Scaled Back
Been so busy with work, something had to give. Sadly, it was the size of my vegetable garden.
Something’s better than nothing…… Read More
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My Garden / Recipes
Good Ol’ Standby
With the holidays fast approaching, I’m starting to dig through favorite recipes to get a jump on some of the cooking.
While it’s true that my cookbook tastes lean toward the East, as in Middle Eastern, Indian, Japanese… I do have my old American standbys for everyday and not-so-everyday dishes.
For instance, I still have this Betty Crocker cookbook my parents gave me when I moved into my first apartment waaaay back when.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I … Read More
Grilled or Pesto — Use Those Scapes!
I’ve spent most of the morning pinching scapes off my garlic plants. And in case you didn’t know it, scapes are quite a delicacy — right up there with fiddlehead ferns in my book!
Both have a short window for when they’re available though. While I’m lucky enough to grab them fresh, straight from the garden, chances are that you can find them at your local farmers market right about NOW! If you do find some, here are two of … Read More
Are Wasps Beneficial for Fruit Trees?
My plumbs are growing nicely. But…
This wasp nest presents a dilemma…
With the general lack of bees, I’m always trying to support whatever bee/wasp colonies I can. While wasps aren’t the handy dandy pollinators that bees are, they do some pollinating. AND they eat lots of other pesky insects.
So, even though they are more aggressive in general than bees, I usually take a “live and let live policy.” BUT– the problem is that they also feed on fruit.… Read More
Sick? This’ll Fix You Up Quicker Than Chicken Soup!
I’ve been a little under the weather, and wanted to make myself a healing soup that wasn’t the usual boring Chicken Soup. This Seafood Curry Chowder, with its Indian spices (which helps open breathing passages) and chicken broth (general fixer-upper elixir) gives a one-two punch!
BUT…
It’s so rich and delicious and special–and SIMPLE to make–that you could serve this at any dinner party and get rave reviews. It’s my family and friends’ all time favorite soup!
1 fillet of … Read More
How to Tell When Garlic Is Ready to Be Harvested
As I mentioned recently, I get three kinds of calls from family. Last week it was my sister asking how to tell if her garlic was ready to be picked.
Where we live (in the Northeast), we plant hard neck varieties at the end of September into early October, which means our harvest time is roughly mid-July to end of of July. This is my sister’s first year of planting her own, and she wasn’t sure when to pull her … Read More
Almost Time for Planting….
In the Northeast, we use Mother’s Day as the official opening for our gardening season. For those of us who want to get a jump on growing, starting seedlings a month or two in advance is a way of life.
Before I can plant these outdoors, I’ll start hardening them off by putting them outside in a sheltered sunny spot for a few hours a day. That will help lessen the transplant shock.
Then I’ll direct seed the rest of … Read More
Best Pan Roasted Potatoes Recipe!
Next to growing garlic, potatoes come in as a 2nd favorite on my list of most fun and rewarding things to grow. And they taste so much better than store-bought.
The other great thing about potatoes is that you can harvest them over a few months. So when I’m looking for stuff to throw together for dinner, I can go out, dig up a few, grab whatever else is ripe, and have a delicious vegetarian meal in no time at … Read More