Dude, you keeping those?

Calm down Doug, they're basil seeds.  I thought I might strip them

from the stalks on my basil plant outside the back door and see

if they sprout next April.  They still smell pungent and who knows?

Yeah yeah, I know.  Some things never change, thank goodness.

Simple and Good

Grilled boneless pork chops, roasted Yukon Gold potatoes,

Brussels sprouts with butter, and cured olives and oven-dried

tomatoes.  Almost every forkful has all the elements of  the

spread laid out before me.  It's no wonder I'm always the last

to get up from the table.

Dinner under the Dome

Whole roasted chicken, potatoes, and onions cooked with indirect

heat under the Weber grill dome.  Slow is the way to go.  

170 degrees in the thighs and 160 for the breast and taters

and onions tender and ready.  About an hour and a half.  Magic.

Once all of that stuff is off the grill, throw the zucchini

halves directly over the coals and watch for about 5

minutes, with a turn halfway through.  No mess in the

kitchen and minimum 3 days worth of dinners.  Probably

$10.00 of  product, but the flavor is priceless.

Yes, Pleese!

Can you spot Sponge Bob?

Stacks

Sliced baguette fried in olive oil, with Grana Padano

(a cousin of Parmigiano Reggiano), whole basil, and

of course field-grown Jersey plum tomatoes.  Sprinkled

with grey sea salt (sel gris) and cracked black pepper.

Obviously you don't have to eat it like this. It's just that,

well you know, I like to play with my food now and then.

  

Thinking of Charley in Ireland, I dug up this photo

of the sea stack at Downpatrick Head, County Mayo.

It was one of the most spectacular sights we came

upon during our visit.  I'm thinking my stack was a 

bit more tender to the bite.

Pizza Night

I don't think being perfectly round is the most important thing.

I made two, and there was not a slice left.  

Cosas Verdes

Are you thinking what we're thinking?

So I was wondering what kind of Mexican Squirrel was chewing

on my jalapenos lately.  I probably missed him the other day

because he is kinda green.  Holy guacamole!  Bonnie, what kind

of caterpillar is this again?

Don't worry, I brought him inside just to get a better look at him

before I batter-fried him.  Kidding.  Just like with the mouse I caught

 in my living room years ago, I went outside and threw him into the 

woods.  No way they'll ever find their way back here, right?  

The one ripe jalapeno he didn't get.  I don't know what's wrong 

with me and growing certain vegetables.  The herbs do fine, but the

freakin tomatoes take forever to grow, and half of them rot on the

vine before I pick them.  The jalapenos have not even been remotely

hot, just chewy green pointy bell peppers.  At least someone likes 'em.

And yes, blowfish again.  This time panko crusted.  I'll get tired

of them soon, right around the end of their season.