Spaghetti Squash

Meat balls on marinara sauce on spaghetti squash. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

How to Cook Spaghetti Squash

So this is one of those things that I’ve wanted to do but haven’t until now. I don’t know why because this is one of the easiest things to cook and makes several meals.

There can be several yellow-looking squashes at your grocery store so make sure to check labels.

Check label to make sure the yellow squash is spaghetti squash. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

After removing the label, I washed the outside because I will be baking it.

Cut in half and remove seeds. The inside is stringy but don’t worry about that, just remove, and save, the seeds.

Save seeds as you clean out each of the spaghetti squash halves. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Brush with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Turn the halves down on a cookie sheet.

Warm over to 400F.

Cook at 400F after brushing with olive oil, salt and pepper. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

And here it is after baking for 40 minutes at 400F. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

In my oven, 40 minutes was perfect to cook through without making the spaghetti squash mushy. You may have to cook for 30 minutes and then test to see if it needs more oven time.

Once cool, scoop out the strands with a fork starting from the outside. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Once cooled, the magic starts. Use a fork to gently remove the spaghetti strands from the squash.

And if you like to plant, save the seeds to plant later this year after danger of frost.

Dry seeds to plant later this season. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

And what about taste and flavor?

The spaghetti squash was delicious as is, I’m going to use it as a side dish.

As the foundation for spaghetti sauce and meatless meat balls, I couldn’t tell the difference in flavor and texture between angel hair pasta and spaghetti squash.

Love having a new easy dish to make!

Charlotte

Breakfast Sandwich

Easy homemade breakfast sandwich with two-ingredient bread roll. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Breakfast Sandwich

I came across this recipe a few weeks back when I was looking for an easy non-bread-machine bread recipe.

Some people refer to the two-ingredient bread recipe as the Weight Watchers bread. A variety of items can be made from this easy recipe from cinnamon rolls to pretzels. I did not see how to make a breakfast sandwich so here’s my latest food experiment.

First, I dropped a spoonful of batter on a cookie sheet to make the rolls. I added an egg to the batter, which is recommended for making pretzels so I made a few pretzels, too. This recipe freezes well so it’s handy to get some basics in the freezer.

To make a breakfast sandwich, I fried half of a bacon strip per sandwich and added a fried egg. Scrambled eggs would work too but it could be messier to store.

Once the ingredients were together, I added a toothpick to hold everything and stored them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

When ready to eat, I heat it up in the microwave for 45 seconds.

Now I also made a fresh batch of biscuits, added the egg and bacon and individually froze them. That also works well so now you have an option to make your own homemade breakfast sandwich - and pull them out when you need them.

Charlotte

Snow Ice Cream

I assure you this snow ice cream was made with brand new snow. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

Snow Ice Cream

It’s been on my list of things to try for several decades now. Obviously not high enough on the list or I would have tried this earlier. I grew up in South America without seeing snow until I was in my teens and visiting Washington D.C. so anything snow is a bit of a curiosity for me.

We currently have a good 8 inches of snow on top of ice where I live, which means most of us are staying home and safe until this all melts off. Good enough time to try some experiments such as making snow ice cream.

Now as I was photographing the finished product, my handyman walked by and asked if I was sure I had scooped up unsoiled snow. Very funny, I said, that’s snow ice cream made with honey and vanilla giving it that gold tint.

I tried honey with my first snow ice cream, requiring twice the snow. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

I’ve read there are several options for the ice cream sweetener, I chose to use my own honey. Other options are maple syrup and macerated fruit.

I would use whatever you like to eat cold and whatever you have handy.

Snow Ice Cream Recipe

Here’s the first list of possible ingredients:

3/4 cup new snow

1/4 cup maple syrup, honey, macerated fruit

1 teaspoon vanilla

A dab of milk to mix in until creamy.

As a beekeeper, I know the honey will become thick as soon as it is exposed to the cold snow so I ended up using more than twice the suggested snow to try to get it “creamy.”

The honey and vanilla also changed the color profile of the originally-white snow so maybe macerated fruit would be a better visual option.

After mixing the ingredients, I tried it. It takes like one of those summer snow cones with a flavoring added to shaved ice.

