lunch with dandelions . . . a dandelion salad

I had lunch with dandelions today.

Dandelion greens, that is.

Have you ever seen them in your market?

I've seen them at our Farmer's Market on several occasions, and think that their deep, rich green color, length, and unique shape are quite beautiful.

I even paused and thought to myself, "Aren't dandelions weeds?" 

But when they are long and graceful, as seen at the Farmer's Market, they can be so pretty that you forget that they are the weed that you curse in your garden.

At a reasonable 99 cents for a large bouquet, I thought I would buy one and bring it home.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them, but I felt inspired.

~ lunch with dandelions ~

I added them to one of my sunflower bouquets.

Displayed a small bunch in one of my favorite Anthropologie mugs.

And even made a simple, light and delicious dandelion salad.

a fresh Dandelion Salad

.     .     .     .     .

bunch of dandelion leaves

bunch of romaine leaves

cherry heirloom tomatoes

shaved Parmesan

pinch of salt & pepper

.     .     .     .     .

Toss with Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette 

Enjoy!

 Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

.     .     .     .     .

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

.     .     .     .     .

Combine all ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid. 

Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified.

.     .     .     .     .

Dress your salad . . . and

Enjoy!

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Simply Suzannes at Home

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our little garden and heirloom tomatoes

My dad grew up on a farm in Kansas, and although he left and moved to California in his early 20s, his heart was still that of a farm boy.

My dad, siblings, and I planted a fairly large garden in our backyard every Spring . . . tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, strawberries, green beans, and squash. I have so many fond memories of tending our garden with my dad . . . and, of course, reaping the rewards of our care. We were proud little farmers!

My husband and I have talked about building a small garden box for a few years, so that we could plant a garden; but I wanted to wait until I knew that our little ones would be old enough to participate in its care.

~ my little gardeners hard at work ~

I thought we would try a potted garden this year, and depending on its reception and participation, maybe we'll build a garden box next Spring.

We got a head start on our tomato planting when our dear family friend gave us 3 small tomato plants; two heirloom varieties and one sweet cherry tomato plant. She did the hard work for us and researched varieties that are strong, so that we can enjoy a healthy crop. Thanks, Lisa!

I bought 3 large pots and two big bags of dirt. We mixed Miracle Gro's Moisture Control Potting Mix and Miracle Gro's Garden Soil for flowers and vegetables. The first protects from over and under-watering (which is important when you have little ones who like to water their plants to death), and the latter provides nutrition for growing strong plants. It turned out to be a great combination, because our tomato plants have grown 2 feet in 3 weeks! And the best part, we have 6 small cherry tomatoes  . . . and 2 small heirlooms. The kids and I are so excited!

~ our first heirloom tomato ~

Since planting our tomatoes, we've added two varieties of strawberries, and green beans, to our garden.

I'm pleasantly surprised at the ease of caring for a potted garden. The pots are easy to move, as needed . . . and our kids have enjoyed staking claim on their own tomato plant/pot, which makes gardening more fun for them.

When our oldest daughter, Charley, found out that I was going to share photos of our garden with you, she drew this picture to show you how plants grow . . .  from seed to bloom. 

Did you notice the strong roots!?

Next on my planting list . . . HERBS!

Basil, Italian flat leaf parsley, and mint are my favorite herbs to grow in late Spring and Summer.

Speaking of herbs, have you seen, or heard of, a Savour Greek Basil Tree? I can't get enough of this basil topiary. I'm excited to share photos of the two that I bought. I need to finish aging the terra cotta pots that I found for these beauties, and then I'll share them in a post. They'll be a part of my kitchen decor through the Spring & Summer months.

How about you? Will you plant a garden this Spring?

~ my vintage garden book ~

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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a vintage garden book

I shared this beautiful book a few weeks ago in this Spring-inspired post of our living room. Isn't the metal plate on the cover charming?

It was given to me shortly after my grandma, Monie, passed away.

She was an avid gardener. Very knowledgeable. In fact, she owned a florist shoppe for several years in the small town that she lived in all her life.

My grandma not only had a green thumb, but she was blessed with green fingers. Everything she tended to in her garden was always green and lush. Folks that walked past her house would always stop and admire her yard. Her home was definitely the beauty of the block.

