Monthly Archives: November 2013

Green Tomato Primer

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Green tomatoes are usually seen at the beginning and the end of tomato season.  Sometimes they get harvested at the beginning when you just can’t wait another minute to have a tomato, and when the weatherman announces the first frost of the year, the rest of the harvest comes inside in a hurry.

If it’s been a good year, that leaves you with lots of tart green balls; some may continue to ripen, but they usually don’t have the depth of flavor and sweetness of those that finish on the vine.  But it’s a pity to compost all that hard work and potential goodness.  So what do you do?

Above: 13 cups of green tomatoes were harvested for Green Tomato Recipes. The ripe tomatoes were eaten.

Above: 13 cups of green tomatoes were harvested for Green Tomato Recipes. The ripe tomatoes were eaten.

This primer will hopefully help you better understand your green harvest and give you some ideas – along with some recipes – to help you use it all up deliciously! Green tomatoes are tart and hard.  If you have green cherry tomatoes, you may even find them a little bitter (I think that’s from the greater amount of skin to pulp than you have on a larger tomato.)  To mellow the flavor of the tomato, you could cut, dice or slice it (you want to expose the interior), salt it, cover it and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.  The next day (or the day after that) when you go to use it, drain and rinse it, and it will still be tart, but it won’t turn your face inside out. Green tomatoes can be substituted reasonably easily in recipes that call for:

  • tart apple
  • lemon
  • kumquat
  • tamarind
  • fresh cranberries

Cherry green tomatoes would work especially well as substitutes for kumquats and cranberries if the shape is important.  So if you already have a recipe you enjoy that uses one of these ingredients, go ahead and substitute green tomatoes for it! Below is a list of flavors that would complement green tomatoes, if you enjoy improvising:

  • almonds
  • walnuts
  • hazelnut
  • coconut
  • coconut cream
  • sesame oil
  • balsamic vinegar
  • tea
  • vanilla
  • rose water
  • ginger
  • sugar (brown, white)
  • thyme
  • rosemary
  • coriander
  • allspice
  • cardamom
  • cloves
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg
  • mustard
  • caraway
  • bay leaf
  • chile pepper
  • garlic
  • onion
  • bitter greens
  • corn
  • butter
  • cheese (ricotta, parmesean, cream)
  • chicken
  • turkey
  • duck
  • beef
  • game (venison)

A flavor combination:

  • beef + coconut milk + green tomato 

Other recipe ideas:

  • cornbread with green tomatoes and jalapenos
  • almond thumbprint cookies with candied green tomatoes (or green tomato jam)
  • coconut pie/tart crust with a green tomato filling
  • green tomato jam and coconut milk in your favorite vanilla ice cream recipe (substitute the coconut milk for some or all of the milk and cream)
  • dehydrate and powder the tomatoes to add to any recipe for a little extra tartness
  • added to soups or stews
  • the classic: fried green tomatoes! 

The following recipes were designed for a small batch of green cherry tomatoes, where 1 cup weighed approximately 5 ounces.

Above: Green Tomato Recipe Sampling at The Demonstration Garden

Above: Green Tomato Recipe Sampling at The Demonstration Garden

If your tomatoes are full-sized, you may choose to dice or slice them, and in addition, you have the option of peeling the skins to reduce the acidity, and some of the bitterness.

Hungry for Lila  Rose’s Green Tomato Recipes? Click Here.

Lila Rose

Pictures by Starla

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Basil Harvest

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Today at the garden we harvested buckets full of sweet basil.  With winter’s chill at our doorstep it’s the perfect time to fill our freezers with basil pesto. Basil Harvest

 Here is  Classic Pesto hidden in our Tomato Tart Recipe!

Basil ready for the freezer

Before bedtime and  the freeze tomorrow, review

 Basic Facts About Basil Here!

Sweet Dreams, I will be dreaming about basil and hope you will, too!

Linda

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Layered Pumpkin Pie in a Jar

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

imageLayered Pumpkin Pie in a Jar

Ingredients:

For the graham cracker crust layer:

1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

For the whippy cream cheese layer and finishing dollop of sweetened whipped cream:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the pumpkin layer:

1 cup milk

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pre-spiced pumpkin pie filling)

2 packages (4-serving size) Jell-O vanilla flavor instant pudding and pie filling

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Optional:  semi-sweet chocolate shavings to sprinkle over the top image Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the mixing bowl and beaters for beating the cream into the freezer to chill.

