Starting VEGGIE Seeds

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Share your seeds...you will have Tons

Everything you Need

Starting VEGGIE Seeds

I love fresh VEGGIES the best when you grow them yourself by seed. They always taste sweeter and are more intense in flavor. I just started my seeds a couple of weeks ago. I store my left over seeds in individual zip lock bags in a dry location. I will be planting more seeds later as well as giving some away to friends and family to start their own VEGGIE garden.

Preparing Empty Egg Carton

I love re-purposing things, here I use left over egg cartons. Before I add soil I make sure to cover the large holes on the Tops with paper towel. I only use 1 layer of paper towel. The egg cartons are great because they are bio degradable and can really be planted directly into the ground if you wanted too.

Time Frame and Seed Map

I can't stress it enough to make a Map of your seeds when planting. It can help to right on the egg carton top and bottom for easy reference. I have also noted  the next time I want to start more seeds. I am starting the next round 3 weeks later to ensure long production time. You can do this a few times during the growing season as long as you have enough space.

Planting Seed

Add soil that you have pre moistened to the top of the egg carton. Poke a hole about a 1/2" deep and put in 2-3 seeds and cover. I plant more than I will use for back up if for some strange reason one won't grow. This will also allow you to keep the strongest. If I need 1 I plant 2 and so on. The soil is JIFFY MIX made for Starting Seeds and it only cost $3.97 at Home Depot.

Water Seeds

 At this time you will want to water thoroughly. This sounds easier than it is. Here is the deal. The soil is VERY airy and will blow away extremely easy until wet. I use a spray bottle. It takes a little longer but I am 100% certain everything is wet and not one seed was missed. Put in a warm place. You can also lightly tent them with plastic wrap for added humidity. I have mine on top of a freezer in the garage.

4 Days Later

Here they are just 4 days later. It is NOT too late to get your garden going....so go for it.







Happy Gardening !
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Veggie Garden - Part 2

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Patience can Prove to be Bountiful

Veggie Planter

Veggie Garden - Part 2
OK it has now been 2 months since I planted my seeds. Some grow so fast while others are waiting for the heat to kick in to grow faster. Most of my garden is in my Stacked Veggie Planter. It really adds life to an other wise plain corner of my yard. I already have some veggies [just baby ones] and lots of blooms. We had a heavy rain last week that knocked off my biggest flower on my zucchini plant. If the flower gets knocked off too early a squash won't produce. It's just a part of nature.



Radish

 I have a few Radish plants that are almost at maturity and ready to harvest. Fresh veggies have so much more flavor than ones in a produce store. Here you just pick, rinse and eat. The joys of Organic Gardening. Whether you like radish or not you should still grow them. They are the fastest and easiest out of all the veggies to grow so it makes you feel super successful right off the bat.







Zucchini Squash


Both the Zucchini and Yellow squashes are doing great. I noticed there were 2 getting more water and they grew much faster. They are strong and the blooming has begun. Stuffed squash blossoms with pasta makes a great meal. Don't forget about having it grilled, fried and of course zucchini bread.
I just started more squash seeds so I will have them til October.

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My nephew started his own veggie garden with me. He is 81/2. The first plant we planted was his favorite...Green Beans. When I say this kid love green beans, I really mean he loves them. I have seen him take a bag of beans out if the freezer, put them in the microwave and eat the entire thing. I told you he loves them. Needless to say we planted allot of beans and we should have them all season long.

White Pumpkins

Doesn't it seam like you pay a small fortune every year by decorating with pumpkins. We decorate with them all the way thru Thanksgiving. This year we decided to try and grow some. They are doing really good so far. We are expecting ALLOT of pumpkins this year at NO cost. The pumpkins will be 10-12 inches in diameter and weigh 10-12 lbs. You can either carve or decorate them or even use them for pies and soups. I am so excited.

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I am so excited that my cucumbers are doing so good. They are in the bottom level of my 7 level stacked planter. They are just about big enough to start growing up the trellis. The thing I am most excited about is making my own pickles. Lets hope I get allot.







