Monday, October 6, 2008

First Fall Frost ~ Some Late Summer Food Dishes!

Tonight we're expecting our first frost of the season. Bummer! Worried about covering my flowers, but still have some plants in my big vegetable garden. Bell peppers, sweet peppers, and my cherry tomatoes are still coming. Our big tomatoe plants are about done, and the cabbage and pumpkins will hold up for awhile. I'm going to pick the last of the sunflower heads, to dry for snacks.

Evenings have been cold. There was already a slight frost this morn, seems to get colder out here in the country. I remember walking out by the cow fields, last year after the first frost, and noticing a spider frozen in it's web. Funny how mother nature rules the wild!

I thought I would post the last of my easy summer dishes for my food blogger friends. I've frozen much of my garden yield this summer, to consume throughout the winter months.




Our neighbor boats and fishes on Erie lake, and he threw some Walleye filets my way. I baked those babies in the oven tonight, with some fresh garlic, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, and some breadcrumbs.












I also make a killer shrimp scampi, with butter and garlic sauce. Here I put in some chopped broccoli. I used thin spaghetti instead of linguini, and topped with parmesan cheese. I forgot to use my cheery tomatoes would have been good too!












A past dish I made was stuffed tomatoes and bell peppers. You can use stuffing, and sausage or both. I topped with cheddar cheese. The next time I will wait til the last 5 minutes to put on cheese, which got brown, but was still very good!












Last but not least my sunflower heads were dried in the sun, and I removed the seeds from the heads. I kept one head of small ones to put in my birdfeeder, which the birds went nuts over. I took the remaining bigger seeds, and toasted them in the oven. After toasting I added 1 tbsp of butter to the toasted seeds, and laid them out on paper towels, and sprinkled them with alittle table salt. You can soak them overnight in salt water before roasting, but I hate too much salt. A wonderful low calorie snack to eat at your desk while composing your blogger, with a hot cup of tea or cocoa! Looking forward to warm Fall food dishes! Off to cover the plants!

11 comments:

Jo Janoski said...

Yummy! Especially the stuffed peppers. Love them! Isn't this time of the year great?

Jo A. T.B. said...

I like stuffed peppers too Jo, just made stuffed cabbage over the weekend. This time of year just beautiful.

ochikeron said...

Your dishes are gorgeous!!! Those all look healthy! I like browned cheese!!!

Spider frozen in it's web?! Temperature drops that sharp?! I'm surprised!!!

How big your sunflowers are!!! I never saw this big ones for real!

I'm very excited ;)

Jo A. T.B. said...

Hi Ochi,

I'm glad you like them, still trying to figure out picture size on my blogger. What size to use!

It gets down in the 30's for a frost, much too cold for a lot of bugs. The spider was neat to look at, of course I didn't have my camera!

Yes, sunflowers can get really big, my and my neighbors got to be taller than me, to a height of at least 6 feet or more. Funny to watch the birds when the heads hang down to get at the seeds!

Maggie said...

Everything looks yummy!

I am so tired with this new schedule that my cooking is going to the wayside. I did manage to cook some chicken fajitas, refried beans, and rice last night, but tonight it's anyone's guess as to what we eat!

You asked about fried apples. I do them very simply. I core, seed, and slice gala or Granny Smith apples. I drop them into a skillet with heated butter (I usually use Smart Balance). Then I add some sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. I don't really measure, but my best guess is about 2 tbps of sugar and 1/2 to 1 tsp of the spices. You can also add some warmed hazelnuts or walnuts and stir well. Just adds a nice crunch to it.

Jo A. T.B. said...

Hello Maggie,

Chicken fajitas are my favorite, and I love refried beans.

Your apple recipe sounds wonderful, nuts would taste great with them! Thanks! :)

Anonymous said...

I would like to eat the first and last, but will pass on the others. Great Post!

terrymcdermott said...

That is my comment above.

Jo A. T.B. said...

Hi Terry,

Thanks! I take it you don't like shrimp! The first and last are good choices! Cooking is another passion of mine!

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Beautiful! Makes me hungry! (It's supposed to SNOW here Saturday and Sunday....)

Jo A. T.B. said...

Wow Joyce,

We are going back into Indian Summer here this weekend, we will be 75-78. Here I am complaining and you're already getting snow!

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