Lemon Recipe

Lemon Bulgur and Chickpea Pilaf
Serves 6.

Ingredients

1 cup bulgur, medium grind
2 cups vegetable stock
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Place bulgur in a bowl. Bring stock to a boil, add half the cumin, and pour stock over bulgur. Stir once and let sit 10 to 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and bulgur is fluffy.

Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sautè onion, green pepper and half the garlic 3 to 5 minutes, stirring, until onion is translucent.

Add remaining garlic and cumin. Sautè about 30 seconds. Stir in bulgur and chickpeas. Stir together a few minutes. Then add remaining ingredients, combine well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Lemon Nutrition information serving: Calories 309, Fat 6.2g, Calories from Fat 17%, Protein 21.9g, Carbohydrate 54.8g, Fiber 14.7g, Cholesterol 0g, Sodium 21mg.

Being a return visitor it would be helpful if you would leave a thoughtful comment below...Thanks, Jeanne

Using Lemons Quick Tips

Here are 7 tips on using lemons…

Freeze lemon juice in ice cube trays for later use.

Add a twist of lemon to the water in ice cube trays for added zip to beverages.

Use juice on fruit or white vegetables to help them keep their color.

Remove odors, such as fish, onion, or bleach by rubbing with fresh lemon.

Lemon and salt can be used to treat rust spots, and to clean copper pots.

Get the most juice out of your lemon by warming it in the microwave for 15 seconds or rolling it with your hand on the counter if it is at room temperature.

Add a few drops of lemon juice to whipping cream if it doesn’t stiffen.

Heavy Rain Threatens Recent Plantings

The weather for the last few days posed a problem for our cool weather plants. Heavy rain threatened our vegetable seeds that were planted just recently…they were planted at a slight slope so they can easily get washed away. My husband had to run out to Home Depot to purchase a plastic tarp (tarpaulin) to cover the entire area where the seeds were planted. Hopefully, this will protect them.

Keep visiting my blog to see what happens.

There are Two Different Types of Lemons

The lemon originated in China and was a favorite of the Chinese Emperors in the form of lemonade. Catholic Missionaries brought lemons to the United States where they were planted in Arizona and California? Today those 2 states produce virtually all of the lemons consumed in the United States as well as about one-third of those used throughout the world. Lemons are used in many ways including as flavoring in the food we eat, as a garnish, and for household purposes.

Lemon Nutrition

Serving size 1/2 cup, sectioned, peeled (106g)
Calories 30
Calories from Fat 5g Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value
Total Fat 0g 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 3%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Sugars 3g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 90%
Calcium 2%
Iron 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Selecting Lemons:

Lemons should be firm and have a bright yellow color. Avoid soft, shriveled lemons with spots. The best lemons will be fine textured and heavy for their size. Thin skinned fruit tends to have more juice, while fruit that has a greenish cast is likely to be more acidic. One medium lemon has about 3 tablespoons of juice and 3 tablespoons of grated peel.

Storing Lemons:

You may store lemons at room temperature for about two weeks. They will keep for up to six weeks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Use lemons as quickly as possible after cutting.

Lemon Varieties:

There are two different types of lemons — acid and sweet. The most common acid varieties include Eurekas and Lisbons. The acidic type is grown commercially and the sweet types are grown mainly by home gardeners. The trees bloom continuously all year and can produce up to 500 or 600 lemons a year.

Sources: FruitsandVeggiesMatter.gov

If you found this post interesting or helpfull leaving me a comment would be much appreciated. Thanx Jeanne

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Planting and Growing Broccoli and Cauliflower Fact Sheet

Planting and Growing Broccoli and

Cauliflower Fact Sheet

Broccoli and cauliflower belong to the cabbage or cole family and are two popular garden vegetables. Other commonly grown cole crops include brussels sprouts, collards, kale, kohlrabi and, of course, cabbage. This family of vegetables can go a long way to adding variety and nutrition to the family diet.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Climate Requirements:

Cole crops are cool-weather vegetables, growing best when daytime temperatures are between 65 and 80 degrees F. Cauliflower is more sensitive to hot weather than broccoli.

Both broccoli and cauliflower tend to do better when set out as transplants rather than planted from seed. It is important to use sturdy transplants that will become established quickly.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Soil Requirements:

All of the cole crops grow well in reasonably fertile, well-drained, moist soils with plenty of added organic matter. A mulch will help keep the ground cool and moist. The pH should be between 6.0 and 7.0 for optimum growth. A pH within this range will discourage clubroot disease and maximize nutrient availability.

Fertilizing Broccoli and Cauliflower:

Fertilizer and lime are best applied using the results of a soil test as a guide. As a general guideline, 2 to 3 pounds of 8-16-16 fertilizer applied uniformly over 100 square feet of garden area is suggested. Work the fertilizer thoroughly into the soil about two weeks before planting time.

A liquid starter fertilizer applied to the transplants at time of planting will help establishment. Apply a half pint of a 20-20-20 or similar solution to each plant, preparing the fertilizer according to label directions.

Suggested Broccoli and Cauliflower Cultivars:

Broccoli

For good side shoot production after harvest of the main head, try Green Comet and Packman. Two other excellent cultivars for the home garden are Green Hornet and Premium Crop.

Cauliflower

Snow Crown, Snow King, Snowball 123, and Imperial 10-6 are good cultivars for the home garden. Also, try Self-Blanche using a 12-inch spacing for support and effective blanching. Violet Queen is a purple-headed cultivar that does not require blanching.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Planting Suggestions:

All cole crops are frost tolerant. Broccoli transplants may be set out in the garden as early as April 1. For a fall cauliflower crop, set out transplants on July 1.

Broccoli may be spaced 18 inches apart in the row with 24 inches between rows. Cauliflower plants should be placed 24 inches apart in the row with 30 inches between rows.

As cauliflower plants begin to mature and the head, or curd, starts to form, gather together and tie the leaves over the curd with soft twine or tape. This “blanching” is required to ensure that the curd will be white and tender at harvest. There are some ‘self-blanching’ types available where the leaves curl naturally over the head when grown in cool weather (some tying of the leaves may still be necessary, however).

An even moisture supply is needed for transplants to become established and to produce good heads. As mentioned earlier, an organic mulch will help keep soils cool and moist and suppress weed growth. Hand-pull or use shallow cultivation if additional weed control becomes necessary. Apply 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week if an equal amount of rainfall does not occur. An additional side dressing of a nitrogen fertilizer when the plants are well established may be desirable.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Insect & Disease Problems:

Principle insect and disease problems are the cabbage looper, imported cabbage worm, cabbage maggot, aphids, flea beetles, blackleg, black rot, clubroot, and yellows.

Harvesting and Handling Broccoli and Cauliflower:

Harvest the center green flower bud cluster of broccoli while the buds are still tight and before any yellow petals begin to show. Cut the central stem five to six inches below the head. Many cultivars will continue producing bonus side shoots as long as a few leaves are left on the plant, extending the harvest period for a month or more.

The cauliflower curd, like the broccoli head, is actually a group of tightly clustered white or purple flower buds. Harvest the curd when it reaches the desired size but before the buds begin to separate, about two months after transplanting. Cut the head so that at least two wrapper leaves are present.

If you found this post interesting or helpfull leaving me a comment would be much appreciated. Thanx Jeanne