Category Archives: cooking

Aug20

Tomato explosion

Posted on Monday, August 20, 2007 by Dianne

I’ve got dozens of red monsters sitting out in the kitchen. The longer they sit, the stinkier they get. I need to get my act together and turn them into salsa and spaghetti sauce today! I’ve been giving some away to family, but didn’t get to see my uncle last night, so his bag is sitting there and I have to use them too. Not to worry, there are still some on the vine. I think Bri over plants because he doesn’t think he’ll get anything. This year was different because we mulched around the tomatoes-apparently they love mulch (like what you put in your flowerbeds). It was pretty easy to apply-we used three bags. He did plant one row in a nice straight line, so I did a ‘line tie’ ran the string all the way down and looping it around the individual stakes as I went. Made a big difference! Some of the plants that stood alone fell over.

I’ve been vegging out myself since the trip. I have been tidying up as I get motivated. We are having company next Monday, Father from church for his bi-annual visitation. He doesn’t stay long, says a prayer and goes to the next house. This will be a few days after that trip to central PA.

We have a dreary day here anyway. Something stinks and it’s not in Denmark-must be an overripe Tom. Ugh.

Aug5

Another surprise!

Posted on Sunday, August 5, 2007 by Dianne

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A few years ago (pretty sure), I bought ‘dinner plate’ hibiscus seeds from an eBay seller. I actually raised about 4 little plants and planted them where I have the glads, irises and box hedges. Last year a plant came up and I was sure it was just a weed, so I snipped it off. I didn’t want to ruin the garden with a big, gangly weed! Sure enough, up it came again this year and some of my brain’s cobwebs cleared as I thought to myself, didn’t I plant a hibiscus here? Look what bloomed today!

I know what you are thinking-not quite the size of a dinner plate-more like a saucer! The link above considers these ‘hardy’ hibiscus and that they are a perennial. Check out all the buds (and you aren’t seeing all of them) and they are suppose to bloom until the first killing frost. The guys were visiting Pops and I ushered them out to see the blossom and hadn’t a Japanese beetle started to nibble it! Pops got my old cellphone as I am getting a flip phone in a few days.

Here’s what was for dinner last night:

Squash frittata-with a little turkey bacon, cheddar, fresh Italian parsley and basil thrown in!
Does this remind you of Little Miss Muffet?

Awesome Autumn Beauty Sunflower (background-8 power/ cable lines!)
I’ve getting so organized in certain ways (nesting because my baby bird is leaving maybe?). Last night I tidied up my photo files here on the computer. What a job and a half! I have lots of new folders and deleted things too. Today I tidied up a big pile of my ATC papers, etc. I am learning from my mom that you have to do this or you will forever be looking for one little thing like she is.
Tonight we are having a pot roast and some of the fresh green beans we raised.

Keep cool and hope for rain!

Aug1

Say hello to my little friend

Posted on Wednesday, August 1, 2007 by Dianne

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The few times I ventured out today I was scolded by a catbird. Now I know they are usually very friendly birds and I have had a few sing to me as I rested in the chaise lounge, putting on a fine show and making me smile. So I figured there may be a young one around somewhere, but where?

After dinner I promised the kitty I’d take him out and he did ‘his usual’- walking, scratching, eating grass and sniffing. We neared a little spirea bush and I felt eyes on me. Sure enough, there was this little fella watching us while mom kept scolding us nearby. I was completely startled for some reason.

After tying Cos up, I ran in to get the camera and Sean followed me out. I took about 5 photos, probably dazed the poor little thing! I then got it in my head that he was way too close to the ground in this bush (like a few feet up) and that the neighborhood cat or some other critter would eat him as a snack. So I found a stick, hoping he would perch on it, but he just flapped his wings and hopped across the yard to the forsythia along the road. Cos was watching all this and went as far as he could on his harness, creeping along very low to the ground. Birdie must have found his roost as it was quiet once again.

Earlier, Bri came out and planted my three $2 (or so) rose bushes from the Kmart sale. He thinks they are too close together. By the time he planted, I tapped down the soil, found the rose food and watered them, I was pretty sticky. Bri went in the garden to weed around his ‘$15 peppers’ (that’s what I call them as that’s how much they cost) and he was just drenched to the skin. I think we are finally finished planting things! Now we’ll get a heat wave and dry weather so it will be harder on the new plants.

