My Life's Joys!

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-23T12:02:00.000-04:00

Happy Mothers Day

2011-05-08T21:48:00.006-04:00

A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self. And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships. ~Victoria Secunda

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today I cooked a seafood dinner for my Mom-

I made Salmon,Shrimp Scampi and Linguini with Clam Sauce (of course Mom made the Clam Sauce because hers is always better!).

For dessert I made my first Gluten Free Cheesecake.

I found a great Gluten Free chocolate cookie (by Pamelas products)

that made the perfect crust for the bottom of the cake.

I used a cheesecake recipe from Pierre Franey's Cooking in America.

It is creamy and rich and seems to be a family favorite.

The base:

1 tablespoon of butter

1/2 cup of cookie crumbs

The Cheesecake:

3 packages of cream cheese (8 oz.each at room temp)

4 large eggs,separated

1 cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of pure GF vanilla extract

1 cup of heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees

Butter the bottom of a 9 inch spring form and spread your cookie crumbs.

In the bowl of a mixer cream your cream cheese,add your eggs and blend for 15 seconds.

Add 3/4 cup of sugar and your vanilla. Keep beating for 5 seconds.

In another bowl,preferably copper- beat the eggs until soft peaks form.
Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar- continue beating until stiff peaks form .

Using a large rubber spatula,fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture.

Pour into your spring form pan and place on a tray into the oven.

Bake for 1 hour...

then turn off the oven

and let it cool for 2 hours

with the oven door ajar!

I was so happy-

although it didn't look perfect and beautiful-

IT WAS DELICIOUS!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mothers Day...

Gluten Free Nutella,Peanutbutter, Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-02-05T08:47:00.005-05:00

Happy World Nutella Day 2011

Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso (and Shelley from At Home in Rome, in spirit) solemnly declare Saturday, February 5th “World Nutella Day 2011″ – a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to EAT Nutella.

I haven't posted much lately mainly because of my new Gluten Free lifestyle.
I am still learning how to live my new lifestyle ,but as this day slowly approached I knew I had to figure out a way to incorporate Nutella into my life. The result is a yummy cookie that makes being Gluten Free a whole lot easier!
Now I have to keep reminding myself that although they are Gluten Free they are NOT fat free so over indulgence is not an option ...but you can't eat just one!

1 cup of Nutella
1 1/2 cups of chunky All Natural Peanut Butter
1 1/2 cups of white sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips (whatever kind you prefer)

Directions:
1-Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
(Prepare your cookie sheets-I used Silpat Mats to make my cookies because nothing ever sticks-but you can use parchment paper if you prefer)
2-Combine Nutella ,peanut butter,eggs, and sugar and mix until smooth. I used a hand mixer -the mix might be a little thick but the mixer helped me insure a smooth mix.
3-Mix in Chocolate Chips by hand. Spoon dough by tablespoons onto cookie sheet.
4-Bake for approximately 12-14 minutes until the cookies are lightly browned.
(do not over cook or the cookie will be very crunchy)
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing.

**Note- if you notice that your mix is a little too loose and your cookies spread out too much add a bit more peanut butter to your mix...it will help them keep their shape. Also do not over cook them because they will spread out too much.

**I also made these cookies with smooth peanut butter and walnuts-they were just as yummy!

Split Pea/Lentil Soup(Gluten Free)

2010-11-19T10:45:00.003-05:00

Ingredients

1 cup green split peas
1 cup brown lentils
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 small leeks, cleaned and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large clove of garlic chopped
2 Tbsp parsley
1 cup of diced ham
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Optional garnish - small toasted croutons, parsley, chives or sour cream.

(avoid for gluten-free version)

Method

1 Pick over the peas and lentils and remove any stones. Wash and drain .Sauté onion, leeks, carrots and celery and garlic in a 4 quart heavy gauge pot .Add ham and 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a simmer. Skim the scum off the top of the soup for several minutes, until the scum ceases to rise. Cover loosely and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until peas and lentils are tender, stirring occasionally in case they stick to the bottom of the pan.

2 Purée the soup with a blender. An immersion blender works great for this. I only purée ½ the soup and leave the other have slightly chunky. If you are using a regular blender, take care to work in batches and only fill the blender halfway if the soup is still hot, and hold down the lid while blending. If you want an exceptionally smooth soup, pass the purée through a sieve.

3 Return the purée to the pot and heat to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with croutons (avoid for gluten-free version) and parsley or chives.

**I omit the croutons because they are not Gluten Free-unless of course I have GF bread handy!

Makes approx:2 quarts. Serves 6.

Finally Fall

2010-11-01T13:44:00.004-04:00

As Fall quickly approaches I have a sudden desire to cook and create.
Although I feel a bit more challenged these day with my whole Gluten Free issue...
I refuse to let that get me down!
I am dreaming of warm comfort foods that will satisfy my Fall cravings!

My first attempt was last week-
I have been baking and cooking up a storm for the rest of my family
but there was nothing GF that I could have sooooo...
I decided to try my hand at a zucchini bread -Gluten Free-with my name on it!
Of course once I make it and everyone smelled it-
they all wanted to taste it!
I suppose that's a good sign.

The batter was beautiful and already smelled so good.

It rose and got golden-just as I had hoped .

Came out of the pan without falling apart!

Once I cut it- I couldn't resist...I had to try it!
It was PERFECT!

I don't remember where I actually found this recipe,
(my apologies to the original chef)
because I was frantically copying recipes from all over the GF Blogisphere.
I followed this one to the T and it came delicious!

GF Zucchini Bread

This recipe makes one loaf.

1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 ½ cups freshly shredded zucchini
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ cups of your favorite GF flour mix
1 teaspoon xanthan gum for each cup of flour

Shred the zucchini and chop the walnuts in a food processor and set them aside.

Use a mixer to beat the eggs and add the sugar, oil and vanilla. Add the baking soda, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Slowly pour in the flour and xanthan gum until well mixed. By hand, mix in the zucchini and walnuts. Pour in greased & floured loaf pan and bake at 350F degrees for 75 minutes. Let cool.

My first baking attempt was a success and I

am anxious to begin baking more GF goodies that

I can enjoy with the rest of my family.

I hope you try this recipe- I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

"My Lifes Joys" goes Gluten Free

2010-06-15T10:50:00.005-04:00

I suppose you have noticed that I haven't posted in quite a while.

I am trying to get back to my blog...the curve ball that was thrown my way somewhat messed up my cooking habits.
Due to the fact that I have discovered I am intolerant to gluten...(no more wheat,rye or barley ) I am exploring a whole new way of preparing my food.
I have also become avid label reader!

No more pasta...No more pizza...No more crusty Italian bread...
Life is now quite different.
That is not to say that it is bad...just different.
Good thing I love rice because it has become a new staple!
I am exploring new ways to make some of my favorite Italian dishes...thanks to the help of the many awesome GF bloggers out there!

This is a perfect time to go gluten free too...our garden is planted and there is a lot of fresh produce at the markets.
No real need for the traditional "cold weather" comfort foods.
Ill deal with that when the weather gets colder.My Oregano went crazy again this year...

The garlic that my husband planted in the Fall is doing beautifully...

A few pea pods...can't wait to stir fry them!

My Sage and Lemon Thyme came back bigger than last year!

Please don't give up on me...I will try to post some interesting things that everyone will like.
I have to get myself into the garden more often-camera in hand- and start sharing progress photos with you...veggies are growing-flowers are blooming and critters are enjoying my yard!

I hope you have a wonderful summer and I will post more soon!

Monica’s Fine Foods Featuring Calabrian Olive Oil (and a giveaway!)

2010-02-19T10:46:00.000-05:00

Posted on: Feb 15, 2010

Did you know 25% of Italy’s olive oil comes from my favorite little region that is burrowed down deep at the toe of the boot? Well, it does.

It is also a staple in every Calabrian kitchen and is used in antipasto dishes, pasta plates, meat, fish and even desserts. In fact, it is a little joke around our house because most recipes don’t even list olive oil or garlic in their ingredients … because, you know, they are a given – you should know to use them.

Marcella Hazan, renowned Italian food

writer and author of Marcella Cucina cookbook said, “The taste of a dish for which you need olive oil will be as good or as ordinary as the oil you use. A sublime one can lift even modest ingredients to eminent heights of flavor; a dreary oil will pull the best ingredients down to its own level. Partial clues to the quality of the olive oil you are buying are supplied by the label and the price, but ultimately, the only way to determine which one, among those available, is right for you is to taste and compare.”

And that’s where we come in.

Through the magical interwoven web of the Internet, I met Monica Kripalani, a new distributor of Calabrian olive oil whose recent trip to the mezziogiorno changed her life. After a brief tour through Calabria and into the hills of Lamezia Terme, Monica decided to open Monica’s Fine Foods to share her new-found love of Davoli Olive Oil with North America.

And that, my friends, means you.

Monica is giving away one 250ml bottle of Davoli Extra Virgin Olive Oil to one lucky Facebook Fan *and* a $50 gift certificate to a random blogger.

Interested, any? Here are the details!

To be eligible to win the free 250ml bottle of Calabrian olive oil, all you need to do is become a Facebook fan of Monica’s Fine Foods before Friday, February 26 at 5:00 PM (Pacific Time). At that point, Monica will randomly select a winner from her Facebook Fans and the winner will be announced here on My Bella Vita on Monday, March 1.

Bloggers, this part is for you …

For your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Monica’s Fine Foods, just re-post this contest information in full on your website or blog by Friday, February 26 at 5:00 PM. Leave a comment here on My Bella Vita telling us about your post, and you will automatically be entered into the drawing.

Due to distribution restrictions, Monica can only ship items in the US and Canada, so if you have a US address … you are good to go!

In bocca al lupo!

“World Nutella Day 2010″ it's finally here

2010-02-05T09:28:00.007-05:00

Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso (and Shelley from At Home in Rome, in spirit) solemnly declared Friday, February 5th “World Nutella Day 2010″ – a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly, to EAT Nutella.

This is the second year that I am sending in a fun and yummy Nutella idea to the group.

My treat was rather simple to throw together but the crowd went nuts!
I bought the small Wonton wrappers that you can easily find in the refrigerator section of your local grocery store and a jar of Nutella.

I scooped a small amount of Nutella in the middle of the wrapper then moistened the edges so it would stay closed.

Once I had them all filled I deep fried them until nice and golden.

Oh they were so beautiful.

Then before they could cool I sprinkled them with powdered sugar and served them to the waiting crowd.

Let me tell you I didn't make enough and I couldnt fry fast enough. What a hit! They were so much fun and so yummy!

Try these Im sure you will love them.
Check the other Nutella sites on Monday 2/8/10 -Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso -and see the delicious treats everyone is sending in!

If you would like to see how it all started check this out...
Buon Appetito

Chickpea, Tomato, & Barley Soup

2010-01-18T14:11:00.005-05:00

I was going through my favorite blogs this morning and came across a link to another blog that I had never seen before Buff Chickpea. What an awesome blog- there are so many wonderful recipes and I cant wait to make each and every one of them!
There was one though that caught my eye and I had to rush right into the kitchen and make it for lunch.
Chickpea, Tomato, & Barley Soup
-this recipe was simple -I had all the ingredients in my pantry and boy was it delicious!
I will surely make this one again- its a keeper!Chickpea, Tomato, & Barley Soup
Adapted from Body and Soul Magazine

1 cup barley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch lengths
2 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

Rinse barley clean under running water. Place in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 1 hour; drain.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Add bay leaves, paprika, cumin, barley, broth, and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes or until barley is tender.

Add tomatoes and chickpeas and cook for 20 minutes or until flavors have blended. Discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving.

Thank you Hayley and I love your blog!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2009-12-31T11:35:00.004-05:00

A VERY SPECIAL HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS

When the mid-nite bell rings tonight... Let it signify new and better things for you, let it signify a realisation of all things you wish for, Let it signify a year of courage and believes, Wishing you a very...very prosperous 2010.

