Zuchini Candy?

I came across this recipe the other day. They say you can do the same thing for pineapple flavor. Just use 48 oz. pineapple juice 2 T. pineapple extract 2 1/2 cups sugar 1/4 cup lemon juice.

Everything I've read says these taste like gum drops or fruit snacks. I certainly want to try it next summer!

Fall Garden Update 2010

Yes, as embarrassing as it is, I am just now getting around to cleaning up the garden and posting an update. I want to blame it on the current growing of something else, but really, it was more passive pouting about the lame results for the year. I was pleasantly surprised to discover some large carrots when I was pulling everything out today. The allysum seems to be doing well too around the edges which is nice as a natural bad-bug repellant. So let's recap:

Sugar snap peas -- these are probably the only thing that did great. I will definitely do these again, and next spring I won't be having any food aversions.

Spinach and lettuce -- will try again in the spring.

Carrots -- disaster. I don't think I will do these again as they're not my absolute favorite veggie. I'll leave room for something else.

Peppers - fail. I got one little one. From two plants.

Basil -- I really would like to get enough to make pesto so this will probably be a try-again.

Garlic -- turned out ok. I got probably a dozen heads, but they weren't very big. I haven't planted any yet, so it's looking like it won't be on the produce list for next year.

Squash -- It seems the plant started producing fruit just as the temps dropped into freezing which of course killed the plants. Boo. This will definitely be a try-again.

Onions -- fail. They took up too much room in the garden and didn't grow big enough to make it worth it. I'll just go to the farm stand to get my onions next year.

Tomatoes -- all fail. We got a few small Oregon Springs that Kyle thought were "tasty." Other than that, ah tthhhhh.

Homemade Pop Tarts

I love Pop Tarts. I love them so much they are pretty much banned from my cupboards - I'd eat them all in 3 days. I specifically love the strawberry ones. But recently I've been horrified at the things that Red 40 food coloring is in. Both Red 40 and Yellow 5 are HORRIBLE. They cause all sorts of problems, especially in kids, including ADHD behaviors. But the scarriest part is that they are in everything - Schmuckers strawberry jam (strawberries are already red - why add the coloring?!), pickles (not a jar on the shelves in the stores doesn't have Yellow 5), soups, butter, granola bars (Nature Valley?! Come on!), and on and on. Ok, so as I remove myself from my little soap box, all that is to say - I am very excited to find this recipe!! Made with homemade strawberry jam (no coloring, less sugar).

Homemade Poptarts*

Adapted from King Arthur Flour
Pastry

2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pats

1 large egg

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk
1 additional large egg (to brush on pastry)

Cinnamon Filling (enough for 9 tarts)

1/2 cup (3 3/4 ounces) brown sugar

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, to taste

4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 large egg, to brush on pastry before filling

Jam Filling

3/4 cup (8 ounces) jam

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water

Alternate fillings: 9 tablespoons chocolate chips, 9 tablespoons Nutella or other chocolate-hazelnut paste or 9 tablespoons of a delight of your choice, such as salted caramel or a nut paste

To make cinnamon filling: Whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

To make jam filling:

Mix the jam with the cornstarch/water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Use to fill the pastry tarts.

Make the dough:

Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Work in the butter with your fingers, pastry blender or food processor until pea-sized lumps of butter are still visible, and the mixture holds together when you squeeze it. If you’ve used a food processor, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Whisk the first egg and milk together and stir them into the dough, mixing just until everything is cohesive, kneading briefly on a well-floured counter if necessary.

Divide the dough in half (approximately 8 1/4 ounces each), shape each half into a smooth rectangle, about 3×5 inches. You can roll this out immediately (see Warm Kitchen note below) or wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Assemble the tarts:

If the dough has been chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to soften and become workable, about 15 to 30 minutes. Place one piece on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8″ thick, large enough that you can trim it to an even 9″ x 12″. [You can use a 9" x 13" pan, laid on top, as guidance.] Repeat with the second piece of dough. Set trimmings aside. Cut each piece of dough into thirds – you’ll form nine 3″ x 4″ rectangles.

