Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Dallas News.com ^ | March 14th, 2008 | DEAN FOSDICK

[nw_arizona_granny]

Americans finding soaring food prices hard to stomach can battle back by growing their own food. [Click image for a larger version] Dean Fosdick Dean Fosdick

Home vegetable gardens appear to be booming as a result of the twin movements to eat local and pinch pennies.

At the Southeastern Flower Show in Atlanta this winter, D. Landreth Seed Co. of New Freedom, Pa., sold three to four times more seed packets than last year, says Barb Melera, president. "This is the first time I've ever heard people say, 'I can grow this more cheaply than I can buy it in the supermarket.' That's a 180-degree turn from the norm."

Roger Doiron, a gardener and fresh-food advocate from Scarborough, Maine, said he turned $85 worth of seeds into more than six months of vegetables for his family of five.

A year later, he says, the family still had "several quarts of tomato sauce, bags of mixed vegetables and ice-cube trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock of sauerkraut, more homegrown hot-pepper sauce than one family could comfortably eat in a year and three sorts of squash, which we make into soups, stews and bread."

[snipped]

She compares the current period of market uncertainty with that of the early- to mid-20th century when the concept of victory gardens became popular.

"A lot of companies during the world wars and the Great Depression era encouraged vegetable gardening as a way of addressing layoffs, reduced wages and such," she says. "Some companies, like U.S. Steel, made gardens available at the workplace. Railroads provided easements they'd rent to employees and others for gardening."

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.allthatwomenwant.com/herbbutters.html

Elegant Herb Butters

by Brenda Hyde

Herb butters are easy to prepare and add elegance to any meal. They can be added to cooked fresh vegetables for a special touch. For an easy summer treat, grill ears of corn for your dinner guests and offer them several different butters for spreading. If you need to take something with you to a dinner, simply grab a loaf of fresh Italian or French bread and prepare a bowl or shaped log of herb butter to wrap and present to your hostess. Best of all, herb butters are simple and inexpensive. They can be frozen for several weeks if covered tightly. Start with these easy recipes, then use your imagination to create your own combinations.

Basil Butter

Combine 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup shredded leaves. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Use on vegetables, chicken or fish. You can also use to cook scrambled eggs.

Sage Butter

Cream together 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup minced sage leaves. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Wonderful on seafood or chicken, on fresh green beans or hot biscuits.

Cilantro Butter

You will need:
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup minced cilantro
1 tsp. lemon juice

Blanch garlic in boiling water for 10 minutes, remove,cool and peel, then mince. In small bowl cream the butter and add other ingredients. Pack into small container and refrigerate. This has many uses such as spreading on fresh warm tortillas,mini corn muffins or baguettes.

Fines Herbs Butter

You will need:
1/2 cup soft butter
1 Tbls. chives
1 Tbls. parsley
1 Tbls. tarragon
1 Tbls. Chervil

Chop the herbs fine, mix with butter. Place in container. This is great on most vegetables, fish or French bread.

Special Butter for Fish

You will need:
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp. lemon juice
dash of salt and pepper 2 Tbls. chopped fennel leaves Combine and refrigerate. Can be used on baked fish.

Other Herbs

You may use the basic mix of 1/2 cup softened butter with other herbs in your garden or from the produce department. Chives make a wonderful butter that can be used on steamed or microwaved summer squash, corn or muffins. Don’t forget Marjoram or Oregano for fresh Italian or French bread!

Gift Giving Ideas:

Even though butters are refrigerated you can give a fresh basket for someone recovering at home from an illness or operation,or someone returning from a trip where the refrigerator may not be stocked, a housewarming present or a special anniversary. Place one or two herb butters, a baguette, dried pasta, colorful napkins, chocolate, or scented candles. Place in a nice wicker basket and you have a one of a kind, handmade gift!

About the author:
Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer and editor of the online magazine, Seeds of Knowledge. You can visit her at http://www.seedsofknowledge.com

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.flowerpressing.com/?hop=rosegarden

Flower Pressing Secrets
How to Press Flowers for fun and profit

[A pretty site, there will be plenty of other places to get the information, without buying the course they sell...granny]

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1050186#post1050186

San Francisco Rice (Rice-A-Roni Copycat)

2 cups uncooked rice (not instant or Minute Rice)
1 cup of broken vermicelli pasta pieces (from the pasta aisle)
1/4 cup dried parsley flakes
6 Tablespoons instant chicken or beef bouillon powder/granules
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teasppon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Stir together all of the dry ingredients. Place 1 cup0 of the mix and 2 tablespoons butter or margarine in a heavy saucepan with 2-1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.

