Eat Your Peas.

I find myself in the lull between spring and summer harvests. This has me using small quantities of many foods as the spring crops dwindle and the summer come in.

Breaking the Fast

 A few premature peppers, a handful of chives & oregano

tossed into the breakfast hash. 

I like to cook a hot breakfast on Sunday morn. I'm really

missing my eggs since the chickens stopped laying.

Lunch
I had a strange batch of pea seeds that resulted in something between a snow and an English pea. The pods were not tasty, but they were shaped like snows. The peas inside ended up being tasty, even when over mature. So I picked the last of them, shelled them and found this dumpling recipe, which I modified and am glad I did. The fresh dill was the real gem in these. We couldn't decide which we liked better. The steamed ones allow you to focus on the great flavor of the filling, while the fried ones offer a very nice crunch. Somehow I didn't get a photo of the steamed ones.

 I had to bulk up the peas with a few edamame.

With a hand blender mash up- 2 cups cooked peas, 2/3 c. ricotta, 2 Tbs olive oil

scant 1/2 tsp salt, pepper, several Tbs of fresh dill & chives. 

Once blended, stir in 1/3 c. parmesan. 

 Fold and seal with water 

into these wee food packages.

 Fry or steam.

 It was nice to have both fried and steamed. 

Steamed is easier and not as hot in the kitchen (or stinky).

I can see me making these again. 

There are endless ways to stuff these little dumplings.

For years I didn't make them because I thought I needed a bamboo 

steamer- not so, I just used my collapsible metal steamer in a pot. 

Make sure to rub the steamed ones with a little oil to keep them from sticking though.  

Garden? Project

I'm always scheming up a new project. This one was somewhat born from necessity. The kitties were misbehaving and needed some stimuli. Also, it was another place to put plants! Welcome to the new Catio! The cats love it and hardly come inside now. Yay for no one putting their paws in my beverage! I've had my morning joe out here every day and it is wonderful. Kiddo plans on sleeping in here the rest of the summer. Things got a little wet & dirty from the rain last night- why the cushions are upright and there is mud on the bench. I couldn't be happier with it. Well, maybe if there were a few more plants.

 An old and formerly used (and trash treasure) closet 

door was made into a hanging bench. 

 I reused a planting frame to make the benches.

Toby on the table.

 We attached it to the existing cat porch (turquoise) so

now the cats have run of the porch, catio and into the chicken coop.

 I made ladders so they can get up to the swinging bench.

Here Urey is demonstrating how to use the cat walk.

 Squiggy on the swinging air bench. This is the kittens fav spot.

 Another kitty ladder and Bea on the shelf.

More room for plants! There is a dog house

under the table for cooler weather sleeping. 

It's official- Happy Summer.