But before we have pruning we have a beanstalk coming to Topeka. The beanstalk is the Lawn and Garden Show at the Expo Center from February 15-17th. The theme this year is Somewhere over the Beanstalk. The hours of the show are:

Friday, February 15th 1:00-8:00 pm
Saturday, February 16th 10am-8:00 pm
Sunday, February 17th 11:00-5:00 pm

The library will have a booth there with lots of great information about our Lawn and Garden Neighborhood as well as some upcoming programs. We will have books to look at as well as pamphlets that you can take with you.

Be sure and mark your calendars for the Lawn and Garden Show, February 15-17th and the Pruning Program that the Master Gardeners will be presenting. I hope to see you at both of these events. Happy Gardening.

And speaking of pruning, the K-State Extension agency has a calendar of what to do in your garden by each month of the year. You can find it here if you would like to look at it.http://www.johnson.ksu.edu/p.aspx?tabid=147

Or it is posted in the display area of the Lawn and Garden Neighborhood. Check out the display area of books you can check out and information that you can take with you. And be sure and look at the Lawn and Garden Neighborhood for any and all of your gardening needs.

So, as I was looking at the new gardening books, one jumped out at me. It is called The Unexpected Houseplant by Tovah Martin. She wrote a book in 2009 called The New Terrarium: Creating new displays for plants and nature. This book really brought back the idea of planting and having terrariums again.

The Unexpected Houseplant, I think, will make you think outside the box about plants that you can use inside your home. The book is divided into seasons and really gives you ideas of plants all through the year inside your home. From vines to different herbs, there are plants you would never even think about using as a houseplant. I can’t wait to try a dutchman’s pipe inside my home next year and see how it does. Besides all the beautiful plants that you can have inside your home, she gives you some plants that probably won’t work inside. For instance some herbs like basil and rosemary just won’t work inside due to the amount of light that they need. But others like marjoram and thyme look beautiful in a home setting.

Besides all the great information, the photography is beautiful. The containers that she uses are also so pretty. I really wish I had those containers too. So, if you are an avid gardener, check out The Unexpected Houseplant so that you can still garden with some really different and beautiful plants in your home.

If you are interested in this book or any other gardening books, check out the Lawn and Garden Neighborhood in the west wing of the library. Be sure and check out the display area too for gardening books to check out and gardening information that you can take with you. Happy Gardening.

The last program that they are giving for 2012 is on November 8 at 7:00 pm on Floral Design. This program will be using dried flowers. You will need to register and you can do that 580-4540. Know that we are only going to take 15 for this program. You will need to bring your own small container, pruners, and wire cutters. Everything else will be provided. While this is the last program for 2012, the Master Gardeners will be back in 2013 presenting more gardening programs. I am very excited and I hope you will be too.

Again, if you are interested, please register for the Floral Design class. There are just a few more spots available. If you have any questions, please call me (Kathy) at 580-4540 and I will be happy to answer your questions. I hope to see you at the program.

According to K-State, ornamental grasses are categorized as being a cool season grass or a warm season grass. Cool season grasses usually grow in late winter or early spring when conditions in Kansas are usually cool and moist. As the weather becomes warmer, these grasses usually go dormant. Warm season grasses usually grow best when the temperatures are between 70 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

So, how do you use these types of grasses in your landscape? Well, come to the program and I am sure you will find out. Again, the Master Gardeners will be here October 18, 2012 from 7:00-8:00 pm in the Marvin Auditorium 101C. Find out how to use these type of grasses in your landscape.

We also have many books on ornamental grasses in our Lawn and Garden Neighborhood that can help you landscape with these types of plants. I hope to see you at the program. Happy Gardening!!

While we are talking about cookbooks, there are a couple of new cookbooks you might want to consider checking out. The first one is Baked Elements by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. If you haven’t heard about these two men, you really need to take a look at their cookbooks. They have written two before this one, Baked and Baked Explorations. Both of these cookbooks have been fabulous. But this new one, Baked Elements really takes it over the top. I can’t wait to try several of the recipes in this book.

Another cookbook you might want to consider is Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes you can trust by Ina Garten. I am a real fan of her cookbooks and I can’t wait for this one to come out. The book for the library is on order but you can go ahead and put yourself on hold for it. If it is anything like her others it will be extremely popular.

And don’t forget Cooking by the Book. It is the book club for cookbook lovers. We each find a recipe from a cookbook (this month it is Food52). We make it, we bring it in, and we all taste and critique the recipes. It is really fun and we all have a really good time. Cooking by the Book will meet on September 13th from 7:00-8:00 pm in the Anton Room. If you would like to join us, please call and register. Then come in, find a recipe from the cookbook Food52 and we’ll see you at our book club meeting. Happy Cooking!!

There are also many resources here in Topeka to find information about bulbs. From our local nurseries to the Master Gardeners as well as the Lawn and Garden Neighborhood here at the library, you will have all the information you need to have a beautiful spring garden next year.

