February's Pinterest Pick: Faux Chalkboard Herb Pots

One of my goals for 2013 is to try a different Pinterest pin each month. 

Last month I made these delicious Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffins. While I was tempted to try another recipe, I dared myself to be bold and go crafty. These cute faux chalkboard herb pots were calling my name:

Source: craftsbyamanda.com via Keri on Pinterest

So, I gathered my supplies:

• 3 terra cotta pots ($1.99 each)
• DecoArt "Patio Paints" in Wrought Iron Black, Blue Jay Blue, Sweet Pea Green, & Petunia Purple ($1.99 each)
• A paintbrush for each color (you can buy a pack of 4 for $1 at Dollar Tree)
• Elmer's silver paint pen ($3.99)

 And the girls painted their wooden birdhouses ($1 at JoAnns) while I painted my pots.

So I painted two coats on each pot. Then, after the paint dried, I added black paint for a faux chalkboard finish. 

After the black paint dried, I wrote the names of herbs I use frequently in the kitchen: basil, cilantro, & chives.

I have seeds to plant in each pot, but until the weather warms a little, I'm using them as decorative pieces in the house thanks to my mom :)

I think they turned out pretty cute.

Do you have potted herbs in the house? 
If so, which are your favorites?

If you aren't already, I hope you will follow me on Pinterest for these and other fun and delicious ideas!

For other Pinterest posts, check out:
January's Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffins

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Preparing for Our Fall Garden

And just like that it's August 31st and the end of summer. How did that happen so quickly? Halloween will be here before we know it, followed by Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Whew!

The State of our Garden & Plans for the Fall

Our summer garden is pretty much over, save for a few lone jalapeno plants, a tomatillo bush, a slew of basil, and a lot of really pretty zinnias. {Note to self: Plant zinnias again next year; we had flowers all summer long, and they're still blooming!} This week we have been pulling up old plants, removing stakes, mowing down extensive weeds, and cleaning out the garden. I hope my dear sweet husband will get out the tiller this weekend to get the garden ready for planting next week. :)

For the past two or three years, we have planted kale, spinach, and buttercrunch lettuce in our garden. Last year we attempted sugar snap peas but never got around to putting up a trellis for them to climb. Let's just say, no trellis = no peas. There were plants galore but no peas to speak of! I have decided to be low-maintenance this year and forgo the peas although they would be super delicious. Instead, we'll stick with the tried and true greens that even I can't kill and some broccoli.

Fall Veggies & Their Health Benefits
Broccoli is my new favorite vegetable: Not only is it high in fiber and vitamins A, C, D & K but broccoli is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties as well as a cholesterol reducer and has been known to suppress tumors and detoxify the body. Wow! All that in a crown of broccoli! So I thought I'd try my hand at growing some broccoli this fall.

Kale, leaf lettuce, and spinach are rich in Vitamins A and C, high in potassium, calcium, and iron and are also a good source of fiber. These dark leafy greens contain cancer-inhibiting carotenoids--think carrots--that act like antioxidants and remove free radicals from the body before they can wreak any havoc.

Tips for Your Fall Garden

Broccoli

Source: USA Gardener

• Frost-tolerant
• Each plant will continue producing over time so you don't need many plants. Consider staggering your planting every 3-4 weeks so all your broccoli doesn't mature at once.
• Requires full sun but cool and moist soil (add a layer of mulch, straw, or grass clippings to keep soil cool)
• Seeds will germinate at ground temperatures as low as 40°F
• Does best with organic compost added to the soil
• Matures in 65-70 days

Kale

Source: USA Gardener

• Hardy & frost-tolerant: Frost actually sweetens the taste of kale
• Plant in late summer for a harvest from fall until springtime. {Honestly, you can't kill it unless you dig it up!}
• Germinates easily in cool or warm soil with even moisture
• Benefits from compost or manure
• Matures in 55-60 days

Leaf Lettuce

Source: USA Gardener

• Needs humus-rich, well-drained soil with plenty of nitrogen
• Can be planted in late summer by first moistening the ground and covering it with straw
• Requires plenty of moisture and may need to be watered frequently during dry bouts
• Successive plantings ensure lettuce throughout the season.
• Be sure to harvest lettuce regularly to prevent bitterness.
• Will continue to grow until the first hard frost
• Matures in 45-55 days

Spinach

Source: USA Gardener

• Requires six weeks of cool weather from planting to harvest
• Needs well-drained, nitrogen-rich soil. Spinach is very sensitive to acidic soil, so apply lime to the area growing spinach.
• Soil temperature should be no warmer than 70°F for germination to occur.
• Drought and warm temperatures will cause premature bolting.
• Cut spinach as soon as leaves are big enough to eat. If spinach is looking old and tired, cut the entire plant back to 1” tall to stimulate young, tasty growth.
• Matures in 40-50 days

My plan for the coming weeks is to finish preparing the garden for planting: tilling up the hardened ground; adding compost or humus to the soil; and planting kale, lettuce, and spinach seeds and broccoli transplants. I will keep you posted each week to our progress.