For the graham cracker crust layer:

1. Stir together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Then add the melted butter and stir until evenly moistened.  Spread mixture in a 9” x 13” pan and bake for 5 minutes.  Stir and bake for another minute or two, or until crumbs are fragrant and nicely browned.  Be careful not to burn.  Remove from oven and let cool completely while you prepare the other pie layers.

For the whippy cream cheese layer and finishing dollop of sweetened cream: 1. Using your chilled bowl and beater, whip the cream until stiff.  Add the powdered sugar and beat just to combine.  Remove sweetened whipped cream to another bowl and set it in the refrigerator.  Add the cream cheese to the same chilled bowl and cream until very smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Blend in vanilla.  Now add half of the sweetened whipped cream back into the chilled bowl with the cream cheese, gently folding to thoroughly combine.  Place the bowl of whippy cream cheese and the remaining half of the sweetened whipped cream back into the refrigerator to stay chilled.

For the pumpkin layer:

1. Pour the milk into a large bowl.  Add the pumpkin, pudding mixes, and spices.  Beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes, or until very well blended.  The mixture should be quite thick.

2. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip (ex. Ateco No. 808) with the whippy cream cheese mixture.  Pipe a layer of this mixture onto the bottom of a jar, starting at the perimeter of the jar and working to the center.  Lightly tap the jar on a towel (so jar doesn’t break) on the counter, to settle the mixture in.  Repeat this step with the rest of the jars.

3. Sprinkle the whippy cream cheese layer with 2 tablespoons of baked graham cracker crumbs.  Lightly tap the jar again to even out the crumbs.  Repeat with the rest of the jars.

4. Using the same large plain round tip, fill another pastry bag with the pumpkin pudding mixture.  Pipe this mixture onto graham cracker crust layer, in the same manner as the first whippy cream cheese layer.  Lightly tap again and repeat with the rest of the jars.

5. Add a dollop of the reserved sweetened whippy cream (without the added cream cheese) to the top of each pie with a spoon, or pipe a more refined swirl using the same large plain round tip.  Finish with a sprinkling of graham cracker crust and chocolate shavings, if desired. image *If transporting jars with their lids screwed on, allow for whipping cream not to get smashed when lid is added.

*These jars of pie can easily be made the day prior to serving. Better if chilled overnight.

Yield: 10 to 12 jars of pie

Linda

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Caramel Apple Layer Cake with Apple Cider Frosting

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

And for the grand finale, guests were tempted with two dessert choices; Caramel Apple Layer Cake with Apple Cider Frosting (made with homemade caramel sauce) or Layered Pumpkin Pie in a Jar.

Which would it be?  It was overheard that some guests had a difficult time deciding and were “forced” to sample both.

Could that be true?  We’ll never tell!

image

Caramel Apple Layer Cake with Apple Cider Frosting

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups light brown sugar

¾ cup canola oil

¾ cup unsweetened applesauce

¾ cup caramel sauce (homemade or jarred)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 ½ cups buttermilk

Ingredients for Apple Cider Frosting:

7 ½ -8 cups confectioners’ sugar (to desired consistency)

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, softened

½ cup apple cider or apple juice

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two (8 or 9 inch) round cake pans and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.  In a second large bowl, beat sugar and oil together with an electric mixer until well combined, about 30 seconds.  Add applesauce, caramel and vanilla, beat for 30 seconds, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk, and continuing to beat until well combined.

3. Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle of each cake comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.  Set aside to let cool for 10 minutes, then gently loosen cakes and turn out onto a cooking rack; set aside to let cool completely.

4. For the frosting, put sugar, butter, cider, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Arrange one cake on a large plate and spread about 1 cup of the frosting evenly over the top.  Arrange second cake on top then frost top and sides of entire cake with remaining frosting.  Set aside at room temperature or in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow frosting to set before serving.

Yield: Makes a tall 2-layer, 8-9 inch round cake

Caramel Sauce 

Ingredients:

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup butter, divided

½ cup light corn syrup

2 tablespoons heavy cream

½ teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a small heavy, non-aluminum saucepan, combine brown sugar and ¼ cup butter.  Bring to boil over moderate heat.  Whisk in the corn syrup, cream, vanilla and salt.

