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First Pick
This morning I picked my first broccoli. One of the broccoli’s flowers had begun to open and I knew the others would be close behind so I cut the center stalk from most the plants. It would appear that someone(s) else thought the broccoli was ripe for picking too as there were score of small green worms working their way up the heads. I’m really hoping I picked them all off! I guess a little extra protein wouldn’t hurt and…
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First Blossom of the Season
Yesterday, on the day we celebrated Life and the Resurrection, I went outside to enjoy the greenery. I was completely surprised to find one of my pea plants had dared to send out a blossom. I planted the peas with beans and spinach in the middle of February. While the beans rotted in the soil because it was still too cold, the peas have been doing well and are looking for things to climb on, including each other. When I…
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Peppers Planted
I found an interesting method of growing peppers called “Pillar of Peppers“. To construct this, Joe lined a tomato cage with chicken wire and landscaping cloth, pushed the cage into the ground and filled it with a vegetable potting soil. Today, I cut slits in the cloth, dug out small recesses for my plants and tucked them in. I thoroughly watered pillar and will wait two days to see which peppers survive and replace those which don’t. The peppers are…
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Tips on Saving Money in the Perennial Garden
I am not a very experienced or skilled gardener. However, there are a couple things I have found to save money while building up a perennial garden. 1) Buy plants on clearance after their peak. Last year I bought (at 50% off) several containers of Easter Lilies that had lost most of their flowers. I planted them, let them die back and they have multiplied this spring. 2) Cut and root clippings and replant. I have a huge Black and…
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Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken
Many of the meals I cook are accidental. Last night I wanted to cook Greek Chicken Pasta, but unfortunately, I forgot to buy red onion at the store – red onion is essential. I ended up doing a recipe search with the ingredients I had on hand: chicken, feta, but no red onion. I browsed through and found one with spinach, and having just read an article on superfoods, I was craving spinach… or at least feeling guilted into eating…
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Favorite Banana Nut Bread
Bananas almost always go bad in our house, especially since Joe and I both prefer them slightly green. The following recipe (tweaked from allrecipes.com) saves those bad bananas and makes one loaf of my favorite banana nut bread. It won’t disappoint, but pay no attention to how unhealthy it is.1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon baking soda1/4 cup applesauce (I use Mott’s natural.)1/4 cup butter, softened1 cup white sugar (This can be reduced to 3/4 cup if you choose.)1…
