New Batch of Candles!

I started working on a new batch of candles. I think my skills have reached the point where I can start giving them as gifts. I made an orange martini glass soy wax candle that came out really nice -- thanks Caitlinn! 

I made two lavender colored candles -- one with lavender oil for the scent and one with a lilac scent block. I made the lilac in a round, 4 inch wide glass candle jar and the lavender one in a 16 ounce mason jar. I think I will give the lavender candle to Silay-Sylanski as a baby congratulations gift. (EDIT: I ended up making a new one the next week, still lavender scented, for the baby (Lily), with an "L" bead on the bottom. This 'candle/lavender ' has come to be known as the 'calender.' 

I tried using a bead in the martini glass candle -- Cait's idea -- and that worked well. I put a wick in a mason jar with a C for the Corbetts. And then the wide lilac candle, which has a double wick, I might give to Jessica and Reed for getting married / buying a house. I used an "F" and an "M" since I know Reed from way back at WRCT 88.3fm Pittsburgh. 

beautiful pour, double wick

I made the wicks from my new beeline spool -- organic hemp wick dipped in beeswax. For the mason jars I actually tripled it -- I used three lengths of wick all twisted around itself. I think that will produce a nice, large flame and good burn. It might burn fast, but I think it will help produce a strong aroma. Maybe I should test one before giving them away. For the wider candle I doubled the wick and used two of them. That should make a nice pool in the middle, but I don't know if the flame will reach the sides and melt all the wax. We'll see. Unless I give them away, then I won't see. I will have to request pictures.

I melted the soy wax in a melting pot sitting in another pot with a little bit of hot/boiling water. Once it hit about 180 degrees, I added the dye and removed it from the heat. I let it cool to about 160 before adding the scent (or even lower if using liquid). Then I let it cool further to about 135 before pouring. The mason jar  and the martini glass required topping off while the wider candle filled perfectly with one pour.

JoeSoGarden Update!

I need to give an update on the garden. A month has passed since I first planted a few seedlings. Things look good overall, but it seems like a slow start. It really just warmed up this week, so I expect things to take off a little bit soon. But I've noticed that the box doesn't get full sun -- close buildings casting shadows, etc -- so we'll see...

The broccoli -- slow going at first -- has started to flourish. 

The row of carrot seeds has sprouted nicely!

My neighbor gave me a big chunk of mint -- need to make sure it doesn't take over the area -- and a chunk of oregano. They both rooted nicely in that little triangle section I have. It has pretty rocky soil, so I don't know.

She gave me some flowering plants and a flowering shrub -- orange and/or yellow or something like that. I planted those in a little pattern in the triangle part as well. So far it looks great -- healthy leaves, new growth, etc.

Back over in the planter box, the coriander/cilantro seeds I planted have sprouted. I only need a few of them to supplement the plant I put in originally. 

from the seeds planted a couple weeks ago

original plant

The row of onions looks fantastic! I keep loosening the soil around them. I think I'm doing it right.

Nicely organized!

I planted a banana pepper seedling and a red pepper seedling, and neither of them has grown at all. I mean seriously nothing -- not a single new leaf. They look fine, but they just look the same as they did the day I planted them. So I had this red pepper that I was about to roast on the grill. I collected the seeds from it and planted them next to the slow-growing seedling -- just in cast. Then I had a banana pepper that I got to make Italian sandwiches, and I did the same thing - -collected and planted the seeds. We'll see how that turns out...

red pepper seeds on the left,
banana pepper on the right

Is this growing at all?

Showing no signs of growth...

Asian Chicken Salad

You might know that I really love Mark Bittman's cooking style and recipes. I cook a lot of chicken on the grill, and I make it really really well. Whenever I make some just for myself, I end up with leftover, so I wanted a good chicken salad recipe. I searched to see if Bittman had one, and came up with this amazing Asian Chicken Salad dish!

Today I cooked chicken to make with this -- rather than use leftover -- and I made some tweaks to suit my tastes and ingredients. It turned out really really well, and I found it simple and easy to make. The man speaks my language. I almost always cook chicken thighs rather than breasts, and when I make my sauce I use a significant amount of sugar. Lo (and behold!) when I read his recipe, I saw this: "Boneless chicken thighs are preferable to breasts here; their flavor and texture are superior, and they remain moist during cooking. Unless you must omit sugar for health reasons, you should really include it here as it adds a certain roundness." Brilliant. Then I realized that I probably use thighs and make my chicken sauce with sugar because of Mark Bittman -- so he doesn't really speak my language; I speak his. תודה

Ingredients

homegrown stevia, natural sweetener

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/4 C. soy sauce

1 T. soy sauce

1.5 T. peanut butter

1 t. sesame oil

1 clove garlic, peeled

1 t. to 1 T. siracha or hot sauce

salt and pepper

1 t. stevia (or sugar)

1 T. vinegar

1 cucumber

1/4 minced cilantro leaves

Directions

0. Marinate

Cut the chicken pieces in halves or quarters -- but still big enough to cook on the grill. Marinate (in a bowl or plastic bag) chicken with 1/4 cup soy sauce for as long as desired (as short as a few minutes or as long as overnight).

1. Cook

Cook the chicken on the grill over low to medium heat, turning as necessary, for roughly 15 minutes. I like to cook on low for a while, then turn up the heat when it's almost done and get just a little char.

2. Sauce

In a blender (I use a magic bullet) combine the soy sauce, peanut butter, oil, garlic, hot sauce, salt, pepper, sweetener, and vinegar. Turn it on until it makes a nice, creamy sauce. Add some water or oil if too thick.

3. Combine

Cut up or shred the chicken and put in a bowl. Peel the cucumber, cut it in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and dice it. Mix diced cucumber with peanut butter sauce, pour over chicken, and toss. Sprinkle minced fresh cilantro over chicken salad and mix. Serve immediately or cold.

grill just ran out of gas, so had to cook the chicken on the stove ... disappointing I know