How Does You Garden Grow?

 With the last overnight freeze hopefully gone, I'm planting tomatoes and other summer veggies in the month of April. So let's visit my local Nursery in Marina Del Rey, now called Flora Grubb Gardens (the original name was Marina Del Rey Garden Center).

 Last month, I replaced my topsoil with fresh compost that I make from used coffee grounds and veggie scraps. And in the last two weeks, I've made many trips to the Flora Grubb Gardens for tomato, lettuce, and herb seedlings.

And I especially like the variety of lettuce flats -- everything from Mesclun Mix to Red Buttercrunch and Gourmet Salad Blend. They also have a small orchard of budding fruit trees, some starting to bear fruit -- so you know your first crop is definitely on the way.

You can't get fresher produce than growing your own. And in my latest zany film foray, this green-thumbed budget horticulturist takes you on a tasty garden trek, with camera in hand. Now, you know this will not be a typical tour. Where The 99 Cent Chef goes, high jinx follow!

The Flora Grubb Gardens staff is knowledgeable and helpful, while giving you the space to explore on your own. You will see how the Cheapskate Forager takes full advantage of nature's bounty!

It's hard to resist plucking and tasting a tart Kumquat from a branch weighed down with the colorful fruit, and I'm sure everyone has snagged a Strawberry, Blackberry, or a Grape or two from budding bushes displayed for sale. But, no one has gone to the extremes that the Chintzy Gardener goes in this latest docu-comedy video.

This time around, I had some help from a couple of 99 Cent Players. Making her first appearance is Garden Master Elissa (a workmate & cool drummer), while the Omniscient Voice at the end is provided by my neighbor, and frequent contributor, Pete, a comedian and actor. Both Elissa and Pete provided additional camerawork, too. 99 thanks to them, and also to the Flora Grubb Gardens and all their nursery gardeners.

So sit back and let me give you a comedic tour of the Flora Grubb Gardens. It comes with a warning, though: don't try what you see here at your own local nursery -- I'd hate to have to bail you out of the slammer!

Dining in the Flora Grubb Gardens - VIDEO

Play it here. Video runs 4 minutes 45 seconds.

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Flora Grubb Gardens 

13198 Mindanao Way

Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

hours: 9am to 6pm. Open 7 days.

Phone: 310-823-5956

Website: https://www.floragrubb.com/visit-la

Please note: I brought my own fruit, veggies, and props to the Flora Grubb Gardens. I did pluck a grapefruit from the tree there, but used my own to eat from (there were a lot of grapefruits that had fallen to the ground, so I didn't feel too guilty picking just one -- which I left behind.) Finally, I bought the flat of lettuce used in the video. Although I must fess up to noshing a handful of kumquats during several visits to the nursery.

To make your own Wanted Poster like mine above, click here (and upload a photo.)

Tomato Season Recipes

 Here are my first tomatoes of the season - right off the vine. I like to serve them uncooked when the tomatoes are at maximum freshness and most juicy. This is when you taste all the flavor a tomato has to offer.

This cheap$kate gardener seldom has a bumper crop, but the ones I pick will be put to delicious use. If you don't have a garden, maybe you have a generous neighbor, a local fave farmers market, or if you are on the road and just pull over into a roadside veggie and fruit stand with a hand-painted tomato sign.

So read on for the freshest tomato recipes that are just a slice away. And click on any recipe name to be directed to my blog post for the complete recipe text with photo illustrations.

For a fresh garden tomato just simply slice it and add a couple more ingredients. My favorite recipe is for a Caprese Salad that's composed of fresh mozzarella, a few basil leaves, salt, olive oil, and of course, thick slices of fresh tomato.

Arrange the parts on a plate and serve at room temperature. Set out a plate for your guests, and be sure to have a couple bottles of wine ready to pour.

I find heirloom tomatoes at my local 99c only Stores from time to time and they are usually the real thing, too.

And summertime is the right time for a chilly tomato soup by way of Spain called Gazspacho. It is a great way to start a patio party, just set out a bowl and let your guest serve themselves while you man the grill.

Gazsphacho is a tasty medley of fresh tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, onion, and cucumber. It gets a rich hit of olive oil to finish in the blender. No cooking is needed for this recipe and you can see how easy to pull off below.



An Italian version of salsa on tortilla chips, are lightly marinated chopped tomatoes served on wedges of toast, that's called Bruschetta. Serve it as a crunchy appetizer.



Salads and large chunks of sliced homegrown tomatoes belong together. Go light on the salad dressing though, because you want that fresh tomato flavor to come through clearly.

A Warm Corn, Tomato & Cilantro Salad is a simple side dish to make. It's okay to use always cheap, fresh, frozen, or even canned corn.

I have a 2 Minute Salad made with easy-to-get ingredients, including canned chicken (okay to substitute canned tuna,) spinach, canned beets, and tomato.

 Click on any photo to see larger.

This cheap$kate salad travels well and can be quickly put together for lunch at your workplace.



My most unusual salad uses canned hearts of palm. I came up with Hearts of Palm Salad - Brazilian Style because I keep seeing the mild-tasting main ingredients on sale at my local 99c only Stores. If you have never tried heart of palm, then break yourself in with this fresh salad idea.

