BASIL BECKY

Grandma BB is babysitting

2012-02-13T20:33:00.001-05:00

Today I babysat my 10 month old grand-baby, so I had to be very creative for dinner.We had some wonderful rosemary laced pork loin roast and some left over asparagus with blue cheese, so I just needed to add some bling. I made roasted pepperoni chips with meted blue cheese and coconut pumpkin soup. The end result was great!!!
Pumpkin Coconut Soup

Ingredients
2 carrots chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 tbls olive oil
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 14 oz unsweetened light coconut milk
1 14 oz low sodium chicken broth
2tbsp brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2tbsp cilantro

In a large sauce pan sauté the onions carrots and pepper in the olive oil about 5 minutes. In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, chicken broth, coconut milk , then stir in the brown sugar, salt and ginger.
Bring to a broil and the reduce to a simmer and cook about 10minutes. Before serving add in the Cilantro and fresh coconut.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

2012-02-12T18:28:00.000-05:00

Last year I could not get into my garden early enough to plant a good crop of early spring greens. So I improvised. I planted my pots with a variety of lettuce, herbs and flowers. I picked the plants so I would have a wide variety of leaf texture, color and bloom.

I am ready to go on this project. Hopefully, I will be able to plant the seeds this next week!!

Herbs at my Hand

2012-02-08T18:49:00.001-05:00

One wonderful thing about this warmer weather has been the availability of fresh herbs. My husband and I are both on a "diet". So I am baking chicken breast tonight. They have been marinated in Greek yogurt with fresh Italian herbs blended in and some lime juice. I rolled them in the yogurt mixture and then rolled them in oat bran. They are baking in the oven and smell wonderful. I have melted some "Laughing Cow" light garlic and herb cheese wedges, with ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese and some low fat half and half. I was able to pick some fresh parsley to put into this at the last minute. This will go over the chicken.

I also made some Oat Bran Coconut Muffins. That is all we will have tonight. Yes we are on a low carb diet for the time being. I will let you all know how this goes. Actually it is THE DUKAN DIET. Have I been taken in by a French diet??? Friday I get to add all my fresh veggies....so I will keep you posted.

If these recipes are good..I will post them. Has anyone else tried this approach?

Daffodile Update February 5th

2012-02-05T21:26:00.002-05:00

Oh My....the daffodiles are ready to pop. I may be bringing some cuttings in save the early bloomers. The forecast is for a cold blast! Stay tuned.....

Cleaning out the Frig!

2012-02-05T07:54:00.000-05:00

Since it was a pretty blah Saturday, (cool and rainy) I decided to clean out the frig and freezer. I knew what would happen, it is the same when I try to clean out my gardens. I end up pulling out saved items and start to pitch, then I think about what I could make and use the ingredient. I think I have been watching to many episodes of Iron Chef and Chopped.. In my garden, I just cannot throw out plants. I always end up somehow finding new homes for the rejects.

Here are a few of the results; Cantaloupe Bread, Banana Crunch Muffins, and Vegetable Beef Stew. So they are now packaged up and back in the refrigerator and freezer in a new form. I think there is something wrong with this picture?

CANTALOUPE BREAD

Content Copyright © 2012 Cooks.com - All rights reserved.

1 3/4 c. flour

1/4 tsp. soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2/3 c. sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/5 c. melted butter

1 c. mashed cantaloupe pulp

Mix dry ingredients, add eggs, butter and cantaloupe pulp. Stir in pecans. Pour into a well greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until done. "This is out of this world good - so moist you would never suspect cantaloupe was used

Why I Garden....

2012-02-03T14:25:00.003-05:00

"Let us give thanks for loving friends, who wind around us like

tendrils and hold us, despite our blights, wilts and witherings"

Reverend Max Coots

I garden not just due to the love of plants,or the feel of the earth, or the gratification of harvest, I garden for friendship as well. My love of nature and plants has been handed down to me from some of my best friends, my grandmother, my mother and my father. Garden friends are a special lot. Perhaps it is because we all "grow together", sharing plants, tips, information and life's happenings. A wise women once said "No gardener is ever too poor to have something to share with others" (Nita Waxelman)

This last week, a fellow Master Gardener's life long family home burned totally to the ground. Fortunately, she was away on a trip and had taken her dog!! Linda has been a rock in our group, heading up the plantings for the Garden Fair, working on the downtown planters and much much more. So when we heard the news, we needed somehow to help.

The construction crew is scheduled next week to bulldoze the house and Linda was very concerned about her plantings around the house. Carolyn hatched a perfect plan and Mother Nature blessed us with excellent weather, so we dug into action!

We met yesterday and moved the plants. Who would have thought that we would beable to dig and replant hundreds of plants on February 2nd.

A nice pitch-in lunch was enjoyed by all. I cannot imagine losing everything you have collected and gathered during a lifetime, but thanks to some garden friends, she has not lost her plants. When the time comes and her house is rebuilt, I am sure we will all return to help her. Linda would be the first in line to help any of us in the same boat!

Once again, I was reminded just why I love to garden.

*****Special Thanks to Pam Dennison for taking the picture and adding the caption.

Thanks but No Thanks Mr. Groundhog!!

2012-02-02T10:33:00.000-05:00

So today February 2, the Groundhog definitely saw his shadow..but somehow I do not think the Daffodils, Mock Orange Shrub, and the Forget-Me-Nots are agreeing with that prognosis.

As you can see the Daffodils are at least 6 inches up.... The Mock Orange is perfuming the air with its citrus scents and .....the Forget-me-Nots are forgetting about there ever being a Winter.

I have too much emerging to take any diverse tactics, so for now I will enjoy the early Spring!

Dixie and Becky

2012-01-31T18:01:00.001-05:00

So Dixie(pretty pretty) and I need to
Lose 20 pounds

We are going to walk every day . I will keep
You all posted .

Birthday Celebration

2012-01-30T20:28:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a great family birthday celebration. We had three special birthdays in January, my husband was 60, my son was 30, and my daughter
-in-law celebrated her 29th.

I love to seek out special recipes for my guest. In this case, I wanted each birthday person to have a special dish. One of my favorite activities is to scour through magazines and the Internet and find great new recipes. I have a mile high stack of Tear Outs, that I will use someday. My husband feels I never make the same recipe twice, so for him I made my standby Prime Rib Roast!

My son loves Salmon, so for him I made a great new recipe. I have included the recipe .

My daughter-in-law loves breakfast casseroles, so I made her one of my favorites. I think it was a success because she took the leftovers home for dinner.

Lastly for me, I made a Roasted grape recipe and served it with some selected special cheeses. I continued my resolution to use more herbs by using this recipe, which I have included.

I hope you all enjoy this recipes as much as we did!!!!

Roasted grapes

1 lb rinsed,stemmed,red seedless grapes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
In a 12 x 15 baking pan, mix grapes, olive oil, fresh thyme,salt and pepper. Bake in a 400 degrees oven, shaking the pan occasionally, until the grapes are beginning to blister. 15 to 18 minutes. Use immediately or within 4 hours.

Roast Salmon

1/4 whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
11/2 tablespoons minced chives
4 -8 ounce skin -on wild salmon fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a small bowl, stir together the mustard,olive oil, and chives

Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper and place them skin down on the prepared sheet. Spread the mustard mixture over the tops of the fillets. Roast the fish for 6 minutes.

Preheat the broiler.Broil the Salmon 6 inches from the heat for about 4 minutes, until the crust is browned and the Salmon is almost cooked through.

Thanks to FOOD AND WINE. For this recipe

Dad.. The Daffodil Watch Is On!!

2012-01-25T11:46:00.006-05:00

Four Years ago this month, I lost the most amazing man I will ever know....my Father. He was a man of many different interest and talents, but for me his love of gardening is our bond throughout eternity.

Every Spring Dad would patiently watch the daffodils emerge. He had a special black book that everyday he would write down the progress of the leaves emerging from the ground. Dad was so happy the day the first yellow face lifted its head to the sky!! It was dully noted in the black book. My Father actually did the same thing with Black Eyed Susans in the Fall.

Over the year he planted 1000's of daffodils, all different varieties, which we have continued to enjoy every Spring.

I have continued the tradition and have planted 1000's of daffodils as well. I take so much joy in picking the flowers and taking them to friends, nursing homes, my family and anyone who I feel would love the bright beautiful yellow symbols of Spring.

So .....the leaves are now anywhere from 2 to 4 inches up. The mild winter so far has messed with "Mother Nature". Maybe I'll be passing out daffodils for Valentines Day!

Lenten Roses 2012

2012-01-21T12:54:00.005-05:00

I love my shade garden! It is always the first area to give me love early in the Spring, but the middle of January is a bit early. Yesterday I walked out to the garden and the Lenten Roses were peeking their heads out at me.

Helleborus Orientalis, or commonly know as the Lenten Rose, was the 2005 Perennial Plant of the Year. I would support this accolade 100%.

Lenten Roses are evergreen, blooming anywhere from late winter to early spring. Mature plants form clumps that are 18" to 24" tall and spread up to 30" wide. The plants can host as many as 50 or more flowers per plant which last a very long time.

They come in many colors and appear as single or double forms. As they mature they provide a host of babies to share or spread around. I am hoping they will spread enough form a nice different ground cover under the Silver maple Tree.

They do best in full to partial shade, adding an amazing array of texture, color and form to the landscape. They are great bedfellows to my host of early blooming wildflowers in the same area.

I like to think they are the garden gang leaders, nodding their heads to the ground as if to say come on out kids.....Spring is coming!!!

Calling All Foodies Vote For Louisville!

2012-01-20T09:15:00.005-05:00

The Week Ahead

VOTE FOR LOUISVILLE Southern Living Contest - Name the Tastiest Town
VOTE DAILY through January 31 and you'll help name The South's Tastiest Town to be announced in the April issue of Southern Living magazine. Plus, you'll be entered for a chance to win a $2,500 cash prize for a trip to any Tasty Town of your choice.

Go to http://www.southernliving.com/travel/souths tastiest towns

Louisville is such a great resturant town and the scene is growing by leaps and bounds!! Let's put it on top!

What is blooming today? January 15th 2012

2012-01-15T16:41:00.003-05:00

Here is what I have blooming today!

