#garden2table

Fresh from the garden this morning. This is the largest harvest so far 😂 #babysteps #gardenfresh #garden2table #backyardliving #aussieliving #aussiemum #sustainableliving #selfsufficiency (at Central Coast NSW) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4f_Jywh1ja/?igshid=qg1zmfee81vj

From #garden2table has been the theme of this years plant choices and I assure you preped for dinner here at Seaside Garden! #eatgreen #livegreen #begreen #instagramgardener #gardening #growgreen #gardenpride #gardenjoy #gardendesign #healthy #strong #🌱 (at Freeport, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz9tTKeJISj/?igshid=15614wjp4gm0w

そういう失敗があり、花の咲く繁殖成長ではなく、栄養成長になり、こんなに大きくそだったのかも！

The Entertainer 9/12/2015 As we say goodbye to Summer, and the really hot weather, we decided to have friends and family over for a simple dinner party on the deck. Prepping ahead of time keeps entertaining stress free. Dinner parties don't have to be daunting or expensive. Pictured is what we served: Watermelon Salad with Mint, Feta, and black olives, smoked ribs with our home made bbq sauce, chicken&veggie skewers made by our Tut, and homemade herb potato salad; all served with a Rosé Sangria. We didn't even set the table and went for a casual buffet. Everyone, including the hosts enjoyed and savored every moment! Photo Credit: George and Amanda Bouza

Herbs and Chilis can add so much flavor. Give it a go and have fun!

Inspiration Ignites Creativity! 8/12/2015 Friday my husband George and I went to this fabulous restaurant in DC called Komi. We went with the Chef's menu and wine pairing. It was refreshing having no choices and just enjoying each dish as it came out. We even had a sommelier not only pour our wines, he also educated us on the wines we were not familiar with. The meal lasted 3 hours and we were comfortably full. That meal was memorable not only for the food, but for the rock star Staff! Everyone made us feel welcomed That amazing led to a weekend of cooking and entertaining. Saturday we hosted a dinner party on our deck. It was the first time in weeks we were able to enjoy the space without excessive heat. We decided to do courses centered around Lemons and the bounty of our garden. George made his famous ham croquettes and I paired it with a preserved lemon Aioli. We paired the starter with George's Rosé Sangria and it was a huge hit! The next course was George's chilled Cucumber Soup and, followed by sliced tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil. Garden to table continued with the main course, my Mediterranean Chicken served over Israeli Cous Cous paired with a Spanish Rosé. I found a basic Chicken with Lemon and Olives... then I added wine, preserved lemon, lemon thyme, Russian Kale and I pan seared the Lemon to deepen the flavor to take it over the top! This is a great and easy one pot dish made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, pan seared Lemon, Preserved Lemon, Green Olives, Onion, Garlic, Russian Kale, Lemon Thyme, white wine and chicken stock. It was a huge hit! Our guests hung out past 11:30 and did not want to leave. The table was set simply with candles and cloth napkins. String lights added a soft glow creating an intimate setting. By the way the cloth napkins were simple tea towels from Ikea. You don't have to spend a lot to entertain well. Sunday, I used a container of my homegrown, homemade tomato sauce and created a yummy meat sauce topped with Basil from our garden. George paired it with is garlic bread and we paired it with a rustic Vino Tinto. We are so grateful to have the perfect kitchen to create wonderful meals together. Going out to dinner is really fun, but at the end of the day... there is no place like home!

Saucy in the Kitchen! 8/2/2015 Today is is all about sauces using what we have in the garden. My husband George LOVES chilies, he made two types of hot sauces. The Red one is made from our Cayenne and Red Jalapeños. He is fermenting them in a jar with salt and garlic for a couple of days. Then he will add vinegar and sugar to finish it off. The Green Jalapeños are cooked down with onions and minced garlic. Once cooled down, vinegar is added and blended. He even was able to use both fresh picked as well as frozen chilies from last summer.  Our tomato crop this Summer has been outta control, so I decided to make a hearty tomato sauce. I used tomatoes, Basil, Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, and Oregano from our Garden. Instead blanching the Tomatoes, I roasted them at 425 degrees for 25min. I love the flavor and they are so easy to peel. While they are cooling, I sautéed the onions and garlic. Once I peeled the Tomatoes, I added them to the onion and garlic. Then I added the herbs, salt, pepper, red pepper flake, and 1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar. It will cool on low all day. Once it cools, put the sauce into containers. You can freeze it to enjoy later when tomatoes aren't in season.