Sean goes for his first fillings ever tomorrow morning and wants me to come along. I hope my post nasal drip and itchy throat will be better by then. Major annoyance the last few days. My eyes have been red too. I was also a little grossed out by boneless turkey breast I had for dinner, it’s rather sticky, but I followed a recipe on the package and it was good! You dip the turkey in a soy sauce and lemon juice mixture. You are suppose to use scallions for the center of the roll-up, but all I had were chives. Stick them on wooden skewers and broil them for 6 minutes on each side.

I hope for a cooking break tomorrow, but I’m not counting on it.

Jul31

Run around

Posted on Tuesday, July 31, 2007 by Dianne

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Not much new here. Sean had to get his license renewed early as he won’t be home in October when his actual birthday rolls around. We headed 15 miles down to Oxford and now Sean has an official ‘legal’ license instead of a junior’s license as he’s almost 21. We took a drive through the town to see if we wanted to stop anywhere and passed Brian on the road who had just had his last day in that office. Bri turned around and followed us to a grocery store parking lot and we chatted a little and then took off, Bri to Kennett and us to Jennersville where we hit both Blockbuster and Dairy Queen. I told Sean he and his pals should be hanging out at that DQ because of all the young ladies there. He bought the second Pirates of the Carribean movie and the Illusionist at BB.

For dinner I made a few ham steaks, fresh green beans and Parmesan couscous, the left over squash souffle and biscuits (that had been frozen). It was a quick dinner, the best kind.

After dinner I did some mail art for the ATC cards I’ll send to three of my friends. The ATCs are calling cards. I like the way they turned out! The mailart (the envelopes) were decorated with images, places and wording from a Brandywine Valley tourist book from 2000. The envelopes are in my flickr album if you want to see!

I went through my cross stitch stash and want to do a Christmas ornament for the blog I joined and haven’t followed along with- getting an ornament a month made (I think that’s it!) I settled on a The Prairie Schooler design of two cardinals in a evergreen tree. I want to do a few more cardinals that I have in my stash anyway. I did get to the post office (thanks again to Sean) and mailed off Veronica’s NRR to her daughter Helen for safe keeping. The mail clerk handed me a rather small mailer and said that’s what they are using for Global priority now. I told Helen she may want to open it and give it a nice press for her mum. The clerk was a little grumpy and I asked her if she wanted squash and she took two of them.

Don’t forget to play the ‘guess the squash’ game! I will make you a special prize if you win! I am hoping to have more than two comments when the harvest is done. I don’t know if it’s my blogs name, what I talk about or what, but I just don’t get a bunch of comments and never have. I do have a handful of special pals (thanks so much) that drop by to read my ramblings. If I had anything about just stitching, cooking or photography in my title, I’d probably get more hits, but that’s not my main intention. I have this as an informational blog for myself too. Also a place to add my photos and anything special I want to read about in the future. I will have my three year blog anniversary soon. Can’t believe it!

Jul30

Yellow squash invasion

Posted on Monday, July 30, 2007 by Dianne

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I was just cruising recipe sites (this is bad as I own so many cookbooks but wasn’t in the mood to thumb through them today). About.com has several tempting recipes, but I was missing an ingredient or two, like sour cream for many of them or I didn’t feel like grating them. I settled on a Squash souffle-oui oui! It takes a little prep time, but I’m sure it will go fine with the shrimp I plan to have with it.

Chocolate squash bread is next!

Yum! It tasted like the creamed spinach (but with yellow squash) that Boston Market sells. Even the cat liked it!

My eyes are bothering me big time today when looking at a distance without my glasses. They felt grainy, so something is in the environment that is disturbing them or maybe I have eye strain. That may be why they look so puffy in the photo below.

I am thankful for the following foods (all frozen!): frozen biscuits, so good; Boston Market frozen entrees-we use to have one around here but it’s gone (I had the turkey medallions and mashed potatoes for lunch) and for Sean-Dippin’ Dots that are frozen treats. What are Dippin’ Dots (or similar name in the supermarket brand)?? They are pellets of ice cream in one little container. They can mix banana, strawberry, vanilla and chocolate ‘dots’ and you get-Banana split flavor! Those Dippin’ Dots places are big at the beach resorts and malls around here.

