Welcome to My Garden

Mrs. Wages Salsa Mix

2011-10-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

A friend gave me this package of Mrs. Wages Salsa mix and it has just been sitting in my cupboard. I saw it the other day and thought since I have an overabundance of tomatoes right now it might be a good time to try it out.

I followed the directions exactly on the package - it was super easy to do. I weighed out my tomatoes, skinned them and then cut them up. Then you just have to add the mix, vinegar (I used cider) and cook. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can even use canned tomatoes.

There is nothing artificial in the ingredients that I could see - just seems to be dehydrated vegetables and seasonings.

It tastes as good as my own salsa and I didn't have to mess with the seasonings a zillion times and I only had to cut up tomatoes and not onions, peppers and garlic.

This is what the finished salsa looks like.

I will probably continue to make my salsa totally from scratch but if you want to make a batch of "homemade salsa" without using everything from scratch -this will definitely do.

Apple Jam, not Jelly!

2011-10-23T16:57:00.001-07:00

I decided that I wanted to make Apple Jam this year instead of Apple Jelly. First of all, for those of you who don't know the difference between the two, jam has bits of fruit in it and jelly is made from strained juice. Some fruits are more popular made into jelly (apple, grape, peach) and others you only think of as jam (strawberry).

So, why jam instead of jelly? Several reasons actually - first of all, the time. It takes a long time for the juice to drip down through the cheese cloth - I usually have to start it the day before I actually want to can it. Second is the waste - it just seems so wasteful to throw all of that apple pulp on the compost heap. I also kind of feel like a jam with bits of fruit in it is probably healthier than jelly and probably (although I haven't researched it) a source of fiber.

Having made the decision to make apple jam instead of jelly, I set out in search of a recipe and couldn't find one I liked. I didn't want one with caramel (kind of negates the health benefit) or one that tastes like apple pie. I also wanted one that uses commercial pectin. I know that apples contain a lot of natural pectin and it really isn't necessary to use pectin but I like to use the smallest amount of sugar I can and still get a good gel and pectin allows me to do that. I also didn't want big chunks of fruit in my jam - I want a smoother consistency that is easy to spread on my toast.

According to my almost 12 year old (how did he get to be this old?) taste tester, I got it right on the first try!

This is how I made it -

First I started out just like I was going to make applesauce. I washed my apples and just cut them into chunks - cores and skins and all. I only cut off the obvious bad spots.

I threw them all in a large stock pot with just enough water on the bottom so they wouldn't burn and cooked them until soft. Then I put them through my food strainer attachment on my kitchen aid.

Using 6 cups of the unsweetened applesauce I had just made and 4 cups of sugar and 1 packet of Sure Jell for Less or No Sugar Pectin, I made jam using the directions in the package.

The pictures above aren't the best, but it turned out just perfect.

Let me know if you have a recipe you like better for Apple Jam or if you try my recipe how it comes out for you.

The best Apple Muffins you will ever try!

2011-10-04T16:41:00.001-07:00

I made apple muffins today and they are the absolutely the best gluten free muffins I have ever tasted! If you are not gluten free, make these muffins using normal flour and just eliminate the xanthan gum. You can also use regular milk and use brown sugar in the topping instead of regular sugar and molasses.

If you like this recipe as much as I do and you have an apple tree in your back yard or just got back from the orchard you might want to chop some up and freeze them in just the right amount for this recipe. You don't have to blanch them, just chop them up and put them in freezer containers and you are good to go.

Kathi’s Out of this World GFCF Apple Muffins

1 ½ cups gluten free flour mix (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ cup organic raw sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
2 eggs
½ cup vanilla almond milk
¼ cup coconut oil
1 ½ cups finely chopped apples (about 1 large or 2 small)

Topping:
¼ cup organic raw sugar
1 teaspoon molasses
1 tablespoon gluten free flour
2 tablespoons gfcf margaine (I used Earth Balance sticks)
½ cup gluten free oats (or substitute quinoa or finely chopped nuts)

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

In a small bowl, beat eggs and then add the almond milk and coconut oil and mix well.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until just combined (do not over mix).

Gently fold in apples.

Divide mixture up between 12 muffin tins that have been either greased or lined with paper.

Combine topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over muffins.

Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Apple Crisp Time!

2011-10-03T17:10:00.001-07:00

Kathi’s Apple Crisp

6 cups apples
2/3 cup raw sugar
½ cup flour
½ cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Heat oven to 375 degrees

Grease an 8” square pan

Place apple slices in pan

Mix remaining ingredients and sprinkle over apples

Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is a light golden brown.

Canning Green Beans in October!

2011-10-03T04:56:00.000-07:00

I made one last picking of green beans yesterday - at least I think it will be the last - the high today for October 3rd is supposed to be close to 80, so who knows.........

I canned 6 more pints of green beans and........

6 pints of dilly beans for my little dilly bean lover, Andy. We went to the Cranberry Festival in my hometown last weekend and we sampled some dilly beans and Andy looked at me and said - no where near as good as yours Mom and how come you haven't made any yet this year? So I had to make some for my Dilly Bean lover!

Apples and Tomatoes!

2011-09-22T12:21:00.000-07:00

Everything these days seems to revolve around Apples or Tomatoes. I do have more grapes to pick but I never seem to get around to it. My apple tree is still loaded - I haven't even begun to make a dent in the apples!

This week I have been running the dehydrator 24/7 and have many jars of dried apple slices to show for it. I never make enough of these - we all like to snack on them.