Beat the additional egg and brush it over the entire surface of the first dough. This will be the “inside” of the tart; the egg is to help glue the lid on. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling into the center of each rectangle, keeping a bare 1/2-inch perimeter around it. Place a second rectangle of dough atop the first, using your fingertips to press firmly around the pocket of filling, sealing the dough well on all sides. Press the tines of a fork all around the edge of the rectangle. Repeat with remaining tarts.

Gently place the tarts on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Prick the top of each tart multiple times with a fork; you want to make sure steam can escape, or the tarts will become billowy pillows rather than flat toaster pastries. Refrigerate the tarts (they don’t need to be covered) for 30 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 350°F.

Charming tip from King Arthur: Sprinkle the dough trimmings with cinnamon-sugar; these have nothing to do with your toaster pastries, but it’s a shame to discard them, and they make a wonderful snack. While the tarts are chilling, bake these trimmings for 13 to 15 minutes, till they’re golden brown.

Bake the tarts: Remove the tarts form the fridge, and bake them for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a light golden brown. Cool in pan on rack.

Whole Wheat Variation: I was itching to swap out 1/2 cup of the flour with whole wheat flour. I am sure it would make it more deliciously breakfast.

Pop Tart Minis: The biggest struggle I had with these was the size. I actually like my baked goods on the tiny size, thus I think this could make an adorable batch of 16 2 1/4″ x 3″ rectangles.

Savory Pop Tarts: Nix the sugar in the dough and halve the salt. Fill with pesto, cheese, ground nuts or olives, or any combination thereof. Brush the tops with additional egg wash and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds. Please invite me over.

Do ahead: The sweet versions should keep at room temperature in an airtight container for a week. If you’d like to make them further in advance, I vote for freezing them unbaked between layers of waxed paper, and baking them as you need.

Warm kitchen warning: Guys, I live in an inferno, the kind of steam-heated, 85 degrees inside (68 gorgeous degrees outside) existence many other New Yorkers are familiar with. Between the heat and yesterday’s rainy humidity, me and this dough were struggling. To keep it from being too warm and soft, I was stuffing the trays of dough in the freezer for 10 minute shifts almost every time I worked with them. If you find yourself in an overly warm kitchen working with dough that gets soft too quickly, just keep using your freezer. The 10 minutes here and there that you extend this project will save you many gray hairs as the dough becomes easy to work with again.

*All notes are from Deb at smittenkitchen.com

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken:

Chicken Breasts
Sliced Ham
Cheese, Mozerella or Provalone
Breadcrumbs (Panko)
One egg, beaten

Pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness.
Season with salt and pepper on each side.
Place ham slices and cheese on each breast and roll up, holding it in place with toothpicks.
Dip chicken roll in egg, then in breadcrumbs
Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Optional Mornay Sauce:

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper
In small saucepan, melt butter. With a whisk, beat in flour. When mixture bubbles, add milk all at once, stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps. Stir in cheese, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring constantly until it's thick.

Pour over baked Chicken Cordon Bleu just before serving.

Burlap Purse and other Fall-ish things

The weather can't seem to make up it's mind, but what's new in Idaho? Bouncing back and forth between 90's and 60's, I'm getting the itch for fall. I'm usually a spring and summer type of girl, but for some reason I am yearning for the fall this year. Maybe it's because the garden didn't do so well, so I'm ready to move on. (But Husband did rave over the very first few tomatoes we just got out of the garden! That always makes my heart sing.)

Maybe it's that I'm excited about all that's coming together and all the potential. I've felt stuck the last year and half; like I was going nowhere, making no progress in many areas - spiritual, family, and career (I say this loosely as I would be happy being a career mom - think foster care or orphanage and a career wife - taking care of the household and I dream of owning a duplex) development. Anywho, I'm excited for fall. I'm excited for the colors: the oranges, browns, deep purples (when did this pop up as a fall color?!). I'm excited for the chill in the air that causes a need for scarves, for the apples - for canning and applecider.