If you didn't get a chance to plant your veggie garden by seed, don't worry. Just go down to Home Depot and pick up some small starter plants and way you go. Just think of all the fresh organic veggies you will have. They make great gifts for your neighbors or give a co-worker a jar of homemade organic pickles. Very thoughtful.
I hope this inspires you to grow your own veggie garden. Just think of the money you will save as well as some peace and quiet while tending to it. Enjoy your gardening meditation with a Happy Hour Cocktail with Your Gay Husband.
Happy Gardening !
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Easy Gaucamole

Easy Guacamole

I don't know about you but I love guacamole. It is the perfect snack with chips or great on any Mexican dish. Here is how I made it.

start with...

3 med size avocados

2 key limes or 1 lime

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 c diced onion

2 tbsp cilantro

*if you like it hotter you can also add ...1 diced jalapeno, a few dashes of you favorite hot sauce or 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. One other option is adding 1/4 c diced tomato.

Cut avocados in half and remove the seed then spoon out into a medium size bowl. Add the diced onions, salt and lime juice then smash with a fork.

The consistency is completely up to you, I like mine chunky.

*The lime juice is important to add so it won't turn brown. If you don't like lime juice you can substitute lemon or put the seeds in the bowl with the guacamole and remove before serving.

If there are any questions regarding cooking or you would like me to show another dish, just let me know and you just may see it soon on Your Gay Husband Blog.

Dig in !

Your Gay Husband

Veggie Chili for Super Bowl

YourGayHusband Tip of the Day:

Make music...Eat beans.

Veggie Chili

I can't believe it is already time for Super Bowl. I
am not a fan of football or Beans...I know...I know... However MyGaySister loves both...Go figure a lesbian liking sports.

MyGaySister is vegetarian and came up with this great recipe for this Veggie Chili. Her friends all rave about it. Here is how to make it..

Level of difficulty on scale of 1-5 is 2.

Time - 20 minutes to prep and 2 hours for cooking.

You will need...

2 cans black beans

2 cans kidney beans

1 Lrg can diced tomato

2 small cans tomato sauce

4-6 cloves of garlic [put as much as you like]

1 packages Soy Chorizo [Trader Joe's is where MyGaySister buys hers]

3 bell peppers, small medium [she uses one of each color]

1-2 - jalapenos small dice [remove seeds if you can't handle the heat]

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

6 Tlsp Chili powder. Use a variety or just your favorite.

Saute Chorizo on medium heat, it wil crumble. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce and reduce heat to simmer.

In another pan saute garlic and bell peppers add to the chorizo and tomatoes. Add beans, chili powder and salt to taste. Stir and let simmer for at least 2 hours stirring occasionally. She love to top it with Feta cheese and chopped cilantro.

This is great served with Tortilla Chips [as shown in picture] or you can add a scoop of rice to the bottom of the bowl or serve with a crusty bread.

This is ultimate comfort food.

Dried Bean GuideUse this guide to gauge how much dried beans to cook.

1/3 cup dry beans = 1 cup cooked beans
1/2 cup dry beans = 1 1/2 cups cooked beans
2/3 cup dry beans = 2 cup cooked beans
1 cup dry beans = 3 cups cooked beans
2 cups (1 pound) dry beans = 6 cups cooked beans

Lazy Mans Chili...better known as Frito pie.

This HUGE in Texas. The first time I had this was at the Texas State Fair.

Open and heat 4 cans of Wolfs Chili it comes in several heat levels as well as with or without beans. It is fun mixing the different kinds. Heat this on the stove for 20 minutes and serve. You will need 1 large bag of Fritos. I use the original but use whatever flavor you like best.

Take a bowl the size of a cereal bowl and add...

1-2 handfuls of Fritos Chips

Pour Chili on top of Fritos

Add Cheese and Onions to Taste and Viola ! Frito Pie in minutes.