Today I am cooking down tomato sauce. It is satisfying to open a jar of tomato sauce in the winter and know where it came from.

Your turn, what is keeping you busy in your garden this fall?

There are always fresh raw veggies on my dinner table

2011-09-20T15:24:00.001-07:00

We love fresh veggies at our house. I always serve one cooked veggie (tonight is green beans just picked an hour ago) and a plate of fresh raw veggies. I just love this time of year when everything is fresh. The cucumbers and broccoli on the plate were just picked this afternoon. The mini bell peppers and radish are from my CSA and the carrots are organic but from the grocery store.

In the winter my veggie plates are made up of root veggies - carrots, beauty heart radishes, celeriac and whatever else is available without coming from the other side of the globe.

A bonus for my family since we are gluten free is that all veggies are naturally gluten free!

A very fruitful weekend!

2011-09-12T04:38:00.000-07:00

Look how loaded my apple tree is!

A bucket of apples freshly picked - does anyone know what variety they are? They are definitely a pie apple. These apples have not been sprayed - even with anything natural - if you maintain a healthy tree and environment around your tree, your apples will be fine. There is no need to put nasty chemical on your fruit.

A bowl full of apple slices ready to be made into apple pie filling

What I canned this weekend - 6 quarts and 1 pint of diced tomatoes, 7 quarts of apple pie filling and 1 quart of dehydrated apple slices.

My apple tree!

My son is already bugging me to let him open one of the jars of apple pie filling - he likes to just eat it right out of the jar and not wait for pie! My husband is already hoping for spaghetti from the canned tomatoes. I told both of them that for the amount of work that went into canning them, I just want them to sit on the shelf awhile so I can admire them - not see them gone in 30 seconds!

This weekend's goals

2011-09-09T16:28:00.001-07:00

I love this time of the year but at the same time there never seems to be enough time to get everything done. I find I do better if I set goals for myself.

This weekend - canning apples and tomatoes.

The apple tree is LOADED! And I mean LOADED! Did I mention that my tree has a ton of apples this year? My son's favorite is my apple pie filling so I will do some of that - I still have applesauce from last year so maybe not so much of that. I will probably throw some on the dehydrator as well. I've made a couple of pies, but this time of year you really can't make too many apple pies. If I had a press I would make juice.

I also have more tomatoes ready to can. Last week I did sauce so this week I am going to can diced tomatoes.

It will be another busy weekend - I'll be sure to post the results.

The results of my weekend of canning

2011-09-06T11:31:00.001-07:00

It was a busy weekend, but when you can look at your harvest and see what you did, it makes it all worth it.

The end results of my weekend's canning efforts are:
4 quarts of tomato sauce
7 quarts of dill pickle spears canned plus 1 quart of refrigerator dills (they are so much crunchier in the fridge and not canned, but I don't have the room for more than a quart or two here and there).
7 pints of relish
10 pints of french green beans (plus 1 pint that didn't seal that we already ate for dinner).
10 jars of grape jam

I didn't get to the apples yet and I have grape pulp that I need to freeze, but I think I did pretty good.

Pictures from my harvest kitchen!

2011-09-03T07:58:00.001-07:00

It is going to be a busy weekend in my harvest kitchen. The day has just begun and I already have many things in progress. It is appropriate to call this weekend Labor Day because it will all be about labor for me!

A pot of tomato sauce is cooking down to the right consistency for canning. I picked the tomatoes from the garden yesterday and started processing them right away - the sauce wasn't thick enough when I went to bed last night so I put it in the fridge overnight and put it back on this morning. It just doesn't get much fresher than this!

Ingredients all cut up for a batch of relish. I ran out of relish and had to buy some this past year so I will probably be making two batches this year (or giving less away). The store bought just isn't as good as mine.

Fruit ice cubes. This is just pureed fruit frozen in ice cube trays. I process it and sweeten it to taste before making the cubes. I store the cubes in freezer bags in the freezer. I mostly use them to make smoothies. These are from the last of my currants. I plan on making some from raspberries and grapes this weekend. I love a mixed fruit smoothie with a little soy yogurt added in.

Today's harvest

2011-08-26T13:19:00.000-07:00

Tomatoes and Purple (green) Beans

I also canned some beans today - notice how they are green and no longer purple - that happens when you cook them, but the purple color makes them easier to find when you are picking. I also have some green ones but they are just flowering now. I will freeze many of my beans but my son really likes canned ones that are cut french style so I always can a few for him.

First picking of beans!

2011-08-14T13:39:00.000-07:00

Look at those pretty purple beans! Can't wait for dinner tonight to taste them.

Purple beans will turn green when cooked - as I have mentioned before I am a Packers fan living in Vikings territory - and these beans always remind me that the beans know it is better to be green than purple!

It's Raspberry Time!

2011-07-05T11:27:00.001-07:00

Don't they look yummy? The black raspberries are in full swing, the reds are fully started and the yellows have just started ripening. I just love a pie or jam made with the combination of all three - each have their own unique taste which blends together and says raspberry like no one of them alone can!

A quote from my silly child: "Mom, some of the raspberries looked too ripe - so I ate them and put them out of their misery - you're welcome!"

Damn Rabbits!

2011-06-27T11:38:00.001-07:00

I have coexisted with rabbits while gardening for decades. They have always done minimal damage and I never thought too much about them. This year, however, one of them decided to raise her babies in my currant bushes - and use my garden to feed them! I came home from work yesterday to find all of my cauliflower plants looking like this!