---

I cook the rice in chicken or vegetable broth. About halfway through I throw in a handful of whatever I have on hand, finely diced celery, carrot, onion, frozen peas, dried fruit, or nuts. At the end I add some parsley flakes, chives, or green onion and then fluff the whole mixture.

I also like to mix rices, especially if they are colored. White rice and wild rice, brown rice and red rice, and so forth. Beware of different cooking times.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.happyeating.co.uk/recipe/coconut-sandwich-cake

Home
Coconut Sandwich Cake
Descripton

This sandwich cake is made with coconut and has a buttercream and jam filling. Great for afternoon tea.
Serves

12 servings
Ingredients

Cake:
220g Butter (at room temperature)
220g Self-raising flour
1 heaped teaspoon (tsp) of baking powder
220g Caster sugar
3 large eggs
50g Desiccated Coconut
1 teaspoon (tsp) of vanilla extract

Buttercream icing:
100g Butter (at room temperature)
100g Icing Sugar
1 teaspoon (tsp) of vanilla extract
1 tbsp icing sugar - extra for dusting

Jam:
4 tablespoons (tbsps) of Strawberry / Raspberry Jam
Instructions

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 4). Lightly grease two 20 cm (8“) baking tins.

Sift the self-raising flour and baking powder into a bowl.

Beat the sugar and butter until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gently combine the beaten eggs into the mixture. Then add half of the flour mixture and fold in. Add the remaining flour mixture, the desiccated coconut and vanilla extract and fold again until all ingredients are evenly mixed and smooth.

Pour half of the mixture into one of the greased baking tins and the remaining mixture into the other. Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the surface of the cake appears to be golden brown.

Ensure the cakes are cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre of each of the cakes. If the skewer is clean when removed, the cakes have been cooked all the way through.

Allow the cakes to cool and then turn them out onto a cooling rack.

Buttercream Icing:

Sift the icing sugar into one bowl. Place the butter into another bowl and lightly whisk. Then add a portion of the sieved icing sugar and whisk further. Repeatedly add the icing sugar in small amounts until all of the icing sugar has been added. Finally add a teaspoon of the vanilla extract and whisk again.

Assemble the sandwich cake by first spreading the jam on the top of the lower half of the cake. Spread the buttercream icing on the bottom of the other half of the cake. Sandwich the two halves together. For an added finish, lightly dust the top of the cake with icing sugar.

Note: A healthy alternative would be to use margarine instead of the butter both in the cake and buttercream filling.
Submitted by vwadman

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.happyeating.co.uk/recipe/sausage-potato-casserole

Home
Sausage and Potato Casserole
Descripton

Casserole is a classic British dish. This variation includes sausage and potato. A great meal for a cold winters day.
Serves

4 to 6
Ingredients

4-6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch (3 cm) pieces
2 onions, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8-12 pork sausages such as Italian sausages
4-6 baking potatoes, peeled if desired and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried sage
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup (375 ml) chicken stock or water
Instructions

Fry the bacon in a large skillet over moderate heat until crisp.

Transfer to paper towels to drain and saute the onion and garlic in the same skillet until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a plate and set aside. Fry the sausages in the same skillet until browned on both sides - there is no need to cook
them completely at this stage. Layer the potatoes in a grease baking dish, top with the bacon and onion mixture, season with
sage, salt, and pepper, and top with the sausages.

Add the stock and bake tightly covered in a preheated 350F (180C) oven until the potatoes are tender and the sausages are cooked through, about 1 hour.

Serves 4 to 6.

Reproduced by permission of Worldwide Recipes.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.happyeating.co.uk/recipe/basic-risotto

Home
Basic Risotto
Descripton

Here’s the recipe for a basic risotto dish. It can be used to experiment with a variety of flavours. Try different combinations of ingredients such as chopped tomatoes, fresh spinach, pancetta, mushrooms, etc.
Serves

4
Ingredients

6 – 8 shallots, finely chopped
300 g risotto rice
1 glass of white wine
2 pints stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
50 g parmesan cheese, grated
Handful of fresh basil
Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the chopped shallots until soft. Add the crushed garlic and the risotto rice and cook over a medium heat.

