Winter Protection

Winter in Tennessee… yesterday was sunny, calm, and a comfortable high of 45 degrees. But the temperature has been dropping steadily since then, with a forecast of 1°F by midnight tonight, with possible flurries. BRRRRR.

In the fall, I dug up and potted some of my favorite and most tender perennials to ensure I'd have them for my garden when the weather warms again. In my south facing basement window are aloe vera, chocolate mint, lemon grass, bay leaf, and stevia. I have a small winter vegetable plot going at the front of my recently re-fortified vegetable garden, with patches of collards, spinach, leaf lettuce, onions, arugula, and some little seedlings of corn mache. The cold frame is planted with more spinach, and a bunch of swiss chard plants seeded next to the cold frame last year and have given me small harvests continuously.

All of these garden vegetables are described as "cold hardy," but single digit temperatures will be damaging or fatal even for these plants. To keep the low temperatures from ending my winter harvest, I went outdoors in yesterday afternoon's sunshine to protect the garden. First, I picked big bags of collards, spinach, and chard. I picked the tender young tips of pea pod plants which I know won't survive the cold - pea leaves are edible, delicate, and delicious. I rounded out my harvest of greens with big handfuls of wild chickweed, which seeds itself and grows profusely in winter, especially in the rich soil around my compost bin. Chickweed can be eaten in salads or cooked gently. It has a mild flavor which reminds me of corn on the cob. If you raise chickens, find some for them... I hear they love it.

Wild chickweed grows well all winter and it's delicious.

I wanted to insulate my veggies with layers, so I raked wheelbarrow loads of fallen leaves from the driveway drainage ditches (doubling the value of my labor) and packed them gently around the stems and over the tops of the plants. Our winter thus far has been mild and wet - proven by the 3 flowering daisies and 2" shoots of early spring daffodils which I spotted while raking. On top of the piles of leaves I spread big bedsheets (retired for garden use) and canvas tarps, anchored with rocks around all edges so the wind won't disturb the coverings. Not enough protection to keep Maggie Mae from disturbing it however; I had to go out and recover the patch of spinach today after she dragged the covering off and up the front stairs. Never a dull moment with an overgrown puppy! A fitted sheet was the perfect cover for the cold frame, which is buttoned down tightly.

We enjoyed a delicious dinner of sauteed greens with spaghetti, mixed with homemade basil pesto from the freezer, toasted sunflower seeds (my substitute for pinenuts, which I can't find a source for in the US) and parmesan. Tonight I'll be making collard leaves stuffed with mixed grains and veggies, topped with tomato sauce and cheddar. Hopefully, I'll uncover the garden after the cold snap to find happy greenery continuing to feed us fresh garden produce through spring.

Seminole Pumpkin - A Garden Favorite!

Seed catalogs are arriving now, so it's a good time to share one of my garden favorites with you, Seminole Pumpkin. I was enticed by the Baker Creek seed catalog description "The wild squash of the Everglades… sweet flesh … productive vines … resistant to insects and disease." Squash bugs are often attracted to my organic garden, and I'd lost hopes of growing my favorite butternut squash ever again. (Note: winter squash and pumpkins are in the same vegetable family). But Seminole Pumpkin gave me new hope, and I figured a plant native to the Everglades should find happiness in my hot, humid Tennessee garden. So I ordered a package of seeds in late 2012.


Big squash plants need lots of space for their vines to spread, so I ended up only growing one Seminole Pumpkin plant in the 2013 summer garden (two are recommended, for optimal pollination). But it proved true to its description, growing strong with no damage by insects, and giving me a good harvest of about 5 big fruit, shaped much like bird house gourds. It was a lovely plant too, with large distinctive variegated leaves and huge yellow flowers (edible by the way). I enjoyed the taste just as well as butternut squash, so more good points for the pumpkin.

This past season I left the vegetable garden unplanted, as I renourished the depleted soil. Low and behold, in early summer a couple of healthy plants began to grow out of my compost bin, and I recognized the leaf as that of the Seminole Pumpkin. Evidently, some of the seeds discarded in the compost bin when I cooked the vegetable the previous fall had survived. Never one to throw away a good healthy plant (which explains why I have too many flower gardens!), I carefully dug three seedlings and planted them in the big pile of rich composted mulch from a nearby mushroom factory, which had been left from tilling some into the garden a few months previous. Wow, did they grow! A few times I gently re-directed the vines, as they spread across one of our walking trails.

By early September, ten big squashes had matured from green to tan and the skins were thick, indicating ripeness. Amazingly, I still had one Seminole Pumpkin left from the previous year, stored in our basement which maintains a year-round temperature of about 60°F... so it stores very well. I picked the ripe ten squashes and  continued to harvest individual pumpkins for several weeks. When a heavy frost threatened in mid October, I read that I should pick any remaining squashes and let them ripen indoors; these would not be as good for longterm storage as those which had ripened on the vines. So I picked about 10 more which still had some green skin. Not wanting to line them up in the living room, where the room temperature would be closer to the recommended 80 degrees for ripening, I placed these on my open shelves in front of the south-facing basement window. It took many weeks, but eventually these fruit did ripen, and tasted just as good as the others.