Evidently they don't like cabbage, or they were saving it for later - this cabbage sits right beside the cauliflower.

They also started in on my brussels sprouts! They only got about half way through them. The thought of not having brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving motivated me into immediate action.

The garden is now sporting a shiny new fence all around it - take that bunnies!

The rest of the garden is looking good. Look at these nice looking pea pods!

How are your gardens doing?

Slowly but surely

2011-05-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

In spite of a stormy weekend, I did squeeze some gardening in - the ground was really wet but you gotta squeeze gardening time in when you can.

The peas are growing nicely. I can't wait for fresh peas!

The potatoes are coming up already.

I planted cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli this weekend.

Golden Rave Tomatoes are hanging out on the patio getting used to the weather and waiting their turn to be planted.

I still have Roma Tomatoes, Watermelon, Bell and Hot Peppers in the basement under the lights.

It is starting to actually feel like spring.

A temporary (I hope) setback

2011-05-20T16:20:00.000-07:00

My old bean towers fell apart at the end of last season - they were 12 years old. I decided to try a new design and ordered the above pictured bean towers from Gardener's Supply Company with my tax refund earlier this year.

I didn't open them when they came since the ground was still covered with lots of snow - I just set them aside until I needed them. Today I opened them and went to put them in the garden and lo and behold - one of them is defective! And of course, customer service is closed so I have to wait until tomorrow to call (I hope they are open on Saturday). My fear is that they will want me to return the defective one before sending out a new one and who knows how long that can take? I am hoping that they will realize that this is planting season and if they make me wait I will just ask for a refund and buy something locally that I can put right up.

I have always had good luck and great customer service with Gardener's so I'm hoping this will be just a temporary setback.

I really like the one that is up - no more strings to string up like I did with my old towers - it comes in two pieces - you just unfold them - put the bottom one in the ground and then stick the prongs from the top one into the holes on the bottom one -that was a little tricky lining up all of those prongs and holes, but the rest was easy peasy - well, except for the second one that seems to be welded incorrectly and won't open up at all. I like that they fold flat for easy storage and the height seems good.

I'll keep you posted on how this all comes out and how they work out for me throughout the growing season.

Loving this May weather!

2011-05-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Brussels Sprouts are planted!

Fresh cut rhubarb just begging to be made into Rhubarb Crisp. Yum! The first batch of the year is always the best tasting!

Soon there will be strawberries to go with the rhubarb and then I can make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie! I can't wait!

The next batch of veggies is getting used to the weather outside so they can be planted next - broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and a herb pack that I picked up from my CSA today.

How is everyone else's garden coming along? What have you planted? Are you ahead of me? I doubt anyone is further behind than me, but do leave a comment on where you are at with your garden so far this year.

It finally looks like spring!

2011-05-18T10:53:00.000-07:00

Pea plants are up and looking healthy!

Brussels Sprouts are outside getting used to the weather before I plant them.

And my beautiful apple tree is in full bloom!

Finally a beautiful day!

2011-05-10T14:29:00.000-07:00

The rumor I heard was true! It is 81 degrees as I type this! After a very cold and rainy and almost nonexistent spring - warmer weather has arrived! It is going to cool down and be closer to normal temps by the weekend, but compared to how cold it has been, I will take normal!

If you look really closely here, you can see a pea starting to peek through the soil. In spite of a late planting, I think it will be a good year for peas.

The seedlings in the basement are also behind schedule - also planted late - but they are very healthy looking and I have confidence that they will do well and catch up once they are outdoors.

The apple tree is about to burst into bloom. I can't wait. I love how the apple tree looks when it is covered in flowers - and the kids love picking little green apples, which can't happen without flowers first.

I hope all of my fellow gardeners are enjoying this glorious day!

Time to Plant Potatoes

2011-05-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

These potatoes are sprouting and saying they are ready to be planted. I am planting them whole this year like my dad used to do. I usually cut them into pieces - but you have to make sure you cure them before planting when you do that or they will rot instead of grow. I always lose a few to rotting because I am just impatient and plant too soon. So this year I am experimenting. I'm not sure why we cut them up - I guess I will see if I get less yield this year.

The trees have finally started leafing out and I am starting to feel like we will actually have a spring and that summer will be here. I actually heard a rumor that it will be 80 tomorrow - after all of the cold, that will seem really warm. But I'll believe it when I feel it on my bare arms.

Happy Gardening!

What happened to my little boy that use to terrorize worms?

2011-04-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

It doesn't seem that long ago that my little boy Andy used to get so excited to find worms in the garden - just to terrorize them. He used to think it was cool to cut them in pieces, smash them, drown them and anything else that caused them terror.

This afternoon as I was planting peas, he spotted a really fat worm and asked for it. As I handed it to him, I wondered how long the worm would live. It seems that the little boy that took great pride in the number of ways he could harm a worm has grown up. Today he studied the worm from all angles, stroked it gently and them put it back in the garden alive and unharmed. "Go and dig some holes for oxygen for roots, Wormy" the boy said.

Hard to believe that the little boy who was in preschool when I started this blog is now an 11 year old fifth grade middle schooler. Where has the time gone? The middle school that he attends is an E-STEM designated school - the E stands for Environment. He is really learning to take good care of the earth. The T stands for technology and the school recently handed out iPads to everyone of its students - good bye books and notebooks. The iPads are school property and have to be returned at the end of the school year but it is really cool to not lug around all those books and be able to record all of their data right on their iPads. So very different from when I went to school in the dark ages.