January 15th 2011

Using Thyme

2012-01-15T15:43:00.003-05:00

I am sticking to my New Years Resolution and using more herbs. This is a recipe I again adapted from the Food Network( Giada). It was so good.

I was so excited that I still had the fresh thyme,oregano and parsley in the garden to use in this recipe. We had the leftovers today for lunch...still very tasty!!!

I hope you will try this and enjoy! One tip....I do not chop the thyme leaves, I actually leave them on the stem and then pull the stems out after cooking before I serve the dish.

Roman-style Chicken

6 skinless chicken thighs (I used boneless)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly grounded pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

3 ounces bacon or prosciutto chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 (15 -ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 Tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup Chopped parsley leaves

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. In a heavy, large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the chicken until browned on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Keeping the same pan over medium heat, add the peppers and bacon or prosciutto and cook until the peppers have browned and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, wine, and herbs. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the browned bits bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, cover until the chicken is cooked through about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley over the dish.

Enjoy!!!

New Years Resolution--Herbs

2012-01-08T16:19:00.003-05:00

Ok..so this is probably different that most resolutions, I am resolving that I am going to try and use more herbs in all my cooking. I have so long had a fascination with all herbs, so I am going to focus on using them more often. Therefore that means sharing them with you all.

The hint of Thyme in this recipe is intoxicating!!!

Last night I was trying to come up with a vegetable to go alone with our main course. I noticed I still had 4 parsnips.( from the Christmas roasted root vegetables) I really did not want to just roast them so I opted to make a "Parsnip Puree". It was adapted from a recipe from Tyler Florence. Wow...so it has now sent me into a need to grow parsnips this Spring.

Check out more information on growing Parsnip on my blog in Kentucky Gardener. www.statebystategardening.com

Parsnip Puree

1 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced
Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fat free half and half
4 clove of garlic, peeled and gently smashed
1 sprig of thyme
1 stick butter
Extra Virgin olive oil
Parsley for garish

Put parsnips in a pot, season with salt and cover with the half and half. Add garlic and thyme then place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, the tip of a paring knife should easily go through without resistance-about 12 to 15 minutes.

I then take the thyme and use and immersion blender to puree the parsnips and achieve the texture of whipped cream. Season with salt and pepper, finish with a sprig of parsley.

I love the texture and the natural sweetness of the parsnips with just a hint of thyme!! Enjoy!!

Christmas Flowers

2011-12-22T20:00:00.001-05:00

Last week we were in Athens Georgia with my daughter and her husband. We took a walk through the atrium at the University of Georgia Botanical Gardens.

The Christmas flowers were in full bloom and they bring us joy, at a time when our gardens are asleep and we search for blooms.

Perhaps this will get us through, until the catalogs arrive for us to plan the Spring gardens.

May joy, love, hope, and peace....like candles.... Light your Holidays- and every day of the New Year!

Blooming Today

2011-12-15T14:20:00.001-05:00

Blooming in my garden today.

Salad burnet

2011-12-13T15:31:00.006-05:00

Tonight I am attending our monthly Master Gardening Meeting and need to bring a snack. For inspiration I turn to the garden. As I walked through my December garden, I noticed how tasty the Salad burnet still looked and I immediately thought of one of my favorite recipes. (Salad burnet dip)

I love this herb for its appearance as well as its taste. The young tender leaves have a cucumber taste,without the burping problems! The crinkle cut leaves stay green well into the winter and pop back up early in the Spring. The plants form a mound of tenderness, especially when the young leaves are continually picked and used.

Salad burnet does best when it receives at least 6 hours of sunshine. The stalk blossoms, are best cut down, but can be used to make a wonderful Rosy colored herb vinegar. If left to bloom salad burnet may reseed,which is not such a bad thing. However, the plant on which the stalks are left on can become tough and lack flavor.

The Recipe I use for the dip is as follows:

1 Pkg Cream Cheese

4TBL Burnet Leaves, chopped or cut fine

2TBL Garlic Chives chopped

add to a bit of chopped lettuce

1teaspoon salt and pepper

Blend with 1/4 cup dry white wine (I often use sour cream, mayo, or Greek yogurt)

Let the flavors mix together by sitting in the refrigerator for a couple hours. From here I have stuffed this in to Cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, served on crackers or as a dip for veggies!!

Enjoy!!

Blooms in December

2011-12-13T14:16:00.003-05:00

Look what are blooming in my garden today. I love Violas, also known as Johnny jump ups or Heart's ease. No matter what you call them, they steal my heart everytime. I love them!!

Christmas Decorating

2011-12-11T19:55:00.001-05:00

The sun was shinning today so I attempted to finish up the last of my Christmas decorating. The reason I wait for at least a decent December day, is that all the makings for my wreaths, swags, and garlands come from my gardens.

It requires a full day of cutting, wiring, and arranging, but the results are well worth the efforts. I use different plant material every year, depending on which plants have had the best growing season. There is nothing logical about my choices, except what strikes my fancy.

Nandina, Evergreens, Holly, Magnolia, Boxwood and Plumes from grasses are a few of the many candidates. Results to be published later this week!

2011-12-04T09:33:00.001-05:00

With the nights now consistently dipping down into the 30’s, I journeyed out to the potager garden hoping to find some lingering vegetables. I was in luck, enough bits of kale to harvest and make into a fresh kale salad. Plus a bonus, some small but tasty globes of Brussels sprouts. These young tender bits of deliciousness I will roast in the oven for a great snack! Also one tiny rose bud yearning to come inside and open up!
I think that is what I love the most about my potager garden, vegetables, fruit, flowers and herbs. It is one stop shopping.

Recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
I prepare the Brussels sprouts by cutting off the brown ends and remove any of outer leaves that are brown. I then spread them out on the roasting pan and sprinkle liberally with about 3 tablespoons of good olive oil. I season them with some sea salt and some freshly ground pepper. Sometimes, I will use an Italian herb mix or Bragg Organic Sprinkle.
I roast about 40 minutes. Often times I will shred some fresh Parmesan cheese on top of the sprouts.
　

Recipe for Kale Salad
I take the leafy part of the kale off the stem. From here I add a little bit of the dressing making sure in gets into the kale leaves. You may add any ingredients that you have on hand to this salad. Sunflower seeds, fresh peppers, celery, cherry tomatoes are some good suggestions.
For the dressing I mix together 1 lemon juiced, 2 teaspoons agave nectar, ¼ cup virgin olive oil and some fresh cracked pepper. I use a whisk to slowly stream in the olive oil till it is the consistency I enjoy!

Christmas Lights

2011-11-27T16:03:00.003-05:00

I have been working on putting up outside lights this weekend. I hate that I put good strands of lights away in January and now they are half or more burned out!!! I bribed my husband, that if would work on the lights, I would bring him food and drinks and he could watch Foot Ball!

Well....after two hours and two beers only one strand fixed....I think the answer is to buy new lights each year!!!

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T20:09:00.005-05:00

It was a very different Thanksgiving for us this year. It was just my husband and myself journeying up to Indiana to his sister's house. They live in an amazing log cabin in the woods, we loved it!!

They have a house on the beach in Charleston SC , so her recipes reflected the love of food from that area. The Blue Cheese Bites were addictive!

BLUE CHEESE BITES

1 pkg. refrigerator buttermilk biscuits3 tbsp. butter3 tbsp. blue cheese, crumbled
Melt butter and cheese together in small saucepan. Cut each biscuit into 1/4's and lay in bottom of glass pie plate. Evenly drizzle butter and cheese mixture over biscuits. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve

I think I won over my Mother In Law with my Sweet Potato Recipe....even without the little marshmallows on top!

3 Cups mashed sweet potatoes

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1cup evaporated milk

1/4 cup butter melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix sweet potatoes,sugar,eggs,milk, butter, and vanilla together. Pour into a well greased two quart casserole. Cover with Topping. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Topping:

1 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup butter melted

1 cup coconut

1 cup pecans, chopped

Combine all ingredients and mix well to form crumbs. Sprinkle over the potatoes.

Enjoy!!!!

Recycling Wine Bottles

2011-11-16T17:20:00.003-05:00

I have been trying to find a medium to use for a border for my paths in my gardens. I really wanted to utilize a material that I had readily available. Over the years I have tried various natural items but I feel the wine bottles are a winner! Several factors went into this decision.

#1 I seem to have a readily available source for the bottles. I love a glass of wine with dinner or as I weed the garden. Plus I love Mineral Water that I buy in glass bottles.

#2 I hate to waste anything. I have been recycling the glass but I have to take them into town.

#3 I have to drag the hoses through out the garden and the bottles stand up tall enough to protect the plants as I drag the hoses.

Sold!!!

So here is the beginning of the lining of the paths. I first tried to soak off the labels before I put them into the ground, but that was very time consuming. Now I put them in with the labels and the weather elements take care of peeling the labels off. I have a pile behind the compost pile for dead wine bottles, so when ever I have some time I work on the border. My neighbor was worried and asked me why I had a pile of wine bottles behind the garden!! It is fine...just a great use of a resource!

Yes...I got it done!!

2011-11-13T18:04:00.003-05:00

Today I planted 213 Bulbs. I am babysitting my grandbaby and accomplished this feat in between his two naps. I know in the Spring I will be so happy. I love the first burst of color particularly when they emerge when snow covers the ground.

We are having a good dinner tonight. I am going to use an herbal rub on a pork tenderloin for dinner. It is a recipe I have used many times and is always a hit. My husband and I are on a diet, so lean pork is good. I am also going to roast some fresh asparagus and then grate some Parmesan cheese on top. I love my grandbaby but I am tired so I am hitting the hay early!

Recipe for Pork Tenderloin
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt
1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
In separate bowl mix dry ingredients such as garlic powder, oregano, cumin, coriander, thyme and salt. Stir mixture with a fork until all the ingredients are well combined and they form a seasoning. This will be used as a rub to ensure the pork is well seasoned throughout. Sprinkle the rub over the tenderloin with a dry hand, then rub the pork with the seasoning over both sides of the meat, pressing gently so the seasoning adheres well to the tenderloin.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and heat. Add the minced garlic and saute, stirring, for 1 minute. Put tenderloin in the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, searing each side using tongs to turn the meat. Transfer meat to a roasting pan and bake for 20 minutes. Slice and serve.

