Cucumbers are staying cool

Over the last two years the victory garden has produced cucumbers in all shapes and sizes.  Regardless of the shape each cucumber slices up nicely in salads and side dishes.  The family favorite is the pickled cucumbers.   There are variety of ways to pickle your cucumbers and I have tried dill, kosher and fridge.  Over the last week over 20 pickles were picked.  The largest pickle was nine inches long and the smallest was four inches.  I decided to make two variations of fridge pickled cucumbers: Ginger-Spice Cucumbers from the Better Homes and Garden New Cook Book 15th Edition; Mom's Cucumbers from Allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/moms-cucumbers/detail.aspx).

Ginger-Spice (left) and Mom's (right)

I personally like the sweet snappy taste of the Ginger-Spice but Mom's is a family favorite and tastes good with meat and vegetables.  You can place these cucumbers on sandwiches, hot dogs, rice bowls or just have it as a side dish.  Fridge pickled cucumbers are easy to make since there is no canning.  Just slice, toss, pack and refrigerate the cucumbers and you are ready to munch on some crispy tangy cucumbers.  Nom nom!

Victory Garden Alert!  Victory Garden Alert!  The bean robber has been spotted!  Cameras have caught a glimpse of the robber for the first time.  CSI have confirmed that the canidae hair is a visual match to the fur caught on camera.  The bean robber was quick and avoided showing his face while fleeing the scene.  Authorities have doubled their surveillance in hope of catching the canid while he is in possession of the stolen veggies.  For now authorities have given us the following image to help us spot the robber.

Dehydrating Veggies

Green and Black Bell Peppers

I currently own a 1993 Ronco food dehydrator.  My family has used this dehydrator to make dried fruit, dry nuts, and make beef jerky.  With all of the zucchini and squash being produced I decided to try out the dehydrating process.  There are no buttons on the dehydrator.  You just plug it in and you are ready to go.

Sprinkled with garlic salt and cayenne pepper... mmmm!

I sliced up zucchini, squash, bell peppers and radish.  I cut thin slices to help the snacking process after dehydration.  I am a huge fan of veggie chips and this will definitely be a great treat.  I sprinkled every item with garlic salt and added cayenne pepper to one tray.  The items should be done in a day or two.  I will be placing my items in airtight jars and Ziploc bags.

Radish and Squash

The Pepperoncini - Part Two!

I canned my first batch of pepperoncini peppers!  Woo hoo!  I have two small precarious looking pint jars full of pepperoncini goodness.  Following advice of Walnut Spinney I soaked my peppers in salt water over night, about 14 hours.  I rinsed the peppers and set them aside.  I then prepared the brine and a processing pot.  For 2 pints of peppers I used:


2 pint mason jars with lids and rings for sealing
lots of pepperoncini peppers
2 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 cups of apple cider vinegar
one clove of garlic
1/2 cups of water

brine (left) and processing pot (right)

I let the entire mixture simmer for 10 minutes.   I then cut the clove in half and place a piece in each pint jar.  I then clean the rims, pour the brine, put on the hot sealing lid and ring, screw on the ring tight and place the jar in the processing pot.  The processing pot is a pot of boiling water which the jars sit in.  I have read many different reasons for why the water should cover the jars and why only half should be submerged.

I was taught that a third of the jar should be submerged into the water for processing so I followed those very directions.  I also poured hot boiling water over the tops of the jars every couple of minutes too.  I just used the water in the pot and a ladle.  After ten minutes I removed the jars and let them sit until each jar sealed.  Sealing should occur a few hours after processing.  I labeled the jars and placed them in the cupboard.  Now the hard part.... waiting a few months for them to turn into yummy goodness.

The Pepperoncini

I like the pepperoncini pepper.  It is an extremely versatile pepper.  You can put pepperoncini on sandwiches, salads, pizza and even in your omelets.  I have been debating if I should freeze or can the peppers.  After much thought and much research I have decided to can my first harvest of peppers.  I left many pepper on the plant and saw many more pushing out on the plant's upper limbs.  I will have many more to experiment with.  I will be using pint size canning jars.  My peppers are not very large so I can get away with using smaller jars.

I have been reading the tales of Walnut Spinney and found her blog about pickled peppers to be informational and entertaining.  I am currently soaking my peppers in salt water.  This is recommended by Walnut Spinney.  I really like her salty then sweet canning recipe.  I am excited to see the finish result.  To read more about the pepperoncini canning process and recipe visit, http://walnutspinney.blogspot.com/2008/09/pickled-pepperoncini-peppers-or-hot.html.  Thank you Walnut Spinney!

May the bounty flow!

I went out to water and check on the victory garden and came back with a basket full of vegetables.  I started my harvest by picking the radish.  The radish taste very crisp and are very mild.  Great addition in salads or as a side dish when eating lunch or dinner.  I also picked a few four-inch cucumbers and two six-inchers.  These will also be salad and side dish items on the table.  I have also seen family members put the cucumbers in soups and omelets.  The squash and zucchini produced a good amount of fruit this week.  These harvests are great and I am looking forward to the upcoming weeks. 

The beans produced a good amount of long thick beans.  All of the mature beans were picked along with the bell peppers and pepper and herb plants.  I have my sage hanging upside down.  Once the leaves are dry and brittle I will place them in a container for use during the winter.  Mmmmm!  I can see big plates of spaghetti and hot bowls of soup and stews in my future.

I am also happy to report the eggplants are doing very well.  After being a victim to Mooch's mood swings on catnip and freezing under the summer cold-filled nights, I thought the plants would not make it.  Fortunately they plants pulled through and are now producing fruit!  Grilled veggies have never tasted so good until you add grilled eggplant to the mix.  Nom nom!

