what's everyone's favorite veggie?

March 16, 2008

Favorite Veggie?--only ONE?! It's too hard to answer with only one example!

I love baked sweet potatoes. And broccoli--steamed gently, but not the

tough, rubbery kind they serve in the restaurants. (The " crisp-tender " idea is

overrated--the best FLAVOR, imho, is just a hair BEYOND that

" crisp-tender " ...maybe more like " TENDER crisp-tender " instead!)

Beyond all doubt, I LOVE cooked collard greens better than any other

" green veggies " --steamed 'til sweet and tender or stir-fried in a bit of light

oil with a seasoned salt until nice and tender and tasty. I think

eggplants--all kinds, especially the exotic, small ones--are WONDERFUL (although

technically, yes, it is a fruit, not a vegetable!) and I LOVE also the RED, ripe

sweet bell pepper--also a " fruit " vegetable!

Then, potatoes of ALL kinds, all ways to fix them--Oh, I think I love

these guys so much that eating them is like dessert! We don't have potatoes too

often at our house. My love for fried potatoes (seasoned with a hickory-smoke

flavored salt, in lieu of using the old-fashioned " bacon grease " ) borders on

insanity! Some people say chocolate is their food weakness--mine is potatoes,

especially really yummy fried ones with chopped up pieces of Vidalia onion

browned gently in with the spuds! MMMM! (Good thing I just ate--I am full;

otherwise I might be up in the kitchen messing with the potato peeler, just from

thinking of how good they taste!)

--Laura B., from Illinois

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March 16, 2008

Has anyone else tried lacinato kale (aka dino, black, or Tuscan kale)?

I like kale for its wonderful nutrition and vigorous growth but am

just not wild about eating the tightly, tightly curled (scratchy

looking) kale leaves. This is a flat-leaf type with a great " pebble-y "

texture that holds together in steaming or the rice pot. It has a good

taste, not too strong, and grows like most brassicas with three leaves

spiraling out around a central stem -- so as you take one or two

leaves from each plant each time, the plant climbs higher in the sun,

the leaves get farther from the dirt and insects and it starts to

resemble a little palm tree. People call it ornamental. It seems to be

perennial in my mild climate, likes cold and heat. The only way I know

to get it is to grow it(!). I do have to spray my little plants or

they get chomped by caterpillars.

http://www.seedsavers.org/prodinfo.asp?number=623

March 17, 2008

Hello everyone!

Intro:

My name is Sara and I love cooking and eating the new creations from the

kitchen that are made from there. I am not a total vegetarian but do

cook many meals that are vegetarian. I joined the group so I could

increase my knowledge on vegetarian meals because I do have friends that

are vegetarian and we do get together for meals and I want to make sure

that there is food that tastes great and that he can have at these meals.

As for the subject at hand:

I would have to say that my favorite vegies are tomatoes, spinach, swiss

chard, and any squash variety. It's just too hard to choose one.

Sara

March 18, 2008

We love lacinato kale. We also grow the red vein russian red kale.

They are both perennial, we were not aware of this and one year took

it out because the aphids got to it. Now we do the following: spray

with high pressure hose to knock the critters out, and spray with a

potent red hot pepper/vinegar/dishsoap solution. It does kill them,

but do not do this on baby plants (i just burned some baby beets

:-( ).

The lacinato was less prolific than the red russian kale, had a lower

sprouting rate and grows more slowly. It is well worth it though, I

find it more tender and very versatile in the kitchen. I got it

started in several parts of the garden(s) this year, I just have to

watch for them aphids. I have been 'importing' lady bugs every time I

find one too....they eat aphids.

roseta @ los angeles

, " slim_langer "

<slim_langer wrote:

>

> Has anyone else tried lacinato kale (aka dino, black, or Tuscan kale)?

> I like kale for its wonderful nutrition and vigorous growth but am

> just not wild about eating the tightly, tightly curled (scratchy

> looking) kale leaves. This is a flat-leaf type with a great " pebble-y "

> texture that holds together in steaming or the rice pot. It has a good

> taste, not too strong, and grows like most brassicas with three leaves

> spiraling out around a central stem -- so as you take one or two

> leaves from each plant each time, the plant climbs higher in the sun,

> the leaves get farther from the dirt and insects and it starts to

> resemble a little palm tree. People call it ornamental. It seems to be

> perennial in my mild climate, likes cold and heat. The only way I know

> to get it is to grow it(!). I do have to spray my little plants or

> they get chomped by caterpillars.

