Nasturtiums in the Flower & Herb Garden

Nasturtiums are one of my favorite flowers to grow directly from seed. Technically, they are herbs. The blooms, foliage and seeds are all edible, plus it's charming in the garden. This year I'm growing Tall Single Mixed Colors, which has a mixture of yellows and oranges. This variety is known for it's ability to grow in poor soil where it "sprawls" and brightens up an otherwise dreary space. I'm also growing the Alaska variety below, which has a varigated foliage that has cream swirls. It sprawls, but not too much. I always plant it at the front of the flower bed.


Lastly, I'm growing a Cherry nasturtium that is actually a dwarf variety. I grew it when we lived in the city and it's a lovely pink with a light pretty fragrance. It's perfect for containers and window or deck boxes. This year I'm going to plant it in the raised vegetable bed with basil.

Nasturtiums can be direct sown into the soil about an inch deep at any time during the spring. I have experimented over the years with soaking, starting indoors etc. and still the ones that have always done the best for me are the ones I simply stuck in the ground, watered and left alone.

Nasturtium seeds can be pickled and used much like you would capers. In 'The Joy of Cooking' by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker (Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc., New York, 1975) they give a nice recipe for preparing the seeds.

After the blossoms fall, pick off the half-ripened Nasturtium seed pods. Continue as your crop develops to drop them into a boiled and strained mixture of:

1 quart white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Pickling Salt
1 thinly sliced onion
1/2 teaspoon each allspice, mace and celery seed
3 peppercorns

Keep refrigerated and use as a variation for capers.

On OFL we have more recipes and tips for growing nasturtiums.

~Brenda

Enter our Giveaway!

This month, enter to win a these beautiful handmade "Little Girls in Pink Bows" and "Little Girls and Butterflies" tag sets courtesy of our sponsor, Fish in the Attic Studio!

To enter click here
 
"Little Girls in Pink Bows" tag set features three small girls in hats and bows, copies of Victorian era trade cards from my collection. Each is collaged onto deep rose colored card stock along with vintage style patterned papers, kittens in hats, tea cups and saucers, and punched paper flowers, and hand stamped with French script, postal cancellations, flourishes and fern leaves. They are strung with robin's egg blue vintage seam binding, through a decorative metal grommet. Each measures 2 7/8" x 5 1/4'". 

"Little Girls and Butterflies" tag set features the same three little girls, framed against a background of aqua blue, olive green, cinnamon and cream. Each is collaged onto patterned card stock along with book text and letter stickers, and hand stamped with butterflies and rulers. They are strung with robin's egg blue seam binding, through a decorative metal grommet. Each measures 3" x 6".
 
These make beautiful gift tags on presents and wine bottles, and can be hung from a door knob on a beautiful armoire. Tie them along a ribbon for a lovely garland.

Rules: Must be a legal U.S. resident, 18 years or older. You may enter once per day. Entries will be accepted through midnight, CST on May 31, 2010. Winner will be drawn at random and notified via email.  They will have 7 days to respond or an alternate winner will be drawn.

Easy Grilling: Tilapia with Herbs

Once the weather warms up, I grill as much as possible. I alternate between fish, chicken and boneless pork, depending what is on sale. Fish is especially easy and fun to experiment with as long as you take it easy and don't over do the herbs or spices. Frozen tilapia is often on sale, and this is one method I used that turned out tasty and moist.

First, I gathered a small bunch of lemon thyme from the garden. I stripped about a teaspoon of the leaves off the stems and placed it in a bowl. I added about a tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of garlic pepper and the same amount of kosher salt. I mixed this together well and brushed it on the thawed fish, which I had placed on a sheet of foil. I then placed the remainder of the lemon thyme on top of the fish, leaving on the stems.

I preheated the grill, then turned it down on low. I placed the foil with the fish on the grill and closed the lid. I turned it once, leaving on the loose thyme so it was on the bottom. I continued to check it often, and turned it once more. It was almost cooked to where it was flaking, so I dotted the fish with a small amount of butter (at the most a tablespoon). When it was melted, and the fish cooked, I removed it from the grill and placed it on plates. I served it with potatoes I had microwaved, then cut in chunks and sauteed in a pan with butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. (I also like sauteing sliced sweet onion before adding the potatoes.)

Variations: If you don't have lemon thyme, regular garden thyme will work, plus a little lemon juice added to the mixture. You can also use minced or crushed garlic and freshly ground pepper instead of garlic pepper. This method would work with any white fish fillets such as whitefish, catfish or perch.

Visit OFL for a warm weather menu, including Italian Grilled Chicken.

~Brenda

Spring Garden Tips for May

As I've been working outside last week and this week, I jotted down some tips to share.

-Check out garden centers right now for herbs. Home Depot, Lowes, and other stores with garden centers have good deals on basic herbs such as rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, mint, and others. I picked up at Pineapple Sage and Bee Balm at a Buy One Get One Free sale this weekend. This is a really good way to start an herb garden for a low cost.

-Remember, if you had a vegetable last season that ended up with wilt, or some other disease, don't use that same space to grow it again. Some of these diseases can lay dormant in the soil and you will have the same problem again.

-If you have any small bushes, trees or perennials, make sure you remove weeds that could use up nutrients and moisture. We just went through and did this, then mulched with composted straw that had been here when we moved in. The previous owner raised horses. You can do this same thing with compost you've made yourself or bought at a garden center.

-Now is the time to plant daylily, peonies, hostas, oriental lilies, irises, and many other perennials. I planted two new types of daylily this afternoon in spots that needed some color.

-Buy violas, pansies and Johnny-Jump-Ups and plant for some pretty spring color while we wait for more blooms. I've learned over the years the best places to tuck them into:

*plant a violas near hostas where they will be shaded later by the large foliage, and add a splash of color.

