Cucumber Juice

Here's a fantastic thing to do with all those cucumbers coming up in the garden. It's cucumber juice, it's really delicious, and refreshing. Cucumbers have a lot of nutrition,  like Vitamin A, K, potassium, and B-Carotene.

Ingredients:
4 cups blended cucumbers
1/3 cup water for blending
2 cups additional  water
1/4 cup sugar

 Clean and dry cucumbers.

Cut into small chunks.

1 cup of cucumbers to 1/3 cup of water ratio.

Blend thoroughly well.

Strain the cucumber pulse. Add 1/4 cup sugar. Refrigerate till chilled. Enjoy!

Harvesting Garlic

This is the first year my husband has grown garlic. We received  the bulbs from my sister-in-law Maggie.  One of the reasons we sought to grow our own garlic, was due to the lack of flavor in some of the store bought ones. Have you noticed the bigger the garlic the less flavor it seems to have? Not only that but it tastes different.

Some interesting facts about garlic is that it is planted in the fall, and harvested in the summer.The plant fully grown has the appearance of miniature corn to me  To plant take the bulb separate into cloves planting the blunt side down 1 1/2 deep, 6 inches apart.

The garlic is ready to harvest when 2/3 of the leaves turn yellow and dry up.

After harvesting let garlic sit out side until the dirt is dry.

The mud will peel off with one of the layers of paper skin.

Cut roots short from top of garlic.

Place in refrigerator in butter compartment enjoy.

Can I Freeze Basil?

Have you ever wondered " can I freeze basil?"This year I have an abundance of fresh basil which I can't possibly  use all up. Here's a quick way to save the summer freshness of the basil, to use during the winter month in spaghetti sauce, or soups.

Supplies

1. fresh basil
2. zip lock baggies
3. olive oil
4. food processor
5. paper towels

Pick fresh basil, removing stems and any discolored leaves. Rinse well under cold water removing any debris.

Pat dry with paper towels.

Add basil loosely in the processor

.Add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Spread all over to cover leaves.

Pulse coarsely.

Measure 1 tablespoon of basil mixture per side of bag. It's very important to squeeze all the air out of bag.

Fold into thirds.

Double bag into a larger zip lock, place into the freeze for future use. 

 

What to do when things go wrong with your pottery

What to do when things go wrong, this rooster was so cute in every other way, except for the tail popping off during the second firing.

It's truly challenging to fix a piece of pottery that you worked so hard to make. This was the second rooster that was thrown. I thought I would go through the processes that I went through to preserve him. 

My first thought was to try fashioning a tail piece made from filmo clay since I would be keeping this rooster for my own kitchen. I wasn't happy with this fix.

My next plan was to make another one out of clay. The challenge was to figure out how much shrinkage would  occur.  I left the sides opened and used a bisque piece of pottery to keep the clay from touching each other.

Then it was attached to the rooster with epoxy glue. This is the side view.

I'm happy with this fix, what do you think?

Rag Doll

My granddaughters are at the age where they like to play with dress up. What would be more fun than dressing up a soft cuddly rag doll. I have a request from my youngest to have different clothing changes. Note to self make more clothes.

Cut out pattern. I use white material, that will painted on. There is a dart for the neck.

With acrylic flesh paint paint the faces, the arms, the legs.

 This is where it really get fun for me. I love to paint their little faces. The eyes make them come alive.

Out line the hair line.

Since I decided to paint under wear , I painted lace, and a ribbon.

The boots are painted on there is no way these will ever get lost. Paint with glossy finish to give a more realistic patent leather look.

Paint the eyes with a glob of glossy finish. This will put the sparkle in the eyes. See my rag doll.

Lasagna

Take a look at that, does that ever speak comfort food to a foodie like me. This meal takes me back to my childhood, the aromas the flavors.

Ingredients:

1 24 oz jar pasta sauce

1 box of Barilla lasagna (don't let the box fool you it will do a 9x13 pan)

3 Italian hot sausage links 

1 ball of mozzarella cheese grated

1 24 oz ricotta cheese

1 small package of chopped frozen spinach (defrosted)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

First fry sausage in pan. Break the sausage down to very small bits.

Sausage should be brown, drained and set to the side.

\Take all the liquid out of the chopped spinach. by placing in a clean kitchen towel, squeeze till the liquid no longer runs.

At this time soak the lasagna noodles in a bowl with water for 5 minutes until the noodles are no longer stiff, but flexible. Pull out of water and set to the side.

In a large mixing bowl add ricotta cheese, dried chopped spinach 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, (save the rest for layering , and topping) 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, both eggs, salt, and pepper.  Mix together.

This is where the fun begins layering.. Pour about 4 tablespoons of pasta sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 baking pan. I like to use glass it leaves the favor more true.

Place the noodles on top of the sauce, layer the sausage meat next then the cheese spinach mixture , sprinkle a handful of grated mozzarella. Continue layering changing the direction of the noodles with each layers until all the noodles are used up. The noodles are at the very top, spread pasta sauce, and mozzarella cheese to finish.

Cover with aluminium foil, this will steam the noodle, to tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees bake for 1 hour. 

Allow to rest for 10 minutes. 

Enjoy!! This may become one of your new comfort foods also.