Garlic!

-just picked varieties of Garlic! from the top- Belarus, Krasnador Red, German Extra Hardy, Spanish Roja, Music, Georgian Crystal and Chesnook Red.

  "I never knew there were so many different kinds of Garlic!" is what I usually here. And let me tell you that I have barely scratched the surface on the varieties of garlic that grow in Minnesota.

  Garlic has been a really fun adventure for me. I have gone to the Garlic Festival for the past 4 years now looking for new varieties that I don't have yet that I need to add to my little collection. And it has also been fun trying to figure out how to use garlic!

  Did you know you can use the scape? The scape is the long curly top that comes out of the plant late in the spring that will eventually be the bloom, like a chive. You can use it like you use a green onion, except it has a nice garlic flavor to it. One of my favorite things I found this year is to saute cut up scapes in butter until they are tender and then add sweet corn to them and saute it for 20 minutes more. Yum! I also tried Pickling Garlic Scapes to sell at the Farmers Market this year.

 Today I hope to be making some Garlic Jelly. I made this for the first time last year and that has been a big hit. You use it with crackers and cream cheese, pretzel sticks or on roast beef. Some spread it on toasted french bread with butter.

My varieties of garlic are-

Belarus-A mellow smooth flavor great for roasting.

Krasnodor Red- from Russia, a strong taste, for those who like to taste their Garlic.

Spanish Roja- My favorite! good flavor for many uses.

Georgian Crystal- rich, smooth, slightly smokey flavor.

Chesnook Red- best all around garlic for cooking.

German Extra Hardy- strong, full bodied garlic flavor.

Music- the taste is Medium to Hot.

for info on the Garlic Festival go to www.mngarlicfest.com

   

Peppers!

Hopefully there will be peppers. Its been a tricky Spring and Early Summer. As we all know its been cold. And then when it has been warm, its been too warm.

I tried a couple of new things this year with peppers. One of my "moments of brilliance" ideas was to use paper grain bags as mulch between the rows. My husband had been rolling them up all winter and leaving them behind the Garden Shed to burn in the spring. They are just nice thick brown paper, so why not try to anchor them between the rows to save on weeding and hold in moisture. So far its good. I will let you know how it works out.

The other thing I am trying is hiding my peppers in this very nice hoop house. And instead of covering the ends I left them open, so its a little warmer inside, but won't cook my plants. The hoop house is wonderful, but tends to blow around in the wind and when I leave the ends open I don't have that problem. Kinda cool.

I am anxious for my peppers. Especially since I have figured out how useful they are when making jam. I am having a lot of fun finding new recipes for spicy jams like "Raspberry Jalepeno", "Blueberry Habenero", and using the Jalepenos in my "Dilly Beans". This year I want to try making "Habenero Gold Jelly". I am loving the combination of Sweet and that nice little pepper burn at the end.

A Day in the Life of the Market

 Thursdays are exciting at our house! It is a very busy day getting ready for the Monticello Farmers Market. In the morning I get up and do all of my baking. I try to make at least 2 quick breads, a fun bar to sell individually and my Monster Cookies. I like things to be made that day for the market so they are fresh.

So I get up and start baking, and while things are in the oven I gather all of the supplies I need for the day, bags, sign, tent, chair, plants I'm bringing that day, shelf, Jams and Jellies, ect.

As things are coming out of the oven I am putting them out to cool, and then on to the next baked item!

 In between all of the baking I get outside to pick whatever is ready that day. At the beginning of the market it is easy, all there is right now is Rhubarb. But soon there will be lettuce, spinach, radishes and swiss chard.

In another 3 weeks there will be peas, garlic scapes, kale, and soon, green beans! This year I decided to try Edamame beans. They are supposed to be really good to snack on raw. It should be interesting because the variety I chose is called "Beer Friend".

 Then in about 6 weeks the real bounty will begin! We will have garlic, zucchini, cucumber, summer squash, patty pan, eggplant, onions, oh joy!

When the tomatoes and peppers show up then life really gets going!

 As soon as things are cooled I package them up so that they are still moist when people buy them. I put my little label with the ingredients on each item.

My truck gets nice and full on market day. There is usually not an inch of extra space! I arrive at 2:30 to set up...and then the real fun starts! Market opens at 3:30 sharp. They usually let a kid ring the bell each week to signal that everyone can start selling their items. Its really fun to see everyone and chat about gardens, what was new with their weeks and, of course, the weather! See you at the Market!

Happiness is a full cookie jar!

It's January in Minnesota. It's cold outside. In January in Minnesota it's all about keeping yourself from getting cabin fever. It's about comfort food, trying to get some exercise and trying to find some fun things to do to keep you busy so you don't go stir crazy!

