Seashore Frames

Way, way back summerwise time, I had an idea. A trip to a flea market, a walk on the beach....a home made craft. It was worth the try and it has been an ongoing project!

 

 So these two images are the start.....broken wind fences, old canning labels that came from my trip to Brimfield.

The basic plastic miter box was my friend as I cut the frame pieces. It was something I had used before,  so no learning process here!

But, trying to figure out how to put a piece of glass in place was a different story! I decided to make a frame back from small pieces of trim cut as you can see here.

So I glued the back framework and went to the "framer" to get glass cut.

They were not very nice. 

 My frames were called rudimentary and other things. Sorry, I was trying to do something fun. They did cut the glass and I had a matte cut coordinating to each color scheme....more than I wanted to pay, especially when they totally "dissed" my hand made frames.

But I love these frames and the old canning labels!!!! The project is half done...two more frames to make to complete the group. Do I go back to the old framer???? Maybe, as long as they do not put their noses up at my homemade frames. Not sure what to do.

Green Tomato Relish

The season is basically done. Time to harvest the green tomatoes and tend to the garden...still dripping with withered tomatoes, plants drying up and too many cool nights to expect anything more. Sad to see it end but excited to try the old family recipe for Green Tomato Relish!

Let me just start with the fact I have been meaning to make this relish for maybe...30 years? It was an old favorite and I believed I was not capable. See here the old recipe card, splattered and used many times. I decided this was the year to go out on a limb and just DO IT. How could I fail?

Slicing and salting...easy enough, right?

Cooking the tomatoes and onions, sterilizing jars, adding spices, boiling, filling jars, sterilizing again, phew! I was beat.

But the label was my time to shine. I had a grand old time making the tag. We taste tested one jar and it was just as we remembered. Carlee knew how to cook, and she taught me to never be afraid of trying new things! Her passion for cooking, sharing and life is what I aspire to daily!

Recipe for Green Tomato Relish

3 lbs. Green Tomatoes
4-6 Onions
1/2 cup salt
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 quart cider vinegar
 

Seasoning: 2 tblsp. cracked cinnamon
& 4 cloves (in a cheesecloth bag)
1 tblsp. dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tblsp. celery seed
1 tblsp. cayenne 

Slice & soak in salt green tomatoes &
onions overnight. Drain. Bring brown
sugar & vinegar to a boil with spices
and bag of spices. Add tomaoes, onions.
Lower heat and cook approx. 20 minutes
or until tomatoes are tender.

Follow professional instructions for jarring
produce, but simply....buy pint jars with
canning lids. Boil jar and lids separately.
Por hot tomato mixture into sterilized jars.
Wipe lids, seal with tops. Boil again 10 min.
for pint sized jars. Cool overnight.

And the Tomatoes Keep Coming

We were fortunate to have our plants survive the wrath of Irene...and they are still quite prolific! What to do with so many ripe tomatoes? Give some away and keep cooking!

This is a cold salad my daughter has made a few times. When I say we have tomatoes, I really mean we are inundated!!! Here, we have the Beet, Tomato and Feta Salad.

Steamed beets, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, a good piece of feta (not the crumbled kind!), red onion sliced extremely thin, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. This photo was taken before we folded the mixture together, creating a pink feta look. Delicious, fresh and no need to prepare hours before. This one can be served immediately!

And the next night, it was baked stuffed tomatoes! I chopped the top off my next in line ripened tomatoes and hollowed out the insides with a small melon scoop. With the chopped insides into a bowl I added fresh basil of course, Quattro Formagio blend from Trader Joe's and a very small amount of olive oil. I seasoned the hollowed out tomatoes with sea salt and coarsely ground pepper....and scooped the tomato mixture into each awaiting tomato bowl.

Topped each with a good dose of panko bread crumbs....and then baked them at 350 until they looked a little toasty!

So good... as the roasting brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes! The insides are hot, be careful! We served with fish and some great, oversized stuffed clams from a local fish market. Friday seems to be our fish night. Some traditions live on forever.

