Pesto Hummus

Snow falls occasionally here in Northern Virginia, usually no more than about 4 or 5 inches at a time, and it’s a chance for fun followed by a quick melting, but we have more than our normal share of snow this winter. We still have plenty of snow on the ground leftover from the back-to-back blizzards two weeks ago, which dumped almost 30 inches on us. The DC area set a new record for winter snowfall, beating the previous record set in the winter of 1898-99, and our county has received over 75 inches this winter, far above our average of 23 inches. Read more

Popcorn with Brown Butter, Rosemary, and Lemon

Popcorn has always been one of my favorite snacks, and as a child I got excited when my dad brought out the vintage hammered Club Aluminum pot and poured in some kernels. Sometimes we had butter on top, but mostly we ate it with a simple sprinkling of salt or occasionally seasoned salt. I don’t think my parents have that old pot anymore, but as I reminisce about all the popcorn we ate together, I wish they still had it. Read more

Grow Your Own #38

I’ve always believed in the innate goodness in people and I’m continually inspired by the goodness I see in the blogging community. Though we might be strangers that have never formally met, people reach out online and extend that reach into the world, making a difference in the lives of others, whether by sending healing thoughts and prayers for families dealing with medical crisis or raising money for causes that address hunger, health, housing, and a myriad of other humanitarian needs. And sometimes it can be as small as writing an email saying you care about something and want to help.

So I send my heartfelt thanks to Nate & Annie of House of Annie, who have graciously offered to help with Grow Your Own this winter while we tend to some family matters. It seems like a little thing and yet it’s big, knowing that people care about this event and will step up to help keep it going.

You can get more information about how to participate this month at Nate and Annie’s blog. The deadline for posting is January 31.

House of Annie – Rambutans, plus a Grow Your Own announcement

Spiced Persimmon Cake with Dates and Lemon Glaze

We discovered the persimmon tree in September when we noticed the golden orbs hanging from the branches. We hadn’t paid attention to the tree before because it was in a relatively inaccessible area behind our house and we had no idea what it was or what if anything it would produce, it had not set fruit until this year. When we found the fruit, we realized it was American persimmon (aka common persimmon and Eastern persimmon), which is a berry in botanic terms. The fruit is small, ranging 1 to 1-1/2 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) in diameter and very sweet when ripe.

Persimmons are autumn fruits that can hang on even after frost, and you can wait until after frost to gather them to ensure they are fully ripe. The leaves start to droop and fall off the tree as the fruit ripens. The persimmons should be very soft and even a little wrinkled before eating, otherwise they’ll have a chalky taste. If the fruit starts to drop when you shake the tree, they are pretty much ready. Read more

Grow Your Own #37 Round-up

Based on the emails I’ve received lately, my announcement of the Grow Your Own winter hiatus seems to have sparked concern, and I want to thank everyone for thinking of us. We are all well, no health problems, home life is just a little overwhelming right now. Caring for three little boys, two of whom have special needs, is a challenge and I have come to a place where I need a little break so I can find some balance at home. For now I will continue working in our garden, writing, and photographing, but without the self-imposed deadlines. I’ve dropped all freelance work for a little while and am assessing other things I participate in that have deadlines. This is not a permanent change, just a temporary adjustment to give us a breather. I will continue to write Grow Your Own posts in the coming months, I just can’t keep up with organizing an event until things settle down at home. Thanks to everyone for your understanding and support.

I hope you will continue to share your Grow Your Own posts on your blogs and will join us when Grow Your Own returns in the spring. Read more

Oven-Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Have I ever mentioned that purple is my favorite color? I find the color exhilarating and like plants that bear purple fruits and vegetables, including tomatillos.

Our tomatillo plants were slow this year along with everything else in the garden. The extended cold, wet spring put a damper on things, making everything slow to grow and blossom. We finally harvested some tomatillos a few weeks ago, much later than last year, and with the early cold snap this week we didn’t get much of a growing season at all. All we can do is preserve what we have and hope for better next year. Read more

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