Garden Improvements Fall 2007

Thanks to our friend Rob and his very talented lanscaping skills...he made our yard look much cozier. You still have to use your imagination a bit, because we have not yet filled in the cut-out areas with mulch. We will do that in the Spring.

Along the back fence...before. See that huge clump of day-lilies? We dug them out, and planted them along the side of the house.


Replanted day-lilies on the side of the house, on the right side was the annual garden, which is going to become the vegetable garden. The dirt in between will become a path covered in mulch.
View from stepping back from the above view: You can see the rhododendron, and the cut out area that will be covered in mulch. And the decorative grasses we put along the steps of the deck.
View from just right of the above picture: In this area we have some mini-spruces, a hydrangea in the corner (my favorite!), and several hostas. This goes right up against the perennial garden. Again, this will be filled in with mulch.
This is along the gate on the other side of the deck. Will be mulched.
New location of swing set, back right corner. This will all be filled in with mulch:

Where the swing set and day-lilies used to be. Hard to see from this far away, but now there are plants, trees, bushes, all along the back fence.A closer view. You can see where the trench was cut, and this area will all be filled in with mulch, all along the back fence to around the swing set.

Our magnolia. Hopefully this gets much bigger in a few years.
I can't wait to until weather is warmer, and we can start doing more work.

Garden 2007

Just wanted to document our garden last year. So much work still to be done, but looks better than it did when we moved in.

Since these photos were taken, our generous friend, Rob, has done some great landscaping work. We now have a lot of the sides cut out, moved the swing set, added about 40 new shrubs, bushes, trees and plants., including a magnolia, a rhododendron, a forsythia, and so much more!

Beginning of the spring with our apple tree blossoms (now we have a carpet of apples - not fun): We are planning on having this chopped down early this year.


Azaleas:


Before, our large garden area:


After:


After After - full of perennials:




Before - another garden area on side of the house:
(taken a couple of months before we dug it up, so it was actually much worse than this)


After - full of mostly annuals, needed a quick, cheap fix:


the perennials in there (mums and hibiscus), mulched with cocoa bean shells: (This year, this area will be all vegtables)


Tomatoes (since i did not have a chance to test the soil, i grew them in pots to assure their organic-ness:




Random garden pics:












And a couple of shots of my princess:
Last year, in Chicago, as she was getting her green thumb:


Summer 2007, on the swing set in the backyard:

Zucchini & Cranberry Bread

This one goes really quickly at my house, and a perfect recipe to use up the huge zucchini growing in the garden.

Heat over to 350'

2 C flour (I use 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat)
2 t cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
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1 C sugar (I use raw)
3/4 vegetable oil (I use only 1/2 canola)
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
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2 C grated zucchini
1/2 dried cranberries

Combine sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla.

Mix in the zucchini

Mix in the dry ingredients and cranberries.

Cook for about an hour, or until a knife comes out cleanly.

Pasta Salad

This is great as something to bring to a summer party to pass around.

1 package of Fusilli
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1/4 cup fresh chopped mint
2 T lemon juice
2 T white wine vinegar
1 T chopped garlic
2 t lemon peel
6 T olive oil
2 C chopped tomatoes
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1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
4 oz. feta

Cook the pasta.

Combine 2nd set of ingredients, gradually whisk in oil.

Add pasta, beans and feta.

Let stand 1 hour for flavors to combine.

Oatmeal pancakes

I made these yesterday morning. This recipe only makes about 4 pancakes, so you will want to double is wanting more.

Really yummy!

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used 1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat)
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 tablespoon white sugar (I used raw sugar)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg

Place flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, buttermilk, vanilla, oil and egg in a mixing bowl and mix until smooth. (I seperated the egg, and beat the egg whites, and then added at the end)

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

My tofu

We eat tofu a lot here, and I usually cook it the same way, and add it to whatever I am making...Thai green curry, and Indian dish, stir-fry, etc... Even Martin loves it this way. And Zoë gobbles it up.

1 package firm or extra firm tofu (I use non-GMO)
3 T soy sauce
3 T dry vermouth (it will be OK without this, but I love it)

Drain the tofu, and slice into 4 slices longways. Place them on two paper towels, and then cover with 2 more paper towels, and set a bowl on top to soak up the liquid...about 5 min.

Cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or whatever size you want.

Toss in a bowl with the soy sauce and vermouth.

Let sit in the fridge for 30 min, stirring occasionally.

Heat a pan, or wok pan with some olive oil on medium heat, add the tofu with a slotted spoon to not get all the liquid in there...cook until the sides brown and start to get crunchy. Or until it seems like you wan tot eat it :)

Sometimes I turn the heat up a bit more to get it to cook faster. Takes about 20 min.

I then add this whatever I am cooking, and tastes really yummy!

Tequila Shrimp

I use this for shrimp tacos, and serve with sliced cabbage on corn tortilla. Or sometimes I will make a burrito with it. I stole this from my friend Tina, and I am sure I bastardized this as well.

10 shrimp, deveined, and tails cut off
2 T olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 C tequila
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 limes, juiced

Saute oil, add onion and garlic, cook until translucent.

Add shrimp, saute 3-4 minutes, or until opaque over Medium-high heat.

Add tequila, light, and flame off alcohol (be careful, flames can get high)

Add tomatoes, cook another 3-4 minutes.

Add lime juice.

Done.