Okra

 Here is an easy plant to grow in the summer.  Okra.  They need barely any help in their growth.  I've saved a couple of okra pods each year.  Dried them out.  Then replanted the next year.  It's the crop that keeps on giving.  

They don't need any staking like you would do for tomato plants. Recently a tropical storm blew threw here and I came out the next morning to find them standing tall and proud.  

Once the okra plant has matured, it grows a beautiful yellow flower. Capture it's picture as fast as you see it, because tomorrow it won't be here.  It lasts for a day.  The okra grows right behind the flower.  You can eat the flowers in salads, or stuff and fry them like you would with zucchini flowers.  But if you leave them alone, a little okra will soon be on your dinner plate.  Even the leaves are edible. They are perfect to throw in soup or stew and will help to thicken up it up.

If you decide to let the okra grow instead of eating the flowers, cut them when they are small.  2-3 inches is the best size for eating since that is when they are so tender.  I like to snack on them raw when they are this size.  You can cut them up for soup or frying or even freeze them for later.  Or if you want to try something different, dry the sliced okra and save it for tea.  The seeds if dried by themselves can be pulverized in a coffee grinder and used to make a "coffee".  It's decaffeinated of course, but great for an evening drink.

Whatever you do with your okra, remember to save a couple of mature pods.  Dry them out and save them for next year's crop.

How do you eat okra?  I'd love to hear your recipe's.  Leave me a message below!!!

Easy homemade cheese

Did you ever purchase something you already had?  That's me.  I had 1/2 a gallon of milk in the fridge and purchased another gallon.  There was nothing wrong with the first one.  I know there are many things I could cook with the extra milk, but I wanted to do something besides another batch of macaroni and cheese.  Oh... that did sound good didn't it?  I digress.  I decided to make cheese.  Cheese!

It was so easy.  First I set up a colander with a couple of sheets of paper towels inside and placed it in the sink.   To make the cheese all I did was heat up milk to just shy of boiling, and stirring all the way so that I didn't burn the bottom.  Then I poured in white vinegar.  I wasn't sure how much to add, but then it became obvious.  Everything separated.  The curds (white clumps) all pulled away from the whey (the liquid remaining).  I was able to take a slotted spoon and strain out the curds which I placed in the colander for additional draining.  Next I sprinkled in some salt, and squished everything together.  It tastes so GOOD!  Kind of sweet, and soft, and still warm.  I can see doing all kinds of things with this cheese.  I could add seasoning, herbs, I bet garlic salt would be fabulous.  I'm making this again.  Here is what it looks like:

Grow your own salad fixin's

Have you ever gone to make a salad, and said to yourself, "self, I would love to throw some sprouts in here."  But alas, you didn't have any.  Did you know you can grow them yourself?  I just finished eating a batch I grew in the kitchen, that's why I got to thinking.  Maybe you would like to know how easy this is.  Two of my favorites are Alfalfa and Mung Bean.  You can get the seeds just about anywhere online, or take a swing down to Whole Foods.  The packets may seem small, but they really do last.  Then get yourself a flat little container with a lid.  I used the container from the last time I bought sushi.  It fit all the requirements and the lid was see-through.  Which is great, because I'm nosy.  I've just got to see what's happening in there.

Now there are many ways of doing this, but one easy way I found was cut a paper towel to fit inside your container.  Spritz it down with water and sprinkle about a tablespoon of your seeds over the towel, with even coverage.  Spritz again.  Put the lid on and wait. A couple times a day your going to swish some water in there and dump it out.  GENTLY!  You don't want to wash the seeds down the drain.  When the seeds sprout leave the cover off and continue to rinse until they are about two inches long.    At this point, they are crunchy and they wear the hulls like little hats.  That's normal.  Rinse again and eat.  If you have any left-overs, put them in the fridge.  And don't eat them if they are brown, slimy, or have a smell.  Yuk!  Just the thought.  But I'm sure you will eat these up before it even comes to that point.  I have now saved you a trip to the store.  Happy?