May Flowers

Wild Mustard?

Does anyone know if this is wild mustard? There were larger plants with small yellow flowers, their roots remind me of a turnip. If so, can I harvest the seed after blooming to grind up to make dried mustard?

The Gardening Has Begun

I was beginning to get worried that I would not be able to start the garden. We had such a warm early spring, and then it turned cool and rainy. We just pasted our last chance of frost last week. So, now I'm free to get started.

The addition to the garden was tilled up yesterday. Bill's cousin was great to come over and work up the new section with his tiller. Chuck ran into a great deal of clay - which is why I am changing the entire garden over to raised bed...not to mention...when it's done it will look nice too. Now, I need to get the new section raked and ready for the raised bed. Bill has another cousin who will make me a garden gate so this summer I do not have to try to climb over the fence any more. It was just a pain on my legs.

I invested yesterday in plants for the herb garden. I bought - thyme, sage, dill, rosemary, cilantro, parsley and chives. I do have some herbs that made it through the winter from last year - wide leaf chives, oregano, bee balm and a ton of mint. In fact, I am having trouble with all the mint. I read over the winter you should not plant mint directly into your garden because it is very invasive (don't you just love it when you learn these things after the fact...lol). I think my best plan of action is that I should remove all the mint from the garden, transplanting a little into a container calling it good.

I added to my perennial flower bed - this year I added Aquilegia and Speedwell. I still need to fill in with a few annuals, but soon within a few years it should all be perennials. My plan is to add some each year, since these plants are more expensive then annuals.

Containers are also part of my garden plan. I put one together yesterday. This year I decided to play a little with the one for the back deck (see picture). I planted Tickseed, Candytuft, Meadow Sage and lantana. I am expecting a full color of purples and yellows.

Well, this is my last day of vacation this week - back to work tomorrow - so I should get busy with my gardening before the day has pasted me by.

Happy Gardening!

Sunshine in a Salad

It's the middle of May already and potlucks and summer holidays are just around the corner. No matter if we are enjoying a potluck at the little league ballpark and celebrating Memorial Day with a picnic what brings us most together for family and friends is food. As family cooks, we are all looking for quick and easy dishes that will be a hit of the table without looking like we just made a fast stop at the deli before arriving.

Here is a bright sunny salad sure to liven up your table...and it's good for you too. It needs to made the night before...so plan ahead. I've made this summer salad for many potlucks and holidays and always get great reviews. I hope your family will enjoy it as much as mine.

Carrot Salad

6 or 8 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 sweet onion, sliced

1 green pepper, chopped

Dressing:

1/2 cup salad oil

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

1 can tomato soup

1 teaspoon dry mustard

salt and pepper to taste

Steam carrots until tender, but still crunchy. Set aside to cool. Mix dressing and pour over cooled carrots. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator over night. Enjoy!!

Potluck Salad Update

Ok, I made my salad for the potluck...but with a change. When I made the dressing as the recipe called for, I found it bland. I even tried to "doctor" it up a little, but to no avail. So, I threw it out. Yep - when things don't come out as planned, don't be afraid to just start over.

I changed the dressing to one I've made before and found very taste and it did not have to be cooked.

Dressing:
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together until sugar is dissolved and well blended. Toss with vegetables.

Enjoy!

Salad for a Potluck

We are invited to a Birthday potluck this coming weekend. There is two issues I am looking at - one is that I am having vein surgery on my left leg on Friday (which means I will not be able to stand a great deal on Saturday to put something together) and the other is the fact that the party is about an hour drive from our home.

So, I need something I can put together easily/quickly and will travel well. I decided to go with a good stand by - a salad, but which salad.... After mulling my options over, I decided to look through my mom's old recipe box. I wanted to find something different and came across one that I remember my mom making many times - and many of those times was for a potluck. What luck! I hope all will enjoy it! Here it is - give it a try too and let me know what you thing.

Vegetable Salad
1 can french cut green beans - drained
1 can peas - drained
1 can white kernel corn - drained
1 small jar of pimentos
1 green pepper - chopped
1 cup celery - chopped
1 cup - green onions - chopped

Dressing:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup oil
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vinegar
Boil together for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Mix all vegetables and cooled dressing together. Refrigerate over night.

Enjoy!

I want your Opinion

I NEED FACES...Women with SKIN...who will give me their OPINION of our amazing products...It doesn't matter what you are using already and do not have to buy anything...I will send you a "facial in a bag"...then get your opinion...that's it. Could you possibly help me on this mission?? Thank you!!

Girls Night Number 2

What goes together better than food, movie and a bunch of girl friends? We celebrated a Girl's Night again this past weekend with my mom and sister-in-laws.

This time our movie was "The Blind Side" and since Sandra's Bullock's character and husband owned a bunch of Taco Bells - I decided to serve a "Taco Bar". This was one party that was a snap to put together! It was so easy to have soft and hard taco shells for people to choose from. I included bowls of seasoned ground beef, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese. And I added a side of Nachos and Salsa a long with a nice Spanish Sangria. Knowing how much I have trouble eating tacos without dropping it all down my front (lol), I choose to make mine into a taco salad with Frito's tossed in for crunch.

For dessert I made Chocolate Quesadillas. They were a little warm, and we very quickly learned to let them sit for a couple of minutes before enjoying that chocolate gooey deliciousness...lol. I had one suggestion by one of my sister-in-laws was to make them into smores by adding marshmallow...hummmm - I just might have to experiment with that.

Chocolate Quesadilla

Ingredients:
Honey
ground cinnamon
semisweet chocolate chips
2 flour tortillas

Directions:
In a non-stick skillet (if you do not have a non-stick - use a regular skillet with non-stick spray) lay your first tortilla. Add a small handful of chocolate chips, drizzle a little honey and then dust with the cinnamon to taste. Top with the second tortilla. Press the top tortilla down until you feel the chocolate chips have melted.

Carefully flip over the two tortillas to warm the other side.

Move to a cutting board and cut into 4 wedges.

Let cool briefly before serving. This would be fantastic served with a side of cinnamon ice cream.