Pesto Season Signals Summer

Last night a friend brought over some fragrant fresh basil from the garden.

I felt inspired.

The recipe I used called for

2 c fresh basil leaves 1/3 c pine nuts 1/2 c Romano or parmesan cheese 1/2 c olive oil 3 cloves of garlic. Another friend’s flowers from her garden.

Such generous friends.

It might be time for new red and white checkered table cloth. I hemmed this fabric in 1974 and the red has faded to almost pink.

Even if it rains, the front porch offers shelter and a wonderful place to watch the downpour.

A “New” Table from the Neighbors

Thanks to P and J we now have a “new” table for the front porch. Thank you for the upgrade from our little plastic circle.

Steve took this photo on my phone of our Spaghetti Arugula and tricolor corn supper.

IMG_9778

Homegrown Chives Garnish Pierogies Supper

While the men loaded up the chairs, Suzanne gave me a tour of her garden and shared some chives. She said you can eat the blossom! 
After we pulled away from our friends’ house,(where we’d gone to borrow folding chairs) Steve and I needed something to eat. 

We drove down the hill to the Bryant Street Market, and found homemade Pierogies in a ziploc bag in their freezer.

I sautéed plenty of sliced Vidalia onions in butter, too.  

Added the snipped fresh chives garnish which complemented the potato and cheese filled pierogies. 

Dinnertime Gallery

Weekly Photo Challenge: Dinnertime  

  Cousin John’s and Gail’s table -NYC  
Wild mushroom ravioli at Mary’s

    Pittsburgh
  NYC   
    

Dinner at Joan’s 
    
    
    
  Baby Charles and Penny wait for dinner   Arizona 
  Chicken stew and biscuits   
  11 minute linguine   Air France dinner
  Pizza in Croatia   
    
 
Dinnertime
  
Family dinner Christmas 

Knitting Socks – with a little help from experts 

This post started with Steve bringing me a bowl of beanie weanies for Sunday night supper. 

I looked at the color of the bowl, the sock I was knitting, and the teal of my new robe from Christmas. ( thank you, V- it is very cozy)

  
I try to keep the blog IRT for the most part.  

The last sock yarn I used was for a Sockhead Hat by Kelly McClure Pattern (thanks for the Chocolate and Cherries yarn,Toni). 

Then I thought of all the references I am using to tutor myself to knit socks again. Reading about the knitting is good preparation.

I’d started a pair of socks simultaneously on two circular needles about two years ago. (Thanks for the yarn, Molly) but bought new size one double point needles yesterday to knit them singly. 

I used to worry about “SSS- second sock syndrome.” Listened to Alicia and Natalie on a Mastering the Knits Podcast talk about socks and yarn and more socks and felt inspired.

Also, my long time friend, E, brought me a Christmas gift. A book –Knit Socks! –shaped like a sock -by Betsy Lee McCarthy 

 The two books have exclamation marks in their titles.   

Additional References pictured above 

-The glare of the Round white OTT light -so I can see on a winter night

– Susan B Anderson “How I Knit My Socks”

Susan’s Blog link
-Stephanie Pearl-McPhee   Knitting Rules!

Yarn Harlot link 

Running Home for Supper

Maura running home 7 (1)Maura was playing at a friend’s house.  Erika asked if I would watch for her to run across the lawn and help her cross the street to home.

I had the camera already as I was photographing Mark grilling trout on a cedar plank.  The late afternoon light was perfect.

Maura was running running running.

Old Grandma photographed her but Maura didn’t think anything of it and ignored my shooting.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I Know Two People Who Collect These Stickers from Fruits and Vegetables

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Especially if they are interesting or different.  Unique.

I thought these produce stickers’ design would qualify as a keeper. Although I’m not starting a produce sticker collection today, I thought about two people I know who save them.

What do you collect?  vegetable sticker

Hey ML? Do you still save these from your fruit and veggies?

 

Here is what I made with the two zucchini and yellow squash.  

In a large skillet sautee an onion and a couple of garlic cloves in olive oil, throw in two yellow and two green squash (cut up) then add salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.  Add a bit of water and let them cook until soft. Mash up with potato masher.   Boil water and cook eggy pasta noodles, drain and toss in squash sauce. Grate fresh cheese on top.  I learned to cook this from Anna Fevola of La Cucina Flegrea. See the cooking class post in 2010 (from before the restaurant moved downtown to Market Square)  Everything she cooks is delicious!

 

Zuchinni and Yellow Squash