 8-16 … Sue is NOT in the garden!

I've been backpacking! 28 miles on the Maroon Bells Four Pass Loop in the Maroon Bells / Snowmass Wilderness areas near Aspen, CO. Spectacular views and wildflowers. The good news … we had rain in the garden while we were away. The garden lives!

Dried Cherry Tomatoes & Cucumbers

We have a backpacking trip coming up. Here's salad!

Cantaloupe Agua Fresca

The savor melons are coming in all at once over a couple of weeks. How much cantaloupe can a person eat? Today, I found a way to drink it, and it is delicious!

Agua fresco means "fresh water" in Spanish, and that's what this drink is …. a refreshing water-based beverage made up of fresh fruit, citrus juice, and water. Serve well chilled. And remember, life is too short NOT to drink from stemware!

http://www.chow.com/recipes/29745-cantaloupe-agua-fresca

Processing Tomatoes & Beans

• 3 1/2 quarts of canned tomatoes in their own juice
• 3 pints spicy tomato juice
• 3 pints dilly beans