Winter Snow

2009-12-10T20:10:00.001-05:00

Snowflakes

by Linda A. Copp

Snowflakes spill from heaven's hand
Lovely and chaste like smooth white sand.
A veil of wonder laced in light
Falling Gently on a winters night.

Graceful beauty raining down
Giving magic to the lifeless ground.
Each snowflake like a falling star
Smiling beauty that's spun afar.

Till earth is dressed in a robe of white
Unspoken poem the hush of night.

My French Onion Soup For the:2nd Annual O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

2009-09-28T19:56:00.006-04:00

My French Onion Soup

Slow cooking gives the broth depth of flavor and a silky texture.

Makes 6 servings
( these are all approximations- I don't usually measure when I make this)

2 lb medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise

5 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
5 Tablespoons of olive oil
6 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette
Gruyere Cheese

flameproof soup crocks or ramekins

Cook onions in butter and oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Stir in broth, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.

Remove bread from oven and preheat broiler.

Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.

Divide soup among crocks, then float a piece of bread in each.

Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) with cheese plane to cover tops of crocks, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks.

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.

CONTEST RULES

O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and for the second year in a row, Sara of Ms Adventures in Italy and Michelle of Bleeding Espresso are hosting the O Foods Contest to raise awareness of this important health issue.

There are TWO WAYS to take part in the O Foods Contest:

ONE: Post a recipe to your blog using a food that starts or ends with the letter O (e.g., oatmeal, orange, okra, octopus, olive, onion, potato, tomato); include this entire text box in the post; and send your post url along with a photo (100 x 100) to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.

PRIZES for recipe posts:

1st: Signed copy of Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen by Gina DePalma, Executive Pastry Chef of Babbo Ristorante in NYC, who is currently battling ovarian cancer, inspired this event, and will be choosing her favorite recipe for this prize;

2nd: Signed copy of Molto Italiano: 327 Simple Italian Recipes to Cook at Home by Mario Batali (winner chosen by Sara);

3rd: Signed copy of Vino Italiano: The Regional Italian Wines of Italy by Joseph Bastianich (winner chosen by Michelle).

OR

TWO: If you’re not into the recipe thing, simply post this entire text box in a post on your blog to help spread the word and send your post url to ofoods[at]gmail[dot]com by 11:59 pm (Italy time) on Monday, September 28, 2009.

Awareness posts PRIZE:

One winner chosen at random will receive a Teal Toes tote bag filled with ovarian cancer awareness goodies that you can spread around amongst your friends and family.

———

From the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund:

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancers in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among U.S. women; a woman’s lifetime risk of ovarian cancer is 1 in 67.
The symptoms of ovarian cancer are often vague and subtle, making it difficult to diagnose, but include bloating, pelvic and/or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly; and urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency).
There is no effective screening test for ovarian cancer but there are tests which can detect ovarian cancer when patients are at high risk or have early symptoms.
In spite of this, patients are usually diagnosed in advanced stages and only 45% survive longer than five years. Only 19% of cases are caught before the cancer has spread beyond the ovary to the pelvic region.
When ovarian cancer is detected and treated early on, the five-year survival rate is greater than 92%.

And remember, you can also always donate to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at our page through FirstGiving!

Please help spread the word about ovarian cancer.
Together we can make enough noise to kill this silent killer.

OUR SAD GARDEN UPDATE

2009-08-11T10:25:00.006-04:00

Well I suppose it was just a matter of time before we got hit with this tragedy. All the rain this season has really taken its toll on our tomatoes and zucchini...

Penn State Master Gardeners

Tomatoes Infected with Late Blight

Categories: Gardening

Posted by KarenMBern at 02:24:20 PM on July 31, 2009

Luke F. LaBorde, Penn State Department of Food Science

Late blight is a common disease in tomatoes caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans. The disease thrives in cool, moist conditions and can wipe out an entire tomato crop within just a few weeks of infestation.

Symptoms of Late Blight

Infected tomato plants initially develop water soaked lesions on the leaves and stems. Under cool and moist conditions, the fruits may become infected initially with firm, dark brown lesions that rapidly become enlarged, wrinkled, and somewhat sunken.
The rotted areas are usually located on the top of the fruit and may remain firm or become mushy.
Both green and ripe fruits can be infected. Green fruit that is picked early and ripened indoors may develop symptoms before it is ready to eat.
Canning recommendations

The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning (1994 ed.) recommends that canners select only disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm tomatoes for canning. Fruit that shows severe symptoms of late blight, especially internalization of the mold into the tomato fruit, should not be used for canning.
Although the USDA Guide recommends using only vine-ripened fruit for canning, tomatoes that have been picked green and allowed to ripen indoors may be canned if they show no symptoms of late blight.
This does not mean that the fungus itself is harmful to eat.

This recommendation is based on the fact that fungus infected fruit may have a higher than normal pH that could make it unsafe for canning. This is true for other fungal infections of tomato as well.

Tomatoes that are damaged by frost are also not recommended for canning because the softened tissue may be quickly invaded by fungus. If the canner insists on recovering a frost damaged crop, the fruit should be picked the morning after the frost and processed that day.

Late Blight spores can overwinter where there is living plant material, like potatoes that were thrown aside or that were missed in harvest. From what I understand, late blight can produce types of spores that can overwinter in the soil on their own if there are two strains that are sexually reproducing in the area, but it seems the experts believe that is not the case in the Northeast this season.

But yes, there always seems to be plenty of inoculum out there, and if we get similar weather, you can be pretty sure we'll get another outbreak. The question then becomes how early it will hit. This year's was unusually early.

Remember as always to follow the USDA Guide's recommendations for acidification:

To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use one tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart may be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid.

(Thanks to Linda Wiles, Extension Educator, Horticulture, Monroe County for bringing this to our attention!)

Late Blight - What Should the Home Gardener Do? - Rescuing Plants

Low Sugar Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins with Lemon

2009-07-22T20:05:00.004-04:00

(Makes 9-12 muffins, depending on size of muffin cups or pan used, recipe slightly adapted from Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins at AllRecipes.)

1 1/4 cup rolled oats (regular or extra thick oats, but not instant)
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt (I used fine grind sea salt)
1/3 cup Splenda or sugar (use Splenda for the South Beach Diet)
1 1/2 tsp. dried lemon zest or use 1 T fresh lemon zest
1 egg
1 cup milk (I used skim milk)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
1 cup fresh blueberries (for frozen blueberries, I would thaw them first)

Preheat oven to 400F. In medium-sized bowl, stir together the rolled oats, white whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, Splenda or sugar, and dried lemon zest. (If you're using fresh lemon zest, add it with the wet ingredients.)

In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork, then stir in the milk and vegetable oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until barely combined, being careful not to over stir. When ingredients are combined, gently fold in blueberries.

Spray muffin pan or silicone muffin cups with nonstick spray if desired. (I sprayed the muffin cups I used.) Divide batter equally among muffin cups, filling about 3/4 full. (If your muffin pan has large cups, this may only make 9 muffins.)

Bake muffins 20-25 minutes, until tops are starting to brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. I baked my muffins 22 minutes in a small toaster oven.

***Note: I used cupcake papers to make these cupcakes and they stuck to the papers...next time I will spray my muffin tin and put the batter right into the tin...no papers!

ZUCCHINI PARMIGIANO

2009-07-22T19:22:00.003-04:00

Fresh zucchini from the garden (sliced)
Tomato sauce
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh from the garden basil (chopped)

I layered all of the above ingredients and put it in a 350 degree oven.
When it was bubbling and toasty on top I took it out- let it rest a little bit and served it.
It was delicious!

Artichoke Heart Casserole

2009-07-22T19:14:00.003-04:00

I made a wonderful casserole the other day.
I found frozen artichoke hearts at the food store the other day and decided to try and make a casserole with all the fixings that I usually use to stuff my regular full size fresh artichokes.
It came delicious and was so simple.

I used:
2 bags of frozen artichoke hearts (thawed)
garlic (fresh minced)
parsley (fresh)
olive oil
bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese

I mixed everything together and tossed it into a greased (with olive oil) casserole dish.
I covered it and baked it at 350 degrees until it was bubbling.

It was really good- try it!

My Garden Update

2009-07-22T18:45:00.006-04:00

It is finally time for a GARDEN UPDATE.
Everything seems to be growing beautifully - we have been harvesting lettuce regularly and I have given away bundles.
We finally started harvesting our Swiss Chard and it is a fantastic crop. This is one crop that I plan to grow every year!
We picked our first zucchini yesterday. They are gorgeous and they taste delicious.

The cucumbers are coming along and we are expecting several days of rain so Im sure Ill be harvesting them very soon.

Overall it is the best garden we have ever had...I sure love square foot gardening!

CUCUMBERS

TOMATOES AND SWEET PEPPERS IN FRONT

MUSK MELON IN THE FRONT
THEN SOME LETTUCE AND CUCUMBERS IN THE BACK

BLACK EYED PEAS IN THE BACK
SWISS CHARD AND LETTUCE
THYME AND SAGE

BASIL LETTUCE AND PARSLEY

ROMANO BEANS IN THE BACK
HOT PEPPERS -FRONT REAR
LETTUCE AND MARIGOLDS UP FRONT

SWISS CHARD

ZUCCHINI-GREEN ON THE LEFT AND YELLOW ON THE RIGHT

The morning glories and doing terrific. This is the first year I actually was able to grow them and Im so excited...now I just need a few blooms!

Hope you enjopy the little trek through our garden...stay tuned for future updates~

Watermelon Granita

2009-07-17T18:39:00.003-04:00

recipe & instructions from foodnetwork.com

1/2 seedless watermelon
1/2 cup white sugar
juice of 1 lemon

Cut up watermelon flesh into chunks and then puree in a blender. If your watermelon isn't seedless, make sure to remove the seeds first before putting in the blender or you'll get mashed up seeds which may taste bitter.

Combine the watermelon juice with the sugar and lemon and mix well.

**I poured mine into my ice cream maker and let it run until it was done-I then put it into a tray and put it into the freezer to set**
You can also...

Pour it all into a shallow wide pan and freeze for 1 hour. When the mixture is frozen, remove from the freezer and rake with a fork all the way through. Return to the freezer for another hour and then rake again. Return to the freezer for one more hour. Rake again with fork then serve. Add a sprig of mint to up the coolness factor!

Ratatouille at my house...

2009-07-17T17:10:00.005-04:00

"FOODIE FRIDAY"

hosted by our very gracious friend at
Designs by Gollum.
Please visit her delightful blog after your visit here,

to feast your eyes on whatever she and the other participants are cooking up for today's event!

The basic components that define my ratatouille are:

plum tomatoes
zucchini
eggplant
garlic
onions

scallions
herbs
These ingredients are traditionally sauteed in olive oil and can be served over rice or potatoes, preferably with a crusty French bread (and a glass of wine for the chef.)

Recipe for my simple ratatouille
Ingredients:

1 medium sized onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

3 diced scallions
2 medium eggplant, diced
3 plum tomatoes diced
2 medium zucchini diced into large chunks

add herbs as desired (I used basil)
olive oil (enough to sauté veggies)
salt and pepper to taste

I add a splash of balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Sauté the onion and garlic and scallions until tender
Add eggplant and zuchinni

then and tomatoes, bring to a very light simmer

Simmer, covered for 15 minutes

Simmer for 10-15 more minutes with the cover off until the vegetables are suitably soft
Remove from heat
Stir in the herbs, splash of balsamic and season to taste.

Bon appetit!

Pico De Gallo

2009-07-12T08:42:00.005-04:00

Now I have to admit- I don't have a recipe...
I sort of put this together based on a friends recipe.

5 plum tomatoes diced tiny
half of a red onion tiny dice
half of a red sweet pepper tiny dice
5 slices of jalapeno pepper diced
cilantro
salt to taste

Thank you Justin it came delicious- we ate it with crackers and we also used it as a topping for
our Rib Eye steaks....yum!