To my delight this morning, this popped up on a blog I regularly lurk:

Now, where do I get me some burlap?!

How to be a Coupon Psychic from the Krazy Coupon Lady

This post is from the Krazy Coupon Lady. There are actually two of them who run the site, and they live in Caldwell. (I heard them on Dave Ramsey one day - fun, huh!) Anywho, I like it when people make my data-gathering-and-analyzing life easier. :)

Everyone knows that produce is seasonal. If you want to make a triple batch of strawberry or apricot freezer jam, the best time of year to do it is during the summer when the fruit is in season, and thereby at it’s lowest annual cost. A savvy shopper waits until a product is on sale and then stocks up! The idea is to create a stockpile that will last you 3-12 months, or until the product again reaches its lowest price.

Packaged Foods are seasonal just like produce! Each calendar month brings a new batch of sales. Here’s the predictable sale cycles for each calendar month:

January:
National Oatmeal Month: Quaker
Diet Foods including: Healthy Choice, South Beach, Lean Cuisine, Special K, Kashi, Smart Start, 100 Calorie Packs
Super Bowl Sunday: Pepsi, Coke, Chips, Dips, Cheese, sandwich items, crackers, snacks, wings
Seasonal Produce: Oranges, Pears,Grapefruit, Tangerines, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Cabbage, Spinach
Clearance: Christmas Decorations, Toys, Wrapping Papers,
Winter Health: Cold Medicines and Vitamins

February:
National Canned Food Month: Canned Fruit, Vegetables, meats: Tuna, chicken, salmon, pie fillingsNational
Hot Breakfast Month: Malt O Meal, Oatmeal, Eggo Waffles, Syrup
Valentines: Chocolate, Hershey’s, KY Lubricant, etc
Chinese New Year: Soy Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Noodles
Seasonal Produce: Artichoke, Asparagus, Raspberries, Potatoes, Strawberries, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Spinach

March:
Frozen Food Month: Frozen Meals, TGI Fridays, Contessa, Foster Farms Chicken, Eggo, Sara Lee, Healthy Choice, DiGiorno, Freschetta, Breyers, Dreyers, Marie Callendars
Seasonal Produce: Artichoke, Asparagus, Avocado, Haas, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Fennel, Kale, Leek, Lemon, Lime, Mushrooms, Onions, Spring, Orange, Peas, Radish, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries, Tangerine

April:
Easter: Ham, Eggs, Some Baking Supplies: sugar, spices, baking mixes, chocolate chips
Earth Day: Organic foods, Energy saver
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbages, Carrots, Grapefruit, Hass Avocado, Mushrooms, Onions, Peas, Rhubarb
Clearance: After Easter sales are the time to stock up on decorating, baskets, etc for the next year.

May:
Memorial Day: BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, condiments, charcoal, salad dressing, potato chips, dips
Paper Products: plates, utensils, insect repellant, sunscreen
Cinco De Mayo: Salsa, tortillas
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Avocado, Beans, Green, Beets, Blackberries, Carrots, Onions, Sweet Vidalia, Peas, Edible Pods, Peas, English/Shelling, Potatoes, New, Raspberries, Strawberries

June:
National Dairy Month: Eggs, Milk (Free Milk Catalina, wyb cereal), Ice Cream, Cheese, Butter, Yogurt, cool whip, In-store dairy coupons or booklets
End of June is Fourth of July Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, condiments, charcoal, salad dressing, potato chips, dips
Seasonal Produce: Apricots, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cherries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Honeydew, Nectarines, Peaches, Potatoes, Raspberries, Red Onions, Squash, Summer, Strawberries, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Tomatoes, Watermelon

