Fun in the sun and shade

We've enjoyed a near 80 degree day yesterday! It's the first one we've had! I spent the whole day outside and am now a delicious shade of pinkish red, despite the sunscreen. We went to the farmer's market in the morning for zucchini, lettuce (Have you ever tried French speckled leaf lettuce? It's delish!), radishes, cilantro, local line caught tuna, apples, local free-pastured pork sausage, and free-pastured, grass feed beef. After seeing Food Inc (the film), we're committed to buying meat and poultry that supports local farmers raising livestock humanely and healthily. We're finding it's a lot more expensive, so we eat even less meat than before (which wasn't much) and lots more veggies. We feel great! We gardened the afternoon away, watering, weeding, and uppotting tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant.
Today was much cooler that yesterday. We decorated for the Fourth, returned lots of library books, and then headed to our local fruit market for melons, nectarines, plums, citrus, avocados, and blueberries. I think we may be keeping up with Auntie D. in the fruit department! We harvested another 2 dozen strawberries today. That brings this year's harvest to 11 dozen so far. We're beginning to harvest a tomato daily from the green house and lots of chives, cilantro, lettuce, greens, onions, and peas from the garden beds.

This evening future farmer Alex and I cooked. I made my Roasted Veggie Primavera Pasta (recipe follows), and he made a Bonnie Butter Yellow Cake (from my 1978 Betty Crocker cookbook!). Tomorrow, Ari is helping to make strawberry crepes for breakfast. Yes folks, you heard correct; Ari is going to cook! Wonders never cease.

Roasted Veggie Primavera Pasta
This recipe is extremely delicious. The garlic is key! Don't skip it.

1 medium zucchini (courgette), halved and thinly sliced. (If organic, don't bother to peel)
1 medium yellow summer squash (or yellow zuc), halved and thinly sliced (see above)
1/2 large red pepper, halved again and thinly sliced.
1/2 large yellow pepper, halved again and thinly sliced.
1 medium sweet yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced.
1 large cloves elephant garlic (best) or 3 cloves of mild other garlic, left whole and in paper skin
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 Tbsp mixed italian herbs (if mixing your own: oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and a pinch of sage)

1lb bowtie pasta (I like the organic tricolored ones)

1/4 lb button or small crimini mushrooms, sliced

15 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh garden peas

1/2 fresh grated parmesean cheese

1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a large pan with foil. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, squash, peppers, onion, and garlic with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Italian herbs. Spread on pan as thinly as possible, ideally as a single layer. Cook 10 minutes.

2) Boil big pot of water for pasta.

3) Add sliced mushrooms to oven pan, stirring to mix well. Cook another 10-12 minutes, until veggies are soft and beginning to brown. While these are roasting, cook pasta according to package instructions.

4) Retain 1 cup of hot pasta water, then drain rest. Place pasta in large bowl. Pour hot retained pasta water over peas and tomatoes. Let rest 1 minute. Meanwhile, remove garlic from other roasted veggies. Mash and add to pasta, tossing well. Add rest of roasted veggies to pasta and toss well. Drain and add peas and tomatoes, toss well. Add most of parmesean cheese, and toss again. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Serve immediately! Serves 6 generously. Enjoy!

5) Other veggies to roast are eggplant, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, asparagus (unbelievably delish!), yams, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts