Welcome September! Once again we are joining Sherry for In my Kitchen, so I can review what went on in my kitchen, (so, was I really as busy as it felt?) and a little bit about us, along the way. Come and take a peek...
August picked up where July ended, with hot and humid weather, my husband under the weather for another week and a garden to tend to. Now I have to admit, the garden is my hobby, something I have wanted to do for a very long time. Am I skilled in gardening, oh heavens no, I am not. Do I continue on even when I don't know what I am doing, oh for Pete's sake, yes, I do!
But with August the heat is high, and so is the need to water the garden. Sometimes twice a day. I had hoped to get more growing beds built, but as I have heard many times before, Rome wasn't built in a day, and it has been that way with the garden also. But even with no new beds being built, I worked out there everyday. What could I possibly be doing if I wasn't planting, you might be asking?
This garden is 100X40 on the perimeter, each long side took a full roll of fencing wire.
The only spot with no cardboard and chips is right inside the gate. Often the tractor is parked here or the grandson plays in the sand while we work in the garden.
Each day I was laying cardboard and then a thick layer of chipped tree mulch. And for a good reason, this whole property was nothing more than stubborn weeds when we arrive a year ago, and the best way to keep the garden weeds from taking over, is mulch. So the entire garden has had a layer of cardboard laid down with chipped tree mulch over the top. I am usually on the ground arranging the cardboard, and my husband is on the tractor bringing a scoop of mulch. I then rake, rake, rake and we move on to the next spot...I will admit, I am glad this is done, and I love how clean it is! Now we need to make more beds...because the garden will feed the kitchen, and the kitchen feeds us!
In the kitchen with the heat and humidity so high, we ate a lot of outdoor grilled meat, while not using or creating a single new recipe. But I did manage to complete and share five new posts! And update another 15, with better photographs and better dialog...
The New:
How we Make Tepache! Once we realized we could (finger's crossed!) grow our own pineapples here in East Texas, the challenge was on to not only enjoy fresh pineapple, but learn to make Tepache and then root the crown of the fruit for our garden. Tepache making is easy, the crown rooting, not so much. But we do have one planted in the garden at this time! By the way, Tepache, is more than delicious, it is beneficial with mild probiotics that we all need. I hope you give this easy drink a try. Think ginger ale with a pineapple flavor.....
Cold Cucumber Soup. With so many cucumbers coming off the vine, I was on the search for some actual recipes to try! I would have never thought that after Tropical Storm Beryl the cucumber vine would thrive, but it did! While I have to be honest, I did not hold out too much hope for this recipe when I made it (honestly it is the luck of bloggers to make many different recipes, that never make it to the blog) it is now a regular feature. Because it really is that good! I do not however ever see myself enjoying this from a bowl, but a glass or mug for sipping with a meal, oh yes, and we do.
Jessica's Homestead Pesto. This is the idea of my daughter Jessica. We take turns harvesting the basil in the garden (and it is time, once again.) and this was her rendition of pesto, to stir directly into cooked pasta for a quick side dish. You have one small additional step of sautéing a bit of onion and the garlic before everything goes into the food processor. But don't save this for just cooked pasta, it is good anywhere you enjoy pesto! So good, that the next time it was my harvest time, I made up a batch for us!
Cucumbers from the Garden. This was a fun write up. It made me proud to see that I did in fact use this crop to it's fullest, both in new recipes as well as our everyday favorites. I do want to work on those Cucumber Chips, because the ones I made were delicious, but the humidity knocked them flat, so fast!
And along the way, my 8-quart Instant Pot died!
I know many do not use a pressure cooker, whether it is a stove top model or the electric model. And I use to be one in the same category. But I challenged myself to learn not only to cook in a pressure cooker, but also to can in the larger canning model. And it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Due to the storms in our area and with frequent loss of power, I also have a stovetop model available, for our Caravan stove which is propane. I use stovetop model often as well, to keep my skills up to date. While it is essentially the same, you must be more attentive as the pressure is building. But always when I have lots to do, I go for the electric model, so simple, just load and go!
And it died....
I started looking on the marketplace for our local area, and while I did not find an 8-quart, I did find a 6-quart at a very fair price. We made arrangements to go and purchase from a couple who were downsizing to move. And as we were standing there talking, it turns out that her husband and my husband were born in the same general area of Oregon state. No matter how busy we get or the world gets, it is still a small world to enjoy...
No other purchases were made for kitchenware, much to my desire to do otherwise. It is a space issue, we simply have none, living in a Caravan. But I sure enjoy seeing what everyone else has purchased or been given as gifts!
Thank you for stopping by, I sure appreciate it! Melynda@scratchmadefood!
#wholefoodingredients
#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily
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Pesto and cold cucumber soup sound good!
ReplyDeleteMae, they both were, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.
DeleteYour garden looks like quite a bit of work but rewarding! I grew one for years and learned by doing! I can't cook without my Instant Pot anymore. I use it for evertything. I have 3 sizes although I really never use the 3 qt. - but I use the 6 and 8 all the time!!
