The Garden Thread - November, 2024

November 1, 2024 | Diana in WI/Greeneyes in Memoriam

[Liz]

Italian Baked Ziti
Easy baked pasta is the perfect comfort food, doesn’t need prolonged cooking thanks to flavors from onion, garlic, fresh and dried herbs. Italian grandmother secret to thin sauce is the hot starchy seasoned pasta water. Partly cooked pasta before baking prevents overcooked and mushy dish from the oven.

Ing 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 large white onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, lightly crushed and minced 29-32 oz can crushed red tomatoes in puree 2 tbl ea chp fresh parsley leaves chp fresh basil leaves, 6 small sprigs basil for garnish 1 tbl dried Italian seasoning 1 lb dried ziti 6 oz ea shredded mozzarella, Parm

Steps Heat canola on med; add onion, garlic. Saute onions translucent. Add tomatoes, parsley, basil, Italian seasoning. Cover; simmer 25 min. Cook pasta barely al dente 10 min in boiling salted water. Drain well; stir into sauce. Transfer to b/dish; top with cheeses. Bake cheese melty. Garnish, serve hot.

[FamiliarFace]

Thank you, thank you. I do not like having corn syrup in pecan pie, and almost all recipes call for it. Instead of vanilla, I think I’d like to try bourbon in it. I can’t remember the other FReeper who mentioned this, but he loves his wife’s pecan pie and she includes bourbon in it. Wish I could remember who it was.

[FamiliarFace]

*** Did they find any bows?..........***

You’re funny.

[Red Badger]

I’ve been arrowhead hunting........Found some, too!.........

[FamiliarFace]

We used to go hunting arrowheads when I was a kid. Sharks teeth hunting too.

Speaking of bow hunting, it’s the rut season. Yesterday I saw a very handsome buck (at least 10 points) chasing after a doe. I wish I had had my good camera available. He was magnificent! Didn’t get a good look at the female, but there was one point when the buck turned and looked straight at me. The photo is in my mind’s eye now. Lasted a split second.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

THAT is one of my favorite recipes. :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

It’s always fun to see the Big Bucks - from a distance and NOT on the hood of your car!

In all my years of driving (48!) I’ve only had ONE deer incident and that was last year. It was a young buck and he kind of ‘skidded’ across the bow of my VW Golf. Left a dent in the hood, but he stuck the landing and was OK.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

If November is any indicator, December will be here before we know it! I found this idea a few years ago and have been using it as a guide ever since. I'm getting my 'Food Box' organized and ready to receive. If cost is an issue, you can find many of these items at Dollar Twenty-Five Tree, or do a search on Walmart-dot-com for 'Food Items Under $1.00.' Also check the 'Loss Leaders' in the flyer of your local grocery each week.

[Red Badger]

When I was a kid in Mississippi, I’d look for arrowheads in springtime when fields near streams, bottomland, were freshly plowed after a rain.

My late aunt had a spearpoint she found, totally intact, in their field!

Found an arrowhead as an adult here in Florida while throwing my cast net for baitfish. Felt something under my foot in the sand in shallow water, thought it was a shell, but discovered an arrowhead when I picked it up.......

[FamiliarFace]

I’m so lucky, I’ve never had a deer incident with my car. We try to keep a careful eye when driving. The deer are plentiful where I live. We live on their territory, as best as I can figure.

[FamiliarFace]

I once found a confederate button when I was gardening back at the old family homestead. That was pretty cool. I think my brother kept it. He was more interested in it than I was.

[FamiliarFace]

That’s a neat idea. Thanks!

[Liz]

Easy and fast.

[Qiviut]

I read the comments & for most, it seems to turn out well. I don’t like corn syrup either.

Sally has a chicken corn chowder & a potato/ham casserole recipes on her site. I grocery shopped for both this morning - can’t wait to try them. The weather has turned colder & soup + comfort type food is what I crave.

[FamiliarFace]

Potato and ham casserole sounds good! I’ll check both of those recipes out. I like that website. I often find great recipes there.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

I am so HAPPY that ‘Comfort Food Weather’ is here! I made Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham for supper the other night. That and a tossed salad was perfect for the weather.

Nothing all that ‘healthy’ about it, so I will check out your link, Q, for better recipes.

One of my ‘projects’ for the winter months is to go through ALL of my cookbooks. It really is a sickness with me; I have two stacks of 39 books total that I want to go through this winter, and then I’ll donate what I don’t want to keep to my Library. So, like TWO books will be donated, LOL! No, I’ll be good; I promise!

I just cannot resist a cookbook at a bargain price when I’m thrifting. $2.00 for a $40.00 cookbook by a solid author? Hello!

Well, it’s actually ANY book by the authors I like, if I’m being honest. ;)

[Liz]

Confessions are good for a foodie’s soul.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

LOL! FR is my Safe Space. ;)

[Liz]

Nice.

[Liz]

Ina's Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli / Great side w/ Baked Ziti / or as snack w/ dip.

Ing 4-5 lb broccoli 4 gar/cloves thinly sliced Good olive oil 1 1/2 tsp k/salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 tsp lemon zest 2 tbl lemon juice 3 tbl pine nuts, toasted, option, 1/3 cup Parm 2 tbl julienned fresh basil

Directions Cut florets w/ 1-2" stalk attached. Halve larger pieces. Place on sheetpan in single layer. Add garlic, drizzle w/ 5 tbl ol/oil. S/p. Roast 425 deg 20-25 min--crisp-tender, tips are browned. Remove and toss w/ 1 1/2 tbl olive oil, lemon zest, l/juice, pine nuts, Parm, and basil. Serve hot.

Can drizzle w/ Hollandaise. Or as a snack w/ Comeback Sauce, Honey Mustard or Ranch Dressing Dip.