April 7, 2010

Herbs: Oregano, Thyme, & Lavender


My herbs are really flushing out for spring.  Above is oregano which was really puny just a few weeks ago .  (That's phlox in the background with the little pink flowers.)

Another shot of oregano.

Thyme in the foreground, lavender in the upper left, and phlox in the back (bright green).

April 4, 2010

French Toast with Whipped Cottage Cheese, Walnuts, & Thyme


I had French Toast for brunch (made with fresh thyme from the garden) on Saturday.

This is a classic French Toast topped with peachy whipped cottage cheese, toasted walnuts, and fresh thyme - it was wonderful!

I made mine with the Double Fiber Bread by Orowheat (70 cal. and 6 g. fiber / slice) I buy at Walmart.  Whip an egg and a little milk and let the bread soak it up.  Cook over medium heat in a cast iron skillet (no need to use oil) while toasting chopped walnuts in a separate pan (I used my grandmother's 6" cast iron pan).

In a food processor, I whipped some non-fat cottage cheese with homemade peach jam made by my sister-in-law's dad Bill until it was smooth and creamy.

When the bread has cooked on both sides, move to a plate, drizzle with the whipped cottage cheese, sprinkle with fresh thyme, and top with the toasted walnuts.  Then snap a picture for your blog.

(Whipped cottage cheese with herbs and cracked pepper makes a great spread for bagels, breads, and crackers - especially when topped lightly with olive oil.  When sweeted with fruit or syrup, it's wonderful with sweeter dishes or even by itself as sort of a mousse-like dessert.  It's very simple to make.  Simply whip the cottage cheese in a food processor or blender with any ingredients you desire until smooth.)

The addition of fresh thyme to this dish was inspired by The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg.  It's really a neat book you should check out if you enjoy creative cooking and experimenting with new flavor combinations.



The Flavor Bible contains lists of flavor affinities recommended by the world's top chefs.

April 3, 2010

Elberta Peach Tree Blooms

3/28/2010

These are pictures of my Elberta peach tree.  Peaches only bloom on one-year-old wood, so this is the first time it's flowered (I just planted it last winter). 

According to the Aggie Horticulture website, peaches should be thinned out around four to six weeks after they bloom, so that will be around May 1-15 for me.

The Elberta peach requires around 800 to 850 chilling hours which is considered a high chilling requirement and suitable for our area.  Here is a map showing average chilling hours around Texas.

Here is the bud progression over the last several weeks.

2/27/2010

3/6/2010

3/21/2010

3/25/2010

3/25/2010

3/28/2010

And lastly, here's a picture of Bobette... giving you the cat's eye....

April 2, 2010