Update on the MYSTERY plant

2009-07-12T07:27:00.003-04:00

Here are a few new pictures of the mystery plant.
If anyone has a clue as to what this is - I would love to know.
It is odd and the blossoms are tiny - but they are really gorgeous!

Bloomin Tuesday

2009-07-07T20:12:00.005-04:00

Today is Blooming Tuesday at Mrs. Green Thumb Jean's blog.

A few flowers that are bloomin in my yard today...

A few weeks ago I posted a picture of an odd sort of plant growing in my flower bed...one that I never planted. I asked for some help ID'ing it....well I guess no one knew what it was and I still don't either ,but take a look at the flowers that this weird plant made. They are absolutely gorgeous and there are many of them on each stem. Anyone have a clue now?

Now Im asking for a little more help- this little fellow was on my deck today
and I really dont know what he is...do you?

Blue Monday

2009-07-05T23:59:00.004-04:00

It's time for Blue Monday .
A big thank you to Sally for hosting such a wonderful event.
Please feel free to pay a visit to Sally at Smiling Sally for more Blue Monday's posts.

Mellow Yellow Monday

2009-07-05T23:26:00.005-04:00

We went to NYC to pick our son up at the airport...
as we drove I kept noticing yellow cabs everywhere...
All I kept thinking about was Mellow Yellow Monday-
so Im sharing my cabs with you!

Go on over to Mellow Yellow Monday to find other participants.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-05T23:14:00.004-04:00

Outdoor Wednesday

2009-06-30T21:41:00.006-04:00

It's Outdoor Wednesday time..

Hosted by the Sweetest Georgia Gal at

Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer

Click on the Button below and join us for some outdoor fun!

Blue Monday

2009-06-29T10:13:00.004-04:00

It's time for Blue Monday .
A big thank you to Sally for hosting such a wonderful event.
Please feel free to pay a visit to Sally at Smiling Sally for more Blue Monday's posts.

Mellow Yellow Monday

2009-06-29T00:29:00.009-04:00

Go on over to Mellow Yellow Monday to find other participants.

Park Seeds New Contest -

2009-06-29T00:22:00.003-04:00

Tempting Tomatoes Photo Contest!

Just how tempting are your tomatoes? Are they healthy and juicy and just bursting with scrumptious flavor and rich, eye-catching color? If they are, we'd like you to prove it! Enter our Tempting Tomatoes Photo Contest and let us see just what a perfectly gorgeous tomato you've grown.

The photos will be judged on more than the simple awesomeness of the tomato; we'll also be looking at photo quality, which includes composition, color, etc. So, start studying those beautifully delicious fruits (they're probably beginning to ripen about now!) and break out the camera! We'll choose 1 Grand-prize winner, who will receive a $50 Park Seed Gift Certificate, and 3 runners-up, who will each be given a $15 Gift Certificate. The winners will have their names and photos published in an upcoming issue of Park News!

When entering, please include your name, hometown and state, and email address. Also, please be sure to tell us the variety of Tomato you are photographing. You have until July 28 to get your pictures in. More info on how to enter can be found on ParkSeed.com. Good luck!

Outdoor Wednesday

2009-06-23T23:22:00.005-04:00

We really need to thank Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for hosting Outdoor Wednesday. She gives us a reason to get outdoors and explore nature!

Canadian Steel Head Trout

2009-06-23T23:00:00.005-04:00

Picked up some Canadian Steel Head Trout ...I absolutely love this fish.
It is tender,delicate and not as fatty as traditional salmon.

I really didnt do much to it. Lemon,Parsley,Old Bay and a little black pepper.
It came perfect.

I also made what I call a vegetable medley rice .

I saluted onion,shallot,scallion,carrot,celery and sweet red pepper.
Then I add the rice and saute.
Add the water and salt and bring to a boil.
Once it reaches a boil I turn down the heat to the lowest setting and I let the rice simmer...never lift the top until its done and never ever stir the rice. Just let it be!

I also saluted onion,shallot,garlic and some mushrooms...once translucent I added diced yellow squash.

I let it cook slowly. It came perfect! Not mushy- firm yet still tender.

Did I mention I made a loaf of bread...It was all very yummy!

Bloomin Tuesday

2009-06-22T14:59:00.005-04:00

Today is Blooming Tuesday at Mrs. Green Thumb Jean's blog.

Blue Monday

2009-06-21T22:45:00.004-04:00

Mellow Yellow Monday

2009-06-21T21:39:00.004-04:00

Camera Critters

2009-06-20T19:47:00.004-04:00

Do you want to join the Weekend Meme all about animal/critter photos? Clicking on the post header graphic will take you to the blog where you can sign in if you have made a post, and you can visit other Camera-Critters Captures. Or, clicking HERE will take you to the rules.

Sausage and Peppers/Green Beans and Potatoes

2009-06-20T19:38:00.003-04:00

I made a quick sausage and pepper dinner tonight.
I found these small adorable sweet peppers at BJ's and they
made me want to make this dish.

I also steamed some fresh green beans and then some pink and white baby new potatoes.
I then tossed the two with olive oil and a bit of salt.
Oh it was really heavenly!

I threw in a fresh loaf of bread that I baked this morning and a salad and we were set.
Sorry I forgot to take a picture of the bread before we all devoured it.

Buon Appetito!

Happy Fathers Day Papa

2009-06-20T15:47:00.003-04:00

Life Lessons

You may have thought I didn't see,
Or that I hadn't heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word.Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we'd grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It's written on my heart.Without you, Dad, I wouldn't be
The woman I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away. I've grown up with your values,
And I'm very glad I did;
So here's to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid.

By Joanna Fuchs

With all my love always...
your Susanna

Fridays Update/and the Mystery Stuff

2009-06-19T22:21:00.007-04:00

A quick glance at the radishes...they look good- Im just a little

worried because we have had so much rain and more is in the forecast!

The lettuce seems to be very happy- cooler weather and rain...
I have been picking for dinner every night!

We finally got the tomatoes tied up...they have grown so much with all the rain and they were spread out all over. Now we just need a little sun and they should do great.

The zucchini will be growing upward soon...
The trellises are complete... we will be adding the second level
tomorrow if its not raining!

Now here is a question ...if anyone has any ideas please let me know.

Something has been laying or leaving these little orange things under my eggplant. Not under any other plant in the entire garden.
I have no clue what it is...anyone know?
Click the picture to make it larger.

Garden Bloggers Death Day

2009-06-16T21:33:00.008-04:00

Hurry over to Gardening Without Skills and join Kate for her very own Meme Garden Bloggers Death Day

These are this weeks disasters in my garden.We have had so much rain and there is more coming...
My husband made this box for the strawberries that survived last years" deer attack".

We carefully transplanted them but 2 of them just bit the dust!

The Slugs are having a field day on our beans...

They have also attacked the Broccoli Rabe...

Now there are some good things happening in our garden...
Take a look at the flowers on our hot pepper plants!

The tomatoes are growing like weeds and we have to hurry and finish those trellises.

Eggplant,cucumbers and Swiss Chard are doing fairly well.

I was able to pick a wonderful salad for dinner tonight.
So all in all - we are doing ok!

Now if the rain would stop and the sun would come out- we would be in business.

Macro Monday

2009-06-15T19:41:00.006-04:00

click photo for a better view...

Head on over to Lisa's Chaos to see other Macro Monday participants.

Fresh Strawberry Tart With Mascarpone Cheese

2009-06-15T08:12:00.005-04:00

This was yesterdays Birthday dessert for my Mother and Brother- along with a chocolate cake!
It was delicate and rich...what a wonderful dessert!
We are making this one again!

Prep: 15 min., Bake: 12 min., Cool: 15 min.

2 (8-oz.) packages mascarpone cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 (15-oz.) package refrigerated pie crusts
Fresh Whole Strawberries
1/4 cup apricot jam*

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Whisk together mascarpone cheese and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill.

2. Meanwhile, fit pie crust into a 9-inch tart pan with removable bottom; press into fluted edges. Fold any excess dough over outside of pan, and pinch to secure to pan. (This will keep pie crust from sliding down pan as it bakes.) Line crust with aluminum foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.

3. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove weights and foil, and bake 3 to 4 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely (about 15 minutes). Gently tap excess crust from sides of pan, using a rolling pin.

4. Spoon mascarpone mixture into cooled tart shell, spreading to edges. Arrange fruit in tart.

5. Combine apricot jam and 1 Tbsp. water in a small microwave-safe glass dish. Microwave at HIGH 25 seconds. Stir until well blended. Pour apricot mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard solids. Brush fruit in tart with apricot mixture. Serve immediately.

*Apple jelly may be substituted. Decrease water to 2 tsp. in Step 5 and do not strain jelly mixture after heating.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings

*** I wanted to post the dinner I made.
Shell fish over Linguine- but we were so hungry that we ate first and I remembered too late to take pictures!
Sorry- we are doing a rerun of the seafood dinner... in 2 weeks for my Mother in Laws birthday...I will try to get pictures then!

This is the chocolate cake I made with chocolate whipped cream icing.
Its always a big hit!

Blue Monday

2009-06-14T22:54:00.004-04:00

It's time for Blue Monday .
A big thank you to Sally for hosting such a wonderful event.
Please feel free to pay a visit to Sally at Smiling Sally for more Blue Monday's posts.

Mellow Yellow Monday

2009-06-14T22:02:00.006-04:00

Happy Sunday

2009-06-14T07:49:00.004-04:00

Last night it rained again-steady and strong.
I woke up this morning expecting doom and look what I found!

Birds singing and the sun trying to shine.

The Morning Glories ( that I can never seem to grow ) are thriving.
I suppose at this point I should be thinning them out - but I am afraid to touch them!

The Heirloom Hollyhocks that my dear friend Gaye sent me from Canada
seem to be happy so far (knock on wood)!

The Eggplant has little buds popping out...

Our tomatoes have blossoms too- now that is one pretty sight.
All in all a glorious Sunday.

I have lots to do today-Fish dinner to celebrate my Mother and my Brothers birthdays.
Seafood over Linguine...Homemade Bread and Salad...
Chocolate Cake and a Strawberry Tart for dessert!
I will take some pictures and share the feast!

Hope you all have a Glorious Sunday!

By the way today is my 1 year Blogiversary.
I never knew how much I would enjoy this.
Thank you to all my friends...you make this so much fun!

Camera-Critters #62

2009-06-13T14:54:00.008-04:00

Brilliant~

2009-06-13T10:08:00.007-04:00

SAN FRANCISCO WASTED FOOD FINES:WASTE NOT,WANT NOT

SAN FRANCISCO — Trash collectors in San Francisco will soon be doing more than just gathering garbage: They'll be keeping an eye out for people who toss food scraps out with their rubbish.

San Francisco this week passed a mandatory composting law that is believed to be the strictest such ordinance in the nation. Residents will be required to have three color-coded trash bins, including one for recycling, one for trash and a new one for compost _ everything from banana peels to coffee grounds. (read more)

What do you think about this?

Deer Resistant Garden Plants

2009-06-12T18:56:00.004-04:00

I just got my Martha Stewart Newsletter and she has a huge list of deer resistant plants listed.
I am always so skeptical because I have had so much trouble with the deer- they seem to eat those things on the list when they are planted in myyard! Now why do you think they do that?
I would really like to know...
Anyway...
Here is Marthas List:

Hope you have better luck than I do!

The need to ward off unwelcome wildlife is a common problem for gardeners. For many that means deer, and if they live in your area, chances are they will find their way into your garden sooner or later. By planting wisely with deer-resistant plants, you can decrease the chances of deer stopping by.

