WACKY Popcorn: Why I Still Prefer Homemade Stovetop Popcorn

Popcorn cookbook

If there's one snack I've loved my entire life, it's popcorn. Whether we're watching a movie, heading to a family event, or simply looking for an inexpensive treat, popcorn has always been one of my favorites. Over the years I've experimented with different oils, seasonings, and recipes, but I always seem to come back to the same simple method: fresh popcorn, real butter, and plenty of salt.

I'm probably the biggest POPCORN FANATIC on this side of Texas. Just ask my friends... I'm the one who brings POPCORN to events. I've been known to skip dinner and just eat popcorn. I even went and bought those cute little popcorn bags.

Popcorn Recipe book

Well, one day I was researching online for some popcorn recipes and I kept stumbling over this popcorn cookbook. The reviews were great! I placed it in my shopping cart on Amazon.com and technically forgot about it...

Then one day I was on Amazon and I purchased a garden book. I didn't realize until I got my confirmation email, that not only did I purchase the garden book, but I had also purchased the popcorn book! Say what? Ooops! I forgot to remove it from shopping cart when I checked out!

No biggie! I dug into the popcorn book expecting all kinds of cool recipes. What I didn't expect was stuff like, Bacon and popcorn, mushrooms and popcorn, tossed salads and salsa with popcorn...

Ummm... Okay.

popcorn and bacon

popcorn salad

I'll just take my popcorn salted with butter, thank you.

Popcorn in a wine jug

After making countless batches of popcorn over the years, here are a few things I've learned:

• Use a heavy-bottomed pot for even heating.
• Add just enough oil to lightly coat the kernels.
• Shake the pot frequently while popping to prevent burning.
• Remove the popcorn from the heat as soon as the popping slows.
• Melt real butter separately and drizzle it over the popcorn while tossing.
• Season immediately so the salt sticks to the butter.

Why Popcorn Is One of My Favorite Pantry Foods

Besides tasting great, popcorn is one of the most economical foods you can keep in your pantry. A small amount of kernels makes a surprisingly large bowl, and when stored properly, popcorn has an excellent shelf life. That's one reason it's become one of my favorite preparedness foods as well as my favorite movie-night snack.

Popcorn: One of the Cheapest Long-Term Food Storage Staples

I did find a couple of recipes that had a normal dessert theme. I'll post the recipes later when I try them out (especially the birthday popcorn cake!)

For the moment, I want to talk about regular popcorn.

I've read a lot of discussions on WHICH types of oils are better for popping popcorn. I tried most of them. My most recent was the coconut oil.

After experimenting with several oils—including coconut oil—I now find myself reaching for olive oil the most, and I only use real butter. 

I Don't use margarine as it's really just water and it will shrink your popcorn! REAL BUTTER will magically soak into your popcorn and they'll taste light and fluffy! YUM!!!!

Here's a childhood popcorn horror story of mine. If you want, I'll wait until you finish popping your popcorn before you read.

POPCORN HORROR STORY

I was staying the night with my friend Vena who lived in the country. We had built this clubhouse in a tree and decided to camp in it. That night, her parents took us to the drive-in movies.

We went to see the horror show, THE EXORCIST.

As you can imagine (for a young pre-teen mind) the show was DISTURBING. Needless to say, Vena and I chickened out when we got home. The moonlight shining over the darkened trail to her clubhouse didn't seem like a great idea. On top of that, we couldn't even sleep in her bed! (Have you seen the Exorcist?) Sooo, we dragged her mattress off her bed and took it to the living room. Afraid to turn off the lights, we decided to stay up all night watching TV.

Sooo...

We popped some popcorn. We melted two whole sticks of butter and it ooozed to the bottom of the bowl --- then we dug in. About an hour later, I was holding my stomach. Swirls and swirls of nausea swept over me. I swore that I would NEVER EVER eat popcorn again! Never!

The next morning I caught a mouse in her kitchen by its tail.

