Gardening

[MauEvig]

I haven't completely plotted out my garden yet.
I'll probably end up breaking down and growing some kind of pumpkins.
I tried starting tomatoes and peppers early and the wind took out my green house. But thankfully the plants at the plant sale weren't too expensive. I also re-assembled the green house, but I'll have to tape it up.
Good luck with your beefsteak and cherry tomatoes, Murf! Those are good varieties to grow!
Oh man, don't I know it with deer liking the expensive plants. At least my blackberry bush seems to have survived and I just planted that thing last year. So that makes me happy at least. Now I just need to get some fencing to keep things out.
I haven't had much luck so far finding new apple trees. I could try growing them by seed...if I don't mind waiting 7 years to see if the apples are good or sour.

[Murfreesboro]

There are apple orchards all over the place up there, Mau. Mary Baldwin even has an Apple Day spontaneous holiday every October. Surely you could find one tree!

[Andybev01]

You say 'apple day' and bam! I'm wishing it was autumn already.

[Murfreesboro]

I know, right? And I really don't want to wish my life away. But I was going through a stack of books and magazines yesterday, and I ran across one with great autumnal recipes. I suddenly had a craving for pumpkin oatmeal.

[Andybev01]

Our weather has turned cool and rainy.

Maybe I'll make a pot of soup.

[Murfreesboro]

I just looked at a recipe for sweet potato soup. It looked so good. Onions and bell peppers, chicken broth, sweet potatoes, chickpeas.

[MauEvig]

I'm actually looking forward to summer this year.
Now I know, Fall is wonderful don't get me wrong.
Buuut when you work for a school district and get summers off...^^;

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, I intend to make use of my summer. I want to plant some things, clean up and decorate my patio, and make a couple of trips. Not big ones this year. I have a family reunion to attend in NE KY, and I hope to make it up to Chicago to see my son's new place. I'd actually like to get there for their Christmas market during the holidays. It's supposed to be epic. But I'd really like to see his place before then.

[Andybev01]

I just looked at a recipe for sweet potato soup. It looked so good. Onions and bell peppers, chicken broth, sweet potatoes, chickpeas.

Do you use white sweet potatoes or what I know as yams or, orange sweet potatoes?

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, orange ones. I'm not sure I've ever even seen a white one.

In this country i know we use "sweet potato" and "yam" interchangeably, but I think true yams come from Africa and are a little different.

[Andybev01]

White sweet potatoes are worth a try.

Prepare as you would a russet.

I brush the skin with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and kosher salt.

Bake at your preferred temp and time.

They're so much tastier than regular baked potatoes, but I recommend just butter instead of sour cream.

[Murfreesboro]

Yeah, it's funny that I love sour cream on regular white potatoes, but never on sweet potatoes.

Do white sweet potatoes taste like the orange ones? It's funny that people would have developed or promoted a white one, since all the nutritionists are belaboring the importance of phytochemicals in the more colorful foods.

[MauEvig]

Yeah I agree on the sour cream thing. It's much better on a regular ol' potato than a sweet potato or a yam. I'd rather have butter, maybe some brown sugar on it since it lends itself to a sweet taste. Regular potatoes are more savory.
My step dad was a big fan of yukon gold potatoes. They're kind of a yellow-ish color. But they're good eatin'! Red potatoes are good too.
Up north they do what's called "salt potatoes." They're basically just really small potatoes cooked in salt water, but really good! They often serve them with barbecue marinated chicken or a common side for a lot of barbecues and/or picnics.

[Murfreesboro]

I've had salt potatoes before! They were in some recipe book we acquired. I'd thought they'd be too salty, but they weren't.

I also love Yukon golds, and red potatoes, too. Shoot, give me a potato and I'll eat it.

[MauEvig]

One of the nice thing about potatoes is how much you can do with them.
Admittedly one of my favorite incarnations of potatoes is none other than the french fry. I especially love McDonald's fries. I also enjoy a good chili cheese fry.
Anyone getting hungry? I really wish the good tasting foods were healthier for you.