Tomato Pie-- Another Food Setting Post!

A couple summers ago I heard about a tasty summer treat-- Tomato Pie.   Sounded tasty.  This summer I finally got to taste Tomato Pie at one of those fun eateries we like to frequent, Grits and Groceries.  Tonight I made my first Tomato Pie.  I WAS going to make it last night, but if you read the recipe at 5:30 -- you are a little late unless you want dinner at midnight.

First one must draw moisture out of the tomatoes.  Recipe calls for four large tomatoes, sliced about 1/4 inch thick.

Tomatoes and herbs

 The crust was made yesterday and rolled out this evening.  I am getting to like Martha Stewart, used her pie crust recipe.  This link didn't work today -- here is the recipe that I used.  2 cups flour, 1 1/2 sticks butter, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons ice water.  Pulse flour and salt in food processor, add butter, little at a time.  Once the mixture looks like coarse sand add ice water-- pouring through the chute while processor is on.  Once the dough holds together, wrap in plastic and chill at least an hour.  Prebake the crust for about 10 minutes...helps a little with the soggy crust.

Filled the shell with tomatoes.

Then comes the topping-- not heart healthy, just go with it. 

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup mayo

1 small onion diced

fresh basil & fresh parsley

some pepper

Spread mixture on tomatoes.

Bake 350 degrees for about 40 minutes until golden brown.  Cool completely (seriously???? We didn't wait too long...smelled wonderful)

Dinner's on the table---

Yes, we have some leftovers...dinner's side dish for tomorrow!

Gotta love the south and yummy summer dishes!  If you have tomatoes, give it a try!

©Copyright 2011 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

DUCK!!!!

DUCK!! If you go out on our deck you better duck ----the hummingbirds are moving fast and furiously.  During the majority of the summer we had three or four hummers who would guard our feeders, claiming them as their own.  For the last couple days we have counted 6 or 7 speeding by...could be more.   This picture looks serene...because these little guys are going so fast you need a radar gun to catch them.

On the deck I have my herbs, some have already flowered.  I let my herbs flower so they will reseed.  In the flower stage the hummingbirds LOVE the basil, mint, savory, and oregano.   Do you see the hummingbird in the photo below? 

OK, look below, photo cropped and you see it working the other side of the basil.  I spent a lot  of time trying to get a picture of the hummingbirds on the herbs.  Most of the time it was hide and seek.

Here we go... a little female. 

And another shot--- finally!

I tried to get a picture of a number of them swarming the feeders.  This one was guarding her feeder.  See her on the bar with the tree trunk in the background?  I have a couple suet cages that the Tufted Titmouse family is very fond of.  Yesterday there were six Titmice (?) along the railing and on the suet.

See the posturing with these two? 

Ok, how about a little closer?

The hummingbirds are like flying aces in a dogfight in the air.  Our show goes on from morning until dark, there is no down time.  I don't know how they can keep going!   Putting up hummingbird feeders is the best entertainment going! 

For those who get my postings via email, the last posting was updated with an identification of the mystery vine.  It is a Groundnut, Apios americana.  Very interesting history, check out this link for a fascinating read.

©Copyright 2011 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.

Summertime Stroll Along the Lakeshore

 This week the weather has been a bit cooler so we decided to take a little boat ride.  The lake level is lower because of the drought.  Most of the summer there is no sandy beach at all.  I noticed something growing along the shore while we were riding around.  It was pink and since I have had Joe-Pye Weed on the brain, I wondered if that was what we had just down the way a little bit. 

Since the sandy beach was open, today I took a little walk ---that is our dock in the photo above.   There were lots of deer tracks, but they stopped at our beach...nice.   Also saw some paw prints that could be the opossum that we have had in the yard twice recently. 

There were lots of fun plants to take photos of...first --the one who drew me to walk down the beach.

Asclepias incarnata, Swamp milkweed!!  --isn't she lovely? 

This hummingbird moth seems to like it, I tried a number of times to get a good photo of this little guy.

I am in love with this pretty pink bloom.  Certainly one I will add to my garden areas next year. 

All along the shore we have these hibiscus growing and reseeding with abandonment.   Hibiscus moscheutos-- Crimson-eyed hibiscus and its seedpods--look at all those seeds!

 I came across these little berries, love the blue color.  I believe they are on the Red twig Dogwood, but please correct me if I am mistaken. 

Cornus sericea, Red twig dogwood.  Aren't these berries fun?

Alnus serrulatta, Hazel Alder...I think.  These are the immature fruits. 

River Oats, Chasmanthium latifolium dot the banks.

 What is this you may wonder.......

 

compound leaves on a green twining vine. 

See the cluster of buds?  Looks like it is in the pea family, Fabaceae.

Look at this color...this is what confuses me.   If this is what I think it is, this bloom should be purple/lavender.....not reddish burgundy.

The pollinators seem to like it.

I think....IF it had purple flowers it would be a native Wisteria...Wisteria frutescens.  Any ideas??? 

The ID is in!!! Freda Cameron figured it out.  This beauty is a Groundnut, Apios american.  Truly a remarkable plant.   First ID was made with this link.

A weed with a pretty white bloom, one of the Polygonum family.  Hope it stays out of my yard.

And finally a little gross factor....lots of small insect gall on this leaf. 

I have been away from your blogs for the last little bit, hoping to get back into reading and commenting tonight and tomorrow. 

©Copyright 2011 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.