Garden Harvest

We have been getting so much from the garden this year. I have canned 15 quarts of garlic dill pickles. We gave some away took some to work, and the kids are loving them as snacks or on sandwiches or wraps.

Recipes From the Garden: Garlic Dill Pickles

This is my Nana's recipe and I modified it slightly. This makes 6 quarts.

Garlic Dill Pickles

Ingredients:
Cucumbers (amount needed depends on size of your cucumbers)
Dill 6-12 heads fresh and 2 Tbsp dill seed or if no fresh dill, 12 Tbsp dill seed
Garlic 6-12 cloves and 2 Tbsp minced
Vinegar 3 quarts
Water 3 quarts
Canning Salt 1 Cup

Directions:
1. Wash cucumbers and pack in sterilized qt jars. You can do whole cucumbers, slices, or spears, whatever works with the size of cucumbers you are working with. My cucumbers are HUGE so I used spears and slices for all of my pickles.

2. Add 1-2 clove garlic and 1-2 heads of fresh dill to each jar. If you can't find fresh dill you can use 2 Tablespoons dill seed per Qt.

3. Bring to a boil equal parts white vinegar and water (3 qts each) and 3/4 to 1cup canning salt. Be sure to use a non reactive pot, NO COPPER! I also added 2 Tbsp minced garlic and 2 Tbsp dill seed to the brine while it was boiling to give it a little more garlic dill flavor.

4. Pour brine into jars and seal according to your preferred canning method. I used the hot water bath method for sealing the lids.

Recipes From the Garden: Strawberry Pie

One of my fond childhood memories is eating strawberry pie that my mom made. I have tried to find a recipe similar to hers and at one point had her recipe although it is lost somewhere in a drawer or something, but I made this pie for the 4th of July lunch we had at a neighbor's house. It was definitely similar to my mom's. They were so good, and the kids loved them just as much as the grown ups. The best part is it is esentially no bake, so all you do is bake the premade crust until browned, and heat the filling on the stove top, easy as "pie".

Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup cool water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 package (3 oz.) strawberry gelatin
1 quart fresh strawberries- sliced
1 (9 inch) baked pie shell

Directions:
Put cool water, sugar and cornstarch in saucepan and cook over very low heat, stirring, until clear (about 3 to 5 minutes). Remove from heat and mix in gelatin and lemon juice. Arrange strawberries in pie shell and pour sauce over. Chill 4 to 6 hours or overnight and serve with Cool Whip or whipped cream.

Garden Harvest

Loving the garden

I have been SO busy, but am loving the garden. We are finally getting some zucchini. So we now have tons of tomatoes and cucumbers, and squash, zucchini, and okra. We also have baby corn and jalapeno peppers, just waiting on them to get bigger.

I canned 6 quarts of garlic dill pickles this weekend. I made 3 quarts of dill chips and 3 quarts of dill spears. I have never tried to can or pickle before, but it really was not too bad.

Garden Harvest

Here are pics from the latest harvests. I can not believe how many cucumbers and tomatoes we have. There are also squash and I have baby jalapeno peppers.

Garden Harvest

Some photos of the harvests, I have not taken pics of everything, I will try to do better!

Recipes From the Garden: Tzatziki Sauce

My husband and I are big fans of international food. You could call us foodies I guess. I love to cook and try new things and when we decided that we should try and make some Shawarmas at home like we get from one of our favorite local restaurant, I found I was lacking something on the Shawarma, I knew I had not put the sauce on it because I was lacking the recipe for the Tzatziki Sauce. So the next time I made it, I wanted the sauce.

I scoured the internet, (not really I went straight to food network.com) and found a great recipe from a favorite celebrity chef and foodie, Alton Brown. The next time I wanted Shawarmas, I made the sauce and it was definitely more like what we get at the restaurant.

