Hey there, Punkin'! I pick YOU!

My little pumpkin patch is providing me with 5 (and possibly 6) LARGE and beautiful pumpkins. I've always had a fascination with pumpkins. Love to eat them but I also just think they are such a beautiful squash-like fruit. But now I'm faced with a question: How do you tell when a pumpkin is ripe to pick?
I found my answer and today we cut and harvested our first pumpkin of the year and it is a doozy too!
This is what I've learned about pumpkin "picking":
1.) Color is a good indicator. Chances are if it is orange all the way around, the pumpkin is ripe.
2.) Give them a thump. If it sounds hollow, it is ripe and ready to be picked.
3.) The Skin is hard. Use your fingernail and if the skin dents but doesn't puncture, then it is ready for harvest.
4.) The stem is hard. The stem above the pumpkin starts to turn hard, the pumpkin is ready for picking.
But you cannot "pick" a pumpkin. At least not the same way as you do a tomato or green bean. You'll need to use a sharp knife to harvest your pumpkin.
And when you cut the pumpkin, be sure to leave at least several inches of stem attached to the pumpkin. This will slow down the rotting of the pumpkin.
You'll want to disinfect your pumpkin too. After you harvest your pumpkin, wipe it down with a 10% solution of bleach. This too will help prevent premature rot.
But this is only August and I would like to show off my pumpkin for Halloween. How do I prevent it from rotting before then?

Here's how: Keep your pumpkin out of direct sunlight (I'll keep mine in the basement). If you've followed these steps for properly harvesting your pumpkin you should be able to store the pumpkin for many months until you are ready to use it.

MMmmmm...I think I smell some pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin desserts, pumpkin muffins and so many other pumpkin-y goodness in the future!

For a good article on Pumpkin harvesting check out this link HERE.

Until next time,
Cheers!

Jennifer

Purple Bean Blossoms

Very early this morning, my faithful dog Spot (aka: Noah) and I went out to the garden to putter about. I took my camera with me because it is such a beautiful morning and I've been wanting to take pictures of the purple bean blossoms.

Do you know why these are Purple Bean Blossoms and not the usual pretty white bean blossoms? Because these are Burgundy beans. AND, they are magical beans! Trust me and follow my story and you'll see what makes them magical.
Aren't they pretty?

And purple bean blossoms means purple beans grow!

This is a white bean blossom (DUH! You can see that, eh?!) White blossoms mean green beans will grow.

See? White blossoms = green beans. Purple blossoms = purple beans. Stay with me now. There is a point to this essay on purple vs. white bean blossoms.

Back in the spring I had planted all of my beans (green beans with white blossoms). They were beginning to come up great. One day, my faithful dog Spot (Noah) and his big brother Ruffus (aka Gabe) decided to do some plowing in my garden. My garden IS fenced but Spot (aka Noah) and Ruffus (aka Gabe) can jump fences with amazing elegance...much like they have a bit of equestrian blood in them. This dog plowing took place over half of my rows of beans and some of my broccoli plants. Consequently, I had to replant and hope they'd still come up. But alas, I could not find one single package of bean seeds ANYWHERE! Seriously, they were all sold out. Sold out, that is, except this one last package of burgundy beans. The package says that they will turn green when they are blanched. HMMmmmmmm, I thought. Sounds like they are trying to sell me Jack and the Beanstalk magic beans. But since I really wanted to replace the damaged plants, I bought this packet of beans and decided to give them a go.

So this morning, after admiring the bean blossoms I realized that FINALLY the beans are coming on the vine and I picked the first handful and took them inside to see if they really are the magical beans the package promised. I washed them and trimmed the ends...

...and then I blanched them for just a minute in boiling water. See the beans going in the water as purple (burgundy) beans?

And suddenly (and I mean SUD-DEN-LY!!!) they turned from purple to green. VOILA! There you go! Just like magic! Green beans!

I plunged them in ice water and then...

...drained them. They are ready to either eat now or freeze for later use.

Isn't this the most amazing story you've read this morning? *snort* *smirk* *wink*

I thought it was awesome.

By the way, did you know that there is a town in Indiana called Bean Blossom? Yes there is! I wonder if they grow magic beans in Bean Blossom, Indiana? I'll have to find out.

Until next time,
Cheers!

