December, 2009
Another winter comes to Horsetail Haven, a home garden in Austin, Texas
Brrrrr!
Winter 2009 nibbled at Horsetail Haven the first weekend of December, when Ann Marie left work Friday night she had to scrape frost from her car window before driving home!  The annual drill had occurred the day before, moving tender plants inside, putting less hardy citrus into the garage and harvesting the last peppers, squash, tomatillos and basil.  Row cover was placed over flats of seedlings destined for the winter garden.  Plantings of lettuce, kale, chard, arugula and kohlrabi already in the ground needed no protection.  Now it is time to finish raking leaves and plant violas, calendulas, parsley, cilantro, chervil and more lettuce and kale.
 

In the kitchen....
Cooler temperatures also mean it is time for soup.  Ann Marie thinks everyone should own a slow cooker, what a joy to come home to a tasty soup, stew or roast on a frosty evening.  During a kitchen remodel last year we lived well with a slow cooker, and microwave for 6 months until our beautiful space was finished.  Here is our one of our favorite slow cooker recipes, enjoy soup one day and beef sandwiches the next:
 
 

Slow Cooked Beef Kale Soup
1 beef roast (chuck or rump)
2 cups chicken broth plus 4 cups water
2 potatoes, chopped in 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups fresh kale, vein removed
Salt to taste

Place roast in slow cooker, add potatoes and onion.  Add chicken broth and
water.  Sprinkle with black pepper.  Cook on low until meat is tender,
about 8 hours.  Remove roast.  Chop enough meat to make 1 cup of bite size
pieces and add these back into slow cooker.  (Use remainder of roast for
sandwiches at a future meal) Stir in kale and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until kale is wilted.  Add salt and more black pepper, if desired.

Now back in the kitchen, we can enjoy fresh bread with our tasty soup!
(FYI, the cabinets are Lyptus®, a selection of Eucalyptus urophylla xEucalyptus grandis, isn't it a lovely wood!)


Fall rain brought beautiful rose blooms in November and December, they still look great and smell sweet after the first freeze!  Fresh roses & some greenery make holiday decorating a snap!

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