July:
National Ice Cream Month
More 4th of July BBQ Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, condiments, charcoal, salad dressing, potato chips, dips
End of July: Back to School Sales begin: crayons, pencils, folders, binders
Seasonal Produce: Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Beans, Green, *Blueberries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Garlic, Grapes, Nectarines, Onions, Red, Oranges, Valencia, Peaches, Peppers, Sweet/Bell, Plums, Potatoes, Squash, Summer, Tomatoes, Watermelon

August:
Back to School: Pudding cups, Lunch meat,
Staples and Office Depot Penny items
Disinfectant: Clorox, Purell
Clearance: Insect Repellant, Sunscreen, charcoal
Seasonal Produce: Apple, Gravenstein, Avocado, Hass, Beans, Beans, Green, Berries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Grapes, Melons, Onion, Peaches, Pears, Bartlett, Pepper, Bell, Plums, Raspberries, Squash, Summer, Tomatillo, Tomato

September:
Back to School Sales through labor day: crayons, pencils, folders, binders
Diabetes: Bayer Glucose Meters, Glucerna Cereal
Seasonal Produce: Apples, Artichokes, Beans, Bell Peppers, Chile Peppers, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Onion, Orange, Valencia, Pears, Asian, Pears, Bartlett, Pomegranate, Squash, Tomatillo, Tomatoes, Winter Squash

October:
Halloween: Candy
Beginning of the baking sales: Canned pumpkin, evap milk, baking chips
National Seafood Month
Adopt a Shelter-Dog Month: Pedigree, Purina
Seasonal Produce: Almonds, Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Chard, Chestnuts, Cranberries, Lemons, Parsnip, Pears, Pomegranate, Potatoes, Potatoes, Sweet, Pumpkin, Spinach, Squash, Winter, Turnips, Yams

November:
Baking Sales in full swing: nuts, chocolate chips, evap milk, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, cake mixes
Canned foods – soup, broth, condensed milk, vegetables, fruits, spaghetti sauce
Turkey, canned pumpkin, stovetop stuffing, betty crocker boxed potatoes, gravy mixes, rhodes rolls, frozen pies, cranberry sauce, jello, marshmallows
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Celery, Comice pears, cranberries, kiwi, lemons, orange, potato, squash, yams
Clearance: After Halloween sales are the time to stock up on things for the next year.
I like to buy the Halloween candy-alternatives like halloween crayons, erasers, watches, spinning tops, etc. I mix this in with my next year’s candy bowl and it stretches my loot for all the neighbor kids!

December:
Holiday Dinner: Egg Nog, Deli Platters, Instant Potatoes, gravy mixes, rhodes rolls, frozen pies, cranberry sauce, jello, marshmallows
Baking: Flour, Sugar, Butter, Cream, Cake mix, Brownie mix, Muffin mix, Breads, Pie Crust, Marshmallow, Whipped cream
Canned foods – soup, broth, condensed milk, vegetables, fruits, spaghetti sauce
Clearance: Buy all your Thanksgiving Decorations, extra table settings and turkey carving products now once they’re at least 50% off.

Early August Garden Update

The frustration continues with the garden this year. The squash have a bounty of beautiful blooms. Like this one:

And here is the growing squash:

You don't see it? Oh, that's right! You can't take a picture of nothing. Grand. Something's stealing my squash.

The Oregon Spring are starting to turn red, but they aren't that big - maybe quarter-size in diameter. And I know the plant isn't a cherry variety. The Black Zebra are slightly bigger and just now turning. The Anna Russian is tall and has lots of flowers, but not one tomato. Bust all around.

The pepper plant does have one pepper on it! I'm rooting it on as it's currently my only hope.

I want my baby back, baby back, baby back. . .

Nothing makes me feel like a million bucks quite like the words, "This is good, Wife!" There's just something about creating food that is delicious that just makes me feel like I succeeded. When I hit the mark like that, we call the recipes 'keepers'. Ribs is one of those foods that I've really grown into appreciating. I hated them as a kid, but I am excited to say I have found my rib keeper recipe!

