I know you've all been waiting on pins and needles for a garden update. Right?
Bueller? Bueller?
[I do the Bueller thing in my classes from time to time. You know, when I ask a question and NOONE ventures an answer. Then I say, "Bueller. Bueller." Mostly, my students are far too young to get it. Sad.]
The garden is rockin'. My only regret is that I have but 20 square feet. I'm hoping to increase my acreage (really my foot-age) for a fall planting.
As you can see the basil is reaching gargantuan proportions.. There are two squares of okra, two squares of bell peppers, a struggling eggplant, german thyme, chives, summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, green beans (that are planning to take over the world), and three tomato plants. Current garden excitement includes FOUR grape tomatoes, a teeny, tiny cucumber, and finally...a female bloom on the summer squash. By next week I'll be selling tickets.
The green beans, cucumber, zucchini, and summer squash all have to be trellised. In other words, since there is no room to grow OUT...they will be growing UP. My handy husband set up the trellis this weekend. The frame is made of electrical conduit and the net is actually a nylon netting sold by Burpee. I got mine in the gardening section of Home Depot. The beans, as you can see, are already making their way up. Those tendrils are aggressive.
This morning, after watering the garden, I was feeling rather granola...and set out to plan a light, healthy, vegetable-heavy weekly menu. Here's what I came up with:
Monday: I know. Monday has come and gone. We had leftovers because I was too busy playing Speed Scrabble to make dinner. The leftovers, however, were from Sunday: Pioneer Woman's spaghetti and meatballs and PW's Greek salad. Love both.
Tuesday: Real Simple's Chicken Enchiladas with Green Salsa
Made this tonight and it was a huge, huge hit. It's fairly quick and easy because you use rotisserie chicken. The green salsa is the best so don't skip that step. I forgot to pick up a jalapeno and it was still a great, fresh-tasting salsa. Let me just say one more thing: MAKE THE SALSA.
Wednesday: Real Simple's Cool Southwestern Salad with Corn and Avocado
Trying this tomorrow!
Thursday: Real Simple's (Yes, I have the Real Simple cookbook) Skirt Steak with Lemon and Chili-Roasted Potatoes
Are you surprised I'm planning a mostly-non-Pioneer-Woman menu?
Me too.
Happy Cooking.
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