It was delicious! Best of all no added salt.

Thanks to Food Network for the Recipe

Bulb Planting Day

2011-11-12T10:17:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite times in the Garden, is the early Spring. I love the color of the over 1000 Daffodils, I have planted against the pinks and purples of various early blooming shrubs, trees and different bulbs.

I vowed this year, I would not buy more bulbs....well I am here to admit I failed. I did not go crazy but I was taken in on a recent visit to Wilson's Nursery by some very early bloomers.

Today is a clear sunny but cool fall Saturday. I am going to take advantage of the afternoon and get this bulbs in the ground. That might help with my guilt, out of sight out of mind!!!
I am starting with some Crocus...I did a blog last year about the house on Main Street whose entire front yard is full of Crocus. I love it!!!! I have some but felt the urge to buy more!

The second group I am planting are Grape Hyacinths. I adore the purple with the bright yellow of my Wood Poppies and Daffodil. To add to this color combo I purchased some Early Snow Glories. It was touted as the only true blue flowering bulb.

Lastly, I bought 3 Giant Persian Blue Alliums. They are so whimsical in the Garden. Last year mine bloomed around the same time as the Siberian and Japanese Iris. It made for a really GRAND showing!!

Great Cook Book

2011-11-08T10:33:00.003-05:00

Last year for Christmas my husband gave me a new cookbook. Quite honestly, I was slightly mifted because I wanted earrings!!! So I put the book aside it was FARM TO FORK by Emeril Lagasse. Fast forward to summer, searching for a way to use the wonderful produce from my garden I opened the pages of this great cookbook. I have loved every recipe I have made, which now is quite a few. I have copied the Dill Pickle Recipe. They were very tasty and although I filled many jars, they are now all consumed! So I eat "crow" for being mifted but sure hope he picks out another great cookbook this Christmas.

Kosher-style Dill Pickles
1 1/2 pounds freah pickling cucumbers
6 sprigs fresh dill
1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
9 Cloves garlic smashed
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried dill weed or dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon black pepperscorns
1/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds

1. Trim off the stem ends of the cucumbers, and slice them into 1/4- inch- thick rounds. Divid the cucmber slices evenly among the pint jars. Add 2 dill sprigs to each container.

2. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a small suacepan, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Ladle the hot brine over the cucumbers, being sure to get 3 cloves of garlic into each container. Set the jsrs aside, uncovered, to cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Refrigerate the jars for 1 hour. The cover and refirgerate for up to 3 months.

Thanks Emeril!!

2011-11-07T19:32:00.001-05:00

Run Kalee Run

We are on our way home from a “racing” 4 days… Our daughter Kalee ran her first Marathon, The Rock and Roll Marathon in Savanna Georgia. Wow what an accomplishment. Running through the historic streets of Savanna, winding in and out of all the squares past beautiful fountains and antebellum homes 20,000 plus runners made their way to the finish line!!!

We maneuvered the course as best we could to spot Kalee, her mother and law, and brother in law cheering them on as best we could. 4 hours 59 minutes and 52 seconds later she crossed the finish line. I am so proud of Kalee. She set this goal four months ago and today it is checked off the “bucket list”.

After an invigorating but necessary “ice bath”, a vegetarian pizza and a Bloody Mary, we all celebrated at our favorite fried fish joint on the Tybee Island Marshes! “AJ’s”.

Scalloped Pumpkin and Spinach Recipe

2011-11-02T12:49:00.002-04:00

As I promised ...here is one of the great Pumpkin Recipes that I made for Halloween. It was a smashing success.

Ingredients:
6 cups cubed and peeled fresh pumpkin
cooking spray
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onions
1/4 cup flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cups shredded reduced fat Swiss cheese
1(10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry

Pre heat oven to 375
Cook pumpkin in boiling water 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside. Saute using cooking spray on the surface, onion on medium heat about 7 minutes or until golden brown, remove onion from skillet and set aside. add flour to the skillet and gradually add broth, stirring with a wisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 6 minutes)stirring constantly. Remove from heat: stir in salt,nutmeg, and pepper.

Combine pumpkin, onion,1/4 cheese and spinach in a bowl. Spoon pumpkin mixture into a 6 cup gratin sprayed with the cooking spray. Pour sauce over the pumpkin mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over the gratin. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Broil 3 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Thanks to My Recipes.com for this great pumpkin delight!!

Young and Old Halloween

2011-11-01T20:13:00.005-04:00

Halloween is for all ages.... Here is my 92 year old Mom..as a Hippie ...winning the Best Costume Award at her Assisted Living Home ..and my new grand baby winning our hearts on his first Halloween. We had had such a great time at my son's In laws.

Marian had great candy for the Trick or Treaters and a really cool Frankenstein Appetiser. I made some Pumpkin Bread Pudding, so we ate good!!! Lots of fun!!

Pumpkin, Pumpkins and more Pumkins

2011-10-28T08:31:00.004-04:00

So I am now a HUGH Fan of Pumpkin. It is so good for you. I am making my grocery list this week and I am making tons of Pumpkin Recipes....I will share them with you. But here are so Pumpkin Facts!!!

Then Pumpkin is a member of the curcurbit or gourd family which include pumpkins, squash, cucumbers,melons, and watermelons, and is considered a Fruit.

The orginal pumpkin pie was made by hollowing out the pumpkin and filling it with milk, honey and spices and then baked in hot ashes.

The word pumpkin orginated orginated from the Greek word "pepon" which means "large melon"

Pumpkins are made up of about 90% water

Pumpkins were once used to remove freckles

Shelled Pumkins are a less expensive alternative to pine nuts

Roasted and shelled pumpkin seeds are called pepitas

Early setler used pumpkins to make beer

Pumpkins are low in calories, high in fier and low in sodium

Pumpkin Flowers are edible

Check in tomorrow..I will have some really fun pumpkin recipes!!

Halloween????

2011-10-24T18:58:00.008-04:00

Ok..it would be really cool if I said this was a decoration, But no..I am just trying to protect my annuals. I have company coming and this is a selfish move....does it work???

On a related note, I just read a great article in the "Herb Companion" "The Scary Herbs of Halloween" You can read the article as well as finding a wealth of herbal information by going to www.herbcompanion.com Click on the top where it says Grow. Then click on "The Most Popular Articles" You will find the article in that section! Enjoy!

Lazy Sunday Planning!!

2011-10-23T14:48:00.004-04:00

After a wonderful evening with our great buddies from Columbus,planning 2...Marge and Randy's 60th Birthdays, I am trying to re coop by working on cleaning out the Potager Garden. I have learned alot this year and still have crops hanging in there to harvest. I am writing this posting as a note to self...what to do different next year in this garden.

I love this garden, it full fills all my senses...sight,smell,taste,touch, hearing. I can go into this garden and find food and flowers and hummingbirds buzzing around my head...what more could anyone ask for!!!

OK... These are my lessons:

Do not plant my tomatoes so close together!! I literally have been crawling under the vines to harvest tomatoes. If I do this again slap me in the face!

Understand the plants I am planting. Number one example## Brussels Sprout Plants that have been growing since spring..just now showing the little sprouts, WOW I have never been so frustrated with a Vegetable...which by the way I love.

I do not need so many peppers! I need to plant more Bell Peppers in red, yellow and green colors. Not so many of the hot ones, that I can not even handle. I seem to struggle with the easy zucchini and squash, but had good success with butternut squash. I wish I could be the one with tons of squash. I could do so much!!!

I love my Greens..lettuce, spinach,kale, turnip greens, collards...so more more more!!! The zinnias are so fun and yes the wonderful Sunflowers!!!!

Hand Written Thank You's!!

2011-10-20T18:57:00.003-04:00

Today I received in the mail a handwritten Thank You for the Master Gardening Meeting I had here last week. It was from one of our "Elderly Members". I loved it and it meant so much. My daughter is a big fan of hand written notes and I agree. In this age of quick emails...how lovely and wonderful to receive a note hand written letter on a card or special paper picked out just for you! I will continue to write notes...please lets all do this!!!

Pumpkin Chili....Chili inside and out!

2011-10-19T17:37:00.006-04:00

So it is a cold rainy day...I rushed around yesterday and harvested all the tomatoes,peppers,basil etc, that were hanging on for dear life. In an effort to use what I have on hand I have come up with a different recipe, Pumpkin Chili. I am using ground turkey because I am on a DIET!!! I will let you know. My recipe is below..

Becky's Pumpkin Chili

Heat 1 TBSP oil( I always use Olive Oil) in a large skillet over medium heat and saute 1 cup chopped onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and 1 clove garlic clove minced. Saute until tender. Stir in 1 lb ground turkey and cook until evenly browned. Pour meat mixture into into the slow cooker. Mix in 14 ounces of fresh cut tomatoes and 2 cups pumpkin puree. Add some water ....maybe just a cup, this can be adjusted as needed. Season with 2TBSP Chili Powder and some fresh"hot peppers".
Add a dash of salt and pepper...Set the slow cooker on low and cook for about 5 hours. If needed add chicken broth... I added a can of Black Beans...just for my husband!

Have Sour Cream and Cheddar Cheese available for toppings..plus I have "hot peppers"

I will let you know?????

Master Gardeners Here!!

2011-10-18T19:53:00.005-04:00

Lots of Fun!!

Our Master Gardeners Group met here last Tuesday! Everyone brought appetisers and then we roasted hot dogs in our new half done Kiva!! Some wine, some apple cider, good garden friendships!

Master Gardeners Coming...

2011-10-06T19:05:00.002-04:00

So next Tuesday the Shelby County Master Gardening Group are coming to my house. I have been on a rampage!! Perhaps I should always schedule a meeting in the Fall to whip me into action.

We have been having an attendance problem so I have offered to give any one coming a Free Plant! We are having a "Garden Happy Hour" to walk the gardens and talk! (Maybe some wine??)

So..this weekend will be 100% Garden Time.....

Check out what happens at:

ShelbyCountyMasterGardeners.blogspot.com

Basil Rescue

2011-10-01T19:13:00.005-04:00

We have been in my favorite place...Sanibel..but rushed home a day early because of the threat of frost. I had just too much Basil to harvest. So today was a rescue my Basil day. I am going to make a lot of Pesto and some Basil scented oil. Then I will make some special dishes.

