Cottage Garden Seed Swap & Chat #45

i used fluff and it said boil to 234 degrees so i used a candy themo. nope runny. guess i just cant do fudge.

looked up fanstasy fudge and its the same as mine except 5 minutes verses 234 degrees. will try timing it instead of themometer. once i get the stuff agian.


ok piggies come get the runny fudge. tastes good but we will see if it hardens over night.

Fudge ... Runny Fudge ... never made it, don't really care for it, but will eat it if you put it in front of me. A true Piggy! I had the gall to try a buy the Pillbury sugar cookie dough at a Kroger near me ... had a coupon ... can you believe they were out of it ... so sugar cookies in my house yet. Maybe I can get the son or daughter to bake????????

I'm dutifully saving my large clear plastic containers from work for Winter Sowing though.

imzadi... Don't feel bad. One year I decide d to surpris e my ex with his favorite dessert. Cheescake. Got al the ingredents together and set to work.

Made the gramcracker crust, which by the time i got done sur e looke d awful wet looking, like it had too much butter so I sprinkle d more crused gramcracker s over the top of it thinkign it would soak up soem of the butter and hold togeher better.

Then I mad e the cheescake part. I followe d the directions, but i had this r eally runnign mess in the bowl. Well I decide d it neede d thickenign up. I adde d mroe cream cheese and mroe cream chees e and then a litle mroe condensed milk and more cream cheese . By the time I got done my one cheesecake had enough fillign for over 7 pies and they was still runny.

I stuffe d them all in the fridge hopign they would harden up. That some cheesecake fairy would magicaly coem and turn them into yummy solid masses.

Well when ex got home, he foudn me sittign on kitchen floor in tears. He aske d what wa s wrong, I said open fridge. He opene dit up and looke d and saw all the cheesecakes there. First his face light all up , then i told hi grab one and taste it.

he trie d to pul from fridge and it was sloushing stil all over. he stuck finger and tatesed and OMGosh the smile went to giant opucke r and frown. All of them went into the trash.

I have the same problem with fudge even the easy recipe. That two things I just wont try and bake again. I wil go to stor e and buy and then try and pass of f a s home made. LOL

So I feel for ya. : )

But all is not lost ya get or make a chocolate sheet cake. cut squares, top with vanilla s ic e cream. heta up yoru fidge and spoon over ic e cream add dash of whip cream and ya got shoneys fiv e bucks a slice fudge cake that yummy. : )

My annual baking has been reduced to a variety of 'barks'. Melt chocolate (or white chocolate, or butterscotch) chips in microwave, pour or spread on to baking sheet covered in foil, top with crushed whatever (candy canes on white is yumm) and cool in fridge. Break, and eat. Can't get easier. Then there's the 'saltine' bark version which is even yummier, but a little more work (not much). Not even sure if we're doing any regular cookies this year! Gave all my neighbors paperwhites and little bowls to force them in this year instead of baking!

Right now I am in a lecture hall waiting for the last student to finish his final exam. I will be sorting through the seeds tonight and will try to get everyone what they want. Just be a little patient.

Michaela

I used to always make fudge for Christmas. Then 2 years ago it did it not turn out right. That was the year I used a new pan instead of my double walled 1970's piece of junk my mother gave me when I was 19. That "piece of junk" pan made the best fudge ever. Unfortunately the handle broke on the pan a few years back and my hubby threw the pan out.
I never, ever made the marshmallow "cheaters" kind of fudge. I made the cocoa kind (no melted choc, a cocoa recipe). It takes hours and has to be the right humidity and temp. but it is fantastic.
I would love to have a recipe for a good melted chocolate one if anyone has one (not the marshmallow kind).

I used to make caramel out of condensed milk, and my own hard candy and taffy too. I haven't done that in years either. Lots of years of Home Ec classes, I guess, and a grandmother that was an avid baker. I didn't know it until she has passed on, but she was a Betty Crocker test kitchen cook.

I was just reminiscing to my hubby the other day how at my daughters age (she is 12) I could make brownies, pies, cottage pudding, etc from scratch, and did so regularly. My must have drove my poor mother crazy with my baking. Now I get worried my daughter will hurt herself (or my appliances) using the microwave!
I just bought my daughter a cookie recipe book (she really wanted it) and told her to pick some recipes out, make a shopping list, and I'd get the stuff and let her have the kitchen for a day to make her own Christmas cookies. It will drive me crazy, and be a mess, but it's time she learned how to bake.

