Pizza Night And There's A Bat In My Kitchen !

pizza is my FAVORITE FOOD...and i have been making it for 30 years here in my kitchen..it all started as a tradition for Monday Night Football... plus we always have it EVERY Halloween Night... this one is olive and canadian bacon...

i have made it so many times i think i could make it in my sleep...

sometimes i wonder is this my one millionth bowl of dough and i don't even know it....

on a warm day i walk into my kitchen and can smell that yeasty dough rising...

i know those pans look scary...i have gotten some strange looks when i whip them out...they are REALLY old..but they make the crispy kind of crust that we like...i either sprinkle them with cornmeal or line them with parchment...i go back and forth as to which method i like best...

i use a mixture of cheese...mozzarella, gruyere, provolone...this and that...whatever is around...

there is my breakfast for this morning..nothing could be better...

i couldn't help myself..i had to hang this little guy up the other night... whiskey and dande love it !

Lemon Curd Recipe, Flowers and Best Friends

source: the english kitchen
some of you have asked for the lemon curd recipe so i will add it below.

Lemon Curd

adapted from martha stewart

makes 1 1/2 cups

4 large egg yolks

2 large whole eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in pieces

grated zest of 2 lemons

1. whisk together the egg yolks and the whole eggs in a medium bowl. combine with the sugar and the lemon juice in a small heavy-bottom saucepan. cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. remove the pan from the heat, and stir to cool slightly. if the mixture is at all lumpy strain it through a fine sieve into a medium bowl, and add the butter, a piece at a time, stirring until smooth. stir in the zest. cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. let cool completely before using. curd may be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

i fill prebaked tart shells with the curd and top with fresh blueberries. can be sprinkled with powdered sugar if desired.

the bouquet on my wood burning stove this august day. click for a closer look...

and 2 BEST FRIENDS getting some morning sun together...teddy and whiskey...my sweet loves... dande was watching the whole thing from the drainboard ! click for a closer look here too...whiskey was having a bad hair day and teddy just got in from playing in the sprinkler....
teddy sure is having FUN in that sprinkler this summer...

Lemon Blueberry Tarts

the lemons and blueberries at The Avila Barn looked so good i had to get some

i got out my tart pans and got busy in the kitchen

made fresh lemon curd

and filled the shells with a taste of midsummer

these are my blueberry and lemon tarts that were featured in COUNTRY LIVING GARDENER magazine a few years back ... good bye july....it's been FUN !

July Is Fading, My Friends

teddy and i took a walk out in our garden last night...the light is changing now...

we got a really good close-up of this little guy on my berries and cream rose....
if you have a minute click on for an amazing view of him.

most of the roses have faded by now...

i don't know what this is ... it looks like blueberries but this is not a blueberry bush...it is my spring showers plant... it makes pink sprays of flowers in the spring .. one of my first flowers to bloom...

fading away...

my night owl rose is just about done blooming too...

some of my elderberries are starting to fade ....

and some are still blooming ... i just LOVE these. this plant was in a one gallon can when i bought it and it now hits the rooftop...

slipping away....

my sunflowers are about gone ...

i am going to miss their smiling faces greeting me each morning as i sip my tea...

a few peaches off my santa barbara peach tree that was planted in memory of my sweet, sweet Buddy... i got Buddy in santa barbara..so that's why the santa barbara peach. Buddy was the color of a peach...he was my little peach. i miss you Buddy .

the days are growing shorter now...it was 6 in the evening and the light was fading over terrace hill...

my sunflowers are looking tired...

and i planted alot of these the other day because i love the color.... and if you look really close...do you see somebody in the background ?

Calico Corn and My Kitchen Window

my kitchen windowsill on this late July afternoon...

the pottery is from my dear friend, julie whitmore http://juliewhitmorepottery.blogspot.com/

click on the picture for a closer look at julie's beautiful work.

i have really been enjoying this middle summer corn and decided to make my CALICO CORN...

you start by cutting the corn off the cob...

at the farmers market i got all different kinds of colored sweet peppers and some cilantro..

i got some flat leaf parsley out of my garden... diced the peppers and added them to the corn along with the herbs, a splash of good olive oil and a squirt of lime juice and some salt and pepper. this recipe is good served cold or sauteed in a skillet and served hot.

Nothing Fancy Tonight

that's me...good thing i am alone in here. well....me and teddy...wearing blue shoes and socks and a cherry apron with an old tea towel hanging from my apron string... my standard kitchen wear. 

i got some beautiful eggplant at that saturday farmers market and decided to just make an old fashion eggplant parmesan... i got the bread crumbs ready...

sliced up my eggplant

dipped them in...

saute and lay in the tomato sauce...

sprinkle with cheese...

bake and serve. do you see dande ?

The First Apples !!!!!

i went to the san luis obispo FARMER'S MARKET this morning and look what i found...the FIRST OF THE SEASON GRAVENSTEIN APPLES. i am making caramel apples for tonight... i am kind of cheating with the wrappers but the package was cute and they sure make it easy ... i know alot of you are roasting in this heat wave...maybe this will help...

these are from SEE CANYON...just up the road...

they had the first crop walnuts too...

and i just had to get this little guy out...wishing cool breezes coming your way ....