UPDATE:  Years after writing this post, popcorn is still one of the foods I always keep stocked in my pantry—not just because I love it, but because it's inexpensive, stores well, and makes a comforting snack during both ordinary evenings and unexpected situations.

Preparedness Isn’t Just About Survival — Comfort Foods Matter Too

Heirloom New Zealand Spinach: Heat-Tolerant Vegetables in Texas

New Zealand Spinach

Gardening in Texas during the summer can be a challenge. While traditional spinach often bolts as temperatures rise, New Zealand spinach thrives in the heat and continues producing through much of the summer. That's one reason I was excited to add this heirloom variety to my garden. Not only is it productive, but it also gives me the opportunity to save seeds and grow it again year after year.

What Is New Zealand Spinach?

Despite its name, New Zealand spinach isn't true spinach. It's a warm-season leafy green that produces tender leaves similar to spinach but performs much better during hot weather. Once established, it tolerates drought far better than traditional spinach and can provide a continuous harvest throughout the summer.

Growing Tips for New Zealand Spinach

Unlike traditional spinach, New Zealand spinach actually loves warm weather. Once summer temperatures climb into the 80s and 90s, this plant continues producing while regular spinach often bolts and becomes bitter.

A few tips I've learned:

• 🌱 Plant after all danger of frost has passed.
• ☀️ Grow in full sun, although a little afternoon shade can help during extreme Texas heat.
• 💧 Water regularly while plants are getting established. Once mature, New Zealand spinach is surprisingly drought tolerant.
• ✂️ Harvest by pinching off the tender growing tips instead of pulling the entire plant. Frequent harvesting encourages bushier growth and keeps fresh leaves coming all season.
• 🌿 Give plants plenty of room. They tend to spread several feet across during the summer.

---

How to Use New Zealand Spinach

Although the leaves are a little thicker than common spinach, they're delicious when:

• added to salads while young
• sautéed with garlic and butter
• stirred into soups
• mixed into omelets
• added to casseroles
• frozen for later use

Because it keeps producing through hot weather, it's one of my favorite vegetables for extending the harvest when other leafy greens have already quit.

Wow, I couldn't believe my eyes when I checked my mail today. Talk about FAST shipping! I went online and ordered more heirloom seeds Wed, and here it is FRIDAY.

New Zealand Spinach seeds, Broccoli, Now Peas, and Lettuce 

I decided to order the New Zealand Spinach. This spinach is especially hardy in sweltering hot climates and can tolerate drought conditions. It's also a rare variety, so I wanted to pass on the heritage and grow my own each year.

Why I Love Growing Heirloom Vegetables

One of the reasons I enjoy heirloom varieties is the ability to save seeds from healthy plants and grow them again the following season. Unlike many hybrid vegetables, heirloom plants generally grow true from seed, making them an excellent choice for gardeners interested in self-reliance and preserving older varieties.

 

hybrid tomatoes 

I also ordered a batch of heirloom broccoli, peas, and more lettuce.

My hybrid tomatoes are thriving and doing very well. This will be the last season I grow them as I plan to start fresh heirloom tomatoes. I have several varieties of the Brandywine. I'll probably grow the Brandywines in the front yard until my hybrid tomatoes are past their season. This will prevent any risk of cross pollination. (Growing different tomato varieties separately helped simplify my seed-saving plans. While tomatoes are largely self-pollinating, separating varieties can reduce the chance of occasional cross-pollination, especially if you're saving seeds.) 

I Hope My Thumb Gets Greener: Beginning Seed Saving and Heirloom Gardening

Bell Peppers

My hybrid bell peppers are thriving as well. I have two varieties growing.

variety of heirloom peppers

I have three varieties of heirloom bell peppers started -- the yellow, red, and green peppers. As soon as I feel they're strong enough, I'll be transferring them outdoors.

heirloom lettuce for seed saving 

Heirloom lettuce. I'm hoping to keep batches growing fresh in the greenhouse to add to the varieties of spinach for salads.

