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Dandelion Jelly

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Dandelion Jelly

Dandelion Jelly This jelly is very good and tastes a bit like honey, plus has a consistency of honey. I was out in the pasture collecting dandelions, the neighbor that was o ...

Dandelion Jelly

This jelly is very good and tastes a bit like honey, plus has a consistency of honey.

I was out in the pasture collecting dandelions, the neighbor that was out changing his irrigation came over to the fence and said he didn’t want to be nosy “but what the hell are you doing”? I told him I was going to make jelly. He just shook his head and walked away.

Gather a big container of dandelion flowers, no stems. Pull the petals off of the pod with enough to fill a gallon jar. Fill jar with with boiling water and let steep for 24 hours. Strain through a coffee filter into a stainless steel pot.

Ingredients:

3 cups dandelion tea

4 1/2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 box powdered pectin

Follow directions on pectin box for canning instructions.

Apple Fritters (mini)

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Apple Fritters (mini)

1 1/2 cups diced apples, peeled (2-3 apples)1 cup flour1/4 cup sugar1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1/3 cup milk1 egg2 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon cinnamonOil for frying In bowl, ...

1 1/2 cups diced apples, peeled (2-3 apples)
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Oil for frying


In bowl, mix flour, sugar and baking powder
In a glass, mix milk and egg then add it into dry ingredients and mix until just combined
(Mixture will be thick)
In bowl, toss the apple chunks with the cinnamon and sugar
Add apples into batter and stir just to coat apples
Heat fryer to 350
Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls
(use a second spoon to help drop batter from first spoon)
Fry for 3-4 minutes
(use a fork or tongs to flip over 1/2 way)
Place on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath

Glaze
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients and drizzle over fritters

•Fry in batches
•Makes 8-10 depending on size you drop them

Large batch strawberry jam

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Large batch strawberry jam

10 cups prepared fruit (about 4 qt. fully ripe strawberries) 2 boxes SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin 1 tsp. butter or margarine 14 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl Bring ...

10 cups prepared fruit (about 4 qt. fully ripe strawberries)

2 boxes SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin

1 tsp. butter or margarine

14 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

  1. Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.
  2. Stem and crush strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 10 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot.
  3. Stir pectin into fruit in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn’t stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.
  4. Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Raspberry Meltaway Cookies

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Raspberry Meltaway Cookies

Yields ~ about 44  2.5″ cookies• 1 cup butter, softened• 3/4 cup cornstarch• 3/4 cup powdered sugar• 1 1/2 tsp almond extract• 1 cup all-purpose flour• 2-3 TBSP seedless red raspb ...

Yields ~ about 44  2.5″ cookies
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2-3 TBSP seedless red raspberry jam
• vanilla glaze {see below}


1. Mix together butter and cornstarch until well combined. Add in powdered sugar and extract and mix until smooth. Add flour and mix until dough comes together and flour is all incorporated. Cover and refrigerate 10-15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Scoop out about 1/2 a tablespoonful of dough. (I use a small cookie scoop!)  Roll into a ball and lay on parchment on a cookie sheet. Lay cookie dough balls out 4 across in 5 rows, fitting about 20 cookies per sheet.
4. Bake 9 minutes. Remove from oven and flatten the tops of each cookie by gently pressing down with the bottom of a glass. Let sit for 2 minutes before transferring parchment to a cooling rack.
Glaze: Melt 3 TBSP butter. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla and 3 TBSP milk. Whisk in 1 cup powdered sugar. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly before spooning onto cookies.

5. Let cool about 10 minutes. Spoon glaze on top. Transfer jam to a small bag and cut the     corner to pipe 4-5 small drops of jam on top of glaze on each cookie. Use a toothpick to     swirl the jam and the glaze.

Orange Dreamsicle Salad

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Orange Dreamsicle Salad

Ingredients:1 box orange Jell-O1 box instant vanilla pudding1 cup boiling water1/2 cup cold water1 Cool Whip 8 oz.1 can mandarin oranges 14 oz. , drained1 cup mini marshmallows ...

Ingredients:
1 box orange Jell-O
1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 Cool Whip 8 oz.
1 can mandarin oranges 14 oz. , drained
1 cup mini marshmallows

Instructions:

In a large bowl combine orange Jell-O and boiling water.
Whisk until Jell-O is dissolved.
Add cold water and allow to chill for 15 minutes in refrigerator.
Slowly whisk in vanilla pudding mix until smooth and chill for another 15-20 minutes or until it becomes slightly thickened.
Fold in Cool Whip, mandarin oranges and marshmallows.