Jennifer

Dancing Candles

August is a big month for birthdays for my family and friends. (There are 5 birthdays this month! And, ummm, yes! Today is my birthday. :-)
These cards aren't for me, but I hope the recipients will be as excited about their birthdays as the happy, dancing candles seem to be! *smiles*
This is a stamp I've had for years and I always think it makes such a festive birthday card to send to either a man or a woman. The stamp is made by "The Artful Stamper".
It has been a very long time since I've painted with Twinkling H2O's so these were a lot of fun. I stamped with Versamark and embossed with antique gold on watercolor paper. Then I painted with twinkling H2O's. I stamped the image and colored a few images and then cut out random candles and used dimensional foam tape to make some of the candles "pop" right off the page.
The inside sentiment, "The More Candles the bigger the Wish" is from Stampin' Up! and seemed perfect for these inside of these happy dancing candles birthday cards.
Hope you are having a super day!
Until next time,

Jennifer

A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Lee Dugard

A Stolen Life: A Memoir by Jaycee Lee Dugard

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have to give Jaycee Lee Dugard 5 stars for the courage to write down and share the incomprehensible horrors she endured for 18 years. This isn't a book one can judge by way of writing style, story line or any of the usual ways we rate a book.



A Stolen Life: A Memoir is not for the faint of heart. Jaycee Dugard's life during her 18 years of captivity, her journal entries, and her reflections are honest and straightforward.



What one is left with after reading Jaycee's memoir is that of hope, strength and the power of love.



View all my reviews

Cinnamon-sugar topped Muffnuts

Yes, you read that right. Muffnuts! The name is the Mister's idea and here's the story about these yummy breakfast or coffee break treats. I love donuts. I especially love cake donuts but I don't have a deep frier anymore. But recently I discovered a donut baking sheet/pan and had to have it. YES! HAD TO!
The thing is, even cake donuts are usually fried, so I began a search for baked donuts. But you are still wondering what a Muffnut is, right? Well, this morning I made my first batch of baked donuts. I mixed the batter and put it in my donut baking pan and popped them in the oven to bake.

Fifteen minutes later I turned them out on a tea towel to cool.

But before they got completely cool I brushed them with butter and dipped the tops in cinnamon sugar.

LOOKIE!! A dozen baked cinnamon-sugar topped donuts.

Are you drooling yet?

So when I fixed the mister's plate for breakfast I added a freshly baked cinnamon muffnut to his plate. Am I not just the trophy wife? *snort!*

Now, back to the term Muffnuts. Well, these baked donuts are delicious. TRULY THEY ARE! But they actually are more the texture of a muffin and not quite as dense as cake. So the mister said, "These are really good but I think they are more muffnuts (muffin/donuts) rather than donuts." Hence, the term muffnuts was coined and labeled to my new creation.

You can make these in mini-muffin tins if you would like tiny muffins more along the lines of donut holes (sort of).

Here is the recipe for you:

BAKED MUFFNUTS
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon-sugar mix for topping

In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.

In another bowl beat egg to blend with milk, butter and vanilla. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and stir just until the flour is blended in and moistened. (Do not over mix).

Spoon into well-greased donut or muffin pans.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes.

Turn out baked donuts on cooling racks or tea towel. Brush with melted butter and then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

Or, frost with icing in your favorite flavor and top with sprinkles and chopped nuts. Let you imagination lead you.

Next time I'm adding a handful of fresh blueberries to the batter. MMMMmmmmmm!

We have some left over and they are fresh. Come on over and I'll put a fresh pot of coffee on!

Until next time,
Cheers!

Jennifer

I'm linking with:

and with:

A happy marriage...

I would like to invite you to the union of TOMATOES and RHUBARB.
A marriage of flavors you may not have expected, but most definitely will live happily everafter together.
How did Miss Tomato and Mr. Rhubarb meet? They met at the Chutney dance and ended up being the perfect flavor couple. I wanted to find some new uses for my tomatoes which I have in abundant supply and was intrigued when I saw this recipe for TOMATO -RHUBARB CHUTNEY.
I made several jars last weekend of Tomato - Rhubarb Chutney and we tried it out Monday evening on grilled chicken. Oh yes! SO GOOOOOOD!
This chutney is not overpowered by either the rhubarb or the tomatoes but the combination of the two flavors is mild and lightly sweet and the perfect side topping for grilled chicken or cheese. I know I'll be putting this tomato-rhubarb chutney on top of baked brie and crackers.