Would I do it again?

Probably not, there are much better ways to enjoy the hard-earned honey made by my bees.

Brand new unblemished snow for my ice cream. (Charlotte Ekker Wiggins photo)

And see, the original snow was pristine when I scooped it up to try this.

Have you ever made snow ice cream?

Charlotte

Chocolate Kisses Mice

These truffle boxes are perfect to hold one chocolate kiss mouse. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Chocolate Kisses Mice

Oh my, it’s been far too long since I’ve made these simple chocolate and cherry treats. I was inspired to make them this year after my rescue cat James A Mess dropped a play mouse at my feet during a business Zoom session.

These make fun gifts especially from your cats to people who are special to you, and them.

You will need:

Wax paper

Paper towels

Maraschino cherries with stems

Almond slivers

Chocolate almond bark

Hershey Milk Chocolate Kisses

Truffle gift boxes (found online or at a hobby store)

So a note on the two maybe hard to find items:

1. You need maraschino cherries with stems. I called around to locate them where I live so don’t assume you will find them in any grocery store.

2. The gift boxes can be anything with a clear top cover, half the fun is seeing them under a bow. If you can’t find boxes, cut out white cardboard pieces that fit into small plastic bags and glue each mouse to the cardboard with a dab of chocolate.

Maraschino cherries with stems drained on paper towels. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To make:

Drain maraschino cherries and spread them out on paper towels to get them dry.

Remove foil from Hershey’s kisses.

While cherries are drying, melt the chocolate bark to package directions.

Use the chocolate almond bark to “glue” almost slivers to the backs of Hershey kisses.

Melted chocolate bark holds almond slivers for ears. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Allow the glued ears to dry on wax paper.

Dip maraschino cherries with stems in melted chocolate bark; cover.

Maraschino cherries dipped in melted chocolate bark. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Remove the chocolate-covered maraschino cherries and let them dry on wax paper. I also make sure the “tails” are laying down so they will easily fit in gift boxes.

Chocolate-dipped maraschino cherries drying on wax paper. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

With the chocolate-covered maraschino bodies, add the Hershey kiss with almond slivers to form the mice.

Once glued together with more chocolate, they are now mice. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Allow to dry. If you need them to dry faster, place in refrigerator for a few minutes.

Store in gift boxes in a freezer bag until ready to give.

Fun for stocking stuffers, neighbor gifts and fans of your cats!

Charlotte

Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Wait until you take a bite, so good! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I’ve been wanting to try this ever since I saw it scroll through one of my recipe feeds. I am not a particular fan of cabbage but the idea of cooking this as a meat substitute was intriguing.

Roasted Cabbage Steaks

To make, you will need:

• Cabbage. Green cabbage is best but you could also use red cabbage if you want. I used a green cabbage.

• Olive oil. I used extra virgin olive oil but you can also use other kinds of oil, including avocado, canola, or sunflower oil.

• Spices. Salt, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper.

• Red pepper flakes. This is optional, if you'd like an added bit of heat.

To make:

1. Cut the stems off the cabbage heads and then cut each one in half, then in half again. You should have four flat discs of cabbage that are about ¾ to 1 inch thick from each head.

I roasted mine in an electric oven. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

2. Place the cabbage steaks on a baking sheet, allowing some space between each one to even cooking.

3. Brush the cabbage with the olive oil, coating them thoroughly. I generously sprinkled the olive oil. Then generously add salt, garlic powder, and paprika on the cabbage steaks.

4. Flip the cabbage over and repeat, brushing them with oil and sprinkling the seasonings.

5. Bake the cabbage steaks at 400°F for about 25 minutes, until the leaves are browned and the center is tender. Serve hot out of the oven.

Pro Tips

Choose the right cabbage. When you are buying the cabbage heads for this recipe, make sure that they are fresh and crisp. Look for cabbage that is tight and compact with few loose leaves, and feels heavy for its size.

Don't skip the oil. This step is important because the oil not only helps the cabbage steaks become tender, but it also helps the added seasonings stick and not burn during roasting.

Season both sides. Remember to flip the cabbage steaks and repeat the steps to oil and season them. By applying these ingredients to both sides, you get a more even distribution of flavors and texture.

