November 6, 2013 by Born To Organize

Alliterating Peppers

There is something about peppers that invite alliteration. It all started when “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers…”

Personally I prefer my peppers un-pickled,

Enticingly edible, eatable and esculent,

Perfectly pleasant,

Pretty, pleasing and plump,

Effortlessly enjoyed and

Raw

How about you?

Fall Bounty

You win some, you lose some, Pepper Pests

October 18, 2013 by Born To Organize

Tomatoes: Last Call

Tomato Goodness

It’s hard to say goodbye to summer tomatoes. Unless you buy heirlooms or ‘cherries’, the tomatoes in the store are flavorless. I used to think I was having a streak of bad luck, until I read that farmers have spent nearly 70 years perfecting the look of the tomato, at the expense of flavor. They’ve removed the sweet, wonderful taste.

We grow our own every summer and enjoy the harvest for a few months. This year we had plenty of orange cherry tomatoes, a few red heirlooms, one or two orange ones and a ton of Roma’s.

It’s mid-October now, and the plants are looking tired. Today I finally pruned away the dying branches on most of them. I’m still seeing one or two small tomatoes a day, so it’s hard to let them go.

Spent tomato plants

The Roma plant is still going strong, pumping out at least a dozen or so a day. Even the garden pests can’t keep up, so we’ve had plenty for salads and salsa.

If you’re a salsa fan, here is my husband’s quick and easy recipe:

6 – 12 tomatoes (we’re using the Roma)
1/2 sweet or yellow onion
a few ounces of Jalapeno peppers (or to taste)

Combine and blend. Serve with corn tortilla chips or as a garnish.

Halloween Countdown:

Halloween at our house

September 12, 2013 by Born To Organize

Tomatoes: Ripe for the Picking

I have nothing original to say about tomatoes. Grow them. Eat them. Love them.

Fresh off the vine they are sweet and delicious. They resemble nothing you get in the grocery store, unless you’re lucky enough to find heirlooms.

I seem to be a two-crop wonder this year: my first optimistic attempt at growing them from seed; then round two with starters from the nursery. No matter. They’re here now and I’m enjoying them while I can.

Given our temperate climate, tomato plants can produce well into late October. If that holds true, I’ll have a beautiful bounty for the next six weeks. Yum!

Here’s what’s ripening on the vine:

Orange cherry tomatoes

Roma Tomatoes

Indeterminate (hopefully Baker Heirlooms)

Thanks for stopping by!

August 28, 2013 by Born To Organize

Pumpkin Harvest, Cousin Shelley

Squash bugs

If you’ve been following along, you’ll know this is pumpkin harvest week at gardeningnirvana. The probable final count is ten, 12 if you count Frank and his cousin Shelley. I left a few late-season fruits on the vine since I’m nothing if not optimistic when it comes to pumpkins.

The squash bugs continue unabated, so I need to come up with a plan. I want to use the soon-to-be vacated planting bed for my cool season crops, but not until the bed is pest-free.

I’m soaking seeds on the kitchen counter as we speak for peas and beets. Broccoli seeds don’t require a good soak, but I need to get busy setting them out soon. The first day of autumn in our hemisphere is still a month away. The changes in the air say otherwise. I hate to miss a good planting opportunity.

In case you missed yesterday’s post, here’s another peak at Frank.

Frank aka a pumpkin casualty

Frank wears his scars proudly, forgiving the gentle gardener for her blunder. Shelley on the other hand has piercing eyes and a lopsided grin, courtesy of an unknown pest. Since everyone loves a good ‘before and after’ shot, without further ado, here’s Shelley:

2013, 08-27

February 17, 2013 by Born To Organize

The Joy of Gardening: Eating What You Grow

It’s a remarkable experience eating something you grow yourself. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it.

I grow vegetables on a small-scale, and suffer the same garden failures we all do: pests, frost, heatwaves, drought. It’s a wonder anything gets on the table.

It’s human nature to persevere, however, and when success follows…wow!

We ate fresh broccoli from the garden today. Six beautifully formed plants, six perfect heads of broccoli. Those remarkable greens moved from garden to kitchen to table in under an hour. Broccoli never tasted so sweet.

