grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

The true story of my garden in May.

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This is a true story. Non-fiction. My garden in May is growing exactly like the seed packages promised. This truth shocks me each day. Always before, the idea of a garden filled with a bounty of vegetables, growing according to the seed package instructions, was purely fictional.

Mythical even.

My Serrano, jalapeño and bell peppers all seem to be thriving. Look at this bell pepper. It’s the size of my fist. It will be roasting on John’s Big Green Egg today.

Bell Pepper

My cucumbers are coming on! I plan to try my hand at canning these.

cucumbers in my community garden plot:) yay.

My first tomato harvest. These are Romas.

My first tomato harvest

And check out my celery. It really looks like celery.

growing celery!

Last week I harvested the last of my onions, a few more radishes, added fertilizer and I’ve been topping off my Ollas every two-three days.

I planted okra seeds and they sprouted in three days. Wow. True story.

okra sprouts

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Seed Quote

Musical Pairing:

When You’re Smiling – Doris Day

 

Memorial Day FUN!

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Memorial Day weekend. The lake was usually chilly. Sometimes downright cold. That first plunge into summer, breathtaking.

Was the water level high or low? That was an important question. We studied the shoreline while waiting for the ferry.

The answer affected our hot dog roast.

Even when the lake swallowed all but the tallest trees of our sandy island, we tied the boat to a willow branch and floated on rafts above white sand. New rafts that took forever to inflate.

The sand was still down there. We could see it through clear water.

One time (or several times) the water lapped the top of the concrete picnic tables. We used them as jumping platforms instead of eating spots. A different sort of fun. But even when our island was hidden, we never missed a hot dog roast. Momma anchored to a rocky edge of shoreline, not quite flat but almost, and built a fire, soldiering on without sand.

hot dogs - summer fun!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

 

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

 

grace grits in a swim cap:)

Musical Pairing:

Pontoon – Little Big Town

Nana’s Strawberry Cake (the real one)

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Nana's Strawberry Cake

Nana’s Strawberry Cake!

Alrighty. After baking the worst strawberry cake ever for my son’s 21st birthday (read about it HERE , or we can just pretend it never happened…), I’m going back to our old family recipe. Nana’s Strawberry Cake. Straight from her vintage recipe box. You’ll want to keep this one.

Nana's Recipe Box

I love seeing her handwriting on all the recipes…

Nana or Momma made this cake for all my birthdays. Served on the dock with a side of old-fashioned, homemade ice cream (hand-cranked with rock salt), this is the stuff of summer. We ate fast before the July sun created strawberry milkshakes. Sticky face? Jump in the lake for easy cleanup.

The cake is moist and luscious as strawberry cake was intended. It’s one of those “cheat” cakes because it starts with a boxed white cake mix and a package of strawberry Jell-o. Ask me if I care.

Nope.

I’ve learned my lesson.

One bite and I’m delivered back to my childhood.

strawberry cake - easy & luscious!

Nana’s Strawberry Cake

Print Recipe
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package white cake mix
  • 1 3 ounce package strawberry Jell-o (do not dissolve)
  • 3/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries thawed and chopped
  • 4 eggs
For Icing:
  • 1 stick butter melted
  • 1 box pound powdered sugar
  • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries thawed and chopped

Method
 

  1. Lightly grease & flour two 9-inch round pans or a 13x9 inch rectangular pan.
  2. Mix first five ingredients in a large bowl at medium speed.
  3. Add eggs and thoroughly mix.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
  5. Remove from pans and let cool before adding frosting.
Icing:
  1. Mix butter, sugar and strawberries together. Add a bit of milk if you like gooey icing. (I do!)

And to my birthday boy, sorry you missed the real deal.

Nana's Strawberry Cake

Yum!

Do you have a birthday tradition in your family? If you don’t, I highly recommend Nana’s Strawberry Cake.

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

 

 

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!