Snapdragons

 

Another one of my childhood favorite flowers, the Snapdragon!

 

 

This plant got the name Snapdragon, because when you squeeze it together properly, it actually looks like a dragon that is opening and closing its mouth.

 

 

 I have these growing in a flower pot on my front steps. They range in size from 4-8 inches. They get partial sun in the location I have them.

 

 Snapdragons are an annual here, but they are very easy to grow and bloom all summer in Minnesota.

 

 

I'm clipping the seed pods and saving them to use in a project that I'm thinking about doing for Christmas.

 

 

Have a Happy Gardening Day, Lisa

Hollyhock Tea & Hollyhock Dolls

Hollyhock Tea is long known to be very soothing to a sore throat, relieve a dry cough, and promote a healthy respiratory, urinary and gastrointestinal tract.

 

Hollyhock Tea:

 

First I picked about a handful of Hollyhock flowers and buds.

 

I plucked the ends off and pulled the petals apart just to make sure there were no bugs hiding! I gave them a quick pre-soak of salted water (just in case I missed any bugs). Then I rinsed them off and strained them.

I put them in a large Mason jar in COLD water, covered the jar and let them sit on the kitchen table for twenty-four hours. It is best to use a cold infusion method as to boiling the water, to preserve the healing properties in the tea.

We used agave syrup to sweeten our Hollyhock tea, but you can use sugar or honey the same as you would in your regular tea.

The flavor of this tea was not my favorite. But it does have a very soothing aspect about it, almost a numbing feeling, so I can see why it would be wonderful for a sore throat. I think I will try freezing some in ice cube trays to save for winter, when cold and flu season hits!


Hollyhock Doll:

Here is my attempt at a Hollyhock Doll. I have three sons (soon to be four) so I have to say the boys weren't very impressed with my doll. But growing up, I had always seen them and thought they were neat, so I couldn't wait to try it!

All you need is one open Hollyhock flower, one flower bud and some toothpicks. If you pluck off the green part of the bud you will reveal a little "face-like" feature that looks like two eyes and a mouth. Turn the flower upside down, that will be the body/dress. Put a toothpick through the bottom of the bud, which is the head, and attach the two together. Break a toothpick in half and insert them into the sides of the open Hollyhock flower, that will be the arms. Your pretty fairy is done!

These would be so cute on top of cupcakes for a baby shower, bridal shower or a little girls birthday party since they are completely non-toxic and safe to eat.

 

Have fun trying something new! Lisa

The Hollyhocks are Blooming!

Another surprise was finding these Hollyhocks. I've never had them before so it's been fun to watch them grow. So far I have white, peach and fuchsia. They range in size from three feet tall to (way over my head) eight feet tall! Sadly they are being attacked by Japanese beetles at an extremely fast rate! I will be researching the best way to combat those pesky beetles...

The nice thing about Hollyhocks is that they reseed themselves every year...the down side, you don't get to choose where they regrow. So I have quite the clustered flowerbed with random Hollyhocks strewn about...but I'll take it! 
 

And did you know, the Hollyhock has a medicinal value and is completely edible. I think I'll try a few recipes and I'll let you know if they are any good!

Have a great day, Lisa

Fresh Strawberry Recipes

     It's strawberry season and I couldn't be happier! Nothing tastes better then garden fresh. I wanted to take advantage of the delicious ripe berries so I searched around and found a few recipes that interested me and wouldn't consume my entire day. I've listed three of them below. 

     The first one is a Strawberry Freezer Jam. This recipe comes from the Ball Canning website.

     Now, if you're like me and feel intimidated by the idea of putting glass jars into boiling water, (that might possibly explode!)...then this is a great beginner recipe for you! It was really easy. They say it makes 5 pints but somehow I got seven.

Strawberry Freezer Jam:

View Half Recipe

Makes about 5 (8oz) half pints                
You will need:

2 cups crushed strawberries (about 2 1lb containers)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
4-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
6 Tbsp. Ball^® Real Fruit^® Classic Pectin
5 Ball^® Plastic (8oz) Freezer Jars or 8oz half pint glass jars with lids and bands

Directions:

1.) COMBINE prepared fruit* with lemon juice in a large bowl. Add sugar, mixing thoroughly. Let stand 10 minutes.
2.) COMBINE water and Ball^® Real Fruit^® Classic Pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, continuing to stir.
3.) ADD cooked pectin mixture to fruit mixture stir for 3 minutes.
4.) LADLE freezer jam into clean Ball^® freezer jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Apply caps and let jam stand in refrigerator until set, but no longer than 24 hours. Serve immediately, refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year

To Prepare Strawberries: Hull and crush one layer at a time using a potato masher.

