Arriving at Spring?

Boy, this is a cold and snowy spring.
We got the mulch, cleaned up the beds and laid it down.
As compared to last year, there is very little growth.


I was looking back through March last year, and saw how big the chrysanthemum was. I am now worried about it! The roots are holding firm in the ground, so I'm hoping it is still dormant.






There aren't even any hostas yet!

This year, I raked back the old mulch, spread seeds from two wildflower packets, and then covered that up with the old mulch, and new mulch. Then it snowed. Let's hope that was some good soaking moisture!
The seeds I have put down already are from Botanical Interests:
Hummingbird Haven Seeds
Goldenrod Summer Showers Organic Seeds
Bring Home the Butterflies Seeds

I have others, but will put them down once we know we will get no more snow.

Good Morning

Grrrr

Spring on the way

Well, we did not have weeks of >70 degree weather this year - yay!
I'm hoping that means everything comes up when it should.

I noticed the other day that the bulbs were about to bloom - ie the flower heads were forming on the daffodils.

March 2




and then yesterday, we got 6" of snow!
they should be ok, right?

ok, here's a summary of what we will be doing in the garden once the weather gets stable:

Seeds

for the trellis - I have one free standing, and thinking about getting another one going on the side of the garage.
Sweet peas - on the trellis. If the weather is like last year, this won't work again.
Cypress Vine Funny Valentine Blend HEIRLOOM Seeds
Cup and Saucer Vine HEIRLOOM Seeds
Black Eyed Susan Vine HEIRLOOM Seeds

all around...
Nasturtiums - They did well last year, and may self-seed, if not; I have backups.
Zinnia - going to start getting zinnia going.
Goldenrod Summer Showers Organic Seeds - I love goldenrod
Bring Home the Butterflies Seeds
Hummingbird Haven Seeds

I want to put in a herb bed/kitchen garden around the lamp post, surrounding the Clematis.
I will replant the oregano I had in a pot
I accidentally killed the rosemary by forgetting to water it :-( so will have to buy a new plant.
I will also add a thyme plant
and these seeds Parsley Italian Dark Green Flat HEIRLOOM Seeds
(Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Parsley, Lavender - I think that's herbs covered)

plants
Hollyhocks - in front of the gutter downspout
Three varieties of lavender - we are going to take out the scrawny bushes in the front "island" bed and replace with these lavenders. I may just plant the whole bed with lavender (around the bulbs, of course).

Kitchen Inventory - Baking

I've been cooking a lot more lately, and so have some of my friends. We've been comparing notes on recipes and weekly menus, and so I have lists on my mind. I thought I would put together a list of my most-used kitchen tools (starting with baking). Just in case anyone was interested in knowing what I've picked up and learned from mistakes over the years.
Yes, pretty much everything I own is from Sur la table. I love that shop! because they have everything in a range from cheap to expensive and so many varieties, you can really apply every criterion you might want to consider to every item you select. My other favorite place for kitchen tools is Cost Plus World Market. Their prices are always low and everything I have bought there has really lasted.

Baking

I have a Kitchen-aid stand mixer. I'm sure that's what everyone goes for in the category of technological assistance. I have lived without a hand mixer for about 6 years (broke mine mixing a batch of cookie dough) and just recently bought a new one. Haven't used it yet ;-)


Mixing

I like having the different sizes.
I bought these at Crate & Barrel a very long time ago [Amazon].
The biggest one is cracked from a fall, so I recently added two of these so that I'd have more than one BIG bowl [Sur la table]

I just got these bamboo mixing spoons [Sur la table]. They are AMAZING! You don't feel like they are going to snap at any moment when you are mixing up a big batch of something.

I have a large balloon whisk my brother got me for Christmas at Williams-Sonoma one year. I also have a small one that I use for gravy and little batches.

Tools

I have a couple sets of measuring spoons. I think it's because I'm neurotic. I like to have a set for wet, dry, and a spare for if the other two are dirty.
I use these for measuring dry ingredients. I like them because they fit inside of spice jars [Cost Plus].


My set for wet is like these, but I bought them at the grocery store.

This is the spare set. I thought I'd like them because they have the two shapes - oval and round [Sur la Table] - jury is still out.

I have one set of measuring cups. I like these because the shape is uniform, and the tops are even/flat making it easy to level off dry ingredients. I wish my set had 2/3 cup and 3/4 cup. It looks like the new Sur la table set does, but I can't justify that cost for something I already have. edited: I went ahead and bought these Sur la table ones. I like that they are rounded at the bottom because dry things don't get "stuck".

So, what I did was get a set of these prep bowls with marked measures [Sur la table]. I love using them for measuring wet ingredients because you can fill to the inside line and have room in the bowl so that you don't spill when you take your ingredient to your mixing bowl; alas, they have no 2/3 cup.

I have a set of these prep bowls too [Sur la table]. I do use them - they are great for melting butter in the microwave - but they have no standard measures (I've tried to figure it out!), so wouldn't recommend them.

