brussell sprout plants

Harvested from the garden back in December of 2011 (sounds like along time ago), and as I have many pictures taken and not blogged, I have had the chance to utilize the brussel sprouts plants sprouts and leaves . Note: my spell checker keeps suggesting “Brussels”. The sprouts did not form tightly as shown below and in the  in the recipe blog “Tomato Sauce with Pasta and Veggies” but they were crisp and delicious, even eaten raw. Going by the gardeners creed of making use of what ever grows that’s edible, I couldn’t bear to use toss the remainder  of the plant. The leaves were large and full, a deep green.

The brussell sprouts are to the right and all that was left of the plants after the sprouts and leaves were harvested from the main stem was the stalk which went to the compost pile. Actually it could have been peeled and sliced, possibly. I cut the stems from the leaves.                                          

                                   They are like celery but sweeter. So you can use them as you would for sauté and added to recipes.

I blanched the sprouts and the leaves in boiling water for a few minutes and dried them, then stacked the leaves in the freezer between sheet of waxed paper. They can be quickly brought to room temperature and then rolled and cut for soup or a salad. Now I couldn’t pass up the chance to stuff some some of these large slightly rubbery leaves, like stuffed cabbage.  Being right after thanksgiving and having some turkey soup base available, I mixed the turkey with gravy with some prepared bulgur wheat. It does sound a bit strange, but this new combination proved to be a good example of cooking with what you have available.

The stuffed rolled brussell sprout leaves.

Since the filling is made with the cooked turkey, they can be eaten as is, warmed up or frozen for later consumption.

(the lighting makes one look a bit red)

The turkey stuffed leaves are best eaten with a fork and knives as the leaves do put up a slight resistance to bite. I possibly could have boiled them longer but I like some crunch. I definitely like the taste if these plants. I’ll have to check  on my seed supply, for a planting of these for the  2012 garden.

Addendum: As of this writing there is still one more plant out in the garden believe it or not !(January 8th 2012) The few nights of freezing temps did not completely ruin the plant. Some of the leaves have drooped to cover the sprouting mini leaves on the main stalk and they are still bright green. Looks like we’ll get another meal or two of brussell greens !!!

MMMMMMMMMMM…………………….

corn bread

I made this a week or two ago, thought I’d pass this recipe along.

 

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sausage and apple stuffing

Adapted from : simply recipes.com/recipes/crown_roast_of_pork

This recipe can be modified and used for other uses such as poultry etc.

cube (about 3/4 inch dice) day old bread enough for 4 cups.

 

In a large cast iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, add the cubed bread, stir, let the cubes toast and brown. Set aside.

 

In a four quart pan, with a bit of salt on the bottom, de case sausage, about 1/4 pound hot and 1/4 pound sweet, in about 1 inch pieces, sauté till brown and flip, browning the other side. Remove  with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

Augment the pan drippings, the sausage meat did not render that much fat, with rendered bacon fat. Add 1/2 cup diced  onions and 1/2 cup diced celery with diced celery leaves. Cook 3 to 5 minutes.

Dice up about 2 cups Granny Smith Apples, add to the mix, and cook a few minutes.

Add to the mix, 1 Teaspoon chopped  fresh sage ,1 Teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.

Return the sausage and bread cubes to the pan, toss and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Store (refrigerate) stuffing till needed, if made ahead of time.

Hershey’s Chocolate Cake Recipe

for file and reference:

this morning’s blend

Mexican Organic about 2/3

Indian Robusta about 1/3

Peruvian Cocoa nibs about 1/4 teaspoon

Course Grind

French Press

Simple Syrup

Milk

If you have a chance to taste Robusta , it is best blended with other varieties of coffee to produce, a tasteful blend and with the addition of cocoa nibs, a mocha flavored cup of coffee.

How Shopping for Groceries Online Saves Time, Money, and Hassle

 

An article recently posted on Lifehacker:

 

http://lifehacker.com/5863692/how-shopping-for-groceries-online-can-save-you-time-money-and-hassle?utm_source=Lifehacker+Newsletter&utm_campaign=85b6ffff47-UA-142218-1&utm_medium=email

Toyota headlamps

Both headlamps were installed and fit the vehicle. The details follows for a 1993 Camry.

Plastic headlamps (and other vehicle lamps) are a problem as they age, they get cloudy, and have moisture problems and UV  exposure make them brittle and prone to cracking and breaking. There are many remedies available that claim to restore the the lenses but they can be expensive and the lens cleaning may not last. If you provide the labor, installing new replacements is the best way to go.

Here is some advice when dealing with an aged vehicle, there are a few things that you should consider: ( I did not have a repair manual available)

Before even staring the job, unpack and check the new replacement  headlamps to make sure they are the correct replacements and see how they  mount. Beforehand, check how the headlamps are attached to the vehicle, what type of hardware is used and what size  and type of wrenches/tools will be needed. The vehicle may have been worked on before and when replacing exterior hardware, such as headlamps, the fit may be difficult or mixed or improper mounting hardware may have been used. On an aged vehicle rust can be a problem, the day beforehand it is recommended that penetrant (WD40 or liquid wrench) be applied to the places where the headlamps are bolted in. Before replacement, insure that the headlamps are properly functioning ,electrical problems should be corrected before replacement. Get an idea of how they are aimed, there are various methods to check alignment. Check the connectors and wiring harness for damage, oxidation, fraying etc. The headlamps that I purchased included the bulbs, so it would be a simple matter of plugging in the electrical connections. Some mounting hardware (bolts, screws) may snap or the heads of screws strip or rust out. Have a drill with small bits available to drill them out. You can re-tap the holes if you have proper taps, either metric or SAE and have the correct replacement hardware, or nut and bolt the drilled out mounting location. Plug in the headlamp electrical connections first and test them, then finish bolting them in place. Alignment varies with the type of headlamp there are usually two axis  of adjustment. Other note, If the gas struts that hold the hood up are worn, prop up the hood, in this case I used the grille that had to be removed for the headlights to be replaced!

Old lamps

New Replacements

Now, my wife is satisfied with the results, she can see much better at night. Next will be replacement of the front side maker lamps (Toyota) and the headlights on the Topaz .