Stir continuously until the rice becomes glassy in appearance. Add the wine which should bubble. Stir the rice and allow the alcohol to evaporate. When the wine has been absorbed, turn the heat down. Add a ladle of stock and continue to stir.

Cook the mixture over a low heat and ensure the risotto mixture is always stirred as this will bring out the creaminess of the rice. Allow the stock to be absorbed and add another ladle of stock. Continue this step by step process until all of the stock has been added and absorbed. When the rice is cooked, stir in the grated parmesan cheese.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the risotto to rest for 1 – 2 minutes. Then serve the risotto – try a garnish of fresh basil.

Tip: For the wine ingredient in this dish, try saving a bottle that’s been opened but where the wine is no longer suitable for drinking - rather than throwing the wine away.
Submitted by vwadman

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.happyeating.co.uk/recipe/honey-amp-ginger-flapjacks

Home
Honey & Ginger Flapjacks
Descripton

A healthier version of the traditional flapjack
Serves

15 squares
Ingredients

200g unsalted butter
200g demerara sugar
200g honey
400g rolled oats (porridge oats)
50g glacé ginger, chopped
Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 4). Grease a 20 x 30 cm (8” x 12”) ovenproof dish.

Place the butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan and heat. Stir occasionally until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Take the pan off the heat and add the oats and glacé ginger and mix well.

Place the oat mixture in the ovenproof dish and spread the mixture evenly using the back of a spoon.

Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. The mixture should remain soft in the centre. Allow the flapjacks to cool and then cut into squares.

The flapjack squares will keep for a while if stored in an airtight container.
Submitted by vwadman

---

demerara sugar is raw cane sugar:

http://www.google.com/search?q=demerara+sugar&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.glutenfreehippie.com/

A nice little blog, with recipes.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://politicook.net/2008/11/10/drchelos-mothers-chutney-a-la-mexico-city-1956/

drchelo’s Mother’s Chutney a la Mexico City 1956

drchelo’s Momma makes great chutney! I used her recipe and had to do a little dance on the ingredients as portions changed cuz I had more of some things and less of others. My recipe is first and the original is below. I haven’t canned this. I was too tired and plan to keep in the fridge or give away. It really tastes better today than yesterday when I made it.

Apple Mango Chutney II

drchelo’s chutney

(Makes about 5 1/2 - 6 cups)

2 cup raw Mangoes peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 cups Apples, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks ( the apples I used were wild and organic!)
1-2 cups Water
2 teaspoon fresh Ginger,chopped
8 cloves Garlic both spicy and mild, chopped
1 1/2 cup organic cider vinegar
2 1/4 cups Sugar
2-2 1/2 teaspoons Salt
5 cardamom pods, crushed in a motar and pestle and seeds used, pods discarded
6 teaspoons Raisins
1 1/2 jalapeno, cut in 1/2 longwise and chopped (remove seeds and/or veins for less kick), 2 serranos cut in 1/2 longwise and chopped (remove seeds and/or veins for less kick).
16 Almonds, blanched (use raw almonds and pour boiling water over them, let sit for a few minutes and then drain, peel the skin off and chop the almonds)

Cook mangoes and apples in 1 cup water with the ginger and the garlic until they are tender, and the water is mostly absorbed.
Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, cardamom, raisins and chilies and cook until thickened (add more water as needed).
Cool and add almonds, pour into sterilized jars, and cover tightly with sterilized lids and either process as for canning or place in the fridge or freezer.

drchelo: Your adventure in chutney inspired me to dig out my mother’s copy of Helene Curtis cookbook where she had written down many of her recipes. I have not personally made this recipe, and as she wrote it down when we were still living in Mexico City, circa 1956, I’m not sure what species of apples or mangoes she used. I’ve transcribed it pretty much as she wrote it, here it is:

Apple Mango Chutney I

1 cup raw Mangoes peeled and cut into chunks about 1 cup
1 cup cooking Apples, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2 big cardamoms, crushed
1 cup Vinegar
1 cup Water
1-3 jalapenos, cut into rings - remove veins and seeds for less kick.
1 3/4 cups Sugar
3 teaspoons Salt
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon long strips of Ginger
4 teaspoons Raisins
8 Almonds, blanched

Preparations:Cook mangoes and apples in water with the ginger and the garlic until they are tender, and the water is mostly absorbed. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, cardamom, raisins and chilies and cook until thickened. Add almonds. Cool, pour into jars, cover tightly.