And talking about next spring, If you are interested in a butterfly garden for next year, join me on September 6 from 7:00-8:00 pm in the Marvin Auditorium 101B when the Master Gardeners come and talk about butterfly gardening. I have a very small butterfly garden and although it didn’t do very well this year (due to the weather), I am looking to expand it with more plants that are attractive to butterflies. And while you are looking at the bulb section of the Lawn and Garden Neighborhood, be sure and look at the butterfly gardening section too. Happy Gardening.

These tips come from the blog, glutenright.com
http://glutenright.com

◊ Double the baking powder – as the gluten based recipe directs.
◊ Add xanthan gum – Use ¼ tsp of xanthan gum per cup of flour to recipes such as cake, cookies and muffins to help gluten free recipes rise well and stick together.
◊ Add xanthan gum last – After all other ingredients are mixed together.
◊ Limit stirring – of xanthan gum to 5-6 strokes.
◊ Replace baking soda – with baking powder in recipes without vinegar.
◊ Use gluten free all purpose flour mix – Replace traditional flour with a gluten free all purpose flour mix. This can be found in the health food section of many grocery stores. You can also make your own flour mix. See below.
◊ Follow directions – Keep pan preparation, baking temperature and time as recipe directs.

Be sure to use butter, milk and eggs at room temperature – If the butter is too hot, it may cook the eggs. If the milk and eggs are too cold, then the butter may solidify. A quick option is to substitute canola oil for butter.

Here is a link to making your own flour mix.
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2007/01/cooking-baking-gluten-free-tips-for.html

I am also including a recipe from from the same website, gluten-free goddess for zucchini bread.

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.  Line the bottom of a 9-inch loaf pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil it.

Ingredients:

1 rounded cup of fresh, grated zucchini (I partially peel my zukes, in stripes)
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch (or tapioca flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup light olive oil or coconut oil
2 free-range organic egg whites, beaten or egg replacer (1/4 cup liquid)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or orange juice
1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla

Option:

1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Scoop and scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and using a silicone spatula, even out the top.

Cook time: 1 hour

Yield: 1 9-inch loaf
Another website/blog that has some very good gluten-free recipes is gluten free girl  http://glutenfreegirl.com/ This website has recipes and other links that can help you live gluten-free.

And of course you can visit the Cooking Neighborhood here at the library for gluten-free cookbooks that have some tasty recipes too.

So, for those of you that need to use gluten-free recipes, check out the blogs that I have mentioned or come in to the library and check the Cooking Neighborhood for all of your cooking needs. Happy Cooking!!

Now for the not pretty part. Does your lawn look like this picture?  Neither does mine. My lawn is brown and dead looking. I am hoping it has just gone dormant. And I will find out when the Master Gardeners are here August 23 from 7:00-8:00 pm in the Anton Room talking about fall lawn care. I will definitely be there because I really need to know what to do. They will be talking about aerating, seeding, and fertilizing for the fall and hopefully, that will make my lawn come back and look great next spring. So, if you need help with your lawn, check out the fall lawn care program given by the Master Gardeners. And if you need any help gardening, be sure and look in the Lawn and Garden Neighborhood for all your gardening needs. Happy Gardening!!

Another cookbook that has been out for a while but is just now being recognized is called The Gardener & the Grill: The Bounty of the garden meets the sizzle of the grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig. If these names sound familiar to you, they should. They are also known as the Barbeque Queens. And Judith Fertig was here at the library talking about how to write your own cookbook a few months ago. This cookbook looks like it is full of some really great recipes. The one that I tried was the Grilled Gazpacho. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
4 large beefsteak tomoes, sliced
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and cut in half lengthwise
1 large red onion sliced
2 Tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 Tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Method:
Prepare a hot fire in your grill. Brush beefsteak tomatoes, red peppers, and red onion with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Grill for 8-10 minutes, turning once, until the tomatoes have some char but are still firm and the peppers and onions are nicely charred on all sides. Transfer the grilled vegetables to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire, salt, and hot pepper sauce; puree until smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate until chilled.

For the garnish, heat the butter in a large skillet until foamy. Add bread crumbs and toast, stirring often, until nicely browned. To serve, ladle the gazpacho into bowls, then top with the bread crumbs.
Serves 8 Source The Gardener & the Grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig

The only thing I did differently with this recipe is that I left my soup fairly chunky. But you can puree it to any consistency that you like. I think the grilling of the vegetables gives it a sweet and smoky flavor. I had a green salad with this soup and it made for a great lunch.

If you are looking for some new cookbooks that make for easy summer cooking, try these two new ones. Look for other cookbooks in the Cooking Neighborhood and think about coming to our newest book club, Cooking by the Book. If you need any assistance, don’t hesitate to contact me here at the library. Stay cool and happy cooking!!