Category Archives: Gardening

Too many tomatoes?

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Craving a Flavorful Homemade Salsa? Try This Simple Pineapple and Bell Pepper Recipe

Too many tomatoes? Salsas are a great way to use them. No canning is required for this recipe. Plus, this sweet version will add fresh flavor to dishes any time of year. While many traditional salsa recipes call for onions and hot peppers, you can make a tasty salsa without them. The secret is using a combination of sweet and tart ingredients.

This easy pineapple and red bell pepper salsa comes together quickly with just a few ingredients. It highlights the natural sweetness of ripe tomatoes balanced by the tropical tang of pineapple and the brightness of red bell peppers. A bit of sugar and vinegar round out the flavors.

The end result is a chunky salsa with just the right mix of sweet, sour, and savory. Bright orange tomato pieces contrast with the red bell pepper and yellow pineapple tidbits. It looks as good as it tastes!

Best of all, this versatile salsa can be served with tacos, grilled fish or chicken, as a salad topper, quick dinner, or even as an appetizer with tortilla chips. The flavors complement anything from Tex-Mex dishes to Hawaiian cuisine.

Fresh Tomato Pineapple Salsa
Makes about 3 cups

Ingredients:

– 2 – 2 1/2 cups colorful tomatoes, cored and diced
– 1/2 cup fresh pineapple tidbits (from fresh or store-prepared pineapple spears)
– @1⁄4 red bell pepper, diced
– 3 tablespoon white sugar
– 3 tablespoons your favorite vinegar or mix of vinegars (I use ½ rice, ½ balsamic vinegars)
–
Instructions:

1. Mix sugar and vinegars in a glass container (I use four-cup Pyrex measuring cup) and microwave for ½ to 1 minute. This makes the sugar go into solution. Stir to combine.
2. Chop pineapple and bell pepper into ½ inch pieces. Add to vinegar/sugar mix.
3. I usually peel the tomatoes before chopping into ½ inch pieces.. This step is optional.
4. For best flavor, let the salsa rest for 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. The fresh salsa keeps several days chilled.

Tips for Serving Pineapple Tomato Salsa:
– I use different colored tomatoes.
– I prefer red bell peppers but you can use any color. Yellow and orange are sweet, too.
– Mix with cottage cheese for a quick snack or meal
– Pair it with grilled mahi mahi, chicken, or flank steak
– Spoon over tacos for a sweet contrast to savory fillings
– Brighten up a salad by topping it with a heaping spoonful
– Use as a burger topping in place of ketchup
– Dip tortilla chips or vegetables like jicama and cucumber
– Transform basic rice into something special by mixing in a few tablespoons
– Brush onto salmon or halibut before broiling for a flavorful glaze

This salsa really shines when made with juicy in-season tomatoes. Look for tomatoes that are fully ripe but still firm. The pineapple adds moisture, so drain any excess liquid from the tomatoes before dicing. When I get fresh pineapple from the store, pre-cut, I’ll freeze what we don’t eat. It’s easier to cut into tidbits when it’s partially frozen.

For best results, avoid using out-of-season hothouse tomatoes, which tend to be drier and less flavorful. Though if those are your only option, just boost the sugar slightly to compensate.

The possibilities are endless with this easy pineapple and bell pepper salsa. It’s sure to be a hit any time of year. The sweet and tangy flavors make it truly hard to resist!

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Cultivating Crunchy Cukes in Cages

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Raised bed gardening offers numerous benefits for green thumbs and novice gardeners alike. Growing ‘off’ the ground and in tall containers, though, works best for this little old lady (the white container in the background). No bending, squatting, or kneeling for me!
The advantages of planting in large wooden boxes or plastic fish totes (yup!) range from enhanced soil drainage and temperature control to easier access for planting and harvesting. When it comes to cucumbers, utilizing a trellis system can dramatically improve your yield, quality, and the overall health of your plants.


My husband had seen ads for fancy containers with ‘hooped’ trellises and decided to build his own. He used leftover lumber, metal siding, and a piece of fence panel. He sketched it out, calculated some measurements based on what he had on hand, then put the hardware and tools to the wood and metal. He’s very clever that way. We already had plenty of Four-in-One soil mix (sand, loam, compost, and manure mixed and aged) on hand, so with our tractor and its bucket to fill his new creation, the vining container was soon complete. All that was needed were young plants. I bought one and started the rest of my crop from seeds.
Make sure you choose the right plants for trellising. I planted Tendersweet, Armenian, Pioneer cucumbers, and a few Yellow Mini Watermelons. That’s kind of cheating according to the experts (you’re not supposed to plant melons and cukes next to each other), but since I already had the seedlings started, they went in, too. I planted a few bush varieties of cucumbers in the middle of my oversized tunnel of trellis (bent-over field fence). We put in some drip irrigation emitters, shaved wood bedding to retain moisture, and waited for the growth spurt.
We had a sunny east-west exposure for it. We have long days at this time of year in Oregon, so everything took off. Because I overplanted, I am constantly trimming oversized cucumber leaves that are blocking air circulation. I do the same thing for all my plants in containers. That’s a secret no one seems to share. Mold and crud love warm, moist environments. You’ll be surprised at how plants love being thinned out.
Watering is crucial when growing cucumbers. They require a consistent, plentiful supply of water – at least one inch per week. I use drip watering to cut down on usage and mulch to keep it in. This also keeps the foliage dry and prevents mildew.
As your cucumber plants start growing, guide them onto the trellis. The tendrils will naturally grab onto the trellis, but you may need to gently train them in the right direction.
Finally, don’t forget about the power of companion planting. Marigolds, nasturtiums, or radishes planted around your cucumber bed can deter harmful pests.
Container with trellis gardening is an excellent way to maximize the yield of your cucumber plants and promote healthier growth. It’s not only a practical method for urban gardeners or those with limited space but also an enjoyable activity for anyone interested in getting the most out of their gardening endeavors. Enjoy the process and look forward to a bountiful harvest of crisp, delicious cucumbers!

