Time to get ready for seed starting

Even though we are just getting over another "Snowmageddon," spring really is just around the corner. That means it's time to gather your potting supplies, seeds, and tools and start those seeds.

For starting seeds you really do need plenty of seed starting mix. That is probably one of the most important things. People disagree about what kind of mix is needed, and I will be going into that, but it is probably more important to keep seeds warm and moist. At least that is what I have found has added greatly to my seed starting success.

I have seed starting mats that keep my seeds and potting mix warm, but not hot, and I like to have a cover over my seed starting trays that holds in the moisture. I usually purchase the heat mats online but the trays and other supplies I can get at the discount, hardware, or seed stores.

Right now is the time to start scouting for what you need. I love stopping in my local "Dollar store" to see what they have. I found a very small section of potting mix, pots and gloves the other day. The gloves I was really happy to get because they have a plastic coating on them. I've never seen that before at these places. It won't be long until the supplies keep growing there but I can tell it will be a big year for gardening since there are so many supplies being sold so early.

Also, clean your existing pots. Some people use a weak bleach solution but Simple Green is very good for washing pots and it won't ruin your clothes. Sometimes we use strong solutions when we really could get away with using something more natural.

Give your tools a good cleaning, too. After washing them off, clean them with alcohol and then you will be ready when planting time is here.

Squa-ghetti

 Since we have been on a low-carb kick we just can't get enough Squa-ghetti -- our name for substituting spaghetti squash for wheat or rice spaghetti noodles.

The interesting thing is, we are beginning to enjoy eating the squash better than the pasta. We really LOVE it. The squash has this flavor that goes perfectly with marinara meat sauce topped with a bit of Parmesan cheese. We have tried it with ground beef, turkey and just sauce, and there isn't any way we dislike it.

We don't however, like cutting the squash up before cooking it. It is kind of a hard squash until it's fully cooked and cutting it in half and taking out the seeds is almost dangerous. I have come very close to having an accident requiring stitches. The good thing is that we saw this tip online, tried it and it has just made cooking spaghetti squash SO easy. We just prick it with a fork, stick it, uncovered in a 350 degree oven and it's done to perfection in an hour. If you have a really big squash, add 15 to 30 minutes. You can't go wrong.

Then all you have to do is carefully cut the hot squash in half, scoop out the seeds and pour on the sauce and you have a really great meal. It even makes it's own little bowl!

I like to mix it up a bit. Eat some salad.

And I feel like I just had one wonderful, filling, healthy, low-carb meal. I am so full and so happy.

Back to my favorite--smoothies

 Every year about this time I go back to my favorite breakfast--a nice, healthy smoothie. The nice thing about smoothies is that they can be versatile, they're high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and they taste really good. It can be a good way to get your daily allowance of fruits and veggies without having to peel, chop, or dice and that is not something I want to do early in the morning.

My favorite includes an orange, apple, banana, carrots, kale, frozen blueberries, and a few frozen strawberries. Everything gets ground and blended in my Vitamix blender and breakfast is done. I can sip it leisurely or take it with me. The only negative is that it can be really messy, and if you don't wash the glass out immediately, you may have to soak it.

I also like to add some herbs at times. If you feel like you are coming down with a cold, add echinachea (from a tea bag or capsule), and cinnamon, or other herbs that help with cold symptoms.

You can always make your favorite smoothie with tropical fruits like mangoes, pineapple, and add a healthy dose of ginger.

Lately, ginger and cinnamon have been credited with helping to lower high blood pressure and blending them into this healthy treat is a great way to get more of these spices.

It's also a refreshing way to cool down after exercise, so get out your blender and blend up some healthy potions. It will be more like a treat than a healthy meal.

Gluten-free Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Most families have one special treat you associate with special family nights. Ours was always my recipe for sour cream coffee cake. We sometimes made it for movie night and sometimes for company. It was really a special treat for our family. We served it warm with coffee or hot tea and some of us fought for the center pieces because they were a little more gooey than the outside pieces. We were really onto gooey.

Tonight, the National Championship FCS Bowl game would be a very good time to make this treat and that is why I am sharing.

