KinderGARDENS R is for Roasted Cucumber

We have a lot of cucumbers. Even with a case of wilt we still have a few left from our vines. You can see how sad our cucumber tree looks now. We also have some cucumbers from our CSA though Genuine Faux Farms.

Ryan and I went to Art House Cafe and talked with our friend Dan Ankrum, we needed ideas.

Ryan decided on his own creation - Cucumber Marinade

4 cups of skinned cubed cucumbers

1 large onion

Pealed bulb of garlic

Peach Honey

Canning salt

1) Grind to separate the water from the pulp, keep both.

2) Start reducing the water, put wet pulp in roaster pan (add back some water if too dry)

3) Cover with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of peach honey, and a table spoon of salt.

4) Roast pulp until browned on top, add to water and reduce.

5) Let cool, mix in blender, grind again to separate seeds from sauce (I covered the end of the grinder with a spoon to shove all the good liquid through and end up with a very dry pulp (seeds) that I threw out.)

6) Can the sauce into (12) 4 oz. jelly jars.

7) Water bath for 10 minutes.

8) Let jars sit in canner 5 minutes or your juice will get everywhere and you won’t seal well.

9) Take out and put on a towel for 24 hours. Don’t move the jars or tighten the rings as this may mess up the seal.

10) It is doesn’t set in 24 hours refrigerate and use in 3 weeks or reprocess with a new lid. Clean jars, label and store in a cool dark place for a year.

Wordless Wednesday

KinderGARDENS Q is for Quantity

Here is what is growing well:

• Cucumbers - 4 batches of pickles and relish worth
• Okra - Just starting to grow and they look good
• Beans - Pinto and Cow which are drying out on the bush now
• Corn that is trying to stand up under the weight of the beans
• Tomatoes - lots of varieties weaving in and out of each other

Here is what did ok, meaning we harvested at least some tiny thing and ate it:

• Onions - none bigger than a 50 cent bouncy ball
• Garlic - small cloves this year
• Lettuce - 1 of 3 plots produced
• Beans - Purple and white which are strangling our corn
• Paris Carrot - I ate one the size of a marble

Here is what came up but didn't do anything:

• Chives
• Rainbow Carrots
• Parsnips

Here is what we know we planted but there are no signs of it now:

• Peace Pipe
• Leeks
• Radish