>

> http://www.seedsavers.org/prodinfo.asp?number=623

>

March 18, 2008

Oh, if it is just one it is easy, artichokes!

There is stiff competition for second place and the list is long for me.

Since I started growing them, my least favorite (beet roots) is

starting to become one of my favorites since I get to use other parts,

the greens! I love beet greens (well sometimes they are bright

red/purple depending on the variety). Not too keen on chayote squash

either, but I have had it prepared in ways I like.

March 18, 2008

I only had fresh artichokes once and they were stringy and pithy, but I

absolutely love canned artichoke hearts. Sometimes they get on the pizza, but

usually I eat them all before they get there. Marinated artichoke hearts in the

glass jars and the marinade they are in, alone with some sliced black olives,

make a lively, but light topping for spaghetti noodles.

Katie

rosetalleo <rosetalleo wrote:

Oh, if it is just one it is easy, artichokes!

There is stiff competition for second place and the list is long for me.

Since I started growing them, my least favorite (beet roots) is

starting to become one of my favorites since I get to use other parts,

the greens! I love beet greens (well sometimes they are bright

red/purple depending on the variety). Not too keen on chayote squash

either, but I have had it prepared in ways I like.

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March 19, 2008

I toss the jarred ones with the juice in with my pasta salad- add black olives,

green pepper, and red onions. Yummy!

Katie <cozycate wrote: I only had fresh

artichokes once and they were stringy and pithy, but I absolutely love canned

artichoke hearts. Sometimes they get on the pizza, but usually I eat them all

before they get there. Marinated artichoke hearts in the glass jars and the

marinade they are in, alone with some sliced black olives, make a lively, but

light topping for spaghetti noodles.

Katie

rosetalleo <rosetalleo wrote:

Oh, if it is just one it is easy, artichokes!

There is stiff competition for second place and the list is long for me.

Since I started growing them, my least favorite (beet roots) is

starting to become one of my favorites since I get to use other parts,

the greens! I love beet greens (well sometimes they are bright

red/purple depending on the variety). Not too keen on chayote squash

either, but I have had it prepared in ways I like.

Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

March 19, 2008

Nothing wrong with the jarred, canned or frozen ones, but fresh is

nice too. We have a couple of plants and last year we harvested about

50 artichokes (maybe in 4-5 different times, it seems the plant makes

several generations). If you harvest them older, just steam them and

dip the soft end of the leaves (take outer leaves out and compost) and

dip into oil/lemon, or mayo, or all i oli....one mistake many people

make is not steaming them long enough. For large ones it takes me 45

minutes in a regular steamer and 15 minutes on a pressure cooker.

If you harvest them when they are babies you need to trim them which

is a bit of work, but then you can eat the whole thing. When you like

them as much as I do it is OK to do a bit of work and use your own

crops. I have even made artichoke ravioli using the fresh artichokes!

In this case you steam them even longer so it is easier to take all

the mushy stuff out.

The plant is late this year, i still see no lovely artichoke buds,

can't wait though!

roseta @ los angeles

, Cassie Dixon

<roxy87cabriolet wrote:

>

> I toss the jarred ones with the juice in with my pasta salad- add

black olives, green pepper, and red onions. Yummy!

>

> Katie <cozycate wrote: I only had

fresh artichokes once and they were stringy and pithy, but I

absolutely love canned artichoke hearts. Sometimes they get on the

pizza, but usually I eat them all before they get there. Marinated

artichoke hearts in the glass jars and the marinade they are in, alone

with some sliced black olives, make a lively, but light topping for

spaghetti noodles.

> Katie

>

> rosetalleo <rosetalleo wrote:

> Oh, if it is just one it is easy, artichokes!

>

> There is stiff competition for second place and the list is long

for me.

>

> Since I started growing them, my least favorite (beet roots) is

> starting to become one of my favorites since I get to use other parts,

> the greens! I love beet greens (well sometimes they are bright

> red/purple depending on the variety). Not too keen on chayote squash

> either, but I have had it prepared in ways I like.

