Hi dapper - Have you read through all the FAQ's here? They will be big help to you so I linked them below or you can just click on the link at the top of this forum's front page. You'll also want to read through many of the posts already here for even more info. The long stems ( called "leggy") are due to insufficient light. Do you have a light set-up ready to use? have read don't put any under lights from a flat and take the plastic cover off until all have sprouted. Not sure where you read this but all the seeds will never germinate at the same time. So once several of the seeds in the container begin to sprout you need to remove the humidity cover and put the container under the lights. You can also terminate the bottom heat at that time. Heat is used for germination only, not for growing on. Some of the remaining seeds will still germinate but if you wait for all or most to do so, the first ones are already way too leggy and you run the risk of developing damp-off (see FAQ) and killing the seedlings. The leggy ones will need to be transplanted deeply, to just below the bottom leaves, in another container - usually individual containers that you plan to use for growing them until ready to transplant to the garden. If you don't have cell-packs you can use small coffee or plastic drink glasses with drain holes punched in the bottom. Begin to ration the water now too - the soil can be allowed to lightly dry out between waterings - too little water is better than too much. ;) Give them 16-18 hours of light a day and keep the lights close to the plants. Once the plants begin to develop their true leaves you'll want to give them a mild feeding of a diluted 1/4 strength liquid fertilizer unless the potting mix you are using already has fertilizer in it. You'll find more details on all this in the FAQ's but if they don't answer a question for you be sure to let us know. ;) Enjoy your plants. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: Growing from Seed FAQ's

How are the skins? I've always found that Sungolds, whether home grown or farmer's market bought, had relatively thick skins. I know it's gross, but when I eat them in bulk, more often than not, I keep a paper towel with me so that I can spit out the skins. I would have thought that drying them, while very tasty, would make already tough skin even tougher, but it'd be exciting to learn otherwise (though it probably won't do me much good this year, since that's the plant that the psyllids seem to be loving best :(). Have you tried using a micro-serrated steak knife to cut them in half? I've found that it's easier to use my steak knives for tomatoes, rather than even the sharpest Shun knife in the set.