I do have a gluten-free version that is just as good and almost as gooey as the wheat version. I have even taken some of the sugar out of this version so it is a little better for you. One caution. Don't equate gluten-free with healthy. This is about the same as a non-gluten free dessert in the healthwise department. The only thing that makes it a little better is that there is that wheat is now engineered to provide more gluten to make it "better" when baking. The problem is that more and more people are finding the "new and improved" varieties are causing more allergies and stomach issues. That is why making a gluten-free version is a good alternative whenever possible.

Here is my not so good for you but gluten-free version of Sour Cream Coffee Cake.

Enjoy!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

The wheat version of this coffee cake was a huge family favorite, and it is the most requested recipe we have. The gluten-free version took a couple of tries, but when it was right it was really right. What does it taste like? It’s kind of like mixing cinnamon rolls and sweet muffins. This recipe includes a batter, a filler, and a glaze, and it is admittedly not our most healthy recipe. You’re going to love it!
Filling
1/4 cup sweet (glutinous) rice flour
1/4 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened

Combine sweet (glutinous) rice flour, sorghum flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender. Mix well and set aside until the batter is complete.

Batter
1 cup potato starch
3/4 cup sweet (glutinous) rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup corn starch
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine potato starch, sweet (glutinous) rice flour, sorghum flour, corn starch, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a wire whisk. In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, eggs, and butter and beat until well combined. Add sour cream and vanilla, then pour in the flour mixture and combine well. To 1/4 cup water, add the xanthan gum and stir. Add the xanthan gum and water to the batter and stir well. This mixture doesn’t need too much beating. Hand mixing works well with this recipe.

Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch pan or baking dish. Using a spoonful of filling at a time, top the batter with the filling. The filling will sink into the cake, and it is better if filling is formed into at least teaspoon-sized pieces and placed all over the top so that each piece will get some of the filling.
Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until cake is firm on top. Allow cake to cool while mixing the glaze.

Glaze
2 to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
At least 1/4 cup of milk or almond milk

Mix the glaze and pour over the top of the warm coffee cake. Makes 12 servings.

Starting the year with a cold

Today we woke up to cold weather and unfortunately, I also woke up with a cold. All the symptoms of a normal cold. Sneezing, coughing, runny nose, the works.

Instead of waiting until it gets worse and going to the doctor, I am going to try something new. Goldenseal, touted as a natural, mild, antibiotic. It's something I have been using for awhile as an eye wash.

My eyewash formula is Goldenseal in a saline solution (an equal mix of 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp baking soda dissolved in 2 cup of warm water and a dropper of Goldenseal). Since my problem has been a congested eye that just doesn't want to stay open in the morning, I can say this is a real eye opener--works every time. I have read that it should not be used consistently longer than three weeks.

My daughter has also been adding Goldenseal to her nasal rinses (basically the same mixture as above) and it has helped her to prevent secondary infections that normally are the aftermath of a cold. She has been using it so successfully that I am giving it a try time time for my cold.

I originally bought organic Alvita tea and brewed it. (1 tea bag, 1 cup hot water, let it steep at least 15 to 30 minutes) The cooled tea brew is a great eye wash without any saline. It can also be used as a gargle, plus I have just downed the tea, but I will tell you, it really is a bitter brew. The tea recommends using it for digestive health, though I have not tried it for that.

 

I have plans to order some rhizomes to plant in the woody area behind my house. I would love to harvest Goldenseal and dry it to make my own tea. This is an eventual goal, because in addition to it being hard to grow, it is also in danger of becoming extinct.

Until then, I will use the tea and the drops I have purchased, and I am so glad I have them. This is the worst-smelling herb I have ever raved about.

Should everyone try it? Probably not. If you have any major health issue, consult with your doctor before trying it and don't be surprised if the doctor might not be a fan of this (or any) herbal remedy. 

Thankfully, I am in good health and I am enjoying the benefits of Goldenseal even if the taste reminds me of old gym socks.

HAPPY 2016! May you eat plenty of collards.

Every year we walk around on New Year's Day saying things like, "I just can't believe another year has passed." We should be a little more positive by saying this: It's the best day of the year to cook one of our favorite foods which, by the way is COLLARDS.