I like to have two sizes of measuring jugs - a 4 cup and a 2 cup. For some reason, I just don't like using my pyrex one. I have this 2-cup jug that I bought at a grocery store years ago that I love. It's like a tall glass, but with measures. The bad thing about it is that the plastic has no tolerance for heat. So over the years of measuring hot things and putting it in the dishwasher, it just can't retain liquid anymore. I cannot throw it away! because I can't find something that replaces it adequately; and so it sits, unusable, in my cupboard.
My latest attempt at replacement is this Oxo cup. I just really wanted to never get one of these stupid slanted stupid measuring cups, but since I seem to have an aversion to the glass ones, I thought I'd give it a try. I know, a lot of strum and drang over measuring jugs!

Everyone's 4-cup jug, right? [Sur la table]

My new trial 2-cup [Sur la table] - [4/3/2014 edited] did not like it!

[4/3/2014 edited] Found this one, LOVE it!! [Sur la Table]

I use this sieve. I love it. Fits perfectly in the large mixing bowls so I can add all dry and then sieve [Cost Plus].

I keep this little off-set spatula in my measuring drawer and use it to level dry ingredients instead of a knife [Sur la table].

I have an all-metal apple slicer that I like because everything is one piece, nothing to give way when you press. I think I got it at Cost Plus, here is one that would work for the same reasons from Sur la table.

I recently added an apple corer to my tools, but that was actually for pears [Sur la table].

I use a pastry blender that has fixed "tines". I hate how the single strand of metal ones bend in. You want your cutter to cut, not mash [Sur la table].

I also have a miscellaneous assortment of tools in the baking drawer - to include a plastic ruler, plastic scraper, measuring spoons and a mini mortar and pestle. I like to say that since I don't like cooking, the more toys I have to play with while I cook the better.

I have a series of spatulas that I like for different reasons.
These are like big spoons that scrape [Sur la table] - I have two. Great for getting your batter out of the bowl and for scraping the sides of a mixing bowl.

I just got this double-sided one from Sur la table to help get things out of jars [Sur la table]. Love it!

and I got these two little ones in case the big one didn't work [Amazon] (I bought them at Slt this past summer - I can't believe they no longer sell them already!). I use them all the time too. All great purchases.


Of course, I have a couple random scrapers that came with other tools - food processors mostly. But I do use this straight one a lot, especially in the bowl for the mixer to scrape down the sides [Amazon] - doesn't seem to be available at Slt anymore.


Sheets, Trays, and Plates

I bake cookies on two aluminum cookie sheets [Sur la table]. The price tags on the bottom of mine are still there, and say $10.95. Yikes, they have gone up in price!

I have two silpat sheets for these, but I rarely use those [Sur la table]. I like to use parchment paper instead. When I bake cookies it's usually a lot of batches. I like to have 4 pieces of parchment and set-up 2 sheets while two are in the oven. Pull baked cookies and their parchment off the cookie sheet, pull next two sets of parchment onto the sheets to bake. You can't really do that with silpat because it's too flexible.

I have a set of stacked drying racks from Cost Plus that I bought a long time ago. They are seriously "cheap", but I have no complaints and no reason to replace them.

I recently got this silicone loaf pan because I hated how the metal/teflon ones started to degrade [Sur la table]. I mostly bake banana break and meatloaf in a loaf pan.

I got a new metal pan just in case the silicone needed supporting - as suggested in reviews - but I find that the silicone is stable enough on it's own [Sur la table].

I have a 12-cup and a 6-cup cupcake sheet [Sur la table]. I have been using silicone cupcake holders [Sur la table]. I'm ok with them, but not wow'd.

I have the usual assortment of cake, spring-form, and pie plates, but I find that I always go back to two.

A decorative one I got at Sur la table that is Boleslawiec. I can't find my design online, but if you do a search, you get the idea. I think it is beautiful.

and two clear pyrex ones [Sur la table]. These get used for quiche and pie over and over again.

Finally, pie weights [Sur la table]. I used to use an assortment of legumes. I had bought them to fill door draft stoppers, and put the left overs in a jar for pie weights. What that means, is you have to cover your pie crust with something to contain all those legumes, and then carefully pour them off of the foil/parchment back into the jar. I just got sick of it. And after, oh, 8 years (last year was that year), I bought this metal string pie weight. I have not not yet used it. I stayed away from those ceramic balls for the same reason the legumes drive me nuts. Let's hope this chain works.

and now here I am an afternoon later realizing that I am insane!
Let's see if I can reprise this for the cooking tools!
A lot are repeats - prep bowls, mixing, etc - but of course there would be the pots and pants, knives, cutting boards, oy, I'm dying of boredom just thinking about this silliness!

anyway - a list of baking tools.
and, in the event my house burns down, I'll have an easy list to replace my favorites, right?!

What's going on in the winter garden

I pruned the roses the 2nd week in January. There were already shoots, so that is too late!

