Egads! Giant Pepper!

This is the largest pepper I've ever seen and grown! Needless to say it was a good year in my garden for green peppers. In the jars behind it are dried tomatoes. Below is a picture of my friend Carolyn holding the giant pepper.

A Bit of Summer

Because it's a chilly day here in Iowa I thought I would post some pictures of the pond from a warmer day during the summer. It looks so relaxing that I'm going to knit out there when I get the chance now that the days are getting cooler.

Special garden variety corners of my home: 

If you look close enough you can see my cat's shadow, he's trying to be Batman.

Pizza Sauce

 

Every Friday night at our house is pizza night and this homemade pizza sauce really makes it delicious! In the picture above is our next year's pizza sauce. It's really easy to make and tastes great!

1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

12 c. choped ripe tomatoes

1 c. chopped onion

3 cloves fresh garlic

3 tbsp fresh chopped oregano or 1 1/2 tsp dried

1 tbsp fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 bay leaves

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 green pepper minced

1 tomato sauce (large can)

2 small cans tomato paste

Combine tomatoes, onion and rest of ingredients except lemon juice and salts. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and gently boil uncovered till as thick as desired, stirring frequently. Add in the lemon juice and salt.

Put in jars and water bath for 50 minutes.

Corners of my home:

(flowers I picked from out by the garden fence)

Lemon Biscotti

Lemon Biscotti

3 c. flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 eggs

1/3 c. veg oil

1/3 c. fresh lemon juice

1 c. sugar

1 tsp lemon extract

zest from above lemon

Mix together in order & let rest for 15 minutes. Then put two mounds on your cookie sheet. Wet your hands and shape them into long forms pat down on the top and in from the sides. Yes, it looks kind of square but will bake like the pic you see the shape of the biscotti.

Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes. I do 30 minutes then take down the temp of oven to 200 degrees and pull out the cookie sheet. With a serrated knife, cut the cookies at an angle about a finger width between cuts, do this quickly or they will be harder to cut nicely. Then I take the knife and run it under them to release from cookie sheet. Move them apart so that air can circulate and put back in oven till they are harder......about 45 minutes or so at the 200 degrees then take them out cool them and put in a jar. Easy and yummy!