When we think of growing food in a garden, we often think of annual vegetables that grow for just one year, are harvested, and do not automatically grow back the following year. If you want to grow those again, you must plant new seeds. These are known as annuals, or plants that only live for…
Fresh leaf lettuce is one of the easiest and fastest-growing edibles you can plant in your home garden, and even a small area — as little as one square foot — planted with lettuce can provide you with a lot of fresh salad throughout the spring. However, you and your family aren’t the only ones…
One of my daughters often asks me to pack fresh bananas in her school lunch bag. I appreciate that she wants to eat healthy food, but bananas have such a short shelf life. They turn brown on my counter before I know it. My family loves classic banana bread, but sometimes we want something different….
It can be helpful to stock your pantry with some basic supplies that you can generally count on always being there. The following ingredients are common in many recipes ranging from banana muffins to pancakes to spaghetti. Keeping these items around will help on busy nights or during weeks when you haven’t been able to…
Spring is here and it’s time to start thinking about this summer’s vegetable garden. If you’re new to vegetable gardening, you’ll want to select plants that will provide you with some easy success so you’ll be motivated to continue developing your green thumb. Even if you’re an experienced gardener, you’ll still enjoy growing low-maintenance veggies….
I got the recipe for these Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins a few years ago from the blog Mumbling Mommy. Since then, they’ve become a family favorite and I’ve made them many times. They’re a nice way to use overripe bananas when we don’t feel like making yet another loaf of banana bread. These muffins are…
Several years ago, my husband and I built some simple untreated cedar raised garden beds for our backyard. They are four feet by two feet across, and 10 to 12 inches deep. They fit nicely against our cedar privacy fence. I got basic, easy building directions from the book Square Foot Gardening. Last spring, I…
Vegetables belong only in back yard gardens, right? Maybe not. Depending on where you live, some cities or homeowners associations do not allow food to be grown in front yards. Yet it’s becoming more common in many areas to see home owners making use of all of their real estate for garden edibles, and not…
“Hey, pretty girl. How you doin’?” The day last fall when an unfamiliar man said those words to me was one of the last times I went for a walk alone for exercise in my neighborhood. The Back Story: I wrote here a few months ago about how I walked for exercise almost daily for…
This taco soup is a great alternative to chili, and it’s a warm and hearty meal on a cool day. This recipe was passed down by a family member, and I’ve made some adjustments to make it my own. It’s a versatile. You can omit beans or corn if you don’t like them, substitute the…
