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  • Monthly Archives: October 2020

    • Garlic Planting in Central Texas

      Posted at 7:37 am by turnipcreations, on October 29, 2020

      Have you got your garlic in the ground yet? If not, now is the perfect time to plant your garlic cloves. Around here, mid-October to the end of November is the key time or at least several week before the first heavy freeze. The goal is to plant early enough to allow roots to develop before the ground freezes, but late enough to avoid sprouts from emerging and being damaged by freezing.

      Today has been a beautiful sunny day in Central Texas, following a very early cold snap with lots of rain and wind. Usually, we would have put the garlic in earlier this week, but with the weather not cooperating, we has to wait for a more suitable day. And, today is the day. Over the last several weeks, Shane has prepared the garlic beds in preparation for planting. Below are some good tips when getting your bed ready.

      Preparing Garlic Beds

      1. Make sure your are rotating your garlic and onion plants. You do not want to use the same bed you used last year, for this year’s garlic garden. In fact, some people even suggest a four year rotation.
      2. Do not plant garlic in poorly draining soil. The cloves can rot and go bad if they are sitting in a pool of water during the winter months.
      3. So, make sure your soil is well drained. A nice rich fertile loamy soil is ideal. But if you only have sand or clay soil, be sure to add a generous compost or organic material. We use a combination of dried and aged sheep manure and an aged hay compost and work it well into the soil.
      4. Make sure the top 10-12 inches of soil is nice and loose. Again, you want the soil to drain so the cloves do not rot.
      5. Garlic prefers full sun; although, ours does get an afternoon shade and always grows just fine. We think soil content is most important, but adequate sun is essential. If you are planting hardneck varieties, in a warm climate area, like central to south Texas, you will benefit from planting in an area that receives shade during the hottest part of the day.

      Choosing your Garlic 

      I love garlic. Shane didn’t know he loved garlic until he married me. Seriously, he was not a fan, but has come to appreciate the depths of flavor it adds to just about any dish. With so many garlic varieties out there and each lending a different flavor, it can be hard to choose. But first, know where to purchase your garlic. As tempting as it is, do not buy garlic from the grocery store for planting, unless it is certified organic. Often times, this garlic is treated with an anti-sprouting agent and therefore will not grow if planted. Your safest bet is to order your garlic online from a reputable seed company.

      There are generally two types of garlic, hardneck and softneck. Harnecks typically have a more complex flavor than your softneck varities. They are hardier and are best grown in northern, cool climates. If you want the type of garlic you find in most grocery stores, you will want to grow softneck, which is much more suitable for southern growing zones. They mature more quickly than hardneck varieties and tend to store better and longer.

      So, be aware of your climate and choose garlics that thrive in warmer weather if you live in Zones 7 or above. For these zones, start with a thermadrone or Italian late. Creole garlics such as creole red, ajo rojo and pescadero red are also good choices for warmer climates. Sans Creek, Carpathian, German Red, Amish and Legacy, which are all rocamboles varieties, are hard to grow in Zones 6 and higher, but thrive in cooler climates.

      We live in a warm southern climate, growing Zone 8; however, we do grow hardneck varieties of garlic. There are several tips and tricks you can do to keep your garlic roots cool.

       

      Planting Garlic

      Your garlic seed will come as a bulb. You will want to separate each garlic bulb into individual cloves. Each clove will grow a new bulb of garlic. Be careful when separating the garlic as you do not want to damage the cloves and you want to keep the papery husk on the cloves.

      Plant the garlic clove 4-6 inches deep, 5″ part, in rows 1.5-2′ apart.

      Be sure you are planting the pointed end of the clove up and the round blunt end down. Cover with soil and water. Garlic cloves don’t need to be watered too often. You just need to make sure that the soil doesn’t get dry. In the winter, the ground will be cold and dry, so you will need to keep the soil moist, but not saturated or else the cloves will rot.

      Mulch your bed, which will not only help with weeds, but will also keep the soil cooler, especially in warm climates. In colder climates, it can prevent the cloves from being heaves out of the ground during a freeze.  It also will conserve soil moisture.

      In the spring, pull the mulch back when the new shoots emerge, but keep the area weeded.

      Did you know you can also plant garlic in a container if you do not have garden space. An 18″ x 12″ container will hold about 6 cloves.

      Planting garlic is one of the most rewarding aspects of gardening and one that will teach you great patience, especially since it will take up to 8 months before you can harvest the fruits of your labor.

      Posted in Uncategorized | 0 Comments
    • Cheesy Poblano Pepper Casserole

      Posted at 7:28 am by turnipcreations, on October 29, 2020

      As the weather starts transitioning to cooler temperatures, I start craving warm & spicy foods. This cheesy poblano casserole hits the spot. A perfect blend of summer flavors with the warmth & spice of fall. With the layers of roasted poblano, seasoned ground beef and cheese, you will be making this again & again!

      This recipe is really a good base for experimenting with different spices and ingredients. For example, if you want to take the heat level up, add some red pepper flakes or for added spice, toss in a dash of smoked paprika. And of course you can always add a can of rotel or green chili’s for added flavor.

      To start, you want to give your poblano peppers a nice char by roasting them. You can achieve this on an open flame such as your grill or gas stove; however, I just pop them in the oven at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes.

      Once you take them out of the oven, pop them into a zip lock bag for a little steam action. This will make it much easier to peel the skin.