Apple Fritters (mini)

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Apple Fritters (mini)

1 1/2 cups diced apples, peeled (2-3 apples)1 cup flour1/4 cup sugar1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1/3 cup milk1 egg2 tablespoons sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon Oil for frying  ...

1 1/2 cups diced apples, peeled (2-3 apples)
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
Oil for frying 

In bowl, mix flour, sugar and baking powder 
In a glass, mix milk and egg then add it into dry ingredients and mix until just combined 
(Mixture will be thick)
In bowl, toss the apple chunks with the cinnamon and sugar 
Add apples into batter and stir just to coat apples 
Heat fryer to 350
Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls
(use a second spoon to help drop batter from first spoon)
Fry for 3-4 minutes
(use a fork or tongs to flip over 1/2 way)
Place on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath

Glaze
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

In small bowl, mix glaze ingredients and drizzle over fritters

•Fry in batches
•Makes 8-10 depending on size you drop them

Zucchini Relish

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Zucchini Relish

10 cups grated zucchini, skin left on4 cups white onion, chopped fine2 large green bell peppers, chopped3/4 cup jalapeño peppers, chopped Mix together in a large bowl. Sprinkle ...

10 cups grated zucchini, skin left on
4 cups white onion, chopped fine
2 large green bell peppers, chopped
3/4 cup jalapeño peppers, chopped


Mix together in a large bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons coarse salt over mixture. Refrigerate and let stand overnight.
Remove from refrigerator and rinse twice with cold water, drain.
In a large kettle add:


4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon turmeric


Bring to a boil, add zucchini mixture and simmer for 20 minutes.
Pour into hot pint jars, add lids, hot water bath for 10 minutes.
Makes 5 pints

Grassology

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Grassology

Know the Facts BEFORE you Buy You have seen it advertised on TV. I hesitate to call it a scam, BUT there are definitely some red flags to consider. There is no listing on t ...

Know the Facts BEFORE you Buy

You have seen it advertised on TV. I hesitate to call it a scam, BUT there are definitely some red flags to consider. There is no listing on their web site listing what type of seed is included in the mix (not all seed works in our area). You can purchase a mix for our area right here at L & S Gardens. Why take a chance.


They claim to have a 30 day money back guarantee. This is not enough time to get it growing.
If you have numerous dead patches, excessive weed growth or bald spots, this grass seed will not make it green and lush as they advertise.


The ads say little watering is required. For root growth you do need to water. This is not rocket science. Putting in a lawn is hard work, so purchase the best perennial seed. I suggest 1/3 Kentucky Blue, 1/3 Turf Type Rye and 1/3 Fescue.

Gardens Need a Foundation

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Gardens Need a Foundation

Prepare your Garden for SpringNow is the time to work up those new garden beds you planned throughout the winter. Number one is supplying a good foundation for your plants. I reco ...

Prepare your Garden for Spring
Now is the time to work up those new garden beds you planned throughout the winter. Number one is supplying a good foundation for your plants. I recommend 1/2 of a GOOD garden compost and 1/2 of our native soil (remember compost is NOT a fertilizer).

Voles / Field Mice Lawn Invasion

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Voles / Field Mice Lawn Invasion

In early spring, when the snow finally melts and we are able to get back out into our yards, some of you may be surprised to find trails and burrows in the lawn.Many of these abov ...

In early spring, when the snow finally melts and we are able to get back out into our yards, some of you may be surprised to find trails and burrows in the lawn.Many of these above ground trails are mistakenly thought to be from moles. Actually in our neck of the woods these trails are made by voles or also referred to as field mice, forging voles tirelessly feeding on the crowns of healthy lawn blades creating small tunnels under the snow pack. Hidden from predators, under snow cover, these trails become a vole super highway leading to their underground burrow. Once the snow starts to melt the trails are easy to see. I couldn’t believe the damage the voles had done to our lawn on the north side of the house, trails running everywhere.

As soon as the lawn dries out, rake over the tunnels with a flexible rake. Apply a spring fertilizer such as a 21-7-14 or 16-16-16. The lawn will usually fill back in by mid-June. If you find it necessary to re-seed, wait until the ground temperatures warm up, around the middle of May.There are several products on the market that you can treat the area with to discourage these critters. I like to use products that contain Castor Oil, either in pellet form or a ready to use liquid. You need dry weather for a couple of days after applying, this includes