Babies are growing!

     Christmas has came and gone. Everything has been packed away and a catch up is in order. The seeds that were planted the 20th and 21st have mostly sprouted and over the next few days I will work on preparing a raised bed for the multitude of plants that are coming up...faster than I expected.

Cucumber varieties - 6 days

Tomato varieties - 6 days

Beans - 6 days

squash variety - 6 days

Peas - 7 days

Cabbage - 7 days

Basil

peas and Brussels sprouts - transplanted from previous seed (approx 4 weeks)

 Brussels sprouts - transplanted from previous seed (approx 4 weeks)

peas - transplanted from previous seed (approx 4 weeks)

     I have been fighting some kind of spider mites and ants on the cranberry hibiscus but other than that everything seems to be going in the right direction. Still waiting for the celery and peppers to show themselves but that is to be expected. They are a little slower than the rest. 

     Once I can kick this sinus headache I will be back at it. A lot of work to be done to start preparing for planting all of these wonderful babies!

to be continued...

I wish you...

jojo

Garden Updates and Why I May Or May Not Sleep Again

     Today was exciting for me! I know...I know...I'm a nerd. 

     When I get up in the morning, the first thing I do after completing the appropriate morning greetings to the hubs and the fur babies (and of course pour a cup of coffee to take along) is head to the garden. It still amazes me how quickly things can change and I am like a giddy 13 year old teenager every time I see a little sprout beginning to emerge from the dirt. Today was one of those days. 

     I checked my cauliflowers plants to find, not one, but two beautiful tiny white heads starting to peep though the gorgeous green foliage.

     The broccoli that I let go to seed was buzzing with the sound of bees...

AND...there are new babies beginning to emerge!!!

 A little check-in on my garden gnomes always makes me happy!

     I decided that, although I have made (and ate) enough cookies to feed a city this month, I could no longer resist the temptation to make Matcha Shortbread Cookies! The Matcha has been burning a hole through my cabinet for almost a week and I couldn't take it anymore! So...here we go...the long awaited recipe for the Matcha cookies.  These cookies are as easy as it gets!

Ingredients:     

                     2 cups flour

                     2 Tbs Matcha powder

                     1/2 tsp salt

                     1 cup butter

                     1/2 c granulated sugar

In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar

Add Matcha powder (and yes...all things pink. Don't judge me)

Add flour and work into a dough

Place the bowl in the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until dough begins to get stiff. Sprinkle some flour on the counter and roll dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut shapes with cookie cutters (or shape with a knife - such as for sticks...for dipping yes?!)

Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 12-13 minutes. If desired (I desire), sprinkle tops with sugar while still warm.

     If you like Matcha, or any other green tea for that matter, you will love these cookies! They are very subtle and are not a sweet cookie. I must warn you though...USE CAUTION WHEN BAKING!!! These little suckers are so easy to pop in your mouth and so delicious that you do. 

DUH JoJo....Matcha = Caffeine --- Caffeine = Buzz --- Caffeine Buzz = No Sleep

I WISH YOU...

jojo

A Favorite Vegetarian Dish

     One of the hardest parts of being pescatarian is not the diet...it's the questions. What is that? What can you eat? Where do you get your protein?, etc.  We are lacto-ovo (meaning we do eat some dairy products and eggs) - Pescatarians (taken from the words, pesce - meaning fish and vegetarian). I had a hard time giving up things like butter but the big one for me is cheese! While I try to stick more to the goat and sheep varieties...I am a cheese addict. Always have been....probably always will be. (Lactaid is one of my best friends!) Tom on the other hand LOVES Salmon and Tuna.  

     Proteins and the other vitamins and minerals are easier to come by then our brains have been trained to realize. The salmon, tuna, and shrimp adds some good proteins, but things like quinoa and Greek yogurt have more proteins then any meat or seafood products do.  Most people eat what they do because they always have and don't think about any different (no judgement)...I personally cannot look into the face of a cow or pig and think I am going to take your life so that I can raise my cholesterol and clog my arteries. Once you get used to eating healthy, clean foods, you don't crave anything else. (and if you try...your body will remind you very quickly that it is a clean space now) Anywho... all love and no lectures. ;)

     Today, I figured I would share with  you one of my favorite "Go To" vegetarian meals, (which could easily be vegan...but again with the cheese issue).

Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas

Here is all you need: 

1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes

1 can black beans (I always buy organic and/or lower sodium as much as possible)

1 16oz jar salsa

corn tortillas

Pepper Jack and/or Monterey Jack cheese

     Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Add a little oil to the bottom of a pan and toss in the diced sweet potatoes. (I use my food chopper as I loathe the time it takes to dice a sweet potato)

     Let the potatoes cook until they start to become tender. While they are cooking I shred my cheese. I always shred my own when possible because....why add the extra additives and/or chemicals if you don't have to! I take half an 8oz package of each type and toss them together to mix.

     Once the potatoes begin to get tender, add the jar of salsa and black beans an stir well.

     Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray (I use a spritzer bottle filled with olive oil) and get ready to assemble. Place a good spoonful of the sweet potato mix in a tortilla and top with a sprinkle of cheese. Roll it up and place it in your baking dish. Take the extra mix and spread it over the top of your prepared enchiladas and top with remaining shredded cheese. (or if you want to freeze some, as they freeze well, start second pan)

     Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes and serve! This dish is a favorite of ours and also a favorite of our meat-eating friends! Enjoy! (WARNING: They are addictive!)

