Planning Spring Garden

Planning The Spring Garden 2012

The garden has been tilled and the plants are in! (To be honest, we are about two weeks late, but the rain got the best of us.)

Here is what I planned to feed a family of 4 through the middle of July having enough left over to freeze Broccoli Cheddar Soup, Potato Soup, and baby food to last the winter:

9 Broccoli Plants

6 Cauliflower

6 Green Cabbage

3 Red Cabbage

3 Bok Choy

3 Mixed Lettuce

3 Brussel Sprouts

1/2 pound red onions

1/2 pound yellow onions

5 pounds white potatoes

It took two rows and cost about $30.

Super Kale

 

Kale is not like other vegetables. Not only does it carry fiber and antioxidants, but also really good-for-you compounds known as glucosinolates.  When these glucosinolates brake down in the body, studies show that they may reduce the risk of certain cancers - lung, breast, prostate, and pancreatic.  Thus, Kale is known as a Super Food, along with broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, and brussels sprouts.  All of these Super Foods can be grown in Spring and Fall gardens.

I planted Kale in my fall garden last August, and since it is resilient to frost, in mid January it is still standing alone in the garden.  I took the picture above on January 29th and the leaves are still so very green.  If you live in North Carolina, or SC and GA, your planting times for Kale and its other Super Foods family will begin at the end of February.  

Cooking Kale: Although I will admit to its powers, I am not a fan of cooked Kale.  However, I have found a way to crisp it up with a little olive oil to cook a "Kale Chip."  Even my husband can't get enough of these.  For the past two Sundays, these Kale Chips have been a staple while watching the football games.  I will probably make a batch to take to our Super Bowl party next weekend and share the cancer fighting love.

Kale Chips:

1 bunch of fresh kale rinsed and dried

olive oil

sea salt

pepper (I actually used Old Bay instead of pepper because I like to taste of a Home Fry.)

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Tear Kale leaves off of the thick middle vein.
3. Toss lightly in olive oil.
4. Arrange on a cookie sheet so that leaves are barely overlapping. (I found that if they overlap too much the leaves on the bottom get soggy.)
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Roast in middle of oven for 25-30 minuets.
7. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to absorb any extra oil.
8. Enjoy.  Very Easy!!

Nesting

The problem: We live in a three bedroom house, but that third bedroom is a pine paneled office.  Very Dark! For a while I wanted to let Camilla and the new baby share a room because moving the office would be daunting and dark. 
But then, through the power of Pintrest, I found a computer armoire from Walmart that would store most of the office in the living room and open the dark bedroom up to possibilities. 


Then the problem became what to do with the pine paneling.  My favorite designer from HGTV is Sarah Richardson.  In one of her episodes, she remodeled her lake house, which was all pine paneling.  One of the bedrooms was in green and blue where she only painted two walls.

Inspiration room.......

So here is what I did - painted two walls, made curtains, and am now in the process of finding the artwork (or making the art work) for the walls.

Before...

Before...

After paint and curtains

After painting only two walls....and I think I like it.

An update from Winter Hibernation

What a fall and winter it has been!  I am still teaching three nights a week at the YMCA while also working full time, Steve is still in class two nights a week, I am still teaching the classes on Sundays at Williams-Sonoma, Camilla is in full force, oh  - and did I mention I am exhausted with my second pregnancy? 

The plan from last summer was to master The Suburban Challenge so that despite a crazy and hectic fall/winter schedule, our family would still be eating homemade/homegrown/healthy meals each night for dinner.  Mission accomplished!  I did this through freezing and canning over the summer prepared entrees that only needed browning of meat, cooking of pasta, or mixing into a 9x13 casserole dish. 

Here is a look at some of my winter staples from the garden last summer:

Okra and Tomatoes: I cook shrimp or sausage, add veggies and serve over rice

Provencal Chicken: I brown chicken breast, add veggies, and serve over couscous

Gumbo Starter: I make a roux, add veggies and meat and serve over rice

Chicken Pot Pit Starter: I add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and top with biscuits

White Chili Starter: Brown chicken and add soup starter.

(All of these recipes can be found on this blog.)

Dinner on the weeknights has become so much easier that I enjoy doing "special stuff" on the weekends - homemade pizzas, stews, roasts, etc....