This is my familys favorite recipe for beer can chicken. It's from "Cooking Light" When I make it I usually skip the hickory chips and I don't use liquid smoke. Also I use a kettle grill and it cooks in about an hour. Everyone always asks for the recipe. Enjoy! Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce "I like any recipe that starts with 'open a can of beer and drink half,'" says Raichlen. American ingenuity has produced a variety of beer-can roasters that hold the can in place and stabilize the tipsy chicken. Aluminum cans bend easily under the pressure, so when piercing holes, it's a good idea to use a can-holding gadget. Chicken: 1 (12-ounce) can beer 1 cup hickory wood chips 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt 2 teaspoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons sweet paprika 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 (4-pound) whole chicken Cooking spray Sauce: 1/2 cup cola 1/2 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon instant onion flakes 1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons steak sauce (such as A-1) 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Open beer can; drink half. Carefully pierce top of beer can with "church-key" can opener several times; set aside. To prepare chicken, soak wood chips in water 1 hour. Combine salt, sugar, paprika, and pepper; set aside. To prepare grill for indirect grilling, place a disposable aluminum foil pan in center of grill. Arrange charcoal around foil pan; heat to medium heat. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture under loosened skin. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture in body cavity. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture over skin. Slowly add remaining spice mixture to beer can (salt will make beer foam). Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, insert beer can into cavity. Drain wood chips. Place half of wood chips on hot coals. Coat grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill rack over drip pan. Spread legs out to form a tripod to support the chicken. Cover and grill 2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into meaty portion of thigh registers 180. Add remaining wood chips after 1 hour and charcoal as needed. Lift chicken slightly using tongs; place spatula under can. Carefully lift chicken and can; place on a cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift chicken using tongs or insulated rubber gloves; carefully twist can and remove from cavity. Discard skin and can. To prepare sauce, combine cola and remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes. Cool. Serve with chicken. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken and about 2 tablespoons sauce) CALORIES 215(20% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 1.1g,mono 1.4g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 31.8g; CHOLESTEROL 100mg; CALCIUM 29mg; SODIUM 741mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10g Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003 Having problems printing? Go to our FAQs. Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce "I like any recipe that starts with 'open a can of beer and drink half,'" says Raichlen. American ingenuity has produced a variety of beer-can roasters that hold the can in place and stabilize the tipsy chicken. Aluminum cans bend easily under the pressure, so when piercing holes, it's a good idea to use a can-holding gadget. Chicken: 1 (12-ounce) can beer 1 cup hickory wood chips 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt 2 teaspoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons sweet paprika 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 (4-pound) whole chicken Cooking spray Sauce: 1/2 cup cola 1/2 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon instant onion flakes 1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons steak sauce (such as A-1) 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Open beer can; drink half. Carefully pierce top of beer can with "church-key" can opener several times; set aside. To prepare chicken, soak wood chips in water 1 hour. Combine salt, sugar, paprika, and pepper; set aside. To prepare grill for indirect grilling, place a disposable aluminum foil pan in center of grill. Arrange charcoal around foil pan; heat to medium heat. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture under loosened skin. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture in body cavity. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture over skin. Slowly add remaining spice mixture to beer can (salt will make beer foam). Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, insert beer can into cavity. Drain wood chips. Place half of wood chips on hot coals. Coat grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill rack over drip pan. Spread legs out to form a tripod to support the chicken. Cover and grill 2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into meaty portion of thigh registers 180°. Add remaining wood chips after 1 hour and charcoal as needed. Lift chicken slightly using tongs; place spatula under can. Carefully lift chicken and can; place on a cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift chicken using tongs or insulated rubber gloves; carefully twist can and remove from cavity. Discard skin and can. To prepare sauce, combine cola and remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes. Cool. Serve with chicken. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken and about 2 tablespoons sauce) CALORIES 215(20% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 1.1g,mono 1.4g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 31.8g; CHOLESTEROL 100mg; CALCIUM 29mg; SODIUM 741mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10g Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003 Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce "I like any recipe that starts with 'open a can of beer and drink half,'" says Raichlen. American ingenuity has produced a variety of beer-can roasters that hold the can in place and stabilize the tipsy chicken. Aluminum cans bend easily under the pressure, so when piercing holes, it's a good idea to use a can-holding gadget. Chicken: 1 (12-ounce) can beer 1 cup hickory wood chips 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt 2 teaspoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons sweet paprika 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 (4-pound) whole chicken Cooking spray Sauce: 1/2 cup cola 1/2 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon instant onion flakes 1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic 1 1/2 teaspoons steak sauce (such as A-1) 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Open beer can; drink half. Carefully pierce top of beer can with "church-key" can opener several times; set aside. To prepare chicken, soak wood chips in water 1 hour. Combine salt, sugar, paprika, and pepper; set aside. To prepare grill for indirect grilling, place a disposable aluminum foil pan in center of grill. Arrange charcoal around foil pan; heat to medium heat. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture under loosened skin. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture in body cavity. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture over skin. Slowly add remaining spice mixture to beer can (salt will make beer foam). Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, insert beer can into cavity. Drain wood chips. Place half of wood chips on hot coals. Coat grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill rack over drip pan. Spread legs out to form a tripod to support the chicken. Cover and grill 2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into meaty portion of thigh registers 180°. Add remaining wood chips after 1 hour and charcoal as needed. Lift chicken slightly using tongs; place spatula under can. Carefully lift chicken and can; place on a cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift chicken using tongs or insulated rubber gloves; carefully twist can and remove from cavity. Discard skin and can. To prepare sauce, combine cola and remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes. Cool. Serve with chicken. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken and about 2 tablespoons sauce) CALORIES 215(20% from fat); FAT 4.7g (sat 1.1g,mono 1.4g,poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 31.8g; CHOLESTEROL 100mg; CALCIUM 29mg; SODIUM 741mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10g Cooking Light, AUGUST 2003

Another who wishes she had used 2 pans on one memnorable occasion. In fact...I won't ever use those "handy foil disposable pans" again...I buy extra at a the thrift store....and say no need to return the pan....and hope it goes back to the thrift store. Lasagna that leaks in the oven is awful....not to mention dry....and not looking like lasagna when you dump it into another pan! Linda C