Heart of Palm Salad

Another salad takes the crown for Best Classic Salad, my version of a Crab Louis Salad. While expensive ingredients are called for, I have found asparagus frequently on sale, and I use cheap fake crab or krab.

Of course, if you are cooking to impress then use real lump crab meat.

Fake Crab Louis Salad

Sauteed sliced steak, or feta cheese, on a salad, needs a strong flavored tomato, and a garden tomato is up for the job in my Warm Steak and Armenian-Style salads, that feature pungent feta cheese.

Warm Steak Salad

Italian pasta sauces will not be much improved upon with a fresh garden tomato. However, the exception is my Rustic Tomato Sauce with Pasta. The fresh tomato is added at the last minute and only cooked until it starts to collapse, but still at peak flavor.

A big fat tomato slice is what every sandwich requires, at least in my recipe book. I like tomato on my Breakfast Egg Sandwich and even a wedge of tomato nestled in my Chicago-style Hot Dog.

Egg Sandwich

Chicago Hot Dog

For a Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich, you gotta have a good tomato. I kick my BLT up a notch with the addition of avocado.

BLT Sandwich

For my vegetarian visitors add tomato to my delish grilled Portabella Mushroom Burger, or a Veggie Wrap with Hummus.

Portabella Mushroom Burger

 Veggie Wrap with Hummus - ingredients

Mexican cuisine loves the tomato. And the freshest way to use it is chopped into a chunky Pico de Gallo salsa. Serve it with your favorite tortilla chips, or add this salsa to almost any Mexican entree like burritos comprised of Carnitas (pork,) Carne Asada (steak,) Eggs & Refried Beans, Pastrami & Coleslaw (?!!) -- and tacos made with Fish, Carne Asada, Carnitas, Poultry, Breakfast, Tinga (spicy chicken stew,) Chicken Green Chile Verde, and Chorizo & Egg,  

Pico de Gallo - chunky salsa

A Summer Ceviche made with krab, drained black beans, cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro, and creamy avocado is my go-to patio party starter. Set out a big bowl of chips to scoop up my cool Krab Ceviche. And be sure to have some Picante hot sauce at the ready.

Summer Ceviche - Video

I'll leave you with a bit of cheap$kate comedy about my video visit to a local garden nursery for free noshing on fruit picked fresh from the vine, including a beefsteak tomato. Bon Appetit !

Dining for Free in the Garden of Marina Del Rey - VIDEO

It's Spring and time to get your garden going! Last month, I replaced my topsoil with fresh compost that I make from used coffee grounds and veggie scraps. So let's visit my local nursery, Marina Del Rey Garden Center.

 Last month, I replaced my topsoil with fresh compost that I make from used coffee grounds and veggie scraps. And in the last two weeks, I've made many trips to the Marina Del Rey Garden Center for tomato, lettuce, and herb seedlings.

I especially like the variety of lettuce flats -- everything from Mesclun Mix to Red Buttercrunch and Gourmet Salad Blend. They have a small orchard of budding fruit trees, some starting to bear fruit. So you know your first crop is definitely on the way.

You can't get fresher produce than growing your own. And in my latest zany film foray, this green-thumbed budget horticulturist takes you on a tasty garden trek, with camera in hand. Now, you know this will not be a typical tour. Where The 99 Cent Chef goes, high jinx follow!

The Marina Del Rey Garden Center staff is knowledgeable and helpful, while giving you the space to explore on your own. You will see how the Cheapskate Forager takes full advantage of nature's bounty!

It's hard to resist plucking and tasting a tart Kumquat from a branch weighed down with the colorful fruit, and I'm sure everyone has snagged a Strawberry, Blackberry, or a Grape or two from budding bushes displayed for sale. But, no one has gone to the extremes that the Chintzy Gardener goes in this latest docu-comedy video.

This time around, I had some help from a couple of 99 Cent Players. Making her first appearance is Garden Master Elissa (a workmate & cool drummer), while the Omniscient Voice at the end is provided by my neighbor, and frequent contributor, Pete, a comedian and actor. Both Elissa and Pete provided additional camerawork, too. 99 thanks to them, and also to the Marina Del Rey Garden Center and all their nursery gardeners.

So sit back and let me give you a comedic tour of the Marina Del Rey Garden Center. It comes with a warning, though: don't try what you see here at your own local nursery -- I'd hate to have to bail you out of the slammer!

Dining in the Marina Del Rey Garden Center - VIDEO

Play it here. Video runs 4 minutes 45 seconds.

To view or embed from YouTube, click here.

Flora Grubb Gardens (formerly Marina Del Rey Garden Center)

13198 Mindanao Way

Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

hours: 9am to 6pm. Open 7 days.

Phone: 310-823-5956

Website: https://www.floragrubb.com/visit-la

Please note: I brought my own fruit, veggies, and props to the Flora Grubb Gardens. I did pluck a grapefruit from the tree there, but used my own to eat from (there were a lot of grapefruits that had fallen to the ground, so I didn't feel too guilty picking just one -- which I left behind.) Finally, I bought the flat of lettuce used in the video. Although I must fess up to noshing a handful of kumquats during several visits to the nursery.

To make your own Wanted Poster like mine above, click here (and upload a photo).