Bodacious Baked Beans for Memorial Day

Today when I chatted with Matt Swaim of Sacred Heart Radio we talked about beans. Beans were an important diet staple during Bible times. Here’s a familiar passage and it’s about the popular Ezekiel bread that we enjoy even today. Ezekiel 4:9: And you take wheat and barley, beans and lentils……and put them in a single vessel and make bread of them.  Bible scholars say … Continue reading Bodacious Baked Beans for Memorial Day

Opera cream cake “like” Knotty Pine on the Bayou  

Opera cream cake “like” Knotty Pine on the Bayou   A few years ago, a Western Hills reader shared her version for this customer favorite from Knotty Pine Restaurant in Kentucky. “So close you won’t be able to tell the difference”, she said.  Sherri H. is just the latest of readers who continue to request the recipe. I did make the cake a long while … Continue reading Opera cream cake “like” Knotty Pine on the Bayou  

Container Herb Garden for Mom

On Earth Day, I visited my granddaughters Eva’s and Emerson’s school. We had fun sharing seeds and plants and talking about being good stewards of our earth. The girls gave their teachers container herb gardens. A few had questions about growing herbs in containers. I’ve had requests from some of you about the same subject, so I thought it a timely topic.  Although I grow … Continue reading Container Herb Garden for Mom

Morels!

Check out the size of these morels! This was the week for foraging for morel mushrooms. Twice I went with my “scouts”, Char and Butch, over hill and dale (don’t ask me where…) looking for morels. All signs for a good hunt were there: the trilliums and may apples were blooming and the fiddlehead ferns were fanned out. We saw deer and wild turkeys and … Continue reading Morels!

A Medley of Mint for Mojitos and Juleps!

Photo is Kentucky Colonel Spearmint When Ron Wilson and I chat about the proper mint for Mint Juleps it’s a given that spearmint is really the gold standard. OK I do prefer peppermint since that’s what I grew up with, but spearmint adds a sweeter mint flavor than peppermint especially for juleps. Here’s a couple of nice recipes for that Derby Day Party. Mojitos and, … Continue reading A Medley of Mint for Mojitos and Juleps!

Yum! Mediterranen Cooking Class with Yardboy and Cook at Jungle Jims

Tuesday, May 21 | 11:00am – 1:30pm With Rita Heikenfeld and Ron Wilson Through the years, this class has gained a cult-like following for anyone who wants to grow like a pro and cook like a pro! Cookingwith homegrown produce and herbs is an in-demand skill, so joinRita and Ron as they share tips and strategies on improving your DIY skills in the yard, garden … Continue reading Yum! Mediterranen Cooking Class with Yardboy and Cook at Jungle Jims

Spring has Sprung: Roasted Carrots, Asparagus on Menu!

Spring has definitely sprung here on my little patch of heaven. Erin, my neighbor across the road, asked if I had time to pick dandelions. My answer? I’d make time. We both picked baskets of dandelion flowers for jellies. A few leaves got tossed in, too, for salads.  The wild violets were growing in profusion right alongside. Those make a lovely jelly or jam. So … Continue reading Spring has Sprung: Roasted Carrots, Asparagus on Menu!

Horseradish Easy to Grow and Use

  Horseradish is mentioned in Exodus 12:8 – “Everyone shall eat roast lamb that night with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.” Here’s a little history: The name comes from the English. The horse part means a large, coarse or strong plant, sort of well like a strong horse. And the word radish comes from the Latin word root. And if you’ve ever seen fresh horseradish … Continue reading Horseradish Easy to Grow and Use