From The Garden

Good morning from Applejack Lane.  Last night when I perused the garden, I found our first tomato along with a few cucumbers and peppers! 

So, this is what I have on my kitchen countertop for today.  I'll join Marty  at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday.

Grilled Corn

Good evening from Applejack Lane.  My hairdresser, Norman, persuaded me to grill corn this evening for dinner.  It was great!  Since there was only two of us, I just fixed three ears.
First of all, the corn must be young and fresh-an absolute must.  Corn that is too old is just hard and tasteless!  I always sneak a peak in the market to see if it meets the standards that my dad and mom taught me to look for.  And this time of the year, country markets get the best if you don't have your own garden!

Here is what I did.
1.  Peel back the husk, but don't tear away..
2.  Remove the silk.
3.  For 3 ears, I used about 1/4 stick of BUTTER! ( Does this sound like Paula Deen?)
4.  Sprinkle with parsley.  I have my own supply dried from my herb garden.
5.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a little salt.
6.  Rewrap the green husk over the corn.
7.  Tie with a string to keep husk around the ear.
8.  Soak corn in a deep pan of water for about 20 minutes.
9.  Grill corn for about 20-25 minutes, turning several times.  The husks will get dry but should not catch on fire.  I put the ears on a second grilling ledge so it does not get too close to the flame.
10.  Remove ears from the grill and discard the husks.  The corn is buttered and seasoned, ready to eat.
11.  Enjoy!

Yummy!

Happy July 4th!

Happy July 4th from Applejack Lane!

Thanks to Willie Ferguson and Jim Chestnut for constructing these metal sculptures for us Stauntonians and visitors to enjoy this holiday and every day!

Spicey Grilled Shrimp

 What's cooking on Applejack Lane?  This week we had Spicey Grilled Shrimp along with wild rice and fresh cucumbers out of the garden.  This is a simple and tasty way to fix shrimp on a hot summer day.

1 clove garlic finely minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 pounds of peeled and deveined cooked shrimp

Combine all the ingredients to form a marinade.  Pour over shrimp and stir until shrimp is well covered.  Let sit in the refrigerator for several hours.  Place shrimp on skewers.  Grill on each side for 2 minutes.  Enjoy!

I am joining  Foodie Friday with Designs By Gollum.

An Eagle Has Landed!

An eagle has landed here at Applejack Lane just in time for July 4th decorating!  My friend Valerie from Snap Peas  brought  me a get-well gift today, and I just have to share him. Here he is- Baldwin, the Eagle! I love his rusty accents and his prominent beak. I am glad he arrived to celebrate the 4th with us!  Now, I need to find the perfect perch for him to rest-some place up high, I imagine.

Our friend  Brenda from The Rusty Thimble crafted him, and here is some good news to share.  Brenda has a has a new giveaway-a dear witch!  Check out her blog at The Rusty Thimble to sign up by July 14!

Happy July 4th!

Easy Summer Salsa

Along with gardening comes the choices of what to do with the produce. Here is an easy, peasy basic salsa recipe.  You can double or triple the recipe as needed.

5 large tomatoes diced or two 15 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes
1 finely chopped onion
2-3 hot peppers finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
cilantro

Mix all ingredients together.  Let sit several hours or overnight.
Serve with your favorite chips.  We like the Mission strips.  You can put a lot of salsa on just one!

Fresh From the Garden

Cathy's  gardening efforts  are starting to reap delicious benefits!

Thus far, we have had six perfect cucumbers

and

two messes of sugar snap peas!

The sugar snap peas are great with a little olive oil as a coating and a couple of clove garlics minced with a dash of thyme.  Bake at 450 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. 

Happy gardening!