Tip of the Week:
Dusting Tips
To keep ceiling fans' blades from collecting dust, use furniture polish on them and polish with a soft clean cloth.
Dust your lamp shades with a new paint brush.
To dust your window or door screens use a piece of carpeting on them.
Recommended online links:
(Coming Soon)
Last week's recipe:
Swiss Steak
2 tablespoons of flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds round steak
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup
finely chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup of stewed tomatoes
2 cups water
1) Combine flour with salt and pepper. Pound mixture thoroughly into both sides of steak. Cut into serving pieces. (abt 3-4 ozs)
2) Preheat skillet on medium high, melt shortening. Brown steak on both sides.
3) Combine vegetables and water, pour over steak. Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, 1-1 1/2 hours. (If you use tenderized round steak the cooking time will be shorter).
4) Thicken remaining sauce for gravy. (This is done by adding a small amount of flour to sauce). Makes 4-6 servings.
(Save this recipe soon... it will be removed next week) |
Vickie's Blog - February 16, 2012
 Welcome back to Vickie's This and That. With the rainy weather the past week, any gardening is probably on hold. (My garden spot is just too wet. I am not complaining as the rain is still badly needed). Don't become discouraged if you haven't been able to plant anything yet. There is still plenty of time to get your garden going. Spring will be here soon!!
This week I am going to share planting dates and the moon favorable dates (based on suggested Moon cycles and its affect on plant growth from the Old Farmers Almanac). I forgot to mention in the past article on planning your garden a couple of things. Plots running north and south for sun are best. Remember your garden will need 8-10 hours of sunshine. Be sure to consider how water drains when deciding which directions to run your rows. You want water to run between row spaces in your garden and not across the rows. Be sure to rotate crops. Crops such as potatoes and those from the broccoli family cannot be grown in the same place each year because they are nutrient greedy. So don't plant potatoes, broccoli and cabbage where you planted them last year.
I am by no means an expert. It is just something I love to do.
Aboveground crops marked *; (E) means early planting
| Planting Dates |
Moon Favorable |
* Broccoli (E) 2/15–3/15
* Brussels sprouts 2/11–3/20
* Cabbage 2/11–3/20
* Cauliflower (E) 2/15–3/7
* Celery (E) 2/15–28
* Cucumbers 3/7–4/15
* Eggplants 3/7–4/15
Leeks 2/15–4/15
* Lettuce 2/15–3/7
* Peppers 3/1–20
* Squashes 3/15–4/15
Sweet potatoes 3/23–4/6
* Tomatoes 3/7–20
*Watermelons 3/15–4/7 |
2/15–18, 3/4–15
2/11–18, 3/4–19
2/11–18, 3/4–19
2/15–18, 3/4–7
2/15–18
3/7–19, 4/3–15
3/7–19, 4/3–15
2/19–3/3, 3/20–4/2
2/15–18, 3/4–7
3/4–19
3/15–19, 4/3–15
3/23–4/2
3/7–19
3/15–19, 4/3–7 |
Until next week!! I would enjoy hearing from anyone else on gardening tips or your favorite recipes. Email tips to info@shelbycountytoday.com att: Vickie's This and That. |
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Most of the recipes I will be sharing are recipes from the 40's,50's, & 60's that were my mother's.
This week's recipe:
Sloppy Joe
2 lbs. ground round beef or ground chuck
1 med onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped, fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
1 can tomato paste
2 Tbs Crisco or cooking oil
1 Tbs brown sugar
1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
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1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp celery salt
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tsp oregano
black pepper, to taste
1 tsp instant beef bouillon
1/2 c hot water
3 Tbs flour & 1/2 c water |
Cook ground meat, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in Crisco or oil 10 min. Drain off excess grease. Combine, remaining ingredients, except bouillon and add to meat mixture. Dissolve bouillon in hot water. Pour over mixture and stir in. Cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Mix flour in 1/2 c tap water until smooth. Pour over meat mixture, stir in and cook 5 mins until mixture thicken. Serve over hamburger buns. |
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