What to Serve it with

• As is. These Cabbage Steaks make a great snack and can be enjoyed all on their own.

• With pasta. Enjoy this cabbage dish alongside your favorite pasta and sauce.

• With other grains. Quinoa, bulgur, millet, barley, farro, and wheat.

• Topped with tofu. Diced and sauteed tofu tastes delicious on top of these.

• With other veggies. Riced cauliflower, roasted eggplant, and sauteed mushrooms all go great with roasted cabbage.

How to Store and Reheat

To store Roasted Cabbage Steaks, allow them to cool before placing them in a container with a tight lid and refrigerating them. They will stay fresh in there for about 3 days.

When you are ready to reheat them, you can either microwave them for a few minutes or place them on a baking sheet to warm in a 350°F oven until they reach the desired temp.

If you are just starting to cook, or renewing the practice, the Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Cooking has several delicious options from professional university Extension experts as well as cooks. Finding recipes online can be unreliable so if you don’t have at least one basic printed cookbook in your kitchen, this one is a good start!

Truly yummy, make it at least once and then decide!

Charlotte

Leftover Fruit Salad

Leftover blueberries, strawberries and bananas. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Leftover Fruit Salad

As food prices continue to go up, we may be inspired to appreciate leftovers and use up the little dregs of produce we have remaining in the refrigerator. That’s what I do with remaining fresh fruit, especially berries.

Although I think about making a fruit salad, I tend to wait until the bananas start looking over ripe or fruit choices narrow down to just a few pieces each.

Don’t toss the leftover fruit, remix into a salad. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

My favorite mix is strawberries with bananas sprinkled with black pepper. The key is to cut them into small pieces including quartering the banana so you can easily compost the parts that are brown.

For this week’s fruit salad, I had a few strawberries, a ripening banana and some blueberries. The green garnish at the top is a tiny piece of lettuce from a salad I made earlier.

Make the leftover fruit salad right before your meal to keep the bananas from browning. I’ve also made the salad the night before and kept in the refrigerator for consumption the next day. The bananas and strawberries marinate overnight, nicely mixing flavors.

To bring out the flavors, experiment with sprinkling with salt or black pepper.

Other Ways to Use Leftover Fruit

Another way to use up leftover fruit is to add it, again cut up in to small pieces, into homemade muffins. One of my favorite combinations is a salad with a side muffin. You will find recipes for muffins and other classic dishes in the 2007 American Illustrated Cooking Encyclopedia. Great gift idea for that new wedded couple and college graduate.

Finally add leftover fruit to that second day salad. The combination will give both leftovers a new lease on a meal.

Cooking at home is a great way to save money, too!

Charlotte

Garlic Bread

Homemade garlic bread smells delicious, too. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Garlic Bread

Adding homemade garlic bread is a quick and easy way to upgrade any meal. Soups and salads, as well as pasta, all feel, and taste, better with a piece of garlic bread.

There are a number of online recipes using fresh garlic but not everyone has access to homegrown, or even fresh, garlic cloves.

You certainly can also buy ready made garlic bread but it’s just as easy, and a lot less expensive, to make your own.

Basic Garlic Bread Recipe

You will need:

A loaf of French or Italian bread

3/4 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2 cup butter

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Fresh parsley (optional)

Use room temperature butter to easily mix with spices. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To make:

Slice the bread loaf in diagonal pieces.

Mix the room-soft butter with the Italian Seasoning and garlic salt.

Spread the mix on the cut bread pieces.

Make sure each bread piece is covered with the butter mixture. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Optional.

Wrap in aluminum foil until ready to bake.

Heat oven to 350F. Warm bread for 10-15 minutes or until the butter mixture is melted.

Remove. Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

You can easily adjust the amount of garlic salt and Italian seasoning to taste.

Mom’s Garlic Bread Recipe

Now I would call this the “fancy” homemade garlic bread recipe. When we were growing up, my Mom made a much easier version using sliced French bread.

She would spread butter on the cut bread pieces, sprinkle with garlic salt, wrap in aluminum foil and warm in the 350F oven.

You can freeze both these recipes either before warming, or afterwards.

