Today's harvest & 2 family favorite recipes

Thomas' friend, Ben, did a fabulous job of tending our little garden while we were off criss-crossing the USA.  We came home and our tomatoes were growing so well.  The tomatoes are still green, but there are growing in abundance.  Note to self: put the tomato cages up when you plant.  I recruited all of my little helpers today to help me get the cages around our tomatoes so they can grow tall and thrive.  Together we got the job done.

While Thomas was helping me set up a tomato cage we related it to the gospel.

mom: What's the purpose of the tomato cage?

Thomas: To help the tomatoes grow tall and strong.

mom: How can we relate the cage to the gospel?  What about the gospel helps us grow tall and strong and be the best we can be?

Thomas:  The scriptures, the prophet, teachers, prayer, repentance....

mom: Each of those things could be like a piece of the cage, all of which help us be our best, meaning who God created us to be.

Thomas: Yeah.

Caroline helped me clean our first crop: scallions.
 
They look yummy and smell so good.  My first thought was potato salad, but my waistline wouldn't appreciate that.  Diet can start tomorrow, right?  I asked Caroline what we should use the green onions for and she said, "Onion salad."  I asked her what's in onion salad, and she said, "Onions, carrots & celery."  Of course!

Wayne's steak tip marinade for his Camp Joseph meat/veggie kabobs sound like a great, healthy option for our scallions...maybe with some potato salad on the side:)

Wayne's Camp Joseph Beef Kabob Merinade:

1/2 Cup olive oil, 1/3 Cup Soy sauce, 4 scallions, washed and cut in 1/2, 2 large garlic cloves, minced, 1/4 Cup lime juice, 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp. cumin, 3 Tbsp. brown sugar.  Put all ingredients in blender and puree.  Pour into a large Freezer Zip-loc bag along with about 3 pounds cubed serloin tips.  Merinade for several hours.  Grill with veggies of choice.

Grandma Ellsworth's Potato Salad:

Note:  After tasting several sisters' renditions of this salad, I realize that my pouring pickle juice liberally from the jar makes for a rather pickley, less creamy potato salad.  I had no idea you could ease up and make this salad creamy.  So, just an option to remember.  I think my mom liked pickles too, because I never had a creamy version of this salad until I tasted my sister-in-laws' versions.  I was fascinated:)  You know, the more I talk about this salad, the better it sounds!

Another Note: I come from a family of 12.  This recipe served all of us easily.

Dressing:

1 Cup mayo

1 Cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped green onions

6-8 chopped pickles

salt and pickle juice to taste (like I said, I'm liberal at this point, but the salad will be creamier if you're not as pickle crazy as I am)

Mix together and chill in refrigerator.

Salad:

9-12 boiled potatoes (I use 12 if they are small/med. red potatoes & less if they are larger potatoes), chopped

8 hard boiled egg, chopped

Let potatoes and eggs cool a bit.  Add dressing.  Mix.  Chill.  Serve.