Not only do we eat collards, but we grow them especially to serve them on New Year's Day. We usually start in August, by planting and caring for them until there is a nice frost. Then it is time to harvest and serve them along with black-eyed peas, spicy Mexican cornbread and other New Year's Day dishes. It's an honored family tradition to eat them and we honestly LOVE them, unlike so many who turn up their noses at the thought of these delicious greens. And I'm not just talking about the cooking smell!

That means if we invite you to dinner on New Year's Day, you WILL be served other things, but collards will be the number one item on the menu and we really won't understand how you could not love them as we do.

After that, we will have collards, maybe even collards large enough to fill my SUV, and they will be good and good for you, but they won't be New Year's Day collards so they won't be as important as they are on this first day of the year! We will also add them to soups and smoothies and even saute them in stir frys but no other dish can compare to collards on New Year's Day.

As you might have noticed, I haven't been blogging for some time but I have decided to start again this year and will focus on gardening, recipes and ideas for those with allergies, healing herbs, and herbal remedies.

I wish you all a very happy New Year's Day. I hope your new year is prosperous, you are in health, you have the opportunity to eat collards like my family, and you will enjoy them as much as we do!

Thank God for Pinterest!

My daughter texted these photos of her last-minute Valentine's Day cards on her phone last night. She rushed to the store for last minute Valentines which she had forgotten early in the week. She meant to get some items earlier, but as all modern-day Moms know, sometimes you just get busy and things slip by.

That is where Pinterest comes in. She found these Pinterest cards to download and print on her home printer and they were perfect for her boys to take to school this morning for Valentine's Day.

I must admit, Valentine's Day was much simpler in the past when all you had to do was grab a little package of cards at the grocery store or pick up some heart-shaped candies. Sometimes we even made cookies to take to school.

That is not an option anymore with all the diet and other restrictions. Only store-bought and approved school items are allowed.

That is why most of the suggested items are pencils and bagged candies.

I thought my daughter did such a great job and had this done in no time.

Her text in all caps, THANK GOD FOR PINTEREST!

I agree.

Sausage and cabbage a low-carb treat

A couple of weeks ago I saw this recipe for kielbasa and cabbage on Pinterest. The photo above, is the original recipe for Kielbasa and Cabbage from Very Culinary. I showed my husband and we cooked it the very next day. I didn't follow their recipe. I just used kielbasa and cabbage. Those two ingredient and nothing else. I thought the kielbasa would have plenty of salt, fat, and flavor. I was right. It was very good.

My husband thought it had a little too much flavor for him and we made it again this week with smoked sausage. It was milder and still was packed with flavor. Above is the photo found via Pinterest on thevindicator.com from an October recipe. Their recipe uses smoked sausage and my finished dish looked a little more like this. This recipe is a more spiced up version using a number of ingredients, and I'm sure it is really good. I just again used the sausage and cabbage. No other ingredients at all in just one pan. Easy, quick, tasty.

My house did smell a bit like cabbage but the sausage elevated the aroma and it really did smell great.

It also was gluten-free and low in carbs, which is exactly what I need to get past the weight I gained over the holidays.

Seed-swaping

There are many things a gardener can do at this time each year, besides sitting by the fire dreaming of spring. I'm not knocking sitting by the fire--or dreaming of spring, but with the heirloom seed craze spreading throughout the gardening world, a seed swap seems like a grand idea.

I actually went to a seed swap last week at the meeting of our local Down to Earth Organic Gardening Club. As I expected, I swapped my seeds--many of them heirloom tomatoes with my fellow gardeners for other heirloom seeds of several varieties.

I just had to have these High Mowing Sacred Basil seeds. After a bit of research, I found that these seeds are from the High Mowing Seed Company. They have large leaves and were evidently worshipped at one time. While I clearly am not going to worship my basil, I do find basil a delightful herb to use when cooking. It's my favorite herb, in fact. So far I have loved Genovese basil but I think there is room in my herb cabinet for Sacred Basil.

I also picked up some brown cotton seeds. The grower said you can just plant them without removing the cotton and yes, this looks dirty but it grows this color. They grow it to attract bees and I think I would like to attract bees, too. It is worth a try.

