Greek Taverna!

Damn I love Greek food. So I took a fun class at the New School last weekend on Greek food. I had tried almost every dish that we cooked before, so I had a good idea of what it should all look and taste like. Now I have the recipes! So fresh, so good, so simple actually. 

My partner and I made Grilled Shrimp Skewers, Greek Salad, and Hummus! It was all very easy and scrumptious. I have often wondered why bother making hummus when what you can get at the store is so good. Now I know - because of the freshness (with no preservatives) and the control you have over the creaminess, garlick-y-ness, tartness, etc. It is definitely worth doing.
All of the other dishes were excellent. I would love to make all of them on International Night. Note to self: must initiate International Night. Perhaps this summer, first stop: Greece!

Lamb meatballs

Spanakopita

Moussaka

Weeknight tacos

Although I have not been making a ton of new, fabulous and adventurous recipes lately, I have been really having success with the regular every day stuff. That's pretty much what I've wanted, to whoop together delicious food, easily, without a recipe, just using whatever is on hand. That and the occasional fabulous dinner party knock-your-socks-off, how-did-she-do-that kind of meal. But that's only on occasion.

Farm

Volunteered at the farm, got paid in organic produce and knowledge! This time, I actually got to harvest something- exciting! We harvested 3 different types of squash and pulled the cabbage out, ending the season on that (I think). We also pulled the kale out, totally done for the season, meanwhile the tomatoes planted in the same beds are starting to take off, and need posts and twine to climb. Exciting! In the next couple of weeks, I will see the plants that I helped transplant and get into the ground, climb, grow and fruit. I am proud already.
Here are some photos, I never knew how that flying saucer-looking squash grew.

4 varieties of organic squash

With basil and greek oregano from my garden. Some of the squash I harvested myself! All from friends' gardens.

Johnny Rebs

It had been awhile since I had eaten at Johnny Rebs! I remember liking it, but not having my socks knocked off or anything. But last weekend it was exceptionally good! Pulled pork (my standard) with collard greens and cornbread - Deeeeelish! I had a bite of my friends wedge salad with tri-tip which was also very good. Aside from the food being wonderful, and surprisingly quick on a Sunday, the service was also outstanding. Several people asked how everything was, and how they could help, etc. And not in a we-don't-care-we-just-have-to-ask kind of a way. It felt like a very neighborhoody, southern, warm kind of a place I'd like to frequent. I can't wait to go back and try a wedge salad and maybe some black eyed peas this time, or another seasonal side. I should have taken pictures of the bathtubs outside filled with flowers, next time!

Collard greens

The collard greens I picked up from the farm inspired this meal. I looked online for recipes, and found one that looked easy enough. And it was fantastic!

Barbecued chicken and sausage, grilled squash with a basil/yogurt sauce, and stewed collard greens with bacon.

farm work

Another volunteer Saturday at the farm. This time it went by quickly, and I feel like I didn't do that much. I'm realizing that farming is serious, unending work. You have to be organized, and think about what comes next, in the coming days, weeks, months and execute your plan.
This time, I hammered in stakes for the tomato vines to grow up. Kind of exciting, because the tomato seedlings I had repotted in larger containers in the greenhouse were actually going in the ground!

I also helped hoe the ground, add amendment (fish blood I think) and plant three varieties of potatoes (red white and blue ones). It will be a couple of months before harvesting these, but I'm excited to see them grow in the coming weeks. 

Finally planted my herb garden!