The boy still has autism and still has a severe learning disability. But it is harder to see those issues as he grows. I continue to hope that he will grow into a self sufficient adult.

I think the worms are safe in my garden once more.

Identifying Garlic and Onion Plants

2011-04-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

At first glance, onions and garlic plants look alike. I always have some coming up in the spring that I didn't plant in the fall - I just didn't dig them up good enough - or in the case of my onions, I have walking onions that plant themselves from the top bulbs. It is helpful to know which are which.

Above is a garlic plant. You can tell it is garlic because the leaves are flat.

This is an onion plant - you can tell because the leaves are round instead of flat.

I remember being confused about this and once it was pointed out to me, it was a duh moment.

So there you have it - if you didn't know how to tell them apart before, you do now.

The seedlings are growing

2011-04-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

The weather might not be cooperating outside but the garden indoors is growing nicely.

We did have some nice warm days last week, but then it decided to get cold again - it even snowed yesterday morning. The nice thing about snow this time of the year is that it never lasts. It is gone already.

Here is a picture of some of the seedlings - they are still small but they are healthy. Some of them are ready for transplanting to bigger pots already. Egg cartons are great for starting them but they are very tiny and the seedlings outgrow them quickly.

When I lift the egg cartons up, you can see they have a ton of roots growing out of the bottom - that is a sign that it is time to find them something bigger to grow in.

Here are my brussels sprouts replanted. I like to reuse containers rather than buy new ones. Yogurt containers are just the right size.

It has been a very long winter!

2011-03-19T12:46:00.001-07:00

I can't remember ever wanting winter to be over as much as I have this year. The snow came early, a lot of it came, and it is still with us! I am sick of winter. I am ready to be out in the garden!

Since that is not a possibility for a couple more months, I will console myself with starting my seeds indoors.

The last couple of years I have had a problem with some of my warmer weather seeds germinating in my cold basement. I decided to invest in a heating pad for some of my seeds. If it works, I may buy another one next year.

Starting my seeds in egg cartons last year worked so well that I decided to do the same this year. I just love getting one more use out of thing that I can't recycle (my recycling company does not take any egg cartons). When the seedlings get a little bigger I will transplant them into bigger pots. I used Eggland's Best cartons and poked a hole in the bottom before filling with dirt.

And here are some of the egg cartons filled with dirt. I cut some of them into 2 sections if I wanted to plant 6 of something instead of 12.

I wrote on Popsicle sticks to mark my plants.

After everything was planted, I watered them well and covered them with plastic. I will remove the plastic once the seeds sprout. I lowered the lights down to just above the plants.

I planted Roma and Golden Rave Tomatoes, Sugar Baby Watermelon, Assorted Sweet Bell Peppers, Hot Peppers, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, and Cabbage.

Check your seed catalogs for bargains!

2010-12-28T07:47:00.000-08:00

The seed catalogs have started arriving in my mailbox.

A lot of them contain offers - they want your business!

Yesterday, I got one from Gurney's that had a coupon on the front for $20 off a purchase of $20 or more! And the $20 comes off after shipping is applied so if your total including shipping is $20 or less - you pay nothing!

I placed my order this morning -

11250 White Onion Sets for $5.99
14880 Mixed Bell Pepper seeds for $2.99
76100 Snow Pea seeds for $2.99
Shipping $6.95
Total was $18.92 before coupon and $0.00 after coupon!

There is more that I will want to order but I am sure I will get other offers from other seed catalogs and I need to make my money go as far as possible.

Harvesting Brussels Sprouts in the Snow

2010-11-25T15:40:00.001-08:00

Winter came early this year in Minnesota. I purposely hadn't harvested my Brussels sprouts yet because they always taste better after a frost and I really wanted to serve them on Thanksgiving.

Little did I know that by Thanksgiving, they would be covered with snow! I had read that you could still harvest them as long as you cooked them right away (still frozen). I had even heard that they taste better once nature has frozen them. I wasn't about to waste anything as tasty as Brussels Sprouts so it was time to find out.

I had to dig down quite a bit to get to them. The mound where they were wasn't that high so I thought I would just brush the snow away and there they would be, but no, it just couldn't be that simple. They had actually fallen down and were laying flat on the ground and the snow was more like ice and I had to chip away to get to them, but once I got a look at those beauties I knew I had to keep working to free them!

And free them I did. Here they are laying frozen on my kitchen counter.

And here they are all steamed up and ready to eat. They were very tasty indeed. I can't say they were any tastier than before a frost, I really didn't notice a taste difference at all.

So, if your Brussels spouts get caught out in the garden under snow, do not hesitate to harvest and enjoy them.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

A Typical Day in my Harvest Kitchen

2010-08-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a busy day in my kitchen. I didn't take pictures of everything - like the last 2 buckets of plums that we picked - but this gives you an idea.

The cucumbers are coming strong. We are picking this many or more every day. The neighbors are starting to hide when they see us coming with cucumbers to give away!

I made another batch of plum jam.

I made some yummy plum sorbet

And I made a batch of relish

Plum Sorbet Recipe

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

Combine on stove and heat until sugar dissolves.

Mix in 1 1/2 cups plum puree and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional).

Pour into ice cream maker and let it do its thing.

