Homemade Garden Box for $50!

This blog is usually about posting recipes but I decided that this year I wanted to have a small garden.

I made mine 4' x 8', this is my first garden and I don't want to make one too big that I can't keep it maintained properly. But you can build one as small or as large as you would like. There is no right or wrong way to build it, it's whatever you prefer.

Materials needed:
3 - 2x8x8 - cut one of them in half
3 - 2x6x8 - cut one of them in half
1 - 2x4x8 - cut 4 13" pieces
Box of 2" wood screws
Bottle of wood glue

I started putting the short ends together, don't forget to glue before you screw. This will help keep it together longer.

Then next comes the tricky part of securing the long sides to the short one, it helps to have a friend help you. But once you get one done then it comes together pretty quickly.

Once I got one long board attached I stood it up on its side to make it easier to attached the rest of the boards.

Then I moved the box to the location in the yard where it would get the most ample amount of sun. I also put in landscaping cloth to help keep those pesky weeds out.

Now to fill it you will spend more than $50, but it will cost you $75-$100 to fill it with dirt and plants. Again it all depends on what type of plants you choose to fill it with.

I waited until my local hardware store had their spring garden sale so I saved a lot of money on dirt. I don't like to buy the expensive Miracle-Gro brand because you're paying for name in my opinion. I was lucky enough to get dirt that has pretty much the same stuff in it as a $7.00 bag. I also mixed in a bag of cow manure which cost me $1.50, in my opinion the original fertilizer is the best. But again it's up to how much money you want to spend on the dirt and fertilizer.

My plants cost me a little more because I bought tomato and bell pepper plants already growing. I hope next year I will be ahead of the curve when it comes to getting seeds in the ground earlier. I also planted potatoes, squash, zucchini, carrots and cucumbers. Below is what my garden looks after 10 days of being planted, everything but the tomatoes and bell peppers where planted as seeds.

Roasted Vegetable Soup

I looked at multiple different roasted vegetable soups, but I couldn't find one that I really liked. This is one that I came up with on my own taking ideas from other recipes.

Ingredients:

2 lbs tomatoes sliced into wedges
2 red bell peppers sliced
4 carrots pealed and quartered
1 medium onion quartered 
1 butternut squash quartered
1 T butter
Garlic
16 oz sour cream
1-2 cups of chicken broth, this will depend on how thick you want your soup
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Heat oven to 400 degrees

Place cut vegetables in a backing pan, add salt and pepper to taste, then drizzle with olive oil. Then mix the vegetables around to be sure they are well covered. With the amount of vegetables it actually took me 3 separate pans to put everything on it. If you are comfortable of trying to fit everything onto one sheet then be sure to stir about every 20 minutes or so. It will take about 1 hour for everything to roast properly in the oven.

Then once the vegetables are done roasting you then will want to put them all into a pot and then emulsify them. 

Once that is completed add in the sour cream and the chicken broth. Again the amount of chicken broth will determine how thick or thin you like your soup. Then let it simmer for at least 30 minutes on low, tonight I served mine with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Bacon weave pork backstrap

Who doesn't like pork on pork......heck I don't know. This is a pretty easy recipe that will make your guests think you're fancy chef.

Ingredients:
1 lb bacon thick cut bacon
1 lb pork loin - I used back strap from a wild hog
Cheesy spread of your choice - cream cheese works great, this time I used pimento cheese

Lay out the bacon in a weave, don't be scared it's not as hard as you think!

Then spread your creamy cheese of choice.

Then add your pork loin seasoned to your likings.

Roll it up tight, I used the skewers because I cooked it over a mesquite fire. So when flipping it I didn't want it to fall apart. You can cook it in the oven which is easier since you won't need to worry about flipping it. Cook it in the oven at 400 degrees for about an hour, it also depends how done you like your pork and how crispy you like your bacon.

When it's done be sure to let it rest for at least 10 minutes to let the cheese cool down.

Smoked Croc Pot Pulled Pork

This is a great simple recipe that only take a few hours of your time opposed to multiple.

Ingredients:

6lb Pork shoulder/butt
1 large sliced sweet onion
2 cups chicken broth
Your favorite pork rub

Rub the pork down with your favorite rub.

Smoke the pork at 200 degrees for 2 hours.

Once the pork is done smoking cut into cubes and put it into the croc pot.

Add the sliced onions and chicken broth, cook on high for about 3.5 hours. Once it was done I drained as much liquid out as I could so that it just wouldn't be floating around in liquid fat. I then pulled the meat apart so that it wouldn't be in large in chunks.

Serve over your favorite bread, tortilla, eggs, or even make nachos! The possibilities are endless with this meat dish.

Smoked Croc Pot Turkey breast

I decided to try making a turkey breast in the croc pot after many many years of having to gravy soak the bird on Thanksgiving Day. I enjoy the fried turkey but I try not to eat too much fried foods, especially around the holiday time of the year when only unhealthy food is made.

So I purchased a bone in 6lb turkey breast, then seasoned it with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.

Then I smoked the breast at 175 degrees for about 2 hours.

Please do not try to eat any meat off, the short smoke period was just get a good flavor throughout the meat.

Next I put the bird in breast down to be sure it would be tender. I also sliced an onion and stuffed that along with garlic in the cavity. I then poured about 24 ounces of chicken broth into the croc pot to add moisture so that the meat will just fall off the bone. Then I set it on low for 6 hours.

It had smelled like I opened up a bbq restaurant inside the house.

Be careful when removing the bird from the croc pot, it may fall apart on you.

Let it cool for about 15 minutes then it will just fall apart, serve and enjoy.

Bacon wrapped Venison backstrap

This appetizer is always a pleaser and it's really easy to make.

Ingredients:
Meat of your choice, the amount is dependent upon how many you want to make, I used venison back strap seasoned with Fiesta brand fajita seasoning and seasoned salt
Sliced orange bell pepper
Sliced cheddar cheese, some of it will melt off in the cooking process but the majority will stay intact
Sliced jalapenos, I quartered mine, didn't want it to be too spicy
Thin cut bacon, I don't like to use the thick cut when I wrap food because it the thick cut takes too long to cook

Then begin to wrap up the ingredients inside the bacon and I like to use at least 2 toothpicks to keep it together.

Once you are done you can immediately put them on the fire and begin to cook or soak them in Italian dressing for a few hours.

When you are cooking over an open flame be careful of flare ups, it will happen, when they are done cooking to your liking serve and enjoy!

Fish Taco's

Fish Taco's made with grilled Mahi Mahi, sauteed yellow bell pepper, sweet onions and shitaki mushrooms, fresh sliced avocado, cheese and my homemade cilantro jalapeno ranch dressing (you can find that on my blog in the recipe section), on a HEB cook at home flour tortilla.