kappydell

 

Our cucumber trellis is of saved fencing, so it is hardware cloth in one area, chicken wire in another, and 3x4 inch welded wire in yet a third area.  The cucumbers do not seem to care.  They are trying to bury us.  I took 2 gallons to church today to give to my pastor, who distributes his fishing and hunting results (he is very good at both) to the needy.  He knows who can use them.  One man commented "they are early for around here" but was impressed by their size.   

 

This is the other side of the trellis down the center of the cucumber house....as you can see cabbages will be next, and tomatoes are in the back....making tomatoes.  Those greenhouses we got on sale at Wayfair were worth every penny (and every bit of sweating and cursing as we put them up, LOL.)

And you can see our pot collection in one, also....herbs, green peppers, etc.  Eventually this will be another raised bed if the economy ever allows us to afford it.  

 

Today was a hot one here in north central GA.  Sent to church and it was already starting to heat up.  Picked up some pineapple juice and lemon juice to make zucchini pineapple, both chunks and shredded.  It is a tasty [pineapple substitute, works well in baking, and is a good way to handle our glut of yellow squash.

 

Tomorrow we will be running to doctor apointments (Marys & mine, both).  But I checked the blackberries I picked and they are holding very well in the fridge.  I will pick a bunch more, and as long as I am canning with the water bath I will can some berries up, too.  I have to control myself though on the noshing....they are sooooo good.  Peaches are here in the roadside stands, too.  Expensive though,  I bought a few for fresh, but I will buy canned peaches, they are still cheaper than doing them at home, and now they come packed in water, or juice, instead of just heavy syrup, so I am pleased to get them without all that sugar.  If Wal mart can keep them in stock.  I was there this morning, and some shelves looked pretty sparse.  I did bring home a beef tongue as a treat for Mary...her mother used to cook them and she loves the meat in sandwiches.  Other than that, no extras.  I went in to get a new hasp for the freezer padlock, and that is what I bought.  (all 3 freezers are padlocked.  when I did it Mary thought I was nuts, but now she says "Hurry and replace the broken one".  Sad when you have to lock up the food...).  

 

I checked the "kitty tunnels" among the boxes in my room this morning, and removed all the kittens (eleven of them) to check to make sure they did not need eye ointment and were healthy and growing properly.  A couple did need eye ointment, so I treated them and put them back in the tunnels.  Both mamas and little ones like it there...the tunnels are kitty cat sized, but protected with little rooms (spaces between boxes) where they can play and practice walking, feeling safe from cross traffic from people and doggies.  It sure gets noisy there at dawn though when 3 mamas are in there feeding the littles and talking to them (and the littles are complaining because mama want to lick them with her rough tongue, LOL)  Soon we can take the whole batch to the no kill shelter as we simply can NOT fit any more cats  inside or outside here.  Then we will have room for another expectant mama to come in and use the tunnels so she does not have them outside in triple digit heat.  Obviously the mamas are slated for surgery, ASAP....enough cats! 

 

Today Mary found a black snake in the yard, so she washed it across the road with the water hose so the cats would not kill it.  They are a protected species here, as they kill poisonous snakes as food.  My kind of snake!  

 

Its our turn for triple digit heat the next 3 days.  Happy Summer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The garden is officially starting to produce.  We are fighting vine borers in the squash and pumpkins but so far we are holding damages down.  Our cucumbers went crazy on the greenhouse trellises, and we are picking & picking.  We gave a bunch to a neighbor today to make cucumber salad and fridge pickles, and we are still dealing with bunches of them.  The green beans are coming on strong, we are also picking those like mad until the weathers makes them shut down.  Meanwhile they are delicious!  I am picking blackberries, and planning on dragging out the canner to can some berries for serving in various ways.  I understand they are very high in anthocyanins, so much the better.   I am considering making pickles (again) but not too eagerly as mine are always un-crisp.  I have to figure out what I am doing wrong before I can any, but refrigerator pickles will work for me.  As soon as I make (a little) room in the freezer I might try some freezer pickles, they were OK last time I made them.  So those cukes will not go to waste.

 

Today Mary pulled up all the Prunella plants in the orchard plot....I made her save it so I can dehydrate it, as it is a well known medicinal that goes by the name of "All Heal".  It grows wild around here, so more will come up later.  In the past she has not always understood about the medicinal "weeds" in her lawn, but she is learning to leave some of the plants alone.  The pennyroyal patch, for example, she can mow, but not poison....it is a flea repellent.  

I am still having trouble with her dislike of dandelions, but there are a few secret patches in our "wild" area.  And she has agreed not to mow down ALL the wild blackberries, just mow enough to keep it in its designated borders, and a path for me to get to the center of the patch.  (So I will make her some jelly, for her help.)

 

We are hearing more and more about upcoming SHTF shortages, around september or so.  (I woud not be surprised to hear it is orchestrated for that time for political purposes....legislating by emergency order is so much easier than making congress pass unpopular/extreme/controversial laws.)  My nieghbors are beginning to speak openly of prepping, which is interesting.  Better late than never, I guess.  

 

Annarchy, I too have a Searchlight cookbook!  My mother told me when I was a child that she wanted one because HER mother had one.  So when I found one in an antique store I got it for her.  After she died, I got it b back and it is a great cookbook!  

 

 

Yes put me down.  And the wicking pots are wonderful, we started them last year.  Our flowers last summer were the talk of the neighborhood, surviving weeks of 100 degree plus temps and no rain.  

 

To make them we used fake half barrel planters, 2 pieces of 6 inch performated drain pipe (from Lowe';s, its perforated corrugated plastic drainage pipes you can cut with a knife (or jig saw, or saws-all), some ladscape fabric cut to cober the pipes (to keep the soil from getting in them).  A length of old pvc pipe (1 inch so the hose fits in it) large enough to reach from the bottom of the chosen pot to about 2 inches over the dirt level.  Then potting soil to fill it up.  (Regular woil will not wick the water up from the bottom reservoir.)

 

Fill or cover bottom holes to prevent water leaking out.  Drill ONE drainage hole in the side, 5 incheas from the base.  (if you are using other size drainage tubing, you want that hole 1 inch shorter than the tube's diameter, ie, for a 4 inch pipe you would drill 3 inches from the bottom.  This is your only draining hole, and it also lets you know when you have put in enough water.