This new organization has also allowed me to spend time sewing more after Camilla goes to bed. 

We have a very SPECIAL wedding to attend in April and we are ready with this pillowcase dress and blouse.



This was our "Christmas Card" dress.

And I have been appliqueing anything I can get my hands on to get ready for our new little man arriving in April.

What's Next:
Believe it or not - it is time to start thinking about the garden again.  If you live in Zone 4 "The Southeast: NC, SC, GA" per the Farmer's Almanac, it will be time to start plowing and preparing the ground during the third week of February. Steve has scheduled a man to come plow ours during that week. Then, by the first week of March the spring gardens need to go in: Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Lettuces, Peas, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cabbage, etc... 
And the fun will begin all over again!!  I just hope I can get the spring garden in and the rows prepared for the summer garden before the little man arrives.

The Cake is BLUE!!

This fall has been so busy.  Aside from working my three jobs, I have also made it through my first trimester! Thank goodness for a freezer stocked full.  We have continued to eat healthy, and on a budget all fall despite only having two nights a week where I don't have other commitments. I'll have to utilize my break at Christmas to re-stock the freezer to get it ready for sleepless nights this spring.

We had our ultra-sound last week to learn the gender. My cousin Taylor gave us the idea of keeping it a secret until a later time for a "Gender Revealing Party." So, at the ultrasound, I asked the technician to turn the screen away, type the gender, print the pictures, and place them in a sealed envelope.  I was a very good girl all week and did not peak at that envelope.  This weekend, I prepared a layer cake and icing, took the layers and icing to my friend Cindy who behind closed doors opened the envelope, colored the middle layer to match, and then frosted the entire cake.  We had a party at my mom's house tonight (Sunday) where we cut into THE CAKE, and amongst close friends and family found out that the middle layer was BLUE!

The recipe I used came from http://www.marthastewart.com.  However, I made some changes so that it would be easier and less expensive. Here is what I did.

Ingredients
2 pounds of sweet potatoes (about 3)
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
Grease for pans
2 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 pound white chocolate

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat potatoes with 1/4 cup vegetable oil, and place on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins, and puree the flesh in a food processor. (I was able to use Sweet Potatoes from our garden!)

2. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Grease two 8 inch cake pans, dust with flour, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup vegetable oil; beat on medium speed until well combined. Add the cooled sweet potatoes, and mix until combined.

3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; mix into sweet potato mixture. Mix in vanilla.

4. Evenly distribute cake batter into prepared pans, and transfer to the oven. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Let pans cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; cool completely, about 1 1/4 hours.

5. Meanwhile, chop the white chocolate into small pieces, and set aside. Bring 1 cup of cream to boil. Pour over chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is melted. Chill for 30 minutes.  (This was a hard step and I could not get all of my chocolate to smooth out so my icing ended up being a little chunky. If I were to do it again I would go with a traditional cream cheese frosting that is easier to make and spread.)

6. When chocolate mixture has cooled, pour remaining cup of cream into an electric mixer and whip on medium until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Fold whipped cream into chocolate mixture until fully incorporated.

7. Layer cakes with icing and cover.

Time for Pesto

If you still have Basil lurking in the back yard or in a pot, harvest it now or else loose it. Basil does not last after the first frost and it will not come back next year. Harvest it this week before we get our first frost and make Pesto.  It freezes wonderfully. 
I used the following recipe:
http://www.fostersmarket.com/recipe/fosters-pesto/


I freeze my Pesto in ice cube trays.  I bought these trays three years ago at the dollar store for pesto, and have since used them for chicken broth and baby food.  About two ice cubes is the perfect amount of pesto for a pasta salad or pizza crust. Once the pesto is frozen, it is a little hard to shake them out.  I slide a butter knife around the edges to coax them out.  My sister-in-law thought her pesto was ruined when she couldn't get them to come out - difficulty is normal because it is frozen olive oil. (Use the knife!)

Pumpkin Time

I love everything about food this time of year.....Pumpkin Bread Everywhere, Pumpkin Lattes at Starbucks, Pumpkin Creamer at the Grocery Store, Pumpkin Butter, Pumpkin Milkshakes at Sonic, Pumpkin Pie, ........ I even like to make Beef Stew with Pumpkin. 

