Pioneer Woman at Heart

Last Sunday, I decided to make us a healthier version of a frittata.  Hubby was complaining about "too many white potatoes" in his frittata, so I went in search of a recipe that used sweet potatoes - Sweet Potato Black Bean Frittata. I found several online, and this was amazing - sweet potatoes, a red bell pepper, onion, garlic, a jalapeno pepper, spices, fresh cilantro, and black beans.  You bake it right in the skillet you cook your vegetables in, and only need one bowl to whisk eggs.    Although packed with f lavor, I could n ot even get my 17 year-old vegetarian to even taste it.  Her loss.  I put a piece a way for me and two for Hubby's breakfast. Here's where I go t the recipe:  Sweet Potato Black Bean F rittata

My future goal is to have enough space for a good supply of sweet potatoes in a root cellar.  We are finding ways to swap out white for sweet potatoes more often, but I still like my red potatoes.   Although a lack of rain is getting me a bit worried, I am keeping things watered.  The green onions looked terrible, but I found enough to whip up another sweet potato salad to go with our dinner (or be the dinner since the temperature was 91 degrees out).

I decided to make peppermint extract.   We loved the lemon in the homemade frosting last week , so I wanted to make pep permint.   I picked enough fresh peppermint to fill about a 1/2 cup .

We have nothing but thistle growing in one tomato patch.  We put down a heavy layer of straw this year to prevent weeds and grass, but the thistle is up everywhere.  I, like the dummy I am, walked through to check on my butternut squash mounds, and to weed them out.  My feet were in flip flops of all things.   Yes, the thistle gave me a rash, somewhat like the itchy burning rash you get from fire ants (only the blisters are filled with clear liquid).  Oh, did it itch.  To get rid of it I used what we typically use for poison ivy.  Our milkweed is not up or visible yet. 

I finally made it to the store to get vodka to make a mullein tincture. I used fresh mullein .  I've read that you do not want to cut more than 40% of your plant , but I am typi cally careful not to over harvest mine. 

I planted a few new varieties of radishes this year.  I still planted Cherry Belle for canning radish relish.  It is delicious on burgers or what not.  I will be canning it in the smallest jars this year.  We can't seem to eat it up when we open the half-pint jars I canned it in.  Either that, or I need to be more creative.  Maybe try mixing some into peas ?  Or green beans?  I guess well see when we get them on the plants soon. These are French Breakfast Radishes.  I purchased non-gmo/organic seeds from High Mowing for these.  Hubby and I will be tasting the two that I was able to pick .  Due t o the second fro st we had, we p lanted later than usual. Has anyone planted the black ra dishes?  I have been reading up on them and I f ind them intriguing.

I had a leisurely morning, considering the rain gave me the day off from the garden.  I decided to make a dandelion frittata for our daughter's birthday breakfast.   It was delicious.  So good in fact, two girls ate two pieces.  I had to put two pieces aside for Hubby to take to work before they ate it all up.