African Daisies

African Daisies are annuals. They grow well in dry, arid areas where other flowering plants may struggle to grow. These attractive flowering plants grow and bloom all summer long. Colors include white, orange, yellow and apricot. They can also appear in mixed colors. In mid-summer the plant will continuously display attractive flowerbeds.

African daisies grow from seed. They are fast growing plants that grow best with seeds planted directly into garden. Seeds should be sown in early to mid spring after frost has gone. Seeds from the flower heads should fall to the ground and reseed your flower bed.

Plant African Daisies in full sun. They do well in average soils and are drought tolerant. Plants should be placed about 10 inches apart but can be crowded slightly. During prolonged droughts the plants should be watered. But they often require little additional water.

African Daisies will grow quickly and once established will bloom in about 2 months. Blooms should be present up til the first frost in the fall.

Hot Dog In The Hole

Have leftover hot dogs from the barbq??? Looking for something new and fun to serve the kids?? Want an easy dish to serve the family??? Well for any of these reasons and more this dish will do the job just fine 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
3 (6-inch) hot dogs, cut into 1-inch pieces 
2/3 cup flour 
1/2 cup milk 
1 egg 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon pepper
 1/2 cup prepared cheese sauce, warmed


Arrange oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 425°F Brush oil onto bottom and up sides of an 8-inch baking dish to thoroughly coat inside dish. Arrange cut-up pieces of hot dog in dish and bake for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine flour, milk, egg and 2 Tbsp. water; season with salt and pepper and stir thoroughly. Beat using an electric hand mixer or whisk until mixture is completely smooth. Carefully remove hot dish of hot dogs from oven and pour egg batter on top. Bake for 30 minutes, until puffed and golden brown around edges. Divide into equal portions and serve with warm cheese sauce.

All You 

JULY 2006 

Theme of the day Blueberry

YEAH!!! It's National Blueberry Day

Blueberries are loaded with fiber and rich in antioxidants. They are one of the healthiest fruits. One of the most notable health benefit is that blueberries help lower cholesterol and promote hearth health. They have shown the ability to reduce the risk of cancer and help slow the aging process.

Now time to make a complete meal with the theme of blueberries. No better way to honor the fruit of the day

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE
12 oz green beans, ends trimmed
1/2 tsp each salt, pepper and dried thyme
1 1/4 pounds pork tenderloin
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, thawed
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 onion, chopped
1 tbs oil
2 tsp sodium free chicken grilling blend

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub pork with chicken seasoning and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan. Roast 25 min. or until temperature registers 155 degrees. When 10 min. of cooking time remain, remove pan and spread green beans around pork, drizzle with 1/2 tbs oil. Stir beans and return pan to oven.
*Heat remaining oil in a saucepan. Cook onion 3 min. Add blueberries, vinegar, sugar, thyme and remaining salt and pepper to saucepan, cook 5 min. or until thickened. Serve pork with sauce.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS OF PORK & BLUEBERRY SAUCE...



Since I have been seeing cherries on sale at the local supermarkets this dessert will be great on the budget and one that will honor the fruit of the day as well



Notes: If using fresh cherries, buy about 1 3/4 pound; if using frozen, you'll need about 1 1/2 packages, 16 ounces each.


5 cups fresh sweet, dark cherries, rinsed and pitted, or frozen pitted cherries (see notes)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained, or frozen blueberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Flag pastry
2 teaspoons butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

In a large bowl, mix cherries with 2 tablespoons lemonjuice. In a smaller bowl, mix blueberries with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Combine sugar and cornstarch; gently stir 1 cup of the mixture into cherries and 1/4 cup into blueberries. Spoon cherry mixture over 3/4 of the pastry in pan, leaving 1 quadrant free. Spoon blueberry mixture into unfilled area. Scatter butter evenly over fruit. Top filling with stars and stripes as directed for flag pastry. Set pie in a foil-lined 13- by 17-inch baking pan. Bake on the bottom rack of a 400° regular or convection oven until fruit is bubbling in the center and pastry is well browned, about 1 hour. If pastry edges brown too quickly (check after 40 minutes), cover loosely with foil. Let pie cool on a rack at least 3 hours; let stand at room temperature up to 8 hours. Cut into wedges and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Yummy Strawberry Treat

National Strawberry Sundae Day sounds like a sweet day to me. Celebrated each year on July 7, your opportunity to enjoy a sweet delicious dessert. Strawberries are favorites of many and no better way to enjoy them than on a strawberry sundae.

