Peas Please and Mixed Herb Pesto

Some of the black eye peas\snaps fresh from the Farmers Market

Hmm . . . what to make with all the garden and fresh farmer market goodies? Checking recipes I found two I thought you might enjoy. Fresh black eye peas from the Farmers Market will work nicely in this tasty dish.

There were many recipes online about cooking and flavoring them. Since this recipe called for cooked fresh and I was going to add lots of goodies with this recipe, I put them in a saucepan, covered them in water, brought them to a boil then reduced them to a low heat. I covered them and let them simmer till peas were soft when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes than drained them.
  
OZARK CAVIER

• 4 cups cooked fresh, frozen, dried or canned black-eyed peas (Fresh the best)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions 
• 1/2 cup diced purple onion 
• 1 large, dead ripe, home grown tomato
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced 
• 3/4 cup olive oil or hemp seed oil
• 1/4 cup Braggs® Organic Red Cider Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon fresh sweet basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine ingredients and marinate for at least six hours in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally. Drain the peas and serve chilled. Recipe Developed by The Ozark Unit of the Herb Society of America.
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Notes and recipe from Master Gardener, Dorothy Ann Earley - Here is a recipe for mixed herb pesto. I particularly like this rendition of the time honored condiment because I can harvest a variety of herbs from my garden and it gives me an excuse to cut back my mint.

MIXED HERB PESTO

• 1 cup basil
• ½ cup oregano
• ½ cup mint
• ½ cup pine nuts
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon salt

Place basil, oregano, mint, pine nuts, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and run it on high until all ingredients are finely pureed. Remove from blender or food processor and add parmesan cheese and salt. Mix well. Serve with pasta.

I believe the real secret to great pesto, is not just fresh sweet basil, but a really fine parmesan cheese. Grate it yourself just before you need it. And it doesn’t hurt if you use the best olive oil you can find either.

PS to Grilled Lamb Sausages on Rosemary Skewers

Did I forget to mention that Buckeye Farms carries lamb sausage and other meats at the local Farmers Markets' in Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen?

Grilling with Rosemary Skewers

Yummmmmmm.

Dinner - grilled lamb sausages on rosemary skewers w/fresh chopped mint in greek yogurt, stir fry veggies w/cashews.

Made in the Shade



Gull gathering in the shade




Close up of Camille Playhouse Bird Club.


As Ryan Henry said on Facebook "The gull days of summer are here."
I was surprised to see all the seagulls sitting under the canopy of a tree this afternoon. It seems more normal to see them flying or walking at the beach in full sun rather than under a tree getting some relief from the heat. Guess being by the water helps cool them off. 

Midday heat has its effects.

Course some kids ran up and all the gulls took off. I imagine it didn't take the birds long to return to their previous spot. I expect the tree they had picked not only took advantage of the shade but was situated to take the best advantage of the cross breezes we are so fortunate to have here in Brownsville, Texas. That's called using your ole bird brain.

How cool is it for the birds in Your backyard? Learn more at:
Keeping Birds Cool

From T to V - and I don't mean TV

I wanted to share with  you information on some herbs you may not be familiar with. Rather than watching TV, I did a bit of research utilizing my wonderful herb books I've accumulated over the years. Most of my books I've bought from Lucia and Michael Bettler of Lucia's Garden out of Houston, Texas. I highly recommend checking them out on line or in person if you are ever in Houston.


Tansy blooms dried are
popularly used in arrangments and wreaths.

 T for TANSY
Tansy Tanacetum vulgare – known as Ponso in Spanish. Hill and Barclay, authors of Southern Herb Growing explain it grows 3-4 feet, “is best grown in full sun, ordinary soil and likes to keep its feet dry.” It “spreads by means of rhizomes like the mints although it’s not as invasive.” The camphor fragrant evergreen fern like foliage has bright yellow flowers all summer. The button like flowers can be used as a dye and are used dried in arrangements.
Author Lesley Bremmess of the The Complete Book of Herbs recommends growing it near fruit trees to repel insects. It has been said it was used in medieval times as one of the strewing herbs, strewn on the floor and walked on to repel flies and ants.

Interesting to Note
• Tansy is a larval plant for the Painted Lady Butterfly.
• In The Language of Flowers, TANSY symbolizes everlasting life.
 

 



Vetiver shown in pots in the greenhouse. Vetiver does well in our
southern landscape. Cut back in the spring.

 V for VETIVER
Vetiver makes a great clumping grass and is grown for its root. It is said to repel ants and termites and good to plant around buildings.

The fragrant root is used in:

• perfume
• sachets and
• potpourris.

Hill and Barclay of Southern Herb Growing note “in tropical India, Vetiver roots are woven into mats, and other useful objects. The exotic aroma is similar to that of sandalwood.”

 I have instructions on making a rosemary angel that utilizes the Vetiver leaves for the arms, head and body. I bet these would be fun to make and smell delightful.

My mother has it growing in full sun at South Padre Island. It looks similar to pampas grass and does well here in South Texas. I'll have to get a picture of hers and share it with you.

Texas Ebony

  

A flowering Texas Ebony against a clear blue sky.

With the recent rains you may have noticed a profusion of blooming trees - our native tree, the Texas Ebony, its evergreen leaves unrecognizable when in full bloom.

Brad Doherty took some wonderful photos that were published in The Brownsville Herald June 29, 2011 with an article entitled Texas ebony trees in full bloom. Unfortunately the link doesn't show all the photos. One in particular I wish you could see included a blooming ebony branch in a tall oriental vase. Now that's what I call a unique arrangement that really makes a statement.

I can't wait to try this after our next rain, which I hope comes again soon.

Ala Casa Calabasa

 Something my hubby says to me when he's ready for me to get going.

(it rhymes but literally translated means "to the house, squash!")

Just picked garden fresh zucchini & okra.

We have lots of fresh zucchini in the garden and were blessed with a gift of goat cheese recently so was excited to run across this “Lemony Zucchini Goat Cheese Pizza” recipe from the blog Smitten Kitten and thought you’d also enjoy trying it. Experiment with different herbs besides basil. Remember don’t overdo the herbs to begin with. You can always add too but harder to take away.

One comment suggestion: substitute the pizza dough with pitta bread.