Ciao all, I hope everyone had a great day out in the garden today. I know it's a back to work day for most people, but my goodness, what glorious weather to be outside. Thanks to all of you for such interesting trades and also for your knowledge and wisdom regarding perennials. I have SO much to learn about them still, thanks for your patience in answering my newbie questions. Tristan grabbed some things from the middle circle which I have no clue regarding the names of the plants or what sort of care they need, so as soon as I'm able, I'm hoping to post some pictures of them for ID. I'm so excited about all the lilacs! They're small, but I know they'll fill that space nicely and I can't wait to discover what colours they turn out to be. I put the dahlias in full sun and just barely covered the root/tuber/rhizome thingies. I hope that's what they need. Tomatoes/eggplants/peppers/tomatillos/basil all got a full day outside and tomorrow will be their first major dose of full sun. I'm hoping to get them in the ground before the weekend. Duane finished 2 additional tomato beds as a birthday present for me and got all the 8' stakes in this morning. The soaker hoses are all in place and now it's just a matter of waiting a few days for the plants to get fully hardened off. Big hugs to all of you, I wish the weather had been more pleasant but it was still a very fun event and thanks again to sydseeds for organizing the swap and for everyone's wonderful enthusiasm and generosity. Get planting everyone!! Julianna

I agree it depends on the venue. I've tailgated at many events and the crowds range from fun loving to obnoxious. We normally bring a grill, a large cooler, folding chairs, and large market or beach umbrellas with stands. We're very traditional in that all the food is served on the tailgate of the pickup. Grilled foods provide the anchor and everyone brings various appetizers, sides and desserts. For winter tailgating, we do chili, chowder, soups and stews in crock pots with an AC converter for the vehicle. And yes we do all enter the parking lot together so we can park near each other. Tailgating venues I've been to: Loudon Speedway for NASCAR - In the RV section, arrive a couple days early and relax. Yes this requires an RV :-)Gillette Stadium - Pat's game no problem. Good people, a few clowns but nothing outrageous. Lots of grills and some amazing food. Country music concerts, I'm done attending these at a large venue like Gillette, too many drunks, bare everything and slobs. Gillette has reduced the time you can enter the lots before a concert and have upped the police presence but you still get a lot of knuckleheads. Various Ice Hockey arenas in the NE and Canada for tournaments - This is a blast to be bundled up, sitting and relaxing, eating chow-dah and chili with BAKED BEANS. (OMG Heresy! Sorta like putting tomato in chowder!) Lots of events in various locations through out the country - Towing Shows, Snowmobile Shows, Boat Shows, Car Shows, Antique Shows, etc. Always nice people who police themselves. At these small venues everyone shares even with strangers! The regional smorgasbord is truly extraordinary! In the hot weather folks bring inflatable pools and tanks of water! Most interesting tailgating I've done was on a frozen lake on New Year's Eve on snowmobiles waiting for the fireworks at midnight. And yes, there was a pickup truck with a tailgate there. I have to admit it's very tough to tailgate when the windchill is -20F. Tailgating is definitely competive, it's about having fun but also who has the coolest set up, the best and or most creative food, the best libations, the best theme and the group with the most spirit.

I just made Woodie's pasta salad a couple of weekends ago for a pool/birthay party. I'd wait and add the dressing the next day at the game. We love it as a side for various things. Woodie's Pasta Salad CF-Woodie 1 lb small shell macaroni, cooked and drained 1/2 pound provolone cheese, diced 1/2 pound salami, diced 1/2 pound pepperoni, cut in half lengthwise then sliced into small half rounds 3 pounds tomatoes, seeded and diced 3 ribs celery, diced 1 green or red pepper, diced 1 can black olives 1 jar pimento stuffed green olives 1 red onion, diced DRESSING 3/4 cup oil 1/2 cup vinegar 1-1/2 teaspoon salt fresh ground pepper 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon basil celery salt to taste Mix dressing and pour over pasta, refrigerate until serving. If you and your group like onion dip this one from Ina Garten is great. Remember that one with the onion soup mix and sour cream? This retro dip recipe from Ina is always a hit when I make it. We always used the Lipton package and sour cream back in the day....this recipe tops that by a mile or more. Pan-Fried Onion DipCopyright, 1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All rights reserved Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Soup Lunch Ingredients 2 large yellow onions 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup good mayonnaise Directions Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool. Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature. Note: I chop the onions as I/we find the sliced ones messy and hard to keep on a chip or off your chin while eating it. Double the recipe for sure...it won't last long. I'm more than ready for the season to kick off this weekend! Go Redskins(H.S.), Sooners(College), and my Vikings!! David

Since they're foodies I would do a vegetable goat cheese terrine. It looks hard but it's not really and it serves way more than four. Eggplant, Roasted Pepper, and Goat Cheese Terrine with Parsley Sauce Gourmet : July 1993 Yield: Serves 4 with leftovers ingredients 2 eggplants (about 2-1/2 pounds total), cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices 1/3 cup olive oil 1/4 cup bottled black olive paste such as tapenade or olivada (available at specialty foods shops and some supermarkets) 3 red bell peppers, each roasted (procedure follows) and cut lengthwise into 3 sections 7 ounces soft mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, sliced thin parsley sauce (recipe follows) as an accompaniment parsley springs for garnish if desired For parsley sauce: 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, preferably flat-leaved 1 small garlic clove, sliced 4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons water 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil preparation Preheat the broiler. Arrange the eggplant slices in one layer on baking sheets, brush both sides of the eggplant with the oil, and sprinkle them with salt to taste. Broil the eggplant in batches about 4 inches from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until it is golden and tender, and transfer it with a metal spatula to paper towels to drain. Line a loaf pan, 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches, with plastic wrap, leaving a 3-inch overhang, and in it arrange the eggplant, the olive paste, the bell peppers, and the goat cheese in several layers, beginning and ending with the eggplant. Cover the eggplant with the plastic overhang, weight the terrine with a 3-to-4-pound weight (such as a loaf pan filled with canned goods), and chill it for 24 hours. (The terrine may be made 3 days in advance). Remove the weight, invert the terrine onto a cutting board, and discard the plastic wrap. Cut four 3/4-inch-thick slices from the terrine, pour about 2 tablespoons of the parsley sauce onto the center of each of 4 plates, tilting the plates to spread the sauce, and arrange a slice of the terrine on each plate. Garnish each serving with a parsley spring. To roast peppers: Using a long-handled fork char the peppers over an open flame, turning them, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the skins are blackened. (Or broil the peppers on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 2 inches from the heat, turning them every 5 minutes, for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the skins are blistered and charred.) Transfer the peppers to a bowl and let them steam, covered until they are cool enough to handle. Keeping the peppers whole, peel them starting at the blossom end, cut off the tops, and discard the seeds and ribs. (Wear rubber gloves when handling chilies.) Parsley sauce: In a blender pur the parsley and the garlic with the vinegar, the water, the oil, and salt and pepper to taste until the sauce is smooth and strain it through a fine sieve set over a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Makes about 1/2 cup.