The Garden Thread - December, 2025

December 1, 2025 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Diana in Wisconsin]

The MONTHLY Gardening Thread is a 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.

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It is impossible to hijack the 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/removed from our New & Improved Ping List.

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[Diana in Wisconsin]

I really miss our friend Randy this time of year. He was Beau’s BFF and hunting buddy for decades. He was so sweet to me. In the summer he brought me the most GORGEOUS Georgia Peaches (for a pie, of course!) and he always managed to find Oysters for me this time of year, because he liked my Oyster Stew.

Emeril still has the best recipe that I’ve found.

https://www.emerils.com/120395/oyster-stew

Beau and I always do a Seafood Feast on Christmas Eve and watch ‘Die Hard.’ LOL! Beau’s Foster Son will be joining us as usual, so that’s always nice.

I go to Church with Mom on Christmas Day if we’re not snowed or frozen in. The HEATHENS sleep in. ;)

[Qiviut]

We have a Christmas Eve service here, but no Christmas Day service. Last year, our first Christmas here, the Christmas Eve service was almost ‘magical’ - the church was gorgeous, the Pastor’s husband played his big harp, the choir (such as it is :-) sang .... looking forward to this year.

Ok, the oyster problem ...

Option 1: If I order from the country market grocery, the latest I could probably get them would be the 17th. I have no idea if/when the brothers are coming. Pints $21, Quarts $42

Option 2: The little market next to where we get our hair cut: pints $20, no quarts, gallon $120. We will be going by there tomorrow & I am going to stop in & see how late I can order. We can do 2 pints ($40) which is slightly less than the other place.

Option 3: There is a seafood market in the ‘big’ city. They open tomorrow at 11. I have to take mom for a 10:00 appointment so we can swing by after & check out prices (they will be expensive, I know that already) & what their order schedule is like.

Option 4: Last idea - mom & I had it more or less at the same time: both brothers have access to oysters. The one brother lives at the beach & his best friends there have a seafood company. The other brother, where we used to live, can visit the seafood company where we always got our oysters. So, if they visit & want oysters, they could bring a quart with them - mom will pay them back.

As for me/mom - I plan on getting a pint (maybe 2) just for us on Christmas Day & we’ll have the traditional oyster meal we had on Christmas morning when dad was still around.

I looked up recipes for oyster casseroles/scalloped oysters yesterday & found one I like. I had thought about freezing the oysters if we got them & couldn’t eat them before the boys visited. They can be frozen, but they soften up - soups, stews, casseroles, etc. would work for the frozen ones. I don’t think I’ll have to do that with the 4 options available ... one of them will work out. Getting the boys to bring oysters is my “favorite” of the 4.

I have never been a fan of oyster stew .... I like ‘em fried & that’s about it, although my SIL’s mom made an oyster stuffing that was good. My brother did Oysters Rockefeller on his grill one year & I managed to eat a couple of those - pretty good. Maybe one day I’ll give oyster stew another try :-)

.

[FamiliarFace]

Just catching up to the December thread. Growing up, on our wedge salads, we used Thousand island dressing instead of bleu cheese, and of course, crumbled bacon. So lovely.

[FamiliarFace]

Fun blast to the past!

I keep old vintage items in use whenever possible. I have my Grandma’s colander (the holes form star shapes), and Grandma’s light mint green ice cream scoop.

Whenever I use anything from my grandparents or my parents, it brings me great joy!

[Liz]

Good stuff.

[Qiviut]

The Christmas tree (and I) made it up the basement steps with no mishaps. I got the lights on the tree working, too!

Figured out how to change the batteries in the electronic door lock on the shop so that’s working again. The locksmith showed me how when he changed the locks & codes the day we closed on the house almost 2 years ago so I sort of remembered how to get started & it was easy after that :-)

Bought some scrapple today ... we’ll see how that goes. It sure looked good when I saw it on someone’s plate at the local diner.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I had fried SPAM for Brunch along with scrambled eggs, so who am I to judge? LOL!

My ex always told me of his ‘horrifying trials’ on the farm. His Mom, widowed, married a widowed Farmer who had 6 kids of his own, and took on her four boys as well. Pretty sure that was ONE reason she was so attractive to him, as a Farmer; free labor! He had 5 boys, one girl.

