My Tiny Garden

This year, I have a garden...a small garden...think of it as a garden with training wheels. I only have a few herbs, two pepper plants and three tomato plants in this little garden of mine. But Mr. Gooch and I are getting excited because it looks like the pepper plants will each have a pepper to pick early next week. I can't believe how excited we are for 2 peppers.
And the test run has been pretty good so far but I swear, the weeds grow faster than I ever imagined. Another problem was that the cilantro went to flower faster than I thought it would. Next year, I will have to watch that one like a hawk. All the herbs smell so good when we are cutting them for use in our cooking. Earlier today I hauled out the food processor and made fresh pesto from our basil plant for dinner tonight. It smelled so great. I also harvested parsley, dill and oregano. I am going to make a dill sauce for salmon tomorrow night. This batch of oregano and parsley will be washed, air dried then frozen for use this winter.

For next year, the plan is to have a large garden. So we will have cucumbers, french beans, peppers, corn, tomatoes, strawberries and salad greens. I can't wait. I have already started ordering seed/vegetable catalogs and have started saving my yogurt cups to start the seedlings in next spring.

Basil Pesto
Ingredients
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts or shelled pistachios (omitted)
2 sprigs fresh parsley
2-3 large clove garlic, mashed
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions: Place all ingredients except oil in food processor. Process with several on/off turns until blended. With processor running gradually add oil to make a smooth thick paste.

Lemon-Dill Sauce
Ingredients:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients at least one hour before serving. Cover and chill. (May make the night before.)

Yield: 1 1/4 cups

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