Four O'clock Flowers

385.  This summer I have been extremely pleased with my garden.  The greatest surprise has been my  "Four O'clocks".  I have an abundance of seeds and have packaged them up to sell.

This flower is an heirloom flower and the name indicates the time of day when the plants trumpet-shaped flowers open.  The flowers open in late afternoon, in response to a temperature drop.  Nocturnal moths and other nighttime pollinators are attracted to their nectar.   The name of the plant also goes by "Marvel of Peru" due to its native South American habitat.

The flower is hardy and grown as a perennial in zones 7b-11, but gardeners in other zones often grow these beauties as annuals.  They will self-sow also.  They can grow to four feet tall and three feet wide.  They are heat and drought tolerant and are a favorite of hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.

And the scent is very fragrant and similar to lillies.  

"Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."

~  Hans Christian Anderson

Drying Herbs

315.  My herb garden was ideal this year with beautiful plants and hardy growth.  Thyme, parsley, oregano, dill, rosemary, cilantro and chives to name a few.  To step outside and pinch off a few branches to add to my cooking is always a delight.
But once the cool air creeps in and plants slow their growth or frost stops them, you have to depend on grocery bought products.   So my solution is to dry the fresh and save them for cooking.  When there are more herbs than I can use on a daily basis, I will cut off bunches and secure them in bundles with a rubber band.  Then hang them in my kitchen to dry.  Or you could place them in a dehydrator or the oven on low temperature.  I find air drying them works best for me.

Once the herbs have become completely dried through I take them down and crush the leaves in a bowl.

Saving herbs by drying them may take time and effort but will save you money. And, in the long run you will see the difference in flavor.

"Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get."

-H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Pan Fried Eggplant

228. This summer my eggplants are growing so beautifully with the great rainfall, hot sunny days and warm nights.

I chose two beautiful little eggplants and decided to prepare them for dinner. I was craving eggplant because I saw the new winner of Food Network Star make an Eggplant Parm Sandwich for one of his challenges. While watching, I picked up a few great hints and wanted to try them.

Now, my favorite wasn't chosen but I'm ok with the winner, Jeff Mauro. He's likable and grew on me while I watched this final show. I'm even happier that Penny didn't make it to the end...'nuf said!

Jeff peeled his eggplant and salted the rounds before deep frying. I rarely do this because I personally like the skin and density of the eggplant.

But I was surprised how nicely the salt drew out bitterness and ultimately brought the sweetness out of the eggplant. I also used panko bread crumbs to coat the rounds.

The end result was beautiful. Eggplant was tender and the crust was crispy.

I paired it with pasta and homemade sauce.

So enjoyable!

Pan Fried Eggplant

2 small or 1 large eggplant, peel and slice, lay out on rack and sprinkle both sides with salt

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup flour

1/4 garlic salt

kosher salt

pepper

1 egg

water

flour

oil

Mix panko crumbs, flour, garlic salt, salt and pepper. In separate bowl mix together egg and water and beat till blended. With a paper towel, lightly press the eggplant to absorb liquid on the eggplant. Dip each round in flour, then in egg mixture, then in panko crumb mixture and place in hot oiled pan. Saute' each side till toasted brown then flip and continue. Remove to paper towel and keep hot in the oven till you serve.

Each slice was tasty and tender.

You could make a parmesan and layer the rounds in a casserole dish then cover with tomato sauce and cheese. Bake in the oven 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. When I do this, I do not pan fry the eggplant till tender but allow the oven to complete the cooking process.

"Mauro may pronounce 'Illinois' with an 's', but that doesn't make him less of a Chicagoan."

~Examiner.com

Cucuzza Squash

166. Fritz and I were in the garden the other day and we realized our Cucuzza Squash was ready to pick!

In May, my honey and I prepared our little plot of land to plant several garden plants. Tomatoes, eggplant, basil, peppers and zucchini. Our backyard is very shaded and the only area with sun is along our fence. This little garden has produced wonderfully in past years. Just enough to handle with our busy schedules.

This is how beautifully it has grown by mid July.

But my story is about these wonderful zucchini plants. Easy to grow, always produce beautifully. I even found a cute sign to place next to them. This year I rotated all my plants and placed the zucchini against the fence so it wouldn't be bothered or the leaves disturbed, which is the key to a healthy zucchini plant. There just happened to be a trellis at this spot.

I am so glad I did because within two weeks, to my surprise, these were not zucchini plants but "Cucuzza" Squash plants. Let's just say, it was like planting the bean that Jack bought! The vines started to grow upwards, wrapping around everything in site. And then I realized this was not just a simple plant but an adventure.

What is a Cucuzza Squash you ask? It is part of the squash family and grows very long. You can prepare it in recipes as you would for zucchini or summer squash. The flowers bloom in the evening and all night long. You have to check out this website: CucuzzaSquash.com and listen to the hilarious song "My Cucuzza" by Louis Prima.

