I can't let Teresa, my sister, be the only one to publish pretty pictures of produce and canned goods!! Unlike Teresa, I've been pretty lazy this summer. I've been getting my veggies from the very generous neighbors. They just come into our basement and leave veggies most every day. I have a deal with Dick, our end-of-the-runway neighbor that he brings me baskets of okra and the next day I set out jars of pickled okra for him. I keep half and he gets half. Seems like a good deal. Here's a picture from last night as I was sorting thru the day's bounty.

I ended up making fried okra, apple/muscadine grape jelly, and a wonderful eggplant dish last night.



Here are photos of each - I've included the fried okra just in case any of Teresa's people up in the far off North Dakota see this....





I know, it's kindof hard to figure out what to do with an over-abundance of EGGPLANT....but the same neighbor who gives me the eggplant gave me this wonderful, easy, recipe for a eggplant salad. It has such a nice, nutty roasted flavor - cold or hot.

Eggplant Salad

Several eggplants
Several onions

Cut eggplants into 1" cubes and onions into "stringy" slices

Cover bottom of large, shallow pan with olive oil

Evenly distribute eggplant and onions - salt and pepper to taste

Bake at 400 degrees until eggplant changes color, turning a couple of times

Remove from oven and toss with the following:
Fresh or reconstituted garlic, minced (powder if it's all you have)
Fresh basil leaves if you have it, dried if you don't
A little lemon juice

If the salad tastes a little bland, you probably didn't salt it enough!!!

Here's the photo of some of my kitchen products...the jelly actually is more of a jam since I didn't have any cheesecloth to strain the juice....it's easier to spread than jelly anyway!












OK, I promise not to bore you with any more foodie stuff...one last photo. This is of the extra peppers I've not been able to use. They're drying nicely. Will be great for dropping in that pot of chili beans this fall!




Be good or be careful!!