If you’re just starting to cook, try the Illustrated American Encyclopedia of Cooking, an excellent reference book with tried and true basic recipes.

Either way, I have a soft spot for homemade garlic bread. Did I mention it’s also excellent with spaghetti?

Homemade garlic bread adds a special touch to spaghetti. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Charlotte

Picking Bartlett Pears

Several Bartlett pears from my semi-dwarf pear tree. Which should you pick? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Picking Bartlett Pears

It’s that time of year in my garden; actually it’s a little overdue and that’s picking Bartlett pears from my 37 year old Stark Brother’s pear tree.

I planted the tree close to my deck with the vision of sitting on the deck and plucking fresh fruit out of the tree. I can still do that but the timing is the important part. Besides pears ripening from the inside I have to beat the squirrels to the pears. Sometimes I will find very young pears on the ground from where someone had breakfast. These Dog in the Garden kitchen towels also remind me of my neighbors labs who liked to stop by and take a pear or two home.

To get a good ripe pear, they have to be picked when they still appear green. One trick a friend showed me was to gently bend the pear at a 45 degree angle. If the stem breaks, then it’s time to pick. If not, leave it on the tree and try another day.

Old cake stand makes a handy spot to ripen pears and tomatillos. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Those green Bartlett pears go into the kitchen and into either a brown bag with an apple or banana. This year I also have them under glass in an old cake stand keeping company with apples and ripening tomatillos. The ethylene gas from the apples will help ripen the pears and tomatillos and I like seeing the pears displayed in that glass stand.

A pear that is ripening will also start to yellow, although it can be hard to tell unless that pear is close other, less ripe pears.

To check if they are ripe, gently press the top near the stem. If it’s soft the pear is ready to eat.

I have removed several yellow pears to find they were already someone’s meal. The pear gets washed and those parts get cut off and composted while I enjoy what remains. I don’t use any chemicals on my trees so I don’t have to worry about what has been sprayed.

I gave a friend two pears a week ago and she left them on her counter for the week. When I stopped by 7 days later, the pears had turned yellow and were soft around the stem, perfect for snacking.

If you want to save them for a specific day, store them in the refrigerator to slow down the ripening process.

One other trick. If you want to enjoy a pear before its ripe, you can cut it up and microwave it for a minute or so. I dust it with cinnamon or, after cooking, a drizzle of honey.

However you enjoy pears, there is something very special about picking your own homegrown pears.

Charlotte

Homemade Sun Tea

My little half a gallon jug steeping green tea bags for sun tea. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Homemade Sun Tea

If you’ve never made sun tea, this is the summer you should try it. It is not only easy to make but a nice refreshing change to ice tea made out of tea bags steeped in hot water.

When it comes to making tea, it doesn’t matter if the water is hot or cold. Hot water steeps the tea; cold water makes it an infusion. Either way, wet tea brings out the flavor.

What makes sun tea different, in my book, is that it is slow steeped, bringing out the tea flavor.

A friend of mine who had not tried sun tea was telling me it takes too long so she prefers to steep her tea in hot water. Hot water does release tea flavor quickly but I can get a similar reaction letting the sun heat up my tea water and I’m not heating up my kitchen in the middle of a record hot summer.

Homemade Sun Tea Recipe

You Will Need:

Glass container with a lid (gallon or half-gallon)

Tea bags or loose tea with a tea infuser to taste

Fresh honey

Mint springs or lemon slices (optional)

My tea making glass jar and three tea bags just placed in the sun to steep. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To Make:

I like my tea on the lighter side so I use 3-4 green tea bags per half-gallon. You may need to try a few combinations to find your tea strength preference.

You can mix tea bags, too, it’s a great opportunity to clean out your random stash of tea bags and try different combinations. A green tea with a fruity tea would be a nice first choice to try.

I fill my glass container with cold water, then add the tea bags with the tags hanging over the side. Cover.

Place the glass jar in a south-facing window away from traffic and curious little hands and paws.

Now the magic.

Depending on how strong you like your tea, it can be ready in an hour or steep for a day, it’s up to your personal preference on strength and color.