Lettuce. There is nothing like fresh lettuce picked from the garden an used straight-away in a big wonderful salad. Red lettuce if my favorite and I enjoy trying this variety, then saving the seeds for even more lettuce during the year.

I know I will enjoy the Bok Choy but what really caught my eye was running okra. I have never seen okra growing on a vine. I will certainly try it because we just can't grow enough okra in my family!

I was happy to come home with these Seminole squash, also called Seminole pumpkin. These pumpkins are featured in Baker's Heirloom Seeds. They are supposed to be very good with a deep colored flesh and they are supposed to be resistant to many bugs. I love winter squash and pumpkins so I think this will be a great variety of squash to try. It originated in the everglades and I think that is interesting. It might just love our hot, humid summers. It's an heirloom so I know I need to separate it from my other squash so that next year my Seminoles won't exhibit strange growing behaviors.

The only heirloom tomatoes I found were these Stump of the World Pink Heirloom tomatoes. They are supposed to be large pink heirlooms and good slicers. They shouldn't grow as large as Brandywines.

The last one is Tatsoi, Brassica narinosa or Brassica rapa var. rosularis. I love Bok Choy and this is a mini Bok Choy. I think it will be a pretty salad green.

I do have a huge pile of seeds, new and leftover and right now I am dreaming of seed starting. It's that time again!!

Blooms in winter and all year round

I once knew a man who would go out for a walk every morning and returned with a flower for his wife he found along his way, presenting it to her after she woke. He said that there is something blooming almost the whole year through, if you take the time to look.

One day he looked everywhere but couldn't find a bloom anywhere. After his walk, he created a small, simple flower using crayon, paper, and scissor, then presented it to her when she woke. He said that of all the flowers he brought her, this was her favorite and it was still fastened to her bedside lampshade. It is a beautiful story and according to his wife it is a true one.

I was very impressed by this story and often think that there is often a bloom out there if we take the time to look for it.

With this in mind, I was visiting my Mother the other day and as I was about to leave, she suggested I go out and pick some Camellias from her tree beside her house to make a nice bouquet for New Year's Day. As I approached the tree I saw just how beautiful they were. I quickly picked a bunch for myself and for my mother and dressed up her sitting room and my New Year's Eve and Day table with beautiful blossoms.

They are so lovely that I decided that propagating one for my yard from her bush was a MUST.

Though I don't think I will ever have anyone bringing me flowers each day, I will work hard to fill my yard outside with flowers, plants, and shrubs that can bloom all year round so I will have something to grace my table and entryway, maybe not as lovely as these camellias and maybe not every day, but as often as possible. That is my New Year's goal.

Baking for Santa--and my family

The past few days I have been baking to get a jump on the holidays and I am having a bit of trouble keeping sneaky fingers out of the cookie jar. The goal is to cook early and freeze items to have in a couple of weeks.

I started with cookies and made some to eat and some to freeze. That went pretty well but I only was able to freeze about half of them. Then I moved on to cinnamon rolls. I baked some for the freezer and some for our new neighbors. It was a great thought, but the neighbors weren't at home and we wound up giving some to family members and then the rest of them are almost gone. Not a great start.

I know it CAN be done since my Mother did it every Christmas when we were growing up. At Christmas, an abundant supply of cookies, candies, and cakes did seem to magically appear. This was because Mother had been baking and stashing them away in the freezer and refrigerator while we were at school. We did bake a few things, but most things she prepared when we were unaware of her incredible baking that was going on while we were away. We didn't really get to sample items made for Christmas. I now think this was probably by design to make sure she didn't have to bake perpetually from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve.

Starting tomorrow, I will just have to have to take a firm stand with the goodies I am preparing. Rather than sharing them, I will have to slap away the hands from the cooling rack where the cookies are waiting to be packaged and frozen. I will say in my best "food Nazi" tone-- "No cookies for you!" before I stash them away in plastic and store them in the freezer for the next week or two.

My family will be glad I did, especially with the gluten-free cookies I am baking. There are times I realize my Mother had some cunningly ingenious ideas.

What can I get for a dollar?

