Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
In Memoriam
This is the one-year anniversary of my Dad's death.
Jerry Lee Wright
1962-2009
May he rest in peace.
Yummy Treat Tuesday: Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Now this is my kind of comfort food. When I was a kid, my mom made it all the time. But, oddly, there aren’t a whole lot of recipes out there for this delish potato creation. Actually, it’s probably because it takes so damn long. But it’s so, so worth it! If, like me, you’re not much for the meat-eating but have kids who like ham, you can easily separate it out. Otherwise, you can leave the meat out all together and the recipe won’t suffer.
NOTE: It’s take about 20 minutes to prepare this dish, and an addition 1.5 hours to cook. Or, you can do what I do, and stick it in the crockpot on low for the day.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
6 baking potatoes, peeled & sliced
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cooked chopped ham (or one package Morrell ham)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 onion
Preheat the oven to 350.
Peel and slice the potatoes. You can use a food processor, but I think they're less starchy and gooey if you slice by hand.
First, the roux:
Melt the butter in a large & relatively deep saucepan over low heat. Using a whisk, stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium-low, and cook, stirring constantly for a minute or two.
Finish the sauce:
Turn the heat back to low, and slowly stir in the milk. Turn the heat back up to medium-low, and let the sauce cook until thick and bubbly.
Stir in the ham and onion. Slowly stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Then, stir the sauce into the potatoes, and dump into a well-buttered pan.
Cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Take the foil off, and bake for an additional hour. (About 10 minutes before you take it out, sprinkle the last 1/2 cup cheese over the top.)
Let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving, and enjoy the yummy goodness!
What a Difference a Week Can Make
This is what we were up to a mere week ago.
Lots of ice. Lots of snow.
Lots of clothing required.
But there was reason to smile. It was warming up!
The walnut trees were budding...
Velvety red blooms waiting to burst into glorious green.
And finally, a long handful of days above freezing, complete with sunshine. Hello, wonderful mud!
Orange mint is coming out to play.
Day lilies are peeking through the half-frozen muck and clay.
The winter savory is revealing itself.
And it looks like my rhododendrons, which haven't bloomed since I planted them two summers ago, might even come out and play.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Seedling Sunday: Legginess
Got leggy seeds? You know what I'm talking about. Finally, the seeds have sprouted, they're reaching for the light...
And reaching...
Um, are they gonna fall over?
As one who uses window sills rather than indoor lamps close to the pots, I have deal with legginess all the time. Keeping them strong isn't too hard. You just have to take the time.
1) Put a fan on them. See my fan in the background? Believe it or not, this wind simulation helps keep them strong.
2) Run your fingers over them. The slight adversity helps get them ready for the real world of pests, pets, and small children.
3) Make sure they have enough light. Sunny windowsills are good, but sometimes not good enough. If it's warm enough, set them outside for as along as possible to get some good one on one time with the sunshine.
4) When you transplant, bury enough of the stem to keep the stress on the seedling minimal.
Unless you have a nifty fluorescent set-up, you're gonna have leggy seedlings. But don't worry, it's getting nice out there! Only a few weeks left until we can start digging our toes in the dirt!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
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