Time to start gardening again!

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!

Chicken and Bean Soup

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