MzTeachuh's Enjoying Cooking and Gardening: Flower of the Week: Viola 7/12/13

MzTeachuh's Enjoying Cooking and Gardening: Flower of the Week: Viola 7/12/13: Cheerful faces, like a Kindergarten class, greet you in the morning. For such a delicate looking flower, violas are very resilient. Thi...

Flower of the Week: Viola 7/12/13

Cheerful faces, like a Kindergarten class, greet you in the morning.

For such a delicate looking flower, violas are very resilient. This hanging container has been in my garden since last Fall, blooming through the snow, and freezing temperatures (granted, the flowers were semi-sheltered.) Now, in the summer with over 100 F temps., they still flourish. Keep them watered, they love life!



And violas are edible! They have a faint radishy taste.

I sprinkled Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing over this salad. We liked it quite well, and, of course, it is beautiful.

Also, Viola is the name of  Shakespeare's heroine from  Twelfth Night.

MzTeachuh's Enjoying Cooking and Gardening: Gossamer Wings On My Mint!

MzTeachuh's Enjoying Cooking and Gardening: Gossamer Wings On My Mint!: A Butterfly Garden has been one of my goals this summer--and  I was more successful then expected. This year I have been more closely obs...

Gossamer Wings On My Mint!

A Butterfly Garden has been one of my goals this summer--and  I was more successful then expected. This year I have been more closely observing what I had thought were moths (I previously hadn't paid much attention to these tiny winged critters because I didn't think they were butterflies. What an elitist I was!)

...his fairy errand like the light and glittering gossamer before the breeze.

Now that I'm looking more closely, have been finding the most interesting butterflies.

This is a Edwards' Hairstreak Satyrium edwardsii. Not supposed to be this far west. 

His backside has camouflage--a faux eye and antennae that rub together to deceive predators. 

He is considered a 'gossamer-winged' true butterfly; the caterpillar depend on eating ants, which could be why they like my yard here in the desert.

This butterfly isn't even on the flowers I specially planted for the Butterfly Garden--he's really enjoying the flowering mint which is one of the easiest plants to grow. 

He's even compared to Puck in Midsummer Night's Dream:

  "...his fairy errand like the light and glittering gossamer before the breeze."

MzTeachuh's Enjoying Cooking and Gardening: Meatless Monday: Tia Melanie's Cheesy Mexican Omel...

MzTeachuh's Enjoying Cooking and Gardening: Meatless Monday: Tia Melanie's Cheesy Mexican Omel...: Cheesy Mexican Omelot This tastes so good, you don't even notice there is no meat. Living in southern California has advantages. Not...

Meatless Monday: Tia Melanie's Cheesy Mexican Omelet

Cheesy Mexican Omelot

This tastes so good, you don't even notice there is no meat. Living in southern California has advantages. Not just mountains, deserts, beaches and Disneyland, but authentic Mexican food. This is a very basic recipe for an omelet. I tweeked it a bit to fit our tastes here at home, but I think it is representative of SoCal cooking. Although it is not spicy, I must tell. I'm pretty much a gringo when it comes to that.



 Tia Melanie's Cheesy Mexican Omelet

Cheese starts melting.

Ingredients

5 eggs, well beaten          1/2 c. picante sauce, divided
12 tsb butter                      2 tsb milk
1/8 tsp salt & pepper        2 dashes (or 4 pinches) cumin
3 tbs fresh parsley
1 or 1 1/2 c shredded Mexican cheeses
(Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Queso Quesadilla and Asadero Cheeses)

It's fluffy.

Combine eggs, milk, 3 tbs picante sauce, salt, pepper, cumin; mix well. Melt butter in ten inch omelet pan. Heat until just hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Pour in egg mixture all at once.

As mix starts to cook, gently lift edges of omelet with a fork and tilt pan to allow uncooked egg mix to run underneath cooked part. When mix is set and no longer runs, sprinkle cheese on the omelet, cover pan and remove from heat. Fold omelet in half and place on warm platter. Top with remaining picante sauce. Serves 3 or 4.

Fairly easy to make, and muy delicioso. Lots of good protein, too.

MzTeachuh's Enjoying Cooking and Gardening: Flower of the Week: Gladiola

MzTeachuh's Enjoying Cooking and Gardening: Flower of the Week: Gladiola: Such ethereal beauty from an easy to grow flower. Gladiola are grown from bulbs planted in the autumn. By planting it forward,  we have ...