3 quarts (about 3 pounds) of fresh  strawberries,rinsed and hulled
cup sugar
1 tablespoon powdered pectin (Sure Jell)
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons corn starch, dissolved in 1/4 cup of water
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pre-baked pie shell

Slice 1 heaping quart of the strawberries for the filling and halve 2 heaping cups of your best looking ones for the pie top.  Halve another 2 cups of  strawberries, place in a food processor and puree until smooth.

Measure out 1 1/4 cups of the puree and transfer into a medium saucepan along with sugar, pectin and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking frequently. Continue to simmer so that mixture foams, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat; skim foam from the surface. Return saucepan to medium heat, slowly whisking in cornstarch mixture.  Continue to whisk until mixture is stiff. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla.

Transfer 1/4 cup of the mixture to a small bowl.  Whisk in up to 2 tablespoons of water for the glaze. Transfer remaining mixture to a medium bowl, placing a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface. When mixture has cooled to room temperature, stir in sliced strawberries and turn into baked pie shell.  Arrange halved  strawberries over to; brush with glaze and refrigerate until ready.

The pie can be made several hours ahead.  Serves 6 people.

Thanks to USA Weekend for this Strawberry pie recipe

Birthday of this Sweet Treat

July 7th of the year 1550 one of the sweetest treats was introduced. For all you chocolate lovers you should be thankful that the day arrived. You will also get to celebrate the love of chocolate on September 13th when it is International Chocolate Day. 

Did you know that Chocolate is a vegetable?? Well it is and that is what you can tell those that urge you to eat veggies rather than chocolate. Chocolate comes from the cacao tree. The seeds of the tree are used to make Chocolate. I know what you are thinking but let me give you the bad news first. Most of us will not be able to grow our own chocolate trees as the Cacao trees only grow in tropical regions like central America, the Caribbean, Indonesia and Africa.

It is labor intensive to get the Cacao seeds to produce chocolate. First trees require hand harvesting and machetes, as the pods can reach a size comparable to butternut squash and holds between 30 to 50 bens. The Cacao tree grow in the wild with shade and can grow for nearly 100 years. 

The beans about the size of almonds are allowed to ferment for 3 to 7 days. Then the beans dry. The dry fermented beans will be very bitter. The beans are sorted, cleaned and weighted before roasting. The roasted beans enter a machine that cracks the seed coats and blow them away leaving beind only the nibs. The nibs are made up of 47% cocoa solids and 53% cocoa butter. Cocoa butter makes up the fat in chocolate. The cocoa solids are ground into cocoa powder. Cocao nibs can be made into "nut butter" called chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor on its own is dry and gritty. Combined with sugar, vanilla and other ingredients becomes tastier. 

The Mayans discovered the wild cacao tree. The tree lived in the forests of south America. The years between 250 - 900 A.D. the Mayans would cultivate the seeds of the tree and mad a chocolate beverage. To make the beverage they would use ground beans, water, chile, vanilla, black pepper and cornmeal. The drink was sweetened with honey. The Mayans would use the drink as part of a tradition and ritual. Cacao beans were also used as a form of currency.

The 1800s would see a change in chocolate. As a cocoa press would be invented in 1828. The cocoa press seperated chocolate into cocoa butter and solids (powder). The names "Nestle" and "Hershey" would become popular when milk chocolate and chocolate bars would be created and shared around the world.

So as you enjoy that chocolate malt, candy bar, or other treat take a moment and recall why we are so lucky to have such a sweet treat.

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Hodge Podge Wednesday

1.  How did you welcome the month of July, and tell us one fun thing you did to celebrate the 4th. (or the weekend for any non-USA residents playing along today)

July has been welcomed in with a few parties and lots of fun. Family, picnics, fireworks and lots of fun was nvolved in all the great fun. 