A couple of days ago I went to the Dollar Store. I must admit it is one of my favorite places. Every year about this time I go there to get some cute items that include Christmas bags, a few ornaments and paper goods, Christmas cards, and to see what else they might offer. 

This year we have a new, local store that is laid out very effectively. They keep their seasonal items mostly up front and then have seasonal items in aisle displays, which keep you moving throughout the store. The exciting thing is that every item is just a dollar. Though some of the items can be cheaply made, many of the items are surprisingly nice and that is why I love shopping there.

I found some very nice bows, 3 for $1, that look really nice on my packages.

I often buy candy canes but since I could only find yellow and blue ones, I opted for these plastic ones that came in a package of 6--also $1.

I had never seen these doves before. I always have a few cardinals but the doves give the right message. Of course the cost is $1.

I also like to add some silk poinsettias to my tree and these were in bunches of five. I don't know if they are a better value than those at the craft store and were a bit small but I was there, so I picked up a few and had 15 little ornaments for my tree.

I also purchased Christmas cards which are a major bargain. Each package of 15 or more are just $1 and a package of money holders, $1 for 8.

I do realize that most things sold there are made in China but that is true for most discount stores. I don't usually buy foods there, though they do stock packaged and frozen foods. My problem with the food is that there is less in each package than in the grocery stores. It might pay you to shop there if you figured out the price per item, but I think some items were about the same a grocery prices and I have concerns about the freshness.

Good items to buy: Reading glasses, table covers and party supplies, small cheap toys and puzzles, buckets, cleaning supplies and tools, foil cooking pans, cooking utensils, sometimes craft items, little baskets for giveaways, inexpensive Christmas stockings and cute stocking stuffers.

Go there. I think you will like it.

Smoothies--a holiday indulgence

Around this time of year I try very hard to eat a little better so that I don't have to lose quite so much weight in the New Year. It is a constant struggle but the thing is making choices that are healthy.

One of the choices we make is to exercise and then have a green smoothie instead of breakfast. Below is one of our favorite recipes.

Does it help? I can't really say. I usually lose focus a couple of times during the holiday season but it makes me feel better to at least try. The smoothies are good, too--so good we are talking about making it a habit year-round. We think of it as an indulgence that tastes good and is good for us, too.

Veggie–Berry Smoothie 

This is our favorite smoothie recipe. It has a little bit of everything and is very tasty. 

1/2 banana 1/2 apple, cored 1/2 orange, remove orange outer peel by thinly peeling, leaving the white pith and the seeds 1 cup raw kale 1/2 carrot 1/4 cup frozen blueberries 3 to 4 frozen strawberries 4 ice cubes 1/2 cup water Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender. Use the tamper tool to push down ingredients into the blade. Blend until smooth and pour into a glass using a silicone spatula. You will need to use a straw with this smoothie to get all of the nutritious and yummy goodness from the bottom of the glass.

Turkey Casserole with Cheesy Biscuit Topping

Our family had such a nice Thanksgiving but, I am one of those cooks who probably overestimated how much my family would need on Thanksgiving, and the day after, and the next day, and ...

You get the idea! I had too many leftovers.

We were all a bit tired of heating up leftovers with food that was way too heavy. I decided to make a casserole that was a bit lighter with my leftovers, plus it needed to be gluten-free. I had seen those casseroles for leftover turkey with cheese biscuits cooked on top and I decided I could make a good gf version that could be a crowd pleaser, if I used that model.

The leftovers I wanted to incorporate: turkey, gravy, cream-style corn. The things I decided to add: chopped carrots, celery, onions, parsley and of course some lower-fat cheese biscuits for the topping.

And the result was a great casserole that smelled delicious and one that everyone really enjoyed. It was kind of like we had it for the first time rather than a recycled meal.

I even had enough to share with my Mom. We made it a Happy after Thanksgiving Non Warmed-Over Casserole that lifted our spirits. You ought to try it.

