Lemony Goodness
This week lemons were on sale. I love home made lemonade. I keep it on hand year round. My middle son and I both like it hot in the winter.
My herb bed is stunning this year! So, what shall we do with them? Oil and Vinegar anyone?
I cook with herbs every day or nearly every day, so this bed has been a much loved spot this summer.
Now, as summer is winding down, and other beds are slipping away, I am looking for ways to keep my herbs through the coming coolness of fall and winter. I’ve hit on four ideas I’m sharing with you this morning.
First up I’m making herb infusions of both oil and vinegar. I’ve collected several nice bottles and have begun the process of steeping the herbs with the oils and different vinegar types. I’m also trying a mix of oil and vinegar for the first time this year. We’ll see how that is.
I want some with clarity and sparkle and others with ruddy richness, so I’ve chosen white wine vinegar and a Japanese Saki vinegar as well as Apple cider and Rose vinegar. I’m using Rosemary, Red Rubin Basil, Mrs. Burns Lemon Basil, Dill-vierling and dukat, and garlic and thyme. I’ve put it all in 1quart jars to steep, no sense fiddling with the funnel for this part of the process.
It starts in a Mason Jar…
It is hot in East Texas!
Heat and health have kept me indoors this summer that’s for sure.
In the lack of vigilance it has become increasingly important that plants in my garden have enough charisma to survive without pampering. Enter the Ground Cherry!
Happy Ground Cherries
The Ground Cherries have taken all the neglect completely in stride. The cucumbers are droopy, the eggplants lethargic, the melons are looking for a way to vine in and strangle me. The ground cherries are completely happy. Good on them!
This one is Aunt Mollie
I know I have given a recipe for Ground Cherry tarts so today I want to give you one for chutney.
Let’s make some chutney!
Ground Cherry Chutney
Caramelize a cup of sugar by cooking it with two tablespoons water. When it gets syrupy, add the sliced onion, garlic and apple cider. Let the mix boil for a few minutes, then add the ground cherries and sultanas. Let the fruit cook through, add salt and pepper, let the chutney cool, then keep it refrigerated. Once you’ve made the basic recipe, try adding various herbs from your garden, a bit of lemon, lime or orange juice, crushed ginger, etc.
For shelf storage Prepare a water bath. Process for 15 minutes.
We like this with chicken and pork, with peanut butter as a sandwich, and just on toast or an English muffin.
Have a great weekend!~KeriAnne
Sofrito or Refogado is a mixture of aromatic ingredients sauted with oil as a base for cooking many Latin or Portuguese dishes. Keep a container in your fridge to add to rice, pasta, chicken or any time you want to add that Latin flair to a meal. It’s super easy and makes even the most ordinary of suppers, something special.
It’s in the pot…
Right now I’m using beet juice to dye washcloths that I have knit and crocheted. I found this great article about another great idea for beets. I hope you enjoy it.
Do you have a lot of beets in your garden or do you just love pickled beets? Try canning them. It’s super easy and you’ll have delicious pickled beets in the winter. I love almost all vegetables, and although I like beets, I could take them or leave them. But … pickled beets that is entirely another story! I could eat them by the jar full. I loved my mother’s pickled beets and it’s been years since I’ve tasted devoured them. I don’t know why I never tried canning beets myself, but I am so glad I finally did. I’ll have to save a jar for my mother …although, they won’t be quite as good as hers! Read the rest of this entry
Have you ever been in a meeting where every single person has the exact same goal in mind, but yet there are not two involved that can agree on how the goal should be attained? Just wondering.
At least with gardening we can all agree, right? <insert knee slapping laughter here>
Well, chances are if you are reading this blog at some point you want to stick your hands and some seeds in some dirt and see what becomes of it.
Melon Fever is much better than Melon-choly! Oh, that’s bad…
There’s only one thing for it, let’s talk about melons, canning and I’ll even tell you about a couple of great books you’re going to want. I hope you have a cuppa or at least some Joe.
Melon Fever!
I just want to know if I heard you correctly. Did you say melon jam?
Why yes, yes I did.
The story goes…girl loves melons…girl plants melons…lots of melons. What to do with all of these melons? We’ve grilled them (yum, by the way) dressed them (rice vinegar, raspberry and lime is our favorite) and slathered them in yogurt, now what? To tell the truth, we’ve even made them in to delicious bowls for vanilla bean ice-cream, also great, still there’s more.
The only thing to do now is save them for the winter. The way to do that? Melon Jam. Let me get this straight…
Melon jam anyone?
So, here’s the plan…
This week is all about harvesting and replanting.
Last year I missed having pumpkins ready for Halloween by about four days. This year, we’ll have them! The only way that can happen though is if I get the corn harvested and the new pumpkins planted. So, it’s going to be a busy week. Add to that, the Vert Grimppant melons are ready to pick, plus several dozen cucumbers, well, what am I doing inside?
On Monday, the corn gets got (love that Texas twang?), the squash gets yanked and the pumpkins get planted.
Tuesday, melons come in, cucumbers too, and the zinnias get a well deserved deadheading.
Vert Grimppant June2012 soon to be pickles
Have you ever seen a Dragon’s Egg? We have! In actuality, we have seen many this year.
The cucumber girl is at it again.
Dragon’s Egg Cucumber