Victory Garden Alert!  Victory Garden Alert!  CSI has stated that the two hairs found at the last bean robber crime scene are from the felidae and canidae families.  The felid is none other than Mooch the catnip pimp.  CSI reports that Mooch's DNA was a match to the DNA found in one of the hairs.  The second hair found is not in the DNA database.  Additionally, a foot print was found at the latest crime scene.  CSI reports that the print does not match Mooch and he is no longer a suspect.  Authorities have installed surveillance cameras throughout the garden in hopes of capturing the bean robber on camera.

Silk and Tassels

The corn is looking really good.  The shortest corn stalks measures around five and a half feet tall.  The tallest stalks measure about 8 feet tall.  The tassels are pushing up and many have begun swaying in the wind.  The silk has grown out and will soon kernel up into delicious corn.  I have only seen a handful of ears on the east row of stalks.  I have not walked down the western three rows in a few weeks but I am hoping to find lots of ears growing during my stole down Corn Street this weekend.  

 

Victory Garden Alert! Victory Garden Alert!  Authorities were called to the victory garden at 9:58 am after receiving an emergency call from the local squirrel community.  A squirrel reported hearing a noise moving through the corn followed by a crunching sound.  Authorities found a bean top connected to a broken bean vine at the corner of Corn Street and Zucchini Court.  CSI recovered two strands of hair from the crime scene.  The strands were sent to the lab for analysis.  In addition, CSI reports finding three teeth marks on the lonely bean found at the last crime scene.  The teeth were said to be small and sharp.  Based on the size of the marks CSI estimates the bean robber to be 8-12 inches in height.

Catnip tea

 

I have been growing catnip for the past two years however, I have not been able to harvest any catnip.  The minute I brought the catnip plant home my cats, and even my dog, eat at the leaves and climb into the pot.  The plant is now very small and barely produces big leaves.  To see the effects that catnip has on cats and dogs visit http://wanderingchewy.blogspot.com/2011/07/catnip-is-just-for-cats.html.

At the beginning of the season I bought three catnip plants and have kept them under lock and key.  The plants are protected by a white metal cage.  I occasionally leave the cage off  but after a few minutes the cat will have his face in the plant.  I seriously think my cat would eat an entire catnip plants in one seating.  No joke.

With this new batch of catnip I have decided to make Catnip tea.  I have found that catnip tea is good for relaxation in the muscles and body.  I have read that catnip tea can help you fall asleep.  I enjoy Chamomile's taste and fragrance as a sleeping remedy and will look forward to drinking Catnip tea while relaxing on a cool fall evening and cold winter's night.

I will be drying the leaves and storing them in an airtight container.  When making the tea, add boiling water to the dried catnip leaves.  Allow the water and leaves the steep for 5-7 minutes.  You can start with 1 tsp. of Catnip for every 8 oz. of water.  I prefer a stronger catnip flavor (2-3 tsp.) and often sweeten the tea with honey or condensed milk.  I use condensed milk if I want a more sinfully richer taste.  With just a few leaves, boiled water and sweetener you can turn any cat treat into a fresh brew of tea.

The Radish and the Bean

The radishes are pushing out of the earth to expose their color and size while the beans are dangling and dancing like wind chimes.

The victory garden is currently producing squash, zucchini, a variety of herbs and lettuce each week.  I usually harvest the squash and zucchini every other day while the lettuce and herbs are picked weekly.  The radish and green beans are now ready for a weekly harvest too.  There is fruit on most of the pepper and tomato plants and will be ready to harvest in the upcoming weeks.   I am sad to say that the gastropods have breached the perimeter, yet again, and destroyed the green bean sprouts.  I decided to fight back without using violent force.  I have re-planted the green bean seeds in pots and set the pots away from the gastropods reach.  I hope to see sprouts in a week.  Once the plants are big enough I will then transplant them into the main garden.  Once again the gastropods have disrupted order in the victory garden...until the next battle!

Evidence #1: picked bean on ground

Victory Garden Alert!  Victory Garden Alert! This is not a test.  The victory garden has missing beans!  The bean robber has struck again.  Authorities found a lonely bean near the crime scene.  The lonely bean is now in evidence and under examination by the local CSI.  Updates to the case will be posted once the examination of the evidence is complete.

Soy brings joy!

Soybeans... nom nom!

Radishes

Today was a joyous yet somber day for the victory garden.  The soybeans are ripening and the radishes are reaching for the sky.  Even the green beans are bursting out of the flower petals.  However, the garden harbors members of a vicious back alley sport... kitty wrestling.  The Kitty Wrestling Federation, also know as KWF, has been around for many many moons.  I have heard that the first kitty wrestling match was between a smilodon and pleistoncene tiger.  My cat is a member and frequent participant of the KWF.  This afternoon my cat chose to practice his wrestling moves on a green bean plant in the middle garden.  Needless to say... the plant did not survive.  When the bell was rung all that was left was a pile of shredded wilted leaves and a snapped stock.  My cat seemed proud of his conquest but I am sure the bean robber will not be pleased.

French Green Beans

Squash and Zucchini

I picked my first zucchini this year.  There are lots of flowers on the plant but I was lucky enough to find a rip yummy fruit.  The squash are also growing in abundance right now.  I cannot eat them fast enough.  This means I will be putting my culinary creativity to the test this weekend when barbecuing, stir-frying and pickling these scrumptious veggies.

I also replanted 10 green bean seeds.  The six existing plants are flowering and will soon produce beans.  However, there is a bean thief in the garden.  Last year we found half eaten and snapped beans hanging on the plants.  Sometimes the thief would be so sneaky that the bean vanished from the basket while we were still picking the beans.  I will place the victory garden on high alert and will start monitoring the beans daily.  I hope to catch the bean robber on camera this year.