Once it’s the tea strength you want, add honey to sweeten if you like a sweeter tea. I add a teaspoon per 16 oz. glass or drink as is so adjust the sweetness to your taste.

Fresh spearmint spring straight out of my garden. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pour over ice cubes.

Serve with a slice of lemon or a sprig of fresh spearmint straight out of your garden.

Sun tea, the sure taste of summer! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you enjoy making drinks, pick up our reprinted 1946 vintage Trader Vic’s Food and Drink book. Bet you will find some interesting drink recipes there, too!

Charlotte

Artichokes

Artichokes

Every time I pick up a couple of artichokes someone asks me what “to do” with them so here’s my suggestion on how to eat artichokes.

Artichokes are basically a large thistle. The vegetable you find at the market’s is the flower bud before they have bloomed. They grow in farms in California, where I suspect my mother picked up her taste for artichokes since she grew up there.

You will be eating the soft spot at the bottom of each leaf and the artichoke “heart.”

To eat, first boil the artichoke until you can get a fork in the bottom section between the stem and the artichoke bottom. Allow to cool.

Dab leaf base with mayonnaise then scrape the soft part off gently with your teeth. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

You can dip the bottom of each leaf in melted butter or mayonnaise, just enough to coat it. Then gently scrape the bottom part with your teeth as you pull it through.

Once de-leafed, you will be left with the artichoke heart and paper-thin leaves. Remove the paper thin leaves before cutting up the heart and eating with a dab off your dip of preference.

The artichoke heart usually serves 6 to 8 bites. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Mom used to joke that artichokes were no calorie meals because it took more energy to eat them than consumed. That’s right, we used to make one meal out of an artichoke although some recommend it more as an appetizer.

They can also be pickled although I haven’t tried to do so.

Charlotte

Yellow Mix Lemon Cake

Optional powdered sugar finishes off this yellow lemon cake. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Yellow Mix Lemon Cake

It’s almost summer and this is a good quick desert option for those picnics and family get togethers. Most of us keep a yellow cake mix in our pantry, or at least I do. It’s my “emergency” go to when I need to quickly whip up a treat for a special occasion or to make an occasion special. Yellow cake mixes can be versatile depending on what small changes are made.

In this case, I am turning a yellow cake mix into a summer fresh Yellow Lemon Cake with thoughts of drizzling fresh honey over it.

Yellow Lemon Cake Recipe

You will need:

1 yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup water or milk

1 tsp vanilla

lemon zest of half a fresh lemon

powdered sugar (optional)

To make:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl on low. Beat on high for 2 minutes.

Pre-heat oven. Glass and aluminum pans cook at 350F; the darker baking containers should cook at 325F for about 30 minutes. Cool.

Turn onto a plate to cool. Optional but a good time to dust with powdered sugar.

Perfect combination of honey and yellow lemon cake. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This cake will be nicely dense so that it can hold up to mashed strawberries, a drizzle of honey and whipped cream.

For a lighter desert, try whipped topping instead of honey. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

It will also freeze quite nicely. After cutting, place the pieces in the freezer until firm so they cam be stored in a freezer bag.

Defrost prior to serving or reheat in microwave for 15-20 seconds.

Perfect to serve with a cup of hot, or cold, tea.

This cake will have a decidedly lemon taste. If you want less lemon, cut the lemon juice to 1/4 cup and increase the amount of water or milk.

Charlotte

Creeping Charlie Tea

Creeping Charlie makes a tea high in Vitamin C with a light mint taste. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Creeping Charlie Tea

Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is a mint that can provide spring nectar to pollinators including bees. It’s also often considered an invasive weed because it can easily take over an area, which to me is a bonus. Gardening on a Missouri limestone hillside means I need help, and if a plant can retain soil, provide food for bees and be beneficial for me, it’s a win all around.

Creeping Charlie, also called Ground Ivy, growing in my north apiary. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Besides a spring nectar source for bees, Creeping Charlie is high in Vitamin C. As a mint, it can be made into a tea. The leaves can also be consumed in a salad; it has a spinach-like flavor.

