Pickle Wrap Dip

Here's a recipe for the Pickle Wrap Dip:

1 large sour cream (16 oz)

1 regular size cream cheese (thawed or at room temp)

1 package dried beef (by the lunch meat at wal mart)

3-4 large dill pickles

about 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Mix the sour cream and cream cheese together. Add the Worcestershire sauce. Cut up the dried beef into little squares. Mix into sour cream mixture. Cut up pickles into little squares and mix into sour cream mixture.

Chill in refrigerator.

Serve with crackers.

ENJOY!

Jaimie Ham

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Kabob recipe

In our house we really love this kabob recipe.  I actually made it
yesterday for dinner and we all loved it.  Jacob ate two kabobs.  I
have used pork but also beef for it.  I used pork steaks for dinner
yesterday.

Pork Kabobs
2 T olive oil
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder or salt
1 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

(I quadrupled this recipe when I made it the other night.  I like more
sauce on it and I also made 15 kabobs.  I usually make 2 kabobs per
adult and 1 per kid but plan to make even 3 for the boys.)

Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch cubes.  Place meat in a large glass pan or
bowl.  Pour mixed sauce over meat and mix together well.  While meat
is sitting cut vegetables.  I love red peppers, green peppers, onions,
mushrooms and cubed pineapple.  I cut the vegetables in 1 inch cubes
and then I cut the mushrooms in half.

Then start putting the ingredients on the sticks.  If you are worried
about the wooden sticks burning you can soak them in water for a half
hour before.  I don't care about the sticks getting black so I don't
do it.  When I put the meat and vegetables on the skewers I usually
start with meat and end with meat.  Do it how ever you'd like.  You
will get sauce all over your hands when doing this.  Save any left
over sauce in bowl for basting while cooking.  Cook on the grill on
medium heat.  I wait about 10 minutes and then flip them over.  After
I flip them over I will baste on the sauce.  I like the grill marks to
be on my vegetables and meat.

After serve with rice.  I like to add butter and salt to my rice after
it is cooking.  I love butter with my rice and sometimes I will add
almost 1/2 cup when making rice for 2 families.  I know that you
should eat the stuff right off the stick but I like to take it all off
the stick and put it with the rice.  I then add about 1-2 T of BBQ
sauce and mix it all together really well.  The sauce to the kabobs
mixes with the BBQ sauce and rice and it is to die for.  Hmm  I love
this dinner.  Enjoy.

Note:  To make it so your food doesn't stick on the BBQ you can spray
cooking spray on your grill before you heat it up.  No food will stick
and it comes off easily which means no lost food in the grill.

- Angelene

Apricot couscous

This was a great choice because we were able to get mint and chives
fresh from our herb garden.

Apricot Couscous

Ingredients:
2 cups dry whole wheat couscous
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup diced apricots
1/2 cup dried currants, raisins, cranberries or cherries (we used currants)
3/4 cup chopped green onions (or chives fresh from the garden)
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pistachios (we used almond slices and pine nuts)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Instructions:
1. In a medium sized pot combine water, salt and 1/2 Tbs. olive oil.
2. Bring to a boil on the stove top. As soon as water comes to a boil,
take off heat and add couscous.
3. Let stand for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.
4. Transfer couscous to a large mixing bowl
5. Add diced apricots, currants, green onions (or chives), nuts, fresh
mint, lemon juice, remaining olive oil, cinnamon and cumin to bowl.
6. Toss well to combine all ingredients evenly.

Serves approximately 8 - 1 cup servings

Nutrition Facts:
Calories 295
Fat 7 gm
Fiber 5 gm
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 302 mg

How much water is too much

Will soil that gets too much water hurt your plants? Can you start
planting before the winter water dries up?

According to an Oregon State University article, when water fills up
air pockets in the soil, it shuts off the osxygen supply to plant
roots and microorganisms that live in the soil. The soil becomes
anaerobic, meaning it doesn't have any oxygen. After a few days most
of the oxygen is gone. And plants that need lots of oxygen get
stressed and eventually die.

But, it doesn't happen immediately. Most plants can survive temporary
saturation by water. It also depends on how deep the roots are.

Some simple actions can improve chronically wet soil.

First, use lots of organic matter in your garden. Organic matter
opens up the soil and allows water to move freely.

Next, in areas where there is standing water choose plants that handle
the wet well. For example, Ponderosa pine is much better than Douglas
fir in soggy soil.

