No frost yet ! garden pics

Here are some more pictures of the garden. No killing frost yet in southwestern Ontario. Fall is just beginning , trees just starting to turn colour. Oak leaves.

I call this grass pampas grass , don't think it is but I love the way sun catches in the sprays tho the pic doesn't do it justice.

Flowering Kale , starting to colour.


Frosty Morn sedums up close and personal!

Can you find the chickadee?

in this pic too!



The bane of my garden , Snail! See it?


It is on the white wood trellis .

Thought best leave you with a pretty picture so here are more of my volunteer morning glories


and a David Austin Rose.

Picture

This picture speaks to me , don't know why .
Took if from my computer desk looking out to the east garden.
Like the hosta flowers peeking in the window.

LOL

3 months today til Christmas!
Started your shopping yet?

Happy Birthday Brock

Happy Birthday to Grandson Brock
He is 14!

Crockpot Leek and Potato Soup

.
This week in southwestern Ontario the weather has been superb. Warm days , 25 to 29 C. in the day and 15 at night , bright sunshine every day.

To squeeze in the last few days of porch sitting before the cold, dark days of November and December I made it my mission to scurry around the house getting the "usual" housekeeping jobs done so that I could spend the afternoons on the porch reading ( Kathy Reichs new paperback Break no Bones) , enjoying the fall display of flowers and generally communing with nature "Buddy " the dog,the "Girls" 2 chickens that run all over the garden.
Ah but what to do for supper , easy comes to mind but what.
Love quick when the garden is beckoning.
Crockpot cooking is so easy .
Fall is great for soups.
Pondering..........
Leek and Potato soup with a Cheese and Scallion quick bread!

Had Bob dig out some potatoes from the garden, raided the onions and garlic previously dug. Into the pantry for chicken broth . Popped ingredients into the crockpot in less than 15 minutes.
Best of all this soup besides being
simple and quick is yummy ,thick , rich with layers of flavour, leeks and potatoes compliment each other so well.
A Comfort food.



The quick bread was a recipe from A year in bread I substiuted green onion and cheddar cheese and parsley to the basic recipe and while I was at it mixed up some Almond Joy muffins.
I spent about an hour in the kitchen.


Crockpot Leek and Potato Soup

3 leeks, green tops discarded, white part well washed and coarsely chopped
1-2 onions coarsely chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic
Saute in pan with 1 Tbsp each oil,(canola) and butter until slightly translucent.
Into the crockpot
Add 4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Add 4 potatoes that have been peeled , cut into 1 inch chunks
Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours
Puree mixture then add
1 4oz. pkg cream cheese cut into chunks
Stir until cheese is melted top with
chopped Parsley or crumbled cooked bacon.
Enjoy!

This planning enabled me to relax for the rest of the day and enjoy my
company , my Mother and stepfather came for a nice visit
bringing with them a light wine , autumn blush zinfandel,and
to pick up the Honey Crisp apples I had gotten from the apple farm .
A little while later after the first company left,my sister Donna and brother in law Keith came to pick up the Cortland apples, Donna wants to make applesauce with.
Had a good chat .
Great Fall afternoon! Great weather, good company, delicious food!

Happy Birthday Brianne!

Happy 16th to a lovely Granddaughter
Brianne

Sour Cream Lemon Loaf and Chili

As the season changes to warm sunny Autumn days,I am drawn back to the kitchen to bake, make soups, and casseroles.
Today I created my version of a lemon loaf using up some sour cream and lemons
I had in the fridge.

This loaf has lots of lemony flavour , light texture and moist.

Prep time about 10 minutes bake time 55 minutes, quick and easy.

Sour Cream Lemon Loaf;

1/2 cup butter, soft
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour, all purpose
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
grated rind from 1 lemon
1 tsp. vanilla
Glaze:
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup sugar
In large bowl cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time beating until creamy.
Add sour cream, 1Tbsp. lemon juice,lemon rind and vanilla. Stir till just mixed in.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture stirring until just blended.
Scrape into a greased 9x5 loaf pan.
Bake at 350 for 55 minutes.
While baking combine lemon juice remaining and 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan heat until sugar is dissolved.
Once loaf is baked cool in for pan 5 minutes, while still hot poke holes all over the loaf top, sides and bottom, spoon the glaze evenly all over.
One could got over the top and ice this loaf with a simple butter cream frosting but for me with a cup of tea or coffee it is just..........Yummy!
To go with the dessert lemon loaf:
I made chili served on a bed of egg noodles( a trick my sister taught me) topped with grated Parmesan cheese and a slice of beer bread.
Nothing fancy just good home cooking all from scratch.

Garden in September

Autumn.
What a lovely time of the year. A favourite season.
Autumn days are crystalline clear, warm with cool nights.
Bright golden sun today.
Our tempature today is going to be 22C. last night 9C.
Great sleeping weather with the window opened just a bit.
We have finally had adequate rain over the last few weeks and the gardens and grass reflect that.
Putting a a great show this year are sedums. The grasses too are quite lush.
In the early spring planted some flowering kale they still need a frost to bring out the best colours.
I have planted for next spring some icicle pansies. They make such a good show in the early spring. amazing how they survive through our harsh winter.

MeMe

I was tagged by Hendria ( Canadianbakertoo) who was tagged by Sarah (What smells so good) for a MeMe.

. Players you must list one fact, word or tidbit that is somehow relevant to you life for each letter of your first or middle name.

.When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your name facts etc.

. At the end of your blog-post you need to choose one person for each letter of your name to tag. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they have been tagged and to read your blog.

. So if I have tagged you please join in the fun.


