Garlic and other gardening

 

Two varieties and they are all pulled from the grow bags.  Some roots where 6-7 inches long.  Just need to top off the grow bags with more soil and put new cardboard under the bags.  

I tied up almost all of the tomato plants, and some already re-tied do to good growth.  Some tomatoes are already on the plants.

It was too hot and humid to stay out in the garden, even though there is one more flower bed to weed.  I managed to plant two parsley plants and one more rosemary.  One rosemary died for some reason, and it's getting watered.

I was walking on a small sidewalk we made between two flower beds, and I almost stepped on a slithering snake.  In my flip flops.  I am sure anyone driving by, got a kick out of my dance in the yard trying to avoid it.

Another Re-Stock ~ Chicken Freezer Treats ~ New Recipe Tried and other random tidbits

 

Although on the "rainy day" list, I got a batch of meatballs restocked and in the freezer.  I like to do this early in the year, before the freezer is too full to put trays of them in there to freeze.

To help cool off the ladies, I filled a muffin pan with veggies and water and froze them for some delicious freezer treats.

Our internet has been working, but it's slower now.  I hope they get all the bugs out soon.  Several people are having issues.

More stores and restaurants have been closing numerous day.  They cannot hire enough employees, as no one wants to work.

We tried another new recipe - Slow Cooker Jalapeno Dip.  I used frozen jalapenos from the garden (vs. canned as the recipe called for).  

How did it taste?  Very good!  You can control the amount of heat by the amount of jalapenos too.  When I freeze my jalapenos, I leave the seeds in.  We topped this dip with freshly diced green onions.

Happy Homemaker Monday

We are still getting rain daily, but the heat is back too.  The garden is doing great, but the weeding is hard to keep up with (with the rain).

We had a relaxing weekend. Sunday we played cards on the porch, and grilled steaks and corn on the cob.  Believe it or not, the organic ribeyes were way cheaper than buying other non-organic steaks at the grocery store.

Once again gas was out at the other grocery store.  I am hearing it is due to lack of drivers to get the gas delivered.

My to-do list is right back at it this morning.  We deserved to have a relaxing weekend, so it's back to work

-master bath
-restock freezer (that's a list of itself, ha ha)

-dishes, run dishwasher

-laundry before it rains

-muck chicken coop

I'm joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

The weather . . .

I'm told it will "feel like" 94°F today.  More rain in the evening.

How I am feeling this morning . . .

Frustrated after getting some news I wasn't expecting.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Sausage, bell pepper, onion scramble with other goodness added.  Coffee.

On my reading pile . . .

Pioneer Grit

On the TV . . .

Heartland, Netflix

On the menu this week . . .

-Breakfast for dinner.  Not sure exactly what yet.
-baked walleye (haven't made this yet)

-grilled chicken fajitas

-Tacos

-Leftovers

From the camera . . .

Banana bread with extra mini chocolate chips.  Yum!

Looking around the house . . .

Zuri attacked a dog toy again.  Fluff everywhere.

To relax this week, I will . . .

Crochet or read.

Something I want to share . . .

A while back I learned something new watching a cooking channel.  Here is what I learned and I tried it last night, and it works!!  

You know those pesky hairs on corn on the cob?  Well get one of these bottle brushes.  I bought this one for a buck at the dollar store.  Just run the brush gently over the corn.

The corn hairs will come off so much faster and easier than trying to hand pick them off.  

I am thankful for . . .

The rain.  Motorcycle ride days.  My husband.

I am hoping to . . .

Get the cement slab cleared this coming weekend, for the new coop.

Devotional, inspirational, prayer list, or Bible verse. . .

Prayer  list, Daughter E.

More Flower Bed Blooms

I took some photos while weeding flower beds a few days before we lost internet.  You are finally getting to see them today.  

Buttery Peas ~ Rainy Day Stock Up ~ Something I Learned

 

We were watching a movie one night and they were talking about dressing up canned peas for a delicious side.  One day I came in hot and tired from garden work and didn't want to run to town for fresh veggies, so I dumped a few cans of peas (drained and rinsed) and dressed them up with butter, onions, thyme and salt and pepper.  Yum!

We have also mixed in yellow squash relish, but I don't can that anymore.