Deer-resistant plants have pungent aromatic oils in their leaves that deter deer from munching on their leaves. Also, if leaves are hairy, such as lamb's ears, deer are likely to leave them alone. Plants such as hellebores are poisonous to deer. Plants with thorns on their leaves or stems are also likely to be left alone by deer, though they are not resistant against squirrels and other small animals. These plants should be used as fillers throughout your garden to spread the scent of aromatic leaves to deter deer. With proper planning, there is hope for planting in deer country.

Deer-Resistant Hardy Perennials
Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' ('Golden Jubilee' anise hyssop)
Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop' ('Black Scallop' ajuga)
Conavllaria majalis (lily-of-the-valley)
Corydalis 'Berry Exciting' ('Berry Exciting' corydalis)
Corydalis cheilanthifolia (ferny corydalis)
Crambe cordifolia (giant seakale)
Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Craigieburn' ('Craigieburn' wood spurge)
Euphorbia cyparissias 'Fen's Ruby' ('Fen's Ruby' euphorbia)
Geranium wlassovianum (Wlassov's geranium)
Geum coccineum 'Borrisii' ('Borrissii' geum)
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' (variegated Japanese wind grass)
Hedera helix (variegated English ivy)
Helleborus foetidus (bearsfoot hellebore)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Iris 'Gerald Darby' ('Gerald Darby' iris)
Lithodora diffusa 'Grace Ward' ('Grace Ward' lithodora)
Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' (golden creeping Jenny)
Milium effusum 'Flashlights' ('Flashlights' wood millet)
Muscari botyrioides (grape hyacinth)
Narcissus 'Cheerfulness' ('Cheerfulness' daffodil)
Narcissus 'Tete a Tete' ('Tete a Tete' daffodil)
Origanum vulgare 'Aureum' (golden oregano)
Peucedanum officinale (giant fennel)
Polemonium 'Bressingham Purple' ('Bressingham Purple' Jacob's ladder)
Polygonatum falcatum 'Variegatum' (variegated Solomon's seal)
Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum (Chinese rhubarb)
Sagina subulata 'Aurea' (Scotch moss)
Symphytum x uplandicum 'Axminster Gold' ('Axminster Gold' comfrey)
Thymus praecox 'Highland Cream' ('Highland Cream' thyme)
Veronica peduncularis 'Georgia Blue' ('Georgia Blue' veronica)

Deer-Resistant Tender Perennials
Alternanthera "variegated" (variegated alternanthera)
Angelonia (angelonia)
Calibrachoa 'MiniFamous Blue' ('MiniFamous Blue' trailing petunia)
Clerodendron ugandense (blue butterfly flower)
Coprosma repens 'Taupata Gold' ('Taupata Gold' coprosma)
Coprosma 'Tequila Sunrise' ('Tequila Sunrise' coprosma)
Euphorbia 'Helena's Blush' ('Helena's Blush' euporbia)
Euphorbia martinii (wood spurge)
Helichrysum 'Icicles' ('Icicles' helichrysum)
Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight' ('Limelight' licorice plant)
Heliotropium arborescens (heliotrope)
Ipomoea batatas 'Sidekick Lime' ('Sidekick Lime' sweet potato vine)
Nephrolepis exaltata 'Rita's Gold' (golden Boston fern)
Pelargonium 'Crystal Palace Gem' ('Crystal Palace Gem' geranium)
Pelargonium 'Vancouver Centennial' ('Vancouver Centennial' geranium)
Pelargonium 'Variegated Lemon' (variegated lemon geranium)
Salvia chamaedryoides (germander sage)
Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious' ('Golden Delicious' pineapple sage)
Salvia greggii 'Purple' (purple Gregg's sage)
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' ('Black and Blue' blue anise sage)
Salvia officinalis 'Icterina' (variegated culinary sage)
Salvia patens (gentian sage)
Sedum 'Lemon Ball' ('Lemon Ball' sedum)
Soleirolia soleirolii 'Aurea' (golden baby's tears)
Solenostemon cvs. (coleus)
Strobilanthes dyerianus (Persian shield)
Tradescantia pallida (purple heart)
Verbena 'Homestead Purple' ('Homestead Purple' verbena)

Deer-Resistant Shrubs
Acanthopanax sieboldianus 'Variegatus' (variegated fiveleaf aralia)
Buxus sempervirens (boxwood)
Buxus Sinica insularis (Justin Brouwers)
Buxus X (Green Mountain)
Corylopsis pauciflora (buttercup winterhazel)
Corylopsis spicata (spike winterhazel)
Cryptomeria japonica 'Sekkan Sugi' ('Sekkan Sugi' Japanese cryptomeria)
Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko' ('Nikko' slender deutzia)
Lonicera nitida 'Baggesen's Gold' ('Baggesen's Gold' boxleaf honeysuckle)
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Dart's Gold' ('Dart's Gold' ninebark)
Poncirus trifoliata 'Flying Dragon' ('Flying Dragon' hardy orange)
Spiraea 'Golden Elf' ('Golden Elf' spirea)
Spiraea thunbergii 'Ogon' (Mellow Yellow spirea)

Resources
Special thanks to Jerry Fritz of Pennsylvania's Linden Hill Gardens for sharing this information and giving pansy plants to our studio audience. Planters used on the show were handmade by Pennoyer Newman; for more information, visit pennoyernewman.com.

Making a Repellent Spray

2009-06-12T15:18:00.004-04:00

Ok - I have been searching...
I pulled out an old Ortho book that belonged to my Dad years ago.
"Controlling Vegetable Pests"

Found this and I'm going to make it.

Put the following ingredients in a blender.
1clove of garlic
1 small onion cut up
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper(or several small chili pods)
Add a little water and blend.
Strain through cheesecloth then dilute in 1 quart of water.
Add 1 teaspoon of liquid soap to help it stick to the plants.

This spray may be effective in repelling the bean leaf beetle,the cowpea curculio, the Colorado potato beetle,fleas beetles,Japanese beetle,leaf miners and the Mexican bean beetle.

Its worth a try!

Clavate Tortoise Beetles.

2009-06-11T16:12:00.003-04:00

I did some research and found the alien
that has been hanging out on my tomato plants!

May I introduce you to:

Clavate Tortoise Beetles

"clavate" (meaning, essentially, "thickened at one end")

Here are a few more photos of this little alien...

Now they do seem to favor tomato plants...just my luck!

Now if you are interested in seeing all the different types of beetles we have in North America...take a look at this.

Do you have any of these creatures in your garden?

What bugs are you finding?

ID Help Please

2009-06-11T14:54:00.006-04:00

I could use a little help please...

I have had this weird plant growing in my yard since I moved to this house-
which is about 9 years.
Every year I pull it out and it just keeps coming back.

Well this year I decided to let it grow so I could see what it looks like all grown up.

Now the thing is I have no clue what it is and I cant seem to find it anywhere.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS?

TODAYS HARVEST

2009-06-11T14:47:00.004-04:00

Ok ~I know its not much .but I'm really very impatient!
Now it is still raining ...BUT

I had to pick something...
and this will be perfect to add to our salad tonight.

It will make everything taste better!

Rain,Rain ..Go Away

2009-06-11T13:45:00.005-04:00

Let it be known that this is a formal complaint!

we have had more than enough rain and I am requesting the sun make an appearance!

My plants are begging for sun!

I got sunflower sprouts!

Look at all those little buds on the pepper plant...
I hope they dont fall off!

The Beans are going nutz and we better get the trellis up so they can start climbing!

The other little sprouts in the photo are Swiss Chard.

Look at the Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash.

They are adorable....

"PLEASE SEND SUN"

Happy Gardening...

Snap a Photo, Get a Prize

2009-06-09T13:58:00.002-04:00

The National Home Gardening Club has announced its sixth annual photo contest!

They are looking for plant portraits, borders and beds, garden structures and ornaments, and other favorite scenes from your garden.

Photos will be judged on composition, sharpness and focus, unusual and creative perspective, interesting subject matter, and appealing color and texture.

Here's what you could win:

First Prize: Padded sling double glider from Mallin. Value: $550
Second Prize: $200 gift card from Lee Valley Tools. Value: $200
Third Prize: Grow Green Soil Solutions kit from John and Bob’s. Value: $100
Honorable Mention: Tote bag, seed starters, art pots, bird feeder, and deer repellent from TerraCycle. Value: $65

Come on gardeners....start snapping those pictures!

A few new garden shots~

2009-06-08T23:06:00.005-04:00

This is very exciting- for some reason I have always had trouble with Morning Glories...
I don't really understand why but I just do!
This time my neighbor came over to oversee the project...mainly because no matter where she sticks Morning Glory seeds they grow!
I needed the Good Carma!

Well it worked...take a look at my little glorious sprouts!

Now for step 3...they need to crab the trellis and grow ,grow, grow!
I'll keep you posted!

Garden Bloggers Death Day

2009-06-08T22:52:00.003-04:00

Well it's Monday again and as I walked through my garden I found several things that deserved to be in this post...

.
These poor little sprouts have barely begun their lives and they are already doomed.

And what the heck are these nasty alien looking flying creatures?
Can someone please tell me...

They were on my tomatoes and the first predator flew away when I went to get him!

Happy Gardening everyone!

A Saturday without rain!

2009-06-06T15:57:00.004-04:00

Today is beautiful.
First day in a while with no rain.
It is a little sticky out but I'll take it!
A few photos to update you..

I was admiring my Hosta...ready to bloom and I noticed we have aphids!
Gotta take care of that!
.
The Goldfish in my Pond are very happy...My Pond Lily will bloom soon...

My husband made another box for our garden.
The strawberries that survived last years deer attack need a place to live!

A little wild columbine blooming in my yard...I just love them!

Mama-Eastern Phoebe Flycatcher was not happy with me today-
she has a nest above my mothers gutter and I wanted to photograph her
baby. She dove after me and tried to nail me in the head.
What a good Mommy she is.
I managed to get a poor shot of her baby! Better than nothing!

Lady Bugs and other beneficial insects

2009-06-04T18:49:00.003-04:00

Consider putting these beneficial insects to work for you, in your garden.You will be surprised at the results!

Utilizing beneficial insects as a biological control to destructive insects is not by any means a new concept. Gardeners have long known of the effectiveness of Ladybird beetles to eliminate aphids. There are many more 'good bugs' out there, they just haven't received the notoriety of Lady bugs, because they may not be quite as cute, or maybe the name of a Trichogramma wasp may not sound as sweet. Nonetheless, these beneficial insects will help to keep your garden free of harmful pests. and hopefully reduce or eliminate the need for much of the use of insecticides in the home garden. Invite beneficial insects to your garden by growing plants and flowers which provide food and a home for them. You an also purchase many good bugs at most larger nurseries and garden centers, but you will still want to provide them with suitable plants. Don't over populate your garden with beneficial insects though, because if there isn't enough prey for them, they will simply leave your garden in search of food elsewhere. Monitor your plants, and if you find that the beneficials are outnumbered, you may need to add reinforcements.
Many of the insects which you will utilize don't actually do any control work themselves. They spend their lives enjoying the nectar and pollen from your flowers, and creating offspring. It is the larvae stage of these offspring which does the actual hunting and eating of the harmful insects.
Plants which attract and provide homes for beneficial insects include

Alyssum

Butterfly weed

Caraway

Clover

Coriander

Dill

Fennel

Marigolds

Nasturtiums

Wild carrot

Yarrow

The list of beneficial insects is rather extensive. The most common and readily available insects are listed here, but this is by no means a complete list. Check for the availability of different types of beneficial insects in your area, and choose the one which suits your needs.

Cryptolaemus Beetles resembles the Ladybug but is darker in color. After the adults are released into the garden they will immediately seek out mealy bugs and consume them. The eggs are usually laid on an infested plant so that the larvae can feed on the mealys as well.

Green lacewings larvae (aphid lions) will eat spider mites, thrips, leafhoppers, whiteflies and caterpillar eggs. This insect is normally purchased in the egg stage, and allowed to hatch out in the proximity of an insect problem.The larvae will feed for only 2 or 3 weeks before becoming adults, at which time it may become necessary to introduce additional larvae to your garden rather than relying on the reproduction habits of your adults. Lacewings are most effective when a large number of the larvae are introduced into a limited area.

