Just BEET It

I've heard that our taste buds change every seven years. I found a beet receipe that I thought I would try....to see if my taste buds had changed since I was a kid. It was labeled "The Best Beet Recipe". Perfect, right?! I, of course, changed it up a little and posted below is what I came up with. By the way, this is my first time ever to cook beets. It is a pretty easy recipe. 

 ***KK's Pretty Good Beets - If You Like That Kind Of Thing*** 

* 3 beets, boiled in plenty of water for 1 hour with three bay leaves and 1/4 t kosher salt - then peeled (discard the bay leaves and water when the hour is up) 

* one medium yellow onion 

* juice from one orange 

* one minced clove of garlic 

* 1/4 c honey/agave 

* 1/2 T grated fresh ginger 

* 1/4 t fresh thyme 

* 2 T EVOO 

*S & P to taste 

 Heat the EVOO in your pan on med-high heat. Cut each beet in half. Lay the flat side down and slice into half moon discs. Then cut each moon disc in half - length wise. (Kinda like steak fries). Slice your onion in half moon slices also (halved onion rings). Add your onion and garlic to heated oil in pan. Cook for about 4 minutes. Add the beets. Add orange juice, thyme, ginger and honey/agave. Simmer on med to med-low for about 10 minutes. Taste. Add S & P - how much you like. I added just a pinch of kosher salt and a few turns from the pepper mill. 

 My taste buds haven't changed much since I was a kid. I thought this dish was pretty good for a beet recipe. I guess I just don't care for beets. I will eat what I cooked so it doesn't go to waste. Whatever I don't finish will go to the compost though. I know my husband will not eat this - just because it is beets. If you try it let us know! We want to know your thoughts. My husband just walked in my office. "Um, I know I usually taste everything you make. I'm not tasting that." Haha!! We've been together over 15 years. I know him all to well. =)

Garlic Balsamic Salad Dressing

1 clove minced garlic 

1 T Balsamic vinegar 

3 T EVOO 

S & P to taste

Combine all ingredients. It is that easy. I love the 'bite' from garlic, some don't. You can leave out the garlic if you wish. I love this dressing on baby salad greens, 'tender greens' or arugula. This dressing would also be great on cous cous. 

*Garlic is apart of the Allium family which also includes onions and chives. Garlic can help lower blood pressure, prevent blood clotting and can be used as a decongestant. For best results - eat raw. 

*To help get rid of garlic breath chew some fresh parsley.

Household Tips & Tricks

Tip 1: Mix one part vinegar to 3 parts water to clean sinks, tubs and counters. (DO NOT use on natural surfaces like stone or wood) 

 Tip 2: Start your holiday shopping in the middle of the summer. Saves time and money....not to mention stress! 

 Tip 3: Put a mini marshmallow in the bottom of ice cream cones to prevent drips. 

 Tip 4: So you opened a bottle of wine and you have some left over? (What's wrong with you?! Haha!!) Pour the extra wine into ice cube trays - freeze over night - take wine cubes and put into freezer bags. Now you have wine for dishes or marinades. 

 Tip 5: Dried herbs loose their flavor very fast. Only keep them for around 6 months. Only buy the smallest amount unless you use a lot of dried herbs. When using fresh herbs, use about 3 times the amount of the dried. 

 FEEL FREE TO SHARE SOME OF YOURS!! 

Lemon Aid

Lemons have a lot more uses than you may know... 

 1. Add lemon to green tea to cut the bitterness down - it also helps your body take in the antioxidants found naturally in green tea. 

 2. If used in a high dose you can get rid of your acne. Apply large amounts of fresh unsweetened lemon juice to cotton balls and apply to acne. Take care - lemon juice can dry out your skin.

3. Add lemon juice to your dish water. Your dish water will smell good and the lemon juice helps to work as a disinfectant.  

4. Rub a cut lemon under your arm for a short term deodorant....works well on feet also. (Ladies, don't do this if you have shaved with in 24 hours....you won't like the way it feels!) 

