My favorite veggies? For beauty my first thought was purple beans. Mine are just barely beginning to bloom and they are so lovely you could put them into a flower garden. There's a variety of snow pea that's almost as gorgeous. And, come fall, a heap of winter squash has often been deemed worthy to be immortalized in art. For flavor there is absolutely no substitute for a vine-ripened tomato eaten while still warm from the sun. I prefer the older varieties that have proper flavor and that necessary acid bite over the modern ones that are too candy-sweet. For reliability, ease of growth, yield for the space required, and versatility of use in the kitchen the many varieties of beans -- bush, pole, green, yellow, purple, snap, and dry -- can't be beaten.

We have always had our "go to" chairs placed overlooking our rear yard. My favorite feeling on earth is to work my butt off all day long, getting the animals fed, dinner figured out, and then just sitting down with an adult beverage and watching my dogs play and admiring all our hard work. This is when my reward happens- the joy I feel at seeing my little patch of the planet is something I treasure. Mistakes are pondered, future projects planned, and just a huge feeling of accomplishment and contentment. Our yard is always going to be a work in progress- it is very early into this house and we have a very long way to go but I think we have done well. This is our back yard the day we took possession in '07 And how it looks now I have a new metal roof being installed any day now and the moment that is completed is going to be celebrated beyond belief- end of Phase ! :) As we are very fond of saying- we're working on it! Here is a link that might be useful: more yard photos

dotmom, the beauty of chowmein is how you diy'it...here's one from "net"...enjoy...btw, cut your veggies and lightly blanch them...they cook faster and still have a bit of crunch...sesame oil is great but don't over use!!a little goes along way...if you buy, get the smallest bottle you can find..spoils quickly... Home > Recipes > Chicken > Chicken Chow Mein Recipe.Chicken Chow Mein From Food Network Kitchens Recipe categories: Pasta, Noodles, Poultry, Chicken, Vegetables, more Cuisine : Asian , Chinese Technique : Stir Frying Season : Fall , Spring , Summer ..recipe ratings & reviews(17) .Rated 4 stars out of 5 Rate This Recipe Read 17 Reviews Total Time: 35 min. Prep15 min. Cook20 min. Yield:4 main course servings . Level:--..Print Recipe.Full-Page Viewnew Full-Page View expands the recipe ingredients and directions for easy viewing in the kitchen. .Save to My Recipe Box.Review Recipe.E-Mail.Share It!.Tweet..xSave To My Recipe BoxSave To Select Folder: All My Recipes Or Create New Folder Please limit to 20 characters Saving Recipe Add Or Do Not Add Success . Ingredients3 ounces dried chuka soba noodles, or other Chinese egg noodles 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil Kosher salt 1/2 cup chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, plus more for the table 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon sugar 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 6 ounces), cut into thin 2-inch-long strips 1 teaspoon dark Asian sesame oil 1 heaping tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 scallion, white and green minced Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal 10 dried shittake mushrooms, rehydrated, drained, and thinly sliced 1/3 cup thinly sliced canned water chestnuts 6 ounces fresh mung bean sprouts 3 cups cooked white rice, hotDirectionsBoil the noodles according to package instructions. Drain in a colander in the sink and rinse under cold running water. Shake the colander to drain off excess water and pat the noodles dry with a towel. Heat 1/4 cup of the peanut oil in a large seasoned or non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the noodles, spreading them out to evenly cover the skillet, and fry, turning once, until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. (Break the noodles up, by stirring, near the end of the cooking). Transfer noodles to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt to taste. Set aside. Discard any excess oil and wipe out the pan. Whisk together the chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar in a small bowl, and set aside. Season the chicken with the dark sesame oil, salt, and pepper, and set aside. Heat the skillet over high heat. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil until very hot. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion and stir-fry, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry, until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms and stir-fry, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the water chestnuts and spread the ingredients to the outside of the pan to form a well in the center. Pour the chicken broth mixture into the well, bring to a boil, and stir to coat the chow mein mixture. Stir in the bean sprouts and remove from the heat. Season generously to taste with pepper. Transfer chicken chow mein to a warm platter and top with the fried noodles. Serve immediately with rice. Pass more soy sauce at the table. Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved �Television Food Network G.P. All Rights Reserved. Ingredients 3 ounces dried chuka soba noodles, or other Chinese egg noodles 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons peanut oil Kosher salt 1/2 cup chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned 3 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, plus more for the table 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon sugar 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 6 ounces), cut into thin 2-inch-long strips 1 teaspoon dark Asian sesame oil 1 heaping tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 scallion, white and green minced Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal 10 dried shittake mushrooms, rehydrated, drained, and thinly sliced 1/3 cup thinly sliced canned water chestnuts 6 ounces fresh mung bean sprouts 3 cups cooked white rice, hot Directions Boil the noodles according to package instructions. Drain in a colander in the sink and rinse under cold running water. Shake the colander to drain off excess water and pat the noodles dry with a towel. Heat 1/4 cup of the peanut oil in a large seasoned or non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the noodles, spreading them out to evenly cover the skillet, and fry, turning once, until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. (Break the noodles up, by stirring, near the end of the cooking). Transfer noodles to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt to taste. Set aside. Discard any excess oil and wipe out the pan. Whisk together the chicken broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar in a small bowl, and set aside. Season the chicken with the dark sesame oil, salt, and pepper, and set aside. Heat the skillet over high heat. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil until very hot. Add the ginger, garlic, and scallion and stir-fry, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry, until lightly browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the onion, celery, and mushrooms and stir-fry, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the water chestnuts and spread the ingredients to the outside of the pan to form a well in the center. Pour the chicken broth mixture into the well, bring to a boil, and stir to coat the chow mein mixture. Stir in the bean sprouts and remove from the heat. Season generously to taste with pepper. Transfer chicken chow mein to a warm platter and top with the fried noodles. Serve immediately with rice. Pass more soy sauce at the table. Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

Hi Salon, I've not made the cauli yet; that is is for Sunday dinner. I have made this lemon butter halibut: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/pan-seared-halibut-recipe/ This recipe is truly heavenly.. Two tips. If you can, cook each portion in its own mini casserole so anything that falls off is not wasted in the pan. Two, I finely chop the scallion and add it raw at the end (or chives) so it stays a pretty green. https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/76659/heavenly-halibut/