Imzadi-

That recipe you used is way off. If doing the marshmallow fudge there is no need to heat it to the soft ball temp stage. Only in the old style recipes do you need it to get to softball stage, and that is 235-245 F, not 234. So that recipe was way off.

My big hit is called Rolo cookies. The are pretty much a peanut butter cookie with a rolo candy shoved into the middle of the ball and then rolled around so that the candy disappears into the middle of the ball. Then you roll them into granulated sugar. Then bake. Mmmmmm.
If I don't get those to a guy at work soon... he's coming after me.. lol

Would anybody mind if I sent a bunch of seeds that are looking for homes - mean, I have way too many seeds . . . . and too many to list. Maybe they can be distributed as "surprise seeds" Now - most of these are older seeds - some commercial, and some from trade - mostly from 2008, a few from 2007 - so no guarantees regarding germination.

Next year I will want a lot of seeds for my sustainability classes - but for now, I would rather someone else had a chance to have these (or throw them out, if that is what they want).

I will send individual packages to people who made requests from my list - those are all seeds from this season.

Just so you can get an idea, there are seven different packages of different forms of gaillardia.

Anyway, I will send them sorted alphabetically, so that might help with distribution.

I did that too. Sent in a lot of my extras.
Star did say that she will also donate to 'those in need' to... so i dont think any will go to waste.

I did call my mom... she's not home. I think it was my grandmother that used the recipe with the fluff. She's 89...guess that stuff has been around for quite a while, lol.

She called while I was typing

Here it is...

Remarkable Fudge ...from the Better Home and Gardens cookbook from the 40's or 50's ... tweaked a tiny bit by my Grandma

4 c. Sugar
1 2/3 c. (14 1/2 oz can at the time) Evaporated Milk
1 c. Butter
1 12oz. package (2 c.) Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
1 pint Marshmallow Cream
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 c. Broken Nuts (if desired)

Butter the sides of a heavy 3 quart sauce pan. In it combine the sugar, milk and butter.
Cook over medium heat to softball stage at 236 degrees while stirring frequently.
Remove from heat. Add chocolate, marshmallow cream, vanilla and nuts.
Beat by hand with a wooden spoon until chocolate is melted and blended.
Pour into a buttered 9x9x2in. pan. Makes 3 dozen 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Geez, you oinkers. I come hoping that there will be more response to my seedstarting/wintersow question, only to find you all pigging out on fudge, on your way to becoming full-fledged porkers. Now where are your priorities, guys. Don't you know that seeds are much better for your health than fudge. And you know what happens to full fledged porrkers, don't you? Ever hear of bacon?

it was right off the marshmallow pack. said easy fudge my friend makes it all the time hers turns out just right.

it said softball stage which is 234 on the candy thermometer

3 cups sugar

3/4 cup margarine

1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk

1 pkg. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate pieces

1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme

1 cup chopped nuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2 to 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat or until candy thermometer reaches 234° F., stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.

Stir in chocolate pieces until melted. Add marshmallow creme, nuts and vanilla. Beat until well blended. Pour into a greased 13-by-9-inch pan.

Cool at room temperature. Cut into squares.

Makes 3 pounds. .

Hahahahhahahah Perenniallyme. had my ration of bacon and toast this mornign, so the piggy safe for the moment.

Had to go back and see which question.

Now I start things warm and watch as I put them out for a inter chill. Liek I have Gallardias. Rudbeckia, Geraniums, pernnial stuf f that I sproute d in doors and have got to the " pot stage that have no been giving a cold chill too. Sinc e they in small pots, I may or may not let them go totally dormant. I lettignthem get cold but not frozen. Won't let them stay out in frost weather as they not in big enough pots to protect the root s from extreme cold.

Imzadi- soft ball stage is at 235F at sea level. I'm surprised to see 234F on the pkg.

Also, candy thermometers can get out of calibration and be reporting the wrong temp.
At sea level, boiling water should show 212F if you put the thermometer in.

BTW- I've never, ever hit 235F in 5 minutes. It usually takes at least an hour for me in the double thick pan I was using. Ignore how long it takes, go by the temp. And I usually go closer to 238-239F, just to accommodate any candy thermometer calibration issues. BUT don't go over 240-245 max or you'll end up with a brick :) (That's what I did after I lost my pan)

It's likely that you just didn't go high enough on the temp. That is the most common reason for runny fudge.

Thanks, star, for trying to answer my question! My impression of what was being said for certain seeds is that they won't germinate until after the cold period, but still need to be started warm for the 2-4 weeks - then the cold - then in between for germination. No way am I going to put the sprouted gentians outdoors to freeze - or any others that sprout prematurely.

