Please spam me

[theatokos]

I would like three things:
1. Any spring time recipes you have. I am beyond bored with my usual repetoire. Fruits, veggies, salads, fish - all those lighter things are calling to me. But I'll take anything awesome at this point.

2. I was given some dried chipotle peppers today. I took one sniff of them and decided to make mole sauce. But I've never done it before. Do you know how? Please guide me.

3. I want to start to garden. I've never done it before. I think starting with a tub of herbs would be wise. Help!

Thank you. I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

Comments

[honeyrider.livejournal.com]

1. two things i've been obsessed with now that it's warmer and root veggies hold almost little appeal but not warm enough to have local spring veggies:
a. mediterranean couscous salad. whole wheat couscous, red onion [diced small], sun-dried tomatoes [chopped], oil cured olives [chopped], feta cheese [crumbled] a sprinkling of parsley, a bit of balsamic vinegar, and a glug of olive oil. mix and refrigerate for an hour.
b. http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/smashed-chickpea-salad/

also, avocado, heart of palm, red onion salad (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Avocado-Hearts-of-Palm-and-Red-Onion-Salad-with-Coriander-Vinaigrette-10030)

2. no help -- i never made my own mole either.

3. herbs are pretty easy to grow. i'm assuming you will start inside with transplants since a quick check of temperatures in your area shows that it's too early to have them outside.

certain herbs grow well together in a container/window box. for example, you can put basil and marjoram together because they have similar water + sun requirements, but you wouldn't want add your rosemary [less water] and mint [generally should be planted separate because it grows like a weed and will eventually take over your container] to the same container.

certain herbs you can start from seeds. if you started tomorrow, most would germinate by june-july. others, like bay [it's technically a tree], you'll need to start from a transplant. yada yada.

what would you like to grow? do you want to start from seeds or transplants? i'd love to help but i need a rough idea of what your plan is.
no matter the plan, you'll need good quality potting soil and a place that gets tons of sunlight during the day.

[ewigweibliche.livejournal.com]

Thank you thank you!

The first salad sounds like something I make with quinoa, since I don't really like couscous. Will definitely check out the other two recipes too! Mmmmm.

Seeds v transplants.... uh.... dunno. Seriously: I a total noob. Which is better? My plan is to empty out a tub that the previous tennant left behind and start some herbs. It's a washing up tub so maybe three herbs? Basil, rosemary sound good. I'm not sure I've ever used marjoram! Sunlight and soil, I can provide.

[msmidge.livejournal.com]

Rosemary likes dryish soil. I'm not sure about basil because I've only ever had it die on me. Rosemary likes to be with lavender, though, and they both like sun. That would be a beautiful combination in a container.

I rarely have any luck getting seed-started plants to live, but I've had okay luck with transplants, since they're past the 'infancy' stage and are a little hardier.

Be sure to drill some holes in the bottom of your tub for drainage, and something underneath to catch whatever water drips out. You can put a coffee filter over the holes so the soil doesn't leak out.

[honeyrider.livejournal.com]

not so much a matter of better or worse as it is a matter of what you want. there's a certain satisfaction in growing from seed to plant, but it's a pretty persnickety endeavor, and you'll probably want to start with transplants.

make sure you drill holes on the bottom of the tub, for drainage. get quality potting soil from the nursery. basil, parsley, and thyme, maybe? basil and tomatoes! ;) i'd do rosemary in a different pot just because i've had trouble growing it in the same container as other herbs. when you get transplants at the nursery, ask questions! mom and pop nurseries are a fantastic resource for a noob.