 

Cut 2 pieces of the 5 inch draining tube, to fit inside the bottom of the large pot.  If you have a shaller deep pot, it might take only 1 tube, thats ok.  You want most of the bottom covered, with space on either side of the tubing.  Cut a piece of landscape cloth to fit over the top of the tubing, covering it enough to keep dirt from getting in there. Aligh the drainage or weep hole with the open end of one of the tubes and drape the cloth down the sides.  Fill with possint soil making sure some gets down on either side of the tubing, to the bottom of the pot.  This dirt will start wicking the water up to the plant roots from the bottom when you water.

 

Plant above the drainage set up, and put water thru the pvc pipe with the garden hose.  You have enough to fill the reservoir when the water comes out that side drainage hole....Now your plants have both water, and air (important to prevent root rot) in that reservoir.  

 

Now all you have to do is water every 3-4 days, up to a week depending on the size of the pot reservoir (which depends on the pot).

 

You can make up this wicking system in any size pot, you just need to find drainage tubing to fit the changing size of pot.  I found if I went over 50% with the reservoid there was not enough dirt for the plant roots.  I am wanting to get some of that 4 inch draining tube to fit in the kitty litter pails, which are about 14 inches tall.  That will tive me a depth of soil of 10 inches which should be enough for most plants.  

 

 

 

You now have a pot of dirt, with two drainage tubes covered with landscape cloth underneath, and a drainage/weep hole on the side.  

 

 

The first pic shows some tubing in a tub.  the 2nd pic shows a side view generally how it works.  The reservoir in my wick pots is inside the perforated drain tubes, the wicking area is on the sides instead of in the middle, where the dirt goes alongside the tubes.  The watering pipe goes down in front of the tubes and the landscape fabric goes over the whole thing to keep the dirt from clogging up the tube perforations.  

 

That is the best I can explain the wick pots.  I cant lrecommend checking YouTube for "gardening with Leon" where he does demonstrations on how to make wicking pots and use them.  

 

Do my wicking pots count?  We also put a trellis up one side of the greenhouse and up to the apex of the roof for the cucumbers as our space is limited.

And for our slug ranch (as we called it in jest) we found that copper tape Lowes sells DOES repel slugs and snails.  Hooray!!

I noticed in Lowes the other day that they have 4 inch perforated drains, which will work perfectly to make my kitty litter pails that I saved into wicking pots as well.  The  6 inch size would have been too big, taking up nearly half the dirt area, so the 4 inch size is on my wish list.  

 

Every one in a while among all the hustle bustle we get an "AWWWW" moment.  Yesterday evening we met a new neighbor.  She and her husband had bought the house on the other corner from us, one that we had looked at while shopping for a place to live.  In her hands she held an itty bitty kitten.  She had fouhd him in the middle of the road, and asked if it was ours.  It wasnt, but we said we could take care of it as we had 3 nursing mama cats who would not mind an extra baby (we hoped).  

It was almost the same size as mama Shamrock's babies, so we put it down near her.  She immediately began to nuzzle and lick it, as if checking it over for owies.

(First "AWWW").  Little Buddy was big enough to eat wet cat food alongside Shamrock and her babies, and just before bed we spotted her cuddling and nursing him. ("AWWW" and sigh of relief!)  So now we have a foster kitten.  We have not seen any others, nor any mama come looking for him.  Did he wander off?  Was he tossed out of a car near the "cat ladies" house?  Did mama get killed by a car?  Who knows.  All we care is that he is now no longer crying and wandering around, but is cuddled by a foster mom, is well fed, and has 3 new playmates.  And yes, he cuddles us, too.  Something kind of special about a kitten falling asleep in your lap.  AWWWW.

 

 

 

DO YOU REMEMBER? 

Trussing fowl?

Rotisserie grill attachments?

Stovetop Pressure cookers?

Trivets for the table?

Vinyl (or oilcloth) tablecloths?  

Making pot holders with looper looms?  (extra credit if you cut the tops of worn out socks into loops) 

Making cutting boards out of wood scraps?  Cannisters from coffee cans?

Peanut butter jars with measurement markers on the side?

How about jelly jars that were designed to be re-used as drinking glasses?

Pressed wood salad bowls (now you are dating yourself, LOL)

Salad “sets” of bowls (extra credit for the tossing tools)

Special ethnic cooking tools, like lefse rolling pins, rosette irons, aepfelskiver pans, wafer cookie irons, and of course, the traditional bean pots and cast iron dutch ovens (extra credit

     if you know how to use them)

Cooking with lye? 

Cooking with drippings?  (please post recipes!)

Using "everything but the squeal"?

Home sausage stuffers?  

Slow, Moderate or Quick oven settings?

War ration recipes? Depression era recipes?

Jelly bags?

Pressing foods through a sieve to make a puree?

Aprons that went from chin to knees (even longer if you were a young ‘un helping in the kitchen)

Absorbent cotton dish towels from flour sack material? 

Summer kitchens, and special hot weather recipes?

Canning as a group project (any excuse for a “hen party”)

Canning jars with red rubber rings?  

The special pliers to close the rings on the larger sausages?

Smoke houses?  

Making soap?  (extra credit if you know what soft soap was for, and how to make and use it!)

 

(Dang I feel old!)

 

Add your own....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yep, I have one of those checkered cookboks in my collection.  They are American classics.  The New Settlement cookbook is wonderful for the German specialities too, expecially the older versions.  Kuchen, Scnecken, Sauerbraten, and one of my favorites because it holds up in a slow cooker where noodles will not....spaetzle!    Now I will dream about food all night, LOL.

Canned veggies must have certainly  been one of the original "convenience foods" especially in the dead of winter when the snow was 3 feet deep over the garden.

When I was wondering "what would grandma do?" to for an emergency food pantry I went searching for recipes specifically for canned vegetables.  Here are some of the ones I found that are more than simply "open, heat & eat"  to help chase away food storage blahs.  Canned vegetables are good long term storage items, lasting for years without electricity.  Here are some old and new ways to use canned foods in food storage meals.

 

PICKLED RED BEETS (FROM CANNED BEETS) 

1 gal. canned red beets                                                                      3 c. sugar

3 c. beet juice                                                                                       1 1/3 c. 5% vinegar

Drain beets. Mix beet juice, sugar and vinegar in pot; bring to boil. Boil 5 minutes. Add red beets to water mixture and bring to boil. Boil 5 minutes. Put into jars. Put into ice box. Ready to eat after 10 days.

