Hand Pollinating Squash and Pumpkin Flowers

Most of the time, when you plant squash, you have bees that come around to pollinate your garden, including the squash blossoms. However, if you live in an area where the bee population is small, you might have difficulties having squash pollinated unless you do it yourself. To ensure maximum production of your plants, you can hand pollinate your pumpkins and squash by following a few simple steps.

Female flower with small fruit (ovary).

Male flowers lack an ovary.

Hand pollination of squash blossoms requires no special skills or tools. All you have to do is be able to identify male and female flowers. On squash, this is very easy to do. Female flowers will always have a tiny fruit under the flower. Male flowers grow on a long narrow stem. Pictured above are female and male flowers. You can see the presence of a fruit (ovary) at the base of the flower on the female, and the lack of fruit on the flower of the male.

   You can also tell the two apart by looking at the reproductive organs found in the center of the flower. The female flowers contain the stigma. It has several bumpy structures that cluster around a central opening. This  is where you will be applying the pollen when you perform hand pollinating.

Inside the male flower is a slender filament known as the anther. If you touch the anther, you will see that pollen rubs off the anther. This is what makes it so easy to do hand pollinating.

 Cut the male flower off where the flower stem meets the main stem of the plant. Next, gently remove all of the petals from the flower. Once the petals are gone you are left with a stem and exposed anther.

Now find a female flower and use your stem and anther to "paint" the stigma in the center of the female flower. Gently rub the anther over the stigma a few times, as if brushing paint on it. This will be enough to pollinate the stigma, which will then produce squash. Then go on to the next female flower. Each anther can be used to pollinate several female blossoms. However, since there's no shortage of male flowers, we just use one male per female, and leave the anther sitting inside each pollinated flower. This makes it easy to identify which flowers have already been pollinated.

 

 The pollen is being transferred to the stigma of the female flower completing the process of pollination. In nature, bees and other insects perform this important procedure.

After pollination, fertilization occurs and the fruit develops. Fertilization is necessary for fruit formation. If fertilization does not occur, the ovary will wither away. If fertilization is successful, the ovary will begin to swell and a fruit develops.

 

 When you pollinate by hand, realize that you are not wasting flowers since picking the male flowers simply removes those that will never produce a fruit anyway. Only the female flowers can bear fruit, while the males are used for pollination.

After pollination, you can sit back, watch your squash grow and harvest them as they are ready toward the end of summer.

Coconut Granola Clusters

Granola can be so expensive to buy at the store, but it's so cheap and easy to make your own. These coconut granola clusters are a favorite in this house and don't last long. It's great to snack on by itself or mixed with yogurt. It also makes an excellent breakfast cereal.

Ingredients

• 4 cups oats (We use old fashioned and/or kamut)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar 
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds 
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries 
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients.
2. In a microwave safe bowl heat honey until warm, about 30 seconds. Stir in coconut oil until melted. Whisk in vanilla extract. Pour liquids over the oat mixture and mix thoroughly until everything is completely coated.
3. Spread evenly on a parchment or silpat lined rimmed cookie sheet and press down firmly. Bake at 300º for about 30-40 minutes until slightly golden brown. Do not stir during baking, otherwise granola will not form clusters. Cool completely and break into pieces. Store in an air tight container.

  

 Gather all your ingredients.

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.

 

In a microwave safe bowl heat honey until warm, about 30 seconds. Stir in coconut oil until melted. Whisk in vanilla extract. Pour liquids over the oat mixture and mix thoroughly until everything is completely coated.

(I usually make a double batch.)

  

 Spread evenly on a parchment or silpat lined rimmed cookie sheet and press down firmly. Bake at 300º for about 30-40 minutes until slightly golden brown.

  

  

 Break into pieces.

A double batch nicely fills one of these cereal containers.

 Store in airtight container.

Enjoy plain or with yogurt as a snack, or with milk as a breakfast cereal.

Peanut Butter Banana "Ice Cream"

 

Peanut Butter Banana "Ice Cream" 

(2 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas, chopped
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• Handful chocolate chips
• (Whatever ingredients/flavors you want will probably work!)

Directions  

1. Chop bananas into small pieces and freeze overnight.
2. Then transfer to a food processor and process until bananas are in little bits.
3. Then add your flavors. There's no right or wrong way to do it. No right or wrong measurements. Continue blending until smooth. 

I usually throw whole bananas, peels and all, into the freezer when they have gotten too ripe to do anything with. Or if I know I wont be able to do anything with them before its too late. If you know ahead of time you are going to make this recipe, I recommend cutting a banana and freezing it. It'll be easier than trying to peel a frozen banana.

