Bug Off Container Garden

Water is the universal solvent. Chemical pest control eventually ends up in our water supply. I try never to use manmade pesticides. Those Frankenstein concoctions are killing our bees. I am always looking for natural solutions to environmental problems.

Rob Sproule of Salisbury Greenhouse writes excellent garden articles. He is doing interesting work in the community with school gardens. Teaching children gardening is one of the better things one can do with one's time. I bet you can find a place for this container on your balcony or the patio. 

“Mosquitos are a fact of life in Canada, but dousing our skin in DEET doesn’t have to be. This container, though non-edible, is perfect to grow on your patio, in your gazebo or anywhere you like to sit and unwind in the evenings. You could also break it up into smaller pots to create a scented perimeter.” – Rob Sproule

Fifties Football Food

I love my library book sale. I found a copy of Pillsbury's 10th Grand National Bake-Off Cookbook. The cookbook cost 25 cents in 1958. A recipe for this decadent bread was in it. Nobody worried about cholesterol in the Fifties.

The whole cookbook was chock full of yeast dough recipes I will never make. The Bubble Loaf was hidden at the end under "Busy Day" Short-cut Recipes. Meets my requirements: easy to make and tastes good. And you get to pull the loaf apart with your fingers.

Upon reading the recipe, I imagined eating this Bread with cold Beer, a Cheese Board and Apples while watching football in front of the TV. I can imagine this with Soup too. And I think this loaf might be excellent done with Salami. Then you would not have to cook all that Bacon. I have one of these yummies in the oven right now.

Bacon Cheese Bubble Loaf

2 cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Biscuits
1/2 pound cooked Bacon, chopped
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Green Pepper, chopped
1/4 cup Onion, chopped
1/2 cup melted Butter or Margarine

Combine Bacon, Cheese, Onion, Green Pepper in a large bowl. Cut the Biscuits into quarters. Dip Biscuit pieces into melted Butter and drop into the Bacon mixture. Mix until well blended. Turn into a greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake in a moderately hot oven (400 degree) oven for 30-35 minutes. Loosen edges. Cool 3 minutes before removing from the pan.

Note: I did this recipe in a loaf pan, and found the middle does not bake well. I liked the way it tasted (yummy) but it did not turn out well. Then the light dawned. The refrigerated biscuits of the 50s and 60s were about half the size of current refrigerated biscuits. You only need ONE PACKAGE of biscuits. Duh.

Dog Days Yummy

I posted a Dog Treats recipe my dog likes.

I found this Dog treat on the internet and just had to share. The dog days of Summer are here. I am making this. Picture is kind of fuzzy but the recipe is great. If my Baby Dog will not eat this, I will.

Ms. Susan Dunn's Sweet & Sour Sauce

This is another recipe from Simpson-Fletcher's Soul Food Recipes.  I am making homemade Egg Rolls today. I buy the Egg Roll Skins at local Asian Market. I am going to make this Sauce. So good for anything one would find on a PuPu Platter extravaganza. I like it on Crackers with Cheese. 

I produce this recipe verbatim. I use a small can of Crushed Pineapple. 

SWEET & SOUR SAUCE.

1 (1 lb.) can of Apricots
1/2 (1 lb.) can of Pineapple
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 teaspoon White Pepper
1/2 cup Honey
4 tablespoons Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Salt

Force Apricots through a sieve. Put into a saucepan and add all the remaining ingredients except the Vinegar. Cook the mixture over high heat until the Sugar is dissolved and the mixture boils. Reduce heat and cook 10 minutes longer. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly and then stir in the Vinegar.