Not gaga over this lady . . .

She's back and she's breeding . . . 


See my previous post . . . Nemesis in our garden



I discovered these odd, prickly bugs all over a summer squash plant in a nearby garden plot.  Curious, I found out what these little prickers were.  

The young larvae look like evil little prickly pears. They are bright yellow and covered with of spiny black hairs. They will grow quickly and pupate, then the bright orange and black spotted adults will appear. They are one of the largest lady beetles in Eastern North America where they range.   

These bugs are ravenous and will destroy squash plants.  Don't let they lady looks fool you.  Squash these squash bugs!

Heavenly Homemade Bread

I can’t remember the last time I bought a loaf of regular white bread from the grocery store.  Making homemade bread is easy and satisfying.  The smell of baking breading filling the air is incredible. It’s worth the time and effort . . . and, really, it’s not all that difficult.
This is a recipe I’ve used without fail.  It makes a nice, soft sandwich bread.  Make sure you make two loaves because one will be gone before it’s had time to cool . . . so, so good!


Soft White Bread


Ingredients:

• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp dry yeast
• 6 cups all-purpose or bread flour (approximately)
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 eggs

What to do
1.  Grease two 9" x 5" loaf pans and set them aside.


2.  Combine hot water and cool milk, add yeast and sugar and allow yeast to bloom.  While you wait, whisk the flour and salt together.

3.  Once yeast has bloomed, add in a couple cups of the flour/salt mixture, the eggs, and the butter, and stir to combine.  Gradually add in more flour until the dough is stiff (or pulls away from the sides of the bowl if you're using a stand mixer).

4.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Note: I skip this step . . . I use the dough hook on my mixer to knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic.  About five minutes.


5.  Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk.

6.  Punch dough down, re-shape into a ball, and place back in bowl, covered, to rise again until nearly doubled in size.


7.  Punch dough down and divide into two pieces.  Shape into balls and let them rest for a few minutes to allow the gluten to relax.


8.  Press each ball down into an oblong shape about the length of your baking pan and then roll tightly into a small baguette shape and seal the edges together.  Fold the ends under a bit and place in the pan, seam side down.  Repeat with the other ball of dough.

9.  Cover the pans with a lightly greased piece of foil or plastic wrap, or with parchment or wax paper (you don't want it to stick) and allow the dough to rise until it's well above the edge of the pan (a good inch or so).


10.  While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.


11.  Bake the loaves about 30 minutes or so, until golden brown.  Tap the bottom of a loaf if you're not sure - if it sounds hollow, the bread is done.  If it doesn't, bake another 5-10 minutes.

12.  When the bread comes out, allow to cool at least half an hour before slicing.  If you want a soft crust, brush the tops of the loaves with melted butter and cover for half an hour while cooling.  The butter will soak in and keep the crust from becoming crispy.  (It may look a little wrinkly in the process.)


13.  A loaf will keep, wrapped with plastic, for several days (if you don't eat it all the first day.)  If you won't be eating both loaves right away, wrap one snugly with plastic and then with foil and freeze it until needed.

I’m a knit wit . . . I admit it

I like to knit.  There! I said it . . .


Knitting can be mindless or complex but always fascinating.  I love to watch the colors in yarn evolve into interesting patterns, the feel of luscious wool slipping through my fingers and the simple manipulation of the needles making intricate patterns and amazing fabric.


One of the things I like best to knit is socks.  They’re fun to make, fairly quick to knit, and cozy to wear.  They also make awesome gifts . . . who wouldn't want a pair of fabulous homemade socks!


Here’s a pair of socks I recently made.  They're cuff down using two-at-time technique on cabled needles. 





The cast on for this technique is a pain in the butt but once they’re started it’s just knit knit knit . . .





This is a great book with easy to follow instructions to get you started on two-at-a-time socks or to use as a guide for experienced knitters.




Once the cuff is done, it’s time to create a fun pattern.








Turning the heel is probably the most complicated part of making the socks but not difficult to master.






After the heel and gusset are done the socks are more than halfway done!
 