Ladybugs (Ladybird beetles) feed on aphids, chinch bugs, whiteflies, and mites, as well as many other soft-bodied insects and their eggs. There are more than a hundred ladybug or "lady beetle" species. These insects are normally purchased as adults and released into the garden. Each adult may consume as many as 5,000 aphids during their adult life. When mature, each female will begin to lay as many as 3-4 dozen eggs each day. Upon hatching, each ladybug larvae will begin consuming 50 aphids each of the 21 days until they reach the adult stage, when the cycle begins again. No matter how you add it up... that's a lot of aphids and undesirables removed from your plants.

Parasitic nematodes are microscopic worms whick seek out and then eat their way into the bodies and killing many soil dwelling pests including grubs, weevils and webworms. Soil conditions and the method of releasing the nematodes are critical, so be sure to read and follow the directions. Nematodes must be replaced each spring.

Praying mantis feed on a wide range of pests, including aphids, flies, and beetles. They are purchased as egg casings which are set in shrubs around the garden. Hatching takes about 2 weeks, after which the Mantis will begin to consume insects. Unfortunately they will also eat some beneficial insects (not ladybugs though) if sufficient pest bugs are not available. Praying mantis tend to be a curious and friendly bug, which may end up keeping you company as you work in the garden.

Predator mites are very useful in controlling spider mites and two spotted mites, both indoors and in the garden. They are purchased as adults which will eat 1-3 adult mites or up to 6 mite eggs each day.

Spined Soldier Bug (stink bugs) prey on many types of beetles, webworms, armyworms and other garden pests. They are normally purchased as a combination of nymphs and adults. Because they are generally only effective for a month or so, it is sometimes necessary to release additional predators if the adult population has diminished or if subsequent plantings are desired.

Trichogramma wasps are tiny wasps which prey on the eggs of more than 200 worm type pests, including borers, webworms, and many types of moth caterpillars. The wasps lay their eggs directly into the pest's eggs, killing the eggs as they hatch. As soon as the wasps mature, they will fly off in search of new eggs to parasitize. Different species of Trichogramma wasps are more effective against certain pests, so purchase eggs appropriate for the pests which have invaded your garden.

Once you have made the decision to utilize beneficial insects to help you with your pest control in your garden, keep in mind that insecticides are no longer an appropriate option. Pesticides will kill good bugs at the same time they are removing the pests.
all above information taken from The Garden Helper

YUCK! SLUGS...

2009-06-04T18:40:00.003-04:00

Slugs

The battles and the war

Although you may never win the war against snails and slugs entirely, you owe it to your plants to fight them with every weapon at your disposal. You can control slug populations with several different methods. With each battle which you win, you have prevented hundreds of new slugs from hatching.

The battlefield

As with any battle plan, it is to your advantage to be able to set the field. Set your field by cleaning your garden, and eliminating the places where the slugs hide, sleep, and reproduce.

Pulling the weeds from your garden is something you need to do anyway. As you pull each weed, you remove a potential slug outpost.

Keep all decaying matter cleaned out of your garden beds. While leaves make a good mulch, once they begin to compost they become food and shelter for slugs and snails.

Prune the branches of any shrubs which are laying on the ground. Keep the old leaves and such cleaned out. By doing this you will have destroyed yet another slug haven!

Cultivate your soil regularly to keep the dirt clods broken up, and unearth any slugs which may have burrowed under the surface.

The shaded areas beneath decks can be a slug arena: keep them weed and litter free.

Just about anything can become a slug home. Boards, rocks, pots and other gizmos should be kept out of the garden.

Keep the lawn edges trimmed. Slugs will congregate under the umbrella of unkept grass.

The weapons

For the sake of the environment, it is better to make an effort to control slugs and snails without using chemicals and poisons before you resort to chemical warfare. Hand to hand combat

Keep slug pokers stuck around the garden at random. Meet your enemy, one on one... Your weapon is at hand, impale them!

Fill a small bowl with stale beer. Put it in the areas where the slugs are active. Stale beer attracts the slugs and they drown. You may also use grape juice or a tea made from yeast, honey and water.

An early morning stroll around the garden, salt shaker in hand will often result in many casualties for the bad guys.

Destroy any and ALL slug eggs you find!

Bait and destroy tactics work. Set a pile of slightly dampened dry dog food in an area frequented by slugs. In the morning and evening visit the feeding station a few times.... slug poker in hand!

Battle lines

Cedar bark or gravel chips spread around your plant will irritate and dehydrate slugs.

The sharp edges of crushed eggshells around the plants will cut and kill slugs. The calcium in the eggshells is a good soil amendment anyway!

Sprinkle a line of lime around your plants. (Obviously this won't work around plants requiring a more acidic soil)

Certain herbs (Rosemary, lemon balm,wormwood, mints, tansy, oak leaves, needles from conifers and seaweed will repel slugs. However using a mulch of these plants will only turn thhe slugs away, in search of other food sources.

Oat bran will kill slugs when they eat it... sprinkle some around.

Enlist allies..... snakes, ducks, geese, toads, would enjoy helping you out as they dine on your slugs.

above material taken from The Garden Helper

Thursdays Garden Update

2009-06-04T11:46:00.005-04:00

I did my usual morning walk around the garden today. Yesterday it rained all day long so I was hoping for some new additions to the garden...I did find a few!

First stop was the Shasta Daisey's in the front yard and they are doing beautifully.
Mr. Daddy Longlegs was very happy there.

I passed by my husbands Raspberry bushes and they are bursting!

The Swiss Chard is popping up in all the squares that I planted it in.

As are the cukes..

And the Cow Peas...

I was very happy to see the zucchini peaking through the ground-
that rain sure helps things along!

The cute little Stella D'Oro lilies are in bud-
now to make sure the deer don't get them!

More Shasta Daisey's...

I added a few Trellises to the garden...
I wanted to grow Morning Glory...
Let's see what happens!

Enjoy your garden...
See you tomorrow.

Garden Bloggers Death Day

2009-06-02T17:07:00.002-04:00

I came across the greatest post today...
Kate from Gardening Without Skills has started a Monday event for gardeners called Gardening Bloggers Death Day. As she puts it " the day for gardeners who overwater, underwater, maim, prune or otherwise neglect their plants to a state of dismal droopage or untimely death".

Its perfect!
You have to rush over to her site and check out her entire post!

These are a few of today's horrid deaths in my yard. The garden is still new so there is plenty of time for disaster!

This first photo was the job of the deer- I didn't actually kill it- they sort of did- no blooms this year. They chopped off all the tops of my 5 gorgeous Lilys.

This is the lettuce that I managed to kill- really before it got a chance to really grow!

And this -well- its a sneak peak of what is to come in the near future!

Thanks Kate for such fun. I would have hidden these photos before now I feel safe sharing them!

A Glorious Sunday

2009-05-31T15:29:00.003-04:00

Beautiful Sunday morning and what a joy to find that my radishes have sprouted.
We are suppose to have an unexpected frost tonight so I better scramble to find some adequate cover for these tender plants or I'm in trouble!

Two Iris are blooming!
I'm so grateful the darn rain didn't knock them over.

Last little surprise I found while strolling around the yard- some grapes on the grape vine.
I pray we don't get hammered by beetles this year - last year was a disaster.
If anyone has a sure fire "organic" method to keep the beetles away please share it with me.
We tried the hormone strip one year and it attracted more beetles to our yard -so that is out!

I read the recipe for the ripe fruit and the yeast but F thinks it will work the same as the hormone strip and attract more to our yard...I just don't know.

This Mornings Surprise

2009-05-29T21:46:00.002-04:00

I woke up to heavy rain...then the rain stopped and the sky cleared...only for a short while...
I looked outside and low and behold a glorious sight!
The rain was sure worth it!

My Little Visitors

2009-05-25T22:24:00.003-04:00

There is nothing so exciting as the Spring arrival of these little jewels.

They flutter in front of my windows to announce their arrival.

They bring such joy!

Do you feed your hummingbirds?
Mix up some sugar water and they will come!

FEEDING HUMMINGBIRDS

Feeding hummingbirds is an easy, inexpensive and rewarding pastime. All you need is a feeder, table sugar, some water and you are all set. Here are some easy guidelines to get you started.

Feeders
The most important criteria when selecting a feeder are that it be easy to clean and easy to fill. In order to be a responsible host, you must keep your feeder very clean and full of fresh nectar. We all lead busy lives, so choosing a feeder which makes these tasks easy will help to ensure that you do them. Feeders should come apart so that all parts are open and available for cleaning. Please do not underestimate the importance of this. It will be explained more in the section on maintenance.
Hummingbirds will eat from anything with nectar in it, but they must be able to find it. Most hummingbird feeders have red on them because the birds seem to be more attracted to red than to other colors. If you look at the feeder in the photo at the top of this page, you will see that it is practically a beacon for hummingbirds saying "EAT HERE!" If your feeder does not have red on it, don't worry. Just tie a piece of bright red ribbon or nursery tape on it to attract them. They will explore around and find the nectar once they discover the feeder.
Some feeders have perches and some do not. Hummingbirds do not need perches on feeders, but they will use them if they exist and you will get to see a special treat: a hummingbird sitting still. It is also fun to watch them learning how to do it.
We have some excellent hummingbird feeders available at the Wild Bird Shop. If you stop by we will be happy to demonstrate them. Or you can select and order one from our Refuge online catalog.

Food
In nature, hummingbirds eat flower nectar for energy and bugs for protein. Flower nectar is 21% to 23% sucrose - regular table sugar - so it is very easy and inexpensive to make. Here is the recipe for making hummingbird nectar:

Mix 4 parts water to 1 part table sugar in a pan. Do not use honey, Jell-O or brown sugar. Especially do not use artificial sweeteners. Putting hummingbirds on a diet will kill them. They burn prodigious amounts of energy for their size and need real sugar. Do not use red food coloring. It is unnecessary and can harm the little hummers even in low concentrations because they eat so much nectar. If your feeder isn't red, tie a red ribbon on it as described in the Feeders section, above. Just sugar and water, that's all.
Bring to a boil then remove from the heat. Stir it while it is heating until all of the sugar is dissolved. Don't boil it for long because that will change the ratio as water is boiled off. The reason for boiling is not to make syrup, but to drive out the chlorine in the water and to kill mold and yeast spores that might be in the sugar. This will help make the nectar last longer both in the feeder and in your refrigerator.
Cover and allow to cool before using or pouring into the storage bottle. We recommend making a large batch of nectar and storing it in the refrigerator in a 2 liter soda bottle (washed thoroughly first.) This makes refilling the feeder so easy that you won't mind doing it every few days.

Cleanliness
Sugar water is a very rich growth medium. Yeasts like to eat it causing fermentation which can harm hummingbirds. Mold and bacteria grow in it and can also harm the birds. That is why it is important to keep the feeder clean and the nectar fresh. You must change the nectar frequently to avoid these contaminants. In cooler temperatures we recommend changing it every seven days. If the temperatures are getting above 70 degrees, follow this chart:

High temperatures		Change nectar after
71-75		6 days
76-80		5 days
81-84		4 days
85-88		3 days
89-92		2 days
93+		change daily

Remember: these are guidelines, not absolutes. If you notice that the nectar is turning milky or that white strings or black spots are growing in it, change it more often. Clean the feeder with very hot water each time you refill it. Most good feeders, and all of of the ones that we sell, come apart for easier cleaning. Be sure and take them apart every time. It is usually the work of a couple of seconds. If contamination occurs, use a mild bleach solution to sterilize it, but if you use bleach, rinse thoroughly afterwards. Even a tiny amount of bleach could be harmful to birds weighing only a quarter of an ounce! Glass or metal pieces can be boiled, but you should probably not boil plastic pieces. The black mold may leave a very faint stain, but this will not affect the safe operation of the feeder.

