Invasion in the garden and a yummy appetizer.......

First of all thank you so much for the lovely well wishes for my son.  Graduation day is such a happy day, so full of promise and wonderful possibilities ahead to all those fresh and shinny graduates.

Now onto reality and the reality of my container garden is not good.  I admit I am not that quick on the draw lately, I have seen some signs of damage to my tomatoes and have peeked around but could not find the culprit.  I was beginning to think it was some of the small lizards we have in Florida, boy was I wrong.  This morning when I went out to see my garden disaster had struck.  

This is what it looked like two days ago.  I can't even stomach a photo of it now.  It is a chewed up, brown leaf, mess. 

Not only have my new little friends been eating my tomatoes, but all the cucumber and cantaloupe leaves are a brown, munched up, disaster.  There was quite the party here last night.

After some careful inspection I found 12 of these cutworms on my tomato plant and about 10 more crawling happily along the cucumber leaves and vines.  I picked their little fat bodies up and tossed them in the woods with some of the rotten produce they have made.

I know I am a bit sick, I can't even kill caterpillars that are eating me out of house and home.  I also stop to save worms on my driveway or on the sidewalk.  I can't think about them drying up on the pavement so I toss them into the grass.  So much for my crop this year, first it was stem rot and now caterpillars that eat up a whole plant in one night and frankly don't even turn into pretty moths, I checked and they are just brown and boring.  I actually found a pupa, it got tossed into the grass too.  Live and learn I guess, I have a lot to learn in the veggie gardening department.  Now onto more yummy things...................

I was asked to a friends house with a few other ladies last night and we were asked to bring an appetizer.  I tried a variation on something I usually make.

My sister Claudia gave me this shrimp dip recipe years ago.  It is my go to appetizer.  But this time after viewing many different recipes on Pinterest I decided to make it with a twist.  I spread it on crescent rolls and baked it a 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  They were yummy!

  

I rolled them up lengthwise and then popped them in the fridge for about 30 minutes to harden a bit so they would be easier to cut.

Slice into sections, lay flat on the cookie sheet and bake.

They were a hit and let me just tell you not much that I make is a hit.  I was actually asked for the recipe!!!!!  I know that even shocked me.

I used two containers of crescent rolls and we had extra dip left over to eat with pita chips, even Little Buddy liked that.

Here is the recipe for the shrimp dip.  I know Claudia won't mind if I post it.

8 oz of soften whipped cream cheese

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

1/2 to 1 cup of shrimp cut up into small pieces

1/4 cup finely cut up onion

dash of garlic salt (I add a wee bit more than a dash)

1 to 2 Tablespoons of freshly cut up Dill

Mix all the ingredients together, add the shrimp last.  I usually double this recipe it goes fast as it is so yummy.

Eat with pita chips or crackers or spread on to the crescent rolls, roll them up and bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Let me know if you give it a try, I'd love to hear what you think.

I am off to find more caterpillars.