Leaf Composting

 Do you remember that pallet of stone I got in September?

After I emptied it I thought I'd re-purpose it as a leaf composter.  I rolled it to a spot along the glen that was clear of plantings and started to fill it last weekend with leaves.

Now the only part of my yard that I consider lawn is on the southside of the house between the deck and the glen garden, not more than 20 feet wide.

So the only part I will rake is there.  I did it Sunday and then again today.

 The re-purposed composter is filling up.  I hope it results in some nice leaf compost for the flowers and vegetable beds next spring.

P.S.  I guess you can pick out the photos that were taken this summer,  can't you?

Thursday Kitchen Cupboard

I came across a recipe for curry recently at Rock Recipes and filed it in the recesses of my brain to try some day.  Well, Wednesday was the day, except I didn't follow his recipe I went to this great book

and found a crock pot recipe that required less preparation time.
I had on hand tomato seconds from the farmers market,

 

sweet potatoes,

and these potatoes from the store purchased I don't know how long ago. You see I had to toss some of the potatoes in the compost bucket.

 Here's the recipe:

 I went with the small potatoes and tossed out all the mushy large ones.  Potatoes and cubed sweet potatoes went in crock pot along with 2 carrots chopped.

 Tomatoes chopped and added using fresh instead of canned ones.  I could use frozen ones next time.

 Chicken tenderloins cut up instead of the chicken breasts with the spices including the addition of a teaspoon of curry.

 Stirred it up with a cup of chicken bouillon poured over it.  Now it's ready to slow cook for 6-8 hours.

The house smelled delightful all day.  I added 2 tablespoons of flour to 1/2 cup of milk to thicken the sauce.  Here's the  crock pot with two servings removed.  There is a lot of sauce.

 I served it over rice and had peas on the side.

It is really a stew and it was fine though we both needed to add more salt and ground fresh pepper to flavor it more.  I made notes on my recipe that next time I will use boneless thighs, forget the celery seed, add more curry, salt and pepper and possibly add onions.  I think the long cooking process of the crock pot dilutes the seasoning and possibly a second seasoning needs to happen in the hour before serving.  I'm going to have it again tonight and see how the extra salt, pepper and curry helped it that I added before refrigerating the leftovers.

See what others are cooking or preserving this week at Robin's Thursday Kitchen Cupboard

Wordless Wednesday

A Strange Wet Fall

Too much rain!  That's the complaint this fall.  We heard it from the farmers where we had a hay ride last night for the community picnic.  They lost almost all of their pumpkin harvest due to rain.  Other fall crops have suffered.  I see it around my yard in the spinach which is slow to grow because its too wet for the new seedlings to the moss and weird mushrooms.  Someone else on the hayride said they need to change the state flower to mold.



Where are the bright yellows and golds, the russets and reds?

This is the time of year to enjoy the colors of the trees but this year the leaves have come down fast.  Many leaves went right to brown after the heavy rains of September and with the heavy rains last week they have come down.  The woods are opening up fast with the loss of leaves.  It's a muted coloring to the fall.  So strange.