More often than not, she could be found in her garden. She loved green, anything green, especially ferns. I'm almost positive that that's why I adore them. I planted fern trees in our backyard shortly after she passed away. I smile when I see them out our family room windows. It's as though I have a little piece of her . . . a beautiful reminder of the incredible woman she was.

I've always enjoyed gardening. I'm sure that that's why my mom gave me this beautiful book. She knew that I would treasure it.

When I have a quiet moment, which isn't too often . . .  but when I do, I enjoy sitting in our living room and browsing through it ~ with a cup of tea ~ and admiring the illustrations and simple read.
Isn't it beautiful?

A peak into the inside cover . . . 

A beautifully illustrated welcome . . .

A few of my favorite pages . . .

The little ones and I planted a potted garden this Spring . . . heirloom & cherry tomatoes, green beans, and strawberries, so far.

Titled 'The Charm of the Informal Garden' . . . 

This reminds me of my grandma's garden . . . airy and natural.

And my favorite page of them all . . .

This photo graces the last page, and reads . . . 

Home gardens are good for all ages. 
Besides the satisfaction of delicious and nutritive results like these, 

they build strong bodies, keen minds, enduring characters and good citizens.

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Simply Suzannes at Home 

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Summer harvest vegetable pizza

I am so excited to share this simple and delicious recipe with you . . .

 a Summer harvest vegetable pizza.

This pizza was inspired by the colorful vegetables I found at the Farmer's Market.

Aren't these cherry heirloom tomatoes beautiful! 

If you're impressed now, wait until you see their marbled interiors. 

Our Summer harvest vegetable pizza was topped with this season's heirloom tomatoes, peppers, sweet onions, basil, and mozzarella.

What makes this pizza so delicious, besides the fresh ingredients, is that I roast the vegetables first.

Did you know that roasting vegetables intensifies their natural flavors, and caramelizes them to a perfect sweetness.

I realize that roasting them first, adds an extra step, but it's worth the effort and extra (few) minute(s)!

Since this is a Summer harvest vegetable pizza, feel free to choose any vegetables that you might like.

The more vegetables, the tastier it is!

My only request is that you roast them first. 

After roasting, the vegetables add a slightly sweet caramelized flavor to the the light, creamy mozzarella.

Ribbons of basil top the fresh baked pizza for added freshness . . . and then shavings of Parmesan finish it off with a salty bite.

                       And there you have it . . . a perfect Summer pizza! 

Summer Harvest Vegetable Pizza

heirloom tomatoes

sweet onion

bell peppers

fresh basil

fresh mozzarella

fresh whole wheat pizza dough

olive oil

salt and pepper

shaved Parmesan

~ My sweet neighbor introduced me to this garlic flavored olive oil ~

It's incredible!

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

Slice vegetables. Toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Arrange them on a baking sheet.

Roast them for 10 minutes, and then toss. Return them to oven and roast for 10 more minutes.

While vegetables are roasting, remove whole wheat dough from package and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.

Spread raw dough out into desired shape and thickness.

Drizzle with olive oil, spread.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Par-bake dough for 8 minutes in 375 degree oven. 

Drizzle with more olive oil, spread. *optional

Spread freshly shredded mozzarella onto par-baked dough.

Evenly spread roasted vegetables on top of cheese.

Bake pizza for 12 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

After removing it from the oven, sprinkle with fresh basil.

ENJOY!

~ Look at the beautiful veins 

running though the burgundy tomato! ~

They were almost too pretty to eat, almost.

After tossing sliced vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper, spread them out on a baking sheet.

Roast.

Easy pictorial assembly . . .

Spread raw dough out into desired shape and thickness. 

Drizzle with olive oil, spread.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Par-bake for 8 minutes in 375 degree F oven. 

After par-baking dough, spread freshly shredded mozzarella on top.

Evenly spread roasted vegetables on top of cheese.

Bake pizza for 12 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

After removing the pizza from the oven, sprinkle with fresh cut ribbons of basil.

buono appetito!

~ without Parmesan shavings ~

~ WITH Parmesan shavings! ~

YUM!!

~ Almost done ~

Going for seconds!

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