One lesson I've learned over the years is that choosing vegetables suited to your climate is just as important as choosing productive varieties. A garden full of heat-tolerant crops is far more likely to keep producing during long Texas summers.

Staying Organic: Letting Nature Do the Work

Happy gardening!

Garden Friends: Why Beneficial Insects Are Every Gardener's Best Friend

One of the biggest lessons I've learned as a gardener is that not every insect is an enemy. In fact, some of the hardest-working helpers in the garden have six legs. The more I learned about beneficial insects, frogs, lizards, birds, and other wildlife, the more I realized that a healthy garden depends on balance rather than trying to eliminate every bug in sight.

Last week, I received in the mail my copy of the book, Common Sense Pest Control.

To be honest, I've been doing a lot of thinking about BUGS and why they are here. Sometimes it's instinctive to kill every bug in sight.

Yet, after spotting lizards, frogs, Ladybugs, and beneficial bees, I feel guilty every time we spray the yard for mosquitoes. It makes me wonder what ELSE we're killing. Something's not right. And just like our appendix, everything serves a purpose. Nature is incredibly complex, and many things we once thought had little purpose are now understood to play important roles.

With that thought in mind, I've been trying to find a way to live PEACEFULLY with bugs.

Before I go any further... I'm not a whacked out, tree-hugging, earth and sun worshipper. When I say that I want to live "peacefully" with bugs, this doesn't mean I'm going to hold my front door open and set out the food dish. What I mean is that I'm going to educate myself on WHY they are here and how bugs are beneficial to our environment.

And this is where I talk about my garden.

When I ordered this book, I wanted a commonsense approach to handling pests in my garden. After all, instinctively I KNOW it's wrong to take a spray bottle and just go nuts killing everything in sight.

For example, it was just in the news where a guy blew up his apartment by setting off pesticide bombs. I don't blame the guy, as he was probably at his wits end, but there ARE ways to control and eliminate unwanted guests (without blasting out our windows.)

Common Sense Pest Control book

I started to realize that having bugs in my garden is a GOOD thing. Many of the critters are beneficial and of course, some are not so beneficial. BUT, for thousands of years, our plants have adapted and became immune to many pests. This is where HEIRLOOM SELF-POLLINATED plants come into the picture. These ancestral plants have been around for many years and have built in immunities.

When we purchase our (sterile) HYBRID seeds from the grocery stores, many of these seeds have built in pesticides within their DNA. Of course, I now realize it's important to distinguish between traditional hybrid varieties and genetically engineered (GM) crops. Hybrid plants are produced by cross-pollinating compatible varieties, while some genetically engineered crops have been modified to express specific traits, such as resistance to certain insects or herbicides. - so, yes, they will look better, seem to be thriving better and handling these pests... but think about what the cost is to our health and environment? I do think it takes some discernment. 

Our farmers are using the ROUNDUP pesticide and it's working because their hybrid crops have been programmed with pesticide DNA to protect it from being killed by Roundup -- thus their crops are thriving literally pest free. 

But what happens if/when insects and weeds build immunities to Roundup? Oh yes, it's going to happen. Considering the fact that THOUSANDS of our heirloom plants are disappearing and going extinct, this means we could be facing a severe crop shortage. 

Here's food for thought, as this is already happening. Some of these were research projects. 

The DNA of a moth has been inserted into our potatoes

Flounder DNA in our Tomatoes

Fire fly DNA in our corn...

Modern agriculture has explored a variety of genetic engineering techniques over the years, leading many gardeners—including me—to appreciate the value of preserving heirloom and open-pollinated varieties.

Doesn't it make GOOD COMMON SENSE to let nature take its course? The natural and best thing to do is to allow our gardens to build their own healthy immunities. A good heirloom self-pollinated plant will adapt itself to its environment and grow its own resistance to pests.

If you've been swinging the pesticides around your yard, you may need to give your yard some time to recuperate. After all, you need your beneficial friends to return.

Building a Healthy Garden Naturally

Over the years I've found that encouraging biodiversity has made my garden healthier. Flowers attract pollinators, ladybugs help reduce aphids, frogs and lizards eat insects, and birds can help control many common garden pests.

