Any Ideas Out There?

I got these baby artichokes at Farmer's Market yesterday. How could I pass them up? Other than frying them in a batter...I can't think of what to do with them.... Can You?

The Tomato Show

I wasn't going to leave the house today, but my brother Mark called and said I better get in the car and go over to the tomato festival...

I was glad I did....they had seminars on tomtoes

Tomato Tastings

You got to vote for your favorite tomato

Baskets and baskets of tomatoes for sale....the last thing I need.....

Apple trees for sale...I have a BIG THING for apple trees..I am out of room here on the farm

they were so small though

now that sounded pretty good...

this little lady was so cute...in her tomato and avocado apron...she was demonstrating how to make tomato rosettes...and she was good....

there was a booth that showed you all the foods that bees are responsible for

i just loved this basket of goodies...especially that jar of canned peaches there in the back...

i have never heard of" bread and salt" tomatoes.... i am going to have to try and grow these...if it ever gets hot....not complaining

they had a beautiful zinnia garden...sure put mine to shame
...those are zinnia's, aren't they?

a california poppy..our native flower...growing between two booths out of dirt as hard as brick

this was growing out of the parking lot....see those brown California mountains

i am regretting that i didn't get a bat house...

some man made both the bat houses and the bluebird houses...i don't know why that makes me kinda sad...i can just see him in his garage..all alone...making bat and bird houses...but you know he likes it...

tomato parking..there's one I've never seen before....

i'm glad i went....it was old fashion and farmy....

off to make a Chicken Pie for supper tonight.....

I Just Couldn't Wait

I have this old camp sign that came from Maine. On the back are signatures and dates from 1947 to about 1957. Must be the names of the people that stayed at the camp. I just hung it up by the back door. I just can't wait any longer. You can't see it, but right next to the sign is a huge old pine tree...

Bounty

See all those tomatoes. I'll be honest with you. I didn't grow 'em. The kids next door did. We have Cal Poly University here in San Luis Obispo and the house next door has "the boys" living there as we call them. They are great kids...very quiet...but they are all gone for the summer...and before they left they said "Help yourself to the tomatoes!". So this morning I took a walk over there..wow....what a bonanza...I filled this whole bowl with Early Girls.

Just before I walked over there I was looking over my Julia searching for something to do with chicken breasts...and after I hit the jackpot I knew it had to be something with tomatoes.

I found this recipe for Supremes de volaille sautees, andalouse. Whole supremes sauteed, white wine sauce with tomato fondue and tarragon. So this is supper tonight here at Farmhouse. With some pasta and a cucumber and avocado salad.... we have plenty if you'd like to come by.

Supremes de volaille sautees, andalouse

Chicken breasts, boned and skinned and pounded slightly

Salt

1/2 cup flour

Olive oil

Butter

Cognac

1 Tablespoon shallots, minced

2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon tarragon

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

Parsley

Salt the chicken and dredge in flour

Add some oilve oil and butter to a skillet and heat

Brown the chicken and cook till just about done

Remove the chicken and add the cognac shaking the pan for several seconds

Pour contents of pan into a side dish

Add butter to the pan and saute the shallots for a minute

Add tomatoes and tarragon and cook 2 to 3 minutes

Pour in wine, stock and the cream

Boil hard for several minutes until liquids have reduced and sauce has thickened lightly.

Taste and correct for seasoning

Return chicken to the pan and baste with the sauce

Arrange chicken on a plate with sauce and sprinkle with parsley

Serve

Celebrations

There he is...Teddy's first summer...and have we been busy around here

We have had a first day of school

A Birthday to celebrate

Family suppers together

Dance recitals...this one was Cowgirl themed...and they danced to My Blue Heaven....so cute it makes me cry.....

We have done some biscuit baking

Old fashion baking powder biscuits..tiny sized

And even got in some blueberry pickin'. Getting into late August and we're still here..it's just been so busy. Hope this finds all of you well and getting ready for Fall.

First Apple Pie Of The Season

My heart skipped a beat when I read it this morning. GOPHER GLEN IS OPEN FOR THE SEASON. The apple farm up See Canyon. Yep...you heard right guys. OPEN

I took a ride up this morning and as I drove I remembered last year, riding for the first time up the canyon with Buddy...heartbreak...again....but I had my little Teddy with me...and I looked at him tucked up on my lap and just smiled. The air felt cool as the canyon is very shady and it was still early in the morning. I felt the sun on my face as I drove looking at all of the branches hanging heavy with apples...i could smell that wine-ey , apple-ey scent in the air and could here the crows cawing in the trees...and I felt it. Late summer...that feeling of a change in seasons.

Rolling out dough for a pie my mind wandered to when I would return...

this weekend...for sure

as I fluted the crust of the pie I wondered what I would make next....
hhmmmm...my cinnamon apple cake? caramel apples? apple bread?

the crispy crunch of cutting that first apple

cutting the lattice for the top...i was smiling....

i wondered why i love baking pies so much...i always have...even when i was 8 years old...standing on the stool to reach the drainboard

weaving crust

making apple pie...

just me and teddy...and dreaming of Fall.

change

change
Originally uploaded by ethanollie

via ethanollie

summers light is starting to change

as ethanollie says: it's premature i know, but we can sense that summer is starting to give up her fight...just a little bit