Blend ingredients in food processor. Then stir in chocolate chips.
(Note: I initially tried this in a blender, but that didnt work out. However, maybe your blender is better than mine and you can give it a try if you dont have a food processor.)

Dish out and enjoy!

Basil Honey Walnut Gelato

The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Basil, honey and walnut gelato is the perfect way to use up that expanding basil plant in your garden this summer.

Ingredients

• 2 cup fresh basil leaves (I used half dried, half fresh)
•  2 cup whole mlk
•  ½ cup white granulated sugar 
• ¼ cup honey
•  ⅛ tsp salt 
• 5 large egg yolks
•  1 cup heavy cream 
• 1 cup chopped walnut

Directions

1. Place the basil, milk, sugar, honey and salt in your blender. Puree until smooth.
2. Transfer to a heavy bottomed pot and heat until it comes to a simmer.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and a small amount of the hot milk to temper the yolks.
4. While whisking the milk, slowly drizzle in the egg yolks and continue to cook over medium heat until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
5. Place the heavy cream in a medium bowl set over an ice bath with a strainer on top.
6. Pour the custard through the strainer into the heavy cream, discarding any solids.
7. Stir thoroughly and let the custard cool completely – about an hour and a half in the refrigerator or overnight.
8. Churn the gelato in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions and in the last minute, churn in the chopped walnuts.
9. Scoop into a freezer safe container and place in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours.
10. Gelato tends to freeze harder than ice cream, so you may need to let it sit out for a few minutes before enjoying.

 

I used half fresh cinnamon basil, and half dried sweet basil.

We get our milk fresh from a local farm, so for the cream I just skimmed some off the top.

 Place the basil, milk, sugar, honey, and salt in your blender. Puree until smooth.

 Transfer to a heavy bottomed pot and heat until it comes to a simmer.

 To separate the yolks from the whites, I crack the egg in half and pour it back and forth a couple times into the shell. The white part slides out into the bowl below. 

 

Save those egg whites for an omelet or something! I used mine the following day to brush on bread that was baking to give it a nice crunchy crust. 

 In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and a small amount of the hot milk to temper the yolks.

While whisking the milk in the pot, slowly drizzle in the egg yolks and continue to cook over medium heat until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.



Place the heavy cream in a medium bowl set over an ice bath with a strainer on top.

                                        Pour the custard through the strainer into the heavy cream, discarding of any solids.

Stir thoroughly and let the custard cool completely – about an hour and a half in the refrigerator or overnight.

 Churn the gelato in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions and in the last minute, churn in the chopped walnuts.

Scoop into freezer-safe container and place in the freezer to set for at least 4 hours.

Top with additional walnuts and honey, if desired, and enjoy!

Repurposing Crates as Shelves

I recently got about five of these crates  I knew I would use some to display my things at the farmers market, but I wanted to put the rest to use as well. My bathroom had the perfect spot on the wall to be filled. 

I attached some picture hooks I bought at Home Depot to the back, as well as measuring out the hooks on the wall it would hang on. 

I realized that the crate was not level and tried my best to compensate for this while placing the wall hooks. It didn't end up being perfect, but..close enough. 

I plan on staining the crates with a homemade steel wool-vinegar solution that is currently soaking. 

Vanilla Teething Biscuits

These are extremely hard cookies that stand up very well to gnawing! They last much longer than the ones I have bought at the store, and are significantly less messy.

I realize there is sugar in this, and some people may not want to give this to their little ones. However, I'm still confident these are better for my baby than store-bought teething biscuits, and teething can be the WORST. If this little cookie gives my baby some relief, and me some peace, then I am all for it! I could easily leave the sugar out, but I'm sure it would end up tasting like cardboard and she would be less likely to chew on it for an extended period of time. And hey, at least I'm using organic sugar!

Ingredients:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour

Directions:

1. Place the egg in a bowl and stir in the sugar and vanilla.
2. Add the flour and stir in, until the dough is stiff (if it's sticky, add a little more flour).
3. Roll out on a lightly floured surface, then cut into 8 to 10 shapes. Allow to stand for 12 hours. (I usually make these in the evening and then leave the dough overnight). 
4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, then bake until golden and hard (around 30-40 mins). Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

I find it easier to cut more pieces evenly when I divide the dough into two balls first.

I like to shape the dough into long biscuits, because I feel that this is easier to hold. I also give them one last squeeze in order to leave my finger imprints on them. These grooves seem to make it easier for my baby to hold onto.

I have tasted these just to try them, and they do actually taste pretty good!