Kimm, up until the last two years - I would have agreed with you on the areas that nutsedge frequents. Here in the middle of the US it has become the biggest problem that we face daily. I have a very lush, green thick back yard and just this year it is becoming infested with nutsedge. Garden ditto, all neighbors - ditto. Every property we maintain has the problem to some degree now. Most gardens and landscapes unless thoroughly mulched 2-4" thick - ditto. Downtown Ditto. Farmers fields - some but not to the degree we are seeing in the city and semi rural areas. I don't like spraying chemicals, but only have two that knock it down for the season, and even then it seems to return the next year with a vengeance. I have noticed that in the last two years, the "nuts or tubers" as some cal them, are 5-10 times more plentiful than when we first started treating this pest 6 or 7 years ago. I'm at a loss. TiMo

Marcy, Just to clarify, it's not like you can never, ever can anything but totally plain tomatoes in a BWB. There are plenty of recipes tested and deemed quite safe for water-bath canning that include peppers, onions, basil, garlic, and all that good stuff! But because there are limits to the overall pH, and the density, of a food to be BWB-canned within modern safety tolerances, you need to measure the amounts. But you can make yummy Italian- or Mexican-style tomato sauces, salsas, etc., even roasted red pepper-and-tomato spread. The Ball Blue Book is a good investment (cheap, with recipes AND canning instructions). As for freezing those as-yet-unborn tomatoes, you can, as has been said, freeze them any way you like --- when the harvest is coming in fast and furious in September here, I often just fill freezer bags with 'em whole and shove 'em in the freezer (removing only the stems), to can when things cool down. They can be put whole into a pot and made into sauce, which I put through a food mill (you can just use a sieve) to take out the skins & seeds. OR you can pop off the skins with a quick dip in boiling water before you cook 'em (this is even easier to do when they've been frozen---take about 5 seconds in hot water to loosen skins; nonfrozen tomatoes you boil for 30 seconds, then plunge into cold water). The one thing is that if you want to make a sauce or other recipe that has CHUNKS of tomato --- like Ellie Topp's Chunky Basil Pasta Sauce, or tomato quarters --- you may want to do the chopping BEFORE you freeze the toms. When they are frozen they're too hard to chop easily and when they thaw they are pretty mushy. Good luck, and let us know how it goes! Z, who produces a pantry full of tomato-y products ever fall with only a BWB canner

How about Apple Strudel- can be assembled ahead, frozen and baked off that day. Baklava- for best flavor needs to be baked several days in advance, no need to freeze. I have a great recipe for a Cranberry Crumb Tart that can be frozen unbaked or baked - but fresh cranberries might not be available yet (you could used frozen) Let me know if you want the recipe, and I'll dig it up... I found this chocolate cake on Foodbeam blog awhile back and served it at a dinner party drizzled with caramel sauce and pecans. You could dress it up with just about anything. I think it would freeze well. Fondant au chocolat for a 24cm-wide cake pan or sixteen 6cm-wide cercles 200g dark chocolate, slightly bitter works well (I love ValrhonaÂs Guanaja here) 240g butter 8 eggs