Creeping Charlie from my garden ready for salads and tea. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

European settlers intentionally brought Creeping Charlie to North America. Along with some of its other “weedy” predecessors like dandelions. Creeping Charlie used to be valued for its culinary and medicinal uses, primarily as a tonic. High in Vitamin C, it was often made into a tea to prevent scurvy.

All parts of the plant can be used; it was often made into a tea, tincture and poultice.

How to Make Creeping Charlie Tea

Because this mint plant runs so rampant, one way to embrace and use Creeping Charlie is to make it into a tea. It has a pleasantly subtle mint-like flavor.

Before you start, make sure you are collecting plants from an area that hasn’t been treated by chemicals.

A quart jar repeatedly infused with hot water makes 3-4 servings of Creeping Charlie tea. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pick enough plant material to loosely fill a quart jar.

1. Thoroughly wash the Creeping Charlie.

2. Place the plant material in a quart jar.

3. Fill to top with boiling water.

4. Cover jar and steep for one hour.

5. Remove plant material and drink either hot or cold or pour tea into a separate container and refill with hot water to steep again.

6. Add a teaspoon of honey. You can also add lemon or lime slices with a sprig of fresh mint.

Quart jar full of Creeping Charlie from my garden filled with hot water. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

There is a lengthy list of medicinal claims for this tea according to the Lamb Shoppe Wellness Center, Since I”m not a medical professional I will leave those claims and assertions to someone else.

Charlotte

Reuse Coffee Pods

Reuse Coffee Pods

I’m not a coffee drinker any more but I still appreciate all of the gadgets that come with that beverage. The coffee pods in particular are now something I am trying to use as seed starting pots.

Coffee pods have an outside shell lined with a coffee filter that allows water to pass through and exit through a hole in the bottom.

The coffee pods make excellent seed starting pots, better than cut toilet paper rolls because the outside shell keeps the coffee liner from coming apart.

You can either transplant starts into the pods or plant seeds directly into them.

I use an egg carton to keep them upright and to ensure that they get watered enough to keep the soil in the pods wet.

Once the seedlings are ready to plant, I will pop them out of the coffee pods and see if I can use them again.

Charlotte

Open Can Cover

Open Can Cover

I’ve tried them all. From the rubber ones that you can buy to fit short round cans to the silicone ones that just sit on top. None of them have worked for me. They either fall off in the refrigerator or I have to pry them back open, if I’m lucky.

Until I found this nice little hack. A tuna can, cleaned out and turned upside down on top of an open can of cat food.

If I need another dish for feeding, it’s right there until I can find a new permanent one.

The tuna can nicely keeps the open cat food can sealed and I can easily remove it when i need to access the contents. And if cats try to get to the cat food before I do, it’s not easy for them to remove it.

What about those little rubber can tops they sell?

The typical little rubber can tops can be heard to seal. (Photo by Charlotte Ekke rWiggins)

This is an ancient one, it’s been sitting unused in a drawer. It is going to get a good run through the dishwasher and become the bottom for a small flower pot.

Charlotte

Picking Pears

Lift the pear horizontally until it breaks off the stem. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Picking Pears

I wasn’t sure my squirrels would leave me any Bartlett pears this year. For the past few years, they have ransacked my semi-dwarf pear tree growing right off my house deck. I planted it there in 1985 dreaming of reaching over my deck and picking a fresh pear.

It took a good 30 years before the pear tree produced its first pears. It was the same year I added honey bees to my garden although the bees weren’t responsible for the pollination, wasps were. Since then I keep extra birdhouses in my limestone hillside so paper wasps have a safe place to nest. Wasps are excellent fruit pollinators.

I also keep a variety of potted flowers on my deck to encourage pollinators. They don’t help the pear trees but they help nearby potted herbs and vegetables.

My semi-dwarf Bartlett pear tree almost leans over into my deck. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

My first year of fruit I had more than 300 pears. Since then, I seem to have one good year interspersed with a lean year. In 2012 when we had a terrible drought, the tree gave me one very huge pear - the fruit was close to the size of a small cantaloupe.

According to Stark Brothers, I need to pinch some of the early pears so that the tree will produce fruit every year. I did that this spring, gently removing tiny pear starts so a branch was hosting only one or two pears instead of several trying to grow in one bunch.

