Promise of Peace Community Garden - grace grits and gardening

Seeds, glorious seeds! (Little Free Library update)

March 13, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner 13 Comments

Just a quick update on our Little Free Library! Yesterday morning I added seeds (glorious seeds) to the seed exchange box. If you’re like me, spring fever has arrived. Wednesday’s seventy degree afternoon pushed me over the edge. Plus, spring break is around the corner, so I deemed it time to break out the seeds for my Fayetteville friends who are planting cool weather veggies and planning their spring and summer gardens.

I owe a big thank you to my friend Debbie Arnold (Dining with Debbie) who shared several of her heirloom tomato varieties from her Little Rock garden. And there are a few seeds from Promise of Peace Community Garden in Dallas.

Sharing is the whole point. Sharing seeds and food and growing as a community.

Since we “opened” our Little Free Library, an interesting, varied selection of books has cycled in and out. Seeing people stop and look and take books or leave books is very cool. The books change daily, and I find myself reading more. The dogs like it too because they have more opportunity to bark. Winner, winner all around.

Today’s offerings. Little Free Library & Seed Exchange, Fayetteville, Ar

Happy planting, happy reading!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Take what you need. Seed exchange in our #LittleFreeLibrary! @LtlFreeLibrary @DiningwithDeb [/tweetthis]

For more information about the Little Free Library program, click HERE.

“Underground, pale seeds roll over in their sleep. Starting to get restless. Starting to dream green.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson

Musical Pairing:

Oliver! Food Glorious Food

Garden in Summer

July 9, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner 6 Comments

Summer has arrived in Dallas. As we flirt with 100 degrees, the air lays blanket thick over my garden. Yet even with hot, hot temperatures, bright colors and fresh smells fill Promise of Peace Community Garden. Cucumbers and okra are taking over my bed. I harvest tomatoes, eggplant, ginormous basil, spinach, and swiss chard. In my neighbors’ plots, pumpkins, cantaloupe and honeydew grow heavy on the vine.

Here are a few pictures I snapped this week.

A beautiful, hot place.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Frozen, In Summer

Roasted Okra with Mint and Black-Eyed Peas

July 8, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner 15 Comments

I’m here to set the record straight. Okra doesn’t have to be slimy. Nor must it be deep fried. I know, I know, that sounds impossible, doesn’t it? I love fried okra, sometimes crave it even, but I rarely fry anything at home. Simple, roasted okra is delicious.

This is my favorite okra recipe, my “go-to” potluck, supper on the ground, picnic dish. I’m confident you will agree this is the perfect summer grilling menu side dish. Plus the recipe includes black-eyed peas. Think of all the extra luck you’ll have. Last week after I made this dish for a neighborhood get together, I won a pair of boots! No kidding, here’s a picture of my new boots.

Old Gringo Boots – Flair and Company

Now back to the recipe.

I found this recipe via a Central Market cooking class several years ago. With inexpensive veggies easily obtained at your local grocery store (or from your own garden), there’s no reason not to give this a try. Add blackened shrimp on top. Mix in a scoop of rice. This recipe is easily adaptable.

Roasted Okra & Peas with Mint

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen black-eyed peas
1 pound fresh okra trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
1 medium onion cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/2 pound green beans trimmed and cut into one inch pieces
2 cups cherry tomatoes halved
3 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

If using fresh peas, blanch 2 minutes in boiling salted water. Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into an ice bath to cool. Drain and dry. If using frozen, let them thaw in a colander and dry.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Toss to mix well. Spread onto an oiled jelly-roll pan and roast 8 minutes. Turn veggies with a spatula and roast another 6 minutes. Serve hot.

You can substitute black-eyed peas with crowder peas, field peas, butter beans, or lima beans. I used small purple onions from my garden, as well as a combination of Roma and cherry tomatoes. The one thing you must NOT omit is the mint. Mint is the key to this dish.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

Summertime – Norah Jones

Roasted Okra & Peas with Mint

Ingredients

Instructions

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.