Pork Ribs (Baby Back or Spare)
note: this is more like a general guideline. If you don't have time to prepare a day in advance, then just go with what you have.

24 hours in advance prepare the ribs:
Rub Ingredients

1/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne red pepper

This recipe was made for 3 racks of ribs. I halved it for my one 3 to 3 1/2 lb rack.

Remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs. I have yet to gain experience enough to tell you the best way to do this, but I just made a little slit and pulled. It came off fairly easily.

Cover the ribs with the rub and let sit in the fridge until you're ready to cook.

Cooking Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Wrap each section of ribs with one piece each aluminum foil. (I cut my one rack in two.) Bake the ribs for 2 1/2 hours. For the last 15 minutes of cooking, I unwrapped the foil and topped with bbq sauce.

These are fall-off-the bone tender. Play around with them - if you want them bbq'd, take them out at 2 hours, let them sit for a bit, add bbq sauce and throw them on the barbie to carmelize. I used Masterpiece brown sugar sauce, but there are so many options. And you can always make your own! It's so easy-peasy and SO delicious!

Side note: Baby back ribs are taken from the portion of the ribs closest to the spine. These tend to be shorter, curved, and have meat between the bones and on top of the bones. Spare ribs are from the belly side of the rib cage. These are flatter and generally have more bone than meat. Both of these are the typical steak-house eat-the-meat-off-the-bone kind of ribs. Country style ribs are cut from the blade end of the pork loin, next to the shoulder. They contain a lot of fat and may or may not contain bone. These are more of a fork and knife cut of meat. All of these are pork. Short ribs are similar to spare ribs but are beef.

Plantable Seeded Paper Flowers

I've seen this idea in cards, and I've actually received allysum seeds on a coupon from Old Navy. What a fun idea to make them myself! The full tutorial can be found HERE at How Does She. But the basic is to use a thick paste made out of flour and water to adhere the seeds to paper and then roll it up into flower shapes. Get creative!
I successfully over-wintered some Zinnia seeds from flower from seeds that I received from my Grandpa last spring. Maybe I'll try this project with those. . .

Thank You for Fruit Cravings!

I'm sitting here drooling over the idea of huckleberry syrup saved for the kind chilly winter morning that requires a steaming cup of coffee as one sits by the window watching the snow flakes flutter down. And I just discovered last night that my frozen corn stash is out - put that on the list of things to do in the next couple weeks! But this:

This is what might just make me stop at the fruit stand on the way home. Or pop open a can of peaches from last summer. (But, what does one do when her husband "hates hot fruit"? Can I make it just for me, have it for dinner, and tell him he's fending for himself?)

It's called "Too Easy" Peach Cobbler. Namesake aside, I do believe it looks all too delicious to pass up trying. The recipe is found HERE (or see below) at King Aurthur Flour, but I originally saw it HERE on their blog.

6 to 7 medium-sized peaches (2 pounds), peeled and sliced, OR 2 large (1 pound, 15 ounce) cans sliced peaches, drained1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces)

Pie Filling Enhancer, to thicken the filling, optional

3 to 5 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes — 4 cups cubes, about 5 ounces

1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar

2/3 cup (5 ounces) brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 large egg

1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or a sprinkling of cinnamon (optional)

Grease an 8" square or 9" round pan. Combine the peaches with the Pie Filling Enhancer, if you're using it. Layer the sliced peaches into the pan, and top the peaches with the bread cubes.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sugars, salt, flour, egg, and melted butter. Pour this batter over the bread cubes. Sprinkle with the nutmeg or cinnamon, if you're using it.

Bake the cobbler in a preheated 350°F oven for 45 minutes, until it's golden brown. Serve it hot or warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

The Verdict: In all its gooey, caramely goodness - YUM! Some cobblers can be eaten for breakfast, but this one is definitely best suited as a dessert.