Is it too hot to garden? Set your alarm and get out early in the day. When the heat gets to be too much, come back in, take a cool shower, and grab an Unforgettable Romance about Christmas. Check this one out: Unforgettable Christmas Miracles has ELEVEN romances, just ripe for you. #Free to read with #KindleUnlimited.

Are you obsessed, passionate, or both?

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Are you obsessed, passionate, or both? I’m both. Not with a person, game, or money but with colorful plants. The house we bought in Oregon’s Mid-Willamette Valley in 2014 was built in 1900. It came with ¾ of an acre of deep topsoil, plenty of upgrades needed but loads of well-established perennials. Yup, with a handyman husband and lots of digging tools, I was in heaven.
I brought some of my own roses from Alaska and promptly purchased more from my favorite rose supplier, Burling Leong of Burlington Nurseries. I also planted a few rose seedlings I had started, happy to have a temperate site to evaluate my babies’ size and hardiness.

Less than 10% of the rose varieties I have grown in my Oregon yard in the last four years.

Why would I start seedlings when there are so many colors, shapes, and sizes of rose varieties available? Well, because I like to create. I used to sew, still crochet and cook, and have been known to write a book or forty, all without patterns, recipes, or outlines. I think it was Nike who said, ‘Just do it.’ I was all over that before they put out the slogan (although I’m not a runner).


Here are two of the rose babies I created. Both are rugosas. The blooms are three to four inches across. Both smell great, too.


What’s your passion? Did you know that working with it and finding a way to make it your own gives immense satisfaction? I remember my mother looking at photos of us kids and saying she was ‘Just admiring her greatest creations.’ Aww… Being a loving and caring parent or grandparent IS special, too.

Do you love birds? Check out the first book in THAT TWIN THING series, THE MIDWIFE’S SON. Two birdwatchers find each other fifteen years after meeting as children. Will they recognize each other or will Mom, the midwife, help them out? Twists and turns of emotions end in a Happy Ever After. Read separately or as part of THAT TWIN THING COLLECTION, all available to read for free with #KindleUnlimited.
If you would, please follow me on Amazon, Goodreads, and Book Bub to hear about my latest releases. I’d appreciate it.

Dogwoods are Blooming by Rachelle Ayala #mgtab @mimisgang1

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Hey friends, I’m in Western North Carolina this week and caught the transition from winter to spring. It was cold and rainy last week with downpours on Saturday, but come Easter Sunday, and the sun was up, the skies were blue, and the dogwoods were blooming.

I’ve come to learn how special the dogwood is, especially here in Western North Carolina where the dogwood blossom is the state flower. It started blooming this past week and temperatures warmed up nicely. There’s still a nip in the air in the morning and the days are sunny and bright. But sun worshippers, watch out! You never know when another cold snap might be heading your way. If so, the old timers call it a Dogwood Winter and that usually happens right about now.

Here are some fun facts about dogwoods:

  • The dogwood tree, with its delicate and ethereal blossoms, has long been associated with love, romance, and new beginnings. In the secret language of flowers from the Victorian era, the dogwood blossom represented durability and reliability, reflecting the strength of its wood. And guess what? It’s not just about romantic love. It’s also about the unwavering support and dependability we find in our dearest friendships.
  • The dogwood’s four-petaled flowers, resembling a cross with a crown of thorns in the center, speak of love’s ability to endure, sacrifice, and grow stronger through life’s challenges. So, whether you’re embarking on a romantic journey or celebrating a cherished friendship, the dogwood tree serves as a beautiful symbol of the deep bonds that connect us.
  • Dogwood Winter is a gentle reminder from Mother Nature not to get too carried away by the warmth and excitement of spring just yet. It’s a brief pause, a moment to cherish the beauty of the dogwood blossoms and the love and friendships they symbolize, before fully embracing the season of renewal and growth.
  • Long ago, a young Native American couple was in love, but their families were enemies. They decided to run away together, but they were pursued by their angry relatives. They prayed to the Great Spirit for help, and he turned them into two dogwood trees that grew close together. Their blossoms were white to symbolize their purity and innocence.

It’s not only dogwoods that are blooming here, but also azaleas, redbuds, and wild cherries. A quick drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway will reward you with a burst of spring color, from the light-green buds to the showy purple-pink and reds. Western North Carolina is a great place to bring in springtime with its rivers and ponds, birds, tadpoles, bumblebees, and dandelions galore.

If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope spring is budding right around the corner for you, too. As for me, I’m enjoying my family time, and working on two romances: Blue Mooned: Diamond, a light-hearted romantic fantasy, and Where Love Blossoms, a light and easy beach and vacation romance. Happy April, wherever you are!