The last 5 years we worked to remove all of our lawn; have finally reached the point today that our whole yard is a garden filled with flowers and edibles and NO LAWN! The bees, butterflies, hummingbirds and numerous other birds are very happy to find Dill, Holy Basil, Lime Basil, Red Rubin Basil, Lemon Basil, (plus more), Comfrey, Bee Balm, Elephant Garlic, Detroit Red Beets, Onions, Egyptian Walking Onions, various Swiss Chard, Strawberries, Carrots, Crinums, Amaryllis, Rain Lilies, Daffodils, Grape Hyacinth, various other bulbs (what can I say...they are EASY), Agastache, Salvias, Iris, Cannas, Bluebonnets, Mums, Spiderwort, Asparagus, various Mints, and Blackberries, Blueberries, Pomegranates, Peach Trees, Apricot Trees, Pear Tree, Plum Tree, Apple Tree and Pecan Trees make nice with Red Oaks, Redbud, various Crepe Myrtles, Russian Sage, Hardy Asters, various roses (yes, I CAN grow roses!), Oleanders, various Hibiscus, various lantanas, Caryopteris, etc. And to all that are mixed in the veggies and annual flowers. I'm an open book...still learning how to use everything we are growing, such as teas, etc. Next on the list of "To Do" are ponds and chickens (our one bunny is lonely). Thanks to all the great people on GW who shared their seeds, cuttings, plants, bulbs, advise, etc., I now have a wonderful place to escape the world while I enjoy Mother Nature! Peggy

I love Katiec's cheesecake, as does all of my family. The thumbprints are actually a Rick Rodgers recipe, given to me by Readinglady. I use my homemade habanero gold in place of the jalapeno jelly. I did find it easier to use a spoon to fill the indentations in the cookies/crackers instead of trying to squeeze the stuff out of a bag. Savory Cheddar and Jalapeno Jelly Cookies from Rick Rodgers Makes about 4 1/2 dozen 8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 1/2 cups) 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup jalapeno jelly, or sub apple butter or chutney Place cheese and butter in a food processor (could be creamed by hand or mixer); add flour and process until the mixture forms a soft dough. Gather up the dough and divide into two flat disks. Wrap in wax paper and freeze until chilled, about 45 minutes. Position two racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 400F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or use nonstick sheets. Using 1 teaspoon dough for each, roll the dough into small balls and place 1 inch apart on the sheets. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or 1/2-inch-thick dowel, poke an indentation in each cookie. Place the jelly in a small plastic bag and force it down into one corner. Snip off the corner of the bag to make a small hole. Pipe the jelly into the indentations. Return to the oven and bake, switching the positions of the sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking, until the tops are very lightly browned, about 10 minutes. (Cookies will continue to crisp as they cool.) Transfer to racks and cool completely. Can be baked up to two days ahead. Store at room temperature in an airtight container and separate layers with wax paper. Annie

I've found a few more.......... Rosemary and Olive Oil Crackers Adapted from Karen Solomon’s cookbook Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It published by Ten Speed Press 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the cracker tops 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for the cracker tops 1 egg 1/3 cup olive oil 1/4 to 1/2 cup cold water 1 teaspoon dried chopped rosemary, plus more for the cracker tops In a large bowl or food processor, mix the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. In another bowl lightly beat the egg and the olive oil. Slowly stir the liquid into the dry ingredients in the bowl, or combine in the processor and pulse, until the dough starts to form a course meal. Add the water as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together and you can form it into a single ball. Add the chopped rosemary and pulse to combine. On a lightly floured work surface, cut the dough in half. Shape each piece into a square about 12 inches wide. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly oil 2 baking sheets and dust with flour (Erin’s Note: I always use Silpats). Roll out 1 piece of dough, trying to retain its square shape, until it reaches a thickness of 1/8 to 1/4 inch. The desired thickness can vary to your taste; note that the thinner the cracker, the crisper and the more delicate it will be. Lightly prick the dough all over, every half inch or so, with the tines of a fork. Lightly brush the top with water, sprinkle with additional salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary, then give 1 or 2 more gentle rolls with a floured rolling pin to press the toppings into the dough. Cut the dough into the desired shapes. (Erin’s Note: I used mini cookie cutters shaped like stars, hearts, and ruffled circles). Carefully transfer the crackers onto the prepared baking sheets using a scraper or a spatula. Bake for 8 to 20 minutes, until evenly browned. Check the crackers after 8 minutes; their cooking time will vary by size and thickness. Small, snack-size crackers might be ready, whereas larger crackers could require longer. Note that all the crackers might not be done at the same time��"those around the edges of the baking sheet might cook more quickly. Cool the crackers completely, and store in an airtight container up to 1 week or more. These crackers also freeze beautifully for several months. Let them sit at room temperature for 2 hours before use. ******************************************************* Peppered Rosemary Oat Crackers Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh .Prep Time:30 minInactive Prep Time:-- Cook Time:15 minLevel: IntermediateServes: 60 pieces.Ingredients 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon chopped rosemary leaves 3/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into bits 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk Directions Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the oats into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add flour, salt, pepper, rosemary, baking powder, and butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and pulse until a dough forms about 15 seconds. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thick (about a 13-inch round) and cut out about 60 square oatcakes. Arrange oatcakes on baking sheets 1-inch apart and bake in middle of oven 12 to 15 minutes, or until lightly brown on the bottom. Transfer oatcakes to a rack and cool completely.

Yes to a lot of the former. Also in common with cakes--cream the butter and sweet to mix well and aerate. Aerate (sift) the flour, too. Summary: Use a light (lower protein) flour. This could be cake flour, or even just a lighter AP like Gold Medal or Pillsbury. King Arthur unbleached all purpose is noticeably heavier. If you want really fluffy and flyaway, go for Swansdown (cake flour) or similar. Measure by weight (but don't convert cups to weight by formula). If using volume, definitely sift rather than spooning or dip and level. Don't overbeat lest you develop gluten and make the muffins tough. Use fresh baking powder Get it in the oven right away after you add the liquid to the dry. The liquid will activate double acting baking powder, or baking soda rising, and if you leave your tin on the counter waiting for the oven to get hot or something the baking powder will half discharge and it won't rise well with only the heat rising (or none if you're using only baking soda).