We also use pumpkins in decorations. My sister-in-law Leslie rocked it this year with her art work for the Stillings' front door.  Thanks Leslie!

I spent $36 on this year's decorations: 2 large traditional pumpkins, 1 white pumpkin, 2 large butternut squashes, and one large gourd.  However, the recycler in me will use every ounce of this decoration in cooking after Halloween is over.  Although canned pumpkin is easy to buy this time of year at the grocery stores, nothing will make your recipes richer than using fresh pumpkin!  Here is how to make the most of your Halloween investments:

Butternut Squash.....please..... SOUP!!!  See my previous post for my Butternut Squash Soup recipe.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup adapted from Pumpkin by Joanna Farrow
1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 lbs pumpkin, skinned, seeded, and cut into chunks
4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan.  Add the onions and saute gently for 3-4 minutes until softened.  Add the garlic and ginger and saute for another minute.
2. Add the pumpkin chunks and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the pumpkin is falling apart.
3. Transfer to a food processor, or blender, or use an immersion blender and blend until smooth.
4. Stir in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Freezes great.

White Chocolate Chip and Pumpkin Cookies also adapted from Pumpkin
8 oz pumpkin seeded
1 stick of unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1 cup flour
3 1/2 oz. white chocolate chips

1. Grease two baking sheets. Cut away the skin from the pumpkin and finely grate the flesh.  I use my food processor to grate this.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in the grated pumpkin, then the egg, oatmeal, flour, and chocolate chips.
3. Place teaspoonfuls of the mixture on the baking sheets and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Leave on the baking sheets for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Mawmaw Doris's Pumpkin Roll
This is a McCall Family Tradition. You have never had Pumpkin Roll till you try this!!!!!
For bread:
3 eggs
2/3 cup cooked pumpkin
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 cup chopped nuts for garnishing

For Filling
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 tablespoons butter
1 3/4 cup powder sugar

1. Make the filling by mixing the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add 1 cup powder sugar. Refrigerate till ready to use.
2. Beat the eggs. Gradually add the sugar. Mix in the pumpkin. Sift flour and spices together and add to the mixture.
3. Bake in a 15x10x1 greased pan at 375 for 15 minutes.
4. Sprinkle a hand towel with powdered sugar. Turn the cake onto the towel and roll up to cool.
5. Unfold the cake and spread the filling on it. Roll the cake again and place into the refrigerator. The longer it sets the better.  Garnish with chopped nuts.

Pumpkin Bread....A classic
Everyone has their favorite recipe and there are plenty online to choose from.  My favorite, and I am quite partial to it, is Foster's Market Pumpkin Bread.  I might be a little bias, but for good reason.
http://www.fostersmarket.com/recipe/pumpkin-bread/

photo by James Baigrie

Beef and Pumpkin Stew adapted from The New Slow Cooker by Brigit Binns

3 lbs beef chunks

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

3 bay leaves

4 cloves garlic minced

1/3 cup dry red wine

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1/3 cup beef stock

1 lb. pumpkin peeled, seeded, and cup into 3/4 inch chunks

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil. Working in batches, brown the beef. Transfer to a plate.

2. Pour off most of the fat and return to medium-high heat. Add the onion, thyme, and bay leaves and saute until the onion is brown, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine and the 2 tablespoons vinegar and stir. Transfer contents to a slow cooker and stir in the carrots, tomatoes, and stock.  Add the beef, cover and cook on low for 5 hours.

3. Add the pumpkin over the top of the beef, re-cover, and continue to cook for 3 hours.

4. Discard thyme and bay leaves.

Butternut-Chicken Sausage Patties

2 chicken breast
1 small jalapeno or Serrano pepper
1/2 cup butternut squash puree (*if you are accepting the Suburban Challenge by making 4 batches of this recipe, you will need to roast 1 large butternut squash, or purchase one jar of butternut squash puree from Williams-Sonoma.)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
2 tablespoons olive oil

In the bowl of a large food processor, pulse the pepper until chopped.  Add the two chicken breast and pulse until coarsely ground. In a mixing bowl, add to the chicken the butternut squash, salt, fennel, and coriander, mix well to combine.  Shape the mixture into patties about 4 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. You will have 8 patties.  Mixture may seam very blobish, but will firm up while cooking.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Add the patties and cook until browned underneath, about 6 minutes. Turn the patties over and cook until browned on the other side, about 6 more minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer to paper towels to drain.

