Our garden has produced an abundance of strawberries this year. The plants are just about finished producing and I have bags in the freezer and have also made one batch of Strawberry Fig Jam. I decided to make Strawberries in Vanilla Syrup with the remaining berries. This syrup is perfect drizzled over plain yogurt or served with pound cake, a little bit of summertime to enjoy in the winter.
Whole Strawberries in Vanilla Syrup
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of strawberries
3 ½ cups sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
Wash the strawberries and remove the stems and leaves.
Place the berries in a medium bowl and cover with the sugar. Add the vanilla bean seeds and the bean and stir gently to combine. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
When the time is up pour the strawberries, vanilla bean juices and any remaining sugar into a shallow, wide pan. Add the lemon juice and slowly bring to a boil. Cook the strawberries at a boil for 10-12 minutes, until they go a bit translucent and the syrup is thick.
Pour the berries and syrup into a shallow bowl, cool and refrigerate, uncovered for a day.
When you are ready to can follow the directions to prepare your water bath canner and jars for processing. Scape the strawberry mixture into a medium pan and heat just to a simmer.
Ladle the berries into the jars and cover with the syrup. Leave 1/2 inch headspace.
Wipe the rims; apply the lids and rings and process in your boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove the jars, let cool and store in your pantry.
I have to say this syrup is excellent on Lemon Sorbet.
This is a delicious cake that brings a taste of summer to your table!
Light Lemon Pound Cake
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 egg whites
1 egg
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ cup (60z) fat free lemon yogurt
Glaze:
¾ cup confectioner’s sugar
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/3 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites and egg, beating well. Add the lemon juice and the extracts.
In a separate bowl combine the flours, baking powder, salt and backing soda; add to the butter mixture alternately with the yogurt.
Pour into a 10 inch Bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until done. Cool for ten minutes before removing from the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For the glaze: Whisk the confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel until blended. Stir in the apricots. Drizzle over the cake.
Light Lemon Pound Cake
This cake is delicious with fresh strawberries and lemon sorbet!
July can be a hot, humid month. Everything is going to seed and the weeds are in full competition with the vegetables. If there was ever a year I should have taken off from gardening this should have been it. We have had to do a lot of traveling and it seems like we haven’t been home on the weekends. As a result it’s hard to stay on top of the weeds and we have several projects to complete before fall arrives.
I have lettuce that I’m letting go to seed in order to collect the seeds.
Lettuce going to seed.
The strawberry season has come to and end but the blueberries are just beginning to turn blue! I love our blueberry bushes!
Almost time to pick blueberries!
Spent the weekend weeding our small corn patch. Nice to see the weeds gone, now to get it mulched!
Time to mulch!
Just beginning to see a few peppers, almost ready to pick!
Peppers are coming along.
First zucchini flower!
First zucchini flower.
My favorite chicken, Mrs. Blondie, she is always the first to come say hello, curious if you have any treats for her!
Mrs. Blondie
Major project to complete before the fall, power wash the garage end of the house and stain it! The forty fort step ladder is a little daunting!
Our natural hummingbird feeder, they love Bee Balm!
Hope your July is going well, we’ve had a good amount of rain so our little stream is full, it’s the perfect place to keep cool on a hot day.
How often do you find yourself wondering what you have on hand to remove a certain stain? Or what you can use to pre-soak your clothes? It’s that time of year when children are busy playing outside and clothes tend to get a little dirtier than during other times of the year. Here are a few laundry helps for you:
Laundry Pre-Soak
Make a paste of washing soda and water. Apply to spots on your clothes.
Oil Stain Remover
Use white caulk rubbed into the stain before laundering.
Perspiration Spot Remover
Apply Baking soda to the stain.
Wine Stain Remover
Table Salt
Use salt on the stain
Best all around stain remover
Add one cups each of powdered Cascade and Clorox II to five gallons of the hottest water to come out of your tap. Soak several articles overnight and then launder as usual. Do not use on delicate fabrics or fabrics that are not color fast. I find this recipe works about 90% of the time.
Summer is a busy time of year. Our days are full of activities and sometimes it’s nice to have a dinner that you can prepare ahead. This Bacon, Tomato and Cheese Strata is just the trick. If you want to make your meal vegetarian just omit the bacon. It will be equally as delicious.
Bacon, Tomato and Cheese Strata
Ingredients:
1 tsp oil
2 onions, sliced
8 slices of bacon, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 cups of milk
6 eggs (can use 3 eggs and 3 egg whites)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp thyme
16 slices of whole wheat bread cut into cubes
6 ounces of Jarlsburg cheese shredded
Directions:
This recipe can also be halved easily. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, add onions and bacon and sauté until the onions are softened and the bacon is cooked, about 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the tomato.