When we were on Sanibel,I had a Scallop dish with some fresh Basil ..it was so good.I think I can reproduce it. It was just seared Scallops in Basil oil, then they were placed on toasted french bread slices that had Gruyere cheese melted on them. A sprinkling of Basil on top and some shaved cheese. All of this with a side of fresh greens with a Basil/Lime Vinaigrette. So go...Thanks "Cips" a new restaurant on Sanibel.

When it comes to Pesto. I make a very basic sauce. I really enjoy one of Giada's recipes. It is just right for me...not too much Garlic.

Here it is:
2 cups packed Basil Leaves
1/4 cup Toasted Pine Nuts
1 Garlic Clove
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/4 freshly ground pepper,more taste
About 2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.

In a blender, pulse the Basil, Pine Nuts,Garlic, 1/2 teaspoon Salt and 1/4 teaspoon Pepper until finely chopped. With the food processor still running , gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the Pesto to a bowl and stir in the cheese. If I am not going to use the Pesto that day, I either freeze or can the Pesto.

Having Pesto on hand opens me to up for a wealth of Basil Love all winter long!

Recipe from one of my favorite Cookbooks " giada's family dinner" Giada De Laurentiis

Plant Sale!!

2011-09-12T14:52:00.006-04:00

I have been working overtime to pull my gardens back into shape. It seems a year of neglect has given way to weeds as tall as myself. I am making an effort to stream line and reduce so that I can enjoy the gardens and write, cook and travel more. So I am having a Plant Sale. I am going to send out emails to people I know are interested. I will set up appointments and dig the plants they desire to buy. This way they are getting Plant information as well as tips! I hope to be able to do this Fall and Spring...along with adding Garden Antiques to sell out of my over 200 year old out building. I have attached the flyer I am sending out! Wish me luck or better yet come over and buy some plants!

COLONY SPRING FARM
PLANTS FOR SALE
SHELBYVILLE,KY
I am a Garden Addict …….
and I have collected plants over the last
30 years…..But I need to downsize. .So I am going to divide and sell. I will have plants to sell, but you can walk the gardens and I will dig the plants for you.

I will give you information to help you make my plants thrive in your gardens.

Great Prices, great information, great plants… Please call or email to schedule a time
502-682-6412 blitzbecky@aol.com

Tomatoe Recipe

2011-09-06T18:55:00.002-04:00

Ok...here is the 2nd great recipe for tomoatoes. I have used it twice now and it has gotten great reviews. Thanks Giada!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/tomato-vegetable-casserole-recipe/index.html

Southern Living Cookbooks

2011-09-02T20:44:00.002-04:00

I love all the recipes I have ever gotten from Southern Living. I guess I have had that feeling since 1982...I have all the Southern Living Annual Cookbooks minus one or two since 1982 thru..2009. I am trying to decide what to do with these books. Any one interested in them? I guess I have gotten spoiled by the Internet...put in the ingredients and it gives you multiple ideas...

ANY INTEREST IN THE HARDBACKS: EMAIL beckykirts@gmail.com

Tomatoes,Tomatoes and more Tomatoes...

2011-08-28T07:41:00.002-04:00

I have been blessed this year with an abundance of tomatoes. I have made all the classic tomato combinations, so I decided to explore as many different recipes using my valuable edible resource. So far, there have been two that were big hits!

The first one was so easy and made such a great use of all the varieties of cherry tomatoes that I have been growing. The best result of this recipe was the next day I took the whole shebang and turned it into a tasty sauce for my Spaghetti Squash.

Thanks so Jamie Oliver for this great recipe that allowed me to double dip!

4 1/4 lbs ripe cherry tomatoes, mixed colors are great!
2 sprigs each fresh thyme, rosemary and bay.
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
12 good quality course Italian Sausage
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the tomatoes in a single snug layer in a roasting pan. Top with all the herbs then drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar. Turn this to make sure the tomatoes are covered. Lay the sausages on top and then roast for half hour. Give the tomatoes a shake and turn the sausages over. Put back into the oven for additional 30 minutes.

I served this with a green salad, fresh bread, and a glass or two of a good wine!!

I'll share the next recipe, after I go weed some...today is such a nice cool day, Irene is being kind to us, but my heart felt concern for all in her path.

Shade Garden Sunday

2011-08-24T05:06:00.008-04:00

On a recent sweltering Sunday, I decided it was time to focus
any outdoor efforts to the Shade. I have three Chimney Pots from England that are temporarily gracing their presence in my Shade/Native Garden. They have inspired me to pull this wonderful space together. I love the Hellebores/Ferns/Hostas/ Hydrangeas/Toad Lillies/ and many unusual wonderful shade lovers that grace this garden with their interesting foliage and sparks of bloom color. I mulched this area with Pine Straw which just seems to show off the "shadies"while adding some acidity as well. I am compiling a list of all the different varieties of plants in the is a garden, which at this point numbers over 30! Who every said Shade Gardens are boring has not seen mine!

Athens Farmers Market

2011-08-23T20:30:00.003-04:00

Saturday morning my daughter and I journeyed to the Athens Farmer's Market. It was by far the most beautiful Farmer's Market I have seen. All the booths were artistically layed out. I was mesmerized by the vegetables and fruits all looking so tempting.

What a gift to communities to have Farmers' Markets. It is a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Wild Trip with Wildflowers!

2011-08-19T09:05:00.006-04:00

Today I am in Athens Georgia, visiting my Daughter and Son-in-Law. What was suppose to be a very simple 7 hour drive down turned out to be a "wild" drive. One wrong turn and I ended up going through Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina and finally Georgia.

Feeling very frustrated, not only with myself but Mr. Garmin as well..I finally got onto the right track only to be rewarded with views of the most glorious Wildflower Beds along the highways.

It turns out that North Carolina has a Wildflower Program. It is sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Look it up!

It helped my trip down to Athens become a blooming success!

Basil Oil

2011-08-09T21:34:00.004-04:00

Little did I know what a wonderful impact this Oil could make on simple foods. I made it as a dressing for a Watermelon/Tomato salad. From that humble beginning, its uses have grown! Tonight I made a tomato/green bean/onion/sauce(basically just using anything from the garden that needed to be used). I added some ground lean beef for my meat loving husband, and we put it on top of whole wheat pasta. I was snacking on the pasta and added some of the Basil Oil on it just for fun. Wow...it popped!!

So then I just sliced some Heirloom Tomatoes from the garden and sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper and drizzled them with the Basil Oil. Then grated some fresh parm cheese on them...and added some "pickings" of basil. OK..so wonderful1!!

*Recipe for Basil Oil

Put 2 Cups fresh basil into a pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Put into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Let it drain completely. Put into the food processor and add one cup and a half of good olive olive oil.

Puree until smooth. Strain mixture through a cheesecloth lined fine sieve and seep over a bowl. Let stand for about an hour...no squeezing allowed.

Then this liquid gold is yours for the eating!!! Enjoy!

*Recipe loving adapted from a Martha Stewart Recipe.

2011-08-08T20:29:00.002-04:00

So .....this has been a crazy year. I have been so overwhelmed with "life", I have not been able to blog. That being said, I am so ready to jump into a new phase of blogging. I am going to connect my love of Garden Antiques and Traveling into my love of Herbs and Gardens. I am going to have a new online store of my special "things" as well. Plus blogging about this property and trying to weave it into my dream. It is part of Squire Boone's original farm, he followed his dream of moving west with his brother Daniel....so I must do the same.

This has always been my dream to develop this amazing property into what it was meant to be. I hope you will follow me...who knows where this will take us, but at 58 it is time to get going!!

**This picture is of "Yard Long Beans" from my Potager Garden.( See the Long and Short Connection???)

First Daffadiles March 6th 2011

2011-03-08T17:25:00.003-05:00

A couple weeks ago I visited my daughter in Carrollton Georgia. Much to my surprise the daffodils were in bloom. My father loved daffodils and every year he would mark on his calendar the first day that the yellow gems appeared. Every year when they appear, I am reminded that is still with us...marking on his big calendar in Heaven.

So here they are Dad, my first Daffodils.

Time with Mom

2011-03-01T17:39:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday my MOM..age 92!,my sister,her daughter,and me flew to my sister's house on Captiva Island. I really should not have come...work has been hectic and we are short handed but the time here has been amazing. On Sunday, Mom and I went to the Sanibel's Farmers Market and stocked up on her fav vegetables. Beets was the #1.

Yesterday we set on the beach and watched Dolphins jump way out of the water..we then came home and had a great dinner. We had used the beets in a salad, so I searched for a use for the beet greens. The result was tremendous.

Recipe From the Food Network
Alton Brown

Beet Green Gratin

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
12 ounces sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound beet greens, cleaned and picked
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 cups ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup crumbled crackers (recommended: Ritz crackers)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the mushrooms and garlic and sweat. Add the beet greens and mix well. Remove pan from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks, ricotta, Parmesan cheese, and salt. Combine everything and put into a lightly oiled 9 by 11-inch baking dish. Top with the crumbled crackers and bake for 30 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Bogi..The "Fancy Feast Cat"

2011-02-10T17:27:00.003-05:00

Bogi came into our lives about 15 years ago when we were moving to our current home which is about 100 years old. My daughter was very young and the neighbor kids told her the house was haunted. She would not sleep in her room, so I told her that cats would not sleep in a room that was haunted and that we would buy her the Fancy Cat she had always wanted. Now we are more into animals in need of homes, but this was a special situation...and it worked. Flash forward 15 years,we do not have our daughter in the house, she is married and on her own, just this Fancy Cat.

The crazy thing about Bogi is that for the past 15 years, at 5:45 am Bogi begins his crying meowing rant. Believe me this will continue, getting louder and louder until someone in the family appears and gives him his can of moist "Fancy Feast" Cat Food.
Do not try and give him a different cat food or even a different variety, only the sliced variety of "Fancy Feast".

Perhaps I have missed my golden ticket by not contacting the company that makes "Fancy Feast", so if you know anyone who works there...pass this on. Thanks!!