*If pre-cooking to freeze, stack cooked patties between wax paper, then bundle the patties with plastic wrap. Store in an air-tight container in your freezer. Reheat to serve.

Serving Suggestion
Make Foster's Market's Sweet Potato Biscuits from Scratch!!  Yummy.......
http://www.fostersmarket.com/recipe/sweet-potato-buttermilk-biscuits/

Butternut Squash Lasagne

This is my FAVORITE dish of all times.  Although it would take up too much room in the freezer and be too time consuming to make four, I did make two. We ate one that night and the other is in the freezer for next month. I cooked all of the squash for both dishes together and made all of the white sauce at the same time to maximize and minimize time spent in the kitchen.

This recipe is for One, but I encourage you to double and profit.

For squash filling:
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

For Sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups milk
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

For Lasagna
1 pound fresh mozzarella, grated
1 cup grated parm
12 noodles (either no bakes or boil them ahead of time)

1. Prepare the squash. To peel, cut into sections and cut a flat end on the bottom so that it will stand up. Then you can take your knife down the sides and cut off the very tough peel.  After you have peeled it, cut the section in half and scoop out any seeds. Then chop.

2. Cook the onion in butter in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the squash, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and sage.
3. While the squash is cooking, cook garlic and butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute for the sauce. Whisk in flour and cook whisking for 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking. Add bay leaf and boil whisking constantly, then reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk in salt and pepper and remove from heat. Discard the bay leaf.
4. Preheat the oven to 425
5. Toss the cheeses together. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce in a buttered 13 x 9 dish and cover with 3 pasta sheets. Spread with 2/3 cups sauce and one third of the filling, then sprinkle with a heaping 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat layering 2 more times, beginning with pasta sheets and ending with cheese. Top with remaining 3 pasta sheets, sauce, and cheese.
6. Tightly cover baking dish with buttered foil and bake lasagna in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden about 15 more minutes. Let it stand 15 minutes before serving.

3 ways to save MONEY for the Fall

1. Grate your own cheese. I know that buying bags of grated cheese is convenient, but consider this:
A standard 8 oz. block of cheese is an average of about $1 less than an 8oz. bag of grated cheese. Truth be known, when you grate the block of cheese it creates the same amount of cheese as the bag, about 2 cups. The quantities are the same. If I use my food processor, I can grate an 8 oz block in about 20 seconds. Account for the time it takes to pull the food processor from the cabinet and I am at 1 minute. Account for cleaning, I am now at 2 minutes total for 2 cups of grated cheese. By those calculations, I am making $30 per hour grating my own cheese. Not only that, it taste better, I have more variety in the cheeses I can choose from for cooking, and there are no gluing agents in my cheese - JUST FRESH, PURE CHEESE.

2. Southern Saver: Couponing works!! However, it takes a time commitment. My friend Kimberly recently turned me on to a new website that consolidates all the important sales into a single email.  Register at www.southernsavers.com 

3. Rock the Fuel Perks! If you don't shop at Bi-Lo, it's time to start. Even if you don't buy all of your groceries from there each week, it pays to choose a select few items each week. For every $50 you spend you earn $.05 off per gallon of gas at a participating BP. (For people living in Kannapolis, the Bi-Lo I use is on Hwy 29 at the corner of Dale Earnhardt Blvd and the participating BP is also on HWY 29 at the corner of Mt. Mitchell Church Road next to Hilbish Ford.)
They also run specials on gas. For example, this week you can earn an additional $.20 off per gallon if you buy 5 of the participating items in any order (5 of each/1 of each totalling 5): Kraft Mayo, Planters Peanut Butter, Planter's Peanuts, Kraft dressing, Velvetta Cheese, or Ritz Crackers. 
You can get $.25 off per gallon for getting your flu shot at Bi-Lo.
Bi-Lo also doubles all coupons everyday up to $.99.
So, look at the fuel perk specials, find your coupons, and SAVE!

I'd like to give a shout out to my sister in-law Leslie who built her fuel perks up to $.70 off per gallon by the time she had to fill her Jeep up last month.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ahhhhh... My favorite time of the year.

