What are You Eating from the Garden?

[Rhodie Ranch]

My chard is coming up on three years old. YUMMY!!

 

[flowerbug]

My chard is coming up on three years old. YUMMY!!

i love chard! somehow you've tricked it into lasting that long as it is normally a biennial.

 

[Phaedra]

Asparagus, sweet and juicy

 

[digitS']

Kailaan - from a 2022 sowing, out from under plastic! They were started in the greenhouse and transplanted next door in the temporary hoop house.

The slugs in there attacked the Bok Choy mercilessly. The organic slug killer went down repeatedly but, perhaps there were just too many of those slimy critters. The old boards that I took out supporting the beds along the excavated path were covered with slugs - apparently a favorite over-wintering hangout.

It was only the Bok Choy that were riddled with holes and having to recover. Kailaan! But they have also ignored the mustard greens. This may influence future Spring plantings.

Steve

 

[Cosmo spring garden]

Lots of lettuce, spinach, chard, herbs and strawberries! I made fruit leather with the strawberries and it turned out really yummy!

 

[Phaedra]

Asparagus and Lemon Balm

The leaves of Lemon Balm are used for tea, and the stems are kept for propagating.

 

[Phaedra]

Lovely Kailan!

The Ethiopian mustard (middle) is a success. Like Kailan, I didn't cover them with an insect protection net, but they are not under attack. The color is also candy for the eye.

 

[ducks4you]

Pie from last year's peaches. Didn 't have time to process so I frozen about 24 of them. 1/2 became peach preserves,
the other 12 weren't so nice.


Horses got 1/2 of Those, and I refridgered the best ones. TODAY, I made a lovely pie.

Btw. My favorite bowl to make pie crust is ALSO my favorite bowl to mix pie filling. When you make a pie filling that needs to thicken, don't bother cleaning the bowl to mix the filling. There is always leftover flour, and flour thickens, even if you use another thickening agent. Saves time, effort and dish soap.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

wish I'd get back to homemade crusts. The store bought ones are ucky.

 

[ducks4you]

1:3:1 for two crust pie (Frozen bought pie crusts are already stale,)
Shortening: flour: water
Use Good shortening or butter.
1 cup shortening/butter, 3 cups flour, salt to taste...or not
Measure 1 cup icy water.
Hand mix shortening/butter until it looks like coarse oatmeal
Use a meat serving fork and mix in the water.
NOTE: If the humidity is low, you might use all of the water. If it is a highly humid day, you will use less, so Don't pour it all in, until you are SURE you didn't make it into a paste.
Mix with the fork well, but no more than one minute. Pie crusts start to get tough when worked too much.
Hand mix further to form a ball.
Divide is almost 1/2, more for the bottom crust and ROLL BETWEEN 2 sheets of WAX PAPER (parchment paper if you don't have wax paper) Some folks use plastic wrap, but I try to keep my plastic trash low. Use your own choice, but you roll between so that you DON'T ADD ANY EXTRA FLOUR and start making biscuits, instead!
Take off top piece of wax paper and place on top of pie plate. Use a sharp knife to trim, and don't be surprised if you have to repair some of the sides. I always need to...
Pour in filling.
REMEMBER TO ADD AN EXTRA INGREDIENTS, LIKE APPLE PIES THAT NEED TO BE DOTTED WITH BUTTER!!!
I have forgotten this step, and then my crust gets sliced into 4 pieces, like wrapping paper, while I fix this!
Cover with the top crust, and crimp the sides. Some people like to cut extra pieces and decorate, but I usually don't.
Very pretty though, when you do this.
Follow baking instructions.
Pie filling that needs to gel should be cool before you cut bc it will be weepy.