Growing my own food

Only two months ago I became brave enough to attempt to grow tomatoes. We were given the Topsy Turvy to grow a new plant. It was taking longer than I could stand waiting so I thought maybe I was doing something wrong. Although I did my research and followed the rules....one day my daughter's and I were walking through Home Depot yes don't we all love it there! Anyhow, we spotted a hanging basket with tomatoes, bell peppers and assorted herbs. The girls insisted I get it because this one already had veggies growing so I would be quickly rewarded with ripe produce right? My girls know their mommy well! I bought it and hung it on the back of our house and have been caring for it since. It has given me 7 ripe tomatoes in only a few weeks and we have enjoyed eating them. The Parsley has been used regularly and is growing beautifully.

Here are the red bell peppers


In addition to that planter I bought a small Basil plant and have nurtured it too. Lucky for me they require less attention. I have eaten quite a bit of that plant too.

It is extremely beneficial to grow your own food! You know what is happening to it, how it is growing, what you are adding to it, the environment it is in etc. You pick it when it is fully developed and ripened for delicious taste. My daughters love flowers which we have too, but I prefer edible plants because they provide us with nourishment. I have more recently expanded my inventory with a banana pepper plant and Japanese eggplant. More to come....

Banana Peppers


Japanese Eggplant


I am currently working on designing a garden box. Something to keep close to the house that I can maintain even better and protect when needed. I will update as we build and complete the project. Very excited!

Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

This recipe will make at least 4 maybe 5...

You will need a food processor, an oven (lol), a square baking dish 9x9 or two loaf pans. I used a glass loaf pan.

4 Bell Peppers color of your choice (I use all but the green)
2 cups Cashew Ricotta (recipe below)
1 10oz package of frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 package soy crumbles
Olive Oil for drizzle

Preheat Oven to 425*

Cashew Ricotta recipe:
1/2 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbl Olive oil
1 clove fresh garlic
1lb Firm Tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1 1/2 tsp Salt

Blend together cashews, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic in food processor until thick creamy paste forms. Add crumbled tofu (either already crumbled or do it now with your hands as you add it). You may need to add small amounts at a time to ensure blended properly. Finally blend in salt and basil.

Eggless "Egg" Salad

sMedium Mixing bowl

1 pound firm tofu, drained. (I usually put mine in a strainer with another bowl underneath for at least 1 hour in the fridge first)
1 Celery stalk diced
1 large carrot shredded (I have used baby carrots too & put them in the food processor or magic bullet with a couple quick pulses)
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup red bell pepper diced
1/2 cup Veganaise
1/2 dill pickle minced or 1/8 cup dill pickle relish
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Tumeric
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Place crumbled tofu into mixing bowl. Add the soy mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, turmeric, and pepper, and stir well to thoroughly coat the tofu. Add the carrots, red pepper, celery, onions, dill pickle or relish, and parsley stir well to combine. Cover and chill for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend (if you can wait that long it is sooo good! The color of the eggless egg salad will turn more yellow as it chills.

Serve with crackers.

• On toast.
• As a sandwich
  
• As a wrap with lettuce and tomato.
• Or eat it with a spoon!

Ricotta "Cheese" Recipe

This is an awesome vegan alternative to traditional dairy ricotta cheese. I promise you will not be disappointed! I have tried this recipe in many dishes and on unsuspecting dairy lovers and no one has known it was NOT cheese! When I tell them they cannot believe it! Taste for yourself:~)

Makes 2 Cups:

Time 15 min

1/2 Cup Raw Cashews (approx 4 oz)
1/4 Cup fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tbls Olive Oil
2 cloves fresh garlic
1 pound firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1 1/2 tsp Salt
Dash of ground black pepper

In a food processor, blend the garlic until minced. Add in cashews, lemon juice and olive oil until thick and creamy paste forms. Add the tofu (crumbled) until everything is mixed well together. Finally add in the basil, salt, and black pepper.

I have eaten this many ways!

• Hollow out whole ripe tomatoes and stuff with this filling.
• With chips or crackers as a dip.
• Use it in your lasagna recipe.
• I have made Ziti with this recipe.
• Stuffed Shells or Manicotti

Time Period of Choice

If you could go back to any time period which would you choose and why? Here are the responses I received.....

I'd go back to my drama filled care free teenage years. I didn't have to pay rent or make my own food or buy my own groceries or do my own laundry....

Ditto...

Ditto...

oh and I had a great boyfriend as a teenager! lol

You guys are hysterical. I love how my questions can make people go in a completely different direction then the one I was originally thinking lol! I was referring to an era. Say the 50's because they wore poodle skirts, economy was on the rise, Elvis was alive, Barbie was produced...etc Or the 20's because the fashion was all about flappers and was referred to as The Jazz Age....Or maybe you wanted to live with the dinosaurs lol! ~Me

ok, still take me back to the late 80s, early 90s, when I did not have bills to pay, etc and the music was great!

