Distressed hostas

Most hostas do best in the shade. This hosta is distressed because it gets too much sun and it has not had enough water.  The drought in Northwest Missouri is now into its fourth week. 

Have eggplant, make moussaka

MOUSSAKA was my favorite dish while visiting Greece.  Although claimed
by the Greeks as a national food, its origin is Turkish.  I like it
best served warm, with Greek salad and French bread.

Preparation time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Yield: approximately 8 servings

Pots, Pans, Utensils

large, heavy-bottomed frying pan or skillet with cover
1 medium saucepan (for béchamel)
2 wooden spoons
1 medium whisk (for béchamel)
1 baking / roasting pan approximately 8 x 12 x 3 inches

Ingredients

2 large eggplants
sea salt
olive oil
1 medium onions, chopped
1 pounds of ground beef or lamb
1 1/2 cups of chopped ripe tomatoes with juice (or canned tomatoes)
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a small stick (break off around 1 inch long)
1/8 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 bay leaves
1 cup of grated parmesan cheese (or other white cheese)
2 slices of toasted bread for breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons of tomatopaste
freshly ground pepper
béchamel with cheese

PREPARE THE EGGPLANT

Wash the eggplants and trim off stems. Cut off 1/2-inch wide strips of
the skin lengthwise, leaving about an inch in between, all around the
eggplant, then cut the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices.

Put the slices in a large bowl or on a tray, sprinkle liberally with
salt and let them sit for 30 minutes. Rinse well, drain, and pat dry.

Brush slices lightly on both sides with olive oil and run them under
the broiler on an ungreased cookie sheet until lightly browned and
soft. Remove and set aside to cool.

Note: If you've never fixed this before, there are two reasons often
given for salting the eggplant: (1) to remove any bitterness, and (2)
to absorb some of the natural liquids.

PREPARE THE MEAT SAUCE

Preheat the frying pan or skillet over low heat.

When the pan is hot, add a tablespoon of oil and increase the heat to
medium low. Sauté the onions with a wooden spoon until they are
translucent, add the meat and continue to sauté until lightly browned.
Add tomatoes, 1/2 the breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic, cinnamon, bay
leaves, allspice, and tomato paste and mix well. Reduce heat, cover,
and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, about the time for
making the béchamel sauce. If there is still liquid in the pan,
continue to simmer uncovered until the mixture is as dry as possible,
stirring to prevent sticking. When dry, remove the bay leaves and
cinnamon stick (if used), and set sauce aside uncovered until ready to
use.

PREPARE THE BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

3 tablespoons of flour
3 cups of milk
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese (or kefalotyri or pecorino)
¼ cup butter
Salt to taste
pinch of grated nutmeg

In a large saucepan, set the heat to medium to melt the butter. Stir
the flour into the melted butter and add salt. Add milk slowly and
continue to whisk until the sauce thickens. Add the beaten eggs and
nutmeg, whisking very quickly (so the eggs don't cook) until well
blended. Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, mix well and set
aside, covered, until ready to use.

BUILD THE MOUSSAKA

Lightly oil the baking pan and sprinkle the bottom with the remaining
breadcrumbs. Place a layer of eggplant slices on the breadcrumbs (it's
ok to overlap) and spread the meat mixture evenly on top. Cover with
the remaining eggplant slices, and carefully pour the béchamel sauce
evenly over the top.

Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes, then sprinkle the cheese over
the top, and continue to cook for another 15 to 30 minutes, until
golden brown.

Remove the moussaka from the oven and allow to cool. Moussaka is
traditionally eaten warm, not hot, and can also be eaten at room
temperature. Moussaka is even better the next day.

Moussaka is traditionally served in very large pieces and it is a
heavy dish. Serve with a green salad, crusty bread, and a dry red
wine. If anyone has room for dessert, a fruit sorbet or cheese with
fruit is a light way to end on a sweet note.

Moussaka can be prepared up to the béchamel and refrigerated
overnight. The next day, make the bechamel, pour over the top, and
cook as directed. It can also be completely cooked and cooled, then
frozen. Defrost and and reheat in a 350° (175-180°C) oven.

Harvesting garlic seeds and bulbs for next year's planting

Video shows dried seeds and garlic bulbs.  While the bulbs are used for eating and food preparation, they can be used for planting next year.  The seeds are for planting.

Wild geranium

диви здравец се користи за стомачни проблеми и дијареа. Тоа е подготвено во чај.

The wild geranium is used as a tea for stomach problems and diarrhea.

Commonly called cranesbill in North America, it is used by indigenous
peoples to stop bleeding and to treat diarrhea.

http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/Cranesbill.htm

Milk thistle or donkey flower

According to Rade, the milk thistle or donkey flower (магаре цвет) is
good for stomach problems and high in vitamins. Like mushrooms it is
good in salad.

Milk thistle is a plant native to Europe. It has a long history of use
as a folk remedy for liver and gallbladder disorders. The active
constituent of milk thistle is thought to be silymarin, a flavonoid
found in the seeds.

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/herbsvitaminsad/a/Milk_Thistle.htm

Medicinal use of mulberry fruit

My friend Rade says the mulberry fruit (черница) not only makes a
good jam, but is also good for stomach problems. It can be white,
black, or red.

Traditionally, in China mulberry fruit has been used as a medicinal
agent to nourish the yin and blood, benefit the kidneys, and treat
weakness, fatigue, anemia, and premature graying of hair. It is also
used utilized to treat urinary incontinence, tinnitus, dizziness, and
constipation in the elderly and the anemic.

In China silk worms feed on the mulberry and often

flies will lay eggs in the mulberry fruit.

http://www.itmonline.org/arts/morus.htm

Avoid farmed salmon

Andrew Weil says to avoid eating farmed fish. He writes in The Healthy Kitchen specifically about salmon. "Farmed salmon has less flavor, less protein, and more fat than wild salmon, and its content of omega-3 fatty acids may not be as high."

Farmed salmon may also have residues of antibiotics and other drugs to control diseases that occur when fish are crowded into to fish pens. It also takes several pounds of feed fish to produce one pound of salmon. Eating farmed fish doesn't really save the fish population.

Weil's recommendation is to choose wild Alaska salmon.

Here is a recipe for BBQ salmon from cooks.com.

4 salmon steaks
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. lemon pepper
1/4 c. Italian salad dressing
1 tsp. minced onion
Chopped parsley

Tear off sheets of heavy duty foil large enough to hold all steaks. Fold sides up to form pan. Grease lightly. Sprinkle steaks with lemon pepper and salt. Place steaks in foil pan and set aside. Combine salad dressing and onion; set aside.

Preheat grill on medium for 10 minutes; turn to low. Brush steaks on both sides with salad dressing mixture; place steaks back in boil pan and place on grill. Close lid and grill 12 minutes. Six on a side or until steaks flake; baste often. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.