November 12, 2023- more of the same

 There was not much to write about in the garden the week. That is related to the fact I did not spend much time there this week. We are just too busy at the office. To maintain my balance I need to do better.

Other than mentioning that the Sycamore leaeves are everywhere, there are a few things to tell you about.

Scott and I got the 1000 aconite planted. It is mostly in the front parkway. It was mostly Scott. He planted the last 700. He had a tool.

I am learning the watering schedule for the indoor plants. We are growing some lettuce which was started in August and has been limping along. It actualy needs watering every 2-3 day.

It seems like I have  more cattleyas this fall. Why am I surprised. This was this past Februrary.

One bloomed in October. This one will bloom by Thanksgiving. There is a third that is just starting to show a bud.

The Kale continues to be good. It has such wonderful patterns.

We had the first winter's farmer' market last Sunday, at the Fairground. The violet lady was there.

This violet came home with us. It is named "Amour Elite Standard." 

The picture could be in the contest, which is just around the corner. By my self imposed rule, it will have to wait for the first flowers that were not already in bloom when I brough it home.

I hope to launch this year's contest in one of the last Sunday's of the month.

Julia's recipe

one pot macaroni and cheese and sausage and kale

This recipe is from the NYT which identified it as an update of Hamburger Helper, damning with faint praise. I don't remember ever making hamburger helper but I do remember making tofu helper, in the early 1990's. We were being thrifty, and they sold boxes of tofu helper, near the case with the firm tofu, at the Co-op. To the best of my recollection, the children would eat it. This recipe is pretty thrifty, and it is undoubtedly better tasting and better for you than stuff from a box, whetherhelping hamburger or tofu. Pretty fast too.  

The ingredients:

1 lb. Italian susage;

1/2 big bag of frozen chopped kale;

1 lb. big shell pasta;

2 tablespoons tomato paste;

1/2 cup diced onion;

1-1/2 teaspoon smushed garlic;

2 tablespoons better than bouillon to        make 6 cups of broth;

2 cups (8 oz) sharp cheddar cheese;

1/4 teaspoon or more red peppper              flakes;

1-1/2 teaspoon sriracha or other hot           sauce;

some salt; and

maybe some oil (not pictured).

 

I started by browning the meat in the pot I would eventually serve from.

My Italian sausage was lean. Not a bad thing, but it did mean that later on in the cooking I needed to add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to keep everything moving (i.e., not sticking).

When the meat was no longer pink, I added the frozen kale. I have come to think that it is usually a waste of time (and another pan) to cook separetely vegetable that can cook with the rest of the ingredients. Like frozen vegetables. 

While the kale was cooking (all this time on medium high) and the inevitable water steaming off, I diced the onion and smushed the garlic and took the lid off the can of tomato paste. 

When the kale was softened and the pot looked dry (i.e., no kale water), I added the onions. 

I needed to add a bit of oil, and stirred stuff around.

Next I shoved everything off to one side, added a bit more oil and then added the garlic and tomato paste. I cooked these for maybe 2 minutes until I could smell the garlic and the tomato paste looked a bit darker.

Next I added and stirred in the better than bouillon. I did not add alt at this point, given the seasoning in the sausage and the salt in the bouillon.

But I did add the red pepper flakes and stirred.

I added the 6 cups of water.....

followed by the box of macaroni shells. More stirring.

The aforementioned stirring.

I brought the stuff to a boil, turned the heat down to achieve a simmer and covered the pot. I set the timer for 10 minutes. 

At 10 minutes, the pasta needed another minute or two to get to al dente (not mushy).

During the pasta cooking time, I grated the cheese. Coarsely grated is fine, and faster. The cheese gets stirred in and melts. 

Adding the cheese.

Off the heat, I stirred in the sriracha, tasted it and added a bit of salt. 

On the table. It was good and took less than 40 minutes from walking in the door to on the table. 

If you don't like spicy, use less sriracha and red pepper flakes. 

Fresh kale would be fine, if more work. I suppose you could use chopped broccoli instead of kale. I think spinach would be too wimpy. Maybe corn. 

This dish is a jazzier, spicier version of a one-pot spaghetti dish the children made when they were young. They had a Betty Crocker kid cookbook which included the one-pot spaghetti recipe.  They cooked dinner once or even twice a week, starting when they were in junior high. They were good cooks; still are. Leftovers keep and reheat well.  

Odds and Ends

Clematis are great vining plants. Someone contacted me a few weeks ago about a bush variety. They had grown them and did not have the space to overwinter them. Would the sale project be interested?

So as directed the person brough three plants by, already in pots. We sunk them in the ground and will see.

I did look them up and they are hardy for zone 5 or even lower.

Thank you voters in Kentucky, Ohio and Vvirginia.

Lat I checked the craizies are still sunning the show in the House. I really thought the legislation that would give money to Israel by taking it from IRS enforcement kind of showed where their hearts were.

Pray for peace. One does have to wonder how much good prayer does. So maybe in addition to some prayer, everyone should think of some little thing to do to make it a better place.

Philip