Eating:  Tonight we are making a recipe that we first tried a couple weeks ago, Tagliatelle with Fresh Corn Pesto  http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/08/tagliatelle_with_fresh_corn_pesto  We use fetuccini because our grocery store doesn't carry tagliatelle but whatever.  It has a great corn flavor, making terrific use of the fresh sweet corn we just can't seem to get enough of this time of year.  It has a rich creamy flavor which tastes almost like carbonara (the bacon in there helps with that taste too!), and is really pretty easy to make.  Yum... my mouth is watering just thinking about it. 
This recipe came from an issue of Bon Appetit from last summer.  They had 3 whole menus, from appetizer/first course, to entree, side dish and dessert, each featuring a different abundant summer produce item: Corn, Zucchini, and Tomatoes.  And yes, there was a corn dessert and a tomato dessert.  Both sounded quite tasty but have not yet been tried by me.
A subscription, even if just for 1 year, to a cooking magazine is a great way to introduce yourself to new recipes.  And unlike most magazines which you read and then toss, you can keep them around forever and keep trying new things, or going back to old favorites.  And they usually have pictures for all the recipes, a big plus in my book.

Reading: I am finishing up Rhoda.  She is now in her late 50s/early 60s, as spunky as ever.  The story I finished last night took place in Paris.  Now I want to go back to Paris...
I selected my book for Sunday bookclub.  If you recall, I was trying to decide between a classic that I loved and wanted to re-read, or a classic that I had not read but think I should.  I ended up picking Pride and Prejudice, the one I should have read but have not.  The reason I went with this one is that it has been on my shelf to read for about 5 years and on my list of "books to pick for bookclub" for about 3 years.  What better time than "The Year of Classics" to pick it?  I don't anticipate loving it but at least when I am done, I can check it off my list.  And isn't that really what it is all about?  Checking things off our lists?  I love lists.

Weeding: The new veggie bed is done (need to get pics on this blog) and waiting to be filled with soil/compost.  It is big enough to bury a body in.  Not that I need to bury a body...
Did I ever tell you about our "volunteer" tomato plants that started growing in one of the compost bins?  It is one of the inactive bins, one where we are not currently adding to it or doing anything with it.  We noticed there were some things growing in there and realized they were tomato plants.  We let them go, just to see what they would do.  We now have at least 3 giant plants, one with cherry tomatoes on it, another with larger tomatoes (type yet to be determined) and probably another cherry (it is hard to see what is going on in there, really).  I harvested the first 6 "compost tomatoes" last night!  Don't know that we will get a whole lot out of them before it freezes but does it really matter?  They were free!  I love volunteer plants.  Last year I added some compost when transplanting some plants including day lilies.  A while later I noticed something growing next to a daylily.  I let it grow to see what it might turn out to be (didn't appear to be a noxious weed, so why not?).  A few months later, I harvested an acorn squash out of the daylilies.  And boy, was it good!

Off to cook dinner.
Hallie

Weeding: Today we planned/designed the new raised veggie bed and purchased the supplies.  Tomorrow is building day. So exciting that we are actually going to get this done so that it is ready to plant next spring!
Also, stopped by the greenhouse for sunflowers, mums and ornamental peppers to spruce up the few planters I have on the front steps.  The pansies in them have been neglected too long and are looking terrible (leggy, sparse, few blooms). 

Reading: Still reading Rhoda.  She is now in her 30s and not very likeable.  It is still good to read, though.  It is one thing when a character is not likeable but you can tell that she doesn't like herself either.  It is another when a character is not likeable and doesn't know it (examples that come to mind are whats-her-name in Eat Pray Love and Julie in Julie and Julia).  Those are characters I don't even care about and don't like to read about.  I am just waiting for Rhoda to hit bottom and turn it all around.  The writing is so good - just love it!

Eating: I made a triple batch of Bolognese sauce this afternoon.  I had planned to use fresh tomatoes for at least part of the tomatoes but after finely chopping 2 onions, 3 stalks of celerey and 4 smallish carrots, I was done chopping for awhile and used canned tomatoes as the recipe calls for.  The other veggies and herbs (rosemary and parsley) were fresh, though.  I puree the sauce instead of leaving it chunky - E would spend too much time picking out the chunks if I served it as is.  This way, he gets all the goodness of the veggies (taste- and nutrition-wise) without the work.  I add the meat (usually just ground beef but maybe Italian sausage or pancetta if I have them) after the blending - pureed meat is not appetizing.  Will freeze this sauce so we have go-to dinners in the freezer.  Just cook up the rigatoni and get a little bread to soak up all the tomatoe-y goodness!  This is a Weight Watchers recipe, from the old point system (4 servings, 6 points as written), the Pure Comfort cookbook.  I have no idea how it translates to the new system. 
Rigatoni Bolognese
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion
1 celery stalk
1 carrot
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2# lean ground beef or turkey
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
1/4 C. flat-leaf parsley
1/4 C. dry red wine or beef broth
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
2 C. rigatoni
1/4 C grated parmesan
Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Finely chop onion, celery, carrots and parsley.  Heat oil in large saucepan over med-high.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 5 mins. Add celery, carrot and garlic; cook until softened, about 5 mins.  Add beef (unless pureeing sauce later) and cook until browned, breaking apart.  Stir in tomatoes (undrained), parsley, wine, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally until bubbly, about 5 mins. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 mins.  Discard rosemary and bay leaf. 
Meanwhile, cook rigatoni per package instructions.  Drain and transfer to large bowl.  Add sauce and toss.  Sprinkle with cheese and basil just before serving.

My notes: after sauce has cooked, transfer to blender in small batches (no more than half a blender-ful at a time - ask me how I know) and puree until desired consistency. Stir in browned beef (or turkey sausage or whatever meat you like) and continue with instructions above.  Or, let it cool and freeze in freezer bags in smaller batches.  I always mark mine with contents, date, and instructions ("add to 1 C rigatoni" if it is a half batch, for example). 

A tasty way to get some of your daily veggies in.  Enjoy!

Until we eat again,
Hallie