Cream Drop Biscuits with Thyme

Last night, I was being a lazy cook. I really, really didn't feel like cooking. One of my easy go to recipes for a fast dinner is to boil boneless chicken thighs in BBQ sauce. Any BBQ sauce will usually work as long as it's not too thick. So that's what I did last night, but I also wanted some starch to go with it. I'm not big on potatoes. I'm just not. So I decided to make drop biscuits. You know the kind you don't have to make with yeast. It's really quick to make.

I don't have good pics BTW, cuz we pretty much devoured them and it didn't even occur to me to take photos because I also doctored a recipe so I thought the biscuits would be a disaster.

Garden Update: What's Growing + Surprises

I think Spring will finally stick? I hope? My allergies say so, but we've been so back and forth regarding temperatures. One day it'll be 80 degrees then drop to the 60s again. Totally schizo, which in turn makes my seedlings schizo! By this time last year, my Chinese long beans were already sprouting and squash seeds were planted. I was transplanting peppers and tomatoes out this time, too- it's so not the case this year. The soil has been so chilly that what I've planted out like collards, kale and peas have stunted in growth. The cool weather crops are stunted!!! Hence my absence from posting lately.  I've been fretting over this weather and my crops surviving. Freaking a little that I've planted out too early. That I will lose my food for the year. :-(

This little mustard plant, should actually be much bigger by now. I'm just glad that they're greening up again.

It's SPRING: Seedling Madness!

Seedlings are EVERYWHERE in my house right now.  Those giant gangly things are the giant sunflowers. They're giant and fast growing. Did I mention they're GIANT!? I think they've been on my windowsill for about a week and half? Maybe?  For me, it is SPRING!  If we get another round of snow, I will still be outside in my garden boots, pretending that it is Spring and 60 degrees out!  I am going to garden dammit.  I am willing it.

Garden Escapades + Upcycling

Need... To....Be... Outside!  Need....More...Sun...

Thankfully, today is supposed to be a beautiful 70 degrees.  My plan is to be outside in the yard as much as possible.  I need vitamin D like you would not believe.  I've been cranky from this long winter and of course, we're supposed to get snow again on Monday. Boo. I'm still glad I don't live up north right now because I would be in jail by now.  I would have assaulted someone out of winter crankiness.  Anyway, today will be a super busy and exciting day.  I have plans to set up my new raised beds and yesterday, I scored some cheap goodies to add to the garden madness!

First though, on the windowsill....

I have onion sets soaking.  I wanted to make sure they were still good.  I was going to put them in this weekend, but with impending snow again, I plan to wait until after Monday. I'm using sets since my yellow onion seeds seem to be duds right now.  I so want to support Southern Exposure but the germination rates for their seeds are always a bit sketchy.

I also have giant sunflowers growing in the smaller yogurt containers...

Ginger + Turmeric= A Bit O Spring

It's BEAUTIFUL outside!!  I've been so out of wack during this long winter and now with the sun and warmer weather this weekend, I feel like I'm getting back to my old self!  So what's been up??  A lot of seed starting. That's what!  And in addition to the usual suspects, I decided to try growing my own ginger and turmeric. :-)  On my windowsill, I have organic turmeric and ginger rhizomes ready to plant.

Seed Starting: Onions

I started my onions in January as usual but unfortunately, the winter has been lousy.  Last year, I started scallions and red onions in plastic water jug "green houses" and they did really really well.

So I did it again this year.

Feb 2014: Winter Garden Update

Winter SUCKS!  This winter especially!!  My raised beds have had it rough. :-(  As a warmer day today, I just had to go out!!  I was very curious as to who survived, what I needed to do better, etc.  There were some serious surprises, which makes me even more enthusiastic about growing and the mysteries and resilience of plants!!  Sometimes, some plants scare the living crap out of me!!

This guy!! This guy is my rogue cilantro in Bed #1!!  This guy has been under maybe 5 to 8 inches of snow up until yesterday. If you recall, I didn't replant these seeds.  They just started growing in Sept.-ish. Just showed up! So I didn't bother to use extenders or anything since I was planning to rest the bed and just grow a cover crop (vetch).  I thought for sure the cilantro would die from freezing, snow, and wind, but NOPE!!  A true survivor.  This is guy wins the award this year!