Look who else likes them!!!

So back to the squash, I see about 6 more ready to pick tonight! I better start freezing them! And if you are interested, I will share recipes and if you lived near me, I’d give you some! We have about 50+ green tomatoes, so you know what that means-yep, they’ll all get ripe at once! My green beans got pushed over by the heavy rains, but I do see little beans forming. To think I was leaving the veggies up to Brian. Dang.

Update-Look what I picked tonight-it’s a big bowl! I’m not telling you how many, but it was almost twice as much as the first time. I’m going to start a game-‘Guess the number of yellow squash from Dianne’s garden’. Really. Until the last one is harvested. And if you are the closest, you win a little prize from me. Woo hoo! Watch for a banner in my side bar.

Also picked were some green peppers, one Early Girl and several Roma tomatoes.

Jul18

First eggplant

Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 by Dianne

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I harvested my first Green Goddess eggplant (purchased at Loews) yesterday-a thin pale green veggie-incredible harvests of light green slender eggplant that become about 8 inches long. Mild flavor and tremendous production make this a winner for anyone who wants a steady supply of delicious eggplant. Lovely lime green color. 68 days.

Here’s what it looks like all fried up-yum!

Not much new-lots of humidity and some rain here. I finally got to mail off some things here and found out most of the parking lot behind the post office and library up in the next town will be used for a new office complex. That may leave me in a bit of a quandary, unless I just park in my nearby bank for five minutes to go to the post office. My ‘real’ post office is actually about 5 miles away as I live on the border on the next town.

Jul8

4 day scorcher begins

Posted on Sunday, July 8, 2007 by Dianne

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I knew we were being spoiled by the cooler days at the beginning of July. I am SO glad I got a lot of my garden work out of the way. About 7:45 last night, I took a break from my almost finished BIG cross stitch piece and the Live Earth concert and headed outside. It was so pleasant, I decided to get the string and tie up the tomatoes. The job isn’t that terrible as I have kept up with it. I have also been pinching the suckers off the joints inside the tomato branches-that’s so the plant will put energy into the fruit and not into making new branches and leaves. It’s paying off! I figure right now, I see 4 tomatoes each, other than the blossoms-times 12-so right now we have at least 50 tomatoes counting the Romas that are low laying and don’t get tied up. The Romas are right on that mulch, so I think I’ll put some paper bags under them. The zucchini and green beans are thriving too! I also have one eggplant in my herb bed near the house. We are getting those downpours followed by sunny days-perfecto for veggies.

I am working on my Art trading cards again. I’ve made quite a few in the last month-6 for tribe.net pals based on the bulletin from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

The others were a few wedding themed cards I put in my friend Karin’s wedding card. I’m finishing up a series of a little Princesses birthday party I snagged from an old children’s reader. I also started ‘minis’-about 1″ x 2″-an alphabet series. Since they are so tiny, they are quick to do. If I like them enough, I may try and sell a series on eBay.

Sean’s working like a full-time employer down at Big Lots these days. Seems a lot of people left or were let go. One girl was a thorn in his side. We feel she took $20 out of his drawer a few times when she subbed for him when he was eating or on break. Since it was brought up to the attention of his manager that he wasn’t the only one using that particular register those days, things seems to have gotten better. He’s either a few cents over or under now. He’s been buying a bunch of stuff for the dorm there as he gets a 20% off discount. Last night he brought home a HP printer for about $28. We were holding our breath that it would work with his laptop, and it did, and it’s not bad either. He’s also bought towels, two desk fans, laundry detergent, to name a few things he needs. I can’t believe the time is finally here when he’ll be taking care of himself-it’s a mixed blessings kind of feeling. I remember wanting to live away from home and lived in a dorm for almost two semesters. Unfortunately I had less than perfect roomies. Sean is trying to get a room by himself, that may be the ticket to his ultimate dorm happiness.

I made a delicious pasta dish last night-I roasted zucchini, red onions, garlic and eggplant. I tossed the pasta with fresh basil, a grated assortment of cheese and some butter. The veggies get tossed in the pasta after roasting for about 40 minutes. I recommend it.