Next year I need to remove one of these pears earlier. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Late August I start checking my pear tree for fruit. I was pleasantly surprised the squirrels left me a few.

A few Bartlett pears waiting for me to pick them before squirrels get to them. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pears ripen from the inside out. By the time they feel soft on the outside they are deteriorating inside.

The way to select a pear is to press gently on the top where the stem is located. If that area is soft, the pear is ripe.

If the pear is still green, place it inside a brown bag with an apple or banana to capture ethylene gas that will help the pear to ripen. I also leave a couple of pears in my counter fruit basket and check them daily. They usually ripen nicely after a few days.

The extra pears I have I store in the refrigerator until I need them.

When I get too many pears, I share with family and close friends, usually with a little jar of honey.

Enjoying my first homegrown Bartlett pear of the season! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pears are delicious fresh or diced in salads. You can also bake them sprinkled with cinnamon and drizzled with honey, a perfect winter treat.

And the squirrels?

I just keep planting more dwarf pear trees, surely there will be enough to go around!

Charlotte

Versatile Glass Charms

These wine glass cat charms make great additions to punch cups.

Versatile Glass Charms

It was time to give my little collection of glass charms a good workout!

The first time I rolled out my glass charm collection, it was a holiday neighborhood drop-in, kept simple and informal so we could spend time with each other and celebrate the Christmas season. As part of the event, I made a Christmas punch and dusted off my little glass punch glasses.

Glass charms are an easy way to keep track of one’s glass. Having run out of glasses during drop ins in the past, I thought the charms might keep me from breaking out the paper ones.

For those who might enjoy a glass of wine, I also had a few wine glasses ready, all dressed in their little cat glass charms so people wouldn't loose their glasses.

The glass cat charms ended up on the punch bowl glass handles, all 20 of the little glass cats busily keeping glasses and drinkers connected through the four-hour party.

Now that we are all spending more time at home and sharing meals together, glass charms are a fun way to keep track of glasses and cut down on washing extra ones.

You can find glass charms at hobby stores and sometimes home decor sections of big box stores. I found my first set at a thrift store and kept an eye out for more. One of the sets I picked up at a hobby shop.

A friend of mine made herself a set of glass charms with key rings and favorite cartoon characters. These would make a great homemade holiday gift!

Charlotte

Sun Tea

Green tea with lemon sun tea with apple mint and a strawberry. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Sun Tea

Do you remember making sun tea in the 1970s? It was a very popular drink back then. Suppliers offered large gallon glass jugs with spigots built in so the tea could be enjoyed straight out of the glass container. Some of the concoctions were even offered through Trader Vic’s, a series of restaurants and tiki bars that dotted the US countryside.

I never bought one of those large glass jugs, we just made the sun tea in large glass containers. After all, the important part was being able to place the container in the sun where someone would not knock it over.

This year I am making green tea in the sun in a good sized jar that fits nicely in a window.

A plain jar with a lid works well for making sun tea. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Now how many tea bags to add depends on how strong you like your tea. I prefer mine more light than dark so I started with two bags per jar.

Since I also have a nice supply of apple mint growing, I collected some I am keeping in a flower vase until I’m ready to add it to the tea.

This batch of green tea will get apple mint added. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Sun tea has a different taste than a tea made out of hot water. I also tend to think it’s a smoother-tasting tea.

If you prefer your tea sweeter, add sugar or honey when you are getting ready to store it in the refrigerator.

Here’s to summer!

Charlotte

Homemade Taco Seasoning

My essential homemade taco seasoning in repurposed seasoning jar. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I can’t imagine my kitchen without it. I even shared a small jar with a friend who said she couldn’t imagine making her own. And yet there she was, making a taco salad with homemade taco seasoning.

Making seasonings at home is not difficult and has the added benefit of being less expensive.

If you have a nice stash of seasonings already, you shouldn’t be saving them for years, it’s best to use them to keep them fresh and full of flavor.

I make my taco salad without a shell using lettuce as the vessel that holds all ingredients in one place. And the best part, taco seasoning.

When I toss the homemade taco seasoning together, I triple the recipe. That’s how much fits in the recycled glass seasoning jar. I suppose I could make more but the last couple of times I was out of one or another ingredient.