ReplyDeleteJudee the garden has in fact been both, lots of work and rewarding! I am glad to hear that you also use your Instant Pot regularly, and I have to admit, I can't wait to replace the 8qt size! I especially like it for pot in pot cooking and bulk prep for foods like brown rice or beans.
DeleteI adore pesto and that cold cucumber soup sounds perfect for a hot, humid day.
ReplyDeleteJo Tracey, thank you so much!
DeleteGood luck with growing pineapples! I really must try and make my own pesto, the jars are so expensive and tasteless.
ReplyDeleteAnne, thanks, we are looking forward to what the garden offers to fuel our creativity and ourselves! While I have more of a brown thumb than a green one, I am having a good time with this gardening venture.
DeleteYou've done so well in the garden - what an achievement! Everything looks delish but I only have eyes for your pesto, yum!
ReplyDeleteSammi, thank you! I read somewhere that one should have 3 hobbies in retirement, one to relax, one to make money (even if just a bit) and one to keep you in shape. The garden is the one for me, to keep in shape, while I try to develop a green thumb.
DeleteMelynda, I love seeing what all you get up to in your garden! And where on earth do you get the energy for all that gardening AND blog posts AND updating 15 posts?!
ReplyDeleteJean, I have wanted to garden for years and years. My employment kept me so busy I had little time for the various creative outlets I hoped to enjoy. So now in retirement, I am full speed ahead, on all I want to enjoy. Thanks so much for stopping by, I appreciate it.
DeleteYou sound a lot like me in the garden, I don't have a clue what I am doing but I carry on anyway. Your garden looks great!! Good job with the mulch, I think I am going to do that with my garden as the weeds have been terrible this year.
ReplyDeleteWhat fantastic recipes! I love the look of the homemade pesto especially.
Kim, glad to know I am not the only one headed in this direction! Weeds are horrible in East Texas, and why I went to the work of establishing a good base to build bed on. Thanks so much for stopping by, I appreciate it, and our basil is ready to harvest, again...
DeleteSorry to hear about your pressure cooker but I am glad to hear you found a suitable replacement for it!
ReplyDeleteJoanne, me too! It is always a lesson to see how much you use a kitchen tool or appliance, once it is no longer available!
DeleteThat's a lot of garden! I love cucumber soup with lots of garlic. So good! and keeps the vampires away. Pesto made with basil from your own garden is the best!
ReplyDeletecheers
sherry
Sherry it is a lot of garden. My hope is to grow enough food for both families to enjoy, and some to "put up" for the winter. Thanks for hosting In my Kitchen, I sure enjoy leaving my post, it is one way I look back to see what I accomplished that month.
DeleteI accidentally bought too many cucumbers so a cold cucumber soup sounds like it's perfect.. love that you have a huge garden outdoors, so envious!
ReplyDeleteDOS, thank you so much. I hope you enjoy the Cold Cucumber Soup as much as we do!
DeleteMelynda, it is amazing you are eating out of your garden! That was going to be my plan for winter, but we just had too much bad weather :)
ReplyDeleteTandy it is slow going, so far we have harvested cucumbers and swiss Chard. Our land is mostly sand and clay, so not only are we making garden beds, we are composting to get some soil as well. Here in East Texas, top soil is gold!
DeleteThe humidity is always what gets me, though I live in a place without it now. I love what you're doing in your garden. Those cool/cold dishes look just right! Thanks for sharing this post with us at the Will Blog for Comments #46 linkup! We hope to see you again at #47 sharing more posts, old or new.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I seem to tolerate the humidity better than the rest of the family, but I love it here. The garden is something I have wanted to do, for a long time. Thanks for hosting, I appreciate it.
DeleteI, too, layer lots of cardboard and mulch. It's making a huge difference, but definitely more to do! Your garden is beautiful. Thank you for sharing at Tuesdays with a Twist! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures & Old Rock Farmhouse
ReplyDeleteMarci, thank you! We are still building beds and obtaining soil, which is hard to come by here in East Texas. Thanks for hosting, I sure appreciate it!
DeleteYour garden is going to be beautiful and prolific! I envy the cucumbers and other produce that require your weather but not the humidity and heat. When I gardened in Oakland, my soil was heavy clay; you could have made a pot with it. I used the same 'lasagna' gardening ideas.
ReplyDeleteLiz, thank you! We have tons of clay here as well, there is very little dirt, and one reason for the compost beds. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.
DeleteStopping in again with congratulations! This post was one of the most popular at the Will Blog for Comments #46 linkup. It will be in the spotlight for two weeks, starting today. You're welcome to save the "This Blog Post Was a Featured Favorite" image from there to share with your readers here. We look forward to seeing more of your posts--linkup #47 opens Monday morning. :)
ReplyDeleteJennifer, thank you kindly!
Delete