I love this soup recipe because it is healthier than most using water instead of salty broth, the ingredients are short and easy to find, and it is not based in creams or milks which doesn't upset my husband's stomach as bad. I made two large batches Saturday for the freezer.  (I am not really in the mood yet for soup - but I will be in November!)

Adapted from Cooking Light, October 2004
3 pounds butternut squash (about 2 medium)
5 teaspoons olive oil
5 1/2 cups finely chopped onion (about 2 large)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons minced garlic

1. Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a foil-lined baking sheet (or on a silpat). Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until tender. Scoop out pulp. Discard skins.

This is cut side up. After they come out of the oven I flip them over like this so that they cool faster. These are ready to be scooped.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, parsley, sage, and thyme; cook 15 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently.  Add squash, water, salt, pepper, and garlic. Bring to a boil, partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes.
3. Puree.  You can do this by placing batches into your food processor 2 1/2 cups at a time.  OR - and my favorite method - use an immersion blender. This was my best purchase of 2009.

Inventoring Your Stocks!

Anything that you read about make-ahead meals will stress the importance of keeping an inventory of what you have stock-piled away. I read a Better Homes and Garden article once that put my freezer to shame.  Here is the link:
 http://www.bhg.com/kitchen/storage/organization/savvy-ways-to-store-food/#page=15

Anyway you slice the cake, you need to keep an inventory of what you have squirled away. Otherwise, you forget about it and your time-saving efforts are now wasted.  In the Better Homes article the author recommended keeping a list of what was in the freezer on the door. When you take something out, erase that item. She used a mini whiteboard and kept pens and labels in the magnetic box.

I started using a different method this summer which is really working for me.  I printed off a blank calender and wrote down on various days what was frozen. For example, if I froze three containers of Zucchini Meatballs, I wrote one on August 31st, September 27th, and October 4th. This way I am not only eating my inventory, I am meal planning at the same time.  As my freezer fills, my month of meals fills also. Since menu planning for the week saves money at the grocery store, I assume planning for the month will save even more money because I know how many times next month I will need ground chicken and can therefore watch the sales.

Between canning and freezing this summer, I have the entire months of August, September, October, and November and half of December planned out and prepared.
Here is a picture of October. You now know everything my family will be eating that month:

Time to Plant the Fall

After about a month break, it is time to get back into the garden to plant fall vegetables.  From plant you can buy:
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Bok Choy
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Greens
Collards


From seed you can start:
Lettuces
Bok Choy
Kale

We cleared out the dying tomatoes and made room for 10 broccoli plants, 8 cauliflower plants, 4 brussel sprouts, 4 cabbage, and planted seeds for kale and lettuce.  So, I am now working into the winter meal plan grilled chicken salads with fresh broccoli, roasted cauliflower casseroles (as opposed to potatoes Au gratin) and deep fried kale!!

Figs

It is FIG TIME again. Dad and Steve were out Saturday morning picking figs. I think I might have the largest fig tree in Cabarrus County. If you would like to help me pick them, or hold Camilla while I am picking them, you get to keep half for your own recipes.  I could definitely use the help.

I recently had the pleasure, no the honor, of visiting Ocracoke, NC. If you have never been to Ocracoke it is time you discover a hidden, literally hidden jewel. Isolated by a 2 hour ferry on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Ocracoke has a history of being self sufficient and unique. Did you know that North Carolina even has a dialect know as Brogue which is also found in Irish dialects of English? Well, it is on Ocracoke and unfortunately it is dieing on Ocracoke.

On of the most fascinating things I discovered on Ocracoke is their native Fig Trees. I am the gardening nerd who also has a Fig Tree and was excited to talk to locals about which recipes they prefer for preserves and cakes. All of the locals kept mentioning a Ms. Ruth's Fig Cake. So, I share with you....

"On Ocracoke it's a small step from routine to extraordinary," Ruth Fordon
Fig Cake Recipe
3 large eggs
1 1/2  cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
2 cups preserved figs cut up

Grease and flour one large tube or bundt pan.
Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs until light and foamy. Add sugar and beat until pale, add oil slowly and beat another minute. Sift together flour, spices, salt and soda. Add to eggs alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in figs, nuts and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan and place in preheated oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until cake tests are done with a toothpick. Cool in pan for 20 minutes then invert onto a rack and cool completely. Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy.