That doesn't mean every insect belongs in the vegetable garden, but understanding which creatures are beneficial helps reduce unnecessary pesticide use and creates a healthier environment for both people and wildlife.

 

Essential garden bugs 

 

Prepping Is Not About Fear. It's About Peace of Mind

Homemade Blueberry Pop-Tarts Recipe: Better Than Store-Bought!

Homemade Pop Tarts 

There's something satisfying about making a favorite childhood treat from scratch. These homemade blueberry Pop-Tarts have a flaky pastry crust, a sweet blueberry filling, and a simple vanilla glaze that tastes every bit as good as the boxed version. They're fun to make, freeze well, and are perfect for breakfast, snacks, or lunch boxes.

Pamela's been feeling under the weather all week, so thought I'd perk her up with some homemade blueberry Pop-Tarts!

I wanted my Pop-Tarts to be flaky and taste exactly like the stores. After giving this recipe a whirl, I do believe it tastes just the same if not better!

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups vegetable shortening
2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup cold water
1 teaspoon vinegar
Blueberry jam

Mixing the ingredients for the pop tarts 

In a large bowl, cut flour and shortening with a pastry blender, or a butter knife until completely blended and resembles crumbs. Add sugar, baking powder, salt, egg, vinegar and cold water. Mix with hands until mixture forms ball.

letting the pop tart dough rise

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

spreading out the pop tart dough

Divide dough into fourths, refrigerating the unused portions. Take first 1/4 dough and roll out onto a floured surface.

the fun part, shaping the pop tarts 

Cut into rectangles using a sharp knife, or a pizza cutter. Be sure to make the rectangles the same size as each piece will need to fit evenly over one another.

blueberry jam and cream cheese 

Of course, you can pick and choose your own ingredients for your Pop-Tarts.
Be creative!
I decided to use cream cheese and blueberry jam.

making the blueberry pop tarts 

Spread jam/ingredients on one half of rectangles (mine look more like squares), leaving half an inch or so on the edges without jam. Cover with the other half and crimp edges with fork. (You might want to dip fork into water to make sure edges become merged.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until pie dough is evenly browned and cooked through. Cool completely and place into Ziplock bags for storage until ready to eat. Can be kept for up to 1 week or several weeks if frozen.

Recipe for glaze:

Powdered sugar
Milk
Vanilla extract

Mix sugar into milk until desired consistency. Let glaze dry hard before bagging Pop-

Tarts.

Enjoy!

Filling Ideas

Once you master the basic dough, you can experiment with all kinds of fillings:

• Strawberry jam
• Raspberry preserves
• Apple butter
• Cherry preserves
• Cinnamon brown sugar
• Cream cheese and fruit preserves
• Chocolate hazelnut spread

 

Baking Together

One of my favorite memories is baking with my daughter. Some of our best conversations happened while measuring ingredients, rolling dough, and waiting for treats to come out of the oven. Teaching children to bake is about much more than food—it's a practical life skill they'll carry with them for years.

Delicious homemade Blueberry Pop Tarts! 

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Cinnabons: Homemade Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting (Better Than Bakery Cinnabons)

Old-Fashioned White Bread Made Easy in a Bread Machine

Homemade Pizza: Easy Family Pizza Night Recipe

Homemade pizza has always been one of our favorite family meals because it's quick, inexpensive, and easy to customize with whatever toppings we have on hand. This simple recipe comes together in about 30 minutes and tastes far better than many frozen pizzas. It's also a fun meal to make together as a family, letting everyone choose their favorite toppings.

Tips for Better Homemade Pizza

A few simple tricks can make homemade pizza even better:

• Pre-baking the crust for a couple of minutes helps prevent a soggy center.
• Don't overload the pizza with sauce or toppings, which can make the crust soft.
• Freshly grated mozzarella melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
• Let the pizza rest for about five minutes before slicing so the cheese has time to set.

