FOOD and gardening

[apple_pathways]

I know it's spring and time to move onto spring vegetables, but there were some yummy-looking leeks in the grocery store the other day, and I couldn't resist! So here's a quick recipe:

Leek, New Potato, and Kale Bake




Ingredients

• Two medium leeks
  
• About a pound of red new potatoes, sliced thin.
  
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced
  
• Some kale - chopped (I'm sorry: I suck at measuring!)
  
• Butter
  
• Olive oil
  
• Nutmeg - about 1/2 tsp?
  
• salt and pepper
  
• Milk (1/2 to 1 cup)
  
• CHEESE! (I used smoked gouda. It was AWESOME!)
  
• Bread crumbs

Instructions
Clean the leeks. I like to cut off most of the tough, green, fibrous tops and then slice them in half lengthwise. Rinse out the dirt between the leaves, and slice into 1/2" strips.

Heat 1-2 Tbs butter in a pan. (I always do about half butter, half olive oil. The butter tends to cook away pretty quickly, and the oil keeps everything sauteeing without adding too much saturated fat.) Add the leeks and the nutmeg, and sautee about 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes and the sliced garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the garlic softens, about 3-4 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. You really only need just enough milk to about halfway cover the veggies. Add the chopped kale, and stir until it wilts.

Pour the veggie/milk mixture into a casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese and bread crumbs, and bake in a 350 degree oven until the potatoes are cooked through, about 30 minutes.


Tomorrow, for my friend's graduation BBQ, I'm making an orzo pasta salad with marinated veggies. They had some GORGEOUS-looking eggplants at the grocery store: deep purple, and cream and purple-striped ones. I also bought some zucchini, yellow summer squash, a red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and some marinated olives and feta cheese. I think I'm going to add some oregano from the herb garden. What I can't decide is this: should I cook the veggies? How is eggplant raw? My instinct is to roast the veggies, but: before or after I marinate them? Hmm...conundrums.

(Good lord, is this journal boring! If it's not me complaining, it's me wittering on about food! When do I get my Old Lady badge?)

It was a beautiful sunny day, and I spent the afternoon puttering around in the garden. The cat accompanied me, and spent her time pretending to be a street-savvy Wild Animal. She very nearly went after a bumblebee who was working the hyacinths, but wisely decided he was out of her league.

I then went inside, and re-potted some of the seedlings I'd started that were getting too big for the starter trays. Remember the baby pictures I posted of my seedlings? Well, look at my pumpkins now:



THEY ARE READY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD!

I also have a FANMIX up at sherlockmas. Check it out, and feel free to point and laugh at my taste in Angsty Chick Music. :P

In conclusion, SPRING IS FINALLY HERE! OMG, LOOK:



Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' 'bout! Happy weekend, everyone. xx :D

And now, to work on the latest Music Battle Challenge from evilhippo. This one is FIENDISHLY DIFFICULT: I must tell a story through my song choices, without repeating any artists!

Comments

[tierfal.livejournal.com]

When do I get my Old Lady badge?
When you tell people their music is too loud, yell at children to get off your damn lawn, and acquire at least four more cats.

GET TO WORK. :D

Your pumpkins look awesome. (If I continue to compliment them, do you think they will treat me well when they become our overlords?)