Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Raspberry Sorbet

As we come upon the summer season, it is berry season.  You can use fresh, fresh then frozen or store bought frozen berries for this recipe.  The lemon juice adds some acidity to cut the sweetness and the vodka prevents it from freezing like a brick and it is still smooth.  This sorbet is so refreshing on a hot summer day and a great way to use those berries you bought and don't know what to do with.  You need an ice cream maker for this recipe.  This recipe is dairy free and much lighter than ice cream. 
Ingredients:

2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 TBS lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 TBS vodka, raspberry flavor preferred
4 cups raspberries
pinch salt

Here's how:

Make a simple syrup by placing the water and sugar in a small pot a bringing it to a boil.  There is no need to stir, just let it come up to temperature.  You want all the sugar to be dissolved.  This takes 5 minutes on high heat.
Water and sugar

After 5 minutes
Combine all the rest of the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
Half the berries

Freshly squeezed

Vodka

All the ingredients in the food processor
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.  I had to do 2 batches in order to fit it all into the sieve.  Use a spatula to push the liquid through the sieve.

Strainer

After being put strained, these are the seeds that are left

Liquid after straining
Discard the seeds and place the strained liquid into the refrigerator to chill.  Keep it there for at least 3 hours but overnight is best.
Pour the mix into your ice cream maker and churn for 20 minutes.
Freezer bowl on the ice cream machine

Sorbet just starting to churn

Fully churned
Remove the sorbet from the bowl of the ice cream maker and place the sorbet into the freezer to firm up.  Keep it in for 2 hours or overnight.
Removed from the machine and ready for the freezer

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

May 26, 2012 Garden

I worked in the garden in between the rain storms of the day.  I was able to get quite a bit done on my trellis area of the yard.  I decided that this year I am going to try vertical gardening on the trellises.  This will give me more room in the bed I usually use and also it is an away from the area where I have the squash vine borer worms.  The area had some weeds so I removed those.  It also is not the best soil - there are many rocks in this area.  I put down some Miracle Gro Organic Choice Soil in this area to help amend the soil and to give me something good to plant in.  I planted Lemon Cucumbers, Early Russian Cucumbers, Butternut Squash, Yellow Crooked Neck Squash and Green Bush Beans.  I hope that this upward growth will keep the fruits from rotting and give me a good yield.  Check back to see how it it is going.  Here are some photos I took to show my work.


Here is a metal garden decoration I bought.  I planted some red annuals to give the garden a punch of color.
Close up of the trellis area. I planted on the front and back sides to provide space and good growth.
 
Looking down the trellis area.  There are four panels.

Looking north.  The beans are on the left 2 panels, squash on the third and cucumbers on the far right.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Strawberry Season 2012

My strawberries have started to ripen already.  I feel like it is so early but they are in full swing.  Here are the photos from the past few days.  I cleaned them all, removed the stems and froze them.  Once I have enough I will make ice cream and jam!!  I love the summer season.

May 23, 2012, first 3 strawberries
May 26, 2012
May 27, 2012
May 28, 2012

Sunday, May 20, 2012

May 20, 2012 Garden

This was another beautiful weekend.  Warm sun, not humid and a great breeze.  After a busy Saturday and Sunday morning I was concerned that I would not be able to get out into the garden to do what I needed to do.  On Saturday I found 1 and a half hours to shop for the Invincible Spirit Hydrangea and Heuchera I wanted.  I went shopping for plants at at 3:30 on Sunday, got started at 5:30 pm and worked until 8pm.  It was amazing how much I got done.  I was able to make 9 hanging baskets, 6 pots and reorganizing the corner garden.  I was so happy to find the Invincible Spirit Hydrangea, which is the main feature of the Memory Garden.  I still have some plants to by for the baskets and pots but they are good for now.  I have not yet planted the vegetables but I did by the soil for area where the squash and beans are going to be grown.  I also have to weed the vegetable garden, mound the soil around the potatoes and set out the seedlings I started inside.  Here are some photos of this week's garden.  It is amazing how fast it has grown.

Garage border

Garage border

Garage border

Garage border - False indigo is on the left

Garage border - this needs some plants to fill it in

Garage border - this area is really filling in now

Garage border- this is also filling in

Garage border

Garage border looking west.  A lacecap Hydragea was planted in the far left

Garage border at the most westerly area.  This a shady area.

The Lacecap Hydrangea on the right

Garage border looking east

Northside of the house border - astillbes are filling in

North side of house border.  The hostas in the back are huge.

Stawberry patch

Herb Garden

Peas and beans growing well

Potatoes are getting tall.  They need to be mounded
 This is the corner bed that I have been working on.  I made the Heucheras and Autumn Joy Sedum continue from just the right side to now the left side.  I took the true Geraniums that were on the left, divided them and then put them in front of all the Heucheras and Sedum in a row.  Once they fill in it is going to be quite dramatic.  This is a more formal garden and is finally where I want it to be.

The right side that is done
The left side is the new side.  You can see the repeating Heuchera and Geraniums in the front

Memory Garden.  Invincible Spirit in the center. 

Astillbe in the Memory Garden

Invincible Spirit Hydrangea

Corner Garden looking back to the butterfly bush in the rear and Heuchera and Geranium in the front

Pots

These are in the front of the house

Hanging basket

Overhead view of the pots

A Hydrangea that is struggling so I re-potted it and am trying to save it.