Summer Treats

So summer has definitely taken over my life.  I have been keeping myself busy with random things as well as not making myself meals.  I am what everyone should call a "slacker," but while slacking I have for sure been enjoying myself with fishing trips, trips to the lake, and hanging out with great friends.  Well with all that out of the way I am  back to blogging.  I am making a new goal to get back into this and do at least two blogs a week!!  Seems like a big goal but I can do it.  So on that note lets get down to business...summer love.  

The garden is INSANE and I of course don't have an updated picture, but it is crazy.  The cucumbers have taken over, which is fine because I love them.  Today Matt and his parents picked seven, count them SEVEN cucumbers.  I am trying to perfect my cucumber salad.  

Tonight I started with my usual, two cucumbers thinly sliced along with an onion thinly sliced.  You then need to put these in a bowl or colander with a tablespoon of salt and let them sit for a bit.  Tonight I was antsy to eat so they didn't sit as long as they should but oh well.  Add a little white wine vinegar and sour cream and you have a great summer treat.  Oh I forgot the best part.....fresh dill.  I honestly think the dill makes the dish, so delicious.  I also just eat these cukes plan with some ranch.  I will have to learn to like them many new ways since I think we will have them until next year.

For dinner I felt the need to use some more garden goods.  Fresh basil is probably one of my favorite things to use.  I have the perfect recipe to use it in as well.  I am not sure exactly where the recipe came from but I am pretty sure it came from my Aunt Theresa.  

 Four ingredients and some pasta and you can make a great pasta and marinara sauce.  It is so simple.  I just took a 1/4 cup on olive oil and sauteed the garlic in it until it became fragrant.  Then I put two cans of diced tomatoes in and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.  Before serving throw in 8-10 chopped basil leaves, add some salt and pepper and throw over pasta.  This is so yummy and I love how quick it is to make.  Quick and simple delicious dinner with fresh ingredients from the garden!!  I think that is the part that makes me the most happy, that I grew some of my own parts of the meal!

Ok on to the amazing house I live in.....ugh.  So lets see in the past three week our newish tv crapped out, my cell phone crapped out, our a/c stopped working (this was by far the most horrible and expensive to replace), the kitchen drain was draining on the floor, the coffee maker stopped working, the sewer was backing up in our basement.....and Matt lost the only set of the truck keys.  I mean honestly, the ac breaking was enough.  I can finally use the phrase and mean it "when it rains it pours!"  One day at the house it was 90 and it felt better outside than it did inside.  Needless to say we spent a few nights at the in-law's (thanks for the hospitality Pat and Janene!)  The next big task was getting the crap out of the basement (literally)  thank goodness for this handy boyfriend I got.  Forty bucks will get you a roto rooter for four hours....and voila, poop be gone!!