Fruit trees require dry feet so plant them in berms, raised beds or
planters that keep the roots above the saturated soil.

If your soil stays wet in the spring, delay tilling and planting.
Working wet soil creates hard, impermeable clods, and seeds are more
likely to rot in cold, soggy soil.

Where there is runoff you may want to use structures to prevent
erosion. However, on level soil or where the ground is concave, you
may have to wait for the sun to dry up the soil.

Peg Herring. "Soils take a soaking in winter." Retrieved March 31, 2008 from
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/news/story.php?S_No=337&storyType=garden

Blossom rot on roma tomatoes

My roma tomatoes have rotted from the bottom of the fruit. A friend told me that it is blossom rot, probably from not enough minerals in the soil. He suggested that next year I put epsom salt around the plants when planting them.

The Epsom Salt Industry Council provides more details about the benefits and use of epsom salt in gardens. http://www.epsomsaltcouncil.org/garden_benefits.htm

Studies show that magnesium and sulfur, two components of Epsom Salt may:

• Help seeds germinate


• Make plants grow bushier


• Produce more flowers


• Increase chlorophyll production


• Improve phosphorus and nitrogen uptake

Yellow bird, yellow bird

This yellow bird fed yesterday in our garden in Northwest Missouri. I have not been successful in identifying it. It has markings very similar to the male Yellow Grosbeak; however, that bird is from Mexico and Arizona. It has a beak that is black.

Another choice would be a Baltimore Oriole. The Baltimore Oriole Female is a small oriole with olive-brown upperparts, yellow-orange wash on the head and breast, and gray to white underparts. Wings are dark with two white bars. Adult male is mostly bright orange with black hood and back, black wings with orange shoulder patches and white-edged feathers, and black T-shape on tail. First year male is similar to female but has black throat patch. Immature resembles female. The Baltimore Oriole is not nearly a vibrant yellow as this bird.

The Prothonotary Warbler is indigenous to our area. It is a medium-sized warbler with olive-green back and gray wings and tail. Head, neck, and underparts are vibrant yellow; undertail coverts are white. Female and juvenile are duller and have olive-green wash on heads and faces. This could be the female because of its head markings. However, the beak on the warbler is black.

Although I am uncertain my choice would be the Yellow Warbler. The Yellow Warbler is a small warbler with bright olive-yellow upperparts and brilliant yellow underparts with rust-brown streaks on breast and sides. Wings are dark with two white bars. Tail is dark with yellow-tinged edges. Female has fewer streaks on breast. It doesn't seem to have the coloring on the head. It's beak is black, as well.

Yellow_Grosbeak_Breeding
Prothonotary_Warbler
Yellow_Warble
Baltimore Oriole

Lilies

The lily is easily grown in average, medium wet, well-drained soils infull sun to light shade. It is best in moist, humusy soils in fullsun. Mulch helps keep root zone cool. Plant bulbs 5-6" deep in fall.The Michigan lily is native to Missouri where it occurs in wetmeadows, low woods and swampy prairies throughout the state. Typicallygrows 2-5' tall. Elliptic to lance-shaped, lower leaves (to 4" long)are arranged in whorls around the stems. Downward-facing,orange-red,Turk's cap-type flowers (to 3" wide) with densely-spotted,broadly-reflexed sepals and petals. Flowers (usually 1-8) appear in aloose inflorescence atop upright stems in early summer.See http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=W910 

American Redbud or Eastern Redbud

American Redbud or Eastern Redbud are sometimes referred to as the Judas tree because it dates back to biblical times.

Redbud is a small to medium-sized tree that is virtually covered with tiny purple flowers in early spring before the leaves appear. Redbud leaves are arranged alternately along the twig.

It is a very handsome, small tree with gracefully ascending branches; it grows to 20 to 30 feet. Perfect reddish purple flowers open to a rosy-pink in March or April. Heart-shaped reddish purple leaves turn yellow-green in fall. Zones 4-10

The tree is great as a single specimen, in a group, in a shrub border, and especially nice in woodland and naturalized type landscapes. The tree standouts among others because of its uniquely red blossoms in the spring and its large heart-shaped leaves during the summer and fall.

A gallon size tree is 2 years old . It is fast growing up until about 12', then growth slows somewhat. Excellent for use under canopy of large trees and should have afternoon shade in southern zones.

See a description of the Cercis canadensis or 'Forest Pansy' at
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=R400