I went out to the Konza this morning to take photos of wildflowers. I’ll be sharing a few over the next couple of days. This was one of my favorites.
Tag Archives: Summer
Dappled Sunlight
This is Hydrangea Grandiflora Paniculata “White Diamond” in early morning sunlight. (The purple flowers in the background are fragrant phlox.) Once my “diamonds” come into full bloom, I feel like summer, though not over, is starting to wind down and that I had better remember to enjoy the rest of summer while it lasts.
Last of the Daylilies
Thankfully, I have a few clumps of late season daylilies scattered around the garden, but their days are definitely numbered with only a few buds left to open … a reminder that the garden will soon be making its transition from being a summer garden to an autumn garden.
I think that this variety might be called “Autumn Accent”, but I am not positive about the appellation. Does anyone know “Autumn Accent” well enough to confirm or refute this? Thank you for any help. Have a lovely day!
Watermelon Dinner Salad
The other day I came across a recipe for a watermelon, tomato and red onion salad which was the inspiration for my Watermelon Dinner Salad. The flavors of watermelon and tomato blend surprising well and the cranberries add a little tang. This is a refreshing dish for summer and can be served as a light meal or as a first course.
Watermelon Dinner Salad
serves 6
For the Dressing:
1/3 c. Raspberry-infused White Balsamic Vinegar (or any similar fruity vinegar)
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T. honey
1/2 t. salt
For the Salad:
5 c. seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 c. sliced ripe tomatoes
1 1/4 c. sliced, peeled cucumbers
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into slices then torn into small pieces
1 – 1/2 heads romaine lettuce
Garnishes:
1/4 c. fresh basil leaves
1/3 c. dried cranberries
freshly ground pepper (I use a green and pink peppercorn blend)
honey
Directions:
1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar. Screw the lid on and shake until ingredients are well-blended.
2. In a large bowl, gently toss together the watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, mozzarella and dressing. Chill for about 1 hour before serving.
3. Just before serving, wash and dry lettuce and basil. Divide lettuce between plates. Top with salad. Garnish with basil leaves, dried cranberries and freshly ground pepper. Drizzle with a little extra honey. Enjoy!
Back Home
Having been back in town for a few days now, I am beginning to get caught up on my work and on my gardening. Here are a few pictures that I took this morning. By the way, that’s not a smudge on the top photo … it is a cluster of Russian Sage which can be seen in more detail at the far left in the bottom photo. Ok, so now it is back to work for me! Have a great day everyone!
“Double Dream” Daylily
“Double Dream” is one of the daylilies blooming in my garden today. It is somehow both showy (because of it s form) and subtle (because of its peach shade). I just couldn’t help sharing.
Have a wonderful day!
4th of July Cheesecake Cupcakes
An easy to make, fancy treat for the upcoming holiday!
Cheesecake Cupcakes
makes 12
12 Oreo cookies or Oreo Golden cookies
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
2/3 c. granulated white sugar
1/4 c. sour cream
2 lg. eggs
1 T. + 1 t. fresh lemon juice
2 t. vanilla or almond extract
whipped cream for topping
fresh strawberries, raspberries and/or blueberries
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin papers. Place one cookie in the bottom of each muffin paper. (The cookies will be a little smaller than the bottom of the muffin cups, but they puff out during baking.)
2. Using a large food processor or an electric mixer, process or beat cream cheese and sugar until perfect smooth. Add sour cream and process or beat until well blended. Add eggs, lemon juice, and extract. Process or beat until well blended and perfectly smooth. Divide cheesecake batter between muffin cups, filling until almost full.
3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until puffy and set in the middle. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. (The cupcakes will sink in the middle as they cool.) Once completely cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
4. When ready to serve, lift cupcakes out of pan, remove muffin papers, top with whipped cream and fruit. Enjoy!
Notes: The cheesecake batter is the same batter that I use for my Miniature Cheesecakes in Confectionately Yours. Either recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen until shortly before serving, then decorated at the last minute.
Happy Echinacea
It is a hot but glorious day here in Manhattan, Kansas and the purple coneflowers are just soaking up the sun. With the Linden tree out front gone, the echinacea which it had partially shaded are looking better than ever. Don’t they just seem to be loving summer? Now if only there were some butterflies out there …
Wild Daylily Gin & Tonics
After working in the garden much of the day yesterday, I made Wild Daylily Gin & Tonics to celebrate the first day of summer. Here’s to summer!
Wild Daylily Gin & Tonics
The blooms in these summery cocktails are edible and are meant to be eaten. They taste like cucumbers and are easiest to eat starting from the stem end.
Gin
Tonic Water
Lemon Slices
Hemerocallis fulva Blooms (See note below.)
(1) Pick fresh Hemerocallis fulva blooms. Remove and discard the pollen covered tips from the stamens. Gently wash blooms in cold water.
(2) For each G&T, fill a tall tumbler about 3/4 full of ice. Add lemon slices. Fill about 1/3 of the way with gin then top off with tonic. Gently stir. Place a daylily in the top. Enjoy!
Note: Do not eat true lilies or use them as garnishes. True lilies – plants in the lillium family (e.g. Easter Lilies, Asiatic Lilies, Oriental Lilies, etc.) – are poisonous. Daylilies are not true lilies. Ones of the wild variety are edible, though occasionally someone is allergic to them. Hemerocallis fulva – wild daylilies – are the only daylilies recommended for eating because, given the many different hybridized cultivars out there, it is possible that some one or another could make a person sick. Wild daylilies, the tall orange ones that are often seen growing wild along the side of country roads, are edible. I grow them in my garden and use the blooms to garnish beverages and salads. I haven’t tried eating the tubers, but I have read in several places that sauteed wild daylily tubers are quite tasty.
There are a number of articles available on cooking with daylilies. Here are a few links:
A Bird’s Bath
With temperatures soaring in Kansas today, it is no wonder this little cardinal decided to treat himself to a cool bath this morning. Doesn’t that look refreshing?
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A Taste of Morning 