Easy Pizza Topping Ideas

One of the best things about homemade pizza is that every pizza can be different. Some of our favorite toppings include:

• Mushrooms
• Bell peppers
• Onions
• Black olives
• Italian sausage
• Canadian bacon
• Jalapeños
• Fresh basil
• Bacon
• Pineapple (if you're on Team Pineapple!)

Here's a recipe for quick homemade pizza - Approximately 30 minutes to prepare and cook.


You'll need:

Pizza crust mix
Grated Mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni
Spaghetti sauce
Grated Parmesan cheese
Ground beef

** The packages/ingredients shown will yield approximately 2 large 12" pizzas - add or subtract toppings of your choice.

Mixing the pizza dough.

Cook the ground beef and then drain 

This is for your basic meat and cheese pizza. Cook about 2 cups of ground beef and drain. While meat is frying, preheat oven to 450.
Pour mix into bowl, add hot water (as pkg specifies) and mix, adding a little flour if sticky - knead, let rise for 5 min. While waiting on crust, check ground beef, drain if finished and grease 12" pizza pan.

Spread dough evenly to the sides, working from the middle.

Prick dough with fork and place in oven for about 2 min.

While dough is heating, you can repeat process for 2nd pizza.

Adding sauce and toppings.

Pull dough from oven and spread your favorite spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce evenly over the crust.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese.

Topped with pepperoni and ground beef

Spread ground beef, pepperoni, and Mazzarella cheese evenly.

Fresh homemade pizza before baking.

Place in oven and cook for approx. 10 min or when cheese is lightly browned.

Finish process for 2nd pizza while cooking the first.

Golden brown and ready to serve.

 Cool for about 5 min, slice and serve!

Pantry-Friendly Pizza

Keeping pizza crust mix, canned spaghetti or pizza sauce, shredded cheese in the freezer, and a few pantry staples makes it easy to put together a homemade meal without ordering takeout. It's one of those recipes that's easy to adapt based on what you already have available.

Low Carb Pizza! Easy Low-Carb Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe

Old-Fashioned White Bread Made Easy in a Bread Machine

Snow in July: How to Make Homemade Snow Cones with Kool-Aid Syrup

Homemade Snow Cones are the best 

When Texas temperatures climb into the triple digits, there's nothing better than an ice-cold treat. Instead of spending money at shaved ice stands, we started making homemade snow cones right in our own kitchen. They're inexpensive, fun for kids, and easy to customize with your favorite flavors. Best of all, homemade syrup takes just a few minutes to make.

Tips for Better Homemade Snow Cones

A few tricks make homemade snow cones even more refreshing:

• Use fresh ice cubes for the fluffiest shaved ice.
• Chill the homemade syrup before serving.
• Store leftover syrup in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Make several Kool-Aid flavors so everyone can create their favorite combination.
• Freeze extra syrup into ice cube trays for future batches.

Favorite Homemade Snow Cone Flavors

Some of our family's favorite Kool-Aid flavors include:

• Cherry
• Tropical Punch
• Grape
• Blue Raspberry
• Lemon-Lime
• Strawberry

Gosh, I don't know why I hadn't done it sooner, but today I dragged out my nostalgic snow cone machine. This nifty little machine was very affordable and will turn a bowl of ice cubes into yummy and refreshing snow cones! I purchased this last summer after realizing we were spending a small fortune downtown on Hawaiian shaved ice! This past week we got up to 105 degrees with no relief for this weekend!

Kool-Aid snow cones 

You can find snow cone syrups in most stores, but I like to make my own.

Mix together:

1 packet of Kool-Aid

1/2 cup of sugar

1 cup of water

*I prefer using those picnic style ketchup/mustard bottles with the attached lid.

snow cone machine 

A Budget-Friendly Summer Treat

One of the reasons I bought a snow cone machine was simple—it paid for itself quickly. Instead of buying shaved ice every time we visited town, we could make dozens of snow cones at home for a fraction of the cost. It's one of those small purchases that brought years of summertime fun.