2011-02-08T18:19:00.002-05:00

It has been such a hectic week, which when you are in the Construction Business that is a great thing!! However, I have not been able to escape the Blitz Builders Office for long enough to get to the local Kroger. So I am trying to be very creative with what I have in the fridge. I made a dessert out of left over sweet potatoes and fried apples. A little cinnamon, nutmeg, cream and marshmallows..great dessert.

I had some great whole wheat pasta and fresh broccoli....add the cheese and a great meal for me. Left over spicy Chilly for Randy and we are good to go.

Voila!! Dinner..but I must journey to Kroger tomorrow. Magic can not be worked two days in a row.

BLACK PUSSY WILLOWS

2011-02-08T04:30:00.003-05:00

I am on a desperate search for signs that Spring is just around the corner. The gray skies opened up to brief glimpses of sunshine on Sunday, so I took full advantage of the opportunity to survey the gardens.

My Husband was getting some leaves up(really late fall clean up) and I noticed the first small spike of the daffodils questioning if they should be emerging. As the sun decided it had teased us enough I quickly rushed over to checkout the Pussy Willows. Not yet....not even close enough to bring inside and force it to open. But soon, soon we will see the fuzzy black tips. My Black Pussy Willow is one of my favorites.

Until then I will worry like I do every Spring about the bulbs popping out to soon, the piles of leaves I still have around and the plants resting in the Herb House anxious to come back to life. So back to the seed catalogs...one of the happiest chores of winter.

Super Bowl Sunday

2011-02-06T18:11:00.002-05:00

Today has been a hectic day...My daughter in-law had a baby shower, it was great baby fun. This will be my first grandbaby, it is a little boy. I have been giving my daughter in law, the books I read my baby Jake.

Babar...Goodnight Moon..The Run Away Rabbit...Go Frog Go and Richard Scary's Big Book Of Trucks...

We had plans to go to a Super Bowl Party but life as gotten in the way..so my husband and I are having our own party.

Crackers with cheese
Scallops marinated in garlic and french dressing

Roasted Root Veg's
Scallops wrapped in Bacon

Sauteed Baby Spinach with fresh Parmesan cheese

Apricots dipped in Milk Chocolate/pistachio's

We have decided that maybe our own personal Super Bowl Party is the BEST!!!

2011-02-05T05:33:00.004-05:00

Upon arriving on Sanibel at the wonderful house we rented for the month of December, I noticed an empty clay planter. I knew it was perfect for an herb garden.
I was able to find some fresh herbs to plant. Basil,flat leaf parsley, curly parsley, dill,cilantro, oregano and thyme all helped fill the planter. Even with daily trimming,the warm sunshine and moisture helped the once sparsely planted pot overflow with herbs. For my family, these gems helped flavor our food all month long, for the next renters a special treat from Basil Becky. I even left my go to favorite recipe for "Tomato and Basil Salad", and a note by the herbs...saying "please use me"!!!

RECIPE
Take any fresh tomato( I love to use a variety of Heirloom's), slice these delights and arrange on a platter. I lightly grind salt and pepper directly on the tomatoes, then slice some fresh mozzarella cheese and arrange on top. Of course my favorite step, I tear lots of fresh basil on top of the cheese. For the dressing, I prefer a light sprinkling of good virgin Olive Oil and a splash of my Opal Basil Vinegar. I have used an herb vinaigrette, or a balsamic vinegar dressing as well This always a hit!

A Sunny day....

2011-01-29T12:58:00.002-05:00

Gosh it is great what sun does. ... I just need the Sunshine. I spent the day cleaning up the pumpkins from Thanksgiving. Since I was gone for the month of December..they were still here. I am going to have pumkin vines all over in the spring.

But the sun was shinning .......that makes life good.

December on Sanibel

2011-01-27T18:35:00.007-05:00

Beaches were alive on Sanibel last December. I do not know if it was the colder than normal weather or the "oil spill" or just the tides, but everyday brought new live shells. I think that is one of the greatest things about Sanibel, the beaches are different everyday. In fact I am now reading the book "Gift from the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh. The beach is a wonderful garden designed everyday by the tides.....I LOVE IT

Beautiful Nature Photos

2011-01-25T18:17:00.002-05:00

Last night I journeyed with two good friends to a lecture on the art of wildflower photography.

It was sponsored by the Jefferson Co. Master Gardeners and was at a beautiful historic home, Whitehall,which happens to be where my daughter's wedding reception was held about 4 years ago.

It was wonderful. I love that this Professor at the University of Kentucky looks at nature from not only the textbook nerd put it in a category aspect..but as a true art form. His photography is breathtaking.

Please look him up and notice that his book is now on my bed night stand.

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Forestry/TBarnes/Web%20pages/photography.htm
http://www.edisonhouse.org/Whitehall/WhitehallHistory/TheWhitehallMansion/tabid/1334/

Sunday Cooking...

2011-01-23T13:38:00.005-05:00

I love a lazy Sunday, when I spend the whole day cooking and blogging. My husband is into the playoff games so I have made some "manfood" for him. About 2 weeks ago we had a great ham and I still had the bone, so I have made him "12 Bean Soup". I am not so into Bean Soup so I am making a pork chop recipe from Giada and Steamed Lemon Custard, green beans and a great salad.

Today is my son's Birthday. He is at Vero Beach on a Babymoon. We love Vero Beach..there are great restaurants there. I thought it would be good for him and his wife to go away for a nice relaxed weekend before the big event.

It is about 8 degrees here..but the sun is shinning.

Here is the recipe for the Man Soup...

2 cups beans from Bob's Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix
which I soaked overnight..

Then I added the great Ham Hock I had form the ham I had cooked two weeks ago.

2 1/2 qts water brought this all to a boil and then let it simmer for 4 hours.

I then added 1 can of tomatoes crushed. ! tbsp chili powder and two garlics minced

It is simmering until there is a break in the action and Randy is ready to eat.

I will let you know if it is...great!!!!

Sanibel Farmers Market

2011-01-23T08:01:00.004-05:00

One of the greatest things about being on Sanibel for the month of December was the Farmer's Market. It is so much more than a trip to buy groceries, it is a Sunday Morning Social. Locals,tourists,and many four legged friends join in on the festivities. We would ride our bikes to the Market and spend time eating, browsing and planning the week's good eats. I love clean eating so this market is just my cup of tea! The results of a Sunday morning thoroughly enjoyed continued all week long while we feasted on whole fresh food!

Information from the Sanibel Farmers Market Facebook Page
The Sanibel Island Farmers Market is held at City Hall.
Sundays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
This open air market features 30 vendors including baked goods, live plants, honey, pasta, cheese, sausages, fresh fish, and fresh organic produceInformation
About:
The Sanibel Island Farmers Market is held at City Hall.
Sundays 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

New Beginning......

2011-01-22T08:30:00.004-05:00

When is it that we realise that perhaps what we thought was the "best" for all..is just not the way it is going to be.... That perhaps your grown kids do know what they are doing..and that is it is time for you to let it go and move on to your dreams and goals.

Well I think the time is now....Welcome back to a new and improved BasilBecky. I am going to focus on travel,food,gardens,family,and aging in a new age. I will be 58 in May and I feel my whole new life is in front of me. We are a new generation.

Perhaps a month on Sanibel, inspired me..perhaps a grand baby on the way has inspired me...perhaps me trying desperately to find a way to escape the KY gray and cold has inspired me.... perhaps it was letting go of my best dog friend Tasha or perhaps being in the construction business has inspired me...I do not know but I am ready.

Let's Go

Where have I been????

2010-09-22T18:21:00.002-04:00

OK I am so sorry...but I have been trying to keep my garden alive! Today is the first day of Fall and we set a record! It was 98 degrees September 22! My over 100 Hydranga's are in severe stress...so I am watering non-stop........

I have so many stories to pass on.....I'll be back soon!

To Market ...To Market

2010-08-29T13:21:00.007-04:00

Nothing invigorates me more than a trip to a Farmer's Market. Whenever we are near a Market on Saturday AM, it is part of the plan. I love the spirit and vib..lots of the time there is music, food to taste and plenty of colorful fresh food. Here in Shelbyville, I can even buy a bottle of wine from my favorite local winery

So yesterday after meeting my wonderful neighbor and a great hour walk and talk...I made my way to the Local Farmers Market. I arm myself with my cloth bags,of course I use the one bearing the name of BLITZ BUILDERS on it, and some small bills.

The result the freshest eggs, the brightest peppers, some freshly dug spuds and a weeks worth of meal ideas. I love it!!!! Oh not to mention that great bottle of wine, calling us for a great Sunday feast.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

In and Out Tasks

2010-08-14T13:00:00.005-04:00

Today it is 100 Degrees, it will be an in and out day! I have already been to the Farmer's Market so I am set for the week, so I am searching for tasks in the garden that draw me in and out of the house.

#1 Make Opal Basil Vinegar.( I will post recipe below)

I have noticed that the Opal Basil or Purple Basil was crying to be cut. So it was done!! Into the pot it goes!

#2 Ever since the storm several weeks ago the Potager Garden has been a disaster. The Cherry Tree fell right into the middle of the tomatoes, all the tall sunflowers collapsed on the lillies and the trellis fell over onto the roses. I think you get the general idea. It has been 100 degrees everyday since the storms, so clean up has been a struggle. So today despite the heat, I am moving forward. I have sweated, pulled and yanked, but I was continually encouraged by the Hummingbirds and Butterflys. As the day draws to a close, I am sore, chigger bitten and tired but invigorated by the progress. Time to go in and fix dinner. I am excited I am making Turkey Meatballs with my homemade Garden Tomato Sauce....I will let you know how this turns out! Enjoy the evening.

Opal Basil Vinegar

Take a big bunch of Opal Basil, rinsed clean and dried.
1 large jug of White Vinegar

I put the vinegar is a pot and heat it just until boiling. Then I stuff the basil into the jug. I proceed by pouring the heated vinegar over the basil and pop the lid back on the vinegar. I let it sit for about 2 weeks then I pour it into individual fun jars each with a special sprig of Opal Basil.

I love doing this tasks...the vinegar turns a wonderful light red color! So cool.

Cutting Down the BeeBalm

2010-08-11T14:02:00.007-04:00

Cutting down the Bee Balm and Coneflowers

Under the welcomed shade of the Crepe Mrytle Trees, I am taking on the task of cutting down the Coneflowers and Bee Balm. There is a slight wind and cooler temps, so even Dixie is out here to help me.

