Baked Okra with Garlic & Tomatoes

Baked Okra with Garlic & Tomatoes

I purchased some fresh okra at the farmers market.
I also bought fresh garlic and one tomato.
Coat an 8 x 8 baking dish with olive oil.
Chop okra into bite sized pieces
removing the end a the tip.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, dried oregano and more olive oil.
Toss mixture in the pan.
Slice 5 garlic cloves lengthwise into slivers
and sprinkle those over the top of okra.
Dice one large tomato and sprinkle it over the top,
(or you may substitute halved cherry tomatoes).
Half way through cooking time stir mixture.
Bake in 400 F oven for 40 minutes.

So fresh and delicious and no slimy okra.

BBQ Chicken

BBQ Chicken

We had our first outdoor BBQ yesterday.
Previously I marinated boneless skinless thighs overnight
in a simple soy, vinegar, sorghum and lemon concoction.
I did toss a few hickory chips over the briquets. 
Thankful for small gifts.

My Gardenia Blooms in June

My Gardenia Blooms in June

Nowadays there are so few fragrant plants,
so I am always pleased when my gardenia blooms.
This variety is known as a hardy gardenia
which means it can stand our colder winters.
During a hard frost we cover the whole shrub
with a sheet and then plastic over that,
to ensure it's longevity.

Blooms so delicate and fleeting,
I've brought a single blossom indoors
to enjoy the fragrance.

Steamed Hard-Boiled Eggs

Steamed Hard-Boiled Eggs

I came across a recipe for steaming hard-boiled eggs,
so I decided to try it out.
What a game changer. Steam the eggs for 10 minutes,
Using tongs place the eggs in a iced water bath for 15 minutes.
Remove eggs and then peel them.
The eggs turned out perfect and were very easy to peel.

Try steaming your eggs, you might prefer this method.
From now on, this is my go to method.