Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

Posted on Monday, August 18, 2008 at 09:20

The tomatoes are loving the heat and are all ripening at once. They are very nice tomatoes; big, juicy and tasty. Nothing like a large slice of tomato on a toast for breakfast with a little Spike. It looks like I need to start making things with the tomatoes, though. We can't eat that many on toast. I would like to dry a few for my experiment, otherwise I will can them for spaghetti sauce.

I can't believe it's already the 18th of  August! I saw the farmers putting out bins in the orchard yesterday and commented to Vanessa that bartlett harvest starts next week and she was in total denial. LOL. It can't possibly be that late in the summer, can it???  Where did it go? Well, I think she is a bit confused 'cause it takes until the middle of October for the orchardists to be done picking the different varieties of pears. It's the big crop of the Valley so it's a big deal!

We are all done picking one white nectarine tree. Things ripened a bit too quick for us with this heat and we were so busy with the North West Youth Conference that a few were over ripe. I am looking forward to the other nectarine tree more than this one.

I am adding some produce pictures just as a garden record:

It's kind of a little hobby for me to make vegetable gift baskets for people I know don't have a garden. This one was given to our new pastor's family.

I made Red Curry and Rice for the potluck at the North West Youth Conference. It was a hit! There wasn't a scraping left and I was asked how it was made several times.

Red Curry

Use about 4 cups of gluten pieces. This can be homemade. Prepare ahead and keep in freezer for easy use. Or buy Bits and Pieces from Creative Cuisine .

In large wok or skillet, sauté a sliced onion, in a little oil.

Add gluten

2 T Curry paste.  Pataks Mild Curry with Cilantro and Cumin

Buy at World Market - $3.99 or online at: www.qualityspices.com, $3.49 plus shipping.

1 8 oz can stewed, diced tomatoes

4 -6 oz water

Heat and serve with plain rice

Here's the gluten recipe I use:

Jeanne’s Gluten

2 ½ c Do-pep fluff before measuring

¼ c. wheat germ – very important to cut the gluten fibers & make your gluten tender

½ c quick oats –as the oats swell it forms pockets to fill with gravy

1 tsp garlic pwd.

1 T onion pwd.

3 pkgs of golden broth or chicken broth

Dash of Cayenne

Mix & form bowl. Pour in : 2 ½ c cold water. Mix well and use your hand.

Use a container to shape the gluten. Rinse container in cold water to keep from sticking. Refrigerate gluten. Allow enough time for oats to swell.

Broth:

Fill pot ¾ full of hot water. Add: 8 pkgs golden broth – or other, chicken seasoning, vegetable bullion, liquid aminos, and or chicken seasoning. Add: ¼ c parsley flakes. Bring to rolling boil.  The broth must be seasoned so that the broth does not take the flavor out of the gluten or the gluten out of the broth.

Buy Better Than Bullion, vegetarian, no chicken base,  at Albertsons.

Cut gluten with scissors into thick rectangular pieces. And place in broth. Keep at a rolling boil for 45 mins. Use lid. Don’t stir – this makes your gluten fall apart.

For Steaks use McKay’s beef style seasoning instead of chicken /light broth. Add a speck of cayenne pepper, soy sauce and veggie beef bullion. Allow gluten to sink in broth (store gluten in broth to keep juicy.) Bread steaks, then fry and serve.