I also recommend Seminole Pumpkin because it is very nutritious, easy to cut, and the seeds roast up as a delicious snack. My raw harvested squashes cut very well with my best bread knife. You can roast, boil, microwave, and cook squashes in a variety of ways; I find it quick and easy to cook large batches in my pressure cooker, unpeeled. Once cooked and cooled, the pulp easily scoops out of the shell. To use fresh pumpkin in baking (especially in recipes calling for canned pumpkin), it is best to drain off the excess liquid from the pulp. After I mash the pumpkin in the food processor to make a smooth consistency, I either

• drain the puree in a colander lined with coffee filters and discard the liquid 
• put the puree in a container and refrigerate overnight, then pour off the liquid which separates from the pulp

This pumpkin freezes well; I measured about 3 cups of puree from each harvested squash, and stored it in zip bags which stack flat in the freezer.

If you want to grow Seminole Pumpkin, just ask me for some seeds and I'll save some I don't eat!

Also, check out these recipes which use fresh pumpkin:
Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
and watch for my future posts (like the yummy pumpkin cake shown here) using this nutrituous delicious vegetable!

Jalapeno Fudge

If you've never tried the unusual combination of chocolate and hot pepper, be open minded - it really works! I love both individually, and the combination is unusual but great tasting.

This fudge recipe itself is a winner. Unfortunately, I can't find where I copied the original recipe from, to credit it, but I've tweaked it now so I guess I can claim it. If fudge can be healthy, then this is it. Coconut oil has a long list of nutritional attributes, and unsweetened chocolate is hailed for its antioxidant value. Or am I just justifying an indulgence?!?!

As with all of my recipes, quality ingredients are suggested to attain excellent taste. The jalapeno powder used here is one I make from my own homegrown organic jalapenos, harvested only after they ripen to red. (See my instructions on this previous post.) You might get a similar product if you buy hot pepper flakes - the kind used to spice up pizza - which are actually the seeds of hot peppers. Grind these into a powder. You'll need to experiment with the amount you add to this recipe, since the "heat" may vary. Or you can contact me and I'll share my powder with you. 

In addition to the fine jalapeno powder, I've used locally harvested honey, vanilla extract I make with whole beans soaked in vodka, organic peanut butter which I grind fresh at our supermarket, and pecans from a farm in Georgia. For the unsweetened cocoa powder, I used about 1/8 cup of something called "black cocoa powder" which I bought from a store in a Mennonite community in Muddy Pond TN. As its name suggests, it is much darker in color than any cocoa powder I have ever seen, and very strong tasting. Adding just a bit imparts the intense bitter chocolate taste that I love. For the remaining cup of cocoa powder, I used Ghiradelli® unsweetened cocoa powder, which is good quality too.

Jalapeno Fudge

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c coconut oil, melted
• 1 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 c honey
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 2 t jalapeno powder
• dash salt
• 1/3 c peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
• 1/2 c chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

Grease a 9"x6" foil fudge pan with coconut oil.

Put all ingredients except the peanut butter and the pecans into a food processor. Process for two minutes. Scrap down the sides and add the peanut butter. Process again for two minutes or long enough to be certain the powders are well incorporated with the liquids. You can also do this in a standup mixer, beating to totally dissolve the powders.

Stir the chopped pecans into the mixture. It will be very liquidy. Pour it into the prepared foil pan. Set the pan in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm. Cut into small pieces. A plastic knife works well for this, just as I've learned to use to cut homemade brownies. Be sure to keep these refrigerated until serving, since the coconut oil softens at about 75 degrees and you'll find this fudge becomes finger-licking good if left at room temperature.

Judy's Hearty Granola

I posted my original granola recipe four years ago, and since then I've refined it a bit. The old version is still very good and easy, with few ingredients. But I've gradually added more nuts and seeds, and I found that maple syrup makes the mix less sticky than honey. I like the flavor - and the extra nutrients - of molasses too. Our southern version of molasses is sorghum syrup, and, after a visit to a Menonite community which specializes in sorghum production (in Muddy Pond TN), I have an ample supply of their delicacy. All this has evolved into my new granola, presented here. Still pretty simple, just a few more ingredients than the original - and more nutritious.

You can process this granola into finer crumbs in a food processor and use it as you would a graham cracker pie crust, mixing the crumbs with melted coconut oil, which will stiffen the crust when refrigerated. See how I use it in my chilled fruit pie recipe.

