SUNDAY IS NOT FOR SITTING

It is too hot and humid to garden.  The air quality is dubious.  And you all know what THIS means - fun, fun, FUN divided between the sewing room and the kitchen!  I have been making refrigerator pickles because Mother Nature forced my hand.  She decided that it was time to accelerate the growth of everything in my garden and I am up to my ears in baby cukes.  So, when MN hands you mature cucumbers, make refrigerator pickles!

The dill and nasturtium came straight from the garden too.  I'm so proud of these NY Beauties - they'll be ready to consume in about a week.  Of course, I have summer squash and zucchini up the wazoo!!!  I made zucchini breads and a really gorgeous soup -

Please don't judge me because of the state of my oven.  I've been promised new appliances so I've held out and kind of gone on strike waiting for their arrival.  Still waiting ...  and not complaining, because I despise oven cleaning.  I'm convinced that it is a toxic enterprise - all the way around!  Back to the breads - they are especially yummy because I grate a large sweet potato into the mix. YUM!  And there is a secret ingredient, but I cannot reveal it.  Sounds like ... c-a-r-d-o-m-o-m.

I love this summer squash soup.  Whenever I get to use all of my own home-grown ingredients I feel so COMPETENT! As if I could have been a pioneer woman in another life -  you know, raising a parcel of children and growing a garden and feeding the livestock and making the clothing, etc.  (no jumping into the SUV to run to market for extra ingredients)  Oh yeah, and dying at 35 - an old woman!!!!  Sometimes I think that I was born too soon.  But then I remember what happens to my psyche when the power fails.  I'm exactly where I am supposed to be.
SUMMER SQUASH SOUP
2 lbs summer squash, cut into 1/4" rounds
2 ears of corn, removed from cob, save cobs
3-4 large shallots, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped, seeds removed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
2-3 TBS olive oil
 Combine all of the above and saute for a few minutes.
Add 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth (or chicken broth) and simmer until squash is tender, remove corn husks and discard them.
Process all ingredients, in small batches, in food processor.
Depending on what you like - you could add light cream at this point and gently simmer, add salt and white pepper to taste.


I am adding leftover crab and sour cream and chopped scallions.  A loaf of extraordinary bread ...
ENJOY


THERE HAS BEEN KNITTING!!
Patty, my BFF, came over and attempted to teach me how to crochet.  This was a disappointing event, to say the very least.  I. Didn't. Get. IT.  Patty promised to try again.  In the meantime, she crocheted a beautiful little edge on a sweater that I just finished.  How pretty is this?  Patty, you are the BEST.

Must find some special buttons for this, and the Elizabeth Zimmerman piece that I have completed ... the buttons are too small for this piece.

Patty brought a Debbie Bliss sweater to show me, that she had finished for her new granddaughter.  It's really beautiful.  She used an old Green Mountain yarn - remember them?  I should have insisted upon details, but I was too busy ooohing and aaahhing over this -

Not a great image, but the sweater IS, believe me!  Patty is an excellent knitter.  She does so many things so very well -

I am constantly in awe of her talent, her energy, her magnificent heart.  Such a good friend - a treasure.  And she's gorgeous, to boot!