Here's my recipe. Mine is gluten-free. Of course this would be good if self-rising wheat flour were used, too,

Turkey Casserole with Cheesy Biscuit Topping
(Gluten-Free)

4-5 cups pre-cooked chopped turkey
3 small carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 onion (about 1/4 cup), chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 to 1/2 cups creamed corn
1-1/2 cup gravy (or substitute 1 can of broth with 1 tablespoon corn starch stirred in)
Biscuit topping (recipe below)

In a large greased casserole dish layer turkey, carrots, celery, onion, and parsley. Mix together the corn and gravy (or broth mixture) and pour over the top of the ingredients in the casserole dish. Top with Biscuit Topping and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until topping is nice and browned. To serve: dish out biscuit and turn over, then spoon filling over the top of the biscuit.

Biscuit Topping
1/2 cup sweet (glutinous) rice flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1-1/4 cups buttermilk (more if needed)

 Mix together rice flour, sorghum flour, potato starch, cornstarch, baking powder, xanthan gum, and garlic salt. Mix in small pieces of butter with a pastry knife. Mix in cheese. Pour buttermilk into mixture and stir until well mixed. Mixture will be thinner than regular biscuit batter. Spoon on top of the Turkey Casserole and bake as directed.

A few easy changes can make cheesecake gluten-free

A few weeks ago I made a very tasty cheesecake that was completely gluten-free.

You might never have considered it, but cheesecake can easily be a special dessert for a person who can't eat gluten--with a few adjustments, that is.

My "foolproof" recipe--the one that doesn't crack and looks pretty calls for 1/4 cup of wheat flour for which I substitute cornstarch. It firms up the cake and makes it much more stable, avoiding those unsightly cracks that can ruin a cheesecake.

For the crust, use gluten-free graham crackers, if you can find them. Another good choice would be crumbling gluten-free cookies and adding about a quarter cup of almond mill and a couple of tablespoons of butter, then bake it.

For my crust, I made some gluten-free vanilla cookes and added crushed almonds and pecans and the butter. It was nice to have a fancy cake that wasn't hard to make at all. With the holiday season almost here, this is a good choice for a very tasty gluten-free alternative that doesn't feel like an alternative.

Making my own tea

Some time ago I purchased my own tea plant, Camellia sinensis from Southern Roots Nursery. I planted my plant with as much care as I knew how, and just before the first frost I made my own cup of tea! I didn't want to waste the handful of small shoots my tree had put out and, of course I was curious. I wondered if my little camellia bush would produce tea.

I don't have any cookbooks that feature recipes on tea growing but I did find some internet guides. Many may realize that tea doesn't come from the tea tree (melaleuca), which can be toxic if ingested in large quantities, but can good for the skin. Black, green and white tea are all made from the Camellia sinensis plant using different processes.

I chose to make green tea since black tea has to be fermented and I didn't think I was up to that. I do like green tea and it seemed easier. The process: Snip off the new shoots and microwave until the shoots become "juicy." Roll in cheesecloth until dry and then heat in a dry skillet for several minutes. Squeeze and repeat this two more times or until the leaves become very dry. Then you have tea.

The handful of leaves that I "harvested" only made one very small pot of tea--enough to make about two cups. I thought the flavor was very much like the green tea I have had in the past and I was kind of impressed with the simplicity of it all. I really like my green tea and hope to make more next year.

The Camellia sinensis is not as showy as the beautiful camellia bushes we are familiar with, here in the south. It is kind of small, with slightly smaller leaves and the blooms are single and small. The leaves are deep green and with the same shiny appearance as other camellias. Actually the bush is kind of small. It is filling out a little and is certainly doing well but this variety is not exceptional for it's blossoms.

I do have seeds that I have harvested from my bush and was kind of surprised when I found them because I read they didn't produce seed until the third year. I am hoping to use them to grow more plants to plant in other places in my landscape. Then I can have my own mini-tea plantation.

I will admit I have purchased Camellia sinensis plants before and wasn't able to sprout the seeds. I hope I will have more success from my own seeds.

I think it's a good start and can't wait to have more tea next year. Maybe more than a pot!

My new teapot

This past weekend I hit a few yard sales in my neighborhood and I picked up this wonderful Bodum Assam Teapot. I love teapots, especially French press teapots and I really love this one.