Tzatziki Sauce:

16 ounces plain yogurt

1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped

Pinch kosher salt

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

5 to 6 mint leaves, finely minced


Place the chopped cucumber in paper towels and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and mint. Serve as a sauce for gyros. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Friday Favorite June 11, 2010: Smitten Kitchen

Today's Friday favorite strays a bit from the garden, but not too much when you think about it. After all, vegetable gardening is done for the main purpose of producing food. Gardens produce fresh, yummy produce turned into scrumptious dishes grown and prepared by your own hands. So to include a recipe blog as a Friday Favorite is not too far fetched.

This is a blog introduced to me by my husband. It never fails that almost every time I look at it I begin drooling. Today's Friday Favorite is Smitten Kitchen. Click the link and enter the glorious goodness.

Harvest Time! Holy Hugeness and First Ripe Tomato!

I got several hand fulls of blueberries from my year old patio blueberry bushes. They were good but I picked the first ones too soon, lesson learned.

After worrying about my cucumbers and wondering why they were not pollinating, we found a monster in my garden. I have no idea how it got past my husband's and my daily inspection of the garden, but it did.

Yesterday at lunch, I was so excited because I had several 3 inch cucumbers and while looking for more, my husband pulled up this 15 inch long 8 inch around big boy. My kids think it is awesome. I have no idea if it is fit to eat but will cut it open at dinner tonight and find out.
I also harvested my first ripe tomato yesterday from my Pink Girl. Planning to eat it with dinner tonight which will also include squash, and okra from the garden.

More Harvest

I harvested some okra and blueberries, I have a lone strawberry turning pink. Still no ripe tomatoes or cucumbers and only a few more days until a heck of a lot of squash is ready to pick. I am ready for the tomatoes though, maybe I will cut a couple green ones and make fried green tomatoes. YUM!

I think I need to help my cucumbers, they do not appear to be pollinating so the baby ones are shriveling up and not making fruit. I am contemplating piping jazz into the garden to get the cucumbers in the mood for love.

First Harvest!

Yesterday I got my first harvest. One lonely squash and 3 blueberries.
I have so many baby squash, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes, that when they are ready to harvest it will be a big one (hopefully). I also have baby okra!

Friday Favorite May 28, 2010: Garden Guides

Today's Friday Favorite is Garden Guides.
It is a great resource that I find myself going to time and time again. It is a bank of resources that are very helpful and you can find information from beginning basic all the way to expert level. I have found many answers to questions that I have about my garden here, and have also gotten information and ideas.

They have video tutorials, articles, plant information, design ideas, you name it, you can probably find it at Garden Guides.

Lillies, and Veggies

I have gorgeous lilies blooming.

I also have so many baby cucumbers I don't know what I will do with all of them when they are ready to harvest. I better call my grandmother and get her pickle recipe!

My Pink Girl tomato has a lot of big tomatoes and now we have to be patient and wait for them to ripen.

My Marion tomatoes are also producing well and my mystery heirlooms and Mr Stripey are blooming but no tomatoes yet.

I also have a lot of baby squash and zucchini and they will be ready to harvest in a week or two. This pic is older, they are a lot bigger now. I will try to get more pics soon.

Friday Favorite: May 21, 2010 Starkville Community Market

Sorry the Friday Favorite did not get posted until Saturday but we had strong storms that knocked the internet out for the better part of the day yesterday.

Today's Friday Favorite is the Starkville Community Market. If you are in or around the Starkville, Mississippi area you should definitely check it out. The market is located at the northwest Corner of Jackson and Lampkin Streets. On the old East Mississippi Lumber Company site.

The Starkville Community Market serves a growing interest in local produce, arts, and crafts. The market brings an exciting color and flavor to downtown Starkville on Saturday Mornings from at 8:00am till 11:00am.

Tomatoes. Zucchini, and Squash Oh My!

I have baby everything in the garden right now, including bugs. I am going to get some organic soap to spray on the plants to hopefully remedy the bug problem.

My corn is looking better but I have lost a couple of plants. Thankfully I still have some in my small growing pots to replace the dead ones with. There are only a couple that did not make it.

The kids butter beans have sprouted nicely and I am planning on moving them to the garden this week when I plant the eggplants which are finally big enough to transplant without much worry.

