How to: start plants indoors

{mogli, this post is for you!}

 

our "salad bowl" about three weeks after planting

as spring is upon us next week, our minds drift to visions of gardens, canning salsa, picnics in the yard, barefoot in the grass, naps in the hammock, terere, laundry on the line, and so much more.  but first things first: gardens!  living in Portland, we can't put things in the ground just yet, but we can start things indoors to transplant outside when the danger of frost has passed or after May 15th.

Luke is taking the Master Gardeners course through the OSU Extension this spring, so each week, I get to hear about all the neat things he learns about, like pruning trees and propagating herbs. :) 
before you get too ambitious, make sure you check out a vegetable planting calendar for where you live to see when you should plant certain things and which ones are good for transplanting/which ones should be sowed directly outdoors. If you're in Portland, I recommend this one from the Portland Nursery. 

after you have your planting schedule figured out, gather your supplies.

you'll need:
*potting soil (better for the seeds than dirt from your yard because it is more porous which allows more water and air to get to the seed)
*something to plant in (we've used everything from old sour cream containers to the simple black trays you can get at any nursery)
*seeds (for the pnw, we like territorial seeds because they are adjusted to our climate and are used to our growing season)

now you're ready to rock and roll.  planting is simple.  looking at the back of each seed, you will find the depth at which you should plant.  a rule of thumb is that you want to plant each seed twice its size deep in the soil.  i typically use my finger or a pencil to poke holes.  then, drop the seeds in, cover them with soil, spritz with water and voila!  we've been putting our lettuce outside during the day so that it gets used to the weather.  our tomatoes and kale, on the other hand, have been living next to our window, under a fluorescent light bulb which we're trying out to see if it helps them grow quicker. 

 

and now our fingers are crossed that we'll have a new house soon to plant this wonderful vegetable garden at!

side note/tip from my mom: in a vase of fresh tulips, stick a penny in the water and it will help them last longer.  old wive's tale?  i'm willing to try it out!

sundays are for... homemade breakfast treats!

 homemade toaster pastries aka a mix between pop tarts and toaster strudels,  only WAY better!

continuing to try out recipes from my christmas present from christian (homemade pantry by alana chernila) led me to bake these this morning.  basically pie dough stuffed with whatever filling you choose (i used strawberry jam in some and nutella in others).  warm out of the oven, they received rave reviews all around.  i love recipes that make it socially acceptable to eat dessert for breakfast!

 

Recipe: 

One recipe basic pie crust

flour for the counter

1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water

6 tbsp filling of your choice

powdered sugar to top

1. prepare the pie crust in two discs according to the recipe and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but up to 2 days.

2. preheat oven to 375.  line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. roll the first disc of pie pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 9x12 rectangle, cutting away any errant edges with a sharp knife.

4. cut the rectangle into 6 smaller rectangles.  gently separate the rectangles from the counter and lay them on the prepared baking sheet with at least two inches between them (they will rise!)

5. with a pastry brush, paint each rectangle with the beaten egg.  you will have some egg mixture leftover.

6. scoop 1 tbsp filling onto each rectangle in a thin line down the center.  roll out the second disc of pie pastry, repeating the steps to create six rectangles.

7. lay the new batch of rectangles over the rectangles with filling and seal by pressing a fork around the perimeter of each rectangle.  using a pastry brush, paint the tops of each pastry with egg wash and poke several times with a fork.

8. bake 20-25 minutes or until golden.  cool on a wire rack for at least 20  minutes before dusting with powdered sugar.  eat while warm for best results!

let me see your garden grow!

today, i had the pleasure of teaming up with luke on a work project at one of the apartment complexes where he works. with help of many community volunteers and residents who live there, we got these fifteen garden beds ready to plant. we dug out a lot of sod, added compost and soil to amend the existing ground, laid weed barrier fabric and newspaper under the bark chips to slow the weed growth and a team even put up the chain link fence. we also planted a bunch of native plants!

the site when we started the day...

the nearly finished result!

i had fun working alongside the kids and families, imagining what they will grow in their new garden. but boy was i ready for a nap and a back massage when we got home!

now, i get to fantasize about what our garden will hold this year. the other day, we narrowed it down to our top five things and they are: tomatoes, carrots, salad greens, snap peas, and zucchini. i'm sure we'll have some garlic, herbs, and strawberries because we can't resist. it is really hard being in transition and hoping to have a new home before we are in the thick of planting season. until then, we are planting lots in pots and will later either be able to take them with us or transplant them into our garden.

what is your favorite thing to plant now that spring is upon us?