If I ever get everything I need in hand, I will easily make a generous helping and store it in an air tight jar.

Use up your stash of seasonings and turn them into taco seasoning. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1.5 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt (or regular salt if that’s what you have)

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

If you want a little more heat, add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. I sometimes make this without the red pepper flakes since spicy doesn’t agree with me.

Mix. I use a plastic container with a corner so I can easily pour the mixture into a glass jar.

Using Homemade Taco Seasoning

If using to season 1 pound of browned ground hamburger, use 1/4 cup of taco seasoning. Cook on low with 1/2 cup of water for about 10 minutes. That’s what you usually get in a packet of pre-made taco seasoning.

Cool enough to use in taco shells or on a taco salad.

If you are just starting to learn how to cook, pick up a good basic reference book like the Encyclopedia of American Cooking. Once you get the basics down, you will enjoy coming up with your own dishes!

Charlotte

Portable Tea

This portable tea caddy keeps my tea from being knocked over. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Portable Tea

A few years back a friend and I were talking about the challenges of having tea. Maybe because we both had stories of dropping teapots, or cups. Nevertheless, at one point she said she wished she could figure out a way to safely have a cup of tea.

I finally did repurposing items I already had around the house.

First, I like to carry my tea to a comfortable spot, maybe one of my chairs facing the garden. Or a quiet corner with a sofa and blanket I can curl up in with a book. This black wire basket without the handle works quite well as a tea tray. The sides are tall enough to prevent anything from tipping over and it’s small enough I can still easily move it around.

Secondly, I repurposed a red hot pad on the bottom. The hot pad helps to keep the teacup warm once it has tea in it.

I also found an old silver spoon with a flat end to stir the honey I sometimes add. Not that you have to have a special teaspoon but I find keeping this set together makes it much easier to have a cup of tea whenever I feel like having one. My back up are my Bluebird spoons.

I also keep a cloth napkin handy in the white cat ceramic napkin ring. Sometimes I throw another one in but at least this way I have one if I happen to forget to add one

A pot holder on the base keeps the tea in the bottom cup warm. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Finally, the teacup itself. The one I have is a clever combination of teapot and teacup that sits under the ceramic pot. I found this one brand new at a local thrift store. It’s very handy to be able to steep the teabag in the top portion, then pour the tea into the bottom cup.

Sort through your kitchen and see what you already have. You can use a tea ball to steep tea in a favorite cup. And find a lid to add to the top of a coffee cup to keep your team warm. Whatever it takes to make getting a break with a cup of tea easy to do.

Would you like a cup of tea? ({Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Having a cup of tea is a very relaxing thing to do. By having your tea-making items handy, chances are you are going to enjoy this routine more open, Enjoy!

Charlotte

Steam Vegetables

Steamed broccoli is one of my personal favorites. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Steam Vegetables

This may come as a shock to you but steamed vegetables are very easy to make. The biggest challenge is knowing how long each vegetable takes to cook. Broccoli, for example, takes more time than cauliflower.

Once steamed, these vegetables can also be spread on a cookie sheet; frozen and then stored for later use. You may never look at a bag of frozen vegetables the same way again.

Steamer baskets make steaming vegetables easy work. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To steam you need a simple steamer basket. If you don’t have one, you can make one with a simple basket that fits inside your cooking pot.

To steam, wash the vegetables. Cut up into smaller pieces. Add water to your pot; I usually add 3 inches of water and keep more handy in case it evaporates before the vegetables are steamed. Add cut up vegetable s to your steamer basket.

Set the timer for 5 minutes and check the vegetables with a fork. If the vegetables are done, the fork will easily go in.

Remove from heat. Drain. Spread on a cookie sheet. Freeze. Store in plastic bag in freezer.

Cut up cauliflower ready to be steamed. Some vegetables take longer than others. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I steam the vegetables separately and then store a few in bags by themselves, others in a mixed bag.

To serve, remove from freezer. Allow to come to room temperature or microwave for a minute.

I don’t put anything on my steamed vegetables. Some people like a little butter, salad dressing or olive oil so season to taste.

That’s it!

Charlotte