2. Right now...what's your favorite red thing? white thing? blue thing?

My favorite red thing would be my raggedy ann and her red hair. My favorite white thing would have been the coconut cream pie I just ate. The favorite blue thing would be something like this 

3. Wave the white flag, raise a red flag, fly your freak flag...which 'flag' have you flown most recently? Explain.

The white flag has been raised to keep peace most repeately and recently. Sometimes it is better to make peace than to raise the red flag and go forward

4. According to Cond Nast Traveler these are the seven best places to visit in July-

a boat safari in Botswanna's Okavango Delta, Riviera Maya mexico (it's whale shark season and apparently you can swim with them), Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons, Pamploma Sapin, St. Petersburg Russia, the Fuji Rock Festival at Mount Naeba Japan, the Salzburg Festival in Salzburg Austria

If time and money weren't factors would you want to see any/all of these? Which would you most like to see and why? 

There are a few on the list and a few others I would rather not travel to. There is beauty all around and so many places to visit that I have never been around me that I would rather stay local and see what its all about

5. Grilled cheese, pimento cheese, or mac and cheese...your favorite from the cheesy treats listed? 

not a big cheese eater any more but I would say that a grilled cheese would be my favorite

6.  What makes you sweat?

Sweating is easy with the heat all around, work is another place to sweat and I seriously sweat while I watch my children make their own decisions in life. I can no longer take over for them and tell them how to do things

7. Your favorite movie with a 'patriotic' theme of some sort? 

Wow there are so many like indepence day, tour of duty and many others

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

making plans for more summer fun and great blog post ideas Hoping it does not get to hot today and yet knowing that there is no way to do that 

join the fun here

Welcome to Annies Home and Wordless Wednesday

Yummy Strawberry Dessert

Graham Cracker Crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
⅓ cup butter, melted
Strawberry Pie Filing:
1 (3 oz.) package strawberry jello
⅔ cup boiling water
½ cup cold water
½ cup ice cubes
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip topping
4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Using a food processor, pulse graham crackers until crumbly. Mix in sugar, ground cinnamon and melted butter until crust forms.
Press graham cracker crust into a 9-inch pie dish. Place pie crust in refrigerator.
In a large bowl, add boiling water and gelatin powder. Stir gelatin powder until completely dissolved.Then, add ½ cup cold water and ½ cup ice cubes, stir until gelatin is slightly thickened. 

TIP: Let the gelatin mixture sit for a few minutes to thicken slightly before you add the cool whip otherwise it won’t set up.
Add cool whip topping to gelatin mixture and whisk together until light and fluffy. Stir in sliced strawberries. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until mixture has thickened.
Add strawberry pie filling to pie crust. Refrigerate for up to 6 hours or until firm. Top with cool whip and a slice strawberry.

recipe source here

Apple Turnovers

TURNOVER DOUGH
2 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons flour (286 grams)
2 tablespoons sugar (25 grams)
3 teaspoons baking powder (15 grams)
1/2 teaspoon salt (2.8 grams)
1/4 cup butter (57 grams)
3/4 cup milk (whole) (173 grams)
1 egg beaten
APPLE PIE FILLING
2-3 small apples peeled diced small (1 cup)
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon (3-5 grams)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (50 grams)
1 teaspoon corn starch (3.13 grams)
1/4 cup water (59 ml)

Pre-heat oven to 375° (190° celsius). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

TURNOVER DOUGH
In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, add milk and egg. Mix quickly together, move to a lightly floured flat surface, and knead lightly until dough comes together (dough might be too sticky, if so add a little more flour until it is just manageable, it must remain soft and a little sticky). Wrap in plastic and refrigerate while you make the apple pie filling.

APPLE PIE FILLING
In a small pot add small diced apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, corn starch and water, stir to combine, heat on low heat until thickened, approximately 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Remove dough from fridge and roll flat, about pie crust thickness or even a little thicker if you want (be sure to lightly flour flat surface, top of dough and rollingpin) Cut with a large round cookie cutter, brush with melted butter (melt 1 tablespoon butter), place approximately 1 teaspoon of apple pie filling on one side of circle, fold over and seal edges with a fork dipped in flour. Place on prepared cookie sheets, brush turnovers lightly with milk and bake approximately 15 minutes or until golden. Let cool slightly, eat plain or dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with vanilla glaze. Enjoy!

