Shadow Shot Sunday #35

Tomatoes on the vine

Shadow Shot Sunday
Hosted by Hey Harriet

Bountiful Harvest

Our small garden got off to a rather slow start this year, but things have taken off in the past few weeks. We've had lots of summer squash and more tomatoes than we bargained for. The only tomatoes we planted were the yellow variety I started from seed earlier in the spring. However, tons of "volunteer" cherry tomato plants popped up in our plot. Instead of weeding some of them out, my husband just let them all do their own thing. As a result, we ended up with a jungle of tomato plants!! It's made for a near impossible job of picking, but I've done the best I could.

The best way to eat tomatoes is sliced and salted, right off the vine. I posted my favorite tomato recipe in an entry here. I've enjoyed reversing the colors on it this summer with yellow tomatoes and red onions rather than red tomatoes and yellow onions!

One of my favorite summer sandwiches!

Crisp bacon
"Jackby" cheese
Fresh guacamole
Homegrown yellow tomato
Shaved mesquite-smoked turkey breast
Piled on a bun with a little mayo & Dijon mustard

Favorite Five - Vegetables

Having spent eight years as a vegetarian, you can rest assured that I like my veggies. There are a few I don't care for, mushrooms being the most notable. They say your tastes change every few years, so I periodically try them again in one form or another. I still don't like them. I think it's as much the texture as the taste. Some vegetables, such as purple hulls and butter beans, I didn't like as a child but grew to love as an adult. Others, like Brussels sprouts, I wouldn't even try for years, but liked once I gave them a chance.

Here are my favorites:

1. Spinach - No doubt about it... my favorite! I like it in any form or fashion.

2. Tomato - Okay, it's technically a fruit, but I'm counting it as a vegetable here. I started yellow tomato seeds a few weeks ago and hope to have a big harvest of them this summer!

3. Onion - I like most kinds, but especially enjoy the red/purple variety when served raw in a salad or on a sandwich.

4. Summer Squash - I prefer yellow squash, not zucchini. Steam it, fry it, pickle it, bake it in a casserole, or just eat it raw!

5. Green Beans - This was my favorite vegetable as a child. I like canned better than fresh or frozen and whole beans better than cut.

I love potatoes but didn't include them on my list since not everyone places them in the vegetable category. So tell me.... what are your favorites?

Tomato Quiz

I saw this quiz on the MSN page today and thought it would be a good follow-up to yesterday's post. In answer to Marion's question, if my eyes had been closed I would never have known the tomatoes weren't red. A slightly different taste, yes...but most tomato varieties do have varying tastes and attributes. These actually tasted better than many of the red varieties in my opinion.

See what you know about tomatoes. I scored 8 out of 10 correct.

Tomato Quiz

Yellow Tomatoes

This was a pitiful summer for our tomato garden. Our first batch of plants all died, suddenly. It almost looked as if we’d purposely sprayed them with an herbicide. Our livestock partner shared some of his plants so we could try again. Round two made it, but didn’t produce much fruit. All we got were some cherry tomatoes. Nothing “sliceable” for sandwiches.

A couple of the plants he gave us were supposed to yield yellow tomatoes. Never having seen a yellow tomato, we were looking forward to the experience. Once it became apparent we weren’t going to get any from our plants, he brought us some of his. First I had to get over the mindset that tomatoes aren’t supposed to be yellow. However, I quickly discovered that they are delicious!!

I want to grow them next year!

Recipe Rehash

Here are a couple that are great for summertime.

This first one comes from the 1959 edition of the General Foods Kitchens Cookbook.

Tomato & Onion Salad

1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/4 cup olive oil or salad oil
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
6 firm tomatoes, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
Chopped parsley

Combine garlic and salt in small bowl;mash with a spoon. Stir in sugar, pepper, mustard, oil, and vinegar. Pour over tomato and onion slices. Sprinkle with parsley. Chill. Serve plain as a relish salad. Or serve on crisp greens. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Now, here's how I change things around. I triple all the dressing ingredients, except for the oil, and put them in a glass jar with a lid. Shake well and pour over sliced tomatoes and onions that have been layered in a bowl. We think it's best if it's marinated awhile in the fridge before eating.I often substitute minced garlic for fresh and never include the parsley.

This is also quite good over canned green beans (drained, of course) and onions!