---

Here’s an interesting recipe I got on the MyFeasts website. It has a middle eastern flavor to it.
Tomato chutney
4 medium sized tomatoes
1 1/2 Tb vegetable oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
5 curry leaves ( fresh or dried)
2 green chillies - seeded and chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cayenne or hot chili powder
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder or one cinnamon stick
4 small shallots - peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 whole cumin seeds

Wash and dry tomatoes. Chop tomatoes and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in heavy pan. I like to use a heavy bottomed pot for this and for most of my curries. I find that curries do not burn easily with heavy bottomed pot ( having said that use whatever pot you have on hand, even a saucepan would work).

Saute black mustard seeds, whole cumin seeds and curry leaves for 5 minutes on medium heat. High heat would burn the seeds and it will be bitter- the whole dish will be ruined!

When the mustard seeds starts to pop add chopped shallots, ginger, garlic and saute until onions start to caramelize - this usually takes 5 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and cinnamon stick or powder, salt and cook for 10 minutes with the lid on. Remove the lid and stir tomatoes once or twice. The tomatoes will start to break down and turn thick and pulpy. Add chili or cayenne powder, turmeric, sugar. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve.

This would keep in the coldest part of the fridge up to a week. I usually serve this sweet, spicy and tangy side dish with dhall (lentils) and rice . Naan or chappati will be perfect to scoop mouthfuls of this delicious chutney.

~~~~

Scotia48 said:

OK, people,
Right off the bat looking at this recipe, I would add more tomatoes,black sesame seeds are wonderful, some green tomatoes to make it more interesting. I don’t know what curry leaves are, but I have a wonderful curry plant in my yard that is spicy and dark. I would add that. Chillies would be jalapeno, serranos and some dried reds from Viet Nam that I have. more fresh garlic, more fresh ginger, adjust the sugar and salt to your taste, use only cinnamon stick crushed and wrapped in muslin, I would add more onions (maybe some caramelized), I have a bounty of Iranian saffron, so, I would add some saffron juice to the mix.

~~~~~

I would lessen all the seasonings except the tomato and onion … which I would really up in the recipe.

I would use the ginger, cumin and black mustard as background flavors, accents to the beautiful summer tomatoes.

And definitely some hot pepper!

---

drchelo said:

Here is another Tomato Chutney recipe I got from an Indian Recipe site - I don’t know what asafoetida tastes like, and I have always loved the name “fenugreek” but this one looks good:
Tomato Chutney Recipe
Ingredients:
• 4 Medium Tomatoes
• Small Pinch Of Asafetida
• 3 Tsp Oil
• 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tsp Fenugreek Seeds
• ½ Cup Grated Coconut
• 5 Tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 Tsp Coriander Powder
• ½ Tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tsp Tamarind Pulp
• 1 Small Onion
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• Salt to Taste
Method:
• Heat 2 tsp of oil and fry fenugreek.
• Add tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes become soft.
• Grind this into a paste, along with tamarind pulp and coconut.
• Heat the rest of the oil and add the chopped garlic and onion.
• Fry till the onion turns translucent and the garlic browns.
• Add red chili, turmeric and coriander powder and fry for half a minute.
• Add the tomato paste, salt and asafetida and fry for 2 mins.

[nw_arizona_granny]

http://www.bulgarbugle.com/

Sean’s Should Be Famous Onion Ring Method
November 28th, 2008

* 1 can beer
* 2 eggs
* flour (3 cups of flour makes a lot of onion rings)
* Habanero Salsa
* baking powder (1.5 tsp per cup of flour)
* Spices and Herbs to taste (garlic powder, cayenne, whatever you like, experiment!)
* oil for frying

Cut the onions into rings.

Mix the dry ingredients.

Beat the eggs with the beer and the habanero salsa but don’t mix with the dry ingredients.

Dip the rings into the beer/egg mixture, then into the dry mixture so they are thoroughly covered with flour.

Dip again in beer/egg and again in dry mixture.

If you don’t have habanero salsa, use cayenne pepper in the dry ingredients.

Fry in hot oil until done.

