Hello, my name is Sue, and I named this blog SueZ’s Flour & Flower because of my long time love of baking and gardening.  So each time I have a submission, there will be something about baking and something about flowers or plants. I am not an expert, but I have spent several years with my fingers either in flour or dirt.  My maternal grandmother used to live with us when I was small and she baked for our family.  Later in life I realized she did that because she raised her family when it was customary to make things from scratch as there were no bakery convenience items to buy like there are today.  There were only a few when I was young.  The effort involved to produce home baked treats impressed me because I realized the task was time consuming.  To me that made the reward of a chocolate cake or cookie even more special.  I am happy to have had the opportunity to learn that from my grandmother.

Grandma also had something to do with me beginning to garden.  I showed an interest in the beauty and scents of flowers as a young child.  She noticed that and asked one spring if I wanted to plant some flower seeds.  I remember they were zinnia and marigold seeds.  We emptied the seeds into a clean empty jar, replaced the lid and shook the contents.  Then she let me scatter the seeds onto the tilled ground and lightly cover them with dirt. Grandma said it would be more colorful to see the mixture of flowers when they began to grow and bloom.  Again, I am thankful to have had that learning experience with her.

Flour

Many years ago I used to watch my grandma roll out pie dough when my eyes were barely above the height of the kitchen counter.  I did not realize what was going on at first, but once I realized Grandma was making a pie I began to spend more time in the kitchen watching her bake.  I learned a lot and later began to make my own pies, cakes, cookies, and candy. 

But even though I carried on and made a lot of the same desserts, as I grew older I became more interested in bread.  Not just loaf bread, but quick bread and muffins filled with fresh ingredients like fruits, nuts, spices and flavorings. I liked the idea of making bread because it would travel well as it would not be laden with frosting that could make the package a sticky mess upon arrival. It would also freeze well. I also liked that quick breads could include healthy ingredients and could be, but were not always considered really sweet. Also, quick breads are eaten for breakfast a lot, but are also good snacks. Grandma even encouraged me to make my first quick bread recipe, a nut bread for my dad.

Nut bread may not sound that wonderful, but to my dad it was a treat and also a memory of something his mom used to make.  A basic nut bread recipe would include: flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, egg, milk, oil, and chopped pecans.  Walnuts could be substituted for pecans.  Preparing a nut bread  means combining the dry ingredients separately from the wet ingredients.  The dry ingredients can be sifted into the bowl or whisked together once put in the bowl to make sure there are no lumps.  Wet ingredients are also blended first.  Then it is just a matter of combining the two mixtures just until blended.

Remember that nut breads have distinguishing characteristics.  Usually a crack appears down the center as it bakes.  That is usually where I test for doneness.  Also there might be flecks of your ingredients appearing from within the bread which means it will most likely not be a uniform color.  When it first comes out of the oven, place it on a rack to cool for about 10 minutes.  Then remove the bread from its pan and cool completely.  Make sure to wrap your bread well. It should last for several days and the flavor should only improve.  The following recipe is one I have used for a long time and was taken from a 1963 edition of Better Homes and Gardens Bread Cook Book.

BEST NUT LOAF: 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 beaten egg, 1 1/2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons salad oil, 3/4 cup broken California walnuts.

Sift dry ingredients together.  Combine egg, milk, and salad oil; add to dry ingredients, mixing well.  Stir in nuts.  Bake in greased 9 1/2x5x3-inch loaf pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour or till done.  Remove from pan; cool on rack. 

This is a nut bread made with pecans.

& Flower

          I cannot believe it is time to start thinking about bringing my plants inside.  My house plants and potted summer flowers have been enjoying the porch life since mid-April.  Yes, I try to save as many of my green friends as possible.  I cannot stand to throw something away that is still alive.  I have heard from friends that say they put their ferns on the street for someone to take home.  I tried that a few times and no one would stop for them.  So every fall what I can’t bring inside due to lack of room, I attempt to winter over in our garage.  For at least ten years I have babied plants in the garage during frigid temperatures with ice and snow on the ground.  I can’t say exactly how some of them have survived when spring finally does return, but I know they have.  I also know I have saved money the following spring by not starting from scratch and overfilling my cart at the local garden centers. 

            I want to be honest though and admit that I have lost some plants and naturally I know it has been due to lack of heat, moisture, or light.  However I have saved more than lost and I believe it is because I check on them regularly and also try to create as close to a greenhouse environment as possible. 

            First, I try to leave them on my porch as long as possible.  In my location, that can be mid-October to mid-November. Quite honestly by mid-November I have brought in the most fragile ones.  Second, I water them all before moving inside and put them on the same stands and small tables from the porch, placed alongside one wall of my garage.  Then every three or four days at first I check them for moisture even though now I know they do not need as much. I also decide if any need to be moved for proper light placement. Lastly I make sure to check the weather forecast regularly to know when to expect the first real cold blast indicating consistent temperatures have arrived.  When the first cold spell comes, I pin clear, plastic drop cloths into the wall above my line of green friends so that the material falls gently covering all of them.  I tuck it under all the stands, tables and large pots and it is there my plants spend the winter.

            As for the plants that will actually come inside for the winter, after about a couple weeks of indoor life in the garage, I check them for insects and if none, bring them in.

            I consider the plants in my garage as going dormant during the winter, even though I try to water once a month.  I have always been pleased when spring arrives and I see more green under the plastic than brown.