Squash Casserole

Approx. 2 cups cooked summer squash
3/4 stick butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup grated cheese (I use the fiesta blend from WalMart)
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cups cracker crumbs (I use one tube of reduced-fat Ritz)
2 Tbs. sugar

Mash cooked squash, add other ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased dish and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Mid-August Ramblings

Rain, blessed rain! Having experienced the driest July on record in our county, we finally got some rain last weekend. I don't know what the "official" amount was, but we received 4.3" at our house from Sunday through Tuesday. We had another brief shower today and it looks like we'll get a little more over the next day or two. With the rain came cooler temperatures which I know was a relief for all our animals.


We often see does and their fawns grazing in our yard. Many times a doe will have twins with her. On several occasions this year we've seen a doe with triplets!


Despite frequent watering, the heat took its toll on our tomato plants. We're still getting a few, but are no longer overwhelmed with the harvest. I must say, though.... it was good while it lasted: bruschetta, tomato & onion salad, salsa, tomato sandwiches, spaghetti sauce and more.


I'm currently using Shelfari on my blog as a way to share some of the recent books I've read. It's a neat site in general, but I doubt I'll use it for more than that since there are some features about the site I don't like.


Tom, our original Boer billy goat, is still limping, but finally getting around a little better thanks to some antibiotics and a little TLC. We're still not positive what happened to him. It's not easy to examine a 200+ pound goat (with massive horns), but we think he either cut himself or was bitten by a snake. It was a little touch and go for awhile.... the vultures were on the ground with him that first day!


I collected owls when I was in college (they are my sorority mascot) and still think they are beautiful creatures. This puzzle by William Vanderdasson is entitled "Silent Watch". It measures 18" x 24", but is a large-piece format which made it easy to work. I completed it in just a couple of hours.

Mind Control Madness

I never cease to be amazed at things our government has done. This month's Discover Magazine had an item about something called Operation Midnight Climax. In the 1950s, as a part of a covert project called MKULTRA, the CIA set up a study in San Francisco where clients in a brothel were secretly dosed with LSD then observed from behind one-way mirrors!! Can you imagine?!? Call me paranoid, but there are times I wonder just how much is hidden from the American people. I'm NOT a fan of big government and I have my doubts as to what will happen following the election in November (depending on who wins).



On a lighter note.... our tomatoes are ripening in full force now. I made up our first batch of Tomato & Onion Salad this morning. I'm sure we'll have LOTS of it before the summer's over!



We made our first "donkey sale" today! Debbie, the first donkey born in our pasture, moved to a new home about two miles up the road. Recently we sold six goats to a friend to clear the weeds in his horse pasture. Shortly after he got them, two were killed by either dogs or coyotes. So.... Debbie was purchased to guard the remaining goats. I asked my husband what she thought of the horses at her new home (she's only been around cows, goats and other donkeys) and he said she immediately brayed at them. Poor girl, she probably thought they were donkeys, too. I know she'll be treated like a queen in her new home, but I hope she'll be happy away from her donkey family here. (this picture was taken a day or two after she was born almost three years ago)



How many of you actually go to Google's home page rather than using the Google tool bar? I always use the home page so I can see if they're featuring a "special" Google logo for the day. In addition to major U.S. holidays, they also celebrate famous birthdays and holidays from other countries/cultures. My brother sent me a link where you can see all the Google logos that have been used in the past.

Another Monday Movie Matinee

Seeing The Incredible Hulk on the big screen was never in my plan. In fact, I didn't figure I'd even watch it on video. However, my daughter can be very persuasive. So.... once again we trekked to the movie theater yesterday afternoon, this time with more favorable results. Having seen the 70s TV show some, it was fun to see Lou Ferrigno in a small part (as well as a clip of Bill Bixby). All in all, it was a pleasant way to spend a few hours on a Monday afternoon.





While in WalMart yesterday, I saw a big display of their "green" shopping bags. I thought back to Quid's post from the other day and immediately felt guilty. I decided to buy a few and see just how much of my stuff I could fit into them. I think the only plastic we left with was the bag the saleslady insisted on putting my chicken in. The real test will be if I can remember to carry them back to use again next time!





With the exception of a few moments watching my favorite scene from Ben Hur (my loving husband knows to call me when that part comes on), I spent most of last evening reading. I finished The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield and thought it was quite good. Kind of a gothic novel/ghost story. There were parts I had figured out ahead of time, but still lots of good twists.


We ate our first tomato of the season in a salad last night! We have TONS that are still green. I'm just waiting.....