Last month I started planting some lettuce and herbs around the outside of our house. I realize I don’t have much patience and would rather get trays of plants than start them from seed, because I seem to have forgotten what I planted in the trays. I think it was sweet and red rubin basil, but I’ll know for sure in a few weeks!
So far the lettuce has been untouched by insects and animals and the kale is taking a while to grow:

Mostly lettuce with cilantro up front, lemon grass, green onion & chives to the right and scrawny kale way in the back.
I also planted some easy-growing mint and sage in a planter by the patio, and this beautiful curry plant is doing great on its own:
Now, both my parents were in the agriculture business, growing tomatoes and roses and a lot of other plants and produce. You would think that I inherited some of their talent, but I always found it a struggle to keep mint plants alive and can’t figure out why my basil won’t grow. This time it’s a little different, so I’m hoping my attempt at growing plants in the ground rather than black plastic buckets will break my streak of bad luck.
So while I wait for my plants to grow, I’d like to announce the winner of the Frito-Lay Gluten-Free Prize Pack! The winner was determined through an unbiased Canadian coin-toss. And now, the winner of this awesome giveaway is…..
Congratulations on winning this awesome gluten-free prize pack! I’m sure you’ll enjoy munching on these tasty Tostitos and Lay’s chips while learning more about eating Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, woo hoo!
Now, earlier I mentioned those mystery seedlings possibly being basil plants (I really hope they are!) Here’s a good recipe to try with any type of basil pesto you may have. The walnuts (or pecans, if you prefer) give it a nice, hearty crunch and the addition of mushrooms give it a more meaty texture.
Walnut Pesto with Mushrooms – serves 2
1/3 cup walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted and broken into pieces
1/4 – 1/3 cup cream
1/2 cup basil pesto
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
additional walnuts or pecans for garnish
Cooked noodles
Instructions:
In a blender, add walnuts and pesto, blend until combined and nuts are chopped, but do not puree.
In a medium frying pan, sautee sliced mushrooms in olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add pesto and walnuts, stir for about a minute. Slowly add cream and stir to combine for about 2 minutes or until it just begins to simmer.
Serve over cooked noodles, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and extra walnuts or pecans.
June 1, 2012 at 14:40
OMG awesome! I’m super pumped :) Should I email you my contact info/address?
Lovely garden! Good luck with your basil!
June 1, 2012 at 14:51
The prize pack will be sent to you from the folks at TheRecipeRedux.com, and I’ve emailed them your website as a contact. If you don’t hear from them by Tuesday, just let me know and I’ll double-check to see that they’ve received my email. Thanks for posting, and congratulations once again! :D
June 3, 2012 at 01:33
Jennifer, I love the idea of your walnut pesto – especially pairing it with mushrooms – that is a great combination and I bet it is wonderful over pasta. Nice on top of polenta too I imagine.
Sue :-)
June 3, 2012 at 13:15
Polenta sounds even more indulgent, I’ll have to try that. Thanks, Sue! :)
June 6, 2012 at 15:17
I am a beginner gardener too… and I can’t seem to grow dill, of all things! My kale, collards and potted herbs are looking great for now, too, though!
June 6, 2012 at 16:49
Glad your garden is making progress, my lettuce is ready to harvest, better get to them before the wild rabbits find out I got the good stuff! :)