In the Garden: More Fall Tips & Recipes

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive-to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. ~Marcus Aurelius

It's 81 again here, but the nights are cool now which is really nice. I harvested greens beans and a cucumber this morning. My basil is ready to harvest again, and the dill. Around here it's kind of the last hurrah for the garden because the weather can change so quickly. I have a question on Morning Glories to answer today and then a few recipes to share.

A reader wants to know what to do with the Morning Glory vine now that the season is over. She's in Ohio, so her Zone is about the same as mine in Michigan. Morning Glories are an annual, so the vine can just be ripped out and composted or disposed of. First though, a couple of things about the plants. Morning Glories form little round seed pods after blooming, and inside the little pod are small black seeds. IF you don't want it to reseed where you planted it this year then CAREFULLY cut the vine and gently remove it. Those seeds will pop all over the place if you yank it out of the ground. If you leave it, then it will reseed heavily next season. This is fine if you have the plants in an area that you want this to happen.

This said, Morning Glory seedlings are very easy to pluck out of the ground. It's just that there are LOADS of them, so it can be time consuming. The perfect situation for Morning Glories is in front or back of a fence where you can just let them reseed until their hearts content and guide them on the fence so they can ramble along it.

Linda Lou, a member of our OFL Forum, shared a recipe with us for Crock Pot Apple Butter. The apple season has already started so go out and grab a peck or two! Apple Butter is awesome on pancakes, waffles or French Toast.

CROCK POT APPLE BUTTER

Apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
4 cups. sugar or less
4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. salt

Fill crock pot heaping full of chopped apples. The lid may not fit at first, but it will as the apples shrink while cooking. Drizzle sugar (sweet apples require less sugar), cinnamon, cloves and salt over apples. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Turn heat to LOW and cook all day until thick and dark in color. Stir occasionally. Pour into small jars, leaving plenty of room for expansion while freezing. Cool and freeze.

Even if you didn't grow your own green beans, you'll find them in bulk in the grocery store right now, or better yet, visit a Farmer's Market or look around your area for homegrown produce.

Green Beans With Onions

Ingredients:
1 3/4 pound fresh green beans
1 large sweet onion
2 tbsp. butter
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
salt and black pepper
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Trim the ends of the beans, and string if necessary. Wash and drain. Peel the onions and cut them into very thin slices. Saute onion in a heavy saucepan with the butter over medium-low heat, stirring until the onions begin to turn golden. Add the beans, salt, pepper, and the rosemary, then add 1/4 cup of water. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Remove the lid and continue to cook until the liquid is gone, but don't brown. Taste and season again if necessary. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Learn what herbs work well in soups on OFL:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/herbs8.html

~Brenda

Fall is Around the Corner

Today we decided to take the kids and make the rounds of a couple of new orchard markets. We bought a peck of Gala apples, a 1/2 peck of Ginger Gold apples, fresh corn, squash, peaches, tomatoes, and a dozen freshly baked apple doughnuts. After the kids went to bed I realized I had a few recipes to share that were great for fall and I hadn't blogged that much here this week. I hope you enjoy these. It was 81 today but it still felt like fall munching on apples! If you haven't tried Ginger Gold apples, you should. They were VERY good, not too tart or sweet, and a great taste.

Zucchini Scones

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
4 tsp. cold sliced butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 cup grated zucchini

Mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon and grated peels together. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Mix the egg with milk. Add to flour mixture with the grated zucchini. Stir with a fork until a soft dough forms. Turn on to a lightly floured board or waxed paper. Roll into a ball. Cut in half and pat each half into a 6-7 inch round. Dip a knife into flour and cut each round into 5 wedges. Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 12-15 minutes at 425degrees. Makes 10 - 12 scones.

Pumpkin Ginger Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
5 tbsp. applesauce, room temperature
2 egg whites, whipped
1/2 cup apple juice, room temperature
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin tins with cooking spray and flour. In a mixing bowl, combine pumpkin,applesauce, whipped egg whites, and juice. In another bowl, combine sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix wet ingredients with dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar as soon as taking out of the oven if you wish.

Cinnamon Apple Fritters

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cake flour (sift all purpose several times)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 large tart, firm apples
1 Tbsp. butter
3 inches oil for frying
1 large egg
powdered sugar
Warm maple syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

In small bowl, combine flour, buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, egg yolk, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well with whisk. Beat egg white until it holds peaks but is not dry. Fold into batter. Heat oil in deep fryer or heavy pot until 375 degrees. Working with 3-4 apple slices cut 1/4 inch thick,dip slices into batter-shake off excess. Immediately drop into hot oil and fry until the apple is tender and batter is browned and puffed, turning once, about 2-4 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer in single layer to a baking sheet or plate lined with paper towels; keep warm in 250-degree oven until all are fried. Serve hot with sugar or syrup. Makes 4 side servings.