 

SUMMER BEET SALAD       

2 (15 oz.) cans julienne beets                                                            1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced

juice of 1 lemon                                                                                   2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. coarse-grind black pepper                                                 

Drain beets well. Add thinly-sliced onions. Add lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper. Mix well. It is best if made the day before so flavors will blend. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serves 8 as a side dish.

 

CANNED CARROTS

Drain & rinse canned vegetables to reduce sodium (salt)  Use drained liquid in gravy, soup, or sauce.

• Boost nutrition by adding chopped up carrots to marinara sauce or mashed potatoes.

• Try adding carrots to soups, stews, chilis, stir fries and casseroles.

• Sprinkle canned carrots with cinnamon for a sweet taste or curry powder for a spicy kick!

• Heat them up in the microwave or sauté them on the stove with butter, garlic and herbs.

 

GLAZED CARROTS SIX WAYS

1 (14oz) can of carrots, drained (reserve liquid) 1 tbsp butter or oil

Choose your glaze!

1. Honey Mustard Glaze: 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar + 1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2. Warm Apple Glaze: 2 tbsp applesauce or juice + 1 tbsp maple syrup + 1/4 tsp cinnamon

3. Maple Cinnamon Glaze: 2 tbsp maple syrup + 2 tbsp vinegar + 1/4 tsp cinnamon

4. Sweet Citrus Glaze: 1 tbsp lemon or orange juice + 1 tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar

5. Orange Spiced Glaze: 2 tbsp orange juice + 1 tbsp sugar + pinch cayenne pepper

6. Hawaiian Style Glaze: 2 tbsp crushed pineapple + 1 tbsp sugar + 2 tsp soy sauce

Stovetop: In a small saucepan ove r medium-high heat, combine 1 tbsp butter or oil with your choice or glazing

ingredients. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture begins to bubble. Add carrots and stir to coat. If needed, add 1-

2 tbsp of the reserved carrot liquid to thin the sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until carrots are heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Microwave: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 tbsp butter or oil with your choice of glazing ingredients.

Microwave for 1-2 minutes on high, or until mixture starts to bubble. Add carrots and stir to coat. If necessary, add 1-2 Tablespoons of reserved carrot liquid to thin the sauce. Cook for 1 more minute or until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

 

FRITO CORN SALAD            

2 (16 oz. ea.) cans whole kernel corn, drained                              1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 cup shredded cheese                                                                      1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 cup Chopped red onion                                                               1 1/2 cups slightly crushed Chili Cheese Flavored

`                                                                                                                   Fritos corn chips                                                             

Mix first 5 ingredients together and refrigerate. Add 1 cup Fritos before serving and garnish with remaining 1/2 cup chips. Recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. 

 

CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD       

2 15 oz cans whole kernel corn                                                        2 15 oz cans black beans

2 avocados, diced                                                                                juice of two limes

1/8 - 1/4 cup of finely diced red onion                                            3/4 of a 16 oz jar salsa (spiciness is up to you)

1 8 oz block of Pepper Jack cheese, grated                                   

Rinse corn and black beans well and pour into a medium sized bowl. Dice avocados and add to mixture.     

Cut limes in half and squeeze on top of avocados. Add onion, salsa and Pepper Jack cheese. Mix well.

Refrigerate until ready to eat. This salad improves with time as the flavors blend.

 

CANNED GREENS

Tips!

Add spinach to your scrambled eggs for an extra boost of vitamin C at breakfast!

Boost nutrition by adding spinach to packaged foods like Macaroni & Cheese or Riceroni

Add canned spinach to soups, stews and casseroles. Add it to lasagna and pasta sauces.

Season a can of drained spinach with 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1 teaspoon of italian

seasoning and serve on top of frozen pizza!

Add canned spinach to mashed potatoes to vary your vegetable intake.

 

CREAMED SPINACH

2 tbsp butter or oil                                                                              1 cup low fat or non fat milk

2 tbsp flour                                                                                           1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp garlic powder                                                                              1/4 tsp pepper

1 (14oz) can spinach, drained & rinsed

In a small saucepan, heat butter or oil over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking until smooth.

Add milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir spinach into saucepan and cook to heat through. Serve warm.

 

CREAMED PEAS USING CANNED PEAS 

It may not be fancy, but it's fast, economical, easy, and my kids love them. All it takes is a can of green peas, butter, flour, milk, salt and pepper.

Prep Time 5 mins                 Cook Time 5 mins                Total Time 10 mins              Servings: 4 people

15 ounces canned peas, do not drain                                              2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons flour                                                                            1/4 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt                                                                                 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Heat undrained peas in a small saucepan.  Creamed Peas using Canned Peas may not be fancy, but it's fast, economical, easy, and my kids love them. All it takes is a can of green peas, butter, flour, milk, salt and pepper.

In a second small saucepan; melt butter. Add flour and whisk for 30 seconds.

Creamed Peas using Canned Peas may not be fancy, but it's fast, economical, easy, and my kids love them. All it takes is a can of green peas, butter, flour, milk, salt and pepper.

Add milk to the butter mixture, stirring over medium heat until thickened.

Creamed Peas using Canned Peas may not be fancy, but it's fast, economical, easy, and my kids love them. All it takes is a can of green peas, butter, flour, milk, salt and pepper.

Pour the mixture into the peas, and continue to cook until thickened to your desired consistency. Add salt and black pepper, and stir before serving.

Creamed Peas using Canned Peas may not be fancy, but it's fast, economical, easy, and my kids love them. All it takes is a can of green peas, butter, flour, milk, salt and pepper.

Notes

This is Mom's version of creamed peas. While it uses canned peas, I also love my other version that uses frozen peas. You can find that recipe here.

Be sure to leave the peas undrained; you'll need the juice for the recipe.

I use two small saucepans for this recipe, while my mom uses a skillet instead. You can use whatever is readily available.

This makes enough for 2-4 people, so double or triple up the recipe if needed.

Be sure to season with salt and black pepper.

 

EASY BACON PEA SALAD  - A Pea Salad Recipe With Egg and Bacon

The simple mixture of peas, bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs and mayonnaise marries together into the perfect summertime salad fit for any picnic or family get-together.