Labor Day Caprese Salad

Since my tomatoes have been ripening, I have made quite a few Caprese Salads...just as I said I would! Now, with tomatoes of various colors & fresh basil from my garden I want to show the world (or just a few followers) my beautiful and fulfilling harvest and what I have done with it!

See here, the Green Zebra Stripe tomato, the Early Girl Red and the Lemon Boy Yellow tomatoes! Getting ready to prepare a Caprese Salad...the mozzarella, the fresh basil and Trader Joe's Rainbow Peppercorns in Grinder, Himalayan PINK Sea Salt, TJ's California Olive Oil and Italian Red Wine Vinegar.

Slicing away at the tomatoes and mozzarella in preparation for layering.

Finding I did not have the typically used Balsamic Vinegar, I pulled out the other options I had on hand. Which to use? I never knew vinegars came in so many different "flavors" and have been experimenting!

So much fun using these home grown tomatoes! The Zebra Stripe Green tomato is just starting to ripen and thankfully, Miss Hurricane Irene did not upset any plants!

Layered tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, drizzled with Olive Oil (and we decided on the Pear Infused Vinegar) the salt & pepper coarsely ground atop...Voila! It was already gone, gobbled up by the family by the time I wrote this!

Tomato Predators

Although this post follows a delicious recipe and what I have to say and show is certainly NOT delicious, it just happens to be how gardening works. You have to be diligent in caring for your plants! Unfortunately, I found a true predator yesterday.....only the second time in many, many years. Let me introduce you the Tomato Hornworm.

It is the most vile yet interesting garden creature. It grabs the stalk from underneath and proceeds to chew, chew, chew! I noticed that one plant was looking a little sad and then it dawned on me to look closer. Sure enough I found the little bugger. I broke off the stem because this thing is scary and watched and photographed it. It had huge droppings and I could actually HEAR it munching! It makes me shiver....

Is that an eye???? Complete yuck. It can kill a plant so quickly too. I researched quite a bit and found this site about tomato care. There are other sites that helped me identify this monster as well. Initially I called it a tomato cutworm. Very similar and possibly one in the same depending on the source. Watch your plants for the signs of this devastation!!!

Tomato Gardening Site

Sunday Cacciatore

Although I spent quite a bit of time at the beach this weekend, my main goal was to make my fresh Tomato & Chicken Cacciatore. The tomatoes are abundant enough now to use at least a dozen in this summer favorite. This is what was left AFTER I chose the ripest ones!

So, I am not well versed at explaining recipes. I cook without them most of the time but this is such a simple dish I think I can explain!

 12 or more fresh tomatoes from the garden

fresh basil from the garden

2-3 cloves of garlic

olive oil of your choice (I use Trader Joe's of course)

one can of chopped or diced tomatoes to give some moisture 

Pepper (salt if you really want) to taste

In a large stock pot, give a good 1/4 inch coating of olive oil, add chopped tomatoes, basil, and garlic!

Simmer........the whole house will smell wonderful! I had a few ahhhhhs & ohhhhhs when my family returned from the beach. I always leave early to get dinner started!

Next, with boneless chicken thighs floured, I start the big fry pan. A little more olive oil in the pan, they get cranking. Time to clean up pans and pour a glass of wine.

Brown them both sides, flip with tongs carefully!

Looking good. Then, take each thigh and place atop the simmering tomato mixture. This will basically "pressure" cook the mixture below. Thighs are used because they are moist, inexpensive and give lots of flavor. You can substitute any cut of chicken though!

Lower the temp way down, cover the pot and let simmer. After 1 hour or so, turn the chicken thighs into the tomatoes. Cook a little longer....at this point, the dish is done and will almost look like stew. The chicken should be falling apart.

Now, unfortunately, I don't have the plated dish with that spring of parsley on the side photographed. It was gone before I knew it!!!  Move over Giada, Bobby, Rachel and Jamie. This fresh dish with very basic ingredients, as many as possible coming straight from the garden is MY WINNER! Everyone loves it!