      While the peppers are roasting, sauté your chopped onions and garlic in a glug of olive oil, until tender. Add ground beef, cumin and any other spice or ingredient you want and cook until meat is browned. Drain grease.

      Once the peppers steam in the ziplock bag for about 15 minutes, peal the skin, cut in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out.

      Finally assemble the casserole by layering the sliced poblanos in the bottom of a greased 9″ baking pan. Follow that with the ground beef mixture and then cheese; repeat the layers.

      Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned on top. Enjoy with some homemade avocado salad or rice and beans.

       

      Cheesy Poblano Pepper Casserole

      This warm and hearty casserole with layers of poblano peppers, seasoned ground beef and cheese is sure to be a favorite!
      Print Recipe Pin Recipe
      Prep Time 35 mins
      Cook Time 30 mins
      Course Main Course
      Cuisine Mexican
      Servings 4 people

      Ingredients
        

      • 4 Poblano Peppers
      • 1 lb Ground Beef
      • 1 Small Onion, chopped
      • 3 cloves Garlic, mincedd
      • 1 tsp Cumin
      • Salt & Pepper to taste
      • 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
      • 1.5 cups Monterey Jack Cheese Combine the two cheeses together

      Instructions
       

      • Preheat Oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.
      • Wash and dry the peppers; place them on the baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the skin is charred and blacken. You may want to turn the peppers after 10 minutes of cooking.
      • Once roasted, take the peppers out of the oven and transfer to ta zip lock bag, to steam for 15 minutes. This will loosen the skin. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin, slice in halve lengthwise and scrape the seeds out.
      • Turn oven down to 350 degrees.
      • While the peppers are roasting, saute onions and garlic in a glug of olive oil over a medium heat. Once soft, add ground beef, cumin, salt, pepper and any other spices you want. Once the beef is thoroughly cooked, drain grease and return to pan.
      • In a 9" baking dish, spray with a non stick cooking spray. Place four poblano pepper halves on the bottom of the baking dish, then spread half of the beef mixture on top of the peppers and then layer half of your cheese mixture. Repeat the layers once more, peppers, beef then cheese.
      • Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until the cheese is melted and browned.
      • Serve with chips and an avocado salad or with rice and beans.
      Posted in Cook | 0 Comments | Tagged casserole, mexican cuisine, poblano pepper, Recipe
    • 5 Ways to Decorate with Pumpkins

      Posted at 7:56 am by turnipcreations, on October 26, 2020

      Do you ever see those adorable mini pumpkins at the Farmer’s Market and grocery stores and wonder what to do with them besides just sitting them randomly around the house? With all the amazing colors they come in, from pure white to almost black, green, yellow and of course orange, there are so many fabulous ways to decorate with these tiny gourds.

      Of course, you can always paint, embellish or add fun accessories to them, but today we are talking about just using them in their natural state, using items you already have around the house. So, let’s get creative and get to decorating.

      First off, these little guys will last a long time, so don’t be afraid to purchase them early in the season. In fact, we have some from last year that are still looking great. Of course you will have the occasional mini pumpkin that get a bad spot and start to rot; however, for the most part they will last until Thanksgiving even if purchased in September.

      So here we go…5 ways to decorate with Mini Pumpkins!

      1. Fill a Bowl

      For a Farmhouse vibe, choose a vintage crock bowl and fill with white pumpkins. The key to this look is to choose pumpkins that are not bright white. I love the ones with field spots & sugar spots for that perfectly imperfect look.

      By skipping the perfect pumpkins, you really get a warm vintage farmhouse feel.

      2. Fill any Vessel You Can Find

      What is so great about pumpkins, they really can incorporate into any decor. Think outside of the box and choose some unique items to fill. This vintage suitcase is a perfect example. By taking a variety of colors, shapes and sizes and piling them into the body of the suitcase, you create a unique and interesting display.

      So, go on a treasure hunt around you house. Find items that can be filled with pumpkins and bring them out to the front and center of your holiday decor.

      3. Head Outside

      Sure, we all stack and pile pumpkins on the porch for a fabulous Fall feel, but don’t forget about the window boxes and flower pots. By incorporating pumpkins into your seasonal plantings, you can really take the greenery and flowers up a notch with the added pop of color and texture.

      4. Incorporate Mini Pumpkins into Your Existing Decor

      There really is no need to completely pack everything away and move items you love just to decorate for a holiday. Simply incorporate bits and pieces into already displayed decor.

      In our entryway, I have this dough board and acorns displayed year round, but I always add seasonal pieces to it depending on the holiday. Here I simply added green and white pumpkins.

      What are you favorite home decor items in your house? Leave them there and try adding a few pumpkin to create a fabulous holiday vignette. This is a great way to use what you have and transition through the seasons at the same time.

      5. Find a Funky Basket

      This cool basket was picked up at an estate sale and has been incorporated into so many different decor schemes. For a fun & funky vibe, I filled it with different shape, size and colors of pumpkins for an anything goes look.

      Want a more natural feel? Find a pretty wooden basket and add leaves, twigs and neutral colored pumpkins.

      With Halloween and Thanksgiving approaching, it’s the perfect time to add a little seasonal spirit to your decor. And mini pumpkins are an inexpensive yet fun way to do that. Have fun with it and get creative!

      Posted in Decorate | 0 Comments
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      We have shared this tip before…but it’s very relevant right now for us. Bought your onion sets, but can’t get them in the ground right away, either because of time restraints or like us, a winter weather storm?
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