Prep Time 10 mins               Cook Time 10 mins              Total Time 20 mins              Servings: 8 people

15 ounces canned peas, drained                                                      3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/4 cup minced onion                                                                         2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2/3 cup bacon, fried and chopped                                                   1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon salt                                                                                 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Prep your ingredients, including frying and chopping bacon, draining peas, shredding cheese and chopping onion.

Easy Bacon Pea Salad is absolute perfection. The simple mixture of peas, bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, hard boiled eggs and mayonnaise marries together into the perfect summertime salad fit for any picnic or family get-together.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

DRESSED UP MAC & CHEESE 

1 box macaroni & cheese                                                                  1 (6oz) can chicken or tuna, drained

1/4 cup low fat or fat free milk                                                         1 (15oz) can peas, drained & rinsed

Black pepper to taste                                                                          1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to instructions on package. Drain and return to saucepan.

2. Add milk and contents of sauce packet to pan. Mix well and add chicken and peas.

3. Season with black pepper. Serve hot.

 

PUMPKIN FRITTERS             

2 c. pumpkin puree                                                                             1 c. flour

1 tsp. vanilla                                                                                          1/2 tsp. salt

3 eggs                                                                                                     2/3 c. sugar

1 tsp. nutmeg      

In a heavy skillet, heat 1/4 inch butter until hot. Drop mixture by tablespoons and cook until browned on both sides. Powder with confectioners' sugar.

 

MOTHER'S VEGETABLE SALAD         

2 medium cans mixed vegetables                                                    1 small onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped                                                                  4 sticks of celery, chopped

1 C sugar                                                                                                1/2 C wine vinegar

1/4 C oil

Drain veggies and mix with onion, green pepper and celery. Mix sugar, wine vinegar and oil together and pour over veggies. Refrigerate overnight before serving.  Can substitute yellow beans, green beans, lima beans or kidney beans for mixed vegetables

 

CHEESE AND VEGETABLE SOUP       

1 qt. water                                                                                            4 cubes chicken bouillon

1 c. diced onion                                                                                    1 c. diced celery

2 1/2 c. diced potatoes                                                                       1 c. diced carrots

1 (20 oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables                                           2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 lb. Velveeta cheese

Mix first 4 ingredients and cook for 20 minutes. Add diced potatoes and carrots. Add bag of frozen vegetables. Cook covered 20 minutes. Add 2 cans cream of chicken soup. Add Velveeta. Simmer until cheese is melted.

 

VEG-ALL CASSEROLE (Any Mixed Vegetables)  

2 cans Vegal (drained)                                                                        1 c. mayonnaise

1 c. chopped onions                                                                            1 c. grated cheese

1 can sliced water chestnuts                                                             1 can English peas

Salt and pepper                                                                                  

Mix all in a large bowl. Put in long baking dish and top with crackers. Melt and pour over 1 stick of butter. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

TEX MEX BREAKFAST SKILLET

1 tbsp oil                                                                                               black pepper to taste                                                         

2 (14.5oz) can potatoes, drained & cut into bite sized pieces    1/2 cup cheese

4 eggs                                                                                                     1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup milk or water                                                                         1/2 cup crumbled tortilla chips (optional)

1/4 tsp salt                                                                                            1 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add potatoes; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes.  Beat eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in medium bowl until blended.

Reduce heat to medium. Pour eggs over potatoes in skillet. As eggs begin to set, gently pull eggs from the sides and

flip over.  Continue cooking until eggs are thickened and no visible liquid egg remains. Do not stir constantly.

Sprinkle with cheese, removed from heat. Cover pan. Let stand until cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes. Top with

salsa, chips and cilantro, if desired.

 

NO COOK POTATO SALAD

2 (14.5oz) cans potatoes, drained & rinsed                                    1/4 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise                                                                           1/4 cup diced green pepper

1/4 cup sweet pickle relish                                                                3 diced hard boiled eggs

2 tbsp mustard                                                                                     salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup diced celery                                                                           paprika (garnish)

Cube potatoes and add to a large bowl.  Add all remaining ingredients (except paprika) and stir to mix well. Garnish with paprika.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

 

GARLICKY OVEN ROASTED POTATOES

2 (14.5oz) can of potatoes, drained & rinsed                                 1 tsp garlic powder

1 stick of butter, sliced into tbsp size pieces                                  salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325F and place the butter slices in a nonstick 13x9 baking pan. Place the pan on the center rack of

the oven until the butter is melted.  Remove from the oven and add the garlic powder. Mix well.  Add the drained potatoes and roll to grease the potatoes completely with the garlic butter.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25-30 minutes or until tops are a light golden brown. Flip potatoes and roast for another 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown and the outsides are a bit crusty.

 

POTATO SALAD 2 WAYS                                     Serves 8                 Prep time 15 min.

1 can (28 oz.) OR 2 cans (14.5 oz. each) Diced                               1/2 cup chopped celery

     New Potatoes, well drained                                                         2 green onions, sliced

1/2 cup shredded carrot or diced red bell pepper, opt                1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard                                                                         1 tsp. dried dill

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste                                             2 hard cooked eggs, peeled and sliced

Combine potatoes, celery, green onions and carrot, if desired, in a large bowl. Combine mayonnaise, mustard, dill and pepper in a small bowl; add to potato mixture and gently toss. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Just before serving, gently stir in eggs.

VARIATION:  For a mayo-free salad, prepare recipe as directed, except omit the mayonnaise and mustard. Combine 1/2 cup bottled honey mustard dressing and 4 teaspoons cider vinegar with the dill and black pepper. Toss with potato mixture and chill at least 1 hour before serving.

NOTE:  Recipe can be doubled.

 

SHREDDED MEAT AND MUSHROOM RAGU

2 cups canned mushrooms                                                3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided                   

1/2 teaspoon black pepper                                               1 pint canned boneless meat

4 cups thinly sliced cremini mushrooms                         2 cups thinly sliced onion (about 1 medium)

1 tablespoon tomato paste                                               1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup dry red wine     1 TB flour or more

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

Drain mushrooms through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside.