So I try to keep the cookie jar full. But I try to fill it with things that are semi-good for us. So I tweaked the Old-fashioned Oatmeal Cookie recipe. We love it! The cookies are thicker and slightly crunchy around the edges. I hope you like them too.

Tami's way to make Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

2 sticks of butter, softened

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup raisins, chopped dates or dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter, sugars, and vanilla together until creamy. Add eggs, soda and salt until light and fluffy. Mix in flours and cinnamon till blended. Stir in oats and dried fruit. Drop dough onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in 2 tablespoon balls. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes. Allow to cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Enjoy!

Christmas Treats!

My husband and I have a great debate when it comes to Christmas Cookies! He loves Peanut Butter Blossoms, and I say they are an everyday cookie. When I was growing up Christmas Cookies were special! They have icing and sprinkles and they have flavors that you don't eat other times of the year. They include molasses, nutmeg, cloves and chocolate. So I found a good recipe we can agree on. And you use those wonderful Mint Truffle Kisses that are only available at Christmas!

Chocolate Mint Kiss Cookies

2 1/2 Cups all purpose flour

1 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder1/2 t. salt
2 cups granulated white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup powdered sugar
bag of mint truffle flavored Hershey kisses

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil and eggs until well mixed. Whisk in extracts. Stir dry ingredients with wet ingredients just until combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookies sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough int 1/2 tablespoon balls. Dough is very sticky! Roll balls in powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until cookies crackle. While cookies are baking unwrap the kisses. When the cookies come out allow them to cool for 2 minutes. Then push the kisses into them. Cool all of the way before putting into containers.

I also found another recipe that is a keeper. I'm going to give these away as gifts.

Spiced Nuts

3 tablespoons peanut oil
3 cups whole almonds
1/2 cup sugar; plus
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tsp, kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 tsp.)

In a large, heavy bottomed saute pan, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the almonds, and stir with a wooden spoon, coating each thoroughly with oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar, and continue to stir until the almonds become golden brown and the sugar caramelizes, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and pour almonds into a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle the remaining sugar, salt, cumin and red pepper, and toss well. Pour the spiced nuts onto a well greased cookies sheet and spread them out into a single layer. Allow to cool and then break apart. Store in a air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Have a Blessed Christmas! Tami

"Once you go fresh, you will never go back" hubpages.com

I agree! I love fresh pumpkin. I learned how to cook and use them about 10 years ago and I haven't bought a can of pumpkin since. I also love growing little pie pumpkins. They are called Sugar Babies and they are happy. When you cook them you get about 3 cups of cooked pumpkin. As the garden is winding down it is the last thing that is still going strong.

Here is some instructions on how to cook them up. Then you can use them in your favorite recipes. They make great pies and the quick bread is nice too. You can also throw the cooked pumpkin in a freezer bag and freeze it for later use. Here goes:

Option #1: The Oven
Cut pumpkin open and scoop out the seeds. Place pumpkin halves facedown in a baking dish. Add 1/2" of water to pan: this helps keep the pumpkin flesh moist.
Bake at 450º until you can pierce the skin with a fork (about 45 minutes to an hour).
Scoop flesh out of shell with a spoon.
Option #2: The Stovetop
Cut pumpkin in half, scooping out the seeds. Then, cut pumpkin into large chunks, but leave the skin on.
Place chunks in a large steamer basket (or a colander placed inside a dutch oven, with water on the bottom). Steam for 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. Scoop the flesh out of the shell with a spoon.

Once the pumpkin is cooked, simply use a food processor or blender to whip it into a pumpkin puree.

Don't forget to save the seeds for roasting!


Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Recipe

Ingredients:

One medium sized pumpkin,

1/2 to 1 Tablespoon Salt,

1 Tablespoon Olive oil.
Method:

1 Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.

2 In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water (more if you like your seeds saltier). Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

3 Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of work and in my opinion, unnecessary) or eat whole.

What to do on a hot day...

I guess I am in canning and pickling mode. It is 90 degrees today with 100 degree heat index and I find myself restless. So I decided to make the Current Jelly that I extracted the juice for yesterday. Then I made a Garlic Braid. Not bad for my first attempt, because it is not easy! Then I had cukes that I picked this morning and decided I was hungry for Refridgerator Pickles. Now it is 3:30 and I think I will go read a gardening book and then start supper, a light pasta salad sounds good on a hot day.

Aunt Syble's Refridgerator Pickles from COOKS.COM

7 cups thinly sliced cucumbers

2 cups sugar

1 cup sliced red onion

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon celery seed

1 tablespoon pickling salt

Combine all ingredients together in a gallon jar. Place in the refridgerator. Will keep until gone. Can add more slices to mixture. They're good.