Garden to Table...Pizza Night

It was our turn to host our monthly pizza night. We have successfully been having pizza night for almost 5 years now. Each month we rotate with the 4 families involved in this amazing and fun activity.
It happened to be our month at the height of our organic garden growing season.

I can't lie! Our garden is the bomb...it's seriously awesome. I LOVE square foot gardening. Not only does it grow large amounts of produce...it is gorgeous to look at! I can't believe the food we have picked and pulled from this garden since late March...literally a dream come true!

Each day I wander around this little patch of amazing and decide what we will have for dinner based on what is available. I'm blown away at the fresh, organic and delicious meals we have put together based on garden fresh ingredients. I couldn't wait to make our garden to table pizza night a reality!

Our goal was to use as much as possibly from the garden. What we didn't have, i.e. cheeses and meats, we would source locally. The flour for the pizza dough was organic and sourced from a local flour conglomerate. We bought freshly made mozzarella from a local grocer. (Making mozzarella is on my short list!)  Our tomato sauce was made from our own bottled tomatoes.

I took a wander through the garden and came up with some impressive pizza toppings!

Fresh zucchini and summer squash and a variety of tomatoes...

I roasted 2 beet varieties in the oven and then peeled and thinly sliced...

A variety of fresh herbs...basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary...(the smell is other worldly!)

Some fresh chives and pine nuts...(sadly, the pine nuts are not local but a must for a margherita pizza)

Hubs is in charge of the pizza sauce and dough. The sauce is made with our own bottled tomatoes. (Learning to bottle tomatoes was one of the smartest things I EVER did!)

Have I mentioned this was a dream come true?!?

Fresh tomato and mozzarella pizza...

Hubs elected to make the pizzas on the outdoor grill. Good choice for a lovely summer night. Did I mention we made a few pizzas with my homemade pesto? I made arugula and pecan pesto when the arugula was thriving and froze it. Good move...it was delish!

Roasted beet pizza...it was a hit!

Tomato and fresh mozzarella...yeah, it was really good!

Squash and herb with artichoke hearts and pine nuts...

What a perfect summer night with good friends, family and fresh organic food...it's very rewarding...

C'mon...if I can be successful at producing this healthy, tasty food, so can YOU! I can't recommend square foot gardening enough! It is so easy, little time and effort and HUGE reward...Do it!!!

Oh...and we had homemade raspberry syrup snow cones for dessert. Check out a previous post if you want to make that tasty fruit syrup for your lucky circle of friends!

Cool As A Cucumber Tzatziki Sauce

The heat of summer is upon us and my garden is overflowing with goodness! Almost everyday I take a walk around the garden boxes and containers and take an informal inventory on what is available. We have been doing this for a few months now and this is the basis for what we have for dinner each night.
I read something recently about foregoing recipes in your cooking. I find myself using recipes less and less. Instead, I take my inventory and try to come up with something with the freshly picked ingredients!
These hot summer evenings have us craving something simple, fresh and cooling. When my gardening neighbor Adam tossed me a couple of freshly picked cucumbers over the fence I decided I could make a meal out of tzatziki sauce. (My own cucumbers haven't matured yet!)

I picked juicy cherry red tomatoes, bright green zucchini and a small golden yellow summer squash. I pulled up the last of the first planting of carrots. Then I came up with this idea for the tzatziki...
I started with a 17.6 ounce container of FAGE Total Greek yogurt. I picked this because I didn't need to pre-strain it.

I peeled a large cucumber fresh from the garden. Then I diced it up in very small pieces. I chose not to grate it as I like the little fresh chunks of cooling cucumber. I put these tiny chunks on a paper towel to drain a bit before adding to the yogurt.

I have been looking for ways to use all the lovely fresh mint growing in containers around the yard. I decided to use mint in this sauce instead of dill. Either works great. I have to say, I was really HAPPY with the mint and have since made several batches the same way!

Cool As A Cucumber Tzatziki Sauce

1- 17.6 oz. container of strained yogurt
1 - fresh cucumber
2 - TBSP of fresh lemon juice
3 - cloves of garlic finely chopped or minced
1 or 2 TBSP of finely chopped fresh mint (or dill)
salt and pepper to taste
drizzle of good quality olive oil

When the cucumber was drained I added it to the yogurt. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Feel free to add more or less of any of the ingredients. Taste as you go!

Slowly drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil and gently incorporate.

That's it! It is so quick and easy. Bonus...no stove or oven necessary!

I served it with the fresh halved tomatoes, carrot sticks, summer squash and zucchini slices and GMO free golden round crackers...(you know, like Ritz, but without all the sketchy stuff)

Maybe it's the light and lovely cooling effect, the fresh pop of flavor and goodness or all the amazing fresh veggies...but, I've made this several times and everyone goes crazy for it!

Now...off to the garden to figure out what's next...!