Are you planning a fall garden? What do you intend to grow?

For comments or questions, contact me at:
growinginhisglory@gmail.com

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Things I Love: Refrigerator Jalapeno Peppers

In 2007, we had a bumper crop of jalapeno peppers--so many that I didn't know what to do with them all. I considered canning them, but I wasn't really sure about how they would turn out.

Lucky for me, I have a lot of EXCELLENT cooks in my family, and my mom--one of said EXCELLENT cooks--suggested I email my Uncle Jimmy for his recipe for refrigerator peppers. I'm sure glad I did! That year I put up FOUR QUARTS filled to the brim with jalapeno and banana peppers from our garden. We ate on them for a couple of years before it was time to put up some more.

Fast forward to 2011 and I'm down to my last quart of 'fridge peppers. Lest you should worry that I'm eating 4-year-old peppers, these were made in 2009. Just 2-years-old. :)
Here's the recipe, courtesy of my Uncle Jimmy:

Ingredients

• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 t. turmeric
• white vinegar
• water
• peppers {use whatever you have: banana, jalapeno, serrano, etc.}
  

Directions

1. Slice your peppers. You can remove the seeds for less heat, but I prefer to put everything in there. {CAUTION: Use vinyl or latex gloves to avoid burning eyes, lips, tongue, etc. Trust me; I know from experience!}
2. Fill clean jars with peppers. {You can use any kind of jar with a lid. I like to use old pickle jars.}
3. Add salt & turmeric to jars.
4. Fill jars with 50/50 mixture of white vinegar and water. {There are no exact amounts of vinegar and water. You just want to make sure you are using 50% vinegar and 50% water per jar. I fill an 8-cup measuring cup with 4-cups vinegar & 4-cups water.}
5. Screw on lids tight, and shake it up!
6. Store jars in the refrigerator, and eat to your heart's content!
   

Voila! That's it! You can have peppers throughout the year for chili, nachos, pizza, or whatever else you like to make hot.

And another great thing about these peppers is that you can add more to your jars as your garden produces them!

Here is what I put up this past weekend:

Why You Should Make Refrigerator Peppers:

1. They stay crunchy and don't get soggy like those you buy at the grocery or can using a hot water bath.
2. They retain their heat even after over two years in the refrigerator!
3. They can be made with ingredients & supplies you likely already have on hand.
4. They are super easy & super delicious!
5. You won't have to buy another jar of jalapenos.
6. You'll have fresh peppers year-round.

If you try out this recipe, please let me know what you think!

Blessings to you...

This post is linked to Things I Love Thursday:

Top Ten Ways to Use up a Squash Surplus

Squash, squash, and more squash. What does one do when the squash come all at once? Here are my top ten ways to use up a squash surplus:

(1) Fried squash. A classic Southern dish, fried squash is my favorite way to fix squash. There's just something about crispy-fried-cornmeal-covered squash that takes me back to my Mama's cookin'. I usually fry up some squash with pinto beans and cornbread. You can't get much better than that!



(2) Boiled squash. Do people still boil vegetables? I still have vivid memories of mushy, boiled-to-death yellow squash, no chewing required. You just let that stuff slide right down your throat. Ugh. But Daniel's grandmother boils her squash just right, adding some canola oil for good measure. Boiling squash is also good for making baby food. My eight-month-old loves her squash boiled, steamed, and roasted.

(3) Roasted squash. Tonight I roasted chicken for supper and while adding the vegetables, I thought, "Hmm...why not some squash?" So, after roasting the chicken for about an hour, I added sliced squash, potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, celery, onions, and peppers and poured chicken broth on top. Add some crusty bread and that is a meal in itself. Our family, including the two-year-old, ate it up!



(4) Grilled squash. While you're throwing steaks or burgers on the grill, why not add some squash kebabs? We like to cut up some squash, zucchini, peppers, and onions; toss to coat with olive oil; and add salt and freshly ground pepper. Then, put them in a grill basket or skewer them and put them on the grill until fully cooked. You can also cook the vegetables first, but we just throw 'em on the grill. There's just something about grilling vegetables that brings out their natural sweetness. Easy and good to eat.

(5) Sauteed squash. We love pizza, so I thought, "Hey, why not put some squash on there too?" So, I sauteed squash, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and garlic in olive oil, loaded them up onto homemade pizza dough, and topped it with mozzarella cheese and pepperoni. My husband and I loved it! Delicious!