Whisk together the milk, eggs salt and thyme in a bowl. Blend well. Arrange half of the bread cubes on the baking dish.
Top with half of the onion mixture and half of the cheese. Pour half of the milk egg mixture.
Repeat with the remaining bread, onion mixture, cheese and eggs. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake uncovered, until puffed and golden, about 1 hour.
Some time ago I mentioned the gift I received from my husband of a worm farm! I got it set up in the winter and have been using it to create compost ever since! The amount of time needed for the worms to transform the kitchen scraps into compost varies depending on the number of worms you have and the temperature of the worm trays. After several months it was finally time for me to add another tray.
Working Worm Farm
When the first tray is nearly full you want to add a new tray. The worms have an upward migration. There needs to be enough room to add a new tray directly on top of the existing tray. To create the new tray add some bedding to the bottom. Then add your food. Place the damp newspaper on top and place your lid on top. The new tray is placed directly on top of the old tray.
Adding a new tray.
New trays can be added when worms are moving in the highest tray. Always add food to the top most tray and never add new food to the processing trays.
In the final stage of the worm farm all four trays will be in use. The top tray is full of new food without much decomposition.. The other trays are known as the processing trays, you can see that the dirt is very dark and most of the food is broken down. In the bottom tray will be the finished compost, it is dark and moist and crumbles in your hand.
Close up of the processing tray
Vermicompost contains 5x more nitrogen, 7x more phosphorus and 11x more potassium than ordinary soil. There are many ways to use the soil, mix 2 parts potting soil to 1 part vermicompost. You can also use it as a fertilizer just adding a little bit around the base of your plants. The liquid or leiche can be used as a liquid fertilizer as well.
The liquid from the worm trays can be used too!
I still have two more trays to add before my worm farm will be in full operation. I am pleased with the progress however. My worms are still alive and they are doing a wonderful job of taking our kitchen scraps and turning them into beautiful compost!
I received this rhubarb jam recipe years ago from my aunt but never got around to trying it until recently. I do have an abundance of rhubarb so I’m always looking for ways to enjoy it! It has an amazing sweet sour taste which I’m looking forward to trying in other recipes.
Rhubarb Jam
Ingredients:
5 cups sliced rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
5 cups sugar
20oz can of unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
¼ cup water
1- 6oz package of strawberry gelatin
Directions:
In a large pot combine the rhubarb, sugar, pineapple and water. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the rhubarb is soft.
Add gelatin and stir until dissolved.
Remove from the heat and ladle the hot jam into your prepared jars. Leave ¼” headspace. Wipe rims and screw on the lids.
Place in your water bath canner and process for 10 minutes (1000 feet altitude or less). Removed from canner and allow to cool.
The beautiful color of this jam will look perfect on my pantry shelves.
Store in a cool pantry.
This jam has a sweet sour taste and I think it could be used in place of sweet and sour sauce in a recipe!
Happy 4th of July! I hope you are having fun with family and friends today. In case you are grilling this is an awesome mouthwatering ribs recipe!
I’ve had some ribs in our freezer from the pig we purchased just waiting to be cooked.
The key is always to remember to actually take them out of the freezer so I can cook them! This recipe is so easy and like the title says, mouthwatering!
Mouthwatering Ribs
Ingredients:
Bottle of beer or apple juice
Barbecue Sauce
Directions:
Take your broiler pan and fill the bottom section halfway with beer. If you don’t have beer in the house you can also use apple juice. However, my husband is a home brewer and he graciously shared two bottles of his Red Flag Ale with me.
Place the top section of your broiler pan on and place your ribs on the top. You can season the ribs at this point if you’d like but I leave them plain.
Cover the pan with foil and fold the edges under to seal in the steam that will be created as the ribs cook.
Place in a 300 degree over for 2 ½ to 3 hours.
Remove the pan from the oven carefully. All the grease is now mixed in with the beer and the ribs are completely cooked and so tender!
Place the ribs under the broiler with some barbecue sauce. If you prefer you can also grill them at this point, just grill them enough to sear in the barbecue sauce.
Broil for just a few minutes on each side. Keep an eye on them as you don’t want them to burn. Serve with a salad or some coleslaw and enjoy these mouthwatering ribs!
Here we are in July already! Everything is lush and green and my gardens really need some weeding! Despite the weeds my flower beds are bursting with color.
July Flower Bed
The herb garden is full. I love being able to just walk out my kitchen door and pick fresh herbs.
Herb Garden, can you spot the sunflower plants by one of our birds?
In a few weeks we’ll be picking our own blueberries!
Blueberries are coming along.
In the meantime we have an abundance of strawberries ready to be picked.
