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Weekly Garden Thread - December 9-15, 2023 [The Legend of the Poinsettia Edition]
Decembet 9, 2023 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

Posted on 12/09/2023 6:14:52 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin

The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to gardeners with some acreage, to Master Gardener level and beyond, we would love to hear from you.

If you have specific question about a plant/problem you are having, please remember to state the Growing Zone where you are located.

This thread is a non-political respite. No matter what, you won’t be flamed, and the only dumb question is the one that isn’t asked.

It is impossible to hijack the Weekly Gardening Thread. Planting, Harvest to Table Recipes, Preserving, Good Living - there is no telling where it will go - and that is part of the fun and interest. Jump in and join us! Send a Private Message to Diana in Wisconsin if you'd like to be added to our New & Improved Ping List.

NOTE: This is a once a week Ping List. We DO post to the thread during the week. Links to related articles and discussions which might be of interest to Gardeners are welcomed any time!


TOPICS: Agriculture; Food; Gardening; History
KEYWORDS: gardening; history; hobbies; poinsettia
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Woo hoo - the 9 x 13 beans are in the casserole carrier & it zipped up easily which was the ‘big test’! I cut two cardboard pieces out of the box my freezer came in .... really heavy cardboard. This protects the lining of the carrier (some shiny stuff) - the instructions on the carrier were to use a tea towel. So one piece of cardboard is on the bottom & one goes on top - casserole dish itself is covered with foil. The cardboard will add extra insulation.

The top compartment also has two pieces of cardboard. The dish is 8 x 8. I bought a potholder/towel set at Walmart - 2 potholders, glove & two dish towels. The dish towels are rolled up & will take up the extra room on each side of the dish so the 8 x 8 doesn’t slide around.

The carrier has a pocket on the outside - the new potholders will go in there, along with 3 serving spoons I picked up when I bought the potholder/towel set ... $.97 each for the serving spoons. The Jiffy corn pudding has 15 minutes to go, but if the 9 x 13 fit, the smaller dish will, too. Whew - glad the carrier is working out as planned - I’ve needed one for years!


41 posted on 12/10/2023 7:53:20 AM PST by Qiviut (If the genocide was unintentional, they would have pulled the poison vaccines, long ago.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

I made a 3 lb tri-tip last night in the air fryer. Could have cooked it a little longer for my taste. Came out rare but I like medium rare. I hit the steak button which is 12 minutes and bumped it up to 16. Will try 20 next time. My son must have liked it because he stuffed himself.

I splurge on NY Strip when it’s <$10/lb but generally try to stay under $6-7/lb which doesn’t leave many cuts and no steak cuts. I have the coffee pot roast recipe open in a tab.

Freezing this morning, high up near the mid 40s with gusts to 22 so I’ll be doing housework today. That and a grocery store run which makes me cringe due to the cost.

Store has bottom round rump roast $5.28/lb and ground chuck for $3.98/lb so it looks like pot roast. No Dutch Oven so I’ll use the instant pot for the pot roast. The pressure will be better for the leaner cut.

The ground chuck is also $3.68 in 10lb tube so the $3.98 is probably the same, just repackaged, else they would have chuck roast on sale too.

The ground chuck will be for further work on our taco recipe. I regrind the beef with a fine plate. I’ve been buying the 12 pack of tacos from Taco Bell every couple of weeks but $20 is a bit much so we’re going to start making our own.

Chicken thighs $1.49/lb so those will be on the menu twice this week. Air fryer does them well and is an easy button meal for work nights.(literally push two buttons) We like the air fryer wings even better but they’re hardly ever a good deal.

The old lettuce seeds I broadcast all sprouted but aren’t really growing much nor are the Bok Choy. Should have started the bok choy indoors and got them to 4-6” for the head start and then transplanted them. Started way too late anyway and didn’t expect much results. That’s why I only did a few of each and am saving the rest of the seeds for Spring.