My monkey picking plums!

2010-08-13T14:09:00.001-07:00

I haven't shared any photos of Andy helping in the garden in some time so when I caught him climbing the plum tree and picking plums for me, I just had to grab the camera.

He blends in pretty good.

Here he is all serious about picking (he did pick a whole pail full for me).

But here, he is getting a little silly - notice the half eaten plum in his mouth!

The plum tree is having a very good year! That kind of takes the sting away from the peach tree that died - again. I don't think I will replace it again.

Food I put up this week

2010-08-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

Here is a load of sliced plums on my dehydrator.

Here is a close up of the same plums.

And here they are all ready to come off - see how much they have shrunk and how far apart they are now.

Canned green beans ready for the pantry.

Plum Jam

2010-08-02T09:06:00.001-07:00

I just love taking these

and turning them into this!

This was the first batch I made of plum jam from my plum tree.

Last year we got enough plums for fresh eating and I made some fruit leathers.

This year the tree is loaded and there are going to be plums for lots of things.

I may have to find some new plum recipes - anyone have a favorite they would like to share?

To make this plum jam I pretty much followed the directions on the Sure-Jell box (the lower sugar one). Except that instead of finely chopping the plums, I just quartered them and then when they were soft I used a hand blender to puree them.

Plums contain a lot of pectin so you can make plum jam or jelly without adding any commercial pectin at all - but since I haven't done that in years, I stuck with the sure thing for my first batch.

It is so yummy!

Dill Pickles

2010-07-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

This is an old recipe of mine - I like this one because it requires no brining at all. It is simple and easy to follow.

Dill Pickles

8 pounds cucumbers
4 cups vinegar
12 cups water
2/3 cup pickling or canning salt (do not use table salt)

Garlic
Fresh Dill
Grape Leaves

Wash cucumbers and cut off blossom end. (The blossoms contain an enzyme that will make your pickles soft and dark)

Soak cucumbers in ice water bath for about 4 hours, adding ice as needed. (this will make them crunchy)

Sterilize 7 to 8 quart jars (or twice as many pint jars if you prefer)

Cut cucumbers into spears if desired.

In a large saucepan or stock pot, combine the vinegar, water and salt. Bring brine to a rapid boil.

In each sterilized jar, place garlic and dill to taste (I use 3 medium cloves garlic halved per jar and 2 heads of dill) and 2 small grape leaves (the grape leaves are optional but if you have them available – don’t leave them out – they will keep your pickles crunchy!)

Fill jars with the cucumbers and then add brine (it should be boiling as you add it). Using a spatula, remove air bubbles, clean the rim of the jars and seal.

Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.

The longer you can wait to open the pickles, the better tasting they will be. I usually try to wait 6 to 8 weeks before testing but sometimes they get opened much quicker!

Grilled Chicken Spinach Salad with Raspberry Dressing

2010-07-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer my oldest brother took me out for dinner and I had this wonderful spinach salad with grilled chicken breast and a wonderful creamy raspberry dressing. With so many raspberries in my garden, I was sure I could replicate it and I was not disappointed.

Here is the salad all nicely layered before adding the chicken - I used what I had available - spinach, cucumbers, radishes, kohlarabi, and carrots - use whatever you like. I generously sprinkled craisins over the whole thing and topped it with slivered almonds.

Next I grilled up a chicken breast and sliced it on top.

And here is the finished salad with the dressing on top. It was delish!

Raspberry Salad Dressing

14 oz Silken Tofu
1/3 cup Agave Nectar (or maple syrup)
14 oz fresh or frozen raspberries (thawed)
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt

Mix all ingredients until smooth in a blender. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving

Makes about 1 quart

Lots of early bounty in my garden

2010-06-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

I continue to be amazed at how well everything is doing this year - and how early it still is! I just can't believe that it is barely June and I am eating from my garden! I love it!

Look at those pea plants. I know you are probably getting tired of seeing pictures of my peas, but I haven't grown peas in several years. I am so glad that Andy suggested we should grow them - they are so tasty and yummy!

And here is some of today's harvest of peas - this is the second time I have picked them. The first time two nights ago I added them to the bourbon chicken I made for dinner - so very yummy. I think I will just steam these for tonight's dinner.

And look at this - a ripe raspberry! Going to be a good raspberry year - the bushes are loaded and to think that they are already ripening!

This is all I picked today - but it was a tasty start - I think there may have been more but the kid beat me to them. Speaking of the kid, it is hard to believe that he was preschool when I started this blog and he is going to middle school in the fall! Where has the time gone? They grow up way too fast.

And here is today's harvest of strawberries. I think they are nearing their end already - this is the smallest amount I have picked in a single day - of course the kid and his friends could have beaten me to them also............

I hope all of your gardens are doing as well as mine! Happy Gardening!

What a great spring!

2010-05-22T17:38:00.001-07:00

I am really loving this spring. I finished planting most of my garden last week - phenomenal to have it done so early. I do have a couple of tomatoes and some herbs that are still on the patio waiting to be planted - but otherwise it is done - and thriving!

Take a look at the peas! Aren't they gorgeous? Mmmmm I can already taste them and they haven't even flowered yet - but I know that isn't long now.

And look what is popping up less than a week after planting - green beans! Those helicopters from the neighbor's maple tree are also plentiful this year!

I have already eaten lettuce, radishes, rhubarb and even a couple of strawberries from the garden - and it isn't even Memorial Day yet! Here's to hoping the rest of the growing season is just as great!