Yesterday's lunch was delish! I was making grilled swiss cheese sandwiches with fresh lettuce from the garden and it struck me. Why not spread tomato-rhubarb chutney on the grilled swiss? It was a perfectly delicious on grilled cheese sandwiches.
Tomato - Rhubarb Chutney

1 1/2 cups chopped, seeded ripe tomatoes (3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup coarsely chopped red sweet pepper
1/3 cup dried cherries, dried cranberries, or raisins (I used dried cranberries)
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespooon lime juice or lemon juice (I used lime juice)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/4 teaspoon ground giner
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch pieces or 1 cup frozen cut rhubarb, thawed and drained (I had rhubarb chopped and frozen so I used frozen.)

Combine all ingredients EXCEPT the rhubarb in a large pot. Bring to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat and simmer covered for 25 minutes.

Stir rhubarb into the tomato mixture and simmer (covered) for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer 5 more minutes or until thickened.

Ladle hot chutney into hot, sterilized 1/2 pint canning jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims, adjust lids.

Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when the water returns to boiling). Remove jars from canner and cool on a wire rack.

Bon appétit!

Jennifer

She Relishes it...

Yesterday I posted about the "PICKLE" I've been in: dill, sweet and bean pickles, that is. Today I want to show you some more goodies I just RELISH! Apple - Corn with Caraway Relish and Sweet Cucumber Pickle Relish.

This is the Blue-Ribbon Corn Relish with a delightful twist and that is the addition of apples and caraway seed to the fresh corn and peppers. Can't you just practically taste this sweet corn relish on roasted pork or salmon fillets or dolloped on a grilled sausage? This recipe includes a couple of Granny Smith Apples mixed in as well as a couple of teaspoons of caraway. This is going to be a favored side dish or topping with holiday roasts, for sure.

Next in my canning pot is a relish I make every summer when the cucumbers and sweet peppers are abundant like they are this year and that is Sweet Cucumber Pickle Relish.

Now I don't know if you get excited about pickle relish, but one taste of this one will have you raving! The Mister always makes this a special request when I begin putting up goodies from the garden. It is so colorful and fresh and delicious!


Several people have asked me how I learned about canning and preserving and where I find recipes and food safety tips and advice. While some of my knowledge comes from my grandmothers and mother, I always say the best resource is the book that accompanies or is sold by the canning jars or products you use, such as BALL, MASON or BERNARDIN. I also follow bloggers like Anna Wight's Sassy and Sweet notes blog. (Yes, I'm an Anna groupie!) And this summer I have discovered a new special interest publication put out by Better Homes and Gardens: CANNING from the editors of the best selling Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. You can read more about it HERE.
As you can imagine, the shelves of the larder are beginning to be filled but I have a lot more to put up before the summer is over. The tomatoes are just now rippening in full and rapid force it seems (do vegetables ripen with force? *wink* ) I've just begun working on putting up tomatoes now that we can't keep up with the amount that are ripening and I hope you'll stop by to see some of the salsas, sauces and chutney's I'm making.

Until next time,

Cheers!

Jennifer

She's in a pickle...

My little garden has been working overtime, it seems, with its produce.
My cucumbers, green peppers and beans took off first and I began picking them early last month.
Inasmuch as we love eating them from the vine, the quantity I have been picking means finding more uses for the cucumbers and peppers and green beans too!

PICKLES!!



First off I made Dill Pickle Slices. I love a good dill pickle and these dill pickles I've sliced so you can lay them across a sandwich or burger. Or, if you are a dill pickle truest, you can eat it out of hand too.

But some people don't care for dill pickles. I've got the answer for those folks and made some yummy bread and butter pickles.

Do you know how I like to eat bread and butter pickles? On a peanut butter sandwich, that's how!

I've been picking green beans for nearly a month now and they are still producing!! I've been freezing bag upon gallon sized freezer bags of green beans. In the words of Scarlette O'Hara, "As God is my witness, I'll never go hungry again!"

So while I'm making cucumber pickles, what better use of excess green beans than to make Dilly Beans! They are just like eating a dill pickle except that they are made from beans. You've GOT TO try these sometime. They are a surprise to bite into a green bean and taste the tangy dill. YUMMY!

I like this Dilly Bean recipe because you make them by the jar. If you have a lot or just a few green beans you can always make the exact quantity of jars you'd like.

The beans, cucumbers and green peppers continue to produce in great quantity. And now, my tomatoes are ripening faster than we are able to consume them, so I know you can guess what I've been up to! Yes! I've been making delicious preserved food and I'm looking forward to sharing you some of my new discoveries of recipes for ways to make delish preserved food items.

So until next time!
Cheers!

Jennifer