The bulbs are already starting to come up. We had two small snow days, so I hope that wasn't too much for them.

Wed is supposed to be 69, and then back down to freezing.
I am worried we are going to have another spring like last year, and all the plants will get confused... again.


This weekend I ordered the things I want to put into the ground this spring:

Hollyhocks - in front of the gutter downspout.
Sweet peas - on the trellis. If the weather is like last year, this won't work again.
Nasturtiums - all around. They did well last year, and may self-seed, if not; I have backups.
Zinnia - going to start getting zinnia going.
Three varieties of lavender - we are going to take out the scrawny bushes in the front "island" bed and replace with these lavenders. I may just plant the whole bed with lavender (around the bulbs, of course).

Cookies 2012

I invited a new friend over to bake cookies in 2012.
I was very sick with a bad cold. I don't remember much about the day, except that it was actually challenging to think about ingredients with my brain so wonky.





Good thing I've made these cookies so much, because we ended up with a nice big haul!


Proud!

Putting the garden to sleep

I like to keep the garden all disheveled for Halloween; add an unkempt flavor to the decorations. Right after Halloween, we had a frost, and all the tender plants died. It was time to cut everything back for the winter.

Here are the front beds trimmed down.






I looked online for tips on how to trim the buddleia and hibiscus.
Everything said that they were happy to take a hard pruning. Given that they had grown from nothing to huge over the summer, I figured down low was the best strategy.
We will see next year how that played out.

The other two things that I pruned down low with uncertainty were the society garlic (I think is what it is) and the Del Oro lilly.

Those garlics are driving me NUTS! they make tiny seeds, and last year I let them go to seed, so we have zillions of little garlics like unwanted hair all over the beds. I contemplate taking the poison to them. See the mess on the wood edging? that's garlic.

Anyway... this is probably the end of 2012 gardening.

Next year I hope that we have a more predictable season.

My new addition plans include:
Hollyhocks
Lavendar
and maybe a Jasmine

we will see...

Baked

The night before I realized that I was short on buttermilk; I forgot to go to the store on my way home.

In the morning, I decided to prep before going to the store. Good thing because I realized:
1. the buttermilk I froze and then defrosted was gross - don't do that!
2. I didn't have enough anyway
3. I ran out of sugar for the filling portions
4. just get extra butter... you never know!

Running to the store put me about 30 mins past my scheduled start time (9am). I figured it didn't matter 'cause I could stay up as late as I needed to get them all done.

Once I started baking, the plan executed very well.


5 batches of dry ingredients ready to go.


5 bags of lemon juiced apples ready to go.


kitchen ready to go.


Batch 1 filling out of the oven.


Topping ready, next batch of apples.


Baking topping.


Batch 2 ready to go.


Batch 1 done!

In assembling the filling for batch 3, I figured it would probably have been a good idea to taste 1 and make sure everything was ok. I paused, ate a jar...
they taste GREAT!
In part, how can you go wrong with apples and cinnamon?! and two, this is an amazing topping recipe!

I ate the one on the left.

The only other baking mis-hap is that I borrowed a 4th cookie sheet.
One of those actual cookie sheets: link.
This sheet sucks for carrying jars! It is flimsy and bends when you have it loaded up with EMPTY jars, let alone trying to get it in and out of the oven loaded. It has no handle edges so I kept burning myself through the gloves. And the worst part?! because it is so thin (I'm guessing), the filling actually caramelized during the double bake. Luckily, I used the tray in the 2nd batch, which means I only had to use it twice.
In the second use, I took the filled and topped jars out in 10 mins instead of 15. No more burnt filling.

At one point I lost track of where I was, and had to look in the oven to figure out what my next step would be.


Jars cooling.


The Bride wanted ribbons. This may have been the most tedious part of the day.


Lids on, ready for ribbons.

I waited until each jar was completely cool before I put the lids on. Ideally, I would have waited until the next day, but I had to work and couldn't find time between that and the wedding to lid and bow all the jars. So, I got it done the same day, and stored them in the cool garage overnight (there are no cars in our garage).
The only thing about this - which I didn't like - is that the crispness of the crust went away. This also happens when you make scones and store them in a ziplock overnight... the moisture trapped with them makes them "soft".
Oh well.
In retrospect, we should have put on the label a note that says "enjoy as soon as possible" or "homemade - please keep refrigerated".
I haven't heard any stories of apple cobbler poisoning in the Metro area, so maybe I am ok.

The wedding was beautiful! The bride was grateful, the groom said they were delicious!
I hope people appreciated the personal touch of a home-made favor.


.......................

The apples we picked were all different sizes (and varieties, of course) so I could use an apple count for determining the quantity I needed to peel and prep. So I figured I would use weight. I weighed a typical granny smith - 8oz. I multiplied that by the number of apples I'd need per 24 jar batch, and that's how many we peeled.

Well - this was WAY too much! by a batch and a half.
Given that I was updating Facebook all day, I hoped that I would have some takers for an extra batch at swim that night. So one more in the oven!