R. Roses love them , all kinds , indoors and out.

O. Occupation, done the same job for many years still like it too!
worked at the same place for 27 retiring in Oct 2008!

S. Seasons, love all the seasons and in Canada we are fortunate to experience them all.

E. Energy, wish I had more.

M. Memorable moments, my 3 daughters have given me the most wonderful memories and some of the most joyful events in my life.

A. Activities I like, gardening, baking, crafting, computer games, reading, cooking and time with my family and friends.

R. Recipes, hooked on reading recipes.

Y. Years, the years are just flying by, how did I get this old? Mentally still think I am 20 LOL.

Tags:
Rosanne
Life in Idaho
Empress of Dirt
Crafty Gardener
Canadian Baker
Never bashful with butter
Blooming writer
Anne

Carrie's Wedding

Saturday attended a lovely wedding .Very elegant.
Niece Carrie got married to James. It was a late afternoon wedding starting at 4 at the Best Western Stoneridge Inn. The service was beautiful with a harp playing softly and a singer with a lovely voice singing several hymns.


This is the first marriage for Carrie who is 47 James the groom 55,this
his second marriage. James brother was best man and Matron of Honor was Christine Carrie's cousin. Christine also did the wedding cake a 3 layer on different pedestals , carrot cake the larger layer and chocolate nut the smaller 2.
The flowers were in fall colours. Carrie carried a simple round
bouquet of all roses in the lovely orange red and yellow rose pictured in table centrepiece, the round tables were set with similar fall theme.



The Mother of the bride Carolyn and husband Ray.

Sisters Mary Jean and Annette.


At the reception the most moving speeches from the groom to his bride and his mother full of love and respect.
Lovely tribute to Carrie by an old friend on what a great woman she is.
The speech that brought tears to my eyes was from Carrie's sisters to Carrie and James mentioning Carrie's Dad who passed away a few years ago but they stood in for their Dad and gave Carrie words that Bill had said to them.
The most amusing comment is that James's Daughter is expecting her first child Carrie will be going from Bride to Grandmother in a very short time.
Dancing concluded the evening .
Great time!

Beer Bread

Made Beer Bread from a Year in Bread.
Flavour was good, used Bud light beer ,
but loaf was heavy I boobooed used hard bread flour instead of all purpose.
Will make this again with a stronger beer and some herbs, and the right flour.

Beer Bread
3 cups flour
1 TBSP white sugar
1 Tsp. salt
1 TBSP. baking powder
1 1/2 cups beer
Glaze 1 whisked egg and 2 tsp water
Optional additions;dill, oregano, cheese, onion, garlic etc.
Preheat oven to 375.
Mix together dry ingredients, slowly add beer, mixing until just combined.
This will be a thick batter.Place into a greased 8 inch loaf pan.
Bake for 45 minutes.Brush with glaze if you like.
Add herbs, onion, garlic to the dry mixture if chose to.
Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan.
Yummy served warm.
Makes great toast.
Freezes well.
Keeps only for 2 days if not froze or eaten by then .
This dry mixture would make a good gift done up in a fancy cellophane bag with recipe attached, bottle of beer ,loaf pan, tucked into a wicker basket with a pot of savoury butter or a jar of homemade perserves like my garlic jelly..

Hummingbirds

At work the other day in the lounge chatting
about gardens, friends were lamenting not being able to entice "hummies" into their gardens no matter what they tried.
Did not realize how lucky I am to have so many visiting my country garden.
For years now I have grown fuchsias to draw hummingbirds to my garden.
They are fascinating to watch as they hover over blossoms drinking in the nectar.
Seems there are several different ones, different sizes and colouration and they chase each other when they come to the plant at the same time.
This year I have planted cannas in the garden under my kitchen window.
To my surprise one evening when washing dishes a "hummie" was drinking at the bright orange canna flower.
Thought I would post a picture.Can you see him?


It has only taken 2 weeks to get a picture .
The slightest movement on my part even inside the house
and away they would fly.
These pics were taken from inside my kitchen standing back from the window with a zoom setting so not as clear as I would like.
Still aren't they pretty!

Cake , what kind of cake?

To celebrate Bob's birthday had Sherry, Brock and Brayden over for a dinner celebration on Thursday.


Pondering what to have and decided to have pot roast , garlic mashed potatoes , corn on the cob and a salad Sherry brought.
Cake what kind of cake to have?
Family favourite is black forest made from cake mix, canned cherries and whipped cream. Yeah I know classy!

Was in the mood to try baking a cake from scratch again instead of using a cake mix. It has been years since I made a cake other than carrot. My
first attempts at cake baking years ago resulted in lumps of cement.
Searched blogs and found Baking Bites , posted was a square orange cake frosted with orange raspberry frosting on August 20th .
Eureka!
Looked interesting and while reading the comments someone suggested chocolate icing.
Problem solved.
In the oven;

Baked;

Iced with decadent chocolate icing ;
A slice;
It was very delicious lots of orange flavour , moist, good texture and not cement.
The only thing I changed from the recipe was I used orange juice concentrate undiluted because I did not have orange zest. Gave a very orangey flavour but not overpowering. Icing a simple butter cream with 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate
A cake I will make again.
Recipe at http://bakingbites.com

Tomatoes

Love tomato season, going out and picking the tomatoes warm from the sun.
Making toasted tomato , bacon , lettuce sandwiches, fresh tomato , garlic, herb pasta, greek salad, roasted tomatoes to spread on homemade bread.
But still have tomatoes left over , what to do?
Made spaghetti sauce with garlic , fresh herbs, onions all from the garden.The aroma has it cooks down is mouth watering.

So satisfying, the growing , harvesting and eating of food one plants and tends in the garden.

Packaged up and into the freezer for a mid "winter"( dare I say that word)
taste of sunshine.