2. Reduce the heat to moderately low, and boil gently for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in the remaining ¼ cup butter.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: About 1 ½ cups

*This keeps well in a covered jar in the refrigerator for up to 4 months. 

Linda

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Skillet Fried Corn

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

 Grandmother insisted on Silver Queen corn, always cooked it in a cast iron skillet and, yes, added 1 stick of butter.  Changes are not welcome here!Skillet Corn

Ingredients:

12 ears of corn, preferably super sweet “Silver Queen”

8 slices bacon

½ cup (1 stick) butter

2 to 4 tablespoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of the corn

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Harvest Lunch Including Skillet Fried Corn served on a bamboo plate.

Harvest Lunch Including Skillet Fried Corn served on a bamboo plate.

Directions:

1. Cut the kernels from the cobs into a large bowl.  Scrape off the remaining pulp and juice with a knife adding to the corn kernels.

2. Cook the bacon in a large cast iron skillet until crisp.  Remove to paper towels to drain; crumble.  Remove all but ¼ cup of the bacon drippings from the skillet.

3. Add the corn, butter, sugar, salt and pepper to the skillet.  Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

4. Spoon mixture into a serving dish and top with the crumbled bacon.

Yield: 12 servings

Linda

Tomorrow we will post the Harvest Lunch dessert recipes.

For all the Harvest Lunch Recipes and others, go to Garden Recipes.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

Posted on November 7, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Last Tuesday, you would have found Dallas County Master Gardeners on Joe Field Road busy preparing our first and (will be repeated) ” farm to table” lunch.

image

Craving just the right salad for your own fall feast? Here is our recipe for roasted butternut squash salad with the,oh so good, warm vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

1 (1 ½-pound) butternut squash, peeled and ¾-inch diced

Good olive oil

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons dried cranberries

¾ cup apple cider or apple juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry

¼ cup walnut halves, lightly toasted

¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

image

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place the squash on a sheet pan.  Add 2 tablespoon olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and toss.

3. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender.  Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

4. While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about ¼ cup.  Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.

5. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan.  Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten, and toss well.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Linda

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Another Sign of Fall

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Many people associate the arrival of fall by the appearance of red, gold, and yellow leaves on trees or seeing groups of pumpkins suddenly pop up on people’s front porches.  However for those of us who have native trees/shrubs, fall also means seeing the clusters of purple berries on our American Beautyberry.

Callicarpa americana

Callicarpa americana

American Beautyberry grows best in partial sun and often used as an understory tree.  Found growing wild in East Texas thickets, this deciduous, 4-6 foot shrub or small tree has small, unspectacular greenish-white flowers in the spring, but is known for its showy clusters of purple berries in the fall.

It prefers moist soils but can be grown in the sun with supplemental watering; and it is tolerant of various soil types.  Aggie-Horticulture suggests pruning its long, arching branches back by 1/2 in the winter if a more compact shrub is desired.  Most Beautyberries have purple berry clusters; however there is a white-berried variety, C. americana var. lactea.  The Demonstration Garden grows a Mexican variety called Callicarpa acuminate ‘Texas Maroon”  which has maroon berries.

Callicarpa acuminate ‘Texas Maroon”

Callicarpa acuminate ‘Texas Maroon”

There is some controversy about whether the berries are toxic to humans.  Several sites say that unripe berries should never be eaten.  Native Americans used the roots of Beautyberry as a diuretic, the leaves for dropsy, and a tea made from the roots and berries for colic.  The leaves and roots were used in sweat baths for the treatment of malaria, rheumatism and fevers.  The leaves themselves can be rubbed on the skin as an external mosquito repellent.  Some sites however, including Aggie-Horticulture  say that jelly made from ripe Beautyberries is excellent.  However, as with many plants that are foraged from the wild, “diner beware.”

There is no controversy however that ripe Beautyberries are one of wildlife’s favorite foods.  In my own yard, I only able to enjoy seeing the ripe purple berries for about a week before the mockingbirds have eaten every berry off of my large tree.  Green Dean, who writes about foraging for wild edibles, reports that the Beautyberry is a squirrel’s version of take out.  Other birds that enjoy eating the berries are robins, catbirds, cardinals, mockingbirds, brown thrashers, and finches.

So, if you want a shrub/small tree that will provide fall color and feed the wildlife (and perhaps you too), think about planting an American Beautyberry.  You won’t be disappointed.

