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May 7, 2024
May 3, 2024
Classic margarita
Ingredients
Spicy avocado margarita
April 30, 2024
Strawberry & mascarpone stuffed French toast
Ingredients
Instructions
April 24, 2024
Butterfly Garden
Short 6’’ to 15’’
Ajuga, Armeria, Aster, Ceratostigma, Chrysanthemum, Coreopsis, Dianthus, Gaillardia, Geranium, Heuchera, Iberis, Lavandula, Nepeta, Oenothera, Salvia, Scabiosa, Stokesia, Veronica, Viola
Medium 16’’ to 36’’
Achillea, Agastache, Aquilegia, Asclepias, Caryopteris, Centranthus, Chelone, Crocosmia, Dicentra, Digitalis, Hemerocallis, Leucanthemum, Liatris, Lilium, Lobelia, Lupine, Origanum, Rudbeckia, Sedum
Tall 36’’ and above
Aconitum, Aruncus, Baptisia, Buddleia, Echinacea, Eupatorium, Heliopsis, Helianthus, Hibiscus, Lonicera, Monarda, Phloax, Verbena
April 23, 2024
Vegetable gardening ideas
(Courtesy of Balet Flowers and Design)
Start-up garden
Seeds for planting from late April through mid-May: Spinach, carrots, radishes, beets
Other seed ideas as the soil warms up through May: Lettuce, beans, cucumbers, zucchini/summer squash, winter squash/pumpkins
Read the seed packets for planting depth. Generally cover the seeds with an amount of soil the same diameter of the seed; water just after seeding for optimum germination.
For plants, till or cultivate the garden area, and remove debris. If planting in a container, choose a container large enough for the crop, add compost or fertilizer to potting soil, plant and water as needed. Fertilize every 2-4 weeks.
Buy plants that are already started for quicker growing time. Plant in a sunny location for best production; water and fertilize as needed.
Plants worth buying: Tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, or any plants you want to get a head start on
April 22, 2024
Growing/companion planting tips
(Courtesy of Balet Flowers and Design)
Companion planting favorites
Best practices for containers: Start with a good potting soil mix; fill the container 3/4 of the way up; dig a hole and place the plant in loose soil, then fill soil around the plants; leave a reservoir of a 1/2-inch for smaller pots and up to an inch for larger pots; fertilize, either mixing organic fertilizer into the soil or using a liquid feed.
April 10, 2024
Eggs in Purgatory
(Courtesy of More Perreca's Italian Kitchen)
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a hot skillet, add olive oil and garlic slices; do not let the garlic brown. eat for just a minute or two to meld the flavors. Then add marinara sauce, garlic powder, parmesan, dried pepper flakes and salt & pepper to taste. Let sauce get bubbly hot before cracking the eggs directly into the hot sauce to poach. Lower heat to medium-high and cover for approximately 7 minutes for medium running eggs, less time if you like them really running, more time for a harder egg.
Top with freshly torn basil and serve with a nice hard-crusted bread for dunking.
March 25, 2024
Creating Ukrainian Easter eggs
March 12, 2024
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
Instructions
February 28, 2024
A Taste of South Carolina: Sauteed Zucchini and Squash over Rice
Ingredients:
Instructions:
February 22, 2024
Mushroom leek dashi chowder by Chef Andy Palmisano of Kindred Wine Bar
STOCK
4 oz. dried shiitake, 2 pm dried porcini & 4 oz. kombu (Asian market or online) cover with gallon of cold-water, bring to a boil then simmer
Once cooked down, remove only the kombu (kelp), leave everything else in
CHOWDER
Sweat 2 leeks and 1 bunch celery until brown in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, remove once cooked down
To pot sweat 3 diced onions and 10 cloves sliced garlic
Add 1 lb. portobello and 1 lb. white button mushrooms
Cook down (about 2 minutes)
Add sherry wine 1 cup (cook down until sherry evaporates)
Add stock with kombu (kelp) removed/add to mushrooms, garlic & onions/ bring to boil
Make rue (to desired thickness) and add to pot with stock
Add cream about 1 to 2 cups (bring to simmer)
Blend until smooth
Add additional 1 lb. shiitake mushrooms
Add about 6 c diced blanched potatoes
Add back leeks and celery
Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
Finish with chili oil and scallions
February 8, 2024
Buffalo Chicken Chili
Combine all the ingredients in an instant pot; set to seal, manual, normal pressure for 15 minutes. Release the steam; remove the chicken from the pot and shred with two forks. Return to pot and mix together. Ladel into a bowl and garnish.
