Received my seeds today! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you Kamil and everyone! I'm just about to go start mine! I even got my favorite color, how's that for cool! Maybe we could do a swap based on color next time...Hm, I might have to start one of those based on purple.... :0) Thanks a bunch guys/gals it was fun!

Well, Dick is back from New Orleans...with pralines for me, and a terrible cold and a cough that is scary. From the sound of those coldish rainy days down there I'm not surprised. He said they did a lot of standing around waiting at the Habitat projects and when a conference is over, I know his immune system seems to drop. So after the airport it was soup for both of us...my red lentil for me, and a canned beef one for him doctored with a good dash of chimayo red chile pepper. Kill those germs! Tonight we had lemon pasta with the last shrimp and frozen brocolli and cauli mixed in. Whole wheat spaghetti that surprised me when I got the box out of the pantry. "Gosh, this feels light!" Yes, it did...12+oz instead of the usual 16oz. No pictures tonight and probably none tomorrow unless I get Dick to take a pic of the chile mac I made him. That's his kind of comfort food.

Stacy, this chicken dish is really good and is only about 30 minutes from start to serve. You could serve it over rice or orzo that you prepare in advance and just warm up. Creamy Tarragon Chicken From Fresh Market-Grand Rapids, MI 4 boneless, chicken breast halves Salt & pepper to taste 3T all purpose flour 2T olive oil 1T onion, finely chopped 1/4 c white Bordeaux wine (you could use any white wine) 1T fresh tarragon, chopped 1/4 c chicken broth 3T butter 1/4 c heavy cream Season the chicken breasts with salt & pepper, dredge in flour. Set aside chicken and remaining flour. In large sauté pan, heat olive oil over mediumh igh heat. Brown the chicken 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. Set aside and keep warm. Add onion to pan and cook 1 minute. Pour wine into pan and increase heat to high. Deglaze pan by cooking until almost all the liquid has evaporated, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Reduce heat to medium low and add reserved flour, stirring to form a thick roux. Stir in tarragon and broth. Return chicken to pan and cook until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken to plates, add butter and cram to pan and heat through. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve. Joe's Seafood lasagne is rich, and super elegant. You can use any combination of seafood you like, really, and it can be made ahead. WHITE WINE SEAFOOD LASAGNA Makes 6 good portions; 8 for the smaller ones 2 pounds bay scallops 1/3 cup butter 1 cup green onion \-\- chopped 1 clove garlic \-\- minced 1/4 teaspoon thyme \-\- dried 1/3 cup all\-purpose flour 1 cup chicken broth \-\- regular strength 1 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup dry white wine 8 ounces lasagna noodles 1/2 pound crab meat \-\- cooked, shredded 1/2 pound swiss cheese \-\- shredded Rinse scallops well and drain; if using regular scallops, cut into 1/2\-inch pieces. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 12\- to 14\-inch frying pan. Add onion, garlic, and thyme; stir on medium\-high heat for 1 minute. Add scallops and cook, stirring often, until they are opaque in the center (cut to test), 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and pour scallops into a large strainer positioned over a bowl; let drain 20 to 30 minutes. In the same frying pan, melt remaining butter on medium heat. Add flour and stir until it turns a light golden color. Remove from heat and smoothly mix in broth, cream, and wine. Return to high heat and bring to a boil, stirring. Set aside. Fill a 4 to 5\-quart pan 3/4 full with water and bring to boiling over high heat. Add lasagna noodles and boil, uncovered, until tender to bite, about 10 minutes; drain. Rinse lasagna with cold water until cool; drain again and set aside. Pour scallop juices into a 1\- to 1\-1/2\-quart pan and boil on high heat, uncovered, until reduced to about 2 tablespoons; stir near the end to keep juices from scorching. Mix juices and crab meat with cream sauce. Line the bottom of a 9\- by 12\-inch buttered baking pan or dish with 1/3 of the lasagna noodles. Spread noodles with 1/3 of the sauce, top with 1/3 of the scallops, then with 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat layers twice more, ending with cheese on top. Cover pan with a lid or foil; if made ahead, chill up to one day, then bring to room temperature. Bake lasagna in a 350 F oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is golden, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting; lift out portions with a wide spatula. Makes 12 servings as a first course, 6 as an entree. Posted by Joe (Gardenguru) Linda

I think it is perfectly appropriate to discuss growing citrus on a cooking forum, since having fresh citrus on a tree is a very welcome convenience for any cook, I would think. A couple of months ago, I was getting blood oranges from a co-worker who lives further inland (where it gets hotter than where I live), and his oranges were the sweetest I had ever eaten. I thought about getting a blood orange tree for my yard, but then I decided that it would never be as sweet in my neighborhood, and I think I have some bad soil as well. It's not a citrus, but I do have a white zapote in my back yard, although I do not expect to get fruit for at least another year. I also have a mamey tree that may or may not make it, and if it does, it will take four years before I get any fruit. The papaya trees I planted last year did not survive, and I'm not sure what I did wrong. Maybe they got too much water. I had papayas in Venice, and they grow well in San Diego, and so I haven't given up on them yet. I like them because they do not take up too much space. I am still unable to send you an email, but you can send one to me now, and I will then send you my address, as I am very interested in the Kaffir lime seeds! Glad to see that you have decided to stay a spell! Laras