My cucumbers are going crazy, they have so many baby cucumbers on them I have a feeling that I will definitely have enough to pickle this year where as last year I would only get a few a day and we would eat them all.

I fertilized everything last week and we got a good 2 day storm which watered everything nicely. I am trying to water every day that it does not rain, because it has been so hot, one day without and everything gets sad and wilted.

Recipes From the Garden: Bobby Flay's Minted Lemonade

This is Bobby Flay's recipe, not mine, but I have been looking for something to do with my mint which happens to be overtaking the planter it is in (I know I should have put it in its own container...lesson learned).

I love lemonade and the weather is certainly right for it so I am making this lemonade this week. I'll let you know how it turns out, but being it is from Bobby Flay (I must say one of my favorite celebrity chefs) I am sure it will be tasty!

Minted Lemonade

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 6 cups water
  
• 2 cups fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup mint leaves

Directions

To make simple syrup: Place 2 cups sugar and 2 cups water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved and let cool. Place lemon juice in a large pitcher, add remaining 4 cups water and 1 cup of the simple syrup or more to taste. Stir in mint leaves and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve over ice.

Blog Makeover

This blog will be getting a makeover soon. Stay tuned for changes. Don't worry they're mostly cosmetic. ;)

Friday Favorite May 14, 2010: Urban Farming Organization

When I was at home recovering from surgery, I watched an episode of The Ellen Degeneres Show which happened to have Executive Director and Founder of Urban Farming Taja Sevelle as a guest. I thought to myself what a great idea this was and how many people they are helping with their program.

Since I am in the field of Human development/Family Studies, and Sociology, this program really spoke to me as a way to be able to help families, youth, and combat the problems of poverty and help those people who need it, especially the children. I believe this is an excellent program and everyone should be aware of it.

Urban Farming started in one city, Detroit Michigan, and has now expanded into 30 cities across the country and abroad with the equivalent of over eight hundred gardens. They are doing great work and impacting the lives of many many people.

Urban Farming's mission is to create an abundance of food for people in need by planting gardens on unused land and space while increasing diversity, educating youth, adults and seniors and providing an environmentally sustainable system to uplift communities.

The program

According to their website, Urban Farming is an international 501(c)3 organization headquartered in Detroit, Michigan.

We bring people together in communities throughout America and abroad to plant food on unused land, space, rooftops and walls, with the intention of ending hunger in our generation, while greening the globe.

Each harvest is free for everyone to enjoy. Neighbors are encouraged to share their healthy food with local food banks to help others in need. We also host several green science gardens in schools Kindergarten through College age. Students learn about team building, skills training, self-sufficiency, environmental issues, health and nutrition. Older students receive the education and inspiration to prepare them for many types of green jobs, while being encouraged to stay in school and volunteer.

Pretty Flowers, Baby Tomatoes, and Sad Corn

I have my first baby tomatoes and many many blooms on several plants, my cucumbers have began to vine and my broccoli and brussel sprouts are getting big. My squash and zucchini are growing very nicely and leafing out, and my eggplant is finally big enough to plant in the garden.

The azalea my Nana gave me from cuttings of hers is blooming now. I thought it would not bloom because usually azaleas bloom early, but buds showed up about a week ago and it now has lovely blooms. My roses are in full fragrant bloom. My lilies are budding and my gladiolas are getting nice and tall.

The garden is doing very well, except for the corn, it is yellow, some is withered and I have no clue why or how to help it. I emailed the MSU extension service and am waiting to hear back from them. I am making sure to keep it watered. It makes me sad because I love corn especially fresh corn, but if I can't grow it I have a friend whose Dad farms and I can still get some fresh corn from him if mine doesn't work out.

Friday FavoriteMay 7, 2010: Mississippi State University Extension Service

OK I know I am biased, but the MSU Extension Service is a great resource for gardeners and I have to say I have learned quite a bit from them. You can call them, email them, or look on their website to find answers to many common gardening questions and concerns, they cover a wide variety of topics on their website, and have many articles and tutorials and tips on everything from flower and vegetable gardening to farming crops.