*Butterfly bushes take some time to grow and bloom, especially in the northern climates. Plant pansies in front, not too close to the base of the bush. They will give you color now, and later will be shaded.

One last reminder: allow your daffodil, tulip and other bulb foliage to die back naturally. Don't cut it off when it's done blooming because that's how the plant stores up nutrients for next year.

~Brenda

Company's Coming: Breakfast for Ten

My in-laws visited this weekend, which would have been two extra people for meals. That really isn't difficult because most of us cook a little too much and end up with leftovers as it is. It's the unexpected visitors that can throw a wrench into meal plans. My nephew ended up coming with them, and Saturday two teen friends ended up visiting my sons as well. I ended up with ten people for breakfast, and had to do a little creative cooking.

This first recipe is a variation of another potato dish I've made, but I changed it to make it more of a breakfast dish. It was a huge hit with everyone. I did forget to add chopped green onions which would have worked well. I served the potato and ham casserole, the next recipe for scrambled eggs and served it with whole wheat toast. Biscuits would have really been nice, but I didn't have the ingredients.


Ham & Cheese Potato Casserole

Ingredients:
Shredded hash browns
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups chopped ham
ground black pepper
1/2 stick margarine or butter (1/4 cup)

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with pan spray. Slice the cold margarine and place around the bottom of the pan (not exact). In a large bowl place the frozen hash browns, cheese, and ham. Mix with a wooden spoon. In a measuring cup or small bowl, put in the soup and the milk. Add black pepper. (I used a 3-4 good shakes) Mix with a whisk till combined and pour in the bowl with the potatoes. Mix gently with the wooden spoon and dump into the pan on top of the margarine. Smooth is over so it's even, cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees F. for 45-50 minutes till hot and bubbly. Serve warm.


Scrambled Eggs and Ham

Ingredients:
18 eggs
1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham
salt and pepper
1/2 cup milk
pan spray

Whisk together the eggs and milk. Season with the salt and pepper. Spray a pan with pan spray, heat on medium for a few minutes, then add the diced ham. Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through, then add the eggs. After a minute or two stir with a spatula or wooden spoon. Every few minutes stir the eggs from the bottom of the pan, as they start to firm up, keep stirring until they are cooked to desired doneness. I usually cook so they are all firm, but they aren't browned or dry.

Don't be afraid to get creative with your recipes. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Sure, a few have backfired, but many have ended up as "keeper" recipes.

On OFL we have menus for an Easy Weekend Brunch and Crock Pot Breakfast Recipes.

~Brenda

Tips on Growing Dahlias

Dahlias are a beautiful flower and an example of a tuber, which is a long root that is planted in the spring. Dahlias aren't hardy for those of us in cold climates. The tubers must be dug up each year and stored if they are to be saved from year to year. Many gardeners do this, and increase their dahlia stock each year. I have some basic tips today for growing this old fashioned flower.

Dahlia tubers should be planted after all frost has passed. The soil needs to be worked and compost or other organic matter added in so it's loose and fertile. Some gardeners add bone meal before planting. A 1/2 cup or so for each tuber works well. Work it into the soil before planting. Dahlias should be planted in full sun, and kept watered but never soggy. You'll also need to keep the bed weed free because they are heavy feeders which means they don't share well. Raised beds work very well for Dahlias.

Tubers such as dahlias are planted by laying the tuber on it's side with "the eye" facing up. This is where the stem will shoot up from. You should be able to see this be examining the tuber root. A depth of 6 inches is usually recommended. Don't pack the soil on top too firmly, but fill it back in gently and water.

Unless you are planting dwarf Dahlias, they most likely will need support, especially the larger varieties. Plan ahead by putting in supports as you plant. Dahlias also work well planted in containers. They are beautiful old fashioned flowers that come in many sizes and colors. I've grown dwarf dahlias in porch boxes with great success. Purchase them online or at local garden centers. I often buy the dwarf dahlias as bedding plants in early summer.

On OFL we have tips on growing zinnias which are similar to Dahlias but they are very easy to grow from seed.

An Easy Grilled Menu

Man must feel the earth to know himself and recognize his values.... God made life simple. It is man who complicates it. ~Charles A. Lindbergh

I've been grilling on days that it's not too windy, nor too cold, or it isn't sleeting, snowing or raining. In Michigan those days can never be planned for:) I have two recipes below that you can use for an easy grilled menu by adding a salad or rice and a simple dessert. The kabobs call for steak, but you could use boneless pork or chicken as well. I hope everyone is enjoying spring!

Guacamole With A Twist

Ingredients:
2 large ripe avocados
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup red onion, minced
2 tablespoons orange juice (fresh if possible)
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno or other chilies
2 tsp. lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt

Cut the avocado in half and remove the seed. Use a spoon to remove the avocado from the skin. Cut it into 1/2 inch chunks and place into a bowl. Add the tomatoes, onion, orange juice, cilantro, chilies, lime juice and salt. Mix and serve with tortilla chips.

Savory Grilled Kabobs

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless top sirloin steak, fat removed
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt
pan spray
1 large red onion, quartered and separated
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, 1 inch chunks
16 cherry tomatoes

Cut the steak into one inch cubes and place into a bowl. Sprinkle
with the spices. Salt can be left out or used sparingly. Toss with
the steak, and allow to sit for 15 minutes or up to an hour in the
refrigerator. Thread the steak, and the vegetables on metal skewers,
alternating. Cook on a preheated grill that the rack has been sprayed with
the cooking spray beforehand. Grill about 4 minutes on each side until
the steak is done to desired doneness. Serves 4.

On OFL we have another nice grilling menu.

~Brenda