Ingredients: 5 ounces of fresh spinach 1 small sliced fennel head 2 medium Granny Smith apples 1 small sliced red onion Celery seed dressing Preparation: Peel and cube apples. Thoroughly wash spinach, removing fibrous stems. Dry and place in salad bowl. Add fennel, apples and onions. Toss with celery seed dressing. Trim with fennel tops. […]
Written by Alicia R. Fire probably is the last thing most people are thinking about when entering garden centers bursting with color. But out West, where wildfire is becoming all too common, a new kind of landscape design is emerging — fire-wise landscaping. Many California cities throughout the state are considered at risk of wildfire […]
Ingredients: 1 frozen chopped broccoli 1 1/2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion 2 tablespoons flour 2 1/2 cups milk 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup grated white cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon flour 1 pinch cayenne pepper to taste 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg Preparation: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 1 minute. […]
By Richard Flowers, ACCNP- Green Thumb Nursery- Ventura Imagine sipping a cool beverage or entertaining underneath the canopy of outdoor lighting while lounging on outdoor furniture in your patio away from the heat. While enjoying the rhythm of a soothing water fountain and the soft twinkling of a wind chime, you sit back and savor […]
Ingredients: 2 cups diced cooked chicken 3 cups cooked rice, cooled 1 cup finely sliced celery 1/4 cup chopped green pepper 8 ounced crushed pineapple 2 tablespoons sliced pimiento 1/2 cup nonfat yogurt 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper Preparation: Combine chicken, rice, […]
Written by Alicia R. Maybe you’ve put away your garden gloves in favor of lounging on the patio. Admiring flowerbeds while sipping iced tea is pleasant during the heat of mid- to late summer. But if you don’t feel inclined to recline, and you find it sweeter to hold a trowel than a tumbler of […]
Ingredients: 1 pound soaked Great Northern Beans 2 teaspoons salt 1 medium chopped onion 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 2 pounds beef short ribs 6 cups water 3/4 cup barbeque sauce Preparation: Place all ingredients in a crock pot except barbecue sauce. Cover and cook on low for 10 to 16 hours. Before serving, remove short […]
Many gardeners are concerned about helping to support insects that pollinate plants, especially the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) due to its continuing decline. In this article, we will cover the many ways that gardeners can help monarch butterflies. The Xerxes Society for Invertebrate Conservation reports that only 200,000 monarchs were observed overwintering along the California […]
By Richard Flowers, ACCNP-Green Thumb Nursery-Ventura Just the other day, my neighbor showed me a plant in his garden that he didn’t know the name of. This sprawling and scrambling shrub covers a 10 foot area so densely that it provides needed privacy from the road and the house. I told the neighbor it is […]
Ingredients: 1 medium onion 4 tomatoes 1 head of lettuce 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 1/2 cup french or thousand island dressing Hot sauce to taste 1 bag of corn tortilla chips (6 ounces) 1 large avocado 1 pound ground beef 1 can kidney beans (15 ounces), drained 1/4 teaspoon salt Preparation: Chop the onion, […]