chicago on our mind

after a long skype today with our sister hannah, I realized that I never posted pictures of our trip to Chicago about a month ago to visit her. we went for a long weekend to meet her roommates (she lives with one other woman and two guys) and see the house she is hoping to buy and use to start a powerful example of living in community. hannah is one of the most inspirational people that i know. she isn't afraid to dream big and has faith that those dreams will come true, assured of the vision that God has given her.



currently, she is dreaming of extending hospitality to her neighbors and those she comes in contact with in her neighborhood of east garfield park. she imagines people living life together and also being outward focused on those around them, digging into relationships in an authentic way that seems rare these days. i could go on and on about hannah, but i'll leave you with some pics of our trip and you can see for yourself how much she cared for us on our trip to see her in january.


deep dish pizza at gino's east- aka cheese and gluten overload!


waiting for the L


some beautiful flowers in the conservatory a few blocks from their house


we even found a banana plant!


guerrila tile mosaiac work


the lights at a yummy gyro place we ate at!


hannah cutting our hair at the salon where she works


the finished product


a rousing game of mennonite madness! one of the many moments of uncontrollable laughter during the weekend.



hannah banana, we are so proud to have you as our sister!

time to relax and what do i do?

why head for the kitchen of course... :)

here's a peek into my afternoon in the kitchen this weekend.

I painted these with simple chalkboard paint and I love how they turned out!

This is admitting one of my guiltiest pleasures- checking out cookbooks from the library. Currently reading Flour by Joanne Chang and drooling over every page.

Food processor = kitchen wonder tool. This one was assembled for us by our brother in law, all from parts he found at the Goodwill bins! (I was making bread crumbs!)

Rosemary Raisin Pecan Crips, created to be like the ones you can buy at Trader Joes. I used this recipe. They're tasty with some cream cheese on top.

Two things I can't live without in my kitchen. Misto- like Pam nonstick spray, only you fill/refill it with olive oil to grease pans, spritz on popcorn, and a myriad of other uses. We like it because we get to buy the big jug of olive oil from the Lebanese store down the street. The other tip- if you're still living in the last century like me and use paper recipes, slip them into a plastic sheet protector before you expect them to brave your kitchen. That way, they survive all the drips, spills, and splatters of your creative cooking!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Courtesy of Wendy Shaver
2 c butter (room temp)
1 c sugar
1 c brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2c flour
2 c whole wheat flour
5 c quick oatmeal
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
24 oz semi sweet choc chips
Opt. 2 cups of chopped pecans or walnuts
 
In a large bowl or mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend, then vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together, then add to butter mixture. Mix until moistened and blended. Mix in choc chips. Bake 375 degrees for 8-10 mins. *This makes a big batch of dough, so I always bake some right away and with the leftover, I scoop it into balls, freeze it in a single layer, and then keep it in a Ziploc. This way, you can pull out however many you need and always have cookies- warm from the oven. Or you can pop a frozen dough ball after a hard day!*

why do i have such a way of making such a messy kitchen? good thing at our house, the philosophy luke aspires to is, "i cook and he cleans!"

homemade laundry detergent in five minutes flat!

thanks to my dear friend victoria for gifting me The Naturally Clean Home for my birthday last year, i've been slowly trying out homemade cleaners.

here's one that i have been so impressed with the results.

Basic Laundry Soap Powder
*This recipe will wash six average loads, but you can easily double it*
1 cup washing soda
1 cup baking soda
1 cup soap flakes or finely grated pure bar soap (i use fels naptha brand)

Combine all ingredients and store in a heavy plastic container. Use 1/2 cup for an average laundry load.

A few tips... I have found all the ingredients at my nearby Winco and they are CHEAP too- this stuff is way more cost effective than any other store bought detergent. It smells so clean and fresh- not chemically at all. I bought an old box grater from my nearby thrift store and keep it separate, especially for grating the bar soap. I would recommend dissolving the powder in warm water in the washer before you turn the temp to cold and add the clothes.

Enjoy!

yesterday and today

yesterday it was 2012. today it's 2013! yesterday it was snowing and today we went bike riding!

to start the year off right, we took advantage of a spectacular day and headed out to the gorge to ride a trail we've wanted to for a long time. the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail is off i-84 east at exit 40 and goes for less than five miles in either direction. we saw bonneville dam and stopped in cascade locks for a burger and to warm our toes. the most spectacular sight was the places where water normally flows down freely are covered with ice and frost on the rock walls of the gorge. incredible!

besides getting the chance to be out in nature on day one of a new year, we were able to spend some time reflecting on the full year we had, as well as think ahead to the months coming. although i'm not a person who sets resolutions for myself, i would like to be mindful this year (LIVE WITH INTENTION). more on that later.

for now, i will rejoice that i flossed my teeth more in 2012 and went to the community center once a week to zumba. it's the small things, right? what's something you did in 2012 that you are proud of yourself for doing?