Carolyn

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A Mess of Peas with Spicy Chow Chow

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

A “Mess of Peas”

imageIngredients:

1 quart water

1 (8- to 10-ounce) smoked ham hock

8 cups fresh field peas

4 to 6 hot peppers in vinegar, drained

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Bring 1 quart water and smoked ham hock to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes.

2. Stir in peas and remaining ingredients; cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until peas are done.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

ChowChow

image

Ingredients:

5 green bell peppers

5 red bell peppers

2 large green tomatoes

2 large onions

½ small cabbage

¼ cup pickling salt

3 cups sugar

2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)

1 cup water

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 ½ teaspoons celery seeds

¾ teaspoon turmeric

Directions:

1. Chop first 5 ingredients.

2. Stir together chopped vegetables and salt in a large Dutch oven.  Cover and chill 8 hours.  Rinse and drain; return mixture to Dutch oven.  Stir in sugar and remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes.

3. Pack hot mixture into hot jars, filling to ½ inch from top.  Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims.  Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands.

4. Process in boiling-water bath 15 minutes.

Yield: 5 ½ pints

Linda

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Southern Corn Bread with Tomato Jam

Posted on November 2, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Here’s a “how to” on transforming basic buttermilk cornbread into something divine. Spread it with amazingly delicious Tomato Jam prepared by Sarah and Jackie or Honey-Thyme Butter with the thyme added straight from our garden.

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Ingredients: 2 tablespoon vegetable shortening or bacon drippings 1 ½ cups Aunt JEMIMA Enriched White Corn Meal 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 cups buttermilk 1 egg Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2. Place shortening or drippings in a 9-inch skillet with ovenproof handle or 8-inch square baking pan. 3. Place in oven about 3 minutes.  Skillet will be very hot when shortening is melted. 4. While skillet is heating, in large bowl combine corn meal, flour, salt and baking soda; add buttermilk and egg, mixing well. 5. Pour batter into hot prepared skillet. 6. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until surface cracks and edges are light golden brown and pull away from side of pan. Yield: 8 servings Variation: Muffins – Pour corn bread batter into well-greased muffin cups.  Bake in preheated 425 degrees oven 15 to 18 minutes, light golden brown. Yield: 12 muffins Tomato Jam image Ingredients: 5 pounds tomatoes,finely chopped 3 ½ cups sugar 8 tablespoons lime juice 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon red chili flakes Directions: 1. Combine all ingredients in a large, non-reactive pot.  Bring to a boil and then reduce temperature to a simmer.  Stirring regularly, simmer the jam until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess.  This will take between 1 to 1 ½ hours, depending on how high you keep your heat. 2.  When the jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove from heat and fill jars, leaving ¼ inch of head space.  Wipe rims, apply lids and twist on rings.  Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes. 3.  When time is up, remove jars from water bath and allow them to cool.  When jars are cool enough to handle, test seals.  Store jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Yield: 3 – 5 pints, depending on tomatoes and how much you cook it down. Linda

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Harvest Lunch Grilled Vegetables

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Dallas Garden Buzz

image

Grilling these fresh vegetables couldn’t be easier!

Ingredients:

Fresh vegetables of your choice (zucchini, onions, tomatoes, yellow squash, red peppers, and green peppers)

Olive oil

1 (1 ounce) packet dry Italian dressing mix

Directions:

1.  Wash and dry all your vegetables.  Cut into large bite-size pieces.

2.  Take two pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil that are each about 20” long.

Lay one on top of the other perpendicularly, so that they make an “X”.

3.  Fold up all the edges so that you create a little “bowl” shape.

4.  Place chopped vegetables in the aluminum foil bowl and spread them out.  Try to have just a single layer of vegetables, if possible; or make 2 or 3 “bowls” so that all the vegetables are evenly cooked.

5.  Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil (just a couple of tablespoons, depending on how many vegetables you use) and pour the powdered dressing mix on top of the vegetables.  Mix all together until the vegetables are evenly covered with oil and dressing mix.

6.  Place the foil bowl of vegetables on a grill on medium heat.  Grill for 10-15 minutes

(depending on how “crunchy” you like them to be), stirring occasionally to make sure they are all cooking evenly.

7.  Remove from grill when finished and enjoy!

Linda

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