We have an abundance of strawberries this year!
Our green beans are doing well, however the baby Japanese beetles have arrived. I can spend hours picking them off by hand!
Green beans and a baby Japanese Beetle.
The corn is all up and is in direct competition with the weeds! Anyone free to help with me the weeding?
Corn and weeds!
First sign of tomatoes!
First green tomato!
My garlic is doing really well and as you can see it’s time to harvest the scapes! Can’t wait to replenish my supply of garlic scape pesto or maybe cook of a batch of garlic scape scampi!
Garlic Scapes ready to harvest!
July is another beautiful month in Vermont. Because our growing season is so short everything seems to grow really quickly! Won’t be long before our farmer friend shows up to hay our field.
The field is ready to be hayed.
How is your garden doing? What are you harvesting this month?
Summer is a magical time when you are a child. From picnics in the park, to swimming in the pool, to camping, and family reunions, summer holds seemingly endless fun for the young. Unfortunately, as many of us become adults, summer becomes just another season. Some of us barely even notice the change in weather.
Now is the time to recapture the magic of summer. Sure you are older and you have many other responsibilities, but this doesn’t mean that an enjoyable summer is out of your reach.
Summer is a magical time.
Here are five simple changes you can make to ensure a memorable summer:
1. Go Unplugged
Go Unplugged
Technology is a wonderful thing and we can accomplish incredible tasks with the swipe of a single finger; however, technology can also hold us back from sensory experiences. While you can view and hear impressive things on your phone, tablet, or computer screen, you can’t engage your other senses. In order to better appreciate the joys of summer you need to get out and see, hear, taste, touch, and smell the summer!
In order to increase your sensory experiences, you need to free yourself from distractions. Take a few moments and watch your kids enjoying summer. Instead of getting jealous, learn from them! Free yourself from unnecessary entanglements and let yourself have a good time. Your kids will appreciate the extra attention and they will learn from your example of letting go.
Getting rid of all technology is not very practical in today’s world. Consider these alternatives instead:
Designate one day a week as web free day and steer your activities away from the computer on that day.
Think of your cell phone as a tool to only be used in case of emergency when you are out with your children. You don’t have to turn the phone off, but find a pocket in your purse or bag to store the phone until you are home again.
Set a goal to only check your phone at certain intervals throughout the day.
Choose one day a week as your “social media day”. On this day you can browse, upload, and update any social media account. The other six days of the week, resolve to stay away from social media.
2. Escape in a Book
When was the last time you read a book just for fun? Reading is one of the best ways you can explore far away places and entertain new ideas. While you may not have time to read every day this summer, you can find time to read one book cover to cover before the summer ends.
Check out popular reading lists online. Ask family and friends for recommendations. Reread a book you loved as a teenager. Pick one book that interests you and get reading. Keep the book in your purse, car, or bag this summer and take advantage of waiting time or spare moments to keep turning those pages.
3. Explore Your Own City
(Photo credit: Michael Taggart Photography)
Use the summer to discover some hidden gems in your community. Your community most likely has a lot to offer that is still a mystery to you. Think of this summer as a vacation in your own home town. Here are some ways you can explore the areas around you:
Eat at local, independent restaurants
Visit all local museums and historical landmarks
Explore your local library
Visit a nearby college or university campus
Set a goal to visit every park in your city
Take your kids to any nearby zoo, planetarium, or aquarium
Go for a bike ride in the surrounding countryside, or on a local bike path
Visit a nearby state or national park
Purchase items at a local farmer’s market
Check out yard sales
Go camping in your own backyard
Explore your city on foot
Take advantage of local events like concerts, plays, exhibits, parades, etc.
Stroll through local shops and stores
4. Give Up One Bad Habit
Making healthy changes is not just for the month of January. Set the goal this summer to give up one bad habit. While you may be tempted to change a lot of things, committing yourself to getting rid of one bad habit at a time increases the odds that you will be successful in achieving your goal. Here are some examples to get you thinking:
Stop drinking soda pop and drink more water instead.
Stop gossiping.
Improve your sleeping habits. Go to bed earlier and get up earlier.
Limit your television viewing to one episode per day, and two movies per week.
Give up energy drinks.
Limit your snacking to one unhealthy snack per day.
Indulge in dessert only once a week.
Apply sunscreen daily, even when laying out.
Get professional help if you have a substance addiction. You can start here.
Stop telling white lies.
Stop procrastinating. Pay all bills on time.
5. Stock Up on Simple Foods
With hot weather, normal responsibilities, and extra opportunities, the last thing you probably want to do at the end of a summer day is make dinner. Stock up on these simple foods that require little preparation:
Nancy on the Home Front 