Here is an example of what I'm talking about - instructions from the seed germination database:


Aconitum anthora, x arendsii, carmiichaelii, cammarum, lamarckii, napellus, septentrionale, variegatum, and vulparia , Sow at 18-22ºC (64-71ºF) for 2-4 wks, move to -6 to -7ºC (19-21ºF) for 4-6 wks, move to 5-12ºC (41-53ºF) for germination Short viable

I too had to go back and look for the question....

2 days ago, Perenniallyme wrote:

Thanks tcs. I tried that last year, but had no success with some of these. Has anyone had success with gentians, aconitums, tricyrtis, anemone multifida?

Yeah Sharon, I'm so close to the coast and on the boarder of zone 7 that my winter temps vary all the time. I don't bother with doing all that with seeds and just WS them. I figure that they will get the warm and cold spells that they need all on their own.

edit to say that I haven't tried those particular seeds that you mentioned yet.

This message was edited Dec 17, 2009 1:13 PM

I have a recipe for the "fake fudge" that has fluff in and you don't have to heat to hard ball stage... at home. I'll look it up and post tonite if anyone is still interested in that one. I make variations of it every year and will be making some Saturday, peppermint, chocolate, eggnog. I also have a great peanutbutter "fudge" recipe that is made with cream cheese.

Tonya

I've WS those little short blue gentians and had great success that's the only way I could get them to germinate after a couple of years trying them. I WS my tricyrtis with good germination too, no luck with the aconitums but this year I froze them in ice cubes and going to pitch them out when it snows because they are going right out the front door under the holly lol You have to keep those in the freezer until you get to sow them and sow soon as possible, the ones I have in the swap are in the freezer now and I have a note on them for Ella to put them in the freezer when she gets them :)

Tonya, I'd love to see the receipes of both. I'm not a good cook and can't do the complicated stuff.

Lea, your thumb must be much greener than mine! I do already have some tricyrtis wintersown as well as the ones that are going to be warm for a few weeks before going out. I have some aconitum seeds already planted in the ground, as well as the ones in ws containers that are going to be warm for a few weeks first. I don't have any gentians out in the cold yet, except ones I scattered around the mother plants, but the ones that don't sprout in the next couple of weeks will be going out there too. I guess I'll just have to see myself if it makes a difference or not. I guess the ones that come from the piggy swap I'll try both ways if I still have the energy to do that. I REALLY REALLY want to get some plants out of these this year - especially the ones I don't already have!

Do the Gentians grow in the ground or do you keep them in pots to bring inside for winter? (In zone 7) I have some but they are in pots in my greenhouse because I didn't know if they would come back if left outside. How do you care for these in winter?

Perenniallyme... That sur e doe s look awful strange to me, so went and got my big seed book out for gh folks and this is what is says for the Monkshood.

Light( no cover) 70F for weeks.. 40F for 4 weeks. 50F for 4 weeks.

Piggie Mail call for today!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mekos.. How you got all that crammme d in that little box I don't know. rea d the outsid e message too. : ) Only thing is I receiv e postage for yoru box going back. : )

Huneybunch. Pretty Hand writing you have.

NbGard

Dryad. . Dryad. sent ya a dmail a s top of your box wa s all smashe d in and want to make sure everythign ya sent is in it.

Mekos, my gentians are in the ground, and I just mulch them in the fall. You should have no problem at all, being in a much warmer climate.

Star, I know it sounds strange, but you see - Your book said the same thing (except I read to plant them shallow - it didn't say not to cover. Guess I better try some more uncovered now....

My thumb isn't any greener than yours :) I can't get my aconitum to germinate for me I would think they would reseed down in the shade garden but I have so many weeds down there from this year it would be hard to tell until they get to be a lot taller :) I'd love to get them started under the holly out front time will tell for this year I guess :)

I've tried early spring sowing and under lights with the gentians but the only way I've been able to get those to grow for myself is to just WS with the rest of my jugs starting around Feb. This year I hope to get started earlier usually I'm getting my jugs ready on Christmas day I already have like 17 jugs done now from last year that I didn't get to use.

Gave my son a bunch to do for me this year early in the summer I gave him my glue gun, scissors and a sharpender for the scissors just in case, I have a lot I want him to cut for me lol He has them and still hasn't started on them! I'm going to have to put a fire cracker under him lol I have about four more bags of jugs just waiting for him at least, I have been saving them for a while now, hey I should give them all to him for Christmas Ha! I just reminded him the other day to get to it :)

Hmm didn't know the aconitum needed a warm period maybe that's why they say plant soon as posible but it's getting cold here when I collect them?