As always...I Wish You Peace!

jojo

Seeds, Seeds, and Oh Yes.....Seeds

     Today was an absolute beautiful day to be outside and I took full advantage. My intentions were to start some celery and cabbage seeds, which I did...but ended up doing so much more! I will probably bore you to tears today, but here is a run down of what I accomplished. (I am feeling pretty accomplished today!)

     I started out with celery and cabbage. They are considered companion plants, which means they should have a positive affect on the overall health and flavor of each other. Once again, these are both vegetables that can be difficult to grow from seed...and once again I refuse to give up.I had a huge tote that wasn't in use so I drilled a lot of holes in the bottom and filled it up. I mixed equal parts of peat, organic garden soil, and a cow manure/compost mixture. 

     I made 2 lines across the container and filled one with celery seeds and the other with cabbage. The seeds are extremely tiny so I will be very curious how many little sprouts pop up!

     I had learned yesterday through the handy dandy Almanac notification that I should be starting cucumbers and peppers inside! I needed to make a run to HD for some garden markers and while there I was in shock! They were selling eggplant, peppers, tomatoes (year round so no biggie) AND summer squash plants!!! Wait WHAT?! I decided to do a little research and found that YES...starting in January you can start planting beans, eggplant, summer squash, cucumbers, and peppers outside! I have a lot of catching up to do if I want to be able to get some plants out and ready in January! What have I got to lose? 

     As with the peas, I have decided to stagger my plantings so if the first ones don't take I will keep having back-up until I either a) have at least a few good producers or b) I am overtaken by so many plants I have to beg friends to come take some (fingers crossed for b!)  I am a sucker for giving away my extra plants and seeds...just ask anyone who comes here and asks a single question about my garden! - or my sister which I actually mail seeds to a couple times a year! (Can't have my Great niece and nephews eating just any random grown veggies!)

My favorite pots for starting seeds are the little Jiffy Pots. They are made out of peat, so once your starting plants are ready to transplant, you can just plant the entire pot! Easy peasy and you don't disturb any sensitive roots. I won't bore you with the details of all the seed plantings as it basically all goes the same. (except with the peas yesterday as they are too nitro-sensitive) so...I will flood you with the photos instead...

Tomatoes ~ Ace 55, Roma, Cherry (large),
Tiny Tim, Yellow Pear, and Cherry White

Summer Squash ~ Dark Green, Black Beauty,
and Early Summer Crookneck

Cucumbers ~ White Wonder, Marketer,
Everbearing, and Muncher

Peppers ~ Yolo Wonder,
Purple Beauty, and Sunbright Yellow

Eggplant ~ Florida Market,
Casper, and Pandora Striped

     The seeds that needed to be started indoors I placed in plastic totes and brought in and I gave the others a good water with a watering can. (NEVER water fresh seeds with a hose! Too much too fast!) A table is set up in front of a back window for the house starts to be able to get plenty of light. Using a spray bottle, I generously sprayed the pots. Then, using plastic wrap (and in the instance of the 2 you see with holes...foil) I made makeshift greenhouses.

     It has been a long, but enjoyable day so I am going to curl up with my mocha on the patio and enjoy the rest of this beautiful night!

JOJO

Give Peas A Chance...

In the last several years of gardening, one of the main things I wish I could grow in abundance is peas. Nice green plump peas that I can throw in a dish or shell and fill the freezer. I have tried and I have failed miserably. Once year I came close and actually grew enough pods that I was able to have a good snack while watering other plants in the garden, but never enough to really feed us...not even a meal.

Never one to really give up, I decided this is the year I will succeed! I know I said that last year, but this year it is going to happen I can just feel it!

I awoke this morning to find I had received an email from the Farmers Almanac telling me that NOW is the time to plant my peas!  Armed with determination, ingredients for my soil, and my handy Bambooty, I set out to perfect growing these little suckers. I had started several seeds a couple weeks ago in preparation for this moment and they appear to be doing nicely in their little starter pots. In an effort to not fail this year I have decided that I will start pea seeds every 2 weeks for a 6-8 week period, in hopes of finding the prime conditions.

These are Sugar Ann peas, which are supposed to be the easiest and best snap pea variety. (meaning you can eat the pod and full size peas inside) They freeze well too, or so I hear. Peas do not need fertilized much and are very sensitive to nitrogen, so soil choice is important. I got out my soil buckets and mixed 1 part Peat, 1 part organic garden soil and 1 part sand. I also added just a small handful of compost. The decision was made to split the peas between a little space I have in ground and containers, as to give myself yet another option for success. I drilled several holes in the bottom of a couple 2 gallon buckets and filled them up with the soil mixture. The remaining mix was dumped over the ground space and turned with a shovel to mix with the existing soil there. 

Very carefully, I got the starts out of the containers and planted 2 rows, leaving about 6 inches between each plant. 2 pea starts were also carefully placed in each 2 gallon bucket. 

The starter containers were thoroughly washed with Dawn dish soap and water, and refilled with the same soil mixture. Ready to plant more Pea seeds. 1 seed in the smaller sections and 2 seeds to the larger pots. The seeds were lightly pushed down with the smooth tip of a pen and sprinkled with the magic soil mix for good measure.

My biggest hope is that every seed planted returns an over abundance of sweet tiny goodness! Fingers crossed! A little cinnamon sprinkled around on all and a good mist with the hose and my day in the dirt is complete. According to the wonderful notice from the Almanac, I can play in the dirt again tomorrow planting cabbage and celery outside (2 more of the most difficult from seed of course) and starting cucumbers and peppers inside!

Until then...I wish you Peace!

jojo