I will leave you with a song my dad use to sing to us. Feel free to sing along if you know it.

Beans Beans the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot, the more you toot the better you feel so eat beans for every meal.

Leave a comment and let me know if you like your Chili with or without beans.

Enjoy the Game and the Chili.

Til Later,

YourGayHusband

Veggie Garden part 2-Transplanting Seedlings

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Be Healthier...Grow Organic Veggies

Zucchini Seedling Planted on a Mound

Veggie Garden part 2- Transplanting Seedlings
I can't believe my seedlings are already big enough to transplant, thank goodness I live in the south because the temperature is over 70 degrees on a cool day. Seedlings love this environment. If you live in a cooler place you can still transplant your seedlings by putting them in everyday items such as empty yogurt or soup containers, empty cool whip or even an old shoe box filled half way with soil until it warms up outside. This way you are ready to reap your rewards before anyone else in your neighborhood not to mention the money you will save. Just be creative !

Ready to Transplant

Once the seedlings are big enough [follow seed package for directions] to transplant, I remove one at a time making sure to be gentle...remember they are BABY plants and need to handled that way. Zucchini prefer to be planted on a mound. This help with preventing disease by keeping the stem dry and the roots wet.

Digging the Hole

With the bottom of a screwdriver, I make a hole in the soil deep enough so that less than 1" is above soil. Drop seedling in either with or without the egg carton. It will dissolve and the roots grow right through it. Very "Green".

String Bean String Trellis 

String Beans are one of the fastest growing veggies in your garden. These are a must for the first time gardener. My 8 year old nephew LOVES string beans ...he always has...go figure. You will get such a good feeling when you see how successful you are with them. A good TIP is when you water beans make sure NOT to touch them, this will prevent disease from spreading.

Making the Trellis

I screwed in some screws at the Top and Bottom of my fence and Ran string twine up and down and diagonal. The String Beans will make their way up the string and start producing beans in no time. This can be done with other vine veggies such as Peas and Cucumbers.






Remember these veggies will not only be good for you, but they make GREAT Hostess gifts as well.
I hope this inspires you to start your garden from seed. For directions on "how to" start seeds click here. I will keep you up to date as the season warms up and my garden grows,
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband

Easy Chicken Salad and Sandwich

Your Gay Husband Tip of the Day :

Be Creative with Leftovers

Chicken Salad with Fresh Tomato Slices

Easy Chicken Salad and Sandwich
Every week I make an extra 6 chicken breast that we will use during the week for lunches and Quick dinners. It really helps out with time and you have a wholesome lunch instead of another burger from the food court. It always worries me how much salt and processed foods are served in food so I have decided to make as much food as I can. Believe me I love to spurge just as much as anyone...it's not that...it is about wholesome ingredients. Like my grandma used to say...you are what you eat.
COST - $4 for 4
TIME - 10-15 minutes
Level of Difficulty - 1 on a scale of 1-5

Ingredients

To start I cut 2 large boneless skinless chicken breast that I previously cooked [20 minutes at 400 degrees with salt and pepper to taste] into 3/4 inch cubes and put into a medium size mixing bowl. Add 1/2 diced red onion, 2 diced celery stalks, 1 cup grapes cut in 1/2, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds into bowl.

Dressing

For the dressing I used 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 tsp celery salt salt,
1/8 tsp pepper, juice of 1/2 a lemon and 1 tsp sweet pickle juice. Mix together then pour over chicken and mix thoroughly. I find this is the best way to incorporate the dressing without over working the ingredients.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

This makes a delicious sandwich too. Here I added some lettuce and wrapped it in saran wrap for my Gay Husband to take to work. It packs up great. I served it with orange slices and Oatmeal Crisps.
Click for Recipe.







I hope this inspires you when you're trying to think of something else to make with that left over chicken. Get creative and be rest assured that you and your family are eating well and with food made with love. Remember you are what you eat...so eat up.
Til Later,
Your Gay Husband