Chit Chat

 As usual, it's been chaotic, busy and full of surprises here lately.

Green peppers are looking good.  I just may get some stuffed ones in the freezer this year.  If I do get stuffed ones frozen, it will be a different recipe, and one without rice or cauliflower rice).  

Speaking of freezer, our "garage" fridge/freezer stopped working a few days ago.  I spent a good amount of my day cleaning it out.  

Zucchini gave me a break for a day.  We are typically getting something daily.  My husband has taking extras to work, and I took some to the library staff.  I gave up on anyone coming to our homestead to pick it up for free.  No one ever picks it up.

Blackberries are starting to turn color for picking.  No red raspberries for some reason this year.

Green/wax yellow beans are still producing, but look like they are about to let up.

I found myself a cleaning caddy.  Although I have not had a chance to get my cleaning stuff put in it, it was only $4.58!  I got a 15% discount, because I was with a daughter who had a store membership.  Big Lots of all places.  It is large enough to hold a box of borax, cleaning gloves and all the items I use here.

I finally found a pattern for a "hippie" beanie.  The one on the right.  I have had very little time to go to the library, but thankfully this book had one for fall projects (if tomatoes don't carry out too late this year).

Projects in limbo, and he keeps starting new ones:

-build raised beds, have half of the supplies

-install a window and AC, have half of the supplies

-build new coop, have half of the supplies

-home gym, still need gym flooring and new equipment

-dog fence (off the list until next year now)

Oh there are more in limbo than I can mention, ha ha!  Life happens.  Garden goodies happen.  Work happens.  

Zucchini Tortillas ~ Breakfast just got healthier

 

Yes, you can make foldable tortillas from zucchini!  It took me 3 times to get one right, although a bit toasty.  I followed a recipe I found online.  By the way, not all online recipes are accurate. The one above, although crisp around the side, still folded for a breakfast tortilla.

Here is what recipe I followed:

Zucchini Tortillas (Gluten-Free, Baked), by Alexandracooks

I used the exact ingredients.  You really do want your shredded zucchini very dry for these.

To make these 6-7 inches, I could only fit two on the parchment paper.  Recipe instructions state to use parchment paper.  Do NOT use parchment paper.  These stick to parchment and I was lucky to get this one off the paper to try.  By the way very delicious, and a great way to make a breakfast tortilla healthier.

Bake time on these?  12-15 minutes at 450°F.  You can see the parchment paper turned brown.  Anyway, the first two trays stuck (recipe says it makes 5).  Oh, and with my experimenting, I think I will try at 13 minutes with my oven.  The one that I made in the first photo was 15 minutes, the others were 12 and 13 minutes.

I then realized I own a silicone baking mat, and have never used it.  These tortillas come right off of a silicone baking mat!  Yay!  Now that I figured that out, I have another mat on order.  You can freeze these, according to the recipe.  I think I would layer something between them before freezing, like waxed paper maybe.

So there you have it.  My crazy brain finding more ways to eat zucchini before the season ends.  I used this recipe, to avoid white flour.  I think there is one with rice flour online, but these were good.  Due to crazy cooler weather here, my plants have shot up another foot.  I cannot believe how big they are this year.

Yanked the Pickling Cucumber Plants

 My summer days have been long, long, and long.  The heat left, and boy is it chilly outside this morning.  I could not believe it, after all these hot days.  It also makes me sad we have not gone camping one time this year, and it's already August.

Back to the thought of this post...

Did you know that when your cucumbers (or even squash) starts out looking nice, but then you see one end rotting and smaller, means that the bees did not pollinate it?  Interesting information for you today.  

I pulled all of my pickling cucumber plants, and sent all the remaining cucumbers with my husband to work.  We are done, done, done with those cucumbers.  I still have my other plants out there, and we have been making a greek cucumber salsa daily here.  

I am so stinkin' busy, and all I want is a day off.  Well, the zucchini gave me a day off.  I did not have one to pick, and we've been picking them every single day since the beginning of harvest.

I'm okay with that.  Between freezing corn, and the garden, and trying to keep the sink free of dirty dishes, I am overly stressed with garden goods.

I have a new cookbook, thanks to the wonderful harvest of green/wax beans this year.  I am sharing with a resident rodent, so who knows how much more we'll get.  I'm not sure if it's the work of a chipmunk or small rabbit, that is not setting off my motion sensors.

We have a slight chance of rain this morning.  I hope we get something.  The tomatoes look parched.

