7 vegetables to easily grow in your home garden

Published

2 years ago

05/03/2023

(Family Features) Growing fresh, healthy vegetables at home may not be as hard as it sounds. Novice gardeners just need good dirt, easy plants to grow, lots of sunshine and the right amount of water.

Once you’ve prepared your garden plot, select one or all of these vegetables, which are among the easiest to grow:

Lettuce – Plant lettuce seeds directly into the garden or a pot then repeat every two weeks. It can be cut a few weeks after planting. Some harvest lettuce by pulling it up – roots and all – but cutting a little off the top every few days can keep it growing until summer’s heat turns it too bitter.
Spinach – This vitamin-packed green is planted and harvested just like lettuce.
Cucumbers – Make several mounds of dirt near the edge of your garden and place 2-3 plants around the center of each. Cucumbers are notorious for growing vines that overtake other plants, so be vigilant about keeping them contained.
Squash – Like cucumbers, summer squash is planted on small mounds at the edges of a garden so their vines can be contained. Most varieties, such as yellow squash and zucchini, are quite prolific and just a few plants can feed a large family all summer long.
Tomatoes – Purchase plants that grow best in your area of the country from your local garden center. All plants should be staked or enclosed in tomato cages because successful plants produce an abundance of large, heavy fruit throughout the summer months.
Bell Peppers – Bell peppers are easiest to grow from plants. Space them about 1 foot apart then watch them take off with little care required. The only real trick to growing bell peppers is knowing when to harvest. If you’re growing red, orange or yellow varieties, they’ll start out green then turn color as soon as they ripen.
Carrots – Dig a long, shallow trench in soil that is free of rock. Sprinkle the seeds along the row, cover lightly with topsoil and wait for the top of the carrot to pop through the soil. Once a bit of orange appears, pull and enjoy.

Find more tips for growing a bountiful garden at eLivingtoday.com.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

SOURCE:
Family Features

Celebrate Spring’s arrival with a skillet fish fry

Published

16 hours ago

03/21/2025

bowienews

(Family Features) Nothing says spring like a fish fry with the catch of the day. This Pan-Fried Catfish recipe is perfect for enjoying flaky fillets without the mess. Find more springtime favorites by visiting Culinary.net.

Pan-Fried Catfish

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6

1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons mesquite seasoning (or seasoning of choice, such as lemon pepper)
1 stick butter
1/4 cup avocado oil (or oil of choice)
1-2 pounds thawed catfish fillets (1/2 pound each)
cooked rice, for serving

In pie dish, mix flour and seasoning.
In skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add oil. Coat fish fillets in flour mixture on both sides. Place fish in skillet and fry 5 minutes then flip and fry 5 minutes.
Place fish on paper towel to drain excess oil then serve with rice.

Tip: If skillet is large enough, fry two fillets at once. If frying more than four fillets, discard butter and avocado oil then start fresh before frying more.

SOURCE:
Culinary.net

EDIBLES

Spring arrives and it is prime time for hosting

Published

2 days ago

03/20/2025

bowienews

Spring is widely considered a season of rejuvenation. The warmer post-winter air that is a hallmark of spring certainly adds an extra hop to the steps of millions of people each year, but a number of notable events also lend a festive feel to this beloved time of year.

This this week’s On The Table finds some colorful selections to make for a Spring brunch or tips to plan a college hoops watching party.

Find it in your Thursday Bowie News.

EDIBLES

Savory favorites to make St. Patrick’s Day special

Published

1 week ago

03/13/2025

bowienews

Hearty recipes for celebrating from the comfort of home

(Family Features) While some St. Patrick’s Day celebrations call for green beer and large gatherings, you may instead opt for a cozy evening at home with comforting foods and close friends. Whether your shamrock spirit leads you out for a local parade or you’re more of a stay-at-home leprechaun, there is one tradition all can agree on: delicious Irish food.

If a quieter night cooking at home is up your alley, you’re in luck. You can put a meal worthy of gold on the table with these festive Irish favorites from “Cookin’ Savvy.”

A hearty home-cooked meal loaded with flavor and sure to fill you with cheer, Irish Beef and Beer Pot Pie is made piping hot to warm up any St. Patrick’s Day party. Full of hashbrowns, carrots, peas and beef, it’s a twist on tradition served with puff pastry topping the tasty stew. A cup of your favorite stout beer, of course, will come in handy for deglazing the skillet to ensure you enjoy every bit of beefy flavor.

Perfect for serving as a sweet complement to coffee or tea, or all on its own as a nightcap nibble, Irish Sweet Soda Bread comes together in a snap so you can let it bake while enjoying the main course. Offering an easy way to participate in the festivities, it might just become a household favorite to be savored year-round.

Make your home a St. Patrick’s Day haven with these hearty recipes then discover more celebratory meal ideas from “Cookin’ Savvy” by visiting Culinary.net.

Irish Beef and Beer Pot Pie

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6

1 pound ground beef
1 cup stout beer
3 tablespoons flour
1 can (15 ounces) tomato puree
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 cup beef broth
1 bag (28 ounces) hashbrowns with peppers and onions
1 can (14 ounces) carrots, drained
1 can (14 ounces) peas, drained
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg

Heat oven to 400 F.
In large skillet or Dutch oven, brown ground beef; drain and set aside.
Over medium heat, deglaze skillet with beer and whisk in flour. After thickening, whisk in tomato puree and add Worcestershire sauce. Mix in ground beef, garlic powder and beef broth. Add hashbrowns, carrots and peas. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place puff pastry sheet on cookie sheet. Beat egg and brush over pastry. Bake 10 minutes. Place hot puff pastry on top of beef mixture and serve.

Irish Sweet Soda Bread

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”
Servings: 4-6

4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 cups self-rising flour
1 cup currants
2 tablespoons sanding sugar (optional)
coffee or tea, for serving (optional)

Heat oven to 375 F.
Mix melted butter and sugar then add buttermilk. Mix in flour and currants.
Flour hands and counter. Add sanding sugar to dough, if desired, and knead into ball.
Grease small Dutch oven or pie plate and bake 40 minutes. Serve with coffee or tea, if desired, or as a dessert.

Substitutions: Raisins can be used in place of currants.

SOURCE:
Culinary.net