Very early Sunday morning, around 5:15 a.m., I noticed lightning in the distance and within just a few minutes, a good thunderstorm was right on top of us. Speck was still sound asleep but as soon as I noticed the lightning, I decided to get him up and take him outside. No sooner had I gotten the leash on him and the bottom fell out. It was raining so hard and blowing. Our front porch is about 10′ wide and the rain was blowing completely across it. Speck decided he really had to go so he went out in the rain but by the time the rains were done, we’d gotten over an inch of rain. We are so desperate for rain! I’m happy with what we did get but always want more.
Sunday was my day to spend in the sewing room. So much to do . . so little time. Can you relate? After breakfast and after a little picking up in the house, I was headed to sew . . the entire day! As I often do, I got sidetracked. I decided to check on Mean Chicken’s babies, which are doing fine, and then see how the garden made it through the storm. Oh, my goodness . . I had just picked everything on Friday and was hoping to make it through the weekend without having to do anything with the veggies but . . no . . that was not going to happen. I picked two 5 gallon buckets full.
Produce
The above is what got left over after I put everything else up.
Marinating Eggplant
There are four 9 x 13 dishes with eggplant marinating in different recipes of marinade. That will go into the dehydrator and get dried for snacks.
The remaining eggplant shown in the first picture . . one got sliced and fried for dinner. I’m going to make eggplant parmesan for tonight’s dinner and some for the freezer with the remaining eggplant.
Squash
Since the dehydrator is full of eggplants, peppers and tomatoes, the squash got blanched and went into the freezer. Four one quart bags . . that will be great for casseroles if the squash ever stops producing.
It may sound like I’m complaining about putting up the veggies .. I am not. There’s nothing like having home grown vegetables in the freezer or in jars during the winter. It’s just that sometimes I think I’ve planned it so I can have a break from the garden and my plans don’t work out. With that 1 inch rain Saturday night, this week will probably be busy, busy with getting things put up. I still have potatoes in the ground that I haven’t dug. I did get some out for dinner last night and really need to get those dug up.
The really good news . . lots of home grown veggies for dinner.
Dinner
Dinner last night:
- Grilled Pork Chops
- Sliced Tomatoes – from the garden
- Fried Eggplant – from the garden
- Potatoes and Onions – both from the garden
- Pinto Beans – from the garden
Yum!
The bad news . . It was after 9 p.m. before I made it to the sewing room so you can guess how much sewing I got done! 🙁
shirley says
Beautiful produce. The very best thing I made last year was a meatloaf with eggplant in it. I failed to write down what I did but I used hamburger, egg and eggplant. I’m sure I put spices in it.
Amy Skattebo says
YUP! I can totallllllly relate! Same thing happens to me; out to feed animals…and then wander through garden….”ooohhh, this plant needs a little weeding…..oh, this one too.” And the next thing you know…..it’s 9PM, just like you said!!! LOL
I can’t wait to reap the produce; we’re not even close to that stage yet. So, I’ll continue eyeing up your goodies while I watch mine grow.
Still waiting for that magic remote control that can pause time. Let me know if you come across one 🙂
Rebecca in SoCal says
I keep learning from you, Judy. Eggplant chips? Interesting!
I can only dream of what those tomatoes taste like. Cute thing: my DH has taken to keeping cherry tomatoes around, to either dress up a plate or just to snack on!
Stephani in N. TX says
I am so impressed with your freezer bags of yellow squash. They look yummy with the beautiful color and freshness. I had forgotten how lovely it is to have a food garden. Enjoy the “foods” of your labors.
Deb K says
The pics of your veges bring back fond memories of my dad’s garden. He always plants a garden bigger than was comfortable and it was all we could do to keep it weeded, watered and harvested. I miss that now and I miss my dad (who passed away 10 yrs ago). We also grew pattypans and I used to make great side dishes with them but I can’t remember how I did it. I bought some pattypans at a farm’ers’ market recently and my attempt to cook wasn’t very good. I stir fried them in a little olive oil with onions, garlic and basil. The skins were tough. I don’t remember skinning them. How do you cook them?
Deb K says
I’m with you, Judy. We hit 108 on Saturday. The rain on Sunday was a blessed surprise. Much cooler and we needed the rain to keep out of Stage 3 water rationing. One downside to the rain…..5 scorpions in the house ( a record!) and I was stung by one on my pillow during the night. That’s the second time I’ve been stung on my face during the night. I hate those things!
AngieG9 says
Oh, Judy, those fresh veggies look so good. Things like that make me miss my garden. Then reading the part about how long it took to put them all up made me miss it less, but I was so hoping a farmer’s truck would come by today. Instead, I spent the day making peach syrup, sourdough bread, and packaging my laundry detergent. I had thought I would get some jars to put the detergent in, but my daughter suggested last night that I put it in zip-lock freezer bags. We didn’t send that kid to college for nothing! I really think she suggested it because she knows I’m constantly dropping things, especially when I’m barefoot, which is all the time in the house, so it”s less likely I’ll injure myself if I drop a freezer bag. Just messy.
sharon says
How do you cook your eggplant before you dehydrate it?
thanks
Kathy C says
I would give up 1/2 my stash for a homegrown tomato right now. They don’t come in here until late July. But I should be able to get them at the farmers market this week since growers from Eastern Washington come and they have tomatoes by now..
Your dinner looked SO GOOD!
Susan says
Your dinner looks wonderful and I really envy the eggplant! I made baked zucchini sticks yesterday and felt very healthy. =)
Judy Snider says
Judy
Where did you get the pinto bean seeds? I haven’t been able to find them here in TN and would love to try them in my garden next year.
Judy