Happy Homemaker Monday

 We had a very bad storm come thru last Friday.  The wind was so bad, that it broke some of my tomato stakes at ground level.  Thankfully, the plants were not up-rooted, but those all had to be re-staked and tied again.  The tomatoes are starting to turn red here.

Several tree limbs came down, so those need taken care of soon.  Thankfully, no other damage here.

Surprisingly, the ground was, what I call "walkable" Saturday, so I have been able to pick vegetables daily.  It rained quite a bit, but with this heat, the ground really soaked it up.

We are eating green beans almost daily here.  I whipped up a one pan dinner with ground beef, green beans, seasoning, and some cheeses.  

I canned a new dill (sliced) pickle recipe from my BHG canning cookbook.  I'm done with pickles for the season.

I tried a new Greek cucumber salsa recipe, and we love it!  I had to buy the grape tomatoes, but yesterday I got one ripe tomato from the garden later in the evening.

I used zucchini, yellow squash, and green bell pepper from the garden to make a sheet pan dinner.  The zucchini  plants have slowed down a bit.

Thankfully, I put laundry on the line over the weekend, so I don't have to deal with that for a few days.  I have not seen much of my husband, as he worked 3rd (night) shift all weekend.  Today will interesting.  He'll be home sleeping, and I will want a radio on for kitchen work.  

I tried zucchini chips in the dehydrator.  We are not fans of it.  Maybe if they are cooked in the oven?  I have found yet another way to utilize our zucchini.  Once I have a bit of free time in the kitchen, I will share if it all works out and tastes good.  

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

I will link up when she posts today.

The weather . . .

80's all week.  Sunny.

As I look outside my window . . .

The sun is shining, and I am running later than normal.

Right now I am . . .

Drinking coffee to get this blog post posted.  

Thinking and pondering . . .

Thinking of pulling my pickling cucumber plants, and the zucchini and yellow squash.  I have put up enough, and I think it's time to retire the plants, or some of them anyway.  I'm also considering pulling some green bean plants.  I have put up what we need, and stilling harvesting them almost daily.

Listening to . . .

80's rock n' roll

How I am feeling . . .

Good.  I am starting week 4 of my intentional exercise.  It's been an adjustment, but so far so good.

On the breakfast plate . . .

I have no idea yet.  I do have a green bell pepper from the garden to use.

On my reading pile . . .

Nothing.  Any evening free time has been knitting or crochet (and that time has been limited)

On my TV this week . . .

Anything on Netflix.

On the menu . . .

Lately, the menu is based on whatever is harvested from the garden (eating what is in season, including breakfast).

-chicken teriyaki with homemade sauce, green beans 

Looking around the house . . .

Saw horses and the drop cloth are still in my living room, awaiting to paint doors (not happening very soon ha ha!)

I have zucchini, cucumbers and corn to take care of.  The kitchen is a hot mess right now.  I have two more dozen ears of corn to shuck (after I freeze the first batch).

On the to-do list . . .

-Freeze corn off the cob
-Dishes
-Make a breakfast

-Yank all National Pickling cucumber plants from the garden, we are done with them for the season

-Check the garden for anything that needs picked

-Check library due dates

-Figure out what dinner will be

-make more cucumber salsa

-water flower beds

-water porch pots

-water house plants

All outdoor building projects are on hold.  All extreme clean indoor work is on hold.  House renovations are also on hold.

From the camera . . .

Yesterday's garden haul.  I brought in one red tomato later.  I also brought in fresh dill for the cucumber salad dressing.

Prayers . . .

Thank you for your prayers for Daughter K.  She is on medication, and monitoring her blood pressure, but no explanation on why it spiked all of the sudden.

Quality Measuring Kitchen Tools

 

I tossed out my plastic Tupperware sets, as the dogs got ahold of some and chewed on them (when the kids lived here).  I then purchased some from the Amish Kitchen store I believe.  The quality is terrible.  I cannot scoop to measure without bending the handle.  I have another sturdier set, but it drives me nuts, that I don't have all the measuring cups I had with my Tupperware set, and I can use several of these tools in one day.

I like to have all the sizes, such as 2/3 and 3/4 measuring cups.  I have a set of measuring spoons that include 3/4th as well, which I do like.  Lehman's is my go-to place for good quality to last a lifetime.  However, they want $46.99 for the measuring cups.

