What is it?

Is this a jalapeño? Is it ready to pick? This plant was buried by the squash, so it wasn't getting enough sun. That could explain the pale green color.



In other news, I pulled out the squash. It was flowering all over the place, but most of the squash fruits were rotting before they reached more than a few inches in length. I harvested one large squash before I did the deed, but even that one looks problematic. I will admit that I didn't plant the thing properly. I didn't build the mound and plant seeds in the middle. I just stuck the seeds in the ground.

By the way, are all varieties of squash covered with glassy filaments that hurt like hell when they stick into your skin? I didn't know the damned things were dangerous.

I moved the What is it? into the old squash spot. Now that it has room and sun, I am hoping that it takes off.

The burning bush remains are cut up and bagged. Seven lawn bags full of branches.

What is it?

Is this a jalapeño? Is it ready to pick? This plant was buried by the squash, so it wasn't getting enough sun. That could explain the pale green color.



In other news, I pulled out the squash. It was flowering all over the place, but most of the squash fruits were rotting before they reached more than a few inches in length. I harvested one large squash before I did the deed, but even that one looks problematic. I will admit that I didn't plant the thing properly. I didn't build the mound and plant seeds in the middle. I just stuck the seeds in the ground.

By the way, are all varieties of squash covered with glassy filaments that hurt like hell when they stick into your skin? I didn't know the damned things were dangerous.

I moved the What is it? into the old squash spot. Now that it has room and sun, I am hoping that it takes off.

The burning bush remains are cut up and bagged. Seven lawn bags full of branches.

Whole wheat apple bread

I hadn't intended to bake anything today, but I found this recipe in the current issue of the Penzey's catalog and decided to give it a shot since I had some apples that were close to their expiry date and a bag of whole wheat flour that wasn't going anywhere. I was tempted to substitute white flour for half the whole wheat flour because I have baked with ww flour before and the stuff turned out like a brick. But I went ahead and made the bread with all ww, and it turned out surprisingly light.

WHOLE WHEAT APPLE BREAD

1 c. vegetable oil (not olive)
2 c. sugar (I used turbinado)
3 eggs, well beaten
3 c. whole wheat flour (the recipe says that you can substitute 1.5 c unbleached white flour for half the whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. chopped, peeled baking apples
1 c. nuts (pecans or walnuts suggested. I used walnuts)
2 tsp vanilla

I also added:

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease/flour two 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pans. In large bowl combine the oil, sugar, and eggs. In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing well after each addition (I mixed with a wooden spoon. No electric mixer). Fold in apples, nuts, and vanilla. Batter is thick and stiff. Spoon into loaf pans and bake for about 1.5 hours or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.



I was going to wait until the morning to try it, but I couldn't wait. It tastes really good. Moist and, as I said, lighter than I thought it would be.

Whole wheat apple bread

I hadn't intended to bake anything today, but I found this recipe in the current issue of the Penzey's catalog and decided to give it a shot since I had some apples that were close to their expiry date and a bag of whole wheat flour that wasn't going anywhere. I was tempted to substitute white flour for half the whole wheat flour because I have baked with ww flour before and the stuff turned out like a brick. But I went ahead and made the bread with all ww, and it turned out surprisingly light.

WHOLE WHEAT APPLE BREAD

1 c. vegetable oil (not olive)
2 c. sugar (I used turbinado)
3 eggs, well beaten
3 c. whole wheat flour (the recipe says that you can substitute 1.5 c unbleached white flour for half the whole wheat)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 c. chopped, peeled baking apples
1 c. nuts (pecans or walnuts suggested. I used walnuts)
2 tsp vanilla

I also added:

1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease/flour two 8.5 x 4.5-inch loaf pans. In large bowl combine the oil, sugar, and eggs. In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing well after each addition (I mixed with a wooden spoon. No electric mixer). Fold in apples, nuts, and vanilla. Batter is thick and stiff. Spoon into loaf pans and bake for about 1.5 hours or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.



I was going to wait until the morning to try it, but I couldn't wait. It tastes really good. Moist and, as I said, lighter than I thought it would be.