If you are using some of these for green bean casserole, fry the onion rings for that dish a little more crispy than the others for just snackin’.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Green Bean Casserole
November 28th, 2008

This year’s Green Bean Casserole was a local food delight:

* Frozen green beans from a local farmer.
* Shitaake mushrooms, also local
* 2 cups milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup stock)
* Fried onion rings (home-made of course)
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 tablespoons flour

Make the onion rings. See “Sean’s Should Be Famous Onion Ring Recipe” at this site. Cook the green beans in water (about 10 minutes). Put the oil and flour in a skillet and make a roux. Slice the mushrooms and add them and cook until the flour starts to darken a bit. Add the liquid and thicken. Mix the onion rings with the green beans, and pour the mushroom sauce over the top. Add some more onion rings to the top. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Yummm. Very good.

---

Thanksgiving 2008 Part the Second: Pumpkin pie made with a real pumpkin
November 28th, 2008

This doesn’t have any bulgar in it, but it is a great recipe. If you have never made a pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin, you are missing out on a great taste treat.

First, roast the pumpkin. I cut the pumpkin in half, cleaned out the seeds and “strings” (save the seeds and roast them for a snack). then I cut it in slices, and placed them on their sides in a baking dish. I added 2 cups water to the baking dish. Then I baked them at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half. Bake them until the pumpkin is soft.

Peel or cut the rind away from the pumpkin. Then puree it using a blender, food processor, or mixer. I used a mixer. You need about 3 cups of this cooked, mashed pumpkin to make 2 nine-inch pies.

Here’s my recipe, as adapted from Pumpkins and More .

* 3 cups cooked mashed pumpkin
* 1 cup sugar (I used brown sugar, you can also use honey)
* 4 eggs
* 1-1/4 cups yogurt
* pumpkin pie seasonings — 1 teaspoon each of ground cloves and allspice, 1-1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour into 2 nine-inch pie shells. Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and cook for another 45 minutes. It’s done when a blunt knife inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

PS. Make your own pie crust. Pumpkins and More has great illustrated instructions. The only way to learn to make great pie crust is to make a lot of pies. Many years ago I complained to my grandmother Dovie Waldrop that I couldn’t make a good pie crust. She replied, “Bobby Max, the reason you can’t make a good pie crust is that you haven’t made enough pies. When you have made 100 pies, I bet you make a great pie crust.” And she was right!

---

Thanksgiving 2008 Part the First: Dressing with bulgar
November 28th, 2008

First the terminology. Stuffing is what you get when you stuff stuffing ingredients inside the bird. That’s never been a tradition in my family, and some recommend strongly against it. Dressing is the same type of dish as stuffing, only cooked separately from the bird as a side-dish. That’s what this recipe is about.

Ingredients

* 9-10 slices of dry whole wheat bread, cubed.
* 2 cups of leftover bulgar (I used 2 cups of left-over cream of broccoli/bulgar soup that I made.
* 2 eggs, beaten
* Finely chopped fresh sage and some thyme, to your personal taste.
* 1 chopped onion
* 2 stalks of celery, sliced
* 2 cups stock

Saute the onions and celery, and for the last minute or so, add the fresh herbs (or dried herbs if you don’t have fresh growing in your yard). In a bowl, combine the cooked veggies with the bread cubes, left-over bulgar, and eggs. Add 2 cups stock. I used juices from the turkey and a bit of broth from simmering the turkey’s neck, giblets, heart, and liver. Bake for one-half hour at 350 degrees.

Posted in Great Uses for Left-over Bulgar |

http://www.bulgarbugle.com/

[ExSoldier]

Thanks for the "Heads Up" granny. I never eat the type of fish mentioned as being risky. My dad would, way back when he was alive. He was a big Herring/anchovie type guy. Must have been the Russian ancestry. Also the concept of a "Victory Garden" has real appeal to us, especially since the majority of my late mother's family in Virginia are farmers. I sure couldn't do it sun up to sun down, though.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

http://ferfal.blogspot.com/2008/12/weirdest-thing-that-happened-to-me-yet.html

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2008
Weirdest thing that happened to me yet on the road…

The “EDC” and “10 things you would have done differently” posts are taking a bit longer than expected, but something happened the other day and wanted to tell you guys and girls about it.

The day before yesterday I was driving through General Paz highway. About 4 PM, not a lot of traffic but still several cars around.

Minding my own business as usual when suddenly the car in front of mine starts slowing down (little red flag in the brain went up), and from the front passenger’s window a guy pulls most of his torso out of the window and points towards me with something in his hand, at first I thought it was a weapon, but instantly recognized the deodorant kind of bottle shape that protruded from below. He started spraying my windshield with foam! The instinctive thing to do would be to hit the brakes, but given the speed and cars near by, it would have been a big mistake.