My Mothers' Day Present

2010-05-22T17:21:00.001-07:00

I got just what I wanted this year for Mothers' Day. I ordered it myself and then when Dan asked me what I wanted the day before I told him it was already taken care of!

I have been intrigued for some time by those topsy turvy tomato planters - but not intrigued enough to buy one. They just looked so cheap - I was afraid that I would damage the plant getting it through the hole - and I heard that they needed watering constantly. That's why when I saw the Gardener's Revolution Planter from Gardener's Supply Company I just had to have it.

There is nothing cheap looking about these. I must admit it took me awhile to figure out how to put together the first one - I don't do so good looking at pictures - but once it was together the rest went real fast. These have heavy duty wire cages and thick fabric bags that open up - the bags zip shut and then you close the metal cages and clip them. Very sturdy. And they have a reservoir so you aren't watering them constantly - and they send lots of extra wicks!

I also ordered the 4-Arm Plant Hanger to hang the tomatoes. It is very tall and sturdy. No instructions came with it so I struggled a little with assembling it also - but luckily my child was helping me and he figured it out right away!

I planted 4 different types of tomatoes - I thought it might be interesting to see which ones do better. I planted Golden Rave, Roma, Amish Paste and Eva Purple Ball Heirloom.

I'm hoping this will be a better solution for me than staking or caging my tomatoes. I always struggle with keeping them off the ground. Of course I planted many more tomatoes that I am staking and or caging. I just used my last jar of home canned tomatoes from last year last week so I am anxious for fresh ones.

I just LOVE this time of year!

2010-04-23T11:47:00.001-07:00

What's not to love about spring? Especially an early spring like this year. It is just so heartwarming to witness everything in nature coming back to life. Hope springs eternal this time of year.

I'm still afraid to plant too much for fear that winter might come back but I have planted a lot more than in previous years.

Look at those beautiful pea plants. They are doing so great. Rain is coming in this evening and we are going to have a rainy weekend which is going to make those plants really start to climb.

The lettuce plants actually look like lettuce now. Yum yum - those delectable babies are going to welcome the rain as well.

I just planted the onion plants so they don't look so hot but give them a week and they will bounce right back.

What's this? Blossoms on my replacement peach tree that I just planted last year? Wow - I sure didn't expect that this year. We'll see if any of them actually set any fruit. That would be a pleasant surprise. I guess I know the new tree is healthy.

My strawberries are also blooming. It won't be long and we will be enjoying fresh everything from the garden.

I have also planted carrots outside. The peppers I planted inside never came up and it is too late now to try and plant more so I am just going to buy pepper plants this year. Everything else that is started indoors is thriving.

Did I mention how much I LOVE spring? I really do. Even if my allergies don't!

Wow! My plum tree is blooming early!

2010-04-16T08:35:00.001-07:00

Isn't that a beautiful site? Last year I posted pics of the plum tree blooming on May 13th - it is blooming a full month earlier this year - and it is loaded with blooms.

Yummmmmm, I can just taste those fresh plums. I can't wait.

My peas say "Thank You" for the morning rain!

2010-04-13T05:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I have peas growing already. It is only April 13th! This is Minnesota! I'm not complaining though. I'm loving having an early spring. And my peas are enjoying the rain this morning!

They might be barely out of the ground right now, but it won't be long and we will be enjoying them with our dinner!

Here's a closer shot of the sprouts!

And a fuzzy shot of lettuce and/or radish sprouts - kind of hard to tell which is which when they are this little.

And a couple of pics of the seedlings in the basement - all that are up are doing great!

Another shot from under the lights indoors!

My pepper plants (both the bells and the hot ones) have not sprouted yet - nor have my golden rave tomatoes. I'm thinking I may need to replant those - they should have sprouted my now.

Planting in the Garden in March?

2010-03-31T16:20:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe it is still March. It is 72 degrees right now.

I got out in the garden this afternoon and planted sugar snap peas, lettuce and radishes.

It just felt so good to be out there actually digging in the soil. Gardening is the best cure for anything that ails you. I love it.

All of my cabbage family plants inside are doing well 10 days after planting.

And look - a tomato plant is pushing its way up - this is Golden Rave. I'm sure the other tomato varieties will be up soon also.

The peppers aren't showing any signs of germinating yet - but they are always the last to come up.

And here they all are - in my egg carton planters - they will be tall before you know it!

Time to start gardening again!

2010-03-22T11:19:00.001-07:00

I finally got around to starting my plants under lights yesterday. This is the latest that I have ever started them. They will do fine and catch up - it's not that late yet. Actually I think that some years I have been chomping at the bit to get gardening and have started my plants too early. Some of my plants have gotten too leggy before the weather outside was warm enough to transplant them so I think we will be fine this year.

Speaking of the weather, Spring has decided to come very early to Minnesota this year. It is so hard to believe that a couple of weeks ago we had tons of snow and now it is all gone and everything is coming to life! I also know though that it is way early and winter could still decide to return. It is still nice to have the warmer weather.

I used old egg cartons to start my seeds in this year. I use Eggland's Best eggs and my recylcing company doesn't take the styrofoam cartons so I decided to get one more use out of them before they become trash. I don't know why I didn't think to use them before - they are just the right size. I cut holes in the bottom for drainage and then I cut them into sections of how ever many I wanted - some (like tomatoes and peppers that I plant a lot of) I kept as a dozen - others are cut into sections of 4 or 6 - very versitale. I wrote on the side with a sharpie what I had planted inside.