VANILLA GLAZE
In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon cream, whisk until smooth (if you like it thinner add more cream). (to easily fill pastry bag, place in a glass, fold bag over side of glass and fill with glaze)

recipe source here

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For those that work to much

In the medical field the work can be very demandive, long hours, and little rest. There are those that are determined for one reason or another to work hard and make sure all works well. I was once like that but as I have gotten older I have slowed down some. Today, July 5th, Work a Holic day is dedicated at least on Annies Home to those that work hard and keep it all running well.

The Work-a-holic works hard while others may enjoy a time down. They can not relax until it is all done. He is addicted to work and it is not a need of work. Its because there is work to be done or work that has been neglected by others or perhaps there is work that will need to be done in the future.

If you have ever heard the above statement than you most likely may be a work-a-holic. Other ways you may be able to tell.

If you ....
work because "It's fun"
work because you want to not because you need to
you are the first one to work and / or last one to leave
'its your day off and you go to work
your last thoughbts as you go to sleep are work related


Do you know a work a = holic are you one???

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Eggplant Tomato Casserole

1 eggplant
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cracker crumbs
1/2 cup olive oil, or vegetable oil
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon basil
2 cups tomatoes, cut up.
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Wash eggplant and cut into 1/2" to 3/4" slices. Dip eggplant into egg.
Put into cracker crumbs, turning to cover. Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute eggplant until golden brown on both sides. Place eggplant into a casserole dish. Saute onions, green pepper and garlic in butter for 5 minutes. Add seasonings and tomatoes, and heat to a simmer. Pour over eggplant. Bake in oven for 20  minutes. Top with grated cheese, and bake another 10-15 minutes to melt cheese.

I am an American

I am from small town america. My mother drove a school bus, my father delivered the mail. My grandparents as well as many other members of my family were farmers. The pride for America we had in our family was something that everyone could see. Every July the month started out with a parade, carnival, and fireworks. It was in celebration of Independence day. All of our young ment that went away to war and came back home were honored with a home coming. The ones that did not come home are perhaps the ones that left the most impact on our hearts. One young man my mom went to school with Bob Tunison unfortently did not return from war. His mother was left devestated and the the little town mourned. In honoree of Mr. Tunison a park was erected and his story continues to be told. I am proud to be from that little town and I am proud to be an American. 

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A Fish Story

Fishing is a favorite sport and past times of many. The gal in the picture is a great friend of mine who loves to fish.. To her it is a past time that she loves to take part time in. Have you ever cast a line?? Well if you have then you know how exciting it can be. If not then it may be something you want to check further into.

You can check out one of the fascinating fishing books located at your local library. The books should offer you a bit of excitment but the best way to learn is to get directly involved. Start by baiting your hook and casting your line.

Time to choose your personal rod and reel. Find sme great tips for finding the perfect fishing rod here

So now that you are prepared to fish you have to decide what type of fish you will be looking for. There are many types of bait. Most individuals in this area will be looking for catfish. Catfish are attracted to specially made bait, raw chickent liver or insects.

It may surprise you but location and weather may make the difference between an ok fishing trip and an awesome one. Many will gaurd their location from even their closest friends. A great fishing spot is worth its weight in gold to a fisherman. An overcast sky can lead to successful fishing trips. Fishing trips in other weather can be great as well but the overcast sky seems to be most succesful. 

You should be ready now for your first fishing trip . Good luck and above all have fun. 

Kohlrabi Good For You

Kohlrabi is related to the cabbage. The name comes from German word Kohl meaning cabbage. The small kohlrabi bulbs have a taste and texture much like broccoli stem but a bit milder and sweeter. Larger bulbs can taste like radish. 

To store Kohlrabi remove leaves and stems. The leafy stalks are edible and should be kept. The leaf and stalk can be used much like kale or collard greens. The leaves should be used within a few days but the bulbs can be stored for several weeks in fridge.

Kohlrabi offers a great variety of vitamin C as well as potassium, fiber and vitamin B6, They also contain anti cancerous compounds. 