I have heard this squash called many different names before and I have tasted it. Some call it "Guguts", "Cuccuzi" or "Cuzzcuzz" Squash.

The first squash grew to be 24" in length! Amazing! And it was so beautiful.

I washed and sliced it into 1" slices.

Take a small casserole dish and spray it with oil and spoon prepared tomato sauce in the bottom. I layered the Cucuzza across the bottom, and sprinkled it with mozzarella cheese. Then, I repeated a second layer till all the rounds were used. I then sprinkled the top with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Then baked it, covered, for approximately 1 hour at 350 degrees. Don't forget to remove the cover during the last 10 minutes so the cheese can brown. You could also add sweet Italian sausage by placing small slices or meatballs around the squash.

It turned out lovely. The Cucuzza Squash is very mild and will compliment this dish. Using it in a vegetable lasagna would be a great idea as well.

"Now you can have your pasta and your Chicken Cacciatore. I'd rather have cucuzza cause for me it means I'm more. So when the moon is shinin' brite from dear old Napolí. I dream of my cucuzza she's the only dish for me!"

~Louis Prima

Honey

91. Recently, my honey and I spent several days visiting with very dear friends. It was their 30th wedding anniversary and they invited us to share in the renewal of their wedding vows. They have always been fond of gardening, both vegetable and floral. When we lived close to them, we would visit their home and would always enjoy taking strolls through their perfect gardens with neatly layed rows of fruit trees, berry patches, and vegetables. They also were "bee-keepers" and had stacks of hives at the end of their property. I learned about a "bee-line", how every bee flies in a "bee-line" back to the hive. And how you don't want to stand or dawdle in a bee-line...or you will be in trouble.

At the end of our trip up north, while we were packing the car, making one last sweep through our rooms, we came outside to find a bottle of golden honey sitting on the roof of our car. It was from our friends. They have begun a business of selling honey and what delicious honey. It is "Bears and Bees Honey" of West Liberty, OH. They are not on the web, but only sell locally to maintain the freshest quality.

When I got back home, I made a batch of biscuits and we really enjoyed this great gift! I love just looking at the bottle...it brings many fond memories to mind of our sweet friends. Congratulations on 30 years of marriage...may the next 30 be a sweet reward in many ways.

"Tart words make no friends; A spoonful of honey will attract more flies than a gallon of vinegar."

~ Benjamin Franklin

Tilling the Garden

57. Hurray!!! Spring has finally arrived...although today in NY,

it is only 45º. The thought of planting flowers is always on my mind. But I have a funny and delightful story to tell.

Every year, usually in March, I like to head outside with warm layers, garden gloves and a shovel. I walk around my yard and assess the soil, tiny green sprouts beginning to peak out from the soil, and think of the new projects I will tackle or more likely, the "new" flower beds I will dig. I also love to plant peas!

Because of my recent surgery, I have had to put this yearly ritual on hold...with the hopes that I will regain strength sooner, not later. As I was recuperating on the couch two weeks ago, I heard voices, trucks...just a lot of noise outside the house. I went to the window to see a cable truck parked in front of the house and about 7 men in work hats, jump suits and shovels walking back and forth, discussing intently the variables of the job they were about to accomplish. Then one fellow grabbed spray paint from another truck and began spray painting symbols and numbers on our street...the sidewalk...and my front lawn. What could they be up to. They were on the side of the house, front of the house, behind the house...and through the gate...back and forth. When my honey came home, he learned that the cable company was in the process of replacing all the cable wires and reconstructing the conduits, which had deteriorated over the years. I was too weak to even think about it...so I took a nap.

Last Tuesday, they were back. This time with a jack hammer, shovels, huge spools of wire and conduit. They knocked on the door and said that they needed to dig on the other side of our home and possibly in our back yard. Well, go to it...do what you need to do...and then I realized where in the back yard...right in the middle of my garden! I smiled and said to the foreman, "Wonderful, you can help me till my garden this year!!", I think I surprised him...he froze and then turned back to me and said, "Oh, we will make sure we put everything back the way we found it." And to that I responded, "Thanks, I'm sure you'll do a great job." He laughed and they started the work. It took them 2 days. The hole they dug wasn't over far enough so they had to dig a larger hole...over a bit. By the second day, they completely dug my whole garden up, removing all the soil onto a tarp...they fixed the conduit and reworked the cable. Then returned all the "fluffy" soil back into my garden, stacked my tomato stakes neatly, raked the. yard, trimmed the ivy off the fence and swept the soil away. And the best part...my garden is tilled!!!!

Isn't this great!

I smile to myself often, when I think of the ways God sends help, encouragement or makes our life's jobs easier. These guys were just doing a job...but for me, it was a blessing! So today, if you are just doing your job...keep in mind...you may actually be providing a blessing for someone in the most unlikeliest ways.

"The greatest gift of the garden

is the restoration of the five senses."

~ Hanna Rion