So, he went from being a City Kid to a Farm Kid with NO idea what that meant. Absolutely none!

He would tell me of them hand-hoeing the soy beans in the hot summer sun and then lunch would be delivered and it would be a Head Cheese Sandwich, LOL!

(Head Cheese is the LESSER cousin of Scrapple...)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“Maybe one day I’ll give oyster stew another try :-)”

Start with Emeril’s recipe. You will NOT be disappointed! Promise! :)

[Qiviut]

I fried up some scrapple & enjoyed it!

No head cheese ... “meat jelly” isn’t my thing.

[Liz]

J.L.Hudson Chef Salad

DRESSING: 2 tsp white vinegar 1 1/2 tsp ea l/juice, onion juice, sugar, Dijon
1/4 tsp dry mustard 1 c mayo 2 tb chp fresh parsley diced hard cooked egg, salt

SALAD: 14 oz ea julienned ham, cooked turkey breast, Swiss cheese, 1/4-1/2 c slivered dill pickles Iceberg lettuce, shredded Garnishes 12-16 green/black olives red onion rounds, hd-cooked eggs

Combine/stir/dissolve first 6 dressing ing. Add rest dressing ing; mix well. Toss combined ham,
turkey, cheese and pickles w/ dressing. Bowl lettuce, top with dressing and garnishes. (serves 6-8)

[FamiliarFace]

Guess what?!!

Almost every grocery store has shishito peppers here in Bend, Oregon! I think because maybe there are more Asians here than in the Midwest? Anyway, these peppers are HUGE!!

I bought a bag of them, and blistered them for appetizers tonight before dinner. Drizzled smoked paprika aioli on them. The kids loved them!

I am wondering if they are a different variety, because these were nearly the size of jalapeños, and could easily be stuffed. I am so happy to get a “fix” while I’m out here!

[MomwithHope]

Interesting! Our store has them just during the summer. Normal size. commercially bagged. Not too popular or known, sometimes the peppers look old and drying. I have never bought any.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Yeah, Head Cheese is gross...and I’ll eat just about anything, LOL!

ZERO when I got up at 7am - going to hit a balmy 14 degrees, today. Ten Day Forecast has temps back into the high 20’s and low 30’s, so manageable. Snow maybe again next week.

Beau has to sort cattle with the neighbor this afternoon, then they get shipped off to the Sale Barn. Feeder calves are currently going for $1,000.00 and up! Yikes!

We got our whole hog the other day. Beau brought me pork chops and fresh BACON to cook up later in the week.

I have no experience baking a ‘raw’ (uncured) ham - he got a few of them. Have you ever baked one? I’m assuming it takes longer than a cured ham, as those are already pretty much cooked?

[Qiviut]

I still have my hams in the freezer - not sure what I will do with them.

My niece’s hubby salt cured a ham last year. It was ‘buried’ in salt for a month, I think. After that he hung it in a game bag for months. It was delicious! I haven’t looked up yet how to do it, but I intend to. Maybe I will try it on one of my hams.

[Qiviut]

I think I will try this on some of my fresh pork. Five stars & the comments are encouraging.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/245724/home-cured-holiday-ham/

[Qiviut]

Someone mentioned this honey glaze is good, too.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/240752/chef-johns-honey-glazed-ham/

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Thank you! I love ‘All Recipes’ - I even get their magazine.

Supper tonight is Bear Stroganoff (in the Crock Pot) and a Waldorf Salad.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

You both reminded me that I wanted to post about Winter Salads and even though we don’t have our own fresh greens at our fingertips these days, there are still a lot of yummy salads to have in the Wintertime.

30 Bright Winter Salad Recipes You’ll Crave All Season

https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/bright-winter-salads/

My picks to try:

White Bean Arugula Salad

Warm Cabbage, Fennel and Pear Salad

Perfect Winter Salad

Merry Berry Salad

Winter Beet Salad (Which I normally make, anyway)

A salad and something on the grill. Dinner is served! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Shishito Peppers AND a new Grandbaby? You are on a winning streak! Better go buy some Lottery Tickets or hit the Casino, LOL!