Never could get a reading out of the rocketbombplane wind sensor for wind speed. I had my doubts that a multimeter would work. I tried my oscilloscope but it’s old and I’m no expert at using one so who knows. I may have to buy a part for it but I won’t know for sure until I get the $400 controller that it will be connected to in the end. I need that regardless, no matter what wind speed sensor is used. I can get a refurbished 3 cup anemometer that’s a good brand name for $30 to get by with if the rocketbombplane doesn’t work and then fix that whenever. The wind vane/direction works on it.

Gonna pick up another load of firewood tomorrow and then I can transform my truck back into a crane for lifting high tunnel trusses to set them. I’m ready to set #3. Thurs and Fri look decent(as of now) for working on holes for #4 and maybe getting it set.

Maybe this should be the weekly gardening/cooking thread most of the year and transform into the weekly cooking/gardening thread by Winter. LOL


42 posted on 12/10/2023 8:12:08 AM PST by Pollard (Stick a fork in the USA, it's done!)
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To: Liz

Liz, thanks, except for my daughter’s gift I would not have tried it! (She worked for a caterer in college and probably got the idea from them.)


43 posted on 12/10/2023 9:32:51 AM PST by Pete from Shawnee Mission ( )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

How about a picture of your cactus?


44 posted on 12/10/2023 9:47:20 AM PST by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Diana, it looks great!

No dutch oven so would probably have to do it in either a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. Rosemary is good, so is thyme.

45 posted on 12/10/2023 10:38:19 AM PST by Pete from Shawnee Mission ( )
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To: Bon of Babble

Aww — pets so cute! I see that the cat is growing in his/her insulating undercoat for the winter.


46 posted on 12/10/2023 1:20:50 PM PST by Albion Wilde (Either ‘the Deep State destroys America, or we destroy the Deep State.’ --Donald Trump)
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To: Pollard; FRiends; CottonBall; Qiviut; MomwithHope; Pete from Shawnee Mission

“Maybe this should be the weekly gardening/cooking thread most of the year and transform into the weekly cooking/gardening thread by Winter. LOL”

I’ve actually thought about doing that. I want to have an ‘Eating from the Garden’ Challenge this winter.

A friend that lives in north central Illinois is a great gardener. She actually keeps track of how many days a year that she eats at least ONE thing from her garden. She does it like 300+ days a year between eating fresh in season, Spring through Fall, and then whatever she’s canned or frozen from her garden in the Winter months.

I am making it a GOAL to do this starting 1-1-24, and I hope I can stick with it this year!

I guess part of it is that I ‘take it for granted’ that I’m eating SOMETHING from my own hands (or from Beau’s hunting/fishing skills) but it would be fun to track what we eat each day from either the garden or hunting or fishing.

This would also easily tie-in with the Survival Skills thread of Cottonball’s.


47 posted on 12/10/2023 2:08:09 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

Either would work, but just a pan in the oven covered in tin foil would work fine, too.

I found this recipe because I wanted to use up leftover coffee, but have also never had the best results with pot roast in a slow cooker.

If you DO try it in the slow cooker, let us know if it’s fall-apart tender - which was my goal, as well as taste. :)


48 posted on 12/10/2023 2:10:21 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: MomwithHope
I am setting aside some time to upload a whole growing season's worth of photos to Postimages so I can post them here. For now, you'll just have to gaze upon Ithaca's handsomeness. ;) But I WILL get some pictures of 'Miss Peach' to add to the mix this week!

49 posted on 12/10/2023 2:17:01 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Great idea, I’ve been doing that since summer. And now that we put up so much veggies I try to have at least one harvest item in our meal. Today it was Chinese Long beans and chopped frozen green onions added to our chicken soup. Oh and a dollop of shishito sauce on a piece of salmon from the freezer.


50 posted on 12/10/2023 2:20:08 PM PST by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Several years ago I bought one of those blue spatterware roasters. We used to have one long ago. Nothing better for a pot roast or toasted chicken.


51 posted on 12/10/2023 2:22:05 PM PST by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

He’s got a smart noble look.


52 posted on 12/10/2023 2:23:23 PM PST by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: MomwithHope

“...blue spatterware roasters.”

