Before I mention the great things, I just have to mention how horrendous the stink bugs were this year. I mean we had several swarm days, and maybe a few of them were in September.... Anyhow, we had THOUSANDS on our house, and I literally hated it. I actually got Country Pest and Termite to come out BEFORE the first swarm which I think helped. All the news talked about how bad this year was....they were relentless. They were also all over my parents Airstream which I had to go in to clean up for some people who were looking at it. I HATE STINKBUGS! In the cars, in the house, everywhere!
and it was such an intense season that I stopped posting after July 27th! Eek! Since the point of this blog is to help me learn what works, and what does not......I will try to remember the details since August!
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| Eggplant and Holy Thai Basil |
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| 4 Kinds of Hot Peppers |
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| Delicata squash |
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| My first butternut squash! |
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| View of full butternut plant |
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| my first eggplant ever! |
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| another view of peppers |
Wow - I haven't written for awhile since life has been so crazy. Between the garden, kids, work, the house....where does time go? Anyhow- I gotta update this year's 'garden good times' to remind me how each year is SO DIFFERENT.
The reasons to add some recipes with cherries to your meal plan go beyond this fruit's fantastic flavor. Juicy, delicious cherries are a great source of fiber, immune-boosting vitamin C, and disease-fighting antioxidants. In fact, a cup of Bing cherries contains more antioxidant power than a small piece of dark chocolate or three ounces of almonds, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. For this reason, cherries are good options for helping to fight inflammation, as well as cancer and heart disease. Scientists believe that anthocyanins, the compounds that give cherries their red hue, can help decrease blood uric acid levels, which may in turn help lower heart attack and stroke risk, according to a recent USDA/University of California study. You can get these anthocyanins from sour cherries, too, as well as cherry juice, and frozen, canned, or dried cherries.
Eating organically grown food is always smart, but especially with cherries. Unfortunately they’re on the Environmental Working Group's "dirty dozen" list of the 12 foods most commonly contaminated with high levels of pesticides, even after washing and peeling. The chemical pesticides detected in these studies are known to cause cancer, birth defects, damage to the nervous system, and developmental problems in children. On average, conventionally grown cherries are treated with 25 different pesticides, and 91 percent of cherries recently tested registered pesticide contamination above safe levels. So, go organic!
Cherry- Cheese Crepes
Ingredients
Serves: Prep: 15min
Cook: 2min
Total: 17min
CREPES:
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup liquid egg substitute
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup whole grain pastry flour
FILLING:1/3 cup fat-free cottage cheese1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt1/2 teaspoon honey1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract1 cup pitted dark sweet cherriesDirections
1. To make the crepes: In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg substitute, and honey. Whisk in the flour just until smooth. 2. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. (This allows the flour particles to swell and soften to produce lighter crepes.) 3. Coat a small nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates upon contact. 4. Ladle in about 3 tablespoons batter and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown and the batter is set. Using a rubber spatula, loosen the edges and carefully flip the crepe over. Cook the other side for 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Continue making crepes with the remaining batter. You should have 8. 5. To make the filling: In a food processor, combine the cottage cheese, yogurt, honey, and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add the cherries and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed. 6. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling onto the center of each crepe. Roll up the crepes and place them on dessert plates. Spoon a dollop of the remaining filling on top of each serving.
Fava beans, the original Old World bean, is one of my favorite plants in the garden. The plant itself has a distinctive, almost prehistoric looking architecture. Then it one day it is covered with white flowers that look like white butterflies sitting ever so still with their wings folded, marked only by a black dot.
It won’t be too much longer before the bean plants, not quite three feet tall and arrow straight, are covered with improbably large pods, swollen, glossy and pregnant looking. And indeed they are. Inside are three or four beans, usually, wrapped snuggly in a furry, white casing. As if that weren’t enough protection, the beans are encased in a thin membrane that must be removed before the beans can be eaten. A few seconds blanching in boiling water usually does the trick. Just cut one end of the bean with a paring knife and it will pop right out, immaculately green.
These were planted March 8 and are ready to harvest. They could go a while longer, but favas prefer cool temperatures, and it’s feeling an awful lot like summer here in the District of Columbia.
Favas are best eaten simply. We like them barely cooked in a green salad. Or, mash them up with some peas and pecorino cheese and spread on grilled slices of country bread. Drizzle with a little olive oil and you have a fabulous fava bruschetta.