Drain meat, saving liquid.  Shred meat in large skillet.  Add porcini mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) to pan; cook 12 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen brown bits. Add mushroom liquid and broth reserving 1/4 cup; bring to a boil. Add meat to pan; heat through.  Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix flour with reserved 1/4 c liquid, stir into meat mixture to thickeServe over pasta or cool completely. Place mixture in an airtight container or heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; freeze.  Makes 4 1/2 cups or six 3/4 cup servings.

 

 Many folks I know forget about canned vegetables as a dietary item, thinking that frozen or fresh are superior.  This is not necessarily so, as frozen vegetables are also "processed"  and also have the disadvangate of requiring electricity to store and water to heat or cook.  Fresh vegetables in the stores are who knows how old, whereas many canned vegetables are canned immediately upon picking by the processors and, of course have the advantage of not requiring power to make them ready to eat or to store.  Plus yoiu get the advantage of not needing additional water to  reconstitute,  or heat for consumption.  If you save the liquid from the cans you have a ready made "veggie broth" to start soups or gravies, or sauces with.  

Jest saying...you might want to consider canned vegetables and their role in a storage pantry.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dollare Tree might be Dollar and a half tree now, but it still has items cheap that are quite useful for preps.  

I stocked up on reading glasses thanks to the tip on Mrs S about Dollar Tree having them.  I'm hard on spectacles, and NEED multiples.

I used to love their screw-top plastic storage cannisters that came in 1, 2, 3, and 4 quart sizes.  They have ergononic built in handles and keep the crawlies out of things stored therein.  

Being a softer plastic they can take harder bumps than those clear ones sold at Wally world for around $5 each.  So I was very unhappy to not find them anymore at either of my local dollar tree stores.  (How DARE they?!)

 

Discovery:  Dollar Tree will sell mail order via the internet.  The only catch is that you often have to order in case lots, but the price remains $1.50 petr item, so the only down side to case lots is shipping and a place to put the extras.  I got my 3 quart storage jars for $30 for a case of 24.  Oh Boy!  There are quite a few items online not available at my stores, so it was worth the stop to check out their online store.  Especially for things I use a lot of, like those jars....or doggie squeaky toys....or melamine dishes (unbreakable for us klutzes).  Cooking tools...cheap table ware, cleaning supplies, toys for the kiddos....well, you get the picture.  So if you are not doing anything once in a while go check out Dollar Tree online.  Im soooo glad I did.

That looks soooo good!  I love Asian food of any kind, but it does not agree with Mary.  I imagine her rolled steak started out as rouladen, as her mother was an excellent German cook, but due to dietary restrictions she tweaked it to make is something her family would more easily eat.  She used chopped onions and bacon as a filling.  All the other family members liked that combo best.  Then the stuffing thing started, which even those on a low fat diet could eat.  Sooo I learned stuffing.  I personally think wild rice would be good too, but its kinda expensive right now.  

 

Another thing Marys mom was was a "country" cook.  Boiled tongue, gizzards in gravy, liver, oxtails, home-stuffed sausage, creamed kohlrabi, and home made kraut....all that old timey stuff was well known to her.  We have her recipes and they are great. (Mary says no brains though....her father ate them but she never got past the yuck factor.  Kinda like me and limburger cheese, LOL.)

 

 

 

 

 

I have canned on a hot plate about 15 (?) years ago when the stove in my rental unit started acting wierd.  So I cooked EVERYTHING in the micro except canning, which I did on a hot plate I got at St Vincent DePaul for $5.  It actually worked well, I just had to balance the canner so the burner was in the center.  It got hot under there, so I put a large heavy wood cutting board (plywood would do) under the hot plate (a single electric burner) to protect the counter top.  It took longer than on a stove to bring the pressure up, but once it was up it worked just fine.  

If you can get one with a larger burner the canner should sit on it better. ( I also used an electric skillet to brown the meats before canning them, and even baked in it, so I did not use the wonky stove at all, LOL.)  

The 1st was "payday" and we did our power shopping.  Whew!  With prices the way they are we have cut back on some purchases, but when you hear of pending shortages looming on certain items, you still end up trying to squeeze them in.  Today we bought little meat, as our freezers are pretty full with chicken, pork and mostly beef.  We just replaced what we had used the month before to keep our supply even.  We get Tyson bulk chicken packages, still 69 cents a pound in a 10 pound pack of drumsticks or thighs, both of which are favorites (we are dark meat lovers). A little homemade shake and bake along with cookie sheet roasted potatoes alonside and these two older babes are content!  Picked up the last two spiral sliced Same Club hams at the "old" price, and we will dissect & pack those too.  We like a little ham with our morning omelets, or our grilled cheese, so a little goes a long way.  Of course we sometimes splurge on scalloped potatoes & ham, too. 

 

Lately we have revised our cooking techniques to allow for less tender meats.  (Not to mention our older, weaker teeth...with implants going for $1000 each not including the extraction of our worn broken teeth, means we are not going to have implants any time soon.  Not even dentures, as our insurances do not cover those.  We have to save up.)  But that is not all bad...ultra tender, slowcooked and/or braised stews, pot roasts, and even steaks are a new treat for us.  Time we have, teeth we do not.  LOL.  

Mary showed me the other day how her mother would stuff thin cut round steaks, roll them up and braise them.  They cook quite fast and stretch the meat, but are so festive they were relished by both of us.  We have had stuffed steaks, I did a pork tenderloin (butterflying it flat, then rolling and stuffing...wow!) and even some of those bulk chicken breasts.  I have plans to do the ham & swiss stuffed breasts soon - cant recall what fancy name they go by but they sould great, alongside some fresh picked broccoli spears.

 

The yellow squash are bearing heavily, which is a good thing since vine borers are bad here and we are expecting them to show up as a matter of course.  We just want to get as much produce as we can before the vines are killed and we have to put in something else.  The diatomaceous earth did not help much as our recent almost daily rains keep washing it away.  Maybe in a less wet year.  But not this year.  Our cucumbers in the green house are climbing exuberantly up the wall, across the ceinling and down the other side.  Cucumbers are starting to show up, the biggest are around 4 inches long so far.  Picking will be "interesting" since we do not intent to use a machete to get into the patch.  We are stocking up on first aid for scrapes (those cucumber vines are rough mothers!)  Ditto for the ripening blackberries...very spiny, they are ....  I will be suiting up in long sleeves and trousers before entering.  Peaches are ripe now there are fruit stands EVERYWHERE.  I might can some if prices are decent.  