Here's to a fantastic gardening season for all gardener's everywhere!

Seed ordering time again!

2010-02-15T17:02:00.000-08:00

There may be tons of snow covering the ground - and here in Minnesota there is LOTS of snow this year, but now is actually the time to be placing your seed orders. If you are starting seeds indoors, March will be here before you know it.

I prefer ordering seeds from a nursery over buying them at my local supermarket. I think you get a better selection.

Andy and I spent the afternoon looking through the seeds and throwing out the ones that are too old and making a list of what we want to order. I do use seeds that are a year old - I rarely use the whole packet - I just plant twice as many to make sure enough germinate.

Here are some of what we are planting this year:

Green Ice Cucumbers

Oregon Sugar Pod II Peas

White Onion Sets

Red Pontiac Potates

Red Norland Potatoes

Long Island Brussels Sprouts

I am so ready for winter to be over.

Making Salsa to can

2009-10-18T16:43:00.001-07:00

My home canned salsa is something that my family looks forward to.

Making salsa is a lot of work but oh so worth it.

Step One: Prepare the tomatoes. I cut mine up and run them through a food mill to remove the peels and seeds. If you don't have a food mill, you will need to peel and seed them. You want to cook them down to the consistency of tomato sauce or your finished salsa will be runny. I start with about 8 quarts of tomato puree - for smaller batches, you can cut the recipe down.

The type of tomato that you use will make a big difference. I use roma times that have more meat and less juice.

After I have started the tomatoe puree cooking down, I chop up the rest of the vegetables.

Step Two: Cut up 8 cups of peppers. I make a mild salsa that my child can eat so it is about 3 cups of hot peppers and 5 cups of bell. The hotter you want it, increase the amount of hot peppers while reducing the amount of bell. Also take into account the heat of the peppers you are using - some peppers are hotter than others. Always better if you aren't sure to go milder.

Add the peppers to the tomato puree as it continues to simmer and cook down.

Step Three: Next chop and add 5 cups of onions. I use a mixture of red and white onions, but any will do.

Step Four: Next I mince 6 cloves of garlic. Use less if you aren't a garlic fan. I am of the school that you can never have too much garlic in anything. It is so healthy and good for you and I just like the taste.

Step Five: Add 1 1/2 cups of vinegar. This is a necessary step to raise the acidity of the salsa so you can safely can it in a boiling water bath.

Step Six: Add 1 tablespoon of salt. Always use canning/pickling salt - never use table salt - it will discolor.

Step Seven: Optional - add minced fresh cilantro. I add it if I have it but don't worry about it if I don't.

Step Eight: Let the salsa cook down until it is a good consistency. To test I take some and put it in a small dish and put it in the refrigerator to cool. Then test it on a chip and see if it is too runny. This is also a good time to see if the flavor needs adjusting before canning.

The salsa has cooked down to the right consistency. I have about 6 quarts in my 8 quart stock pot. The tomatoes have reduced themselves by about half - it was down to 6 quarts when I added the other vegetables and that brought it back up to full, now it has cooked down again to the 6 quart mark.

The salsa in a small dish for sampling.

Nice and thick on the chip.

Step Nine: Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Making sure you sterilize the jars and lids right before using.

The finished salsa. This recipe makes 6 quarts.

Today's Harvest

2009-09-23T12:38:00.001-07:00

I haven't been online much because I have been spending much of my time in the kitchen processing harvests like this one.

Today's harvest includes:
3 5-quart pails of tomatoes
1 pint of raspberries (both yellow and red)
1 huge bucket (maybe 2 gallon?) of Swanson Red Grapes (seeded but sweet)
4 cucumbers
2 quarts of green beans (both green and purple)
1 quart of broccoli

I really should pick some apples too but I want to process all of this first.

I grumble and complain about all of the work this time of year but those who know me best know that I really love it and would rather be busy than complaining that nothing grew. And in the deep of winter it will be so nice to be able to enjoy all of this bounty!

I hope all of you are having great harvests this fall as well!

Andy harvests his first cantaloupe!

2009-09-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Isn't it a beauty?

I was so proud of Andy that he made such healthful choices when planning his garden. He was diasppointed in his watermelon but he has been watching his muskmelons with great anticipation (he has a lot of them).

The first two were finally ready this weekend. We ate one and gave one to a neighbor.

It was the juiciest cantaloupe I have ever eaten. I must admit that I am not a big muskmelon fan - Dan and Andy love them much more than I do - but I ate my share of this one!

Plum Harvest

2009-08-21T05:13:00.000-07:00

I picked the last of the plums yesterday. This is the first real year we have had plums.

These are from the tree that Dan planted for my birthday 3 years ago (in hot August!). We had a couple plums on it last year. This year we had a decent harvest - although the tree still wasn't loaded.

The plums are very juicy and tasty - and considering that I did not spray it at all - even with organic sprays - very few of them had worms in them. Overall they are great looking plums.

Colorful "green" beans!

2009-08-18T14:24:00.001-07:00

Yup - those are both purple and green beans!

It struck me today just how appropriate it is for our household to be growing those two colors of beans. You see I live in Vikings territory and I married a Viking fan but I am a cheesehead from Wisconsin.