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     The second one is a Strawberry Lemonade, and oh my goodness, it is DELICIOUS! This one also comes from the Ball Canning website.

     Fresh squeezed Sunkist lemons, sugar and pureed strawberries.
THAT'S IT! Why haven't I been making this all my life? It is SO easy and has an amazingly fresh taste that just screams summer!

 

Half Recipe

You will need:

Directions:

Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate:

Makes about 7 (16oz) pints

View Half Recipe

You will need:

6 cups hulled strawberries
4 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
6 cups granulated sugar

                   
Directions:

1.) PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready to use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.
2.) PURÉE strawberries in a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade, working in batches, until smooth. Transfer to a large stainless steel saucepan as completed.
3.) ADD lemon juice and sugar to strawberry puree, stirring to combine. Heat to 190° F over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
4.) LADLE hot concentrate into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
5.) PROCESS jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

QUICK TIP:
To reconstitute, mix one part concentrate with one part water, tonic water or ginger ale. Adjust concentrate to suit your taste.

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     The third one is a Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. I found this recipe a few years ago and have made some adjustments over time.

     It's a savory combo of slightly sweet, tangy and nutty. I double the batch to make three 8oz jars. It's perfect on a bed of salad greens with red onions, fresh sliced strawberries, shaved parmesan cheese and croutons...delish!

Enjoy! Lisa

Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing:

Makes about 12oz
You will need:

1 cup pureed strawberries

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. sesame oil

1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

 

Put all ingredients into a large Mason jar. Cover and shake.

 

 

 

The Strawberry Patch

Last weekend I took the family out to Pine Tree Apple Orchard to pick some strawberries. I couldn't of asked for a better day, the weather was perfect! We arrived around 10am, which happened to be last wagon ride out to the field. I would suggest getting there earlier if you want to fill your whole box, because they closed for the day around 11am. That was OK for us, I only needed half a box because I wasn't sure what I wanted to make with them yet.

The strawberries were very juicy and extremely well priced at $2.05 per pound!

 

If you're thinking about getting out to the strawberry patch to pick your own strawberries, I would suggest taking the whole family. It's appropriate for all ages. The kids did a really good job of picking strawberries and they seemed to enjoy it, even my teenager!



We didn't just leave with strawberries and red fingers though...we stopped at the main bakery and bought some strawberry donuts, strawberry muffins, strawberry pound cake, strawberry-rhubarb turnovers and a strawberry-rhubarb pie to take home! I love strawberry season!

With our bounty of beautiful strawberries I made some Strawberry Freezer Jam, Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate using the Ball recipe and a Strawberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. I will post the recipes in the next blog. (And of course, we ate many of them whole as well.)

Strawberry season started late this year so there is still plenty of time to get out there!

Happy picking, Lisa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Eyed Susan!

I found a patch of pretty Black Eyed Susan's growing on the side of the house today. I love how dainty they are, yet bold and bright. This one is about four feet tall. There are also a ton of Hollyhocks growing in that area that are not in bloom yet. It's such a fun surprise to see what comes up in the garden when you move to a new home, kind of like a year long treasure hunt!

 

  

 

 

 It really is the simple little things in life that make me the most happy!

 

 

Happy gardening, Lisa

My Growing Corn

If your a Midwesterner then you've probably heard the old saying..."knee high by the fourth of July". Well below is a photo of my corn...knee high? I guess you could say that. As a first timer for growing corn, I'm happy with the progress it is making so far. I'm growing the Burpee Super Sweet, Bi-Color Corn.

Last night I noticed an animal has pulled a few of the stalks out right by the roots. I'm guessing it's the pesky rabbit I catch down by the garden every now and then! But for not having the garden fenced in, I can't really complain too much.

My three year old son Tycen, can't get enough corn! He just loves it. In fact he has claimed the corn bed as his own. He waters it, he weeds it, and he asks me almost daily if he can eat it yet! Patience is a virtue...so we wait.

Have a Safe and Happy 4th of July!  Lisa