Star did you get the card I mailed extra, not inside the box? It had the money for the coming back postage in it. I had closed the box before I remembered and sure didn't want to open it up again so I sent the card with money.

Now, last year wa s bad enough when I went bezerk listening to pop..pop..pop and goign crazy trying to figrue out what wa wrong in my house, onyl to find out it was seeds that were sent that were exploding out of their pods.

Wel;l, let me tell ya that wa s nothign that compared to the major... do ya hear me.. major fright I had with a certain little piggie s box.

Ther e I was openign todays boxe s up and takign the one to one and extra seds to one room cuz them I don't sort through til evverybody stuff is here and had a hand full of the tagge d see dpackage s in my other hand to go to bedroom to start tossign into troughs.

Now when lookign at things clos e up I have to take my glasse s off so I cna see, so ha d them off and am looking at name son tagge d seeds. I pitch first handfull and grab the second handfull and they went flying in the air and I let out a scream. of ewwwwwwwwwww ..gross and om goodness. This piggy heart went to racing as I looke d for the seed packet that had put such a fright into me.

I foudn it and gengerly carrie d it to kitchen wher e I coudl get a better look at it. I wa s like I can't beliv e this was sent. Thinkign how in the heck did this get in the envie. Wer e the seeds in the envie devored and what wa s left in there sufficate????

I laid the envie on the table and got plastic glove s on to take a closer look , my hands shaking all the time.

I picke d up the item and realize d that it was hard and got a real, clos e good look at it.

MeKOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the heart attack this year. Your coral bush seed s looke d just like two giant beetle /roach/ butting bugs.

So Danita... a nd anybody els e who may be gettign them seeds from Mekos. They are not bugs, they are seeds, so don't ya all scream and have panic attacks liek I did.

You'll se e what I talkign abotu when ya get them. here a pic of the culprit a s best a s I could photgraph it.

Y a just lucky didn't have my coffee cup in hand at tiem like I normally do. LOL

Now if anybody els e sent weird lookign seds that gonan give me the hibby jebbies when I see them, pelas e speak now. LOL

Ella package went out today.

Ok, Mekos.. wil look for card. Could have arrive d already. Wil do that after I finish havign cup of cofeee and cig and countign the ne w white hair s ya gave me today. heheheheheh done gone past the grey haire d stage. Hahahhahahaha

But , ain't you have'n fun with all that stuff??

OH Star, little buddy, I'm so sorry. But look at it this way, there is another story for you.LOL Those are the seed pods broke open and they are full of seed in each piece. I wanted to put several in so she could use some and trade some. I guess the tight fit in box was enough to break it in half. I'm so sorry. Wouldn't have turned your hair white for the world.

Yep just another story to write in your little 'seeds or me' book lol You should write a book Ella :) You tell it soo well!

Yes Ella! Write a book of your seed adventure stories! What a good idea, you really do tell them so well. It makes you feel like we are right there with you or wish we were! You really should.

LOL Mekos... heheheheheheh Well at least I won't have to dye my hair for awhile. hahahahhaha snort.. snort.. giggle.. giggle.

One of thes e days, I might sit down and write my stories. Can ya just imagien the nightmare somebody wil have editing behidn me thoiugh. Not sur e I wanna wish that on anybody. I already have the title for it. Just gott a fidn the time to type it out and somebody to do cartton characteurs for me to go along with it. I can't draw for anything.

OK! That is great. Surely someone around here with all these talented people around here we could find an artist. Both my sons are. They can draw anything and so good. Got to be some around here somewhere with artistic gifts.

Lea, wish I had a worker bee to help me out - maybe you need to offer a treat when the job's done to get him working.

I know - it seems very strange that aconitum would need a warm period first, as you can't even get seeds out of them til almost winter, and that's if you're lucky.

Well I guess I'd better send you those g. makinoi seeds so you can say you've got gentians to germinate - cause if they did it for me, they'll definitely do it for you. I sowed lots of seeds on surface (maybe sprinkled just a little seed starting mix on top?)- started them on a 65 degree heat mat under lights for about 12-14 hours a day. I started them in a ws container and didn't remove top til they started to germinate. They started germinating in 7 days.
I also have one sprout in the g. septemfida container, done the same way, but it looks kind of like a small blade of grass, so I don't know if it's a gentian or not.

Oh Star, Thanks for the warning!
Sorry about the scare, although it made for a funny story. LOL here! :)

Lea -- what do you use the hot glue gun for?