WACKY Popcorn: Why I Still Prefer Homemade Stovetop Popcorn

Homemade Blueberry Pop-Tarts Recipe: Better Than Store-Bought!

Preparedness Isn’t Just About Survival — Comfort Foods Matter Too

 

Expired garden seeds: Do Garden Seeds Really Expire? The Truth About Seed Viability

Date Palm Trees 

Every gardener has discovered an old packet of seeds tucked away in a drawer and wondered the same thing: Are these still good? While seed packets include recommended planting dates, that doesn't necessarily mean the seeds suddenly stop growing. Their germination rate may gradually decline over time, but many seeds remain viable for years when stored in cool, dry conditions. That realization completely changed the way I looked at my old seed collection.

How Long Do Seeds Last?

The lifespan of garden seeds varies depending on the plant and how they're stored. Keeping seeds cool, dry, and protected from humidity can greatly extend their viability.

In general:

• Lettuce: about 2–6 years
• Tomatoes: about 4–10 years
• Beans: about 3–5 years
• Peas: about 3–6 years
• Cucumbers: about 5–10 years
• Squash: about 4–6 years

Even if older seeds don't all germinate, they're often worth planting. You may simply need to sow a few extra seeds to make up for a lower germination rate.

While going through some garden seeds from last year, I pondered over the expiration dates. Do seeds REALLY expire?

I searched for the information in my gardening books --- although seeds don't really "expire" some do lose their vitality. It really depends on how well they are stored.

I've been reading a lot about how genetically altered hybrid seeds are not good for cultivating. This is why I'm so interested in heirloom gardens. Due to hybrid marketing, plants are becoming more and more extinct. Many older heirloom varieties have become much harder to find as commercial agriculture has increasingly focused on a smaller number of widely grown cultivars. Organizations dedicated to seed preservation help keep many of these historic varieties available to home gardeners.

Seed Savers is a wonderful place to find rare seeds and to share and learn with other heirloom gardeners - http://www.seedsavers.org/

One of the headlines that really captured my attention was the 2000-year-old date palm that was excavated in Masada - a cliff-side fortress in Israel where the Jews had killed themselves to avoid capture by the Roman soldiers.

The date seeds were found in storage rooms, stockpiled by the Jews as they hid from the invading Romans. 40 years ago these seeds were discovered and placed in a drawer until scientists decided to have them germinated.

ancient seeds 

This extinct Judean date palm sprouted and has been named, Methuselah.

2000-year-old Judean Date Palm 

The Story of the Judean Date Palm

One of the most fascinating examples of seed longevity is the ancient Judean date palm nicknamed "Methuselah." Scientists successfully germinated a seed recovered from archaeological excavations at Masada in Israel. Although this was an extraordinary scientific achievement under carefully controlled conditions—not something gardeners should expect with ordinary seed packets—it demonstrates just how resilient seeds can be when preserved in the right environment.

I won't be tossing away any of my "expired" seeds after all. I figure if science can revive a 2000 year old date palm, I can plant seeds that I had purchased in the year 2000.

Date palm

Today I still save seeds whenever I can. Besides saving money, preserving viable seeds from year to year provides a little extra resilience in the garden. Every successful germination is a reminder that nature is remarkably persistent—and sometimes even an "expired" seed has plenty of life left in it.

I Hope My Thumb Gets Greener: Beginning Seed Saving and Heirloom Gardening

My Favorite Seed Saving Hack: Using a Photo Organizer Box

Hershey's Chocolate Cake: Homemade Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Hershey's Chocolate Cake 

There's something special about baking a chocolate cake completely from scratch. The smell of chocolate filling the kitchen, the anticipation while it bakes, and that first slice with a cold glass of milk never gets old. This classic Hershey's chocolate cake has been a family favorite for years, and it's perfect for birthdays, holidays, or simply satisfying a chocolate craving.

Today I made a Hershey's chocolate cake from scratch. It's been a while, so I was very surprised to see how much sugar goes into a cake. (2 cups sugar for cake/3 cups powdered sugar for icing.)

