Newspaper Page Text
HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Tim Lewis
Garden
Columnist
Amaryllis care
As the Christmas season
approaches, many of you will
be thinking of ways to bright
en your interiorscapes. One
of the best ways, of course,
is with the use of flowering
plants. The first plant that
comes to mind is the poin
settia-and rightly so-since it
is the king of all Christmas
plants. But there are others
we would do well to consid
er-namely, Christmas cactus,
Norfolk Island Pine, and the
charming amaryllis.
This week we look at the
amaryllis (Hippeastrum).
Ordinarily a spring-flower
ing tropical bulb, this showy
bloomer brightens up any
room when forced to bloom
indoors. Incidentally, in the
forcing process, no cold period
is required for these bulbs as
is required for tulips, daffo
dils, hyacinths, and others as
discussed in a recent column.
Amaryllises grow from
large bulbs, nearly as big as a
grapefruit and weighing more
than a pound. The larger the
bulb, the more expensive they
are, and the larger the flow
ers they produce. Typically,
blooms are eight to ten inches
across; the plant produces
three or four flowers at a
time atop each thick one- to
two-foot. stem. Usually, just
as the first flowers fade, the
bulb sends up a second flower
stalk. Some, bulbs are identi
fied by color only-white, pink,
red, orange, or striped. These
are not as hardy or large or
as long-lasting as the vegeta
tively propagated ones, with
names such as Appleblossom,
Beautiful Lady, Fire Dance,
Scarlet Admiral, and White
Giant.
When potting amaryllises,
remember that they love tight
quarters. If the pot is too big,
you’ll likely get nice leaves but
no flowers. It is best to use a
pot that is about two inches
larger in diameter than the
bulb. The bulb itself should be
left about half way out of the
soil. The roots grow from the
base of the bulb. Fill the pot
with a well-drained soil mix
and then water.
The first sign of growth
is the flower bud itself-the
leaves don’t usually develop
until the flowers are opening.
Once the large, tear-shaped
flower bud is visible, the plant
should receive a feeding once
a month, enough water to
keep the soil barely moist, at
least three to four hours of
sun, and temperatures in the
70’s during the day and in the
60’s at night if possible.
After flowering, the plant
will still need attention, for
it is during the months after
flowering that the bulbs revive
themselves and store up ener
gy for next year’s show. Keep
the plants on a sunny window
sill until the weather is warm
enough to set them outside.
While out for the summer,
keep watering and fertilizing
as usual.
Early in the fall the leaves
begin to turn yellow. This
is the plant’s way of saying
it is time for a rest. Don’t
water them at all for at least
a month, and put them in
a spot where they are sure
not to freeze. Cut off the yel
low leaves next to the bulb.
Restart the next bloom peri
od by watering and adding a
spoonful of bone meal.
Amaryllis bulbs should be
left in the same pot for three
or four years, but no longer.
The little offset bulbs that
grow alongside the mother
bulb can be potted up sepa
rately. They will bloom after a
couple of years.
If you would like a spec
tacular show in your home
during Christmas, visit your
local nursery or garden center
and get started! You’ll be glad
you did!
Tim Lewis is a Georgia
Green Industry Association
Certified Plant Professional,
gardening writer, former
Perry High School horticul
ture instructor, and former
horticulturalist at Henderson
Village and Houston Springs.
He and his wife, Susan, own
and operate Lewis Farms
Nursery located on Hwy 26
two miles east of Elko, where
he was born and raised. He
can be reached at(478)954-
1507 or timlewis@alltel.net
Apple crisp, apple dumplings, apple blitter
From Page iB
1/4 c shortening (1/2 stick
butter or oleo)
2 cup chopped apple
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour sifted
1 teaspoon soda
Pinch salt, cinnamon and
nutmeg
Cream shortening and
sugar, add beaten egg and
vanilla. Mix all dry ingredi
ents and add - stir in apples
and bake in greased pan 35
minutes
NOTE: you can top with a
glaze and chopped nuts while
hot. If desired.
Apple Crisp
Grease a pie plate and add 2
cups sliced apples. Cover with
the following mixture: Use a
pastry blender to mix 1-cup
brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour and
1/2 cup shortening. Bake at
350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Serve as is or with a scoop of
ice cream.
Apple/Pineapple
Casserole
Butter a medium size cas
serole. Mix 1 large size can
of crushed pineapple, un
drained, and 5 -6 Granny
Smith apples that have been
coarsely grated. Mix and pour
in casserole dish. Microwave
on high for 5 minutes. Stir
and microwave on for 5 min
utes. Repeat until apples are
translucent. Taste and if not
sweet enough, sweeten to
taste. Serve as a side dish
with pork.
Apple Fritters
11/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons, granulated
sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg
3 large Golden Delicious
Apples, peeled, cored and
sliced into 6 equal round
slices
Salad Oil for frying
Confectioner’s sugar
In medium bow, combine
1-cup flour, the granulated
sugar, and salt. In a small
bowl whisk milk and egg,
then gradually whish into
fry ingredients until smooth.
Set aside. In a large bowl,
combine remaining 1/4 cup of
flour and 1/4 cup confection
ers’ sugar. Set aside. In heavy
skillet, heat 1-inch oil to 375
degrees. Peel and core apples.
Cut each into 6 equal round
slices. Toss 3 slices in flour
and sugar mixture and then
in batter. Shake off excess.
Fry 1 1/2 Vi to 2 minutes.
Turn only once. Repeat with
remaining apples. Sprinkle
with confectioner’s sugar.
Quick Apple Dumplings
Bring to a boil 1 1/2 cups
sugar, 1 1/2 cups water, and
1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Add 1/2
tsp. vanilla and 3 T butter. Sit
aside. Peel, core and thinly
slice 3 apples. Open one can
of crescent rolls and separate.
To each roll place 2-3 apple
slices and a sprinkle of cin
namon and sugar. Fold rolls
up and seal ends by pinching
ends together. Place in baking
dish. Pour syrup over them
and sprinkle with more sugar.
Bake at 375 for about 30 min
utes at 375 degrees or until
apples are tender.
ffloppy y?icviAs</ui/ig
__ _ _ JHk
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Country Sausage
Ribeyes
T-Bones
Fresh Frozen Vegetables
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Sunshine Hot Apple Cider
1 gallon apple cider
6oz can frozen orange juice
concentrate
3 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
In a large Dutch Oven
(Stainless Steel, glass or
enamel) combine all ingredi
ents. Cook over medium heat
until heated through and fla
vors are blended. Hot Cider
can be kept warm in a crock
pot set on low.
Apple Butter
12 large cooking apples
1 qt water
5 cups sugar (more if you
want it sweeter
6 cups apple cider
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. allspice
1 pt wine (Use a mild tast
ing wine)
Wash, quarter, and core
apples. If you are going to use
the blender, peel apples. Cook
in water and wine until soft
(about 10 minutes). Process
in the blender or food mill.
Discard the peel. Measure the
amount of apple pulp and use
Vi the amount of sugar. In
a large saucepan, heat the
cider to boiling. Add the apple
mixture and cook over medi
um heat until 1 teaspoon of
the mixture dropped onto a
cold plate will hold its shape.
Stir the mixture often to pre
vent sticking. Add spices as it
begins to thicken. When cold
the mixture should be thick
enough to spread. (This will
make about 4 pints and is
a good way to use up small
amounts of excess apples.
Note: You can save the peel-,
ings and cores. Mix a gal
lon of crab apples with the
peelings and cores and add
3 quarts of water. Bring to a
boil, reduce to simmer, cover,
and let SIMMER for about 30
minutes. Turn off heat and
when cool enough to work
with, strain. The juice will
make delicious jelly.
Fried Apples
1 medium apple, peeled,
cored, and sliced.
2 tablespoons butter or
margarine
Dash of cinnamon
2 tablespoons Sugar
Melt margarine or butter in
a skillet. Add apples and cook
over medium heat for 6 to 8
minutes or until tender. Stir
in sugar and sprinkle with
cinnamon. Serve hot.
Apple Marmalade
1 orange, quartered, seeds
removed, and thinly slices
6 medium apples, peeled,
cored, and coarsely chopped
(6 cups)
3 tablespoon lemon juice
5 cups sugar
In an 8 to 10-quart kettle or
Dutch oven combine orange,
apples and lemon juice and
2 cups water. Bring mixture
to boiling point, reduce heat
and simmer until apples are
tender. This takes about 10
minutes. Add sugar and bring
to full rolling boil. Stir con
stantly and continue cooking
and stirring till thickened
and clear. Reach 220 degrees
on the candy thermometer.
Remove from heat and skim
if necessary. Put in jars and
seal. Process for 10 minutes
in a boiling water bath.
Standing Ribs
Whole Loins
FOOD
Apple Upside Down Cake
In a large skillet put in the
following order:
3 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries
4-5 medium tart apples,
peeled and sliced
3/4 tsp cinnamon
Cook until apples begin to
softer (about 6 minutes) Pour
into a buttered 9 x 13 baking
dish.
In the blender put:
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup orange juice
11/2 cup plain flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup white sugar
Process until smooth. Pour
over apple mixture and sprin
kle with the following mix
ture:
2 tablespoons sugar and
1/4 tsp cinnamon. Bake 425
degrees for 20 - 25 minutes
or until a knife inserted in
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the center is clean. Serve with
syrup and sausage.
Baked Apples
6 large apples, peeled,
cored, and sliced length
wise
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar,
firmly packed
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup whipping cream
Butter a 10 inch baking
dish and arrange the apples
in the bottom. Mix together
the honey, brown sugar, cin
namon, and cream. Pour over
the apples. Bake in a pre
heated 400 degree oven until
apples are render and golden
on top. (about 30 minutes)
Serve hot.
DLAC Sandwich
For each sandwich:
3 slices cooked bacon
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1 leaf lettuce
2 slices bread, Buttered on
one side
2 slices white Cheddar
Apple slices to cover bread
(Just stand apple up and
slice down.)
On the unbuttered side of
the bread you may put a little
of your favorite mayonnaise
(I don’t think that it needs
it... Theo always used the
mayonnaise.) Put a slice of
cheese, layer of apples, bacon,
lettuce, cheese and remaining
slice of bread. Toast the bread
on both sides. Cut and serve.
This is a delicious alternate
to the summer BLTs. I use
the Gala Apples for this.
Christmas PoinsettiasM
■ Decorate, your church office party or home.
Taking Orders Now! Call Tim Lewis
Lewis Farms Nursery
]WkB3O Hwy 26 East ■ Elko GA
;ff»(47;8) 954-1507 - We Deliverl,
BT Hard To
Stuff! .
Everything Old ,
Lv Is NewAgainljj
Hours Open:
Tues. - Sat., 10am - 6pm
k Specials: *
Every Wednesday
after 4pm, we
have fresh food
f delivered!
478-329-0200
3B
'lfiOb
P* via
70784
1 70788
17Q826
3E
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