I love this task because it refreshes my mind of memories of years ago.

When my now 28 year old son, was very small, he refused to take naps. So most afternoons I would pop him in the car and we would drive the back country Indiana roads in search of Bee Balm. He would hold his head up high and eagerly look about..until he spied the Bee Balm....his little voice would chime out Bee Balm Bee Balm Bee Balm.....then as if it were magic..he would fall into slumber.

I would race home and cautiously carry the car seat and Jake into the house and on top of the dryer....which I ran on a low cycle . Crazy but it worked!!! So my garden must always have BEE BALM!

Goodnight my baby Jake!

P.S. #1 Bee Balm was Jake's 2nd love.....he adored turtles and would search relentlessly for a turtle crossing the road.(which we promptly stopped and saved by moving across the road.) Why does the turtle cross the road? So Jake can save it!

So I have a special stepping stone for Jake in the Bee Balm Garden! The turtle stepping stone!

P.S. #2 I stepped inside to check the jam, I was cooking and noticed that I had several finches clinging to the Coneflower seed heads. I was reminded by their sweet chirps that I should wait to cut the coneflowers until the feasting was done!

Still Stewing Over The Tomatoes

2010-08-05T14:42:00.003-04:00

We are taking a long weekend trip down to see our daughter in Carrollton Georgia. I am excited because we are going to visit some gardens and make a trip to my favorite restaurant in Villa Rica Georgia, “The Blue Brick”.

I despise the fast food we normally get along the way, so I decided to finalize the meals made from the Stewed Tomatoes/Chicken dish. I took the delicious chicken breast and cut them into nice chunks. A quick trip to the garden gave me some fresh basil, some sweet young carrots, and a few more chigger bites.

I added all the ingredients together plus some of the sauce from the stewed tomatoes, plus enough mayo to bind it together. Voila! A wonderful chicken salad, the bits of stewed tomatoes, celery, onions and pepper added a unique depth to each bite. I packed a cooler with the Chicken salad, some fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, and fresh cheese.

We stopped at on of my favorite stops, The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea. www.kentuckyartisanscenter.ky.gov

This is a perfect stop as it offers all the traveler services, including a small cafe, and a wonderful store highlighting the works of over 650 Kentucky Artisans. There are exhibits, demonstrations, and Kentucky Cuisine.

Under a nice shade tree, we enjoyed our chicken salad and officially put the stewed tomatoes to bed or in reality in our stomachs. Then a nice walk through the center and we are again rolling down the road.

Stewing over Tomatoes

2010-08-04T21:08:00.002-04:00

Stewing over Tomatoes

In an effort to use all the “gifts” from my garden, Tuesday I made a big pot of Stewed Tomatoes. I used a recipe from Paula Deen (see attached recipe), substituting Splenda for sugar and using the fresh peppers I had in the garden instead of canned ones. It was so yummy!! I had it over wild rice and Randy had it on a grilled rib-eye, left over from Sunday’s dinner. The stewed tomatoes continued to feed us on Wednesday night as well. I took several organic chicken breasts and lightly fried them in olive oil and thyme, garlic and onion. I submerged them in the wonderful stewed tomatoes and baked the mixture in the oven. The result of my experiment was mouth watering.

I had a couple slices of fresh tomatoes and dinner was good to go! I love using leftovers to make creative meals. But the rush that I love the most is going out to the garden and finding dinner pickins! I stand by that statement in spite of the constant 100 degree heat index’s and constant attack of chiggers.

" Sweet Stewed Tomatoes"

5 large fresh tomatoes
4 Tablespoons bacon drippings or butter
1 cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon The Lady's House Seasoning
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
3 Tablespoons milk
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

Peel and dice the tomatoes. Heat the drippings in a skillet and saute the onions and garlic, stirring to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the House Seasoning and the tomatoes, cover the pan and cook over medium heat for 35b minutes. Add the sugar and parsley. Mix the cornstarch and milk until smooth. Bring the tomatoes to a boil and pour in the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly. Add the Parmesan and stir well.

Recipe from "The Lady and Sons, Too"
Paula Deen

2010-08-03T17:16:00.004-04:00

Sundays tend to be a work day at our household. At the end of the day, we love to have a wind down dinner on the backporch. I love to grill out so we tend to make this a Sunday tradition.

Early Sunday morning,I had been in Louisville and stopped at Paul’s to buy some pancetta, when I spied some wonderful organic rib-eye steaks. Next to the steaks were some Vidalia Onions, setting off in my mind a plan for dinner.

I recalled a recipe from “Down Home with the Neeley’s” for grilling Vidalia Onions, so they became part of the grilling meal along with grilled asparagus, rib-eyes and fresh sliced tomatoes with basil and mozzarella cheese.. I ended up even grilling the tomatoes, so we ended up eating right off the grill!

With the aid of several citronella candles, Skin So Soft, and my mosquito eating bats, we were able to enjoy a pleasant evening under the stars. To me it is very romantic to eat and observe the bats as they came out from under the shutters and swooped their way into the night to eat! It is fun to be on my porch at dusk.

Grilled Vidalia Onions with Bacon Butter
I brought the steaks to room temperature and then put seasoned them with Olive Oil and course Sea Salt. The asparagus and tomatoes all received the same treatment, the recipe for the Onions from the Neeley’s is written below.

The addition of a nice Red Wine topped off the evening and the meal.

4 Large Vidalia Onions
Kosher salt and freshly grounded pepper
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 slice cooked bacon, crumbled (My husband loves bacon so I doubled this number)
2/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves.
Preheat grill to medium heat

Cut onion top and “backtail” so the onion can sit flat. Peel the onion. Using a paring knife cut a hollow cone-like shape into the center of the onion making sure not to go all the way to the bottom. Salt and Pepper to the cavity. Place onions on individual squares of heavy duty aluminum foil

Add the bacon, butter, blue cheese, and thyme to a bowl and mix until well combined. Add large dollops of the butter mixture to the cavities of each of the onions.

Fold the aluminum foil all around the onion, gathering at the top and sealing to create a tent. Place on the grill over direct heat and cover the grill.. Cook for 30 minutes until the onions are soft. Let cool for 5 minutes before opening the packets and serving.

Recipe from the Food Network 2010.
“Down Home with the Neeley’s”

Mom

2010-07-26T21:49:00.005-04:00

Again Shelby Co Kentucky was hit by severe weather. The ones in the know called it a Micro Burst with winds up to 100 miles per hour. We lost many limbs and 3 trees. My pots were flipped over and tomatoes flattened. I spent most of yesterday picking up limbs..my shade gardens are becoming sun gardens, all is Topsy turvey in the Kirts yard!

However....I took timeout today to drive up to Indiana to see my incredible Mom. At 92, she is amazing. She enjoys life with her best friend Burky the cat! We found him abandon the day we put my father into the nursing home. The cat was less than 2 weeks old and we had to bottle feed the little baby, teach her how to use the litter box and generally how to be a cat. Mom felt she was a gift from God, so she would have someone to care for and love. Needless to say this is one different cat!

But she is a blessing....we all need love and companionship!

Tomatoes,Tomatoes, Tomatoes..

2010-07-22T13:40:00.007-04:00

Last night after harvesting three baskets full of wonderful tomatoes, I decided it was time to start getting creative with these gems. I have many different varieties, mostly heirloom and I love the weird shapes and colors. I found this wonderful Recipe from Giada De Laurentiis for "Pasta Ponza"

I continued with my tomato cooking spree by making a wonderful sauce using ground turkey,onions, peppers, zucchini and carrots.(all from my garden). I have feasted on the combination of the two for Breakfast and Lunch! It does not take much to make me happy. Enjoy!

Pasta Ponza

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Prep Time:: 8 min
Inactive Prep Time:: 5 min
Cook Time:: 10 min

Level:: Easy

Serves:: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

Butter for greasing
2 cups (12 ounces) red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups (12 ounces) yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
1 pound ziti or other short tube-shaped pasta
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 ounces) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the prepared baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Printed from FoodNetwork.com on Thu Jul 22 2010

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Mailbox Gardens

2010-07-21T20:33:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite gardens is my mailbox garden. Welcome to my house, is what I what all to feel when they see my entrance!

I have always been fascinated by the many creative ways people garden around the mailbox. Perhaps someday I will write a book highlighting Mailbox Gardens!

I am very excited because I have found that I can get wireless Internet out in my gardens. While I am out in the gardens, ideas flood my mind. Stories, recipes, and tidbits seem to grow as fast as the weeds! I have been working very hard in the gardens this season, despite Mother Natures many attempts to halt progress!(hot weather, bucket loads of rain, wind storms, etc , etc) so I an excited to jump back into blogging.... Like my gardens, I am renewed and invigorated!

Salad Pots

2010-04-16T21:09:00.002-04:00

Salad Planters

I love to fill my pots with early spring flowers, I search out the first pansies, snapdragons, and sweet williams often donning a winter coat while I find them pot homes.

This year I decided to take a new approach. February and March were so wet....I just could not get into the garden to prepare it for early vegetable planting, so my spring veg’s and lettuces became my spring flowers.

It so far has been great! I have lettuce just outside my backdoor; soon I will have spinach, dill, arugula, carrots, greens, broccoli and even cabbage. I must admit I still planted Pansies at the Mailbox Garden......

Virginia Blue Bells

2010-04-12T21:10:00.004-04:00

I love this flower...and so does my Mom. Perhaps because it is her name sake....Her name is Virginia! My spring wild flower garden steals my heart every time I step foot in it!!!

My the way, we accomplished a hugh task yesterday. All the trees are down in the Raspberry Patch. Randy and I have thorns and scratches all over us...but we are close to accomplishing the main goal of the season.

Saturday's tidbit task

2010-04-11T08:26:00.003-04:00

Yesterday's task was to again,see blog from last summer, rid the path to the gazebo of the Spurge.

I have been working to line the path with Lady's Mantle, Ground Roses and Hydrangea. But the Spurge keeps interfering with my plans. Although it is pretty this time of year as I do love it's yellow bloom in the spring.

