Now this is Fantastic~ LONG post though~

So the weekend flew by..even with a full day of rain..
Rain is soothing in fall..do you find?I do..leaves twirling..colors..etc..
It's Sunday evening right now....chilly..and we have this in the oven..but with chicken breasts..figs are still gorgeous and available here..from elsewhere..and I still have sage..no frost yet..
I have made a few of her recipes that we have loved..
So I bought her book:)
It's here and I can put all the recipes I have made from her in it..
She is a lovely girl..with great recipes..cute family..My daughter's 39th birthday dinner was from her:)  The recipe..that is..
And how nice the feeling encouraging hard work and talent.
Now I have to YouTube and get a refresher course on how to tie my meat..I promise I once knew how!
Today?
Snip here snip there...

Garlic is planted:)  I have 6 rows of ap 5 bulbs..so I should technically get 30 bulbs of cloves  if we are lucky..next summer~
If it works..I will chose a larger bed..this is make shift full sun beside my blueberry bush..things got moved around and I enriched the soil ..Fingers crossed..
Tulips are done too.I treat them like annuals now as most of the ones I favor do not come back:(
So Parrots this year..and we will see..
Oy was feeling quite oy..afterwards.:)
She needs a good scrubbing before she goes south in the potting shed.
So 5 beds are down.and counting..It was so much easier 12 years ago.

I love Pinterest and whatwouldIdoifitdisappeared?
I pin recipes....ideas..quotes..words..so many folders so much stored stuff all in one perfectly neat adorable package that follows us wherever we go as long as there is WI~FI..
Our rceipes and lists can come anywhere with us..no books to drag recipes to bring..it's all there.
I Pin art I love..art lessons..
Like his little one I found..
A Pumpkin drawing/painting class..
I think it's meant to be for kidlets..but I enjoyed it and I paint like a kid.
I actually like his voice..and felt good following his ways.It was quiet..not rushed.. and not too long..
Sometimes I tune in and they lose me talking fo so long before they start.
I would be guilty of that:) ..I did not use the dryer.I like quiet.
Take some paper.. a pencil .. a permanent pen..some paints and have fun.
A cup of Green Seduction David's tea...is nice doing it too.

When I saw and read about this dish..on Pam's Blog..
I just knew I would have to make it..and waited until I had the kale..beautiful kale..
It would be on my top 10 salads list..
..and I made errors..
Imagine..and it was still so good.
I forgot the pecorino..and only had dried tarragon..
plus..I  had already bought Chioggia beets so they needed to roast longer....
It's not a salad you whip up at the last minute..because your beets need to roast and you cook your bacon and garlic and wilt the kale..
But to us it was a meal..not a side..so worth the time..
I love quinoa..love beets.. balsamic..kale.. garlic..and  bacon.
I served the dressing on the side..only because once I plated it..I knew my whole sliced beets would look off w/ the delicious dressing on them..
All cut up..perfecto..but in slices..I wanted to see the color..so I put the dressing after.
A beautiful sprig of fresh tarragon would look lovely if you are serving like this.
Pam has lovely recipes..and is an accomplished professional photographer..when you click on her site..make sure you check out her Photography blog.  and her other blogs:)
I was in awe when I discovered it..I would take photo lessons from her..my grandsons and family would benefit greatly.

SO talented.
And the colors of fall~♥

La Recette~
Courtesy of Pam and Donna Hay
Balsamic,Roasted Beets ,Kale and Quinoa Salad~

1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar(I think you could get away with less)
2 tbsps olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 kg of baby beets trimmed and  scrubbed clean(I used reg Chioggia beets)I used less..just 2 of us..
1 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
1/2 cup red quinoa rinsed(I used reg quinoa..I have red prefer reg. don't know why:) )
12 ounces of speck or bacon thickly cut..I used bacon and used 4 slices
14 ozs purple kale stems removed and roughly torn..my kale seemed all green:)
3 garlic cloves sliced
shaved pecorino to serve..

Preheat oven to 400..in a shallow pan place balsamic vinegar sugar 1 tbsp of oil ..mix..add your beets.. s and p..roast covered in foil for 1/2 an hour..remove foil roast an additional 30 minutes(Mine took much longer,I wanted knife point tender and my beets were reg sized)..
Remove from oven ..add tarragon leaves to the cooking liquid and set aside.
While the beets are roasting cook your quinoa in 1 cup water (I used broth)..Bring to a boil and cook for ap 15 minutes..mine took less long.. remove cover and continue to cook until water evaporates..(I don't have this need)..remove from heat and  set aside..I always like to cook my quinoa way ahead of time..so it cools.
Heat the remaining tbsp of oil in a pan and cook bacon until crispy..remove bacon and add garlic..  cook until fragrant..
add kale and cook until just wilted..ap 2-3 minutes..mine took longer..
add the kale mixture to the quinoa..(I did the opposite I added the quinoa to the pan..mixed all checked for taste..added some cut up beets..) served with the sliced beets on top..then the bacon..and served the reserved dressing on the side..
I forgot the pecorino:)

We have had some beauty days..and some less beauty days..Sun..and warmth..then curtains of rain..
Trying to take advantage of the nicer days to get the chores done..
Everything is gold and red..the market stalls are overflowing with gourds, squash,pumpkins and color..

Except..
The back of our home..where the wildflowers grow..a totally different look!


Bleu..comme le bleu de tes yeux♥

Asters~
When all other perennials fade..asters glow..
A wild child~

PS  have you seen this?
Love it..  4 sisters..40 yrs..I have been to ..Wellfleet..Truro..Woodstock..Chatham..Falmouth..Eastham..Ipswitch..Boston..Heartbeats for me.
Go peak..It's worth it..lucky girls...to have each other..and for so many years.♥

Footnote..The meal we made from Gina's Skinnytaste was delicious..keep the juices after cooking..and pour over all..we ate everything...