Unexpected Harvest

From Dana:

 

I planted some tomato and pepper plants late this year.  Like super late.  Like June, late (when I normally would've planted them in April or the beginning of May).

 

Honestly, I pretty much wrote them off.  I didn't water them (thankfully the sprinkler system did some and so did the rain we had this summer) or weed them or fertilize them or coddle them in any way.  I just let them be and figured they probably wouldn't produce much.

 

When I mow, I go past them and would see that there was some fruit on them but it all seemed pretty small and not worth the time to go pick it and then figure out what to do with it when I brought it inside.

 

For some reason, yesterday, I remembered that I had three, not two (like I had been noticing), pepper plants and I went looking for the extra one.  It was hidden under one of the out-of-control tomato plants.  I was so surprised to find it brimming with luscious, big, beautiful fruit!

 

Check out this unexpected harvest!

 

Guess what we'll be having for supper this week!  Green Chile Burgers!  One of our favorites!

As a sidenote:  Do you know how easy it is to roast these anaheim peppers?  Super easy.  You raise your oven rack to the top, put them on a pan under the broiler, and wait for the skin to turn black/blister, flip them over and do the same thing with the other sides, stick them in a tupperware with a lid to steam and cool off, then peel off the skin, cut up the slimy roasted pepper deliciousness, and voila!  So good!

 

Cole joined me in our harvest.  He collected the tomatoes.  Here's what he did when I said, "Smile!"

 

 

And where do you put your tomatoes when you bring them inside?  Into your secret hiding place, that's where.

That boy!

The vine-ripened red tomato was one of the best I've ever had.  It was warm yet from the garden and so flavorful - perfect on top of my leftover chicken enchiladas.  I love being pleasantly surprised!