I already had my gun out, so I went right and got close to the AH, pointed the gun to his face. (AC doesn’t work so the window was down) He made the usual “entire life flashes before your eyes” face people put when you do that, eyes opened wide, combination of stupidity and surprise look. He started shouting something to the driver. They immediately slowed down and disappeared, didn’t see them again. I don’t know if they wanted to carjack me, or just cause an accident, but being cautious always worked out for me.

Just wanted to share that because I thought it was pretty weird. People here sometimes get robbed after they throw stones into the windshield, but this is the first time I saw this foam thing being used in such a way.

FerFAL

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

This is what's dangerous about legislation (vs. law). Legislation is arbitrary regulation passed to rectify some issue that has come up. But legislators are susceptible to persuasion by lobbyists, etc. and can end up causing more problems than they solve. I remember reading a story about a company exempted from a sweeping law in Illinois that crippled its competitors. The legislation read: “All companies except those founded on Month Day, Year are subject to this regulation.” It's a corrupt practice that can put small companies out of business.

In school, they don't teach students about the difference between law and legislation, and it's a crucial difference. I could go on, for a long time, but I won't. LOL

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

Gluten Free ping

http://www.glutenfreehippie.com/

A nice little blog, with recipes.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

1 cup of broken vermicelli pasta pieces (from the pasta aisle)

There’s a pasta called corte fidelo that’s already cut the right size. We use it in Armenian pilaf. Mmmmm that is some good pilaf.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

That is a fantastic starburst,

I thought you would enjoy that.

I hope you are warmer today!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/forcing-branches/index.html

Bring the Garden Indoor by Forcing Tree Branches

(Be sure to read the warning about lavender - you could kill your plant doing this!)

Figure A

Winter is a time for rest and rejuvenation in the garden, so why not bring the garden inside? When brought indoors, cut branches burst into bloom (figure A).

A contorted filbert tree makes a great candidate for forcing because of its winter silhouette of twisted branches (figure B) and its springtime catkins, says garden author Marianne Binetti. “In the spring the little catkins get long, green and pendulous, so you want to bring some branches indoors and enjoy them early.”

Figure B

When collecting branches to force, Binetti prunes to improve the tree's symmetry.

“I'm going to enhance the shape of this tree by showing off the twisted branching down low.” The first branch has buds forming, perfect for forcing; she cuts it exactly where it meets the main branch (figure C).

Figure C

Forcing, step by step
Almost any branch that blooms can be forced. The best time to prune is when the weather is mild-midday to mid afternoon—preferably when the temperature is above freezing

Experiment with shrubs throughout the yard. Binetti planted a flowering quince and a forsythia just for winter forcing. Neither shrub looks like much in the winter, but in just a week or two, branches from either will be beautiful. Wherever a cut is made, the branch will sprout, providing potential new cuttings for next year.

The branches can be long or short, depending on your vase or design.

Bring the cut branches inside, fill your cases, and put the cut ends immediately in water. Have on hand, a cutting board, a small hammer, pruners, a mister and newspaper or plastic bags. Then one by one, taking each branch from the vase, and re-cut them. “After you cut them outside, they began forming a new scab. You want a fresh cut so it can absorb lots of water.”

Figure D

Pound the end of the stems with the hammer (figure D). This helps to create more surface area for the stems to take in water. Little branches can be cut and pounded together. After pounding the stems, place branches in a vase filled with water.

Provide extra humidity, at least for the first few days. Depending on where you live, indoor humidity in the wintertime is usually much lower than that outside. Binetti wraps a newspaper around the branches, then mists it. Plastic wrap will serve the same function.

Set the plants in a cool place for a few days, then remove the newspaper or plastic wrap and wait for the show to begin.

“After just a couple of weeks, depending on how warm your house is, the buds are going to swell and you're going to have all this color.”

Add water every few days. Forced branches will last several weeks inside and when they're done, just throw them on the compost pile.

Plants that can't be forced
Some plants, such as lavender, can't be forced. “Don't cut lavender in the winter,” Binetti says. “It's a Mediterranean plant. If I were to prune this plant now, it would send out new growth, and winter cold would kill it to the ground.” To be sure, don't try to force any plant that comes from a climate that's warmer than yours.

Guests
Marianne Binetti
Gardening Expert
Website: www.binettigarden.com

[AuntB]

bookmarking, thanks!

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

You’re welcome! I never knew you could force branches... they’re very pretty!