>

> Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

>

March 19, 2008

Hi Roseta,

I like the red russian " ragged jack " too. Plant for plant it does seem

a little more productive than the lacinato. I've been getting near

100% germination with all my kale seeds. Maybe better still (so far)

has been the Pentland brig kale. It has medium green, more-flat

leaves, that spiral and resemble collards in shape, much nicer to eat

than the tightly curled vates kale.

This is the only place I've been able to find it:

http://www.bountifulgardens.org/products.asp?dept=44

Is there a recipe or proportions to your hot pepper bug spray?

Slim

, " rosetalleo " <rosetalleo

wrote:

>

> We love lacinato kale. We also grow the red vein russian red kale.

> They are both perennial, we were not aware of this and one year took

> it out because the aphids got to it. Now we do the following: spray

> with high pressure hose to knock the critters out, and spray with a

> potent red hot pepper/vinegar/dishsoap solution. It does kill them,

> but do not do this on baby plants (i just burned some baby beets

> :-( ).

>

> The lacinato was less prolific than the red russian kale, had a lower

> sprouting rate and grows more slowly. It is well worth it though, I

> find it more tender and very versatile in the kitchen. I got it

> started in several parts of the garden(s) this year, I just have to

> watch for them aphids. I have been 'importing' lady bugs every time I

> find one too....they eat aphids.

>

> roseta @ los angeles

>

March 19, 2008

Yet another kale? great! thanks for the link Slim.

Also Gai lan is a very nice kale you know. Planted some but

definitely not 100% germination rate, but then the seeds were from

last year. We are using all the seeds we have and see what sprouts

before buying more, some are older....

The proportion is about 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 baby shampoo or dish

soap, and 1/3 hot pepper, but then you must dilute with lots of water.

I did not dilute enough. I am afraid it is experimental....just be

careful with baby plants. The hot pepper mix was super strong, I made

it grinding up tepin (pequin) peppers, habaneros and thai peppers. I

intended to make it for human consumption but no one could eat it, not

even myself...LOL. 18 month later the stuff was left out of the

fridge without sealing and there was no mold or spoilage in it. No

creature dares live in this stuff. So I used it for pepper spraying

the aphids. It does kill the aphids really well, but first spray the

plants with high pressure water to knock most of them out.

Also I understand planting garlic nearby helps, I read anise helps,

and thyme? Also planting sunflowers apparently has a sacrificial

effect, the aphids prefer the sunflowers that grow really tall and

they leave the greens alone.

Good luck with your plants!

roseta @ los angeles

, " slim_langer "

<slim_langer wrote:

>

> Hi Roseta,

> I like the red russian " ragged jack " too. Plant for plant it does seem

> a little more productive than the lacinato. I've been getting near

> 100% germination with all my kale seeds. Maybe better still (so far)

> has been the Pentland brig kale. It has medium green, more-flat

> leaves, that spiral and resemble collards in shape, much nicer to eat

> than the tightly curled vates kale.

>

> This is the only place I've been able to find it:

>

> http://www.bountifulgardens.org/products.asp?dept=44

>

> Is there a recipe or proportions to your hot pepper bug spray?

>

> Slim

>

> , " rosetalleo " <rosetalleo@>

> wrote:

> >

> > We love lacinato kale. We also grow the red vein russian red kale.

> > They are both perennial, we were not aware of this and one year took

> > it out because the aphids got to it. Now we do the following: spray

> > with high pressure hose to knock the critters out, and spray with a

> > potent red hot pepper/vinegar/dishsoap solution. It does kill them,

> > but do not do this on baby plants (i just burned some baby beets

> > :-( ).

> >

> > The lacinato was less prolific than the red russian kale, had a lower

> > sprouting rate and grows more slowly. It is well worth it though, I

> > find it more tender and very versatile in the kitchen. I got it

> > started in several parts of the garden(s) this year, I just have to

> > watch for them aphids. I have been 'importing' lady bugs every time I

> > find one too....they eat aphids.

> >

> > roseta @ los angeles

> >

>

March 19, 2008

I'll bet that EVERY living creature stands back from your garden

plants with that hot mixture sprayed on them.....that ought to be

great to keep deer and rabbits away......ouch....burnin' their little

mouths!!

Nancy C.