To me there is nothing like a nice cup of strong black tea with cream and sugar and I wasted no time in washing my new pot and brewing a cup. I wasn't sure this pot was ever used. It was in the box and it looked brand new. I will say I would recommend this pot and brewing system to anyone.

The main reason. There were absolutely no dregs in the pot or in my cup. It was an absolutely perfect filtering system, and I will use it over and over. I have never had such an effective filter for a pot. Also, it was perfect timing because I drink more hot tea in the cooler months and this weekend, the weather was kind of dreary and perfect for tea.

The price? I paid $2--the best investment I have made in a while.

Brussels sprouts

My daughter wrote this about Brussels sprouts and I think it was worth repeating:

I love this little vegetable. When I was a kid, I only liked them because they looked like tiny cabbages, but now I love them for their flavor. 

Usually I stir fry them in olive oil with a little onion and sea salt, but recently I saw  the following status posted on Facebook by my cousin, "Lemme tell you - If you've never had roasted Brussels sprouts, you're doing Brussels sprouts a disservice."

He had me at "roasted."

I love roasted veggies!! Maybe it's for the wonderful taste, or maybe it's because all you have to do is stick them in the oven (or maybe it's a combination of taste *and* laziness), but it's my favorite way to cook them.

His instructions were, "cut then in half, then toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 until they blacken."

As you can see, I went with partially blackened because I was worried the kiddos would be put off by them if they were too dark (hey, when your two-year-old eats brussel sprouts, you do what you must not to put him off).

I needn't have bothered. We all stood around the pan picking out the blackest ones. So wait till they all look like this one:

Enjoy!

Tailgating with salads

One of my favorite things about fall is tailgating. The excited atmosphere of a crowd gathered to cheer on its favorite team is the perfect pairing to fun, delicious foods. In order to do something a little different - and maybe a little healthier - my mom came up with the idea of individual taco salad cups. It was a big hit!

They turned out quite pretty in clear, plastic cups with their layers topped with tomatoes and a sprig of cilantro.

We layered brown rice flavored with taco seasoning, black beans, chopped green leaf lettuce, chopped scallions, chopped red pepper, grilled chicken cut into small cubes, shredded cheese (use Daiya cheese to make this dairy-free as well), and the garnish mentioned above.

We also added plenty of sides to add-on. Tortilla chips, chopped avocado, guacamole, chopped jalapenos, salsa, and sour cream.

We also had a corn relish with black beans, onions, and peppers of which I didn't manage a picture (I was quite remiss in my picture-taking. I blame it on pre-game jitters). 

Then for desert we had S'mores bars, and you can find the recipe here.

A Super Fall Plant Sale

It's almost time for fall planting and I can tell you where you can get some top-notch plants that will add the perfect touch to your garden for a fair price, at the perfect planting time.

Just go to the Coweta Extension Greenhouse on Pine Road on Saturday, October 4 and you will find some beautiful trees, shrubs, and plants for your home landscape. These plants have been lovingly planted, watered, and tended by the Coweta Master Gardeners (MGEVs) for this occasion.

Most of the plants have been donated to them by beautiful garden owners all around the county. The Master Gardeners planted them and have lovingly tended them all summer long. I asked one of the tenders how long it takes to water the garden and they said at least three hours. That is true dedication!

I can't begin to list all of the plants that will be available, but they have quite a few Japanese Maples and other nice trees and shrubs. They have both dug plants from gardens and have propagated plants and they will be ready on October 4 to sell you just what you need.

Fall is a great time to plant shrubs, trees and perennials because they will get a great start before cold weather since the rain is usually plentiful at this and their root systems will be well established for winter and spring.

Several great benefits about buying from the MGEVs is that the plants will be very healthy and have been lovingly cared for since being potted. The MGEVs will be able to give you guidance about where in your landscape your new plant should be planted and how to care for your plant. You can also feel good about knowing that the proceeds will go towards scholarships for Coweta graduates.

You can't say any of those things about plants at the big box stores! You will also know that these plants will do well in this area.

I can't wait to get my fall plants. I would LOVE to get a hydrangea. I know they have some but I don't know what kind or how many.

Some advice--get there early. There is usually a line to get in and the best plants (usually the shrubs and trees) will go fast!