First Time Canner

Yep, you heard me right. I am a first time canner. And I did it, or at least I think I did. I canned tomatoes yesterday and all the lids popped so I think we are good! But we will have to see this winter how it tastes.

I have always wanted to try it but something about it scared me. Then I got a chance to buy a water bath canner with rack and jars for ten dollars. Who can refuse that! I had planned on just using it in a display for my old blue jars but i couldn't resist. A few hours later I had canned all the tomatoes in the house. And boy was I going to be in trouble. I didn't leave one for hubby's sandwich. Oh no! He says down in the coal mines nothing taste better on his ham sandwich then a garden fresh tomato. So........Papa, our neighbor saved me and shared his. lol Gotta love those neighbors!

I have also been trying to figure out how to do more on my blog. Such as pages, links, music player and things of that sort. And so far no luck. I even went to an open topic computer class and the instructor had no idea about blogging so that was a bust. I checked out a book, Blogging for Dummies, and that didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. So I guess I am not a dummy at it, but far from where I want to be. So if anyone has any suggestions on how I can learn more let me know. And Thanks in advance!

Chicken & Rice

Ok, I know this is Saturday not Friday. I got a little busy yesterday. I still wanted to share this recipe with you. I just love it! Ingredients: 3 chicken tenders, Mrs Dash, boil in bag rice, green onions, and chicken broth. First I sprinkle the tenders with Mrs Dash seasoning and cook in microwave till done. I boil my rice in the chicken broth, also in the microwave, and drain. I cut up the chicken and mix it in with the rice. I then chop two green onions and cook in microwave for forty seconds. I then mix them in the rice and chicken. And that is it! Fast, simple and delicious! I have tried this recipe before and it was good but when I added the fresh green onions from the garden it made a world of difference. In the picture I added a few chopped tomatoes. Enjoy!

New Growth

I am excited! I replanted my garden and it is starting to sprout. I know it seems a little late to plant but there are several plants that can be planted up until July. You will get a later harvest of course but any harvest is good for me. If you are doing a garden make sure to follow directions on the labels and you will not have the same problem I did. I planted everything too deep, I was afraid the birds would eat the seeds, and it does make a difference. Who knew? It sure is good to know that I am still able to learn new things. I also started some plants indoors before planting them in the garden. This was real fun to watch the growth of the plants and it was very easy to do with Peat Potts. The blackberries are blooming and the tomatoe plants are too! The onions are sprouting up and it looks alot like little blades of grass. And since it doesn't take much to make me happy every little sprout keeps me smiling. Now if I can just remember where I planted what? I was at my good friend Tracy's house today and in the garden we are doing together there is corn sprouting! Woo Hoo corn, can you believe it? I already have recipes spinning around in my head. Have you ever tried fried corn? Cut it off the cob, cook it in a skillet with a little milk and butter, yummy. So let's have it, what is growing in your garden?

In The Dirt

I like to garden. It can be flowers or veggies it doesn't matter, I like to have my hands in the dirt. The flowers I like because there are so many different options with them. You can get early bloomers, late bloomers, ornamental grasses, vines, it is hard to pick just a few. An the planting options are endless, in buckets, in beds, hanging baskets, or even the basket of a bicycle. There is no way to go wrong with flowers and I love them all. Even the pink girly ones. I use alot of ornamental grasses. I like that they need very little care and are hard to kill. Vegetables are a different story! We had a garden when I was younger, but this is the first year I have planted one myself. I have always had tomatoes but never a full garden. So far, I had three cucumber plants and two onions. After something ate them I was left with one onion. Yesterday I started over. This time I am using something to go around my plants to prevent, hopefully, any animals feeding on them. You can use almost anything round, and few inches tall. In my garden I used plain plastic cups because it is so small. I just cut the bottom out and popped the cup on wherever I placed a seed. In the garden that a friend and I are doing together we used plastic tubing about six inches tall and placed them around the store bought plants. If you are new to gardening or don't have alot of space I suggest using a container. It can be a large flower pot or a wading pool. Make sure it has drainage holes in the bottom fill with potting soil and your favorite vegetable, just follow the directions on the tag. Make sure the container you are using has enough room for the roots to grow down or out. If you place it in a container too small the plant will not thrive. And that's it! Place it in a sunny location, give it water and watch it grow. Wether you have a big garden, small garden or just one plant there is no better enjoyment then being able to feed your family from the work of your own two hands. Enjoy your weekend!