Lemon Balm Popsicles ~ Rain

I made some lemon balm popsicles for when I get out of the garden all hot and sweaty.  They are so refreshing after becoming exhausted in the heat.  Recipe is online from Edible Wild Food.

Friday we had rain, and it was told it would be heavy at times.   It was not.  We got rain, but not really enough. It was nice to have a change in my routine and get some indoor stuff done.  Not to mention free time to play with the yarn.

It's perfect camping weather here this weekend.  To bad we can't go camping.  It's beautiful, but too cold at night for tomatoes and other plants.  The peas will love it.  Thankfully, I do not have my other plants in the ground yet.  We are to have cooler nights over the next 3 nights (40's, and it can stunt their growth).

Yesterday morning I watched 2 coyotes in the wood across from our place, and this morning we watched deer crossing the road in two places.  

Chicken on the Loose ~ No Thyme or Spearmint ~ Home Baking ~ Romeo

While out doing garden work, a hen got out of the run and was following me around.  I found it so funny.  I got her back in, as she would tear up my garden. 

I planted more flowers.  I finally filled the driveway pots with flowers and beautified a bit more.  I found non-gmo catnip seeds but not spearmint.  I guess I'll break down and buy them on Etsy.  I could not find one thyme plant either.  They had way less to pick from than any year I've ever seen.  The ones I put in the ground didn't make it through the onslaught of rain we had a week or so ago.

Hubby has been begging for apple crisp.  He got it.

I baked a new breakfast casserole.  Sort of made it up.  I cooked onions and organic red potatoes, then added bell peppers and garlic.  I poured it into a baking pan, layered in some cheese, cooked bacon and eggs/milk.  I topped it with home grown green onions.  It turned out delicious.  Sorry for the bad photo.  I was in a hurry to try it, ha ha!

Romeo is finally "cone" free.  We had to put a cone on him to keep him from licking himself.  He is so happy and relaxed now, but this was the most dramatic neutering I've seen. 

New Book ~ Garden Update

Our library is only open for appointments, and they are not interloaning anything.   It's a small library.  I finally broke down and purchased a few books.  I added this needle tatting book to my bookshelf.  

The tiller is finally fixed.  It needed a new belt, which lasted 12 years.  However, while putting it back together, Hubby had a spring he didn't know what to do with.  After dumping out our container of manuals (that's another purge job), we found a free manual online.  Boom! Tiller fixed.

We are a bit behind in tilling, so I haven't planted more yet, and it may rain this morning.  Time will tell what gets done, but we are more ahead this year than last year.

This and That and a baby duck

I hope you all had a nice Memorial Day weekend.  We spent most of it in the garden and on the Harley.  We now have to do a repair on the tiller and the mower to resume work sadly.  

We have decided we will do our motorcycle rides before or after our meals at home.   No more eating out unless we can order ahead of time.  It is taking us 2-3 hours to get food inside restaurants and then good luck getting them to give you your bill timely.  It's not worth it to help a business, unless like I said, we can order ahead.  The wait time is awful.  One day we put over 300 miles on the bike.  I am now sun burned, but will be outside again today.

The plants are hardened and ready to plant though.  I just need my awesome husband to repair the tiller and get more tilled.

We are getting more asparagus from the garden. Yum.

The green beans, carrots and beets are coming up now.

Our daughter who works, was outside on her break and somehow a baby duck showed up.  It had no family anywhere, so she caught it, boxed it up and brought it home.  Thankfully, the animal sanctuary took the duck. 

Weed Growth ~ Pot planted vs. Ground Growing ~ Mullein and Burdock

Mullein planted in a pot last year and survived winter, but it's small.

Mullein that popped up in a bed close to the house, along with burdock.  Big difference in size.  I think this bed will be my weed bed now, aside from the mints.  I need a bed in the ground somewhere for those.

Burdock.  I never planted this in a pot, as it grows wild all over the place.

Spicy Apple Crunch Cake

Yesterday I shared a blast from the past recipe, from my Spanish class (High School Days).  Today, I am sharing another blast from the past recipe.  It's funny and somewhat frightening that I saved these recipes.  When I was hunting for the sopaipilla recipe, I ran across a binder full of recipes from my Home Ec. class in Junior High School.  It uses applesauce vs. apples.  It was a very moist coffee cake, and apparently the family loved it, as it went very fast after I baked it.

Spicy Apple Crunch Cake (adapted with organic ingredients)

2 Cups All purpose flour
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs, farm fresh
1 cup home canned applesauce
1/4 cup milk
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup flour, all purpose
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease only the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking pan.  

In large bowl mix all ingredients except the walnuts and  topping ingredients.  Blend on a low speed until ingredients are moistened.  Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.  Stir in walnuts.  Pour batter in prepared baking pan.

Mix all topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly on top.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Note:  For muffins, bake for 20-30 minutes (24 muffins)

Fair Food Craze ~ Homemade Sopaipillas

Apparently, in this pandemic time, people are going crazy over "fair food."  One restaurant started it.  They dedicated one night for serving a drive thru with just fair food.  I didn't go, but the entire town (Big City) went.  I heard there was a 3-4 hour wait in line.  

The next day, the town announced that fair food vendors will be set up this weekend at the fair grounds for selling food.  I am sure that will end up a crowd too.

I decided to do a fair food night at home.  I made homemade corn dogs with real beef dogs and homemade batter.

We also made hand cut fries to go with them, but that's not all.  I started us out with a batch of homemade sopaipillas, an old, old high school recipe from Spanish class.  We used to make them and sell them at lunch at school to raise money for our Spanish class.  They are like mini elephant ears you'd get at the fair.  Just for the update, all the fairs have canceled their fair this year.

Sopaipillas

2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbsp Baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbsp. shortening

2/3 cup lukewarm water

Fat for frying

Cinnamon and sugar to coat

Stir together, flour baking powder and salt.  Cut in the shortening until mixture resembles corn meal.  Gradually add the water stirring with a fork (dough will be crumbly).

Turn onto floured surface, knead into small ball.  Divide dough in half and let stand 10 minutes.  Roll each dough into a 12 ½ inch by 10 inch rectangle.  Cut into 2 ½ inch squares (do not re-roll the dough).  Fry a few at a time at 400°F in hot oil.  Drain on paper towel.  Roll in cinnamon and sugar.  Makes 40