I was in the garden picking beans while listening to the neighbors on their patio discussing the upcoming Viking Packer game and the fact that Brett Farve will be playing for the Vikes when it struck me that even my beans show the rivalry that goes on in our livingroom!

Anyway, even the beans know that the Packers are the better team since the purple beans turn green when they are cooked!

Colorful Carrots!

2009-08-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

Check out the colorful carrots Andy is holding - orange, red and purple. Growing a rainbow of colors of everything is so much fun. I also planted yellow ones.

Making Fruit Leathers (Fruit Roll Ups)

2009-08-05T17:16:00.000-07:00

I made fruit leathers this past weekend. The first batch I am sure of many this year. They are really quite simple to make.

You just take fruit puree - sweeten it to your taste - add optional spices - and dry in a dehydrator or on plastic wrap lined cookie sheets in a very low oven (150 degrees at the most) until done.

I used plums as the main ingredient in these. I added a handful of raspberries, a handful of currants and 1/2 of an apple as well as some raw sugar and cinnamon.

Here they are almost dry in my dehydrator.

They are ready when you can easily pull them up from the plastic like this.

I cut them into wedges.

I stacked the wedges with wax paper between - who needs evil red 40 - these are a nice bright red without anything artificial added!

Chicken and Bean Soup

2009-07-29T17:18:00.001-07:00

I made this for dinner tonight and there were no left overs. This is a very healthy soup - and great tasting too.

Chicken and Bean Soup

½ cup dry garbanzo beans
½ cup dry black beans
1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs cut into bite size pieces
1 ½ cups fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into ¼ inch slices
2 ½ cups sliced carrots
1 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped or shredded

1. Rinse the beans; place in a saucepan and add enough water to cover the beans by about two inches. Bring to boiling, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for one hour. Drain and rinse beans.
2. Put all ingredients except fresh herbs and spinach in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
3. Add fresh herbs and spinach. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
4 servings

My tangled up raspberries

2009-07-16T16:41:00.000-07:00

A reader requested to see my raspberries - so here they are.

They are just a tangled up mess - I have no supports in there - I had some supports but they weren't working very well so I took them out this spring.

I have red and yellow berries. Summer and Fall (everbearing) berries.

I don't do a lot to them - just throw some compost on the ground between them once in awhile - maybe once a season - and cut out dead canes.

They are along one side of my house so they do not get full sun. I water them daily if it doesn't rain.

I would guess the secret to such abundance and the huge size of the berries is the compost. The berries spread and I dig up the errant canes and give them to my neighbors - none of theirs produce like mine do - so I think it has to be the compost.

I also have some black raspberries, but I moved them last year so they are not producing right now. The reason I moved them was that their canes grow really long and are more prickly - the red and yellow canes seem to be more stout and upright (sort of) and don't prick as much - the black raspberries were really tangling the other up even more and making it really hard to get in there and pick.

Making Raspberry Sorbet - Step by Step

2009-07-15T16:53:00.001-07:00

How to make Raspberry Sorbet in eight easy steps.

Step One: Measure 1 cup of water

Step Two: Measure 1 cup of raw sugar (I suppose you could use white sugar, but why? - if you are going to eat sugar it shouldn't have the trace nutrients taken out.)

Step Three: Mix in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.

Step Four: Measure 1 quart of raspberries (about 1 lb)

Step Five: Put through a sieve or strainer to remove the seeds (I use my kitchen aid attachment).

I got about 1 1/2 cups of puree from the 1 quart of berries.

The syrup is now cool and a medium brown color. If you use white sugar it will be clear.

Step Six: Add the berries to the syrup and add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum. The xanthan gum is optional but it is a stabilizer that will keep the sorbet from turning into one big ice crystal if you don't eat it all right away.

Step Seven: Put berry mixture into your ice cream maker and process until done - the time will vary on how cold the syrup is - if it is still a little warm, then it will take longer to freeze.

Step Eight - enjoy!

Fresh Raspberry Pie

2009-07-11T17:54:00.001-07:00

Kathi’s Fresh Raspberry Pie

4 cups fresh raspberries

1 cup raw sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons minute tapioca

4 tablespoons water

2 - 9” pie crusts of your choice (I use the perfect pie crust mix from the gluten free pantry)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Line pie plate with one pie crust
3. Mix all ingredients together and spoon into bottom pie crust
4. Place other pie crust on top, flute and seal edges.
5. Make slits in the top so that steam can escape.
6. Bake for 10 minutes at 425, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for 45 minutes

8 servings

2009-07-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Currant Sorbet

2009-07-03T17:45:00.001-07:00

What a wonderful treat on a hot summer day.

My currant bushes are really loaded - I'm going to have lots of currants to enjoy this year.

I made my sorbet different this time. I juiced the currants by using my food mill that I attach to my kitchen aid mixer.

The juice was really concentrated so I took 1 cup of juice, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of raw sugar and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum.

The xanthan gum is a stabilizer - I use it a lot in gluten free baking so I always have it on hand - it is expensive - like $12 for a bag - but a little goes a long way. It keeps the sorbet nice and creamy - otherwise it is nice when it is fresh, but if you put it in the freezer for later, it will be a hard crystallized block.

I heated the juice mixture until the sugar was dissolved. Then I let it cool to room temperature and then I put it in my electric ice cream maker.

The juice mixture was a pretty dark red when I put it in the ice cream maker but as it froze, it turned a nice fluffy pink color. It is just so light and airy and oh so yummy - not to mention full of all kinds of wonderful phytonutrients.