How does your garden grow?

Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
And pretty maids all in a row.

We all grew up with this nursery rhyme but it doesn't really mean a garden and flowers but torture.  Sometimes that is what I think my gardening is.... torture.  We have been attempting to garden since we moved into this house, but if it isn't the cold weather, the rocks or the bugs that keep it from growing ~ this year it is critters... Yes, critters in our garden...... we at first thought it was the chipmunk that has been playing havoc to our garden... oh! he probably is, at least my flower gardens but we have found a rabbit eating through our fence to get into our garden... So....My fairy tale is Peter Rabbit and Farmer McGregor and me being Farmer McGregor...

this is me trying to chase the bunnies out of my garden ~
picture from  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14838/14838-h/14838-h.htm

But even with all the problems we have, we strive forth and try to grow fresh vegetables.  Even though I am not a gardener... I do love getting fresh veggies from my own garden and so each year we strive to have a wonderful garden.

Here is pictures from the beginning of our garden... June 15/12 ~~ when the veggies started to come up:

potatoes

onions

cabbages

beans

peppers

tomatoes that we started from seed!

the fence we placed around the garden

Now some pictures from this past week on how our garden is growing:

Egg plant... first time for planting this

beans are coming back!

spinach

beets

peppers

tomatoes are looking good

onions

the cukes are flowering!

looks like we might get
potatoes this year!

okra..second planting, so
hopefully they come up!

bunny had a good feeding 

how they get in.

we keep fixing the holes...

Hopefully, with fingers and toes crossed we get some fresh veggies this year... But, even if our veggie garden only gives us a small amount of return, I have been enjoying my flower gardens.

not sure where these came from... they are in what will be the
wild flower garden.

Love my orange lilies... Reminds me of the
Saskatchewan prairie lilies

found this idea on pintrest.

So how does your garden grow?....... Do you grow a garden? or do you get your fresh vegetables from the farmer's market or just from the grocery store?  Nothing is better then fresh vegetables ~ you can always grow them in a pot....

                         Happy Growing!  Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys  

  

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party - July 13/12

It is Friday again... these weeks seem to just fly by and I hope you all are having a great summer.  I have only 3 more days and my summer vacation is over :(, but I have had a great time... company, cooking, and  spending time on the shores of Lake Superior.
 But summer isn't over and neither is our Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party.  We had a great time last week and  we hope that you will join us again this week.  Tell your friends this is were the party is.... come and join us, one and all.  If this is your first time just link up your recipes at the at the frog below and then come back to vote  for your favorite recipe. Remember a link to one of the members that is hosting this party means a link to all the members blog!
                            Last weeks Top 3 Votes were:
               #1 with 4 Votes:  Smores Cookie Cake from That Skinny Chick can Bake

                 #2 with 3 Votes and 29 Clicks:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Billionaire Bars from
                  From Calculus to Cupcakes

                 #3 with 3 Votes and 13 Clicks:  It was a 4 way tie!!
                          Light Blueberry Donuts from All is Amazing
                          Cheesy Breadsticks and Marinara from Cooking from a Stay at Home Mom
                          Berries and Cream Muffins from Baking by Precious
                          Skinny Mint Choc. Chip "Ice Cream" Sandwiches from The Part Time Housewife

Maybe this week, this could be you!

The Recipes that had the most "Clicks" are:

#1 with 29 Clicks:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Billionaire Bars
from From Calculus to Cupcakes

                   #2  with 23 Clicks:  Falling Off the Bone BBQ Ribs from Walking on Sunshine

#3 with 22 Clicks:  Black Bean Lime Salad from A Virtual Essence

This could also be you!

I had a very hard time to pick my favorite from last week.  They all looked so good but as you know that I am partial to African food so my pick had to be South African Doughnuts.  I am hoping to make these one of these days soon. Doughnuts are one of my favorite foods and then to be African besides... YUM!

Don't these looks so good.  Photo courtesy of Kadirecipes.com

You can grab the "Host Favorite" button under "Hosts" tab at Foodie Friends Friday.  Also go over to each of the hosts blogs to find their favorites:

Tracy at Busy Vegetarian Mom  http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com/
Robyn at Robyn's View  http://www.robynsviewathome.blogspot.com/
Angie at A lil Country Sugar  http://alilcountrysugar.blogspot.com/
Wayne at Passione Per Cucina http://www.passionepercucina.blogspot.co.uk/p/welcome.html
Sarah at Everything in the Kitchen Sink  http://everythingkitchensink.blogspot.com/
Michelle at From Calculus to Cupcakes  http://www.fromcalculustocupcakes.blogspot.com/
Marlys at This and That  http://marlys-thisandthat.blogspot.com/
Brianne at Cupcakes and Kale Chips  http://cupcakesandkalechips.com/
Lois at  Walking on Sunshine http://wifeofthecolonel.blogspot.com/
Erika at Chef Picky Kid and Me  http://chefpickykid.com/
Lindsey at Family Food Finds  http://www.familyfoodfinds.com/
Cindy at Cindys Recipes and Writings  http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/
Dawn at DJ's Sugar Shack  http://www.djssugarshack.com/
Skye at http://www.avirtualessence.blogspot.com/
Sheri at http://www.homemadeservedhere.com/
Keira at Luscious Delights http://www.lusciousdelights.blogspot.com.au/
Amber at Mama's Blissful Bites www.mamasblissfulbites.wordpress.com 

Now on to the fun:

           We have changed the rule some, so please read them once again:

Step 1:  Make sure that anything you link up is:

• A Recipe...and is made and photographed by you
• Not part of a sponsership/sales/giveaway or other promotions/linky parties
• Linked to a specific page of your recipe, not your homepage

Step 2:

• Show some love and link back to my blog and Foodie Friends Friday (http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com ) on the post of the recipe you are submitting.