Bree's Fig Preserves
For each pound of fresh figs, add 1/2 cup of sugar and lemon juice.
For example:  7-8 jelly jars
6 pounds of figs
3 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of lemon juice.

Cut stems off figs and cut in half.
Boil the mixture down for about 35 - 40 minutes.
Ladle into sterilized jars and process in a water bath canner for 35 minutes.

Here are some beautiful images from my week at Ocracoke:

The view from the top of the Life Saving Station at Portsmouth, NC.

As we were touring the ghost town of Portsmouth we walked into the church to hear live organ music being played by our group leader Diane. What a surreal moment!!

Sailing on the Windfall through the Pamlico Sound.

The view from NCCAT looking out over the harbor at Ocracoke.

Sunset at Ocracoke

Before and After Pictures

I was out of town last week. Although I had a wonderful time, I always hate getting behind. This is what the kitchen looked like Saturday morning after I went and got everything out of the garden from this past week:

Then, by Saturday night it looked like this:

Inventory:
6 jars of pickled Okra
12 jars of Fig Preserves
1 Fig Cobbler
1 batch of Rachel Ray's Squash-A-Mole
2 Grilled Vegetable Lasagnas (1 for next week and 1 to put in the freezer until October)
and enough grilled vegetables for pizza tonight for the family



Why cook the extra amounts??? Bree preaches a little.....

The Suburban Challenge, for any new readers, is living up to and owning the idea of being a domestic diva while not being a stay-at-home diva. It is the handbook for all of us multi-taskers who want it all - career and domestic bliss.

The key to The Suburban Challenge, if you choose to accept it, is cooking in bulk. You must be willing to cook one time per week and get in 4-7 meals from your time in the kitchen. Rachel Ray preaches this, but cooks a lot of different entrees on one day using similar ingredients. I preach this by cooking the same entree times 4 or 7 and preserving it properly.

In either case, you are providing a healthy, home cooked, fresh meal for your family every night of the week while also saving one hour of each day by not having to cook it. With that extra hour you are able to achieve domestic diva status by gardening, working-out, running errands, sewing, playing outside with the kids, crafting, ... whatever your heart's desire.  People ask me all the time - "Bree how do you do it all?" Well, time management. Make the most of your cooking time on Sunday, then spend the rest of the week WITH THE TV OFF getting done what it is you seek to achieve.  Peace!

White Chili Starter

This is a great recipe to freeze or can. Imagine using this starter to cook a batch of white bean chicken chili on a cold Sunday afternoon watching the NFL playoffs - if there are NFL playoffs..... And to think, the tomatoes, peppers, and maybe even the beans came from your own garden!

6 cups of cooked beans (This year in the garden I grew a white bean that is no longer sold which my grandmother passed along to me. It is a cross between a Crowder Pea and a Pinto Bean.)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 yellow onions
3 chopped bell peppers (mixed in colors)
3 jalapenos (or other hot pepper from your garden)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
6 cups of peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoons black pepper
6 cups water

Makes 5 quarts

The longest part of the prep is the tomatoes.  It took me one hour to peel, seed, and chop the six cups. After that, the starter came together fast.

1. Heat the olive oil and garlic over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft - about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in peppers and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Stir in spices and cook for 1 more minute.
4. Stir in tomatoes and beans. Cover with water (about 6 cups) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Package and freeze or Ladle starter into prepared canning jars. Process in a pressure canner at 11 lbs. for 90 minutes.

*When ready to serve. Cook 2 chicken breast then shred them. Add chicken to one jar of starter, heat and serve. Serves four. If you need to serve a crowd, add another chicken breast and another can of beans to bulk up the starter to serve six.

