Kitchen Diva

Three weeks ago I planted my garden (see the first blog for a photo).  With all the rain we have been having the garden is growing and growing.   I have been very excited to see the beginning stages of flowering on the tomato plants and the rapid vine effect of the cucumbers and eggplant.  Last week I planted a zucchini plant and I can already see a difference.    Also the basil and flat leaf parsley are growing like weeds.    Luckily we bought some lovely chicken from Clancy's yesterday, so there will be some cooking today with the herbs.   I am thinking chicken stuffed with goat's cheese and basil.  YUMMO! From looking at the strawberry plant, I can see 2 flowers.  Yes I am excited to get 2 strawberries.   Although they won't be big in size or plentiful, I think they will be the best strawberries ever. Who would have thought gardening could be so exciting!

This morning I cooked up a storm.   I woke up bright and early and made the raspberry buns from the Magnolia Cookbook.   Can we say to die for.   Lots of butter and cream cheese but so delicate in taste.  We then ran to the Kingfield Farmers Market.   Last week I was looking for a zucchini plant although they were out on of the farmers said they would bring me one.   We also needed strawberries for the berry salad to go along with the brunch. By the time we go home it was time to put the egg bake into the oven and recreated something I had a little over a year ago in NYC. On an adventure in Tribeca to go over to TeaNY, a friend and I were starving.   We stopped into this little cafe (can't remember the name) next  door.   We ordered a bruschetta for starter.  Mine was ricotta cheese and cinnamon.  OMG it was amazing.   I have been trying to recreate it but seem to lack the balance I reme...

Sunday we finally made it over to the Kingfield Farmers Market.   What a treat!  And I felt really inspired by all the great local produce.   It is a small market but the variety is amazing.   I decided to treat P and myself to a dinner with only things from the market.   We bought 1/2 a chicken (after I torched the poor guy about what feed he used.   I had just watched Food Inc and he guessed that right away.).  Next stall we bought some garlic scapes.   If you have never used them I highly recommend trying them.  I find they roast, saute and grill very well.   Next we got some great potato flax seed bread.   Then finally beets, salad in a bag with added spinach (all farm grown).  Dinner ended up being roasted chicken with garlic scape and beets with salad and bread.  Simple yet the best thing I have eaten in a while.   I love getting stuff from the farmers market. ...

I am now a homeowner (along with my fiance). I remember growing up my mom always had a garden. I didn't really like a lot of the things she planted but hey soda and candy plants were not available in the garden store. But now I am (dare I say) a grown up. I love to cook and bake and try foods I have never had before. So today I planted my first garden. I can't wait until the tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, garlic and shallots start to grow. This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time and now it is right out my back door. So I wonder what wonderful things I will be making this summer. Stay tuned.