 5. Lemons make beautiful decorations! Add lemons to your next center piece. One of my favs is a clear bowl full of lemons and limes. 

 6. After you cut apples or avocados toss them with a little lemon juice - it keeps them from turning brown. 

 7. Make a paste of lemon juice and salt to clean your wooden cutting boards. Use the used lemon as a scrub pad and rub the heck out of your board. Wash as normal and dry. It will be super fresh. Gets rid of onion and garlic smells. 

 8. I like to put baking soda in my sink drains every once in a while to keep it fresh - if you add a little lemon juice it will smell even fresher. Leave it there to sit for a few hours - then you can rinse it down or wash your sink with the baking soda then rinse down. It will be safe for your septic. Don't let anything go to waste - cut the peel up and toss into your garbage disposal. 

 9. Want a cheap hair lightener? Dampen your hair - add some lemon juice - sit in the sun for about an hour - wash hair. Your hair will be lighter. I've done this a few times - just gives you the 'summer hair' look. 

 10. Cut a lemon in half and cover the cut side with salt - clean your pots & pans - works well on copper, also. 

 11. My number one way to use lemon is with a shot of tequila, fully dressed! Lick, Suck, Slam!! 

 This is just a SMALL list of uses for lemons - there are TONS!! Do you have one that isn't listed that you would like to share??

What to do with all this basil?

I have a ton of fresh basil right now - about 8 large plants. I do not want it to go to waste. I dried two whole plants in my dehydrator - that way I can have garden fresh basil this winter. I also made this:
***Basil Sauce/Dressing*** 

 *1 C fresh basil 

*1/2 C EVOO - use your good stuff 

*1 garlic clove 

*2 t lime juice (lemon would work too, but I had limes) 

*1/4 t black pepper 

*1/4 - 1/2 t kosher salt

Combine all in a food processor or blender. Can be used as a sauce for grilled proteins - pasta - sandwiches - dipping sauce for breads - whatever you want to use it for. It would also be great on a salad. Follow this basic recipe and change out the basil for tarragon, mint, or even dill. Remember, when you are cooking - make a recipe your own. If you don't like garlic - don't add it. If you are in a salt free home - don't add the salt. If you would like to use sunflower oil - do it! You can make any recipe your own recipe by tweaking it your way. Don't be scared.

Gardening and Arugula Pesto

This morning I cleaned one of my garden planters in the front yard to get ready for lettuces. I had arugula (aka rocket) there all spring and summer up until a few days ago. I had just a few cups of arugula left so I made some pesto and stuck it in ice cube trays and froze it overnight then placed in plastic bags. (Will keep for a good three months in freezer)

 

***ARUGULA PESTO*** 

*4 c arugula 

*1/4 c nuts - whatever you like - pinenuts are the norm but I actually used mixed nuts, it is what I had on hand 

*1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese (use vegan to make vegan pesto, or omit)

*1/4 c EVOO - use your good stuff for this recipe

*one garlic clove (or two if you really love fresh garlic) 

*S & P to taste 

Place arugula, nuts, garlic and Parmesan cheese in food processor until just shy of smooth - while your food processor is running slowly add your EVOO - process until well blended - taste - add S&P - taste again - adjust your s & p - should look like green beautiful applesauce 

So, in my cleaned garden bed I planted two lettuce mixes made up of Beet Bull's Blood, Spinach Bloomsdale Long-Standing, Lettuce Red Salad Bowl, Lettuce black-Seeded Simpson, Mustard Tendergreen, Ashley, Prizeleaf, Royal Oak Leaf, and Salad Bowl. We should be eating some delish lettuces in 35-45 days. I'm excited. I'm also working on cleaning out the big garden in the backyard. Bugs have tore it all to hell. All of my squash, zucchini, corn and half of my tomatoes are gone. My eggplant is doing really well. I was surprised because this is my first year to try to grow eggplant. Easy shmeasy. Can't wait to plant my fall crops.