Placement

It is best if the feeder can be kept in the shade because the nectar will remain fresh longer. If you are willing to change it more often, it is fine to hang it in the sun. The feeder should be placed out of the reach of cats. We recommend hanging it near a window so you can watch the birds eat. Hummingbirds are so quick and agile that they quickly lose their fear of us slow-motion animals. After just a few days or a week of feeding outside of a window, most hummingbirds will let you come right up to the window and watch them eat.

Pests

Ants and bees can become pests at your nectar feeder. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you can keep them from finding the nectar source in the first place, they will not become a problem. Hummingbirds will not drink from a feeder with ants crawling on it or with dead ants floating in it. An ant guard will prevent ants from finding your feeder by blocking their path as they crawl down the hanger. Most ant guards are small moats that surround the hanger. Some feeders come with built-in ant guards or you can purchase them separately.
I have heard of using Tanglefoot on the hanger, but I would recommend against it. Tanglefoot is so sticky that the hummingbirds themselves can get stuck in it. If they don't die before you rescue them, then their feathers will probably be too messed up to be able to fly. Others have recommended Vaseline, but I haven't tried that, either. I would be worried about it oozing down onto the feeder and contaminating the nectar.
Bees, especially wasps and yellow jackets, will fight off the hummingbirds who come to drink. Bees cannot be blocked by a moat because they fly. The way to keep bees from your feeder is by making sure that no nectar leaks or splashes out to where they can eat it. Feeders with tubes hanging down are the worst offenders. They literally pump out nectar as the air trapped in top of the feeder expands and contracts with changes in the air temperature. Bees love the drips. Other feeders might not drip in this manner, but will allow the nectar to splash out if the feeder is buffeted by the wind. We sell hummingbird feeders which prevent these problems. Click here to see them: REALLY GOOD Hummingbird Feeders

Our New Garden

2009-05-25T21:21:00.007-04:00

Welcome to our new square foot garden...filled with raised beds and wonderful soil!

Our original garden was a bed of clay.

Now matter how much organic material we added- no matter how many times we tilled it- it just remained a bed of clay.
Here in our area of North East Pennsylvania we could only grow rocks!
We raked and picked and tilled and still time and time again new rocks would blossom to the surface... ENOUGH- therefore the new garden!

Now my husband has been totally against raised beds and square foot gardening since we moved to this house. He was stuck on his traditional method of gardening.
Today...(I should have recorded it!) he told me how impressed he was and that he could not believe how many plants we can fit in this garden...he said I quote" I could have never fit this many plants in my other garden!".

Well- I am overjoyed. I have wanted this garden for years and it is finally here...
I will keep you posted on the progress!

Now I just pray my plants grow- or I'm sure I'll hear about it!
Please keep your fingers crossed.

The Coolest Giveaway!

2009-05-23T16:44:00.004-04:00

Ok...there are giveaways and then there are GIVEAWAYS!
This one is so awesome...
Mara from Whats for Dinner and her Dad designed the coolest pendant ever! and Mara is giving one away!

You have to get to her site to check it out...but hurry it ends on June 1st...

They are crafted out of pewter, which doesn’t rust or tarnish (meaning no black necks!), and are quite sturdy. The cords are vegan-friendly, made out of nylon, and they can be yours!

You have not one, not two, but THREE ways to enter to win one of these charms!

Leave a comment on her site, letting her know which one you’d like (one entry)
If you have a blog, link back to her post in your blog. No blog? No problem! Just send an email to mara@imadedinner.net for a 2nd entry.
This is where it gets fun. For your third entry, write, in the comment section, a haiku about food! Need a refresher on haiku? It’s a Japanese style of poetry in which there are 3 lines. The first line must have 5 syllables, the second must have 7 syllables, and the third must have 5 syllables. Get creative! An example:

Cooking is my love

Grocery shopping is a joy

What’s for Dinner, huh?

This contest goes until JUNE 1st! The winner will be announced in her dinner post that night. You will have other chances at winning on 3 other blogs, so keep your eyes peeled!

~Backyard Snapshot~

2009-05-17T19:47:00.004-04:00

Oregano

2009-05-10T21:03:00.001-04:00

My garden is coming to life....
Spring is so exciting...

Mothers Day Dinner

2009-05-10T20:11:00.004-04:00

Our little family gathering was perfect today....
Our Mothers Day celebration.

My Mothers Day gifts...
Spectacular!

My Mother-in-Law lives with us- my Mom came over as well as my Brother.

My Mother brought over some string beans and the favorite dish of hot peppers that my husband brother and I go crazy for!

I made some BBQ'd chicken legs
because as usual I am always afraid there isn't enough food!

I baked a small ham and glazed it with Teryaki sauce- it came delicious!

Of course the famous dandelion dish was on the table
and the Mothers really enjoyed the treat!

I tried a new Brussels Sprout and Wild Rice Casserole... as well as a Green Salad .
My Brother brought the wonderfully crusty Italian bread that is a must with the hot peppers!

For dessert I made coffee and put together a cookie tray.
I made Almond Biscotti and a Dried Cherry Biscotti- both were really good.
I also made Pizzelle and they were light and delicate. Everyone loved them.

Our day together was wonderful....
I am so grateful to have had both of our Moms at our table!

The OH! So Wonderful Dandelion...

2009-05-09T19:51:00.007-04:00

The dandelion is a perennial, herbaceous plant with long, lance-shaped leaves. They're so deeply toothed, they gave the plant its name in Old French: Dent-de-lion means lion's tooth in Old French.The leaves are 3 to 12" long, and 1/2 to 2-1/2" wide, always growing in a basal rosette. The rosette’s immature, tightly wrapped leaf bases just above the top of the root form a tight "crown."Dandelion leaves are at their best when they've just emerged.The dandelion’s well-known yellow, composite flowers are 1 to 2" wide.

They grow individually on hollow flower stalks 2 to 18" tall. There are no poisonous look-alikes. Other very similar Taraxacum species, as well as chicory and wild lettuce only resemble dandelions in the early spring. All these edibles also exude a white milky sap when injured, but chicory and wild lettuce leaves have some hair, at least on the underside of the midrib, while Taraxacum leaves are bald. Unlike the other genera, Taraxacum stays in a basal rosette. It never grows a tall, central, stalk bearing flowers and leaves.

                                 
Dandelions are especially well-adapted to a modern world of "disturbed habitats," such as lawns and sunny, open places. They were even introduced into the Midwest from Europe to provide food for the imported honeybees in early spring. They now grow virtually worldwide. Dandelions spread further, are more difficult to exterminate, and grow   more under adverse circumstances than most competitors.
            
Most gardeners detest them, but the more you try to weed them up, the faster they grow. 
            
The taproot is deep, twisted, and brittle.
            
Unless you remove it completely, it will regenerate. If you break off more pieces than you unearth, the dandelion wins.
 "What's a dandelion digger for?" a dandelion asked.
            
"It’s a human invention to help us reproduce," another dandelion replied.
            
Collect dandelion leaves in early spring, when they're the tastiest, before the flowers appear. Harvest again in late fall.
 After a frost, their protective bitterness disappears. Dandelions growing in rich, moist soil, with the broadest leaves and largest roots, are the best.
 Select the youngest individuals, and avoid all plants with flowers. Some people eat the greens from spring to fall, when they're very bitter.
Others boil out the summer bitterness (and water-soluble vitamins) out in two changes of water. It’s all a matter of preference.
            
Dandelion greens are wonderful in salads, sautéed or steamed. They taste like chicory and endive, with an intense heartiness overlying a bitter tinge.
            
People today shun bitter flavors—they’re so conditioned by overly sweet or salty processed food. But in earlier times, we distinguished between good and bad bitterness. Mixed with other flavors, as in a salad, dandelions improve the flavor.
            
You can also eat dandelion flowers, or use them to make wine. Collect them in a sunny meadow, just before mid-spring, when the most flowers bloom. Some continue to flower right into the fall. Use only the flower’s yellow parts. The green sepals at the flower’s base are bitter.
            
The flowers add color, texture, and an unusual bittersweet flavor to salads. You can also sauté them, dip them in batter and fry them into fritters, or steam them with other vegetables. They have a meaty texture that contrasts with other lighter vegetables in a stir-fry dish or a casserole.  
            
The leaves are more nutritious than anything you can buy. They're higher in beta-carotene than carrots. The iron and calcium content is phenomenal, greater than spinach. You also get vitamins B-1, B-2, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, E, P, and D, biotin, inositol, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc by using a tasty, free vegetable that grows on virtually every lawn. The root contains the sugar inulin, plus many medicinal substances.
            
 Today I picked a mountain of dandelion leaves. Tomorrow being Mothers Day- both my Mom and my Mother in Law love them. So began my labor of love.
I cleaned them very carefully (it is really  a pain in the neck job!) then washed them at least 3-4 times.
They seem to hide dirt somehow!
Then I boiled them.
Now my Mother-in-Law waits for me to finish boiling these little leaves so she can have a cup of the liquid that remains. It is golden in color and with the addition of a stream of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt it is delicious.
Of course one has to acquire a taste for this bitter nectar of the Gods! 
My Grandmother used to drink it all the time- it is so full of vitamins and nutrients you even feel healthier after you drink a cup!
Ok , well once I have boiled all my vegetable I made two batches...
one plain with salt and a drizzle of olive oil
 
and the other with garlic,olive oil,and cannellini beans.
 
This version happens to be my favorite.
With some really good crusty Italian bread this is food of the Gods!

Now they are ready for tomorrow...my extra little treat for the Moms!

All above dandelion information taken from here: Dandelions

Happy Mothers Day Mom

2009-05-09T09:53:00.005-04:00

I'm not sure who wrote this but I found it here- I thought it was perfect...

Before I was myself you made me, me
With love and patience, discipline and tears,
Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Allowing me to sail upon my sea,
Though well within the headlands of your fears.
Before I was myself you made me, me

With dreams enough of what I was to be
And hopes that would be sculpted by the years,
Then bit by bit stepped back to set me free,

Relinquishing your powers gradually
To let me shape myself among my peers.
Before I was myself you made me, me,

And being good and wise, you gracefully
As dancers when the last sweet cadence nears
Bit by bit stepped back to set me free.

For love inspires learning naturally:
The mind assents to what the heart reveres.
And so it was through love you made me, me
By slowly stepping back to set me free.

Happy Mother's Day Mom

I LOVE YOU...

I have been MIA

2009-03-01T11:28:00.002-05:00

Just a quick note to let you know I am still alive.
The horrid virus that my son brought home from
school has hit my house and I am slowly recuperating.
It has been 2 weeks and I can final breath again.

I will be back soon.
I hope everyone is healthy and stays healthy.

Our quiet dinner on the 14th...

2009-02-15T10:12:00.007-05:00

We stayed home for Valentines Day.
I had some Cornish Hens in the freezer and I thought they might make a fun celebration meal for just the three of us!
My hens came out great- they were well seasoned and finished off with a light touch of Jack Daniels BBQ sauce.
I put together an veggie mix of Kale, Chick Peas ,jalapeno diced tomatoes and garlic served over rice. It came perfect!
I made a sweet potato for me and baked potatoes for my husband and son (they won't go near sweet potatoes...more for me!)
I finished it off with a side salad with olive oil and balsamic!
SQUISITO!

While we were enjoying our little celebration...the UPS man came to the door - I received this gorgeous vase of tulips from my sons girlfriend who is stationed in Japan. What a wonderful surprise. They are gorgeous Jess and they really touched my heart! Thank you.

I don't want to forget to mention the gorgeous roses my husband brought me.
I love them.

A Little Valentine's Treat

2009-02-13T20:51:00.005-05:00

A Little treat for my Honey!

Too Precious...What a sweet "heart"...

2009-02-12T16:01:00.004-05:00

I came across this looking at some photos on AOL and I just had to share it.
I have never seen anything quite this cute!
What do you think?