Next year's garden

What I want in the garden next year:


raspberries
chives
Italian parsley

Raspberries because I have moved from intensely craving cherries to strawberries to now raspberries, and they're not on sale this week. Boo.

Chives, parsley, basil. . .I'm wondering if I could get away with an indoor herb garden through the winter. All these because of these two recipes I am dying to make:

Chicken Tenders/Nuggets/Strips/Whatever

1. Blend together bread crumbs, lemon zest, and whatever fresh herbs sound good: Itallian parsley, dill, etc.
2. Blend eggs with a little bit of milk.
3. Dip chicken into egg mixture, then cover with bread crumbs.
4. Bake at 350 until chicken turns golden brown.

(Soooo much better for you than the pre-made store bought or fast food chicken nuggets. And super easy too!)

Homemade Ranch

Ingredients

1. 1 cup mayonnaise
2. 1/2 cup sour cream
3. 1/2 teaspoon dried chives (or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives)
4. 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1/4 c. chopped fresh Flat Leaf Parsley)
5. 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed (or 1 to 2 teaspoons dill weed)
6. 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove of garlic)
7. 1/4 teaspoon onion powder (or not if using fresh herbs)
8. 1/8 teaspoon salt
9. 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
10. Milk or buttermilk
11. Other options: white vinegar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, a dash of sorcestershire, paprika, fresh oregano.
    

Directions

1. Chop the garlic finely.
2. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt on top.
3. With the back of the knife or a fork, mash garlic into a fine paste.
4. Chop the chives and parsley
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, chives, parsley, dill, onion powder, salt and pepper.
6. Add milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
7. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes on Strawberry Freezer Jam

One pound of fresh strawberries pretty much covers one batch of Surejell freezer jam.

Always pick Surejell over MCP pectin.

According to the sources on the internet, one tablespoon commercially made strawberry jam contains 3 teaspoons of sugar.

I calculated the amount in homemade jam based on the sugar to berry ratio. (Not sure if that really is the scientific way to do it, but it was the only way that made sense.) The jam is 2/3rds sugar, 1/3rd strawberries. (Yikes, seems like a lot!) However, 2/3rds of 1 tablespoon is only 2 teaspoons.

So even though it seems like there is a lot of sugar in homemade strawberry jam, there is a third more in the stuff you just grab off the shelf. So, not only does it have less sugar, it is naturally red from the berries - no nasty red coloring!

Carrots and Garlic

These are my pathetic little carrots. At least the one on the left looks like a carrot. Not sure how long I should hold out hope before I give up and called it a Fail.

I've heard that a lot of gardens are struggling this year, but I have yet to decide if I can blame my garden on the weather, or if I need to get rid of all the dirt and start fresh.

I finally pulled the garlic tonight:

The few that I got look good! Normally I tend to plant my plants too far apart, but for some reason I got the garlic pretty close together. Those too close just never formed bulbs.

July Garden update

The garden is settling into the summer heat. The spinach produced ok; I'll try again for a fall harvest. The sugar snap peas were great! I ate my fill and had some to share, but I'm still contemplating adding more trellises for more plants next year. The lettuce is growing stong, but I'm sad to say that with certain food aversions, lettuce is one that does not sound appetizing. (I have been craving cherries - weird since I've never been much of a fan -, chocolate-coverd pineapple, and avacados.) The carrots are hanging in there and I'm impatient for them to get big enough to eat. The peppers are still small, but the one that was stripped does have new leaves! The basil is struggling. Most of it withered away, and I suspect it's getting too much sun. I'm contemplating getting an indoor pot to try again. The garlic is just about ready to harvest. They say to harvest when the bottom six leaves have turned brown - we're at about 4 or 5. Woohoo!

The squash was planted next to the peas to use the trellises. This plant did have one little squash starting already, but it was decapitated. Stupid birds, or squirrels. I'm not sure. But here's to hoping these flowers produce!

