Growing Tomatoes Part 3: Common Problems & Natural Solutions

  Growing Tomatoes: Common Problems and How to Handle Them Growing your own food can be fun, educational, and very rewarding. Tomato plants seem to be among the most popular to grow in that regard. Unfortunately, tomato plants can develop a myriad of different diseases and problems, although I find that despite a few issues now and again I am usually able to harvest loads of deliciousness! Even though a lot of things can go wrong in a home garden, there is also a lot you can do, and naturally so, to prevent or handle diseases, bugs, and disorders. In this post I will focus on a few common conditions on tomato plants that I have personally experienced, and what I have found to be helpful in that regard. I will not go into every disease and pest problem that can occur as I am a hobby gardener only, so I will leave it up to the experts to help you with the rest.   Tomato Hornworms  These beautiful (or creepy!) worms are a very common pest in the United States. They can do significant damage if you do nothing to prevent them or get rid of them as they find their way to your plants. If left alone to feast, they will consume the majority of plants and tomatoes, growing several inches long. That’s what happened to my plants years ago as I didn’t even know they existed! There […] Read more »

How to Make and Bake Norwegian Lefse

    Lefse is a food very much associated with Norway. With fond memories of their old traditions and culture, people with Norwegian heritage often love to bake lefse and feel the nostalgia of years past, especially during Christmas. In Norway, this dish is also served during other holidays, or any special occasion. In this post I will share details on how lefse baking is done, along with lots of pictures of the process and two different recipes on the very bottom of this page. The Askeladden Lodge of the Norwegain-American organization Sons of Norway, holds a popular, annual event called “The Lefse Party“. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, winters can get mighty cold and snowy, so this is a perfect time to get together to bake lefse! Members who have lefse griddles and other equipment bring it along, and everyone enjoys this fun time of teaching and learning while lefse dough is rolled, flipped, and baked. Then, finally comes the time to add toppings and enjoy a splendid meal together! Visitors and new members are always very welcomed at Askeladden Lodge, and to any of the many lodges across the country. Locations and more information can be found by clicking the Link to Sons of Norway, and the Link to Askeladden Lodge of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Askeladden Lodge can also be found on facebook. The generous members of Askeladden Lodge were so kind to let me shoot photos and learn from them […] Read more »

Tasty, Cheesy White Chili Recipe with Chicken

    I originally tasted this wonderful chili at an outdoor youth event with our church. This was during the month of October, and where we live it can easily get cold this time of year. This evening was chilly indeed, so chili was the perfect food to keep us warm! There were several pots of chili served, all from different recipes, and though all of them were tasty, this one by Tamie was by far my favorite! When I inquired about the recipe, I was given a link to the Taste of Home website. That same fall, with a few minor changes to the original recipe, I made a huge crock pot for my husband’s workplace as they were having a chili contest, and I gave him a big bag of shredded cheese to serve along with it. The cheese was to be used as a topping, of course. Instead he dumped the entire bag right into the pot, stirred it up, and wouldn’t you know, he came home with a trophy! Wow, first place!! This was now an award-winning recipe! I asked how many had entered, thinking maybe there were 40-50 or so, and it turned out there were around 8 other pots… So yeah, we got first place out of 8! Wow, pretty cool, huh? Well, at least people enjoyed it, so I’ll take that to heart. And we had a cool trophy to look at for […] Read more »

Moist Sour Cream Banana Bread Recipe

  Banana bread has been a staple recipe in households across America for generations. Most recipes seem to be pretty similar to each other, and I find that they often are fairly bland. And there’s really no reason for a bland result. It is so easy to make a banana bread packed with flavor and moist at the same time! After monkeying around with my original recipe, which was already a good one, I made changes to use real butter, brown sugar, more salt, extra vanilla, sour cream, and more. The result has been outstanding! There is of course another major difference between most banana bread recipes: they come with or without nuts. Why some people choose to add nuts I will never understand. And of course, those same people cannot fathom that I would make mine without! Even so, nuts can be added easily and is optional in this recipe. The resulting loaves are very moist and delicious with all these special ingredients to bring out the flavors. If you do try this recipe, I would really appreciate a quick comment with a star rating (option found immediately under each recipe). It helps me out tremendously! Thanks in advance!   Moist Sour Cream Banana Bread Recipe To start out, use an electric mixer (or just a spoon) to beat together softened butter, brown and white sugar, and eggs. There’s no need to beat hard, just blend together well. (Use dark […] Read more »

Cedar Point Amusement Park, Roller Coaster Reviews

    Reviews, Cedar Point In this post I will review some of the roller coasters and other rides I’ve been on at the amusement park Cedar Point, Ohio. The first time I visited Cedar Point was in 1991. Magnum was the huge, thrilling new ride that attracted people from afar, mainly because of its huge first drop. Well, a lot has changed since then. Magnum is still a big attraction at Cedar Point, but a lot more rides have been added since then. I have never been a frequent visitor, mostly because I’ve been too busy being a mom. But now that my kids are teenagers, I have been able to go again a couple of times in the last few years. When reading my comments on each ride, just keep in mind that I like huge coasters and it takes a bit to give me a thrill. So if your family is rather reluctant of big rides, know where I’m coming from; if I say it’s not scary, it may be scary for someone else! I mainly go on the big rides, as I find the smaller ones mostly annoying. So I won’t comment on those. Rides and Roller Coasters Gate Keeper: This is a newer roller coaster located at the very entrance of the park. Made from steel, an extremely smooth ride, no jerking. Very comfortable. Some find this a scary and thrilling ride, while I really […] Read more »