Graft the toes and the socks are complete and ready to wear. 

Simply Scrumptious!

A tomato in the hand is worth two on the vine

We’ve got a LOT on the vine.  So far, none in hand. 
 
In our little garden plot, we’ve planted twelve tomato plants and we’re hoping for lots of fruit.  
 


The twelve Better Boy plants should produce more tomatoes than we can possibly use at one time.   

Better Boy tomatoes are vigorous, productive plants . . . most of ours are literally busting out of their 54” enclosures.  We have a lot of small green tomatoes but soon they could weigh up to about one pound.   Yes, we are definitely going to have lots and lots of tomatoes.  But we have a plan . . . we plan on preserving most of them by canning and drying.
            

However; waiting for them to ripen is making me crazy.  There is no instant gratification in growing tomatoes.

A woman's garden is growing beautifully but the darn tomatoes won't ripen.  There's a limit to the number of uses for green tomatoes and she's getting tired of it.  So she goes to her neighbor and says, "Your tomatoes are ripe, mine are green. What can I do about it?''  Her neighbor replies, "Well, it may sound absurd but here's what to do. Tonight there's no moon. After dark go out into your garden and take all your clothes off.  

Tomatoes can see in the dark and they'll be embarrassed and blush. In the morning they'll all be red, you'll see.''  Well, what the heck?   She does it.  The next day her neighbor asks how it worked.  "So-so,'' she answers,  "The tomatoes are still green but the zucchini are all four inches longer.''

Once ripened,  tomatoes are relatively easy to can.  Due to their high acidity they can be canned in a hot water bath and do not require a lot of preparation.  The canned tomatoes will last us until next season and we’re going to have the use of our very own tomatoes in chili, sauces and other dishes all through the winter and spring. 

Drying them is also a simple process. Dried tomatoes will keep for a long time in airtight packages and can be rehydrated for cooking or chopped up in salads or on their own as a light snack.


More on the canning and drying processes later when I actually have ripe tomatoes to can and dry.  :)

When is a zucchini not a zucchini? When you drop it; then it's squash!

Another day . . . another zucchini.  What to do with it? ZUCCHINI BREAD!! 3 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspooon vanilla 1 teaspooon almond extract 2 cups coarsely grated zucchini (loosely packed) 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) Preheat oven to 350°F. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 3 eggs until frothy. Gradually add 2 cups sugar. Stir in 1 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon almond extract and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Beat until thick and lemon colored. Stir in zucchini. In a medium bowl, whisk together to combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture, stirring to combine. Add chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired. Grease and flower two bread loaf pans to prevent sticking. Pour batter into pans and level off with the back of a spoon. Bake for approximately 1 hour or until done. Allow loaves to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife along the sides to loosen bread and remove from pans. Cool on wire rack. Serve smeared with softened cream cheese. So GOOD!!

Spinning . . . rhymes through time

There are few things as satisfying as creating beautiful objects out of the most basic materials.  Spinning raw and natural wool . . . making beautiful yarn . . . is one of those things. It is truly a simple pleasure and the outcome can be amazing.

CROSS PATCH

Cross patch, draw the latch,

Sit by the fire and spin;

Take a cup and drink it up,

Then call your neighbours in.

TWINKLE TWINKLE PRETTY SPINDLE

Twinkle twinkle pretty spindle,

Let the white wool drift and dwindle;

Oh! We weave a damask doublet

For my love's coat of steel.

Hark! The timid turning treadle

Crooning soft old fashioned ditties,

To the low, slow murmur of the brown, round wheel.

SIX LITTLE MICE

Six little mice sat down to spin;

Pussy passed by and she peeped in.

What are you doing, my little men?

Weaving coats for gentlemen.

Shall I come in and cut off your threads?

No, no, Mistress Pussy, you'd bite off our heads.

Oh, no I'll not; I help you to spin.

That may be so, but you don't come in.

THAT'S ALL

There was an old woman sat spinning,

And that's the first beginning;

She had a calf,

And that's half;

She took it by the tail,

And threw it over the wall,

And that's all!