It's late, you just walked into the house after an all afternoon shopping trip, or after spending all day working hard in the garden. Dinner is due in less than an hour, and the last thing you want to do is spend more time on your feet in the kitchen. Your mind grasps after something easy and quick to make. Macaroni, Spaghetti?
Neither. That is, not if it's August and you have three gardens that the LORD has blessed with abundance this year. Instead of searching in the cupboard for starchy noodles, you step outside to your summer "pantry" and see what's available in the garden. In no time at all the beginning of a delicious stir-fry is sizzling on the stove. A stick of butter and a couple handfuls of Beans, both green and yellow wax make a good start (of course it's always helpful if the Beans were already snapped the day before :).
While the Beans are cooking you snatch a yellow and green Zucchini, and that Eggplant the neighbor gave you the other day and slice them. (note: we found that Eggplant is not good in stir-fry, it disintegrates too fast) When the Beans feel just right, you toss in the sliced Zucchini stirring them around, then you quickly slice a couple Banana Peppers and throw them in too. After letting it all cook down together, you add the finishing touch of some more butter, two or three crushed Garlic cloves and a few snips of some fresh Cinnamon Basil. You give it a stir and take a whiff. Ahh! Delicious! Your main dish is finished, and while it was cooking the side dishes were accomplished in no time at all.
A plate of glowing garden-fresh sliced Tomatoes,
Some wonderful colorful Beets, tasty Beets greens salted just so, and of course a large fresh picked salad!! There you are, a delightful quick garden bounty dinner.
The garden provided everything for this dinner................................
... except for the chickpeas :)
~Chs