Thanksgiving Simplified; Easy, Delicious Turkey Dinner

Hosting is fun and rewarding on so many levels, and spending time with family is very high on my list of things I love. Our family celebrates Thanksgiving the traditional way, with the whole family gathered and eating turkey with lots of sides. It really can be quite an undertaking though, both to prepare the food and to clean up afterward, even with lots of help. This year I decided to make some changes and to do in advance everything that I could. My goal was less stress during food preparation and less dishes to clean afterward, but still serving the wonderful turkey dinner my family has come to love so much. Simplify, simplify. Here’s what I came up with: The week before Thanksgiving: Turkey: (Here’s a link to how I slow-roast my turkeys) For the turkey, I baked it the week before, then carved it, saved the drippings, and cooked stock on the bones for yummy, delicious soup later (Turkey Stock). I put the meat into two 9×13 aluminum pans; white meat in one, and dark in another, covered them well with foil and plastic, then placed them in the freezer. I also saved a cup of drippings for each pan to use during heating.  See below for heating and serving. Gravy: I made gravy ahead of time as soon as the turkey was done cooking. I used turkey drippings, some potato broth, corn starch (instead of flour to […] Read more »

Growing Tomatoes Part 2: Transplanting Outdoors & Care

Growing Tomatoes; Transplanting Outdoors & General Care After seeding inside, then transplanting tiny seedlings to larger pots to grow and develop, the time will eventually come when the plants will need to move outside. In this post, based on my personal experience (I am a hobby gardener and not a professional), I will show you how to get your tomato plants ready for the outdoors and how to further care for them. In my previous post, Growing Tomatoes Part 1: Seeding & Transplanting Seedlings, I went through the process of seeding and caring for tomato sprouts. Growing Tomatoes Part 3: Common Problems & Solutions is also worth reading to keep you a step ahead, preventing disease. Once tomato sprouts have reached a certain size, such as in the picture below, they will take off and grow very quickly; several inches a week is not uncommon. Tomato plants crave direct sun and warmth all day long and they will also absorb a lot of water. I often water twice a day at this stage, with holes on the bottom of the cups to allow drainage.  May 1: May 6: If you have extra plants on hand to share with friends and family, this is a good time to pass them along. Preparing for Transplanting Outdoors: Weathering Once the weather has warmed up sufficiently and the danger of night frost has just about passed, it is time to “weather” your plants in […] Read more »

Growing Tomatoes Part 1: Seeding & Transplanting Seedlings

    Growing Tomato Plants from Seed Growing plants from seed can be a very rewarding and fun experience when you start with just a few, basic know-how’s. I have seeded everything from broccoli, peppers, and watermelon, to beans and much more. And, of course, lots of tomatoes! In this post I will use pictures to show you what to do to plant tomato seeds, how to care for the tiny seedlings, and also how to transplant them when the time is right. The first time I seeded anything at all, more than a decade ago, was a complete flop. Since then, I have learned just how easy it can be and have grown to really love seeding my own plants. My absolute biggest mistake in the very beginning was to put the newly seeded trays away from where I could see them, in order to also keep them away from my cute little toddlers. The problem was that since I didn’t see them, I forgot about them (the trays, not my toddlers! Ha!) and didn’t water the seedlings often enough. When I did water, I didn’t realize just how fragile these tiny plants were, and knocked them over while watering from a watering can that was far too forceful for them. The poor little plants didn’t stand a chance and quickly gave up. And so did I. I did not believe I had it in me to grow anything […] Read more »

Savory & Tender Fall Apart Pot Roast, Recipe

    Savory & Tender Fall Apart Pot Roast To make an excellent, fall-apart tender pot roast, choose a 2-3 pound piece of chuck roast. This particular cut of beef is marbled with a lot of fat and connective tissues and is initially quite tough, but becomes very juicy and fork tender if cooked the right way. The fat also adds a lot of flavor! Contrary to an already lean and tender piece of meat, which needs a shorter cooking time and dry, high heat, a chuck roast needs to cook for several hours in moist heat.  In other words, low & slow to break down fat and tenderize the meat for that fall-apart doneness a good pot roast is known for. The result is juicy, tender meat that melts in your mouth! Various recipes of herbs and spices can be used with this cooking method, and personally I love to use my crock pot to slow cook this wonderful, savory meat. If you do try this recipe, I would really appreciate a quick comment with a star rating (option found immediately under each recipe). It helps me out tremendously! Thanks in advance! Cooking the Meat The first thing you should do as you prepare to cook a pot roast is to sear it on all sides. Fry the meat in oil on high heat until browned all over. This time I cut my roast into serving pieces, but it […] Read more »

Rich Homestead Sour Cream Ham & Potato Soup Recipe

Sour Cream Ham & Potato Soup One of my favorite soup recipes of all times, Sour Cream Ham & Potato Soup, is incredibly rich in flavors with no skimping on the good stuff! The base of the soup is stock from simmering a ham bone ahead of time, for hours on end. Straining the stock, then adding potatoes, vegetables, and loads of leftover ham, and a bit of heavy cream and sour cream at the very end, you’ll find yourself enjoying a soup unlike any other. Many soups use canned broth from the grocery store as a base, which is quite inferior to stock made at home. Homemade stock made by simmering a bone most of the day, is rich in flavors and dense in nutrients such as gelatin, calcium, magnesium, condroitin, glucosamine and more,  as explained so nicely in the article Broth is Beautiful, by Sally Fallon. When originally searching for ham soup recipes on-line, I found mostly recipes with lots of beans, which did not appeal to me. It just wasn’t what I was looking for. I ended up using my own ideas and mixing up ingredients I thought would fit well with the soup, also adding cream and sour cream at the very end as suggested  by Paula Dean in her recipe. I was so happy with the results that I couldn’t wait to make it again, wishing I had purchased more than just one bone-in-ham during […] Read more »