Let's Talk about Gardens

Hi, @oxbeaux Welcome to Connect.

My condolences on the loss of your spouse. It sounds as if you are doing what you need to do to keep your mind occupied, that's so important.

I am not a gardener at all, but I wish I was. I have a "garden" outside of my screened porch but it's pretty wild. I should do some weeding but not in this heat.

@jimhd I too have daylilies in my "garden". I am not sure of the names of many other things though. A friend put most of it in for me and she came over a month ago and did some weeding for me. It's sort of like her second garden, in my yard.

@sueinmn Your gardening expertise has me green with envy, but unfortunately not with a green thumb. If you were close to me you could grow and I would cook with your harvest.
JK

We just enjoyed a dinner of veggies and basil from the garden, combined with avocado, white beans and fresh mozzarella and dressed with rice vinegar, olive oil and spices. Yummy!
I need to start some more basil, even this late in the Minnesota season, as the resident guinea pig doesn't like to share.
Sue

@oxbeaux, I'm laughing at your remark to your children: "grow your on food diet" because I would shrivel up completely and blow away if I had to depend on my veggie growing efforts. Do better with flowers but nasturtiums have limited value, right???? Thanks for the smile today.

We all need some beauty In our lives. Nasturtiums have great value.

@oxbeaux Nasturtiums are one of my favorite salad additions with their peppery flavor and they do well w/o a full day of sun. My little secret garden keeps my spirits from plummeting. I do not get enough sun to grow container veggies, but we do have a nice fresh market with locally grown produce.

@lioness - I referred to making cucumber soup from my garden bounty over on the walking group, and you asked for the recipe - it fits better here, so here it is (handed down from my mother-in-law, now in heaven, and probably her mother before) It is perfect for using up those slightly too large and seedy for nice slicing cukes that hide in the foliage. All measures approximate - we use what we have on hand. Some people also add green peppers, but we don't care for them.

Large onion (or to taste) minced and sauted until translucent in the soup pot
3-4 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced (big chunks OK)
4-6 small-medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1.5 quarts any soup stock - homemade or store bought If I use the 1 qt carton, I add 2 c water
Salt & pepper to taste
Browned flour roux or cornstarch & water for thickening
1/2 cup (about) rice or white wine vinegar
Other seasoning of choice - such as 1Tbsp dry mustard, 1 tbsp summer savory, 1-2 cloves minced garlic...

Simmer the veggies together in the soup stock until mushy 45 min or longer, then mash (I use an old potato masher) - will be a little lumpy
Add roux or cornstarch mixture a little at a time while stirring over low heat until thickened - a little thicker than good gravy
Add vinegar and adjust thickening and seasoning to taste.

Serve with a blob of sour cream or sprinkling of shredded cheese on top, and grilled cheese sandwiches on the side.

By the way - At the end of the season, we peel and freeze a few bags of cucumbers to make this dish in winter - wonderful after being out in the cold!
We also wash, core and freeze extra tomatoes (no blanching or peeling needed) for making soup and chili - just take out the skins as they rise to the top when cooked. My Mom called this "lazy woman's canning", but in reality she was raising 6 kids and working 2 jobs, so I think of it as "desperation canning" - we were lucky to have a huge upright freezer.
Sue
PS Who else wants to share their favorite from the garden" recipe? Especially one that uses excess or just-beyond-perfect veggies

@sueinmn That sounds good I have cukes now and potatoes Think I.ll make up a bunch freeze rest didn't know you could freeze them I make a Kale Potato soup about same recipie that was my Mom,s favorite

Hi @lioness, how are you doing? I made a cucumber salad but with apple cider vinegar. It was too strong, I should have watered it down a bit more.

@sueinmn, Just saw your post with the cucumber/potato soup recipe. Thank you for sharing it!

@ Erinmfs Hi stranger good to hear from you l Love this salad but you do have to water the vinegar down with water and add a little sugar to it l put tomatoes and 0nion in also The beets do the same to pickle them if you like them