If using a slow cooker, follow the same method as above, cooking for either 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
January 23, 2024
Key Lime Pie
Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Pour into pre-baked pie shell and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Allow to cool on counter about 10 minutes. Refrigerate until chilled. For serving top with fresh whipped cream.
Fresh Whipped Cream
Whip heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract until medium peaks form, about 3–4 minutes.
Graham Cracker Crust
Grind graham crackers into fine crumbs. Stir the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar in a medium bowl, and then stir in melted butter. Pour the mixture into an un-greased nine-inch pie dish. Pat down until the mixture is no longer crumby/crumbly.
December 18, 2023
Hamlet & Ghost drink recipes
Forest Fruit
Add mint and muddle. Shake and strain ingredients over ice, top with tonic water. Garnish with fresh mint.
Lingonberry Syrup
Bring to a simmer and stir until combined.
Gingerbread Old Fashioned
Stir together ingredients and strain onto fresh ice. Grate nutmeg for garnish.
Gingerbread Syrup
Simmer together; strain into a clean jar.
December 12, 2023
Potato latkes recipe
INGREDIENTS:
Heat a medium-sized saucepan of water to a boil.
In the meantime, wash or scrub and then shred the potatoes. (Skin on or off, your preference).
Note: This is easiest with a food processor. And don't rush to clean it, as you can also use it for the onion.
Lower the heat under the water to a simmer and drop in the shredded potatoes. Parboil for 4-5 minutes, then empty into a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain thoroughly.
Note: Par-boiling the shredded potato ensures that the center is never raw when the edges are perfectly brown and crispy. This process also repels excess oil from the latkes, making them lighter and crisper.
Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them until blended.
Mince the onion and whisk it into the eggs.
Add the flour, salt and pepper(s) into the mixture and whisk until well blended.
Fold in the shredded potatoes and stir to coat thoroughly.
Heat about 1/2 inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. When it is shimmering and hot enough to sizzle a bread crumb on contact, spoon in the batter one serving spoonful at a time, flattening to form thin pancakes consistent one to the next. When the edges turn brown and the pancake is crisp enough on the bottom to hold its form, gently flip it and fry it on the other side until uniformly crisp and brown. It will take more than one shift to get all the pancakes cooked. Drain the finished ones on paper towels. Stir the batter frequently as you go, to ensure the balance of liquid to particulates.
Note: Don't stack your fried latkes! Single layer them to maintain their crispness! If desired, you can keep them warm in a 200-degree Fahrenheit oven or reheat them from a refrigerated state in a 300-degree oven for 5-7 minutes.
Serve warm/hot with sour cream and applesauce.
The batter is best when its flavors have melded in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight) before frying and will stay good for up to a week in the fridge in a tightly sealed container. It can also be frozen for up to six months.
December 15, 2022
Oven roasted Brussels sprouts recipe
YIELD: 6 servings
PREPARATION TIME: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
10 peeled garlic cloves
Preparation:
Sherried fruits recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium can sliced pineapple
1 medium can peach halves or slices
1 medium can pear halves or slices
1 medium can apricot halves
1 stick unsalted butter
2 Tbsps. Flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup full-bodied sherry (i.e. Harvey’s Bristol Cream)
Drain all the fruit. Cut the pineapple slices in half, also the peach and pear halves if they are extra-large. Arrange fruit alternately or in alternate layers in a large, medium-deep casserole dish. In a heavy saucepan on the stove top, combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, and sherry. Cook, stirring, over low to medium heat for 10-15 minutes until smooth and thickened. Pour over fruits in casserole, cover and let stand in the refrigerator overnight. Before serving, heat for 25-30 minutes in a 350-degree oven until hot and bubbly. Keeps well for several days
October 12, 2022
The city of Albany seeks your input on a survey related to its creation of a Department of Neighborhood and Community Services. City Hall wants the new department to serve as a one-stop shop for things people need.
The survey can be found here through Nov. 30.