I had some rogue dill pop up. Can I use these flowers, or just the whispy part below? Should I have harvested before it flowered?

A few onions have these little poofs. Driving past some onion fields over the weekend I noticed all of them had the poofs. Hopefully that means something is going right?

It won't be long before we have fresh tomato goodness! I'm exited to try the Black Zebra, and so far it's winning the race. (Which is surprising since it's beating Oregon Spring which is supposed to be an early producer.) The Anna Russian looks down some days - I've wondered if it would make it - and its wine-bottle-waterer is always empty. Thirsty little plant!

Summer Greatness!

One of the best things of summer? Drying off from a bath in the back yard!

Aahh, choo!

Com'on! Throw it!

Bottles, Bottles

I heard a rumor that in Boise, glass isn't actually recycled. They just take it out to its own little landfill in the desert. I guess it costs too much to melt it down? So, now I feel guilty throwing glass in the trash, and I also feel guilty throwing it in the recycling. But! Here are some super cute ideas to reuse: (These ideas all came from The Stories of A 2 Z in this post. Please take a look at her blog for the photo credits.)

So cute! We have an awesome drawing of the Chicago skyline that my brother-in-law, Ian, drew for us, complete with hand-made frame that hangs above our sofa. I've been trying to figure out something cute to hang on either side of it. (I love our house, but I've been searching for ways to add some lady touches.)

This is the outside version. Too bad we don't have a large fence.

And of course, the garden watering system. I actually have a few bottles saved for just this purpose. Seeing this again reminds me that I should put them out. I'm thinking that this would only work for the stand alone plants - tomatoes, squash, peppers, etc - but not so well for the rows of lettuce, carrots, and such. Time for experimenting!

Peas!

First harvest! Yay!

Chalk board

This idea came from Mustard Seed Creations. See it here. It says this:

Christ is the head of this house,
the unseen guest at every meal,
and the silent listener to every conversation.

Blooming White

This is what my peonies should be doing right now. *Sigh* For the second year since I discovered them, they are not. I finally figured out what I'm going to do with them. Right where my garden meets the front yard, there is a big old jumbled mess of thorny bushes. I am going to take those out and replant the peonies there. I am also going to get a couple of these:
Viburnum! They remind me of hydrangea, which I'm so excited about because we just don't have the humidity to grow my favorite flowers.

These are a couple other flowers around the neighborhood that I think are fun:

Over the Door Shelf

"For function fanatics and small-home dwellers alike, storage is a luxury. So look up. Installing a shelf above a door in the bath to hold towels and toiletries – or in the kitchen for cookbooks or collectibles – is smart and stylish. It's a simple project that can be completed in little time. You can make it fancy as we've done, or simple with a change of bracket design." See the project here.

House Envy

I need one of these:

Not want. NEED.

And Kyle would never let me do this to a perfectly beautiful wood floor:

But if I ever have to figure out what to do with a floor that is beyond refinishing? Yes, this is indeed what I will do.

How does your garden grow?

These are things I want for my yard - if only I knew what they were. Any ideas?

(This tree is one of the only evergreens I actually like. There's something about the whispy, reaching branches.)

What's in Bloom

I returned today from my sister's graduation in DC. Her law school graduation. At which was was a speaker. I'm so proud of her!

I came back to some bummers and some beauties! One of my squash plants had been dug up and put aside - roots in tact. I just replanted it, and we shall see. One of my pepper plants has been beleafed. I can't say it was beheaded because the stem is still standing; all the leaves are just gone. Oh well, I will continue to water and will see on that one too. Everything else in the garden seems to be dandy.

Now for what's in bloom:

Snow in Summer (the kind I like to see)

These I got from my MIL. Can't remember what they're called? The one on the left is the first on the plant.

First bearded iris of the summer. It's about 4 feet tall!