I also pondered on whether it was actually cheaper. I used a lot of ingredients in comparison to paying a buck at the store for a box of Betty Crocker cake mix.

I normally pay around $2.50 for store bought cake mix/icing. Yet when I figure in the costs of baking from scratch -- flour, sugars, eggs, milk, I wonder if I did save money? Anyone want to do the math on this?

Is Baking from Scratch Really Cheaper?

That's a question I still ask myself from time to time. Boxed cake mixes are certainly convenient, but keeping basic baking ingredients like flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, eggs, and vanilla on hand means I can bake whenever I want without making a special trip to the store.

Depending on grocery prices, baking from scratch may cost slightly more or slightly less than a boxed mix, but I enjoy knowing exactly what goes into the recipe. It also allows me to adjust ingredients to suit my family's preferences.

**For prepping, I think having mixes are good to have on hand so that all ingredients are already together.  

Preparing Chocolate Cake 

The next cake I'll reduce the sugar by 1 cup and substitute with real butter instead of using oil.

Rich chocolate bundt cake.

The bundt cake when frosted looks like one giant chocolate donut.

Chocolate cake served with a glass of cold milk.

Of course, serve with a glass of cold milk!

HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

2 cups sugar
1- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup Hershey Cocoa
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1- ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven 350 degrees – Grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans or bundt pan.
Combine dry ingredients in large bowl, add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans.

Bake 30-35 min. or until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool 10 min.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick butter or margarine
2/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter, stir in cocoa – adding powdered sugar and milk, beating on medium speed to spread consistency. Add more milk if needed. Stir in vanilla. Approx 2 cups of frosting.

Tips for a Moist Chocolate Cake

A few simple tips can help produce a tender, moist cake every time:

• Measure the flour carefully rather than packing it into the measuring cup.
• Don't overmix the batter once the ingredients are combined.
• The boiling water helps "bloom" the cocoa, creating a richer chocolate flavor.
• Allow the cake to cool before frosting to prevent the icing from melting.
• Store covered to keep the cake moist for several days.

Baking Memories

One of the things I enjoy most about baking from scratch is slowing down for an afternoon in the kitchen. Whether it's a loaf of homemade bread or a chocolate cake, some of my favorite family memories have been made while measuring ingredients, licking the frosting spoon, and sharing dessert around the table.

World War II Cake

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

 

Nothing to Chirp About: A Baby Robin in Our Texas Garden

Baby Bird in Garden

Summer is a busy time for nesting birds, and it's not unusual to find a young bird hopping around the yard. While our first instinct may be to rescue it, many baby birds that appear abandoned are actually being watched closely by their parents. We experienced this firsthand while checking our tomato garden one summer morning.

Should You Rescue a Baby Bird?

Not always. Many young birds leave the nest before they can fly well. These "fledglings" spend several days hopping through shrubs, flower beds, and lawns while their parents continue feeding and protecting them.

If the bird has feathers, appears alert, and isn't injured, it's usually best to watch from a distance and allow the parents to continue caring for it.

If the bird is injured or has very few feathers (a nestling), contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for advice.

Why Birds Visit Vegetable Gardens

Birds are attracted to gardens for several reasons:

• Insects provide food for growing chicks.
• Tomato cages and shrubs offer shelter.
• Gardens often have water nearby.
• Earthworms and caterpillars are plentiful after watering or rain.

While birds occasionally sample ripe fruit, they also help control many garden pests.

Do Fake Owls Really Work?

Plastic owls and other bird decoys can discourage birds for a short time, especially when they're moved around the garden regularly. However, many birds eventually realize the decoy isn't a real predator. Changing its location every few days usually helps keep it more effective.

This morning, Pamela and I noticed several birds were boldly hovering over our tomato plants. I couldn't believe it as I was earlier pointing out that the decoys were WORKING.

Upon closer investigation, we spotted a baby bird. Two robins and another bird were nearby, chirping and prodding the baby bird along. Pamela and I stepped aside and allowed the adult birds to prod the baby bird to safety.

