Spring Garden 2011 and Greek Salad Recipe

So, here it is. Our spring garden! The kids are so proud of it. Hubs and I did all the prepping and tiling of the soil, then the children did all the planting. The two of them were so funny this morning. First thing, they wanted to go outside to see if the garden had grown any overnight. They are at great ages to experience the fun of growing your own food, so we did plants that are very much a part of our cooking. We can make a true Greek salad from our own backyard! We planted cucumbers, two types of tomatoes, sweet onions, and strawberries. A lemon tree and an orange tree too. We also planted herbs.....rosemary (for chicken), mint (for fasolakia and mojitos), chives (for potato soup), basil (for our tomatoes), and oregano (for just about everything).

Thanks for the advice from those of you who called. Apparently, even though we don't talk on the phone as often as we could, Jennifer and I are still running on the same wave length. (: Hopefully, she will be motivated to do a blog post of some photos of her garden that she is planning with her boys this Spring. Hint Hint.

Here's our families Greek salad recipe. Funny, it has no lettuce, but it's called a "salad" This is a staple in our home, and is served at least twice a week.

GREEK SALAD

4 large tomatoes, cubed

1 hot house cucumber (the funny shaped ones), chopped

1/2 of a medium sized red onion, sliced

2 tsp dried oregano

generous pinch of salt

5 turns of a pepper mill

1/2 cup good olive oil

4 ounces good feta cheese, we like the brand Vigo

Combine all ingredients, and mix well with your hands. Let sit at room temperature for a few minutes to allow flavors to combine. Serve with french bread toasted on the grill for dipping into juices at the bottom of the bowl. YUM!