Spring Fever

UNCC Botanical Gardens & Greenhouses

These pictures were taken a few weeks ago on an outing to the botanical gardens and greenhouses of one of the local universities.  The sites, smell and weather were amazing that day and made me long for my own land to dig in again.  Even without my very own land there is much to be thankful for and in awe of as the city comes alive this spring.  

Here flowering buds are bursting on the red bud, cherry and flowering pear trees and shoots of green are breaking through the dark earth and on many of the limbs of bushes and trees.  The clover has returned in full force causing me to pause in search of a lucky clover when I am out and about or on a walk with Miss Butters.  It is amazing to just watch the world around me change day by day.  

This year is moving quickly and I can hardly believe it was 4 months ago when I last posted, and what a ominous post that was since I have spent much of the time since then healing.  Ocular migraines occurred around the first polar vortex and kept me in their grips for 11 straight days.  I finally went to the doctor and thankfully after multiple trips to the eye doctor, medical doctor and several blood tests and an MRI later found out that there was nothing wrong.  The only thing I can determine is that maybe these were caused by the barometric changes in the atmosphere.  In the wake of of all of this was worry, frustration and severe eye and body fatigue.  

Just as I thought things were back on track an unexplained pain in my left hip has occurred that is just as mysterious.  I am on week 5 now of this issue and no amount of stretching, icing, hot baths, turmeric tea, or ibuprofen has provided sustained relief.  Last weekend I sobbed and could only see loss and fear. Loss in the knowledge that I was not going to be able to run my upcoming half marathon I had been training for (my first 13.1 trail run) and fear that I may never be able to run again or go on the many hikes that Alan and I have talked of for this spring and summer.  This weekend I see more possibility and despite the pain feel stronger and am trying to see this as an opportunity to concentrate more on art and writing while I heal. 

A Recipe

Poblano and Serrano Peppers and the last of the Mexican Miniature Tomatoes

This week while I was mowing the yard these Poblano Peppers from our little garden caught my eye.  I kept waiting for them to get bigger but I think this may be their correct size.  I fretted that I may have waited to long  to pick them but thankfully they were just right. Come August I really lose my enthusiasm for the garden and everything that makes it is valiant and resilient in the truest since.  I have suckers on my pitiful tomato vines and overgrown okra the size of cucumbers.  Thankfully the chives and thyme take care of themselves.

This is my first time growing Poblano Peppers so I was eager to find a recipe to use them in. The thought of stuffing them full of cheese was very appealing (I love cheese) but I wanted something a little different than stuffed peppers.  I found a wonderful recipe and it was so easy to make too-Green Rice!  When you first taste the rice there is almost a smokiness from the peppers that suggests heat is to come but it never does.  In fact there is no burning sensation at all just yumminess and a desire to have another forkful and then another.  Feel free to add a little cheese on top too!  :)  This rice is the most lovely shade of green and makes a wonderful side dish or main course.  We had fish tacos and black beans with ours.

Green Poblano Rice

1 2/3 cups chicken broth or water
2 fresh poblano chiles, stems and seeds removed, and roughly chopped
12 sprigs cilantro, plus extra for garnish
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon if using salted broth, 1 teaspoon if using unsalted or water
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
1 cup rice, preferably medium grain
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

The flavoring: In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the broth and chiles, bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer gently over medium to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the chiles are very soft. Pour the chile mixture into a food processor, add the cilantro (stems and all), and process to a smooth puree. Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl and stir in the salt.

The rice: Wipe the pan clean, add the oil and heat over medium. Add the rice and onion, and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice is chalky looking and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer.

Add the warm (or reheated) chile liquid to the hot rice pan, stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and check a grain of rice: It should be nearly cooked through. If the rice is just about ready, turn off the heat, re-cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete the cooking. If the rice seems far from done, continue cooking for 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off the heat and let stand a few minutes longer. Fluff with a fork, scoop into a warm serving dish, decorate with cilantro sprigs and it's ready to serve.

Advance preparation: The rice can be made several days ahead; turn out the fluffed rice onto a baking sheet to cool, transfer to a storage container, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat the rice in a steamer basket set over boiling water.

Variations and improvisations: An obvious variation is to use 3 or 4 long green (Anaheim) chiles, or to mix poblanos and long greens with hotter chiles like jalapeño, manzano or habanero.

Commit to Memory...

  

  

In the Garden

Yesterday afternoon I was out back in the garden watering and pulling weeds and decided to go inside and grab the camera and capture the late afternoon sun shining on the plants.  My neighbor spied me through the trees taking pictures and got a good laugh at me.  I had no idea anyone was anywhere around but just laughed back with her.  I am sure I looked funny squatting in the grass snapping pictures of basil and tomatoes and such.  She gave me some beautiful flowers to plant and we traded jalepeno peppers from her garden and zuchini from my mother's garden. 

White Squash~just pretty yellow blooms so far.....looking forward to seeing the squash

Cucumber~I like this one because it looks like a watermelon

Dill Weed

 Miniature Tomatoes

Okra~first time I have grown this...

Heirloom Tomato blooms

Our little Postage Stamp of a Garden~flooded after my chat and trading with the neighbor

Dwarf Basil Plant

Green Tomato~I am babying this one as it is the only one we have so far

Bumble Bees enjoying the Bee Balm Flowers

Wishing everyone a happy and long weekend!