Tonight I am making a turkey breast. I have to have Sean’s dinner on the table pronto as he only has 1/2 hour to eat. I want to make sure he has decent grub.

Well, that’s all that’s new. I’ll sneak out to water a few plants when the sun goes down. Hope you are staying cool and comfortable.

Jul2

May-like July Monday

Posted on Monday, July 2, 2007 by Dianne

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It was so nice today I decided to get out the weed whacker and get down to business. One of these days we’ll get a new one. This one is really broken as the string part won’t advance anymore when you tap it on the ground. I think I’ve had this one almost as long as we lived here and my mom has had about 3-4 since then. I have much more to clear away than she does.

I tend to overdo it and plugged in the heating pad for my sore back tonight. I did make a nice dinner with ham steak, red potatoes with Italian parsley and dill from my herb bed and green beans and peaches.

Zoey asked me if I had any King coleus-that’s the one I just purchased yesterday! Today I took off some of the bottom leaves plus the flower stalks. You don’t want coleus to flower-similar to basil. I don’t think it needs repotting. I think I have about 5 varieties now.

This is the time of year I start moving things around, even flowers that are coming up from seed. I dug up a few Mexican sunflowers and added them to the lily bed as the lilies will be gone before I know it and Mexican sunflowers are a gorgeous orange.

I have not seen one hummingbird this year! I have red salvia and other flowers I thought would attract them. In fact, I mainly see cat birds and a few cardinals.

I’m pretty sure my mom is coming tomorrow. Either Sean will get her if he goes to school to sell back his text book or she’ll drive herself. He is finished now at that branch of PSU. He’s almost a junior. He is short about 5 credits as he had dropped the Trig last semester and didn’t carry a full load one semester. We are going up to the main campus in a few weeks-it’s about 3 hours away. I can’t believe two years has gone by.

Jun27

Foodie

Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 by Dianne

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I have felt like I have been in a cooking slump. I get spoiled sometimes when I don’t make dinner for more than two days. One of those days was eating the perfectly presented and prepared wedding lunch this past Saturday.

My solution-get out my Everyday Food magazines-I have over a year’s worth (plus the paperback cookbook) and chose a few new recipes to try each time I go to the store so I can pick up what I need. You know it worked! I chose two pasta dishes, one of which I made tonight-Pasta with roasted asparagus and feta cheese sauce. It was easy to make and I really like the roasted asparagus! The top is sprinkled with fresh chives out of Sean’s garden.

It was really good and I feel inspired now. I know the guys will eat pasta in almost any form.

And just for fun-here’s one of the three Black & White cookies we bought in NYC. They are so good! They are more cake-like and the icing is firm.

So off this food talk and on to congrats to my friend Barbara and her husband Niek on her recent announcement that they are expecting twins in December. That will make 5 kiddos for them!

Be sure to check out my Vod:Pod videos as there are some ‘recuts’ of well known movie ‘trailers’, making them either funny or scary, but not what the original movie was at all! I’ve been sitting here chuckling the last hour or so.

Jun6

Grilled shrimp

Posted on Wednesday, June 6, 2007 by Dianne

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You all know I watch the Food Network. Recently they had a ‘grill feast’ and Alton Brown made shrimp in a stainless steel bowl with charcoal on the bottom (I’m guessing) and wood chips on top of that. He covered it with a second bowl and presto-yummy shrimp. I bought some at the store yesterday and the man said I couldn’t refreeze them and to use them in the next few days. They were the jumbo ones-I got about 15 for $8.00. I soaked the wooden skewers like Alton said to do and popped the shrimp (shell intact) on them. Well let me tell you, we should have had drawn butter because that shrimp was tender like lobster! You have to try it! It was like having 5-6 baby lobster tails.

I wanted to take a photo of the last few peonies I have. The terrible rainstorm knocked them to heck and back. Of course I had to take a bunch:

Honeysuckle is a viney weed, but it smells so good I have to have some in the yard!

I believe this is called Florida Sun Coleus

Spirea bush

Sweet Bay Magnolia smells really nice too!

My impatien flowers under my hedges on the left of the house-share the bed with ferns and hostas

Pond garden focusing on the red hot poker plants