INGREDIENTS

6 c old fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking oats)
1 c raw unsalted sunflower seeds
1 c raw hulled pumpkin seeds
1/2 c raw sesame seeds
1 c chopped raw nuts (pecans, almonds and cashews are my favorite choices for this recipe)
1 c unsweetened shredded coconut
2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 c coconut oil, melted
1/2 c maple syrup
2 T molasses or sorghum syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the coconut oil, maple syrup, and molasses or sorghum. Spoon wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to coat the mixture evenly.

Spread the mixture in an even layer in shallow pans (I use 2 large pizza pans). Bake for 15 minutes, stirring with a spatula if the edges brown faster than the center of the pan. Rotate pans from top to bottom oven rack and bake 8-10 more minutes, until everything is toasted golden. Remove from oven. When cooled, spoon into a container with a lid to store.

You can also add grated orange peel, raisins or other dried fruit after baking. Great as a breakfast cereal with fresh fruit, and we like it sprinkled as a topping on baked fruit or yogurt.

Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles

The first baking lesson in my 7th grade Home Economics class with Mrs. Hamel was Snickerdoodle Cookies. This is a great variation on the classic, especially made with homegrown pumpkin. Did you know you can use butternut squash in place of canned pumpkin in recipes? When making your own, just be sure to drain the liquid off the cooked squash or pumpkin, to get that similar thick consistency to canned. More on using fresh pumpkin in a future post....

These are gluten-free, to fit my lifestyle diet, but certainly can be made with wheat flour to produce the same delicious results. 

Remember, ingredients shown in red are described in more detail on the Ingredients page of this blog.


Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with Chai Spices (makes about 15 cookies)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 c fine almond flour or (part almond and part all-purpose gluten-free flour)
• 1 t pumpkin pie spice or chai spices*
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 c fresh pumpkin puree, drained to make it thick
• 1/4 c melted coconut oil
• 1/4 c honey
• 1 t vanilla extract
• Optional: 1 T psyllium husk powder (makes a firmer cookie texture)

COATING:

• 2 T coconut palm sugar
• 2 tsp chai spices*

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut parchment paper to line your cookie sheet.

In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients. (Make sure your pumpkin is at room temperature so the coconut oil does not harden.)

Mix the coating ingredients, sugar and spices, in a small bag.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry mix and blend by hand. The dough will be thick, so mix to moisten everything well. Form one tablespoon of dough into a ball (wet hands if necessary to prevent sticking), roughly golf ball size. Drop it into the bag of sugar and spice coating and shake to coat. Reach in and shake off excess, then place the dough ball on a cookie sheet. Flatten the ball with your fingers to about 1/2" thick. These cookies don't expand much except to puff up a bit, so you can place them close. Repeat with rest of the dough.

Bake for 20 minutes until bottoms are golden and the tops begin to crack.

* You can substitute cinnamon for chai spices. I mix my own chai spices, mimicking the traditional chai tea flavors:
4 parts ground cinnamon
1 part ground cloves
1 part ground nutmeg
1 part ground cardamon
1 part ground allspice
1 part powdered ginger root
1 part ground black pepper

The Pumpkin Tree

This photo is for those who think milk comes from a supermarket... a pumpkin tree, ready for harvest! I spotted this unusual sight at an apple farm in New England two weeks ago.

Fiesta Black-Bean Salsa

This is a good summer harvest appetizer, served with corn chips, which I derived from different salsa recipes my friends have made. The proportions are not critical, and you can mix it with different veggies than those on my list. My ingredients make it very colorful, in addition to being really tasty, thus the name. Of course you can use fresh corn and/or your own cooked beans where I've suggested canned. Adjust the "heat" to your taste.
Ingredients

• 1 14-oz can of black beans
• 1 15-oz can of organic corn (or 1-3/4 c of fresh cooked corn kernels)
• 1/2 c chopped red onions
• 1/2 fresh jalapeno, including seeds
• 1 cup of loosely packed cilantro leaves
• one roma tomato
• 1 cup of chopped sweet peppers (all one variety or a mixture of colors)
• juice of one lime
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 1/2 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t salt (omit if your beans have salt)
• 1/2 t hot jalapeno powder *

* I dehydrate and grind my home-grown red jalapenos into a fine powder, but you could use chili powder or hot pepper drops instead.

Directions
Rinse and drain the black beans and the corn, and put them into a mixing bowl. Chop the jalapeno (carefully) and add. Chop the cilantro and other veggies. Add them and all the other ingredients, and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving so the flavors can blend. Nice served with corn chips.
 

Keep in mind that much of the corn (and available garden corn seeds) grown in the US are now genetically-modified (GMO). Not only are there potential health and environmental problems from GMO crops, but the ability to save and replant seeds is denied by these Monsanto-produced seeds. Growing your own corn from heirloom seeds or buying organically grown corn and corn products can help you avoid GMO corn.