Nineteen-day-old ox "Heart," born with a heart-shaped marking on his forehead, relaxes at Yamakun farm in Fujisawa, near Tokyo, Japan, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009. Kazunori Yamazaki, 51-year-old farm owner, said, "Good timing for Valentine's Day." (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

Baked Stuffed Artichokes

2009-02-11T21:31:00.002-05:00

4 large California artichokes
2 cups herbed bread crumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
Salt and pepper

Wash artichokes under cold running water. Cut off stems at base and remove small bottom leaves. Cut off top quarter of artichokes; discard. Spread leaves, remove center leaves and fuzzy centers with a spoon and discard.

Toss bread crumbs with cheese, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Stuff bread crumb mixture between leaves of artichokes and fill centers.

Place stuffed artichokes in a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour 2 cups boiling water around the artichokes.

Cover with lid or foil. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 40 minutes or until artichokes are tender.

Makes 4 servings.

WORLD NUTELLA DAY THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5TH, 2009

2009-02-04T20:08:00.013-05:00

Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso
(and Shelley from At Home in Rome, in spirit)
solemnly declare Thursday, February 5th

“World Nutella Day 2009″ -

a day to celebrate, to get creative with, and most importantly,
to EAT Nutella.

In honor of this sacred event I decided to make Nutella Biscotti.
Biscotti are my favorite cookie these days so I felt it was appropriate!
(I am posting this tonight since I won't be home in the morning!)

NUTELLA BISCOTTI

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup nutella
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup hazelnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Beat eggs in a large bowl until frothy.
Add sugar and continue beating on high for 2 minutes.
Stir in Nutella.

Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir until well combined.
Stir in chocolate chips and hazelnuts, if using.
( I didn't use the nuts this time - I used white and dark chocolate chips)

Divide dough into 2 or 3 logs with well floured hands and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet. Press logs into rectangles approximately 1/2 inch thick.
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven.
Turn down oven heat to 300°F.
Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/3-1/2 inch slices.
Arrange on baking sheet and return to oven.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, turn Biscotti over and bake an additional 10-12 minutes
(depending on the thickness of your slices).

Remove to a wire rack to cool.

At this point I drizzled my Biscotti with dark chocolate...I love doing this because some of the chocolate melts into my coffee when I dunk them.
Yummy!

Store in an airtight container.
(MINE DON'T LAST LONG ENOUGH TO BE STORED "AIR TIGHT"!)

CHOCOLATE BISCOTTI

2009-01-31T14:38:00.004-05:00

by David Lebovitz

50 to 60 cookies

Use a good-quality cocoa powder. You can use natural or Dutch-process for these, whichever one you like. Just remember that the chocolate flavor of the finished cookies is dependent on the quality of cocoa powder you use. So it's worth using a decent one. I used Valrhona. See notes below on ingredients.

If you like extra-crisp biscotti, you can flip each one over midway during the second baking, in step #6. I sometimes smear one side of the cookies with melted dark chocolate. When dipped in a warm espresso, I can't imagine anything better.

For the biscotti

2 cups (280g) flour
3/4 cups (75g) top-quality cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (200g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup (125g) almonds, toasted and very coarsely-chopped
3/4 cups (120g) chocolate chips

For the glaze

1 large egg
2 tablespoons coarse or crystal sugar (see Notes)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees.

2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, beat together the 3 eggs, sugar, and vanilla & almond extracts. Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, then mix in the nuts and the chocolate chips until the dough holds together.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into two logs the length of the baking sheet. Transfer the logs onto the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart.

5. Gently flatten the tops of the logs.

( I eliminated this next step- the egg and the sugar!)

Beat the remaining egg and brush the tops of the logs liberally with the egg. (You won't use it all). Sprinkle the tops with the coarse or crystal sugar and bake for 25 minutes, until the dough feels firm to the touch.

6. Remove the cookie dough from the oven and cool 15 minutes. On a cutting board, use a serrated bread knife to diagonally cut the cookies into 1/2-inches slices. Lay the cookies cut side down on baking sheets and return to the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, turning the baking sheet midway during baking, until the cookies feel mostly firm.

Once baked, cool the cookies completely then store in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If you wish, the cookies can be half-dipped in melted chocolate, then cooled until the chocolate hardens.

I chose to drizzle a little white and a little dark chocolate on my biscotti!

Italian Spices and Herbs

2009-01-30T22:19:00.003-05:00

From The Encyclopedia of Italian Cooking by Jeni Wright

Spices have been used in Italy since Roman times, when if anything they were used to excess, drowning the flavor of other ingredients. Nowadays spices are used in smaller quantities but they are present in many dishes. The following list describes those spices most frequently used in Italian recipes.

CORIANDER [coriandolo]
Crushed coriander seeds are used in various meat dishes, particularly lamb and pork.

GINGER [zenzero]
This spice is rarely used in Italian cooking, except in the region of Apulia and Basilicata in southern Italy, where it is very popular.

NUTMEG [Noce moscata]
The Italians are fond of this spice, both in sweet and savory dishes. Ground nutmeg has none of the fresh flavor and aroma of the freshly grated kind, therefore whole nutmegs should be bought and grated directly into the dish at the time of cooking. Nutmeg is a common ingredient in ravioli and dishes which contain spinach or cheese.

PEPPER [pepe]
Black peppercorns should always be used. Grind them fresh at the time of cooking or serving; never use ready-ground pepper.

SAFFRON [zafferano]
This is used mostly in risotto and in fish soups and stews. Saffron is very expensive and therefore used sparingly. Saffron threads are probably the easiest and most economical way of using saffron: they should be steeped in a little warm water until the color and aroma are extracted; the water should then be strained and added to the dish.

SALT [sale]
Sea salt is used throughout Italy. Coarse sea salt rather than table or cooking salt is the type to use.

VANILLA [vaniglia]
Vanilla is a popular flavoring in sweet dishes, and vanilla sugar sold in sachets is frequently used with ordinary sugar to give flavor to cakes and pastries. The Italians use vanilla pods (beans) rather then essence (extract).

Herbs are an important flavoring in Italian cooking and fresh ones are normally used, because most Italians either grow their own or have easy access to fresh herbs. In the winter months home-dried herbs are used. Herbs can be grown easily in pots on the windowsill or in the garden - they should be picked in the summer at the height of the growing season, then stored in the freezer or hung up to dry in a cool, airy place away from damp. Once dry, they should be stored in airtight containers.

Basil (basilico)
There are numerous varieties of this spicy, aromatic herb, but sweet basil and bush basil are the most common. It is used mostly in dishes that contain tomatoes, and in salads, soups and on pizzas. Freshly chopped basil should be used whenever possible, as dried basil makes a poor substitute. If buying dried basil, however, always choose the sweet kind; its flavor is much less pungent than other varieties.

Bay Leaves (lauro)
Bay leaves are used as a flavoring for casseroles, soups and sometimes roasts.

Borage (borragine)
Borage has a flavor not unlike cucumber. It grows all over Italy, and is used both as a flavoring and as a vegetable. Ravioli is stuffed with borage in Genoa. Borage leaves are also served like spinach or dipped in batter and deep-fried as fritters.

Fennel (finocchio)
Fennel is used in three ways in Italian cooking. The bulb, known as Florence fennel or finocchio, is used whole, sliced or quartered as a vegetable, and either braised or baked au gratin. It is also chopped raw in salads. Wild fennel stems (finocchiella) and the frondy leaves, which have the slightly bitter tang of aniseed, are used in cooking to flavor sauces, particularly in fish and sometimes pork dishes. They are also chopped and added to mayonnaise, eggs and cold fish dishes. Fennel seeds are a common flavoring in spiced sausages and other cooked meats, Finocchiona salame being the best known of these.

Juniper (ginepro)
The berries of the juniper bush are used in pork and game dishes and in marinades. If they are to be included in a dish such as a stuffing they should always be crushed first. Use juniper berries sparingly as their flavor can be bitter if used in too large a quantity.

Marjoram, Sweet (maggiorana)
This herb is sometimes used in soups, stews, vegetable and fish dishes. If necessary it can act as a substitute for oregano.

Myrtle (mirto)
The Sardinians make full use of myrtle to flavor meats, particularly when spit-roasting young animals. This herb is used elsewhere in Italy, but not to the same extent.

Oregano (origano)
This is also known as wild marjoram. It is an essential ingredient in many Italian dishes, including pizzas, sauces and casseroles, but its flavor differs slightly from one region to another.

Parsley (prezzemolo)
Italian parsley is the flat-leaved variety as opposed to the curly "moss" variety common in Britain and the United States. Flat-leaved parsley can usually be found at continental stores, where it is often called "continental parsley". Its flavor is far more pungent than curly parsley, and for this reason it is generally used as a flavoring in Italian dishes rather than as a simple garnish. For Italian recipes where parsley is specified, try to obtain the flat-leaved variety; other parsley can be used as a substitute, but the flavor of the finished dish will not be quite the same.

Rosemary (rosemarino)
The Italians are very fond of flavoring lamb and suckling pig with rosemary. It is also used liberally in soups and stews. However it is wise to treat this herb with a little caution, since its distinctive flavor can easily overpower ingredients with more subtle flavors.

Sage (salvia)
Sage is commonly used in liver and veal dishes.

My First Blog Award!

2009-01-29T16:47:00.005-05:00

I am so excited!

A great big thank you to Mary from One Perfect Bite
who graciously passed this award on to me.
Thank You So Much Mary...

Now it is my turn to pass this lovely award
on to a few sites that
mean so much to me-
so here goes...

Baci e Abbracci

A Few Basic Sauces

2009-01-23T21:56:00.006-05:00

I thought I would post a few recipes for basic sauces.
These sauces can be the difference between an ordinary dish and a spectacular dish.
For example:
In my last post 911 Chicken Cannelloni I used a Bechamel sauce ...my dear friend from A Slice of Concentrated Love suggested I use a Mornay sauce next time-
which I think is a great idea and it would push my dish from yummy to spectacular.
So here are a few recipes that you should keep on hand- I think they are all fairly simple and the results are well worth it.

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Béchamel Sauce

This common white sauce uses roux to thicken milk or cream. The roux is cooked for about 3 minutes to keep it "white." For lump free sauce, remove the roux from the heat before stirring in the milk. Warm the milk in the microwave before adding to the roux. This will spare the muscles in your hand, as you won't have to stir the sauce so long before it comes to a boil. Use a whisk to incorporate the milk into the roux and stir until it is lump free. Return to the heat source and bring to a boil.

Home cookbooks say to just boil the sauce for 1 minute to cook out the flour flavor. Professional cookbooks encourage you to reduce the heat after bringing the sauce to a boil, then continue to simmer the sauce for 15-30 minutes, stirring, to remove the flour taste. What you actually do will depend upon your time limit and personal tastes.

If your sauce is lumpy after your best efforts, you possibly didn't beat it enough before cooking, brought it to a boil too quickly, or didn't stir it enough during cooking so that it stuck to the pan bottom. To repair, pour it through a strainer or process the sauce in a blender. Return the strained or blended sauce to a clean pan and heat to the boiling point.

The recipe below makes white sauce of medium thickness. For a thinner sauce, use 1 tablespoon butter to 1 tablespoon flour. For a thicker sauce, use 3-4 tablespoons butter to 3-4 tablespoons flour. Bechamel can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Béchamel (Basic White)
Makes 1 cup

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 cup milk, warm

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. This is called a white roux. Remove from heat. Stir in warm milk and whisk until mixture is smooth and lump-free. Return to heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for at least one minute.

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Veloute Sauce
Veloute sauce is a thinner, lighter white sauce than béchamel because it uses chicken or fish stock instead of milk or cream. It is often referred to as a "blonde sauce." Ideally, the consistency of veloute should be thin enough to pour or a sauce that thinly coats the back of a spoon. Serve over chicken, fish, veal, or with rice.