On OFL we have tips, history and suggestions for using fresh pumpkin instead of canned in your recipes: http://oldfashionedliving.com/pumpkin1.html

~Brenda

Garden Tips: Storing Your Bulbs

I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes are those who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidel. ~Florence Nightingale

If you are in a cold climate with frost you'll need to store your non-hardy bulbs like dahlias, gladiolas or cannas. There are many ways gardeners store bulbs until they can be planted out in the spring. The main things they need are: dry, cool and dark. One easy method is to wrap each bulb, tuber or rhizome in newspaper and then store them in a cardboard box. Shoe boxes work great for this. Label the box, place the bulbs inside, packing loosely and put the lid back on. Store them in a dark closet or area in the basement where it remains cool.

Last winter some of my shrubs received horrible damage from chewing rabbits, where the years before they didn't. If you are in doubt wrap the young trees and the bottom of the shrubs with hardware cloth, chicken wire etc. this fall before the snow sets in.

Deer can also cause damage, and if you want to protect a tree or shrubs you will need to surround the trees and shrubs with a sturdy cage or wire fence--chicken wire won't be tough enough. Those bucks are very strong, and they can easily damage a small shrub or tree with their antlers. I've seen the damage to a few smaller pines my parents had in their yard.

If you are in Zone 5 or colder be cautious planting new perennials now. They should be planted and mulched heavily no later than 6 weeks before the hard frosts start.

Lastly, take a look at your landscape and gardens. Make notes of what you liked, didn't like, what did well, and what failed or didn't do as well as you liked. Consider if you want to add a new bed in the spring and start getting it ready now instead of waiting. The head start makes a big difference.

Growing and Caring for Grape Hyacinths:
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/muscari.html

Caring for Copper

Caring for Copper

You can buy commercial cleaners that will work on copper pans or bowls, but many people still love the old fashioned methods using household items to clean their cookware.

You should never use scrubbers, steel wool, or any other harsh method of scraping on copper. Use only cooking utensils made out of wood, plastic or nylon when cooking and keep the heat at lower levels.

Always soak the pan immediately after cooking. Wash with a sponge or cloth, rinse and dry as usual. You can leave it soaking overnight if need be, rather than scrubbing too harshly. For extra cleaning try one of these methods, afterwards washing, rinsing and drying as usual.

-Pour some salt or baking soda on lemon halves and gently clean the pan or bowl.

-Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 cup white vinegar. Add enough flour to make a paste. Coat the pan with the paste and let sit for 15 minutes to 1 hour, then clean.

-Mix together a paste of lemon juice and salt, and rub with a soft cloth, rinse with water, and dry.

-Pour vinegar over the surface of the pan or bowl and sprinkle it with salt-rub in the mixture gently.

-Make a paste of lemon juice and cream of tartar. Coat the copper and leave it on for 5 minutes, and then wash in warm water.

-If copper is very tarnished, boil your item in a pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 cup white vinegar for several hours. Wash, rinse and dry as usual.

MORE TIDBITS: If you have copper collectibles that have a patina verde finish they should only be cleaned with a very soft cloth such as flannel. Use a gentle detergent such as Ivory and warm water, rinsing afterwards. Never use ammonia based products or any type of degreaser.

More you might like:
Caring for Crystal
Cast iron Cookware

Reader's Questions: Transplanting and Bulbs

In the garden, Autumn is, indeed the crowning glory of the year, bringing us the fruition of months of thought and care and toil. And at no season, safe perhaps in Daffodil time, do we get such superb colour effects as from August to November. ~Rose G. Kingsley

Today I have some more garden questions and answers. I hope you find them helpful!

I have black eyed susan and daisy plants coming up that I don't think are going to have enough time to bloom before the weather starts turning. Can you tell me if these same plants will come up next year or do I need to start new plants from seeds. If they will come up next year when would be a good time to transplant them somewhere else? ~Linda

Black-eyed Susans are biennial, which means they live for two years, blooming during the second year. They form SO many seed heads that they should reseed and you will have new plants and will always have more than you'll need. In the spring you can dig around the roots and plant in a new spot if you wish. Later you'll have more plants, and you can move those in the spring or fall also.

You didn't say which type of daisy you were growing, but Shasta Daisy is the most popular. It's a perennial, and grows much like the Black-eyed Susans. Next year they should bloom for you. If you need to move them you can do that now. They will multiply and in a couple years you'll have more. Just dig them up and carefully divide the clumps, and plant where you want them to grow. Always keep transplants well watered and if possible move them on a day where it's not scorching hot.

Can you do anything with the seed pods that form on Calla Lilies after the blossoms are done? They look like little bulbs, are they plantable?

As a general rule you cut off the seed pods of calla lily and cannas so more energy can go into the tubers/bulbs than the seed pod. IF you want to try germinating and growing them from seed, then leave it on the stem until it becomes large and turns a yellowish shade. Pick the pods, and separate them. If you squeeze the pods the seed is inside them. Rinse them off and plant the seeds in pots. Starting them indoors is best, and the germination may take quite a long time. If you are in a tropical climate you could try doing this in the outside soil.