Tiered Inspiration

This is so cute!

Tutorial is here at Positively Splendid.

Afternoon in the sun

And Shafer Butte is important because the tomatoes finally went in today! I got them last weekend at the Peaceful Belly farms sale.

Anna Russian - 65 days. Pinkish red heart shape fruits that weigh a pound with outstanding flavor. Indeterminate.

Oregon Springs - 58 days. A cold-tolerant tomato for short season gardeners. Compact plants produce concentrated sets of medium to large fruit that is nearly seedless. Fruit is juicy and tender with full tomato flavor. Determinate

Black Zebra - 75 days. Burgundy tomato green stripes on the outside. Sweet and juicy, unique and stunning variety; vigorous plants produce an abundance of 3 to 4 oz tomatoes. Indeterminate.

Cal Wonder Orange Bell Pepper - (I thought I'd grabbed one orange and one green but I guess I grabbed two orange, woops!) 80 days. Classic bell shape, sweet, beautiful fruits

Summer Squash - Tromboncino - 80 days. Light green/tan skin, Italian

Cantaloupe - Super 45 Hybrid - 88 days. 4-5 lb fruit.

Eventually I'll get to the point that I can line all the veggies to produce at the same time so I can actually make salsa and such.

Shafer Butte

Shafer Butte still has snow. May 4th hit 32 degrees, and the 6th got close at 35. The forecast for the next 10 days show the lowest will be 42.

Score!

(photo courtesy of www.cooksgarden.com)

The veggie pictured above is a Tromboncino summer squash. I've been looking for a plant to grow in my garden, but I would have settled for seeds too. No one I talked to had even heard of it before, but as I was strolling through the veggie section at Edwards Greenhouse today, there it was! Woot! I didn't have the energy to get it in the garden today, but it's ok as the temperature is supposed to dip this week. I'm excited for the artichoke-flavored squash, and from what I read, it rivals zucchini in production. I'll have plenty to share!

I did force myself to get out in the sun a little bit. I got some free basil seeds so I made newspaper seed starter pots. I decided I am going to make pesto. I have planted:

Genovese Basil: "Of all the basils to grow, and there are about 150 varieties, Genovese basil is one of the best because it yields 7 to 8 cuttings and makes the best pesto." www.superbherbs.com

Lemon Basil: "A basil with a lemon/citrus fragrance and flavor which makes it particularly good in vinegar, with fish, in salad dressings & sauces, and in oils. Great in pesto and other standard basil dishes, too." www.gardenguides.com

Things My Husband Won't Eat

I have decided this flower is my all-time favorite. It's called narcissus poeticus and they are just now blooming in the yard. *Sigh* They make me happy. :)

Something else that makes me happy: having a day to do whatever we want. No pressure, no appointments, no running around. Of course, things done include yard work, garage sale-ing, and giving the dog a bath. Oh the exciting life I lead. But it's nice to just putter around by Husband's side.

Into the garden went the following:

The second round of carrots

"Grow Organic" Lettuce - Gourmet Blend (including Red Oak Leaf, Green Romaine, Red Lollo Rossa, Green Leaf, and Green Butterhead. Days to germination: 10-15; days to maturity: 45-50. The package says to sow when soil warms after danger of frost, but my grandpa already has lettuce coming up and everything I've read elsewhere says it's a cool weather crop. Guess we'll see.

Livingston Seed Bloomsdale Long-Standing Spinach - Days to germination: 7-10; days to maturity: 48.

Daffodils and Peas

The Flower and Garden show was last weekend. I meant to take the camera to capture inspiration but only remembered that as I walked in the door. Oops. I did pick up these super cool water beads though. They are biodegradable, reusable, and hold water for a couple months. And, they hold up flowers even in large vases! (thewaterbeads.com) I love the way they look with the bright yellow daffodils.

To my surprise I discovered the first round of peas have popped up today! Even through the snow we had today. Yes, snow. Yay for peas!