 I have a list of items that need made and stocked back up.  I save these to-do's for rainy days.

Pizza dough was restocked in the freezer. 

Something I learned . . .

Add cornstarch to your roasted vegetables for a crispier roasted side.  Suggested amount is 1 Tbsp. per pound of vegetables.  I'll update, regarding this new tip, after I try it.

July is booking up fast with parties, gatherings, travel plans and get togethers.  July also is the month in which Daughter E's boyfriend and his best friend were killed in a car accident.  There will be a large gathering to get with all of both families and friends to remember them both and enjoy each other's company.

I'm Back! ~ Foraging ~ Improvise

I'm back!  I have discovered how much I can get weeded when we have no internet, ha ha!  Woke up to no internet on Wednesday morning.  Five phone calls later we were in town getting a new modem, only to come home and not have internet.  Again.  

I got a text message yesterday that said "your system was restored etc."  It was not.  Ten minutes later I get a phone call to make an appt. for this coming Sat.  Last night the dogs alerted us and we find our internet provider in our driveway.  Hubby ran out to see what was going on.  He said something happened with their "system" and it sent a power surge to many homes knocking out their internet (hm?).  He was sending a ping to the modem.  Internet is back on finally.

Got another text message.  It was correct this time, and to reply to cancel our Sat. appt.  Sigh.  Anyway, glad it's back on, but it made me realize that if we all went out, our quick and easy communication system is back to the old fashioned way.

My muscles are aching, but most from weeding.  I have more of course to do, but it rained last night.  My hands are so dry, but happy to get so much done in a few days.

So....what did I get done while I had no internet?  Updated my garden journal, my book reading journal, and my book quote journal (a journal I keep to write quotes from books that are inspirational to me). I update my recipe book (I write down any recipe I throw together that works great).  I made a chicken chili with home canned sauce and it was delicious.  I also whipped up some canned peas (sharing soon).  I got inside cleaning done, but mostly garden work, although it was hot, hot, hot.  I worked on crochet work, and we got a short motorcycle ride in.  The rest of the weekend forecast is rain.

Thanks to the rain, I've been picking wild black raspberries, and our berry bushes look great.

On our trip to the "Big City" to exchange our dinosaur of a modem for a new one, we noticed a few things.  More restaurants closed (lack of employees or lack of product), and our grocery store gas station was out of gas (and had been for 3 days we were told).

In a conversation last night, Hubby said he's ready to clear the cement slab in preparation of building the new coop.  I'll let you know if that happens, ha ha ha ha ha!

We all got a chuckle.  Yes he did.  When parts are hard to find and you can't borrow a mower you improvise (gas can for a mower) .  It works too, ha ha!  I have lots to write, but will save it for another day.  I'm just glad to be back to writing this blog.  Boy did I miss it.

Garlic Scape Powder ~ Spiced Peanuts

Woke up to a brisk 49°F (feels like 47°F).  Brrr!  Not good for the garden.  Sheesh.  Yesterday the wind was blowing so hard I chose not to use the clothesline in fear my bloomers would end up in the next county.

Garlic scapes are part of the garlic plant that gets cut off to help the plant continue to grow.  By the way, if you do not grow garlic, check your local Farmer's Markets for garlic scapes.  Many gardeners sell them this time of year.  

They are edible and we love to make garlic scape dip with radishes we grow as well.

They also last a long time in the refrigerator, but this year I tried something new with the remaining scapes.  I dehydrated them into garlic scape powder.

Dice scapes and use the temperature on your dehydrator you use to dehydrate vegetables. Once they are dried, grind to a powder using a coffee mill and store as you would garlic powder.  It's a milder flavor, but I'm excited to have it in my pantry this year.  I've never dehydrated garlic scapes before.

I had a jar of dry roasted (unsalted) peanuts that needed dealt with before expiration, so I made spiced peanuts. 

So good!  It's just a 16 oz. container of peanuts, 2 Tbsp. organic canola oil, 2 Tbsp. of sugar (I used monk fruit), 1 1/2 tsp. organic cumin, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. organic cayenne, 1/2 tsp. homemade garlic powder.  Mix in a bowl, spread onto a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 20-25 minutes at 300°F.  Cool on waxed paper.  I bake mine on my pampered chef stoneware pan.