All the yellow's contrast with the bright green new grass and thrill my senses. But the Spurge must move it just takes over. Notice I said just move....to a spot yet designated. I simply can not throw plants away.

So Sunday's task is to move the Hydrangea and mulch! Sunday is not a day of rest for me.....miles to go.

Bleeding Hearts

2010-04-10T20:02:00.003-04:00

As a child, I use to love when this flowers opened. I would play with them.. when turned inside out , it looks like a lady in a bath tub!!!!

OK...... I admit I still play with my Bleeding Hearts.

DILL : Herb of the Year

2010-04-08T18:25:00.003-04:00

Dill is the Herb of the Year for 2010.

So I am going to make at least one recipe using Dill every week. In order to do this I will need lots of Dill, so I planted Dill in pots today, and will continue to plant Dill in the garden.

Here is the first of my Dill Recipes. I made this for Easter for my husband to take up to his Mom's for Easter. (I opted to stay home and work in my garden) Randy's Mom is on a no salt diet, I think she enjoyed this appetizer.

Egg Salad Crostini

Slice a whole wheat baguette into small slices and toast in the oven for about 6 minutes.

Let them cool completely.

Hard boil 3 eggs. After they have cooled, mash and add 1 TBLS chives and 1 TBLS Dill Weed chopped. Add enough mayo to bind.( I use Helmans with Olive Oil.)

Chop up about 3 ounces of cooked shrimp. Slice very thin 1/2 of an English Cucumber.

Take the toasted bread slices...put a tablespoon of the egg salad on the toast/ put a dollop of shrimp/ then a cucumber slice. Put a sprig of the fresh dill weed on top...

This is an adapted recipe from Weight Watchers. I found that I needed to add a touch of fresh grinded sea salt.

Daily Tasks and Tidbits from the Garden...

2010-04-08T12:31:00.005-04:00

Each day I am going to make note of what I have accomplished in my garden. I tend to walk through my beautiful grounds and see only the weeds that I have not yet pulled and the tasks that I have not yet tackled . This is my new positive approach.

On my many walks with my dogs, I often see small special gifts from Nature. I am going make a special note on any flower,bloom, bug, weed,or animal in nature that made me smile!

My yard and life are full of blessings........I am going to look at my yard as an accomplished work of art and love and not as a burden.

So I may end up having two blogs in one day. Gardening is my soul, I am the happiest digging and planting. It is here that I solve issues and find peace. OK on a practical side as well, this will help me see I am continually improving and enjoying my ever changing and evolving gardens!

Daffodile Give Away

2010-04-06T20:19:00.003-04:00

My Father loved daffodils. So I see him in every yellow flower I pick. He was a wonderful man who gave to all.... I find my soul every spring by giving

bunches of daffodils to all my special friends.

This is such a special flower....... I just leave them in jars I have collected all year on people's door steps....

Hi I love you!

Welcome Home

2010-04-05T22:03:00.004-04:00

After being gone for over 10 days, we were amazed by how much Spring had sprung! All the flowers were coming on in their glorious,yellow's blues and purples!

As we pulled into the driveway weary from a long plane trip..an intoxicating scent filled the air. The Saucer Magnolias were blooming. Suddenly, I was thrilled to be back in Kentucky!

I have two of these fragile "perfumed beauties". Fragile because of the timing of when they open up. Often we will be hit with a frost and in that instant they are gone. But not this year.

Definetly these two trees have suffered with last year's ice storms but they have proved their worth for the Spring of 2010.

Now dearly a week since our return....the blossoms are falling. Drifting through the air like snowflakes and littering the ground with white and pink petals.

I am so thankful that I was home in time to breathe in the aroma and catch the petals as they fell. One of the many joys of Spring!

Emerging into Spring

2010-03-18T17:41:00.003-04:00

Today the sun is shining, the birds are singing and we are getting ready to go on a Kirts Family Spring Trip. All my favorite things. Family,flowers,and fun.

I was talking to a new friend today and she asked me my favorite time in the garden...that is a hard one for me, but as I walked around the garden today, I knew the answer. It has got to be Spring. The emergence of green shoots, after a long dark winter gives me a high better than a glass of Chardonnay. I will be gone a week, but I will be so excited to get back and see what is coming up. How can anyone not love gardening...it is a rebirth for me every spring.

I love SPRING!!!

Applesauce..one last tribute!

2010-03-15T19:12:00.006-04:00

One last tribute to my Dad! My father traveled and worked long hours when I was young, so any time with him was cherished. We had several large apple trees in the back yard, the job of all 6 kids was to pick up the apples and help Dad make applesauce. I loved it. So today I made an updated version.

Using the same equipment Dad and I used, I made my version of Applesauce. I loved it when Dad and I made it because we added Red Hots and lots of sugar! My job was to push the cooked apples down and around. Well, my version uses cranberries and agave nectar, I loved pushing my version down and around in the same equipment Dad and I used. My Applesauce is great....Dad would be proud.

I Remember...

2010-03-14T21:21:00.002-04:00

Today I drove up to visit my 91 year old young MOM. We had breakfast at "Bob Evans", hung out at "Wal Mart" a while then I drove home. It was the 2 year anniversary of my Father's Memorial Service. My Father was so grand...but the thing is he loved the Spring Daffodils. In his life time he planted thousands. Dad would write in a notebook every spring when the first daffodil bloomed. Two Years ago they were blooming today, but not this year,so I picked the tallest blooms and brought them into the house and then took them up to my Mom today. They opened up tonight. We love you so much Dad.... God Bless you!

Friendship

2010-03-13T10:57:00.007-05:00

On Valentine's Weekend, my dear Supper Club Friends came to town! We had a grand weekend which included visiting some sights on the Bourbon Trail, Lunch at Talbot's Tavern in Bardstown, and some hanging out fun!!

We also had a wonderful adventure cooking our hubbies a tasty Valentine Meal. All of us have been married over 30 years, it was a fun celebration. I had decorated with Roses and Hearts and we cooked up a storm. Marge who is a great shopper with a zest for life surpassed by few,had purchased all of us Pink Hearts for the occasion.

A week or so later, I received this Thank You Poem in the mail. It made my day. Thank you Marge for being you and being my friend for over 30 years!

The Weekend

Just the other day I was shopping
through the mall,
moving as if underwater from store to store,
from kiosk to kiosk,
when I found myself in the valentine section
where my eyes fell upon a chain with a pink plastic heart.

No gift card for any amount
could send one into this thrill-
a thrill where I darted quickly
through the bright shopping center
stretching to reach and then grabbing
the heart, a gift for my friend Becky.

I had never seen anyone use this kind of heart,
or wear this kind of heart,
but that did not keep me from thinking
over and over again and again
until I decided to buy
the pink plastic heart for my friend Becky

She gave me food and wine from her counter,
and I gave her a pink plastic heart.
She provided me with a bed to sleep upon,
a tour of the Bourbon Trail,
games to play and music to hear
and then led me out into the airy light

and taught me how to cook and laugh,
and I,in turn presented her with a pink plastic heart.
Here are several meals, she said
and here are the recipes and directions.
and here is your pink plastic heart, I replied,
which I purchased all on my own.

Here is a well fed body and a smiling face,
rested, relaxed and grateful,
and 4 or 5 new recipes to live on, she said
and here, I said, is the pink plastic heart I found for you at the mall.
And here, I wish to say to her now,
is a smaller gift---not the worn truth
that you can never repay a true friend,
but the honest admission that when Becky took
the pink plastic heart and wore it all weekend,
I was sure as a friend could be
that this useless, worthless thing I gave her
would be enough.

Joel Salatin Talk

2010-03-13T05:42:00.003-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxTfQpv8xGA

Friday evening my Husband and I attended a talk presented by the Community Farm Alliance. The presenter was Joel Salatin. His approach to Farming is amazing! I am not a farmer, but would love to attempt some chickens. Please watch the attached video! He has incredible insight...we should all be stewards of the land. Cleaning Farming ..the way nature attended.

Black Pussy Willow

2010-03-11T13:51:00.005-05:00

As a small child my Mother and I would watch the Pussy Willow's and when the small fuzzy catkins appeared, we would pick a bunch, and I would root the limbs and play with my fuzzy friends.

Flash forward many years....Mom and I were wandering through a large nursery near where my Father was in a Nursing Home, we came upon a Black Pussy Willow. (Salix gracilistyla 'Melanostachys').

It was a must have for my garden. Now I delight every early Spring in the fuzzy catkins that appear. I always clip branches and root them to pass out to my friends. My bush is now a tree, as it is in a moist area with full sun, it has grown with vigor.

Yesterday, as I clipped the limbs, it made me smile and remember happy childhood memories.

BOGIE

2010-03-08T20:19:00.004-05:00

BOGIE IS BACK!

Bogie is the only cat we have ever paid money for...the rest just appeared or were dropped in to our lives, anyway 15 years ago we bought Bogie for Kalee, our daughter. We were moving into an old house a "friend " of Kalee's told her the house was haunted. But I had told Kalee that cats and dogs would not go into a haunted room, so we got Bogie for security.

Kalee and Bogie have had a love/hate relationship but push forward 15 years ...Kalee's suitor came to ask her father for Kalee's hand in marriage, her father's response was only if Bogie is part of the deal. They have now been married for almost 4 years and Bogie is still a part of the picture :).

First on the block..

2010-03-08T19:04:00.002-05:00

Ok... I just have to be the first on the block to put flowers out.... Maybe because I love Pansy's...I am a Theta and they are our flower, or maybe because my Mom and daughter were Tri Delta's and that is their flower or maybe it is the colors that open up and smile to us first thing in the Spring!

It makes me so happy!

First Blooms

2010-03-06T06:59:00.003-05:00

Here are the first blooms from my gardens, clearly Spring is on the way.

Spring into Action !

2010-03-04T17:00:00.005-05:00

There is a house on Main Street in Shelbyville that is my first signal that Spring is coming!!! The entire front yard of this aging white brick home erupts into a mass of purple crocus with the first burst of warm spring air. Well, today was the day! March 4th, 2010.

I love what sunshine does to everyone...people were out walking and smiling, dogs were prancing, cats dancing, birds singing and I was raking!!