(6) Squash casserole. Honestly, I have never made squash casserole because I try to stay away from condensed soups, which most recipes call for. However, when we have potlucks at church, it never fails that some sweet lady has prepared squash casserole, and, yes, I pile it on. I like Paula Deen's recipe (no condensed soup) and think I'll try my hand at it soon.



(7) Yellow squash pie. Sounds pretty gross, huh? I found this recipe in my White Trash Cooking cookbook. (I love this cookbook for its photography and unique recipes.)

Ingredients1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup steamed yellow squash, mashed
1 cup heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ginger
3 eggs
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Directions
(1) Add sugar, salt, and spices to squash and mix thoroughly.
(2) Beat eggs, add cream, and mix with salt.
(3) Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell.
(4) Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. Then, lower temperature to 350 degrees and bake 40 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center of pie comes out clean.
I must confess that I have never made this recipe either, but I am intrigued. I'm thinking it must be a lot like pumpkin pie. Maybe we'll give it a whirl if the squash keeps flooding in.


(8) Squash frittata. I found a recipe for zucchini potato frittata in Andrea Chesman's Serving up the Harvest: Celebrating the Goodness of Fresh Vegetables, which looked delicious. However, I intend to modify it to use yellow squash instead of zucchini. Chesman made a good suggestion: To get the most flavor out of squash, sprinkle salt on sliced or grated squash, and let it set for 30 minutes. When I used this technique, I found that there is a LOT of water in squash.

(9) Make squash geese. Yes, I went there. Someone who has a lot more creativity than me has come up with a unique way to decorate the table using two yellow squash, a small carrot, and two cloves. If you're crafty, you might consider using your surplus squash to make a tablescape and then turn those squash geese into soup!

(10) Give it away. This past week we picked over a dozen squash. I gave half to my mom and what we didn't use, we took to church and gave it to whoever wanted some. There are always people willing to take fresh homegrown vegetables off your hands.

What do you do with your excess squash?
This post is linked to Top Ten Tuesday and Things I Love Thursday.

Frugal Fridays: Growing Your Own Herbs

One of my favorite things about summertime is the availability of fresh herbs. As soon as the ground warms up, I plant my seeds in eager anticipation. I love being able to go outside and snip what herbs I need for cooking and not have to run to the grocery store where I'd have to pay $3-5 for a small 1-2 ounce packet.

I have grown herbs for many years simply because they are so easy to plant and maintain. All you have to do is plant the seeds, water, and let God do the rest. Honestly, even if you have a black thumb like me, you can grow herbs!

Here are a few pictures of my herb garden.

Basil

Dill

Rosemary

Lemon Balm


Oregano

I also have pots of herbs all around my house.

More Basil

Thyme


Apple Mint


Growing your own herbs is easy, affordable and fun. If you grow perennials like oregano, rosemary, thyme, lemon balm, and lavender, they will come back year after year. You can purchase the plants or you can just buy a packet of seeds from the dollar store, which is what I usually do. The basil, chives, thyme, rosemary, and lemon balm all originated from seeds, and each seed packet cost under $1. Now that's frugal!

Plus, you will save even more money if you harvest your herbs and dry them for future use. I like to dry my lavender (not pictured) and put it in vases in my children's rooms because of its calming qualities. It also looks and smells wonderful. I have also dried herbs to use in cooking.

Yes, you can buy dried or fresh herbs from the store, but when it's so easy and inexpensive to grow your own, why not give it a try?

Do you grow your own herbs? If so, how do you use them?

This post is linked to Frugal Fridays at www.lifeasmom.com

See What's Growing in Our Garden & a Recipe

We have had A LOT of rain these past two weeks and our garden is growing pretty bushy and green...also very weedy.

Here are some of our lovely squash plants. Tuesday night I fried us up a few "squish" for dinner. Yum-yum!

Haven't had fried squash? You must not be a Southerner.

That's okay; I won't hold it against you. :)

Here's my EASY fried squash recipe:

1. Slice up some squash (I like to throw in some onion and peppers, even zucchini when it's in.).
2. In a small bowl, mix cornmeal, salt, and pepper.
3. Add veggies and toss.
4. In cast iron skillet, pour in 1/4 cup oil and heat on medium-high.
5. Once hot, add cornmeal-breaded veggies in a single layer and let set until squash begins to brown. Don't turn the squash a lot or it will get mushy. Let it get crispy and brown.
6. Continue adding cornmeal and oil as needed. Like my dad, I love the taste of nearly-burned cornmeal, so I tend to add extra cornmeal.
7. Enjoy!
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I planted some zinnia seeds around the border of our garden to attract bees and just because. I love zinnias. They're so English-looking.

See our jalepeno and banana peppers! Bring on the salsa, please.

We've also got some tomatoes and tomatillos growing over here. Ignore the grass growing everywhere. I really need to teach my two-year-old how to weed. Or get a goat.

What's growing in your garden?

This post is linked to Amy's Finer Things.