Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Tomato Tree

Remember this little guy back in June?


And now:


Still, no tomatoes! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I wish this weather would break. 97 today.

Update on Joey's surgery: Everything went very well. He's home and on bedrest for 3 days (I'm sure he'll go stark ravin mad). Maybe he can take up crochet.
Anyway, he's doing well and everyone keep the prayers going up for his complete recovery, & especially for help with his smoking cessation. That's going to be the toughest. I'll keep everybody posted.

Momma

Sunday, July 15, 2007

If it's not one thing . . .

IT'S ANOTHER. Ok, so the cabbage loopers are exterminated. Thanks to industrial strenghth TRIAZICIDE. But now we have the weather. Apparently, if it gets hot enough (>90 degrees) the tomato pollen goes sterile. So instead of having a little tomato whereever there is a little yellow blossom, WE GOT NOTHING.

So Al Gore, we need some intervention.

I am happy to report however, that apparently ZUCCHINI loves the heat.

This is our first season's pick:



So while we were lamenting our lack of tomatoes and puny strawberries, the zucchini plant was making a MONSTER.

BTW, fried zucchini is to die for:

AND
It just so happens that I have the perfect tool for turning zucchini disks in the hot oil. It is the handy dandy EZ HOOK (a Quartzsite find!). It is brilliant in its simplicity:

and

IT IS:


which of course, explains its brilliant simplicity. To order online, go to EZHOOK.COM.









Art says he "afraid" of the E-Z Hook:


It does kinda look like an instrument of torture.

So anyway, here's the recipe girls for the best fried zucchini you've ever had:

MOMMA'S FRIED ZUCCHINI
1 honkin zucchini cut into 1/2 thick rounds
2 stale hoggie rolls, cuisinarted into fine crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesean
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup vegetable oil

Make three separate bowls up: in one put the cornstarch, in another put the beaten egg, lastly, mix up the breadcrumbs with the cheese & the salt & pepper & place in the third dish.

Take each 1/2 inch round of zucchini and press it into the cornstarch (to coat both sides), then dip the round into the egg, lastly press the disk into the bread crumb mixture.

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over low-medium heat (you don't want the oil too hot, or it will burn the bread crumb covered rounds. You can test it by sprinking a few of the bread crumbs in the oil--if they spatter and turn black right away, it's too hot. If they just soak in the oil, it's not hot enough. They should sizzle, but not darken.)

Fry in oil until golden brown on one side, then turn and fry till the other side is golden brown too. Drain on paper towels. Eat until silly or fat or both.

YMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Jess, I hope you are feeling better. Lanie, call me! I miss you. Both of you girls--please pray for your brother. His surgery is this Tuesday which also happens to be Grandma C's birthday. Happy 73rd Birthday Grandma!!!

Talk to everyone soon,
Love,
Momma & Grandmomma

Friday, July 6, 2007

OK that's it. No more Mr. Nice Guy.
This is a "cabbage looper".

They call it a "looper" because it only has "feet" on the front of it's body and on the back. It moves along by humping it's back and scooting it's back "feet" up close to it's front "feet". It "loops" up it's body.













This is what it has done to our brussells sprouts.



This is MAXIMUM STRENGTH cabbage looper killer.


I'll let you know who wins.




On a happier note, we have some pretty flowers in the front:























And we have a tomato coming!



YAY!!! We should be overrun with veggies soon!