Not the 80's! That would mean I would still be living with my parents! Oh hells noe!

See personally I want to go back as I am now, but to a different time period to check it all out. Back to the Future was a great flick! I just need a Delorean and some banana peels and I will be on a journey back and forth lol! ~Me

Late 1800's - the wild west

Ok then I would love to live in the 50's!

Definitely the 60's :) Woodstock here I come! However there is something amazing about the simpleness of the pioneer days too.

mid/early 1800's with my own Tara...growing all kinds of organic veggies on it!

I would go back to the days of Jesus so i can meet my Savior and see the miracles He did! :)

What do you do with Shopping Carts?

Do you return shopping carts to their designated areas or just dump them off wherever? Here is what myself and others had to say....

"If it's close and the kids are buckled into the car I do. If I'm alone I do. If it's bad weather, bad mood, or just plain too hot I leave it close to my car, but not where someone else will run into it!

So irritating when I see a great parking spot up front and it has a cart sitting in the middle of it! OR how about when the carts are rolling along the parking lot unattended looking for an unsuspecting vehicle to slam into that's always great! lol I have seen that happen a few times."-Me

Here are some answers from others:

Depends on how far the "cart return" is from my car (if my kids are already in it). If I'm by myself, I usually return it. Except at Publix when they don't at least offer to take it out for me - if they offer and I decline, I will put it in the proper place but if they don't offer, I get irritated for some reason. LOL!

I have my oldest return it to the designated area...

LOL I do the same thing if the publix baggers don't offer. I do try to park near a cart return @ target.

I try...but it's about a 50/50 chance depending on weather, my mood, and the location of my car :)

Do we get points for taking it home?

Always put it back UNLESS I am alone with Mr Toddler and have to carry him back a long way to the car. If it's both me and my husband, one of us always puts it back.

I try to, but it depends upon the weather, how the kids are acting, and how far away the cart return is.

I make a point to always return to the designated cart return. I do always try to park close to one if possible!

I always just park by the cart return at the end of the parking lot so I am close to get one and close to drop them off... It is worth the extra steps to park at the back of the parking lot to be able to just drop the buggy right by my car...Works for me anyways!

I have never thought about it so thoroughly when I am not "in the moment". If I am alone...I return it. If I have the boys then it depends on how close the cart return is. I might just have to try to park close to the cart return on purpose when I have them moving forward. Usually my main concern is parking close to the store, or if at night directly under a light where my driver door is within vision of the store. The most annoying store is Wal-mart in Apopka...they wait forever to return their own carts into the store so than the parking lot gets so full it is a hazard

LOL leave it to me to bring up a topic that is so routine to most of us we have to take a minute to think about it. Of course I thought of this question while in the in the Super Target Parking lot as I just finished returning my cart. I thought hmmm I wonder what my friends do with their empty carts???

Notice aside from one man (the funny comment) all women answered? Guess it's no surprise mainly we handle the grocery shopping. Prior to kids we went as a couple. Now it's just me and the girls and occasionally me alone on a late evening. Ahh shopping alone on a quiet evening. What bliss! lol

Discussing Michael Jackson

Here are my views on the subject: MJ forever changed the pop music industry! He was an incredible musical icon that has touched each of our hearts in one way or another. He was a huge celebrity and as we all know that comes with a price something none of us can even comprehend! As a "regular" person of the world we have hard times in our own lives with work, family, finances, etc add in a constant violation of privacy and have your life dissected on TV, continuous explosive rumors being put on the nightly news and more taking place daily!!! No one wants that!

I don't believe the allegations of the molestation charges for the same reason my friends have mentioned in a previous discussion. Personally you could not pay me enough money to shut up about my child being molested by Joe Shomoe or MJ!!! My life would be dedicated to taking you out for damaging my child!!! Only a parent can truly understand those feelings. Money would never repair the damage done to my child's innocence! Only justice would give us a sense of peace.

We don't know MJ personally we only know what the media tells us and by now you should know the media is there to exploit celebrities lives for our public entertainment. What I do know is his music has left me with fond memories of my childhood dancing to his songs.

Was his every action questioned? Yes, it was. Have a camera filming you and taking pictures of your family every time you moved. Of course mistakes will be made and that is only what we will see on TV! He had a rough childhood being a star at a young age still only a child, but performing for adult entertainment and making his family a fortune.

He died at age 50 too young and full of emotional pain. He was broken and he never recovered. He hid behind plastic surgeries. Everyday people hide all the time whether in their work, drugs, alcohol, etc. The difference is we don't see those lives on TV.