Cuccumber Bread

A follow up to last weekend's blog about the Cucumber Bread recipe.  I didn't really care for it because there were bitter bites (from too much baking soda or cooking the cucumbers with their peels on?). However, it did inspire me to bake a cucumber.  I came up with two recipes for you:

Cucumber Bread/Muffins - this recipe is adapted from a Paula Dean recipe so IT IS NOT HEALTHY! This is a good recipe to prepare for a housewarming, hostess, new baby, etc....
3 cups of flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs beaten
2 cups of cucumber (about 3 medium cuc.s)
1 teaspoon almond extract

1. Prepare two loaf pans or muffin pans.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
3. Peel strips off of the cucumber, leaving some to give the cucumber strength in the food processor but getting rid of some of the bitter skins.  Slice longways into fourths so that you can cut the seeds out easily. Then grate in a food processor.

4. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl.
5. In a separate bowl combine the oil, eggs, almond extract, and cucumber.
6. Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
7. Bake loaf pans for one hour or muffin pans for 30-35 minutes.

Cucumber Carrot Breakfast Muffin: The sinfulness of that last recipe encouraged me to come up with something I could actually keep around the house and eat.
1 cup cucumber, peeled in strips, seeded and grated (see  recipe and photo above)
1 cup grated carrot
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup flour
1 cup old fashion oats
1 tablespoon flaxseed
1 tablespoon wheat germ
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon allspice

1.Combine the cucumber, carrot, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, egg and raisins in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, oats, flaxseed, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda, and allspice.
3. Slowly incorporate the two bowls together.
4. Spoon into a greased muffin pan.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.

A Weekend on The Suburban Farm

Weekends are work!!  Especially when there is a garden involved.  Knowing that Steve and I had a lot to do in the garden this weekend, we took advantage of the cooler temperatures on Friday evening to get started.  Once we put Cam down to bed, we then mowed, "weed eated", and weeded the garden to get a head start.

Saturday, we took turns plowing and raking up grass to prepare two rows for the soon to come fall garden. Steve would work a little while I stayed inside with the baby and then we would take turns. We started where the spring garden was (potatoes and broccoli) and got two rows ready for sweet potatoes.

You can see the space ready for sweet potatoes in front of the okra which is still providing a lot of produce and green beans climbing on a fence. The green beans are almost done.

While I was inside, I also had the front carrier on so Cam could help me can some Tomato Basil Simmer Sauce. This recipe came from Better Homes and Garden and works great with the Summer Meatballs recipe from June 8th, 2011. 
Tomato Basil Simmer Sauce: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/canning/tomato-basil-simmer-sauce/

I was able to get 7 pts canned and the garden prepared for sweet potatoes all before 12:30 (with Steve's help of course).  Then it was off for family time and  The Band of Oz.
Sunday I had to wear another hat and work at my third job (WS) where I was inspired by Kale!!  We made deep fried Kale.  So, next weekend I will start clearing the space where the corn was in the garden for fall broccoli, spinach, and KALE!
After work I tried a new recipe for Cucumber Bread that was in the Salisbury Post.  I am not impressed.  But, I have some ideas on how to make it better. Once I develop it, I'll share with you!

IF YOU LIVE IN NORTH CAROLINA, YOU MUST PLANT SWEET POTATOES!
HERE'S WHY:
1. North Carolina actually has a Sweet Potato Commission: http://www.ncsweetpotatoes.com/
2. North Carolina is the leader in sweet potato production, supplying 40% of the annual US production of sweet potatoes.
3.  This food is low in Sodium, and very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6 and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Manganese.
4. It is easy to grow. Plant, make room for the vines to spread, and then harvest in the fall.
5. Sweet Potato Biscuits, Sweet Potato Pie, Sweet Potato Fries, Baked Sweet Potatoes, need I say more??

Okra and Tomatoes

Freeze it or Can it!! The easiest canning meal yet!

1 qt sliced okra
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
cayenne pepper to taste
2 tsp salt

Saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil.  Add green pepper, and cook 3-4 minutes.  All all the other ingredients.  Cook till soft, about 10 minutes.
Freeze or Can.
For canning: process in a pressure canner at 11 lbs for 30 minutes for pints and 35 minutes for quarts.

Last night, after we put Cam to sleep, Steve and I were able to can a double batch of Okra and Tomatoes and make a large batch of Yellow Squash/Sweet Potato Baby Food in 2.5 hours - GO TEAM!

Okra and Tomatoes for Dinner: Steve and I ate this a lot this past year heated over rice. But to make it an even grander meal, serve with some smoked sausage or chorizo and you will have yourself a southern/Cajun delicacy.