Kohlrabi can be enjoyed raw by simply cutting in wedges and eat them for snacks with dip or soy sauce. Kohlrabi also goes great and gives a bite to salads and slaws. Chop it up and add to soups and stews or boil and share in mashed potatoes. Roastin kohlrabi results in a very sweet dish. Simply peel the bulbs cut in wedges, toss with oil, season with salt and roast in hot oven til brown and tender. 

Make Up Some Yummy Cupcakes for WOrld UFO day

July 2nd 1947 is a date well known to UFO believers It is the date of the great Roswell Incident. Mac Brazel a rancher in northwest Roswell New Mexico was the individual to discover wreckage of a metallic object on his ranch. The wreckage and the metal it was made of was strange. Military authorities investigated the site, removed the wreckage and defined the object as a Unidentified Flying Object. The incident was later changed and reports were hiden leading to one of the largest cover ups. The incident sparked fear of a UFO invasion and rumors of other incidents that led to thoughts that are still alive and well today. 

So tonight, as you look to the skies to watch the stars keep an eye out for those UFO's that may just appear. The World UFO day started officially on July 2nd 2001. Those that believe in UFO's think that the existence of intelligent beings from outer space dates further back than believed. They would love to see government files to "declassify" the knowledge about sightings throughout the history. 

Author: Love and Olive Oil | Martha Stewart | Donna Hay magazine, Kids' Issue 2010

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 12 cupcakes

• For the cupcakes:
• 1 cup coconut milk
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons almond meal
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• For the frosting:
• 6 ounces (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 ounces confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• green food coloring – paste, gel, powder or liquid is fine

1. For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together, by hand, the coconut milk, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low-speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the coconut milk mixture until it is uniform and smooth (do not overmix).
3. Pour batter in liners, filling cups no more than ⅔ full (3 tablespoons of batter). Bake 18-20 inutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
4. For the frosting: Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
5. Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, ½ cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high). Add vanilla and enough food coloring to turn the frosting a bright pastel green, and beat until buttercream is smooth.

NOTES

Use M&M's or Smarties to decorate around the outside of the cupcake to make UFO lights. For the "alien" inside the UFO, use a green lollipop and just place the stick down into the cupcake (trim stick with the scissors if necessary). To make the UFO dome, use small plastic shot glasses. Be sure to use silver foil cupcake liners to make the cupcakes look like shiny little UFOs!

National Postal Workers Day

Today, July 1st is National Postal Worker Day. It is a day that is observed each year on the same date. The day is a great time to appreciate and thank the men and women who all work to get our mail and parcels to us. 

Postal delivery individuals will walk an average of 4 to 8 miles carrying a full load of letters and packages a day. There are approximately 490,000 postal workers across the U.S. Through the heat, snow and rain the mail must be delivered in all types of weather. The storms that would keep us home has them on our doorsteps bringing mail. 


My dad worked for the postal service for over 25 years. He was a rural route carrier and made sure that all those outside city limits received their mail. I can remember in the earlier days being able to travel with him on the route. This was some great time and made great memories

What is the oddest thing you recieved in the mail?? In the early 1900s postal rules were that they would deliver anything under 11 lbs. The oddest thing recorded was a young child being delivered to the grand-parents

Baked Bean Casserole

1 lb large lima beans
2-3 medium onions, cut up
Approx. ¼ cup oil (to sauté the onions and carrots)
1 large carrot, cut up
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp paprika seasoning
Ground black pepper
Salt
1 Tbsp of flour


Boil beans for about 10-15 min., and then drain completely, and add fresh boiling water, bay leaf, salt to taste, and then cook beans for 2 – 2 ½ hours over low heat. By then it will be cooked, and most water will evaporate, check occasionally to make sure you don’t completely dry them out. Drain, but save the water, don’t discard.

In a separate pan, sauté onions and carrots, and when nice and caramelized add paprika seasoning, garlic, black pepper, and a tablespoon of flour, and mix it all into cooked beans. Carefully combine, and put in a baking dish of your choice. Pour the water you saved, over the beans, top with bacon or sausages, and bake. I bake it for about 20 minutes @ 425 F.

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