Cream of the Broccoli Crop

Broccoli Fresh from the Plant

Basket of Freshly Picked Broccoli

Broccoli Sauteed in Garlic and Olive Oil

Broccoli sautéed in Garlic and Olive Oil

My Husband’s Recipe

Two heads of broccoli
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
dash of lemon juice
handful of slivered almonds

Heat oil on medium. Add garlic and broccoli; salt and pepper to taste

Cover for 2 to 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender

Add a dash of lemon juice and a handful of slivered almonds

Cover and cook for one more minute.

Serve immediately

February 2, 2013 by Born To Organize

A Broccoli We Will Grow

What do you think? Catchy song title, eh?

No?

Okay, I’ll stick to growing instead. I’m happy to report that the broccoli is doing well, growing and showing signs of decent production. I snapped off one large leaf with a cluster of pests (yuck), but the plants look healthy. The leaves are a nice, dark green and small heads are forming on all six plants.

Broccoli Head

I grew broccoli last year, but it bolted early. I managed just a few small heads. Since the cauliflower is looking worse by the day, I’ve set my sights on the great green veg.

I enjoy eating broccoli in a number of ways:

Steamed till tender but still crunchy,
sautéed with almonds (my husbands yummy recipe),
and blended in soup

It’s hard not to feel virtuous when munching on this cruciferous darling

Broccoli contains more vitamin C than oranges, ounce for ounce. It has a much calcium as a glass of milk, and contains folate, important for the production and maintenance of new cells. It’s an excellent source of iron as well as fiber.

Broccoli Plants

It will be an excellent source of pride as well, if I can get past these next few weeks. Fingers crossed for cooperative weather, and a pest-free, bolt-free crop.

Broccoli Leaves

A Broccoli We Will Grow

Birdhouse Gourd

We enjoyed cauliflower and broccoli at the table tonight, though neither of them came from my garden. I hope that changes soon. All the plants are looking healthy and perky from the recent rain. Last week I saw a green worm and what looked like eggs, but apparently a bird came along and had them for lunch. There isn’t a single trace of whatever it was, though chewed leaves are in abundance.

After a life of eating mostly from the grocery store, I get pretty excited at the prospect of real vegetables growing out back. I wasn’t raised eating either of these vegetables, but have grown to love them both. I prefer my broccoli steamed or in soup and my cauliflower raw.

The pair of birdhouse gourds are still hanging on, but it won’t be long now. I’ve seen some amazing examples of painted gourds on the web. Time to start pinning ideas.

Broccoli and Cauliflower, November 9th

Broccoli and cauliflower, December 17th (six weeks later)

It looks like at least one of the radishes survived the kitty onslaught, or it could be an herb that I don’t yet recognize. I love the mystery of it all. And yes, those are pumpkin plants in the lower box, a self-seeded crop growing away in mid-December. Go figure?

October 7, 2012 by Born To Organize

Savoring the Flavoring of Pumpkin

Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie
photo credit: Deborah DeLong

I love growing things that we can also eat, but I’m not much of a cook. I *can* cook. It just doesn’t hold my interest. Luckily for me I married a man who knows his way around the kitchen.

During the holidays, I get to fuss over the table settings while he stays busy in the kitchen. I love arranging flowers, making place cards, lighting candles, and seeing that our guests feel at home.

Our Canadian friends celebrate their Thanksgiving holiday this Monday, October 8th. In the US, we celebrate the third Thursday of November, so still plenty of planning weeks ahead.

Sweet pumpkin pie is a traditional favorite, but not everyone likes the texture. I’ve found a few interesting alternatives to try this year. I’ll be running them by the resident chef to see what he thinks. I wanted to share them with you, too. Do you have a favorite pumpkin recipe of your own? Please let us know in the comments, below.

Pumpkin Desserts

Honey Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie

Deborah, at Romancing the Bee shared a recipe for this sweet sensation last week. She says it’s quick and easy, and judging by the ingredients, it will go down as smooth as honey.

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

I can almost smell the allspice just looking at the photo. These seasonal goodies would be a hit at the office potluck or tucked into a tin as a hostess gift.

Pumpkin Carrot Swirl Bars

You can never have too much orange. These tasty treats combine pumpkins and carrots for a vitamin-rich dessert. This is a great make-ahead recipe and a fun treat to pack in a school lunch.