You can see when the best time to plant in this area is, and what plants do the best. If you are in Mississippi or the southeastern U.S., the MSU Extension service can help you out. Many other universities have these types of services so chances are there is one near you that you can utilize if you are not in this area of the U.S./world (Yes, I can proudly say this blog has gone international). They have a great Gardening Tabloid with excellent information on vegetable gardening.

Friday Favorite April 30, 2010: Grace Notes from the Garden Blog

I don't have much to say about this week's Friday Favorite except this is a great blog my husband discovered and I have really been enjoying it. Check it out!

Grace Notes from the Garden

In full bloom!

I had some gorgeous iris bloom that have not bloomed in a couple of years. My roses have bloomed. The basil in my herb garden bloomed. There are Asiatic lilies and gladiolus coming up all over the flower garden, and the kitty memorial garden has really filled out and is blooming beautifully.



My broccoli, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, okra, squash, and zucchini are all getting big. The strawberries are doing well and I think I only lost a couple of plants but I am not pulling them up yet, because they may just be slower to put out foliage than the others.

My corn is about 4 inches high so I am finally planting it this weekend weather permitting (it is supposed to rain so we'll see what happens). The eggplant is still too small to put in the ground, I am afraid if I did it now it would not make it because they are so delicate at this point, so I am going to give them another week or two to grow.

My pink girl tomato plant has several blooms. I am so excited, I can't wait for tomatoes to start coming in! Also my blueberry bushes have lost all of their blooms and replaced them with actual blueberries!





My kids planted butter beans at school and so I need to make room in the garden to plant them as well. Don't know how much we'll get from the 2-3 plants, but I think it is sweet that the kids want their bean plants in the garden!
My yard is also in full bloom, mostly clover...because of work and weather it's been almost 2 weeks since it has been cut, but my husband will be getting to that tonight or this weekend if the rain holds off. I like the clover flowers though, they are pretty. Reminds me of the days in my childhood sitting amongst the clover making clover chains and crowns and jewelry from the flowers, and every so often running into a lucky four leaf clover.

Recipes From the Garden: Sauteed Talapia with Garden Fresh Herbs

My hubby dubbed this dish "Delicious Fishes".
I used Talapia but this marinade would be good on any light fish such as Bream, Cod, or Bass.
Great alternative to the traditional Southern fried fish dinner.

Ingredients:
Talapia Filets (1 per serving)
4 Tbsps Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic-minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1 Tbsp Fresh Rosemary chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh Oregano chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh Basil chopped

Directions:
1. Mix two Tbsp olive oil, garlic, wine, and herbs in a large bowl
2. Marinate the Fish in the herb mixture for at least 30 minutes
3. Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a pan and heat.
4. Add the fish to the hot pan and sear both sides adding salt and pepper to taste
5. Pour remaining marinade onto seared fish and continue cooking until wine has evaporated and fish is cooked through
6. Serve Immediately.

Friday Favorite April 23, 2010: Yew Dell Gardens

Yew Dell Gardens is a botanical garden in Crestview, Kentucky. I stumbled upon it accidentally as I was trying to find some gardening information, and instantly became fascinated with this gorgeous botanical gardens. I hope to visit it one day. The gardens are filled with gorgeous blooms, some very recognizable and others that are more unusual or rare. It has several unique and lovely buildings including a "castle" and would be a perfect location for a garden wedding. They offer classes and workshops, a concert series, and many different events throughout the year. If you are nearby it would be worth your while to check it out. The photos are stunning and I am sure the gardens in person would be just as beautiful as they appear in the photos.

"The site now occupied by Yew Dell Gardens served as the home, gardens, arboretum and commercial nursery of the late commercial nurseryman Theodore Klein who was for more than 50 years, one of the leaders of the regional nursery and landscape industry. Opened to the public in 2005, Yew Dell is now one of only 13 American gardens designated as Partnership Gardens by the Garden Conservancy, a national group dedicated to preserving America's exceptional gardens. Yew Dell Gardens serves the community as a significant educational resource, a distinctive horticultural treasure, and a priceless cultural asset."