Hope that all of you are doing OK - it looks like Frances did a lot less damage than feared, and hopefully Ivan will stay away. Me, I am doing ok - trying to get it all together for a trip to the other coast -travelling on faith and hope mostly. I will be leaving Wed evening and returning late Saturday.
We are harvesting loads of tomatoes from our garden. Tonight I made a ratatouille soup - simmered tomato chunks with butter and onions until it was falling apart, then added in a couple jalapenos (roasted, peeled, and chopped), a bell pepper (ditto) an eggplant and a couple summer squash. Seasoned with salt and garlic. Served over rice. I also warmed up some chicken in curry sauce and some cauliflower with melted cheese. Not your typical Labor Day barbecue, I grant you. But I am trying to get the foods in the fridge cooked and eaten before I am gone for those few days, except for foods that John might reasonably eat while we are gone.
It is hard to make the adjustment from cooking for 8 to cooking for three. Of course, it didn't go from 8 to 3 in one fell swoop. Still, it is a tough adjustment. There are always leftovers - that is a given. I am just trying to plan it so the leftovers will have a chance to be eaten in a reasonable time frame. I don't think my daughter's friends think I mean it when I invite them to share dinner but I do - there is always plenty of food to go around. I miss having a crowd to cook for (well, at least most of the time!). Some meals are just too much hassle to cook for only 3 people, but are worth it for a crowd. Tacos, for one.
My eggplants are finally setting blossoms. Of course, by the time I get eggplant the tomatoes will all be dead. Planning the timing of a garden is a lot tougher than planning a dinner! But at least it looks like I will get a few eggplant. There are also some baby bell peppers out there - I can't tell if they are on the Yolo wonder plants or the ones that are supposed to turn red. Guess I will have to wait and see. Of course, if I wait too long the local wildlife will eat them.
I planted a large pot of hardy mums out front. I hope that they make it OK. The weather here is so tough on vegetation, other than the trash maple weeds.
Life goes on.