I have one, too. They’re great. I love my Dutch Oven for this pot roast recipe, though. I also use the Dutch Oven to bake crusty, ‘artisan’ no-kneed bread. Super simple with IMPRESSIVE results. :)

https://anaffairfromtheheart.com/no-knead-crusty-dutch-oven-bread/


53 posted on 12/10/2023 2:37:56 PM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
leftover coffee,

What's that?

54 posted on 12/10/2023 3:14:57 PM PST by Pollard (Stick a fork in the USA, it's done!)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

I bake a loaf like that too, in a round metal heavy 9” pan and use a big bowl to wrap in foil and make a lid. You’ve posted a picture of your bread looks delish. We got a big jar of “everything bagel toppings” and I like to top my loaf with that.


55 posted on 12/10/2023 3:23:45 PM PST by MomwithHope (Forever grateful to all our patriots, past, present and future.)
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To: Pete from Shawnee Mission
Sous vide cod on a pile of veggies looks good.


56 posted on 12/10/2023 3:38:52 PM PST by Liz (Women have tremendous power — their femininity, because men can't do without it. Sidney Sheldon)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

I love the combo of gardening and then recipes using it. Using the canned Garden Products could easily evolve from that, like you said.

If anybody wants to take over the prepping thread, please do!!


57 posted on 12/10/2023 4:00:10 PM PST by CottonBall (How cute that people think there are still elections. )
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To: All

Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork
Such an impressive holiday meal. Serve with your
favorite side dishes and fresh baked dinner rolls.

Ingredients 1 (16 rib) pork rib crown roast (about 8 pounds) 2 cups rice, uncooked 1 cup wild and long grain rice, uncooked 1 (4 ounce) package dried apricots 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped 1/2 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed 1/2 cup honey 2 tablespoons butter Orange slices, (optional)

Instructions Place roast, bone tips up, on rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover ends of bones with a strip of foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. While roast is baking, cook rice according to package directions, adding apricots the last 10 minutes and cinnamon during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Combine rice mixture and chopped pecans; mix well. Combine orange juice concentrate and honey, mixing well. Fill roast cavity with rice mixture (or use your fave stuffing). Place the remaining rice mixture in a small baking dish. Dot the rice stuffing with butter. Brush roast with some of the orange juice mixture.

Continue baking roast and stuffing 30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 150 degrees F. (Allow about 20 minutes per pound total cooking time). Brush occasionally with the orange juice mixture.

Let rest until temperature reaches 160 degrees F, about 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to warm server. Garnish with orange slices and cranberries or other fresh fruit.

58 posted on 12/10/2023 4:23:00 PM PST by Liz (Women have tremendous power — their femininity, because men can't do without it. Sidney Sheldon)
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To: Liz
Liz....So, no dried salted cod? (See the Lutefisk thread.) Yes, it looks good! I expect that would only take about 30 min to cook??

** Ginger, soy, and sesame oil in the broth. Small mushrooms are beech mushrooms, available at oriental stores. (Here, locally, a package is $.99 (On Monday.... $3 for a large package of Dried Shiitake mushrooms, same for wood ear mushrooms.) Go great with raman noodles, green onions, serrano peppers, and turnip slices cooked in chicken broth!

(Bonus!! Biden Economy inexpensive Hack for Crown Roast of Pork..... Take a full slab of ribs and tie in a circle membrane side out to make it look like a crown roast. French the ends if you want. Take an inexpensive loin roast and put in the center. Season and cook as indicated in your tasty recipe! Then fill with the rice/wild rice (with wild mushrooms) in the center per the recipe! (Potato/Turnip gratin w butter and nutmeg, peas with butter and thyme, browned carrots and or parsnips.))

59 posted on 12/10/2023 5:30:01 PM PST by Pete from Shawnee Mission ( )
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To: Pete from Shawnee Mission

Love that hacked crown roast-——take that failed Bidenomics.


60 posted on 12/10/2023 6:59:33 PM PST by Liz (Women have tremendous power — their femininity, because men can't do without it. Sidney Sheldon)
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