I see that OXO brand has a set, but does not have the 2/3 or 3/4 measure cup.  Anyone have a nice sturdy set with all the measures, but not that expensive?  I saw a few sets on Amazon, but the reviews on some say the measurements for the tools are not accurate.

I want 1/8th, 1/4th, 1/2, 1/3, 2/3, 3/4 and 1 cup.  Not too much to ask for huh?  Ha ha!  

Heat Index of 95 degrees ~ Garden Updates ~ What was I thinking?

 The heat arrived in our area.  So hot, that they asked people to "conserve" energy.  Although I have been using our clothesline, the humidity is so bad, my laundry doesn't dry.  I have resorted to drying racks and my small indoor clothesline (in my utility room).

I have a rechargeable fan for my treadmill upstairs, so I keep that charged in case of a power outage (we have one in the camper too), which reminds me I need batteries for the portable radio.

Zucchini is still coming on.  I gave up trying to give it out for free.  No one stops to pick it up.  I just send the extras with my husband when he goes to work.  They are greatly accepted there. In fact, I hear they are fighting over it, ha ha!  I have tried to barter for other produce, but no one wants to do that either.

I continue to experiment with new recipes, but we are not fond of anything baked with almond flour (but still trying recipes).  I I do like any recipes using einkorn flour.  I am still putting some zucchini in the freezer.

Our green bell peppers are finally being harvested.  Red are on too, but not red yet.  So thankful for these.  They smell amazing when sliced.  They are not like the ones you buy at the store either.

Cucumbers are still producing.  Although, I am close to pulling the pickling cucumber plants.

I picked another 5 plus # of green/wax beans.  They are doing great this year.

My "what were you thinking" moment!!!  We were on our way to do errands, and we found out a produce stand changed locations, so we stopped.  She was about to close for the day, and offered a bushel of corn at a low price of $20!  My husband and I got to taste the corn first.  It was okay, but first picking, so they are smaller.  I have no idea what I was thinking, but we came home with that bushel.  I'm hoping the kids will come for a visit, so I can share.

We are both hobbling around with sore backs.  My husband tripped on the water hose a few weeks ago, and fell.  I think mine hurts just form all the bending in the garden, but it's been a bit rough lately. 

I'm sort of feeling like everything here, is happening all at once.

Laundry/Dish Day ~ Garden and other tidbits

 It's been pretty "busy" here lately.  So busy, that I baked a Georgia Peach Crumble with the oven off!  Multi-tasking at it's worst ha ha!

I kid you not!  I thawed the last of the peaches in the freezer, and turned the oven on, but forgot to hit the "start" button (which is required for it to actually turn on).  How I didn't notice it when I put it in the oven, is beyond me.  Other than I have been up to my eyeballs in garden work, harvesting, and then when it comes inside, it of course has to be dealt with.

(full of stems, leaves, etc.)

It was another race-against-the-clock sort of day.  Hurry and get the bedding and laundry on the line, so it will be dried and put away, bed made etc. before my husband got home.  Hurry and get the dishes washed, dried and put away, so I can take the blueberries, that were flash freezing, out of the freezer and bagged.  Hurry to process some green beans and freeze, and hurry all of everything to get out to the garden for a look-see (which we all know there will be zucchini and cucumbers).  Oh boy!

In the midst of busyness, I pulled several canning recipe books from my cabinet, and finally found a recipe for sliced dill pickles.  It's on the to-do list.  I also found a recipe for pickled green beans.  It's on the only-if-I-have-a-ton of green beans try it list.

The race was on, so we could pick up more wood for the new coop.  Ha!  We totally got off track with that, and did not bring the wood home either.

Still on the to-do list.  It's held up by the branches themselves.  However, it's towering my lilac, so I have no idea how we'll take care of this without  harming my lilac bush.

Quick question before I forget:

Have you ever made zucchini "chips" in your dehydrator?  Were they good?  What seasoning did you use?  

One thing I am not canning this year - hot pepper mustard sauce.  It has way too much sugar for our diet plan this year.  I'm on board to support my husband, in his goal to get off his diabetic medication.    The recipe is on my blog, and it requires 36 hot banana peppers, and 6 cups of sugar.  Here is the recipe:  Hot Pepper Mustard Sauce.  I am not even sure I planted enough hot peppers this year to make hot banana pepper relish.  I guess we will find out soon enough.

It's going to be another very hot day in the 90's.  Hot and humid.  Rain and thunderstorms are also in the forecast, and today they are forecasting them earlier than predicted.  It's so hot here, they are asking some towns/cities to conserve energy.