I Should Have Known

I had heard that there is a national day in the U.S. for practically anything and everything. So it should not have come as a surprise that there is even a National Greasy Food Day. No, I'm not kidding. Today is the day that is dedicated to the foods that may not be the best in the world for us. So be it. But you can mitigate the worst of the effects of fried food if you use healthy oils. Here is one of my favorite crockpot recipes that uses extra virgin olive oil(EVOO) and also as three ingredients that are easily grown in the garden.

Potatoes with Garlic and Rosemary

• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 4 medium potatoes, cubed into 1/2 inch pieces(peeled or unpeeled)
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary(chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Add oil to the crockpot/slow cooker. Cover, set to high and allow the oil to heat up while preparing the potatoes.(15 minutes is a good preheating time.) 

Combine all of the ingredients in the crockpot and toss to mix with the oil. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. Or until the potatoes are tender and browned. Your crockpot should be 5-7 quarts in capacity. 

Herbs For The Catch Of The Day

National Hunting and Fishing Day is celebrated on the fourth Saturday of every September. And while I've never been a fan of gunpowder and loud noises, I have had the pleasure of enjoying the relaxing activity of fishing. And as it turns out, there are several herbs that are relatively easy to grow in the garden that greatly enhance the flavor of fish.

• As many of you may have already guessed, basil is at the top of the list. I have found that lemon basil pairs well with many different types of fish and I've even used it to enhance the flavor of my crock pot fish chowder.
• Chives are another herb that add a nice accent to fish dishes whether they are sprinkled on top after the fish is done or cooked along with it.
• Rosemary is a wonderful herb for fish whether it's fresh or dried. But be aware that fresh rosemary has stronger citrus notes than its dry form.
• Sage also goes well with fish. However, its use requires care and a light hand as its intensity increases with cooking or if it is frozen before being used in dishes.
• And although many Americans don't grow it, French tarragon, which is well suited for even a windowsill garden, adds a light, delicate flavor to fish dishes. 

So there you have it, a short list of flavor enhancers for your next fish dish. Give them each a try and see which one(s) suit your fancy.

Keeping Mosquitos At Bay

If you have no idea what yellow fever is, you can thank Dr. Walter Reed who was born 166 years ago on this day and discovered in 1901 that this deadly disease was carried by mosquitoes. As a result of his work and the brave volunteers who worked with him, what had been a scourge for generations was eliminated. And if you'd like to keep mosquitoes away from your house and the area around it, Mother Nature has provided a variety of plants which mosquitoes don't like that can easily be grown in containers or in the ground.

Rosemary, basil and lavender all have scents that keep mosquitoes away. And even catnip can be an effective deterrent. Although since it is a mint, it might be best to grow it only in a container since it can be very invasive.

Sole Survivor

As the leaves were beginning to fall last year, I decided to see if I could overwinter rosemary. I cut several tender branches and placed them in water to see if they would root. In time, some did. And when the roots were sufficiently developed, I planted each sprig in it's own small pot. Only one plant made it through the winter. Mind you, I probably could have increased the chances of all of the cuttings if I had used grow lights on some of the dark cloudy days of winter, but I was trying to see if I could manage to be successful using a minimum of resources.

I'm glad that the plant that did survive is growing so robustly. I guess my experiment proves you don't need a great deal of green if you want to keep some green in your life.