* for example:  This recipe is featured on "Host Blog Link" and  http://www.foodiefriendsfriday.com  Linky Party)

If you want to be the very best Foodie Friend Ever...

• Grab our button at http://foodiefriendsfriday.com and put it on your page and share Foodie Friends Friday!
• Take some time and check out other submitted links and the blogs of all of our gracious hosts
• Come on over and "like" us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter and Pinterest

***Please note that by linking up you are giving permission to use photos/links on Foodie Friends Friday and any of it's affiliated websites or publications.  If photos/recipes are used, proper credit/ linkbacks will be published with them.  We just want to share your amazing recipes and spread some foodie <3 !

Have Fun and Thank You for Visiting!!

I hope that you will join me at this linky party once again... It is great fun and lots of exposure.

             Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys

Lemon- Lime Sugar Cookies

   

This past week has gone by in a flash and I seem to not get very much done again.  We did have my husband's cousin from Togo over at the beginning of the week and I spent the first part of the week cooking for him.  I decided to make an African meal for him and our other guests, mainly because he will be here in America for close to a month and it is always nice to get comfort food when you are traveling, especially when traveling alone.  But I did make an American dessert and with that dessert I made some Sugar Cookies.
I heard via facebook (my only news I read :)) that Monday July 9 was Sugar Cookie Day, and as I was trying to figure out something light and good to have with the Key Lime Pie Parfait that I was making, Sugar Cookies seemed perfect.  So out came my cookbooks and I found a recipe that I thought would be perfect, although I did want it to complement my dessert so I added lemon and lime zest to my cookies and WOW! They turned out wonderful... I am not sure I will ever make plain sugar cookies again.

                                                  Lemon-Lime Sugar Cookies

Lemon-Lime Sugar Cookies, just for you....

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening (I used butter)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cream tarter

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp lime zest

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix flour, salt, baking soda and cream of tarter in bowl and set aside.  In big bowl beat sugar and shortening until mixed, add eggs and beat until smooth.  Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture until thoroughly mixed.  Once mixed add lemon and lime zest (this is to taste so you can add more or less as you want).  Roll dough into balls and roll into sugar.  Don't press.  Bake on an ungreased pan at 375 degrees for 8 -10 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Home Cooking from Wolf Lake Cookbook

mix in eggs

mixing sugar and butter 

add lemon and lime zest to mixture after flour has been added

roll in ball and roll balls in sugar 

place rolled balls on cookie sheet
they do spread so place far apart 

                                                                                       

leave on cookie sheets for a few minutes before placing on
cooling pans.

Enjoy!

a sneak peak with the key lime pie parfait

These cookies were so delicious that they are all gone and I have to make more... they are chewy and still a little crunchy... just perfect!

                          Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys

PS don't forget to check out the linky party tomorrow at Foodie Friends Friday.  It starts tomorrow and it is a great place to link your recipe as each link goes to all the host sites ~ so lots of exposure and if you are not a blogger, it is a great place to find some wonderful recipes... I am going to link this recipe! 

Links:::






                                                                        Monday Link Party




                                                           Thursday Treasures

Rice and Beans...

Rice and beans have been eaten if Africa for a long time.  It is a very economical meal.  You cook both in the same pot.... so less dishes to wash.  We use black-eyed peas when we make rice and beans and serve it with my African sauce .  Although this recipe takes a while to cook it is very easy...  Here goes...

                                                            Rice and Beans


1 cup black-eyed peas
1.5 cup rice
salt to taste
water.

   First I rinse the black- eyed peas and take out discoloured ones.  Place the beans in a pot and cover with water... I usually pour about 3 -4 cups of water as I always forget to check and the water boils down and I burn the peas.  Add salt to taste and boil until peas are soft.  This usually takes about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.  If you notice that the water is evaporating before peas are done, just add more water.  And no I do not soak the black-eyed peas first like the bag says.
     Once the beans are quite soft add the rice and more water... Once again I just guestimate how much water I need.. The water should cover both the beans and rice.  I usually taste the water to see if it is salty enough.  You may have to add more salt.  Cook until all the water is gone and the rice is soft.

          My husband likes crunchy rice so I cook this on a medium heat for about 1/2 hour and then turn the heat down slightly and cook for another half hour.  The rice will be brown and stuck to the side.  Once you turn off the heat and let rest for about 5 minutes you will be able to get the rice from the side.  Good crunchy rice.

rinsed peas

cooked peas

added more water and the rice

rice and beans cooked

rice and beans with sauce

As you can see in this picture, the rice is brown and looks crunchy
Enjoy

   When I made the African sauce this time, I added some green beans to the sauce... YUM!

                                   Til next time <3 <3 <3  Marlys

LINKS: