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2B ♦ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2008 ys, r f V ? - r ■. : *|| .';■£' Jr *& J9Hk|; " ■ |j - - J?' "■'■ * |jjf, . * I ~. hb b ~ip Idaho Potato Commission Pomme Frites, are basically French fries, but these aren’t fried, so you get to save the calories for a variety of great dips. Budget-Wise bowls. Top with sauce and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Traditionally, lamb shoulder chops or left over bits of beef are used to make this pep pery stew. In this recipe, flavorful lean beef is simmered with vegetables in an aromatic broth. The long cooking brings out all the subtle flavors of the meat and vegetables, while the Idaho Potatoes retain their texture and shape. Source: Idaho Potato Comission Baked Idaho Pomme Frites and Simple Dipping Sauces Ingredients: Baked Idaho Pommes Frites 4 large Idaho® Potatoes, well scrubbed Cooking spray 1/4 teaspoon salt Tex-Mex Ketchup 1 cup ketchup 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon mild chili powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin Bacon-Cheddar-Ranch Topping 3/4 cup light ranch salad dressing 2 scallions, finely chopped (use green part only in this recipe) 2 tablespoons 2% Sharp Cheddar cheese 2 tablespoons packaged 50% reduced-fat real bacon pieces Easy Microwave Cheese Sauce Garden chores for January ' 1 ’ '"- r ~ Tim Lewis •Garden Columnist January is a fairly slow month for most gar deners, but there are some things we can do on these cool days. One rather pleasant chore, at least to me, is perusing seed catalogs and making out the annual seed order for the garden. I remember my grandma giving me H.G. Hastings seed catalogs many years ago, and as a young boy I would spend hours checking out the new varieties of flowers and veg etables, dreaming about the perfect garden I could have if I only had the money and the time to plant all those excel lent varieties. If you do order from seed catalogs, it is best to place your order well in advance; that is, by the end of January, for orders placed after that sometimes cannot be filled due to high demand. Also, be sure the seeds and plants you order are adapted to the South, which means you should think twice about patronizing seed companies not located in good ole Dixie. Now is a good time to prune crape myrtles, or for that mat ter, all late spring or summer flowering shrubs and trees. On crape myrtles, removing last year’s seed capsules now will encourage new growth and more flowers this sum mer. On young trees, cut off only the old flower clusters and unsightly stray branches. Restrained pruning is espe cially important with the 1/2 cup 2% milk 2 ounces cream cheese 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese Directions: Baked Idaho Pommes Frites Preheat oven to 450° F. Cut each potato into eight lengthwise wedges. Place potatoes in an ungreased bak ing pan. Spray potatoes evenly with cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes. Remove potatoes from the oven, turn them over using a spatula, and return the potatoes to the oven to bake an additional 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Season with salt and serve hot. Tex-Mex Ketchup Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Stir until evenly blended. Cover and refrig erate until needed. Bacon-Cheddar-Ranch Topping Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Stir until evenly blended. Cover and refrig erate until needed. Easy Microwave Cheese Sauce Combine the milk and cream cheese in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high for 1 minute, 30 seconds. Use a whisk and stir until smooth. Heat another 30 seconds on high, then whisk again. Add grated cheeses and stir constantly until smooth. If necessary, heat at 10-second intervals, stirring in-between, until an even consistency is achieved. newer varieties that produce larger clusters of flowers. If drastically pruned, the plant may be stimulated to produce too much new growth, caus ing breakage from the added weight. On older varieties with smaller flower heads, you may prune more severely. Cut these back a foot or more all around. If you have established pansy beds, they should receive a side-dressing of fer tilizer. Add about one cup of 8-8-8 or 10-10-10 or a simi lar complete fertilizer per 100 square feet of surface area. If using a slow-release fertil izer, be sure that at least half of the nitrogen it contains is in the nitrate form. Why? Because that is the form of nitrogen which plants can immediately use. The urea and ammonium forms of nitrogen must be broken down by soil bacteria and converted to the nitrate form; this takes time and higher temperatures than are normally found this time of year. January is a good time to remove suckers from trees, shrubs, roses, and vines. A sucker is a shoot that arises from a root, from an under ground portion of a stem, or from the rootstock portion of a grafted plant. They appear .as vigorous branches at the base of a decid uous plant or, on evergreens, as leaves with a different color or shape from the rest of the leaves. Ornamentals such as flowering peaches, flower ing cherries, magnolias, and camellias are propagated com mercially by grafting; so, on these plants make sure the growth you target for remov al emerges below the graft union. O * . otherwise, it is legitimate growth. Most suckers can be From Page iB snapped off or even rubbed off if you can catch them when they are young and tender. If you must use a pruning shear, try not to leave a bud; other wise, new growth may occur. Plant grapes and blueber ries this month. Muscadines and scuppernongs can be pruned now. Cut long canes back to three- to four-inch spurs. New flowers and fruit will grow from these spurs. I’ll bet you didn’t realize there were so many interest ing and important gardening tasks to be done in the dreary month of January. You’d better get to work- February will be here before you know it! 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 timlewisl@alltel. net. DAVID OVERTON JEWELERS We Buy Gold Scrap!! Bring It In And Let Us Weigh It. 90S Downtown Carroll St. • Perry 478-987-1392 | FOOD 2009: Happy and healthy From Page iB antioxidant vitamins and are rich in folic acid and beta carotene. They are low in calories, fat and sodium. Since even the leanest pork does contain saturated fat, I like to cook the greens with out ham hocks. Why fill such nutritious food with salt and cholesterol? Besides, every one loves my chicken broth method. Light Sangria 1 64-ounce bottle Ocean Spray Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail, chilled 1 (1.5 liter) bottle red wine, chilled 1/4 cup thawed frozen limeade concentrate 1 (1 liter) bottle club soda, chilled Lime slices, garnish Combine the cranberry juice cocktail and red wine in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Add limeade concen trate. Gently stir in soda just before serving. Garnish each serving with a lime slice. Makes 24 to 36 servings. NOTE: To make individual servings: Pour 1/2 cup Ocean Spray Light Cranberry Juice Cocktail, 1/2 cup red wine and 1 teaspoon limeade con centrate into a large wine glass. Add about 1/4 cup club soda, if desired. Black-eyed Pea Soup This recipe is loosely adapted from SAVANNAH SEASONS by Elizabeth Terry of Elizabeth’s on 37th Street in Savannah. To make it healthier I use tur key sausage and omit the bacon and prosciuto called for. I use additional olive oil for sauteeing to make up for the rendered fat of the bacon. 2 cups black-eyed peas 2 1/2 cups water 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided 8 ounces spicy Italian tur key sausage 2 Cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup carrots, peeled and minced 1/4 cup minced celery 1 cup minced onion 2 tablespoons flour 2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes 4 cups chicken stock or broth 1/2 cup diced green pep per 1/4 cup minced green onion 1 tablespoon thyme black pepper salt to taste 1/2 cup dry sherry Wash the peas well, remov ing any stones. Put them in a large soup pot and add the water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to simmer for 25 minutes or until the peas are almost done. Set aside and do not drain. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and saute the sausage, cook ing until brown. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onions and continue saute, over medium heat until they are lightly browned. Stir in the flour and continue cook ing and stirring another 2 minutes to lightly brown the flour. Whisk in the toma toes. Stir this mixture into the black-eyed peas. Add the chicken stock and sim mer covered over medium heat, stirring occasionally •Jewelry Repair & Cleaning •Watch Repair Hours: •Engraving Mon. -Fri. ° ° 9:3oam-s:3opm •Appraisals sat. •Estate Jewelry 9:3oam-2pm for 45 minutes. Just before serving heat the remaining spoon of olive oil and saute the bell pepper and green onion. Stir into the soup. Add the black pepper and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in the sherry and serve hot. Pork Tenderloin wttii Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Courtesy of the National Pork Board) 1 1-pound whole pork ten derloin 1 envelope Shake ‘N Bake Seasoned Coating Mix for pork 3/4 to 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 1/4 cups) 1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks 1/2 cup Italian dressing Chopped parsley, if desired Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly moisten the pork tenderloin with water; coat with the seasoned coat ing mix. Set the roast aside while preparing the vegeta bles. Discard any remaining coating mix. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the sweet potatoes, onion and dressing; toss to coat. Spread the vegetables in 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Place the pork on top of the vegetables. Roast for 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center of pork reads 155 degrees, stirring vegetables once. Remove from the oven. Let the roast stand for 5 minutes. Slice the pork; serve with the vegetables, sprinkled with chopped pars ley, if desired. A New Take on CoHard Greens 1/2 pound collard greens 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 red bell pepper chopped 2 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup prepared salsa 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons Cajun season ing Wash the collard greens carefully. Remove the cen ter stem and slice the leaves Famous Homemade Cinnamon Rolls green defter 1-75 Extt 136 8 987-8877 I MY STORE 2973 Pk> Nona Ave, * Macon, GA 31294 We Accept Food Stamp* & WIC HOURS; Mon-Sat 839«i»-Bpm • Sunday-9am-Bpm 478-743-8100 F^marrm 4jsam 1 ' t~ - j japMa K iSfpiilr m H !rS x 5 ! O w •VW II HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL into thin strips. Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot. Saute the onion and bell pepper until the onion is translucent. Add the chicken broth, salsa, garlic powder and seasoning. Stir. Add the collard greens. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 30-40 minutes or until the greens are done. Serve with the liquid. Cinnamon Cupcakes 3/4 cup shortening 1- cups sugar 4 egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2- cups cake flour 2 teaspoons baking pow der 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup milk Topping: 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cin namon Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin cups with cupcake papers (about 17). In a small mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg whites and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Fill the paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon over each cupcake. Bake for 18- 20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Cinnamon Frosting 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon ground cinna mon 1 teaspoon vanilla 5 3/4-6 1/4 cups confec tioner’s sugar Cream together the cream cheese, butter, cinnamon and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, beating after each addition until the frosting reaches a spreading consistency. (For the New Year, I like to sprinkle the cup cakes with silver drag- Friday Night Is KtffUtt L7S iJrtt 136 • 987-8877 17 1945 17 1956