Since it is so similar to béchamel, be sure to read the tips above to ensure a successful sauce. If you find that after cooking, your veloute is too thin, you possibly didn't use enough flour, added too much liquid, or didn't reduce (simmer) the sauce long enough. Either reduce the sauce further or thicken with butter. If your sauce is flavorless, what quality of stock did you use? Perhaps your sauce has not reduced enough for the flavors to concentrate. You can either perk up your sauce with a dash or two of lemon juice (or other seasonings) or reduce it further to bring out more flavor.

Store veloute in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Veloute
Makes 1 cup

2 cups chicken or fish stock
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Bring stock to a boil; set aside. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Create a roux by whisking in the flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually, for 2-3 minutes, until the roux is bubbly and begins to darken slightly. Remove from heat. Whisk in the stock until smooth. Return to medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 5-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set over a double boiler filled with warm water until ready to serve. If not serving right away, dab butter on top of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming.

Variation: Supreme Sauce (to serve over chicken)
Stir 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms and 2 tablespoons heavy cream into heated veloute sauce. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Strain the sauce into a clean pan set over medium heat. Whisk or swirl in 1 tablespoon chilled butter, a teaspoon at a time. Remove from the heat. Add lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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Brown Sauce
For hearty meat entrees, noodles, and wild like bear or venison, brown sauce outshines other sauces. In addition, it is used to create more complex sauces. The technique to master here is the browning of the flour or the creation of a dark roux. By using clarified butter, you eliminate the possibility of the butter turning bitter or burning before the flour is browned. If you prefer to use regular butter, however, just watch it closely. To make a dark roux, melt the butter in the saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring constantly or until the mixture becomes chestnut brown.

This sauce freezes well for up to 3 months.

Basic Brown Sauce
Makes 3 cups

3 tablespoons clarified butter
1 large carrot, scrubbed and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1/4 cup flour
6 cups brown stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bouquet garni
1/3 cup tomato puree

In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add vegetables. Sauté until golden, but not brown. Dump in the flour and stir over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until flour and vegetables are well browned, but not burnt. Stir in stock. Add garlic, bouquet garni, and tomato puree. Simmer for 60 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to half, stirring occasionally. Strain. Cool, chill and skim off any fat before using.

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Hollandaise
Served warm over eggs, fish, or vegetables, hollandaise is considered a hot emulsified egg-yolk sauce. Mayonnaise would be a cold emulsified egg-yolk sauce, for a point of reference. While in mayonnaise egg yolks are whisked with other room temperature ingredients, in hollandaise, the yolks are whisked with liquid over heat. The trick is to cook the sauce ever so slightly without curdling the eggs. Water simmers in a double boiler where it should never be allowed to touch the bottom of the bowl in which the sauce is made. The temperature of the water should never rise above 150 F., either. You don't want the sauce to be too hot because it will coagulate the eggs and make it impossible for the butter to emulsify with the liquid.

If in spite of all your efforts to monitor the heat, your eggs and liquid cook too quickly, the sauce may separate. This can also happen if you add the butter too briskly. You don't have to throw out the sauce. Just start again, reserving the separated sauce for the clarified butter. Over low heat, in a double boiler, beat 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of water until light. Remove from the heat and stream in the separated sauce mixture gradually while whisking. Be aware though that if your eggs have coagulated, your sauce is history. Toss it and begin again with much lower heat!

Perhaps your sauce is too thin after you've completed all the steps. You may have not reduced the initial liquid enough or perhaps you didn't add enough butter. To remedy, add more butter.

Hollandaise should be served warm. To keep it that way, place the sauce in a bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of hot water (just barely over lukewarm), ensuring the bowl bottom doesn't touch the water. If hollandaise is spooned onto really hot food, the sauce may separate; for this reason, it is almost always served separately from the food it is to complement. Store any extra sauce in the refrigerator. You can use it as a sandwich spread. It should never be reheated.

Hollandaise becomes the basis for rich sauces like béarnaise sauce, which complements meats and salmon.

Hollandaise
Makes 3 cups

4 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon peppercorns, crushed
4 egg yolks
1 cup unsalted clarified butter, cooled to room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt to taste

In a small pan, bring the water, vinegar, and peppercorns to a simmer over low heat. Continue simmering until the mixture reduces about a third, about 2-3 minutes. Strain the reduction into a glass or stainless steel bowl; cool.

Place the bowl over a pan of just-simmering water; add the egg yolks and stir until the mixture is lemon colored, thickened, and smooth. Keep the heat low. Do not allow the mixture's temperature to rise above room temperature or the eggs may coagulate. Slowly pour in the cooled, clarified butter, stirring constantly until the sauce becomes thick and fluffy. Stir in the lemon juice and salt. When the whisk is lifted from the sauce, a ribbon of sauce should trail down from the whisk.

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Bearnaise Sauce
This is a classic sauce that goes well over most grilled dishes. This is one of the most versatile sauces in the world.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

1 cup butter, melted and hot
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry tarragon

Preparation:

Put onions, vinegar, tarragon and pepper in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to about 1-2 teaspoons of liquid. Stir constantly. Remove from stove and let cool. Put egg yolks and cooled mixture in a blender. Process for about 1 minute or until completely blended. Melt butter. Turn blender to high and slowly add the butter. Start out very slow. Serve immediately. This can be a tricky sauce so go slow and watch it very carefully. The sauce will get thick as you add the butter. Do not let it cool after it is mixed because it will separate.

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Mornay sauce

Mornay sauce is a classic French sauce named after the Duke of Mornay in the late 16th or early 17th century.

The name itself is interesting, because Mornay is a mixture of melted cheese in a béchamel sauce, a cream sauce made from a roux.

Yet, béchamel sauce had not been invented when Mornay sauce was first made. Thus it’s commonly thought that some sort of cheese sauce predated béchamel and was called Mornay sauce, but was later improved upon by mixing cheese with béchamel.

The classic Mornay sauce is composed of a mixture of gruyere and parmesan cheese, usually in a half and half ratio to cooked béchamel. The cheese melts quickly providing a delicious, savory sauce. The French may use Mornay sauce to top steamed vegetables, or on seafood and poultry dishes. It can also be mixed in with pasta to make a variant of macaroni or alfredo. Some people use a Mornay sauce as part of the layers of lasagna.

You can certainly change the cheeses you add to Mornay sauce to get different flavors in the end result. White cheddar is a common substitution, resulting in a sauce that will make some of the best macaroni and cheese you’ve ever tasted. Children who are picky about vegetables may enjoy them more if they are topped with white cheddar Mornay sauce.

When making Mornay sauce, you must use hard or semi-hard cheeses. Cheese like brie, or blue cheese are not the best choices. You can get away with some jack cheeses, and also hard goat cheese. Just don’t try cream cheeses or fresh mozzarella as these won’t melt into that wonderful creamy consistency. Also the French tend to avoid any but white cheeses when making Mornay sauce. If you want to keep the sauce authentically French, don’t add orange or yellow cheddar cheese. On the other hand, some children may be bigger fans of an orange colored cheese sauce than they are of a white sauce.

Mornay sauce is not exactly a low fat sauce — a butter roux mixed with cream or whole milk, and whole milk cheese is going to pack some calories. You can lighten the calorie load a bit by using a low fat milk to add to the roux, and by using good low fat cheeses. Try a little bit less of the sauce than you might normally use, too, since this will lessen the overall calories. Sauces in France are used as accents to meals but not meant to obscure the flavors of good, fresh food.

3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
3 tablespoon flour
1 cup hot milk
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup gruyere

1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat; add chopped onion. Cook over low heat until onion has softened. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, until smooth. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients; cook, stirring, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Beat egg yolk in a small bowl; add about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid to it, stirring constantly. Pour egg yolk mixture into the hot liquid; stir until the sauce is smooth and hot. To reduce the risk of curdling, a double boiler can be used after the onions are cooked.

Susans 911 Chicken Canneloni

2009-01-22T22:29:00.005-05:00

This recipe was created out of necessity.

It started as something else but sort of flopped!

The first thing I did was put a nice big chicken in my crock pot to cook.

My intention was to let it cool then shred it so that I could make some shredded chicken just like I made a few posts back with beef.

Everything was going as planned until it was time to cook my shredded chicken.

I diced and sauteed an onion, some red pepper, scallion and garlic. and

I added a small can of tomato sauce a bit of chicken broth so that once I add the chicken it can simmer gently.

I seasoned it with salt, pepper, parsley and cumin.

Well as I stirred this meat in the pan it began to fall apart and get mushy.

No that is no good for shredded meat -to be pulverized!

I also knew that if it didn’t look like shredded meat I would never get my husband and mother in law to eat it!

This is where plan B was born…

The meat concoction that I created tasted wonderful- so I had to present it to my family

a different way.

I took out a package of manicotti shells and boiled them until tender but not falling apart.

I made a béchamel sauce and also took out my package of shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

I put a layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of my pan and began stuffing my shells

with the meat.

Once they were all full and nestled into their place in the pan I poured more béchamel over them and sprinkled with mozzarella and parmesan. A

light sprinkle of paprika gave them some needed color.

They baked in a 350 degree oven until bubbly.

I served them with green beans and a baked potato.

It was delicious and no one knew that it was supposed to be something else!

Transcending: Words on Women and Strength by Kelly Corrigan

2009-01-15T21:22:00.002-05:00

My Life's Joys!

Happy Father's Day

Happy Mothers Day

Gluten Free Nutella,Peanutbutter, Chocolate Chip Cookies

Split Pea/Lentil Soup(Gluten Free)

Method

Finally Fall

"My Lifes Joys" goes Gluten Free

Monica’s Fine Foods Featuring Calabrian Olive Oil (and a giveaway!)

“World Nutella Day 2010″ it's finally here

Chickpea, Tomato, & Barley Soup

**********HAPPY NEW YEAR **********

Winter Snow

Snowflakes

My French Onion Soup For the:2nd Annual O Foods Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

OUR SAD GARDEN UPDATE

Tomatoes Infected with Late Blight

Late Blight - What Should the Home Gardener Do? - Rescuing Plants

Low Sugar Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins with Lemon

ZUCCHINI PARMIGIANO

Artichoke Heart Casserole

My Garden Update

Watermelon Granita

Ratatouille at my house...

Pico De Gallo

Update on the MYSTERY plant

Bloomin Tuesday

Blue Monday

Mellow Yellow Monday

Happy 4th of July

Outdoor Wednesday

Blue Monday

Mellow Yellow Monday

Park Seeds New Contest -

Outdoor Wednesday

Canadian Steel Head Trout

Bloomin Tuesday

Blue Monday

Mellow Yellow Monday

Camera Critters

Sausage and Peppers/Green Beans and Potatoes

Happy Fathers Day Papa

Fridays Update/and the Mystery Stuff

Garden Bloggers Death Day

Macro Monday

Fresh Strawberry Tart With Mascarpone Cheese

Blue Monday

Mellow Yellow Monday

Happy Sunday

Camera-Critters #62

Brilliant~

SAN FRANCISCO WASTED FOOD FINES:WASTE NOT,WANT NOT

Deer Resistant Garden Plants

Making a Repellent Spray

Clavate Tortoise Beetles.

ID Help Please

TODAYS HARVEST

Rain,Rain ..Go Away

Snap a Photo, Get a Prize

A few new garden shots~

Garden Bloggers Death Day

A Saturday without rain!

Lady Bugs and other beneficial insects

YUCK! SLUGS...

The battles and the war

The battlefield

The weapons

Thursdays Garden Update

Garden Bloggers Death Day

A Glorious Sunday

This Mornings Surprise

My Little Visitors

Our New Garden

The Coolest Giveaway!

~Backyard Snapshot~

Oregano

Mothers Day Dinner

The OH! So Wonderful Dandelion...

Happy Mothers Day Mom

I have been MIA

HAPPY NEW YEAR