How do I store raw cabbage after thinly slicing for a salad (before dressing, etc. is added). ~Louanne

First, slice the cabbage as close to using it as possible. Store it in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To prevent it from discoloring you can sprinkle it with lemon juice-- just sprinkle and shake the bag.

More tips on cabbage harvest and storage plus recipes!
http://www.oldfashionedliving.com/cabbage.html

Fall Garden Tips: Planning for Spring

There is only one real deprivation, I decided this morning, and that is not to be able to give one's gifts to those one loves most. ~May Sarton

Autumn is bulb time and besides working your soil, planting at the correct depth for each is one of the most important things you can do for a good spring bloom. There is one other important detail though: plant the bulb with the "tip" facing up. If you look at each bulb you can tell that one end is more flattened. That is where the roots grow from-- the other end is where the flower stem will sprout from in the spring. When you purchase bulbs they all come with planting directions, but as a general rule you should plant them about 2 1/2 times the length of the bulb. If your soil is sandy or very loose you can go deeper.

A general guideline for planting common bulbs is:
Hyacinths: 6-8 inches
Tulips: 4-6 inches
Daffodils: 3-4 inches
Crocus: 1-2 inches

Usually it's best to plant bulbs when the temperatures fall below 60 degrees. That varies depending on where you live, so some of you have more time for your planning. When choosing places to plant your bulbs consider that when they pop up the trees will not have their leaves and the perennials won't be out yet, which means some normally shady spots will be sunny. Most bulbs like some afternoon shade and a fertile soil that is well drained.

Don't plant your bulbs next to a heated basement or wall where they will be warmer than normal. This could mess with the timing on the blooms. Cover the bulbs with a 2-3 inch layer of mulch such as wood chips, bark or peat moss. Remove this in late winter or early spring.

I've had the best success with daffodils for a couple of reasons: rodents don't like them and they can adapt to most soils. The only time I've had them not do well are when the soil was super dry AND next to tree roots. Otherwise they grow and multiply with ease.

We have tips on growing crocus, which is also an easy to grow bulb:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/crocus.html

~Brenda

A Garden Hodge Podge

My idea of gardening is to discover something wild in my wood and weed around it with the utmost care until it has a chance to grow and spread. ~Margaret Bourke-White

I have a special garden themed post today with garden tips from Old Fashioned Living visitors. I love learning new things from our readers!

You can freeze your excess of tomatoes very simply by taking the core out of the ripe tomatoes, placing in freezer bags and putting them in the freezer. When you need them put into a sink full of very cold water, give them a few seconds and the skins will come right off. Place in a pot on the stove and let thaw on low heat and you are ready for whatever tomato dish you wish to make. I grow a lot of tomatoes so I can freeze them and they last through the winter. I have been doing this for years without a problem. Just don't forget to core them. ~Joyce

If your broccoli does bolt (goes to flower), you've still got a crop to harvest! The small bright-yellow flowers have a very mild broccoli flavor, and while you may balk at serving them as a crudités at your next party, they make a great TV time treat. Cut the flower clusters off the plant, leaving 2"-3" of the thin stem (you want them bite-sized, with a "handle"). Don't worry if some of the buds haven't opened; it's all good. From here, treat them as you would the raw green florets: give them a quick rinse and serve them with a side of salad dressing (I like ranch or bleu cheese) or chip dip thinned with a bit of milk (the flower clusters are too delicate for thick dips -- they come apart and you're left fishing little yellow flowers out of the onion dip). Couldn't be easier!

The cabbage moth larvae which are found on broccoli are also edible. My husband and I are interested in wild edibles and alternative food sources from cultures around the world, and during our last broccoli harvest, we came up with a handful of the tiny white segmented grubs. We fished them out of the blanching water and threw them in a skillet with a bit of olive oil and some Cajun seasoning. The flavor was quite good and the consistency was that of tiny little Cheetos. However, as open-minded as I am, I still couldn't get past the fact that I was eating bugs. It was fun to try...once. ~Susan (I might just take your word on it as far as the grubs are concerned! Brenda)

My mother always soaks her eggplant slices in buttermilk for about an hour before frying them. She says she soaks them to take out the bitter taste and it must work because they taste wonderful. She takes them straight out of the buttermilk and flours them using the buttermilk to make the flour stick. ~Laura

I grind my basil with half lemon juice and half olive oil to make my pesto. I add garlic and Parmesan, but no nuts at this time. Then I freeze it in ice cube trays. When it is frozen, I pop the cubes out and put them into a Ziploc bag. When I want pesto on veggies or pasta or bread, I take out a cube or two and thaw it. I have also put cubes in pasta sauce in place of dried basil. The lemon juice adds an extra kick in place of salt. ~Cheryl

On OFL we have tips bringing your plants indoors for the cold weather:
http://oldfashionedliving.com/plantcare.html

~Brenda