It was really neat watching it hop, flap its wings, and make it safely across the yard onto a tree. Satisfied it wouldn't fly into the pool we left the birds alone.

I guess I won't place my fake owl on retirement after all.

Looking back, moments like this reminded me that a garden isn't just about growing vegetables. It's also home to bees, butterflies, birds, frogs, and countless other creatures that all play a part in a healthy backyard ecosystem. Sometimes the best thing we can do is simply step back and let nature do what it has done for thousands of years.

Backyard - Certifying for Wildlife Habitat

Left by the Birds... Mulberry Tree in my Backyard

Bean Busy: Tips for Growing Beans During a Hot Texas Summer

Starting a vegetable garden in the middle of a Texas summer isn't always easy. Hard ground, triple-digit temperatures, and hungry birds can quickly test a gardener's patience. Even so, watching tiny seedlings emerge and preparing them for the garden is one of the most rewarding parts of the growing season. This was the beginning of my heirloom bean garden and another step toward growing more of our own food.

Tips for Growing Beans in Hot Weather

Beans are one of my favorite vegetables because they're relatively easy to grow and produce generously with proper care. During hot Texas summers I've found a few things especially helpful:

• Water deeply rather than lightly every day.
• Apply mulch to help retain soil moisture.
• Give young plants support early if they're climbing varieties.
• Harvest regularly to encourage continued production.
• Morning watering helps reduce moisture loss during the hottest part of the day.

 

Why I Enjoy Growing Heirloom Vegetables

Heirloom vegetables have become some of my favorites because many are open-pollinated, allowing gardeners to save seeds for future gardens. Besides preserving older varieties, growing heirlooms gives me the opportunity to experiment with flavors, colors, and vegetables that aren't always available in grocery stores.

Thought I'd update ya'll on the garden thing... I've bean busy getting my front yard hoed and ready for the garden. My heirloom bean plants have already sprouted and as you can see, they are craning their necks for the outdoors. The thing is that I thought I'd have the garden fenced and ready before the beans sprouted.

Breaking the ground and digging up the grass (on hard soil) was harder than I thought. We did manage to get some rain this week, but we're back in the 100 temp ranges (101 tomorrow and Sunday) so this means the ground will be like cement again.

Sprouting beans and Zucchini

Zucchini on the left, and beans on the right. The yellow and red bell peppers are sprouting too.

Malabar Spinach 

The Malabar is shown with two variations of stem colors. Growing but still waiting on garden for transplant.

What is Malabar Spinach?

Despite its name, Malabar spinach isn't true spinach. It's a fast-growing vine that thrives in hot weather when traditional spinach has long since bolted. The tender leaves can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked much like spinach, making it an excellent choice for Southern and Texas gardens.

planted lettuce

Pamela planted lettuce and we are looking for a nice long pot to transplant to maintain in greenhouse. My green onions are thriving and its been a treat plucking them in the mornings to fry in our eggs.

Garden pest deterrent 

Here's my latest decoy to prevent unwanted birds and pests in the garden. I strung a CD from a plant holder and the wind takes care of the rest. It's actually very pretty when it reflects the sun and casts twirling shadows and rainbows around the garden. So far so good! Been enjoying fresh tomatoes ever since!

Simple Bird Deterrents for the Garden

Birds can be both helpers and occasional pests in the garden. Reflective objects such as old CDs, pinwheels, or reflective tape may temporarily discourage birds from pecking ripe fruit. Moving these deterrents occasionally often makes them more effective, since birds can become accustomed to stationary objects over time.

 Looking back, I smile at how excited I was to see those tiny bean seedlings. Every successful garden begins with a handful of seeds and a little optimism. Over the years I've learned that gardening isn't about perfection—it's about learning, adapting, and enjoying the process one season at a time.

Heirloom New Zealand Spinach: Heat-Tolerant Vegetables in Texas

Companion Planting Guide: Natural Pest Control for Your Vegetable Garden