 

All the mama cats and kittens are present and accounted for...in the house.  With temps over 90 degrees most days we do not want those little wigglers to die from heat.  So there are now (brace yourself) 15 of them in three different stages of growth.  We are already locating humane societies....we cant handle another 15 on top of our usual clowder of cats.  No mice - or snakes - live here though.  We handle them often so they will be human-friendly; plus we are getting our males fixed one by one as finances allow.  Enough cats for now.   

 

 

We got many complements on our repainted white with pine green trim house - it had been gray.  My husband and I were renting and the landlord liked it a lot (and voluntarily paid for the paint & brushes before we asked!)  The white was traditional and the green looked nicely outdoorsy.  We were trying not to get too gender-ized (is that a word???) with colors.

FINALLY we got some rain.  All the critters have cabin fever, and the cat we have been asking "when are you going to have those babies" , true to form, waited for a storm to have them.  Wow, when her mommy hormones kicked in they did so big time.  She keeps trying to steal other little ones to put in with her own.  The babies are not complaining, but the moms don't like it one bit, LOL.

 

Yesterday, we were told it was going to storm any minute.  Nothing.  So we put a welded wire fencing trellis up the greenhouse wall, to the apex of the top, then straight down, makiung a two compartment greenhouse for the climbers to to their thing and still get inside to pick.  The extra roof support is nice, too.  We were channeling "homestead rescue" scrounging up parts from our various 'junque' piles of saved extra stuff from other projects.  We were so proud we did not have to spend one-red-cent!  Lots of sweat equity rhough!

 

Today we woke up  very stiff and sore from all that extra work, then had to swearch to find where the abovementioned mama had birthed her babies during the night.  She was safely esconced in the bathtub in a nice fleece lined tote.  The small dog we call mega mama (she is fixed but will mother any species, any time) is having a high old time checking on them every chance she gets.  She peeks in and wags her tail like crazy.  When they start running around she watches over them solicitously.  

 

Then it started raining.  on and off, ov er and over, from gully washer to sunshine.  I went to choir practice (learning the old latin hymns is fun, I can even translate many of the worlds so I know what we are singing.  Today our alto singer (its a teensy choir) said she would be gone for an upcoming service, so I learned the alto (I usually sing a fairly high soprano) much to the directors surprise, quickly.  I think they forgot I read music.  It sure sounded nice, one of my old favorite childhood hymns (yes I am THAT old that I learned latin, LOL).

 

On the way home I got sidesqiped by a college kid changing lanes.  He was apologetic, we made police report.  While we waited for police we chatted, and he was kind of upset that he had struck a disabled little old lady coming from choir practice.  I felt grandmotherly...not sure I liked it though.  Fortunately damage was minimal, cosmetic only.  But we had not even paid the first payment on the car!!   Nobody can say our days are boring.  Mostly kinda like this.... LOL..The running around part, but more frenetic than frightened.  

 

We are still mourning our beloved truck.  It broke down, would not jump start.  Towed (under warranty) to dealer, new battery put it.  It ran ONE DAY then died again.

Dealer told us it needs a new generator.  Problem is, Dodge is not making them right now.  There are three trucks on lot ahead of us waiting on generators.  "Maybe in six months" tney told us.  We cant afford to make car payments on a vehicle we cant use, so we traded it for a Jeep compass.  The car payments dropped, insurance dropped, it is cheaper to feed. But we mourn our truck.  We loved it.  Oh well.

 

The summer squash are coming on thick now; we pick about a gallon every other day of 6 inchers.  I am dehydrating some, but some of our friends love yellow squash so we are sharing, too.  I can take it or leave it, same as zucchini, but it is a good prolific crop so we put them in.  The potatoes are blooming already, and we have hilled them once already.  The corn is 4 feet high, and the cucumbers and beans are blooming.  We are powdering for hormworms and powdering with DE for vine borers, to maximize the crops as long as the summer heat lets them live.  When it gets really hot, only the tomatoes & peppers in the greenhouse survive, along with the sweet potatoes and okra outside the greenhouses.  We shall see how the herbs hold out.  Hopefully the walking onions I put in will yield nicely, too.  But for now the garden is positively beautiful.  Here's hoping for good yields for preserving, since we do not know what the future will hold food wise.  We have added 2 blueberry bushes to the garden enclosure, and the apple trees bloomed nicely.  They are only 2 years old, so we dont expect much from them yet, but it is good to see them healthy.  The muscadines are still young, as is the elderberry bush I brought from Wis.  The only fruit we will probably get this year will be wild blackberries.  Prices are sure crazy.

 

 

 

glad to hear from you!

Somebody had a good engineering mind to make that one...

My sister and I are trying to write up the family stories...how my great-great grandfather worked in the lead mines in Wisdonsin, how one great aunt became depressed during menopause and what happened to her, how my other granparents got their farm in a 3-way swap for their in-town brick house...to a duplex...to a farm....how my grandfather had 3 wives, one of which we suspect (but cant confirm yet) was a Native American named Lucy Lightfoot from Minnesota; and such things as are not on census rolls.  We want to pass it along to her children who have an interest in such family trivia.  I wish there was a website for inserting this info in case anyone goes looking for it, before it is lost forever.  Family histories are the coolest!  Time to go digging in Minnesota.

On 5/13/2022 at 4:24 PM, Homesteader said:

 

Maybe she will agree to decrease the amount of the cholesterol drug in the interim and continue regular blood testing.

I did not ask her to drop the meds - yet - but just told her I was thinking about adding 1 clove garlic a day to my menu to see if it wouild help my cholesterol.  I asked if it would hurt & she said it would not. ( From what I have found on the research sites, the only time garlic harmed someone was when they were taking the capsules, and quite a few of them.  No reactions reported on a single clove of garlic a day but some stomach issues were reported when 3X a day or more.)  

Definnitely, Mom, I love to get those froxen veggies on sale and dehydrate them, too.  Cant beat it for convenience!  I have the oxy absorbers, so I use them, but as humid as ity is here I will have to buy some small dessicant inserts (rechargeable, of course!).  The zucchini turned out great BTW, except for Mary's asking "what are you dehydrating now??"  She does not like yellow squash.  I baked her some homemade bread instead.  