My emerging daffodils are pushing hard to break through the blanket of leaves, so I must help them. Tired and sore from the labor, I will go to sleep smiling....the daffodils will soon show their yellow faces. Spring is coming.

Roasted Carrots, Feta and Parsley

2010-02-26T15:05:00.003-05:00

While walking Tasha last night, I spotted the first young sprigs of parsley emerging from the frozen ground. I got so excited I promptly picked it.

Once inside, I looked at my semi- bare fridge(Friday is the designated grocery day) and spotted

a large bag of carrots. I remembered a recipe from an addition of my "Clean Eating Magazine" for Roasted Carrots.

So I tried it and wow it was so good that I am making it again tonight for my daughter and son-in-law. Never underestimate the power of fresh parsley!

Hurry up spring..I need more fresh herbs!.

Inspired by the Warmth and Sun...

2010-02-23T17:01:00.005-05:00

Sunday was easily 60 Degrees! The sun was shining and the melting snow showed bright green patches of hope!!!

When we purchased this house over 16 years ago, I had so many plans the 60 different varieties of trees, multiple fruit trees, asparagus patch, raspberry patch, gooseberry patch, kiwi vines,fig trees , filled me with so many projects and hopes.

But life just gets in the way....

But now, I am on a roll, first the raspberry patch then who knows. This is actually a very long patch of Everbearing Raspberries and Thornless Blackberries woven in between with multiple varities of Daffodils. Peach Trees secure each end and an asparagus patch and Concord Grapevines outline the back side.

Currently scrub trees have taken over my patches...but we are on a mission. It looks like the weather will cooperate, I have the best workers food can buy, and the dreams of fresh fruit all summer long.

Results to be posted next week! Wish us luck.

Side Note on Visit !!

2010-02-07T12:23:00.005-05:00

Friday AM, my daughter was caring for her two dogs and packing to come to Kentucky. Well, as dogs do, a spat between these two beautiful babies over which food bowl belonged to which dog, resulted in an emergency trip to the Vet.

Maybelle ended up losing her eye. She has very shallow eye sockets and Pepper's swat was dead on center. Fortunately, the Vet is only minutes away and as luck had it the Surgeon was in the house.

The journey to Kentucky was shorter and sadder, but Maybelle is doing great, only now she has a great new theme for Halloween!

It is ironic, because my wonderful daughter had just two months ago rescued a dog that only had one eye. We all fell in love with Coco! So perhaps this was God's way of preparing us for this new phase of Maybelle's life. One-eyed Maybelle will be even more of a Diva!!! I have no doubt she will continue to rule the roost!

Coming Home

2010-02-04T17:52:00.004-05:00

There is nothing better than my Baby Girl coming home for the weekend. She is my Best Friend and her great husband adds so much love to our time together. She will bring with her, "my grand dogs and cat" , that certainly will add an element of excitement to my already animal laden house.

So let the fun begin, we are predicted to have a bunch of snow...I don't know if King Charles Cavalier Spaniels from Georgia can handle snow...we will see!!

GOOD TIMES!!

WINTER WEATHER and SNOW ANGELS

2010-02-02T03:52:00.008-05:00

The last week has been a mix of winter's worst wrath. I am so ready for SPRING!

However, Saturday morning I awoke to find the ground covered with a beautiful white blanket of snow. The ugly gray skies were replaced with magnificant sunshine, that made my yard look like a glistening cushion of clouds.

As I do first thing every morning, I took my big old dog out for a walk. Tasha, who is a Tibetan Mastiff loves the snow. Just like a child, she finds a perfect spot rolls down to her back and methodically wiggles back and forth. It remains me of all the times, as kids, we would follow the same procedure and make "snow angels". She will continue to sprawl her 12 year old body in the snow for several minutes, then slowly push herself back up onto all fours. Once in the proper erect position she will shake with joy and send snow flakes all around. Often times, she will go down into the snow over and over again.

As we lumber back to the house, I notice the brilliant red cardinals. They are all about in the trees and on the ground, jockeying for their turns at the newly filled bird feeders. They are an amazing contrast with white..almost like a Christmas Light Bulb dancing in the snow.

So maybe just for a while, this winter wonderland is OK!

The Shoe Project

2010-01-23T23:01:00.008-05:00

I love the fact that my daughter cares so much...she rescues any dog in trouble, she would do anything for any animal in need. Perfect example- Coco the One Eyed Wonder, now in a fantastic home because of Kalee. Thank you Pam and Tommy!!!

Currently, she is in the process of getting her Masters degree and Teaching Certificate. As a teaching moment she patterned a program for her first graders about the power of donating our resources- in this case, old shoes. She based her lesson on the book, "Running Shoes" by Frederick Lipp, which can be found here.

She developed a lesson for her class about donating and global giving. Then, she engaged the entire school in the shoe drive with the Beta kids doing the counting and tracking, the REACH students making posters and the 1st graders leading the charge by discussing the project on the school's morning new channel, GNN (the Gator News Network). All told, she collected a grand total of over 1,500 pairs of shoes!!! I am here in Georgia to rent a U Haul and help her take them to the Warehouse that will distribute the shoes to kids across the country and all of the world, most likely the shoes will go to Haiti. Gosh, it was fun tying them to gather and bagging them up. The organization that she is donating them to is Soles 4 Souls.

Her father is coming tomorrow to pull the U-Haul down to deliver the shoes... we are so proud of our Kalee.

I will post pictures tomorrow. This has been so much fun and so very rewarding.

Villa Rica ...while visiting my daughter

2010-01-23T22:00:00.007-05:00

If you are ever in Villa Rica, please go eat at the "Blue Brick". It is amazing!! When we arrived without a reservation, it was totally packed but they made room for us at the bar. The food was amazing. For an appetizer, we had pommes de terre. They were so great. Thinly grated potatoes where deep fried with parsley, garlic, sea salt and love. Oh my gosh they were to die for....

Then I had a wonderful feta/spinach/herb quiche. It was so smooth and cooked to perfection. My son in law had the Frog Legs. They were covered in parsley and garlic butter. He loved them and my vegetarian daughter even sampled and agreed.

The next course for me was Roasted Vegetables. Wow...parsnip mashed potatoes/ broccoli with garlic and butter, asparagus, lentils, and kidney beans all accented with a pineapple salsa.

I have to say this was one of the best meals I have had in Georgia!!! Who would have ever thought. This great place is owned by a couple, the Chef is from France and his wife is from the South. The Best of Two Worlds...Southern Hospitality and fantastic French Cooking in Villa Rica Georgia...

http://www.bluebrickfrenchrestaurant.com/about.html

Sage still fresh!!

2010-01-19T19:55:00.005-05:00

Sometimes during the week , my husband heads to our other offices, so I am left to fend for myself. As I came into the back door I noticed I still had fresh sage. I had the makings for the perfect recipe for me without my husband ( he is a meat eater!!). This was great for me and will be fantastic for tomorrow's lunch!

Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Mushroom and Sage Sauce

1 16 oz package whole wheat gnocchi
2 tablespoons butter( I did use more)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
12 ounces fresh mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1/2 cup diced shallots
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook gnocchi according to package directions and drain. Cook butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until the butter begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and shallots and saute until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add stock and sage, simmer until
liquid is slightly reduced, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add hot gnocchi to sauce in skillet and toss to coat. Serve with cheese sprinkled over the top.

Milk Punch for Christmas

2010-01-16T20:22:00.004-05:00

Almost three years ago, our daughter married a great young man from Atlanta.We have learned much about the "South" since this union, it has been great fun.

We had the two of them here for a Christmas Celebration this year and they brought with them the magazine "Garden and Gun". I was looking for a Traditional Christmas Punch, but I do not like Eggnog due to the raw eggs, but as luck as it we came across an article about Martha Foose's Milk Punch.

Being good Kentuckians we love Bourbon so we gave this punch a try! Well, it was wonderful and lightened up the cooking and celebration greatly! We all highly recommend this festive drink.

Thanks Martha Foose.

Matha Foose's Milk Punch
(serves 1)
1 1/2 ounces good bourbon or brandy
2 ounces half and half
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
drop of vanilla extract
Ice cubes
Freshly grated nutmeg

Combine the bourbon, half and half, sugar, and vanilla in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake thoroughly until the mixture is cold and frothy. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with a grating of nutmeg.

I actually had my son in law make this in batches and put it in my Mother's antique punch bowl. We served it in the bright red fosteria glasses that I saved from my Mom's yard sale pile.
It was so festive. I think this will be a Christmas Tradition in our house.

**Recipe from "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea"

Some Sage Advice

2010-01-14T21:13:00.002-05:00

I loved cooking for two Christmas Celebrations.... but the best thing of all was that we still had fresh herbs in the garden. I made this appetizer with sage that was so popular! I used the regular garden sage, the size of the leaf was perfect!

Apricot Bites

Take a large dried apricot, place a small age leaf on it and wrap the apricot and sage leaf with a strip of bacon. Place this on a baking sheet and cook for about 12 minutes or until the bacon is crispy.

Serve immediately!

Anniversary Trip

2010-01-09T16:56:00.006-05:00

For our 35th Wedding Anniversary and my husband's 58th birthday,I planned a mystery trip for him. He had no idea where we were going. It was great fun. We ended up on the Island of Eleuthera, one of the outer Islands of the Bahamas. Well..it was amazing. The beaches were the best I have ever seen and I found conchs. I have been searching for this shell for years and I found them on the beach on my Mom's 91st Birthday! More to come on this trip but for now here is the recipe of the fruits of our labors!! My husband loved this salad.

BAHAMIAN STYLE CONCH SALAD

1 (2 lb.) conch meat
15 limes, squeezed
1 large tomato, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 celery stalk, diced
1 large onion, chopped
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper

The best conchs are those that have been frozen in salt water.

Squeeze limes and defrost the cleaned conch meat in the lime juice.

Combine all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Add them to the lime juice.

Chop the conchs into 1/2 inch cubes. It's easier to do this while they are still partially frozen.

Return the conchs to the lime mixture and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Taste and add salt and pepper and cayenne pepper, if needed. 1-2 hot peppers is usually enough.

Time Out

2010-01-09T16:45:00.003-05:00

So sorry I have not blogged for a month!!! It has been wild but so much to blog about!! I am back and more committed as ever! I may work backwards on the last month!