I"m starting to dehydrate yellow squash now, and I can use these recipes for any summer squash..  I like dehydrator better than canning, to be honest, as it does not heat up the kitchen, I do not need to have a bushel of it to justify breakikng out the dehydrator, it is quieter (I can do it overnight as I sleep) and the finished product does not take up much room in the jars.  Just throw in an oxy absorber and put on a good canning lid and you are done!    The only down side is that you need electricity whereas you can run a canner over a fire if needed.  So I keep in practice canning, too, but this is still my current favorite preservation technique.

 

From my recipe compilation:

 

 DEHYDRATING ZUCCHINI (AND OTHER SUMMER SQUASH)

 

Preparation

Wash and seed zucchini.  Cut in 3/8 inch slices, dice 1/4^th inch, or shred zucchini.  Throw away the ends.

 

Blanching

Steam for 3 minutes, or water blanch for 4 minutes.  Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.  Drain well, even dry with paper towels if desired.  Some sources say blanching is not needed, but without it my zucchini turns an unappetizing brown color.  The American Harvest cookbook says to steam it if you plan to rehydrate it for use.

 

Dehydrating

Arrange on dehydrator trays, pieces not touching.  Grated should be very thinly spread on a fruit leather tray.  Try for only 1 layer thick, but touching will be a problem, so try to spread as well as you can.  Set dehydrator between 125 and 135 degrees F.  Dry between 5-11 hours.  It will be brittle when fully dried.

 

Rehydrating

Place in a container, and pour in an equal amount of water or other liquid.  Soaking time depends on size and thickness of the pieces – anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours.  Do not soak longer than 2 hours to avoid bacteria growth.  Hot or boiling water will speed things up, but partially cook the zucchini so use it judiciously.

 

Uses

Use shreds in baking or in soups; dices in soups or casseroles, slices in casseroles.  See recipe section.  You can reconsatitute and use in any recipe wherever crispness is not required in the vegetables.  

 

DEHYDRATED ZUCCHINI PINEAPPLE

This isn’t so much a recipe, but a process. The amounts aren’t really important, but here is what you need:

Pineapple juice

zucchini- peeled, de-seeded and cut into cubes (big is okay, they reduce a lot while cooking and dehydrating)

powdered sugar

corn/tapioca starch

a dehydrator-

Place the pineapple juice in a large pot. You want enough to fill the pot and cover the zucchini that you will be boiling.

Add the zucchini and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer until the zucchini is soft and translucent. It should look like pineapple.

Scoop out the zucchini using a slotted spoon and allow them to drain a bit in a colander.

Place the zucchini pieces in your dehydrator at about 130 degrees. It will take about 18 hours for the zucchini to dry completely.  Once the zucchini is dry, place a couple tablespoons of powdered sugar and corn/tapioca starch in a bag with the dried zucchini and toss to cover.

Note:

I use the remaining pineapple juice again to simmer another batch of zucchini. Twice was all I could get before the juice was pretty much syrup. And I stuffed the pot almost overflowing with zucchini both times.

 

HOW TO USE IT

 

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

3 cups zucchini, chopped med fine (no need to remove skin)*     2 cups carrots, chopped medium fine

1/2 cup onion, diced                                                                       1 can Cream Of Chicken soup

1/2 cup sour cream                                                                         1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

6 tbsp. vegetable oil                                                                        1 box chicken flavor Stove Top Stuffing mix

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. (Stuffing mix and seasoning are added dry.) Transfer into baking dish sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes.

*may substitute reconstituted dehydrated zucchini

Submitted by: d. erin

 

STIR - FRY VEGETABLES

2 strips bacon                                                                                  1/2 c. chopped celery

1/4 c. chopped onion                                                                     1/2 c. green pepper, cut in strips

1/4 head cabbage, shredded                                                      1/2 zucchini, cut small (reconstituted OK)

Several fresh mushrooms, sliced                                               1/2 c. chopped fresh broccoli

Optional may also add cauliflower, pea pods, beans or carrots

Cut bacon, fry in frying pan, drain bacon.  Add celery, onion, green pepper to grease and cook 2 minutes, stir frequently.  Add remaining vegetables. Stir, cover and cook 2 minutes. Vegetables should be crunchy. Serve hot.

 

VEGETABLE LASAGNE

1/2 lb. lasagne noodles                                                                   6 med. tomatoes, cut

1 c. shredded carrot                                                                        1/2 c. chopped onion  (reconsatituted)

2 tsp. basil                                                                                    1 clove garlic, minced

2 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese                                              16 oz. Ricotta cheese

1/4 c. chopped parsley                                                              20 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained (or you can use reconstituted dry spinach)

3 c. chopped zucchini (or reconstituted dry)                         2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms (reconstituted dry)

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare noodles according to package; drain. In food processor or blender, process tomatoes. In large saucepan combine tomatoes, carrots, onions, and seasonings. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes. Spread 3/4 cup tomato sauce evenly in 13 x 9 inch dish. In bowl, combine Ricotta and parsley. Layer 1/3 each lasagne, sauce, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, Ricotta mixture, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers. Cover, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

 

ZITI AND VEGETABLE

1 tbsp. vegetable oil                                                        1 c. thinly sliced carrots

1 c. sliced onions                                                              1 c. sliced zucchini

1 c. sliced mushrooms                                               1 c. broccoli florets

4 oz. Muenster cheese, shredded, divided            1 c. tomato juice

1 c. cooked whole wheat ziti macaroni                    1 tsp. chopped fresh basil

1 tsp. Italian (flat-leaf) parsley                                    Dash pepper

In 10 inch skillet or a wok heat oil; add carrots and cook, stirring quickly and frequently, until carrots are tender, 1-2 minutes. Add onions, zucchini, mushrooms and broccoli; continue stir-frying until vegetables are tender-crisp. Remove skillet (or wok) from heat and stir in 2 ounces cheese, the tomato juice, ziti, basil, parsley and pepper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Transfer macaroni mixture to 2 quart casserole and sprinkle with remaining 2 ounces cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and mixture is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Makes 2 servings.

Reconstituted dehydrated vegetables may be used in lieu of fresh if desired.

 

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

1 med. zucchini, diced into sm. pieces                     1 med. onion, chopped

   (or reconstituted dried zucchini)                            1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp. salt                                                                         1 tsp. oregano

3 eggs, beaten                                                                  1/2 c. oil

1 1/2 c. Bisquick

Grease a 2-quart casserole dish. Mix zucchini, onion, cheese, salt, and oregano. Add eggs and oil and mix well. Add Bisquick and mix. Bake at 350 degrees fro 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 4-5. Great recipe when wondering how to eat all that zucchini!

 

CHOOSE A FRUIT OR VEGETABLE QUICK BREAD

1 c. flour                                                                              1/2 c. whole wheat flour

1/3 c. quick cooking oats                                               1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter                                                                       1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs                                                                                   2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla                                                                       1 to 2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. finely shredded zucchini, carrots, pears or peaches*

1/2 c. chopped nuts                                                       

Combine first 4 ingredients and set aside. Beat butter until fluffy. Add sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Add fruit or vegetables. Add flour mixture, 1/3 at a time until combined. Add nuts.

Bake in 5 1/2 cup ring mold or 8 x 4 x 2 inch loaf pan at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes for ring mold; 55 to 60 minutes for loaf pan, or until they test done.   *may substitute reconstituted dehydrated produce for fresh in this dish

 

Ratatouille

a dish comprised of onions, squash, zucchini, black olives, Italian herbs, tomatoes.  Dehydrated produce can be reconstituted and simmered to make this, too.

 

ITALIAN ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE       serves 4

2 cups boiling water                                                        2 cups dried zucchini

1 medium onion thinly sliced                                      2 Tablespoons butter

1 cup fresh or canned tomato                                     Salt and pepper

1/2 cup cheese

Pour boiling water over dried zucchini slices. Let Soak 1 to 2 hours. Drain. Cook onion slices in butter or margarine until transparent. Add drained zucchini slices. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Add tomatoes or sweet peppers and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into casserole and top with grated cheese. Bake in 350*F oven 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly browned.

 

PINEAPPLE ZUCCHINI CHIPS

1/4 cup of lemon juice                                                   3/4 cup of sugar

12-oz of pineapple juice which is equal                   4 cups of zucchini that is peeled and sliced

    to 2 6oz cans of juice                                                      into 1/4-inch pieces

You will need to put the lemon and pineapple juice into a 2 qt sauce pan with the sugar.

You will need to bring to full oil on high heat then reduce the heat and the pieces of zucchini.

As it cooks you will want to mash it all into a liquid and boil for at least 15 minutes or until the zucchini turns to an olive green color.   You will need to strain the mixture when done.

Once it has cooled, you will need to put it out on the sheet so that it can be dried at 135 degrees F. for at least 3 to a total of 5 hours.  Break apart for chips.

 

I cant wait to get started!

Storms  are predicted for this  afternoon, so this morning Mary & I went out to do routine garden check & any maintenance work.  She cut a piece of the old chicken wire fencing that we kept when we put up the new fancier fence, and I picked out the vineas that had grown thru it while it was on the storage pile (we always check there for recycle-able bits & pieces like good homesteaders.  Especially now with prices going nuts and resupply issues, we are glad we developed that habit.)  We have to hide our junque pile though, some of the city folk moving out here do not appreciate our recycle pile....yet.)  We made a 5 foot tall trellis/fence to fit along one side of the greenhouse, and erected it inside, next to the cucumber vinesa that are sending out climbing twiners, looking for something to climb.  We started them up it.  It will only take a minute longer to check on them daily, to keep them growing up instead of out.  We have teensy cucumbers showing, I am already drooling over the thought of fresh fridge pickles.  i also picked about 2 quarts of 32 inch long yellow squashes.  The vines are heavily loaded, so today's picking hopefully will make more room for the reamaining squash to grow.  The freezers are still full, so I will have to look around to find the canning and dehydrating directions for summer squash. (No food wasting this year,  as we do not know how bad the prices are going to get.) They will make excellent southern yellow squash casserole.  And there is always mock pineapple, whick makes a nice fruit salad addition.  I bet it would be good with some of those wild blackberries growing all over the yard.  

 

I dried my first batch of herbs - a quart jar packed with rosemary, 3/4ths quart of sage leaves, and about 2 cups of oregano.  I did not need to buy mint plants this year as the mints I planted last year escaped their pot and are growing on path to the garden.  I might snatch up one of the escapees and put it in a pot so it can grow a little taller for dehydrating, but for just a sprig or two I just go check out in garden path.  A sprig or two is all I need to toss in the tea. Tomorrow AM i will go pick a bunch of black raspberry leaves to dry. for tea. The blooms were numerous this year, now I am eagerly awaiting the fruit.  I will have to suit up to pick them though, as they as thorny as they are prolific.  The wild fruit always seems to taste better to me but maybe thats the price (free for the taking) talking, LOL. 

 

Mama kitty and the babies have just moved into my bedroom,  They have a path back among my storage boxes to a small hidey hole they like, so we let them stay indoors.  It muat be a good spot, as it is the same place the last mama had her babies.

 

 

 

 

 

garden is IN.  Harvested first radishes & herbs: rosemary, sage, marjoram.  Herbs are in dryer, radishes are in fridge for savoring slowly....

  herbs before cutting...2nd pot.  others have to grow more.

 

 

 

 

bs

 

this is outdoor raised bed.  note the copper strip we put on outside to deter snails  (below)....it works!  We're ordering more

 

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I wish Mary liked turkey better....I used to buy them at sale prices, and have the meat man cut them in half (later in quarters) while still frozen.  He would overwrap the pieces, but I always checked and re-did it if it was not good enough for freezing.

When I wanted turkey for dinner it was much easier and quicker to cook it in the microwave.  Turkey in the micro comes out unbelievably moist and delicious!  No crispy skin though unless you set some aside and broil it.  I would just take a turkey portion out, thaw it, lay it in my glass pie plate, cover with plastic wrap (vented with a coiuple holes) and nuke away.  You can add a little water if you want.  Make sure the turkey is fully thawed as microwave thawing followed by microwave cooking creates uneven cooking. A whole turkey takes 7 to 9 minutes per pound at 50 percent power and rotating the dish every 15 minutes )if you do not have a turntable). Use an instant read thermometer (best money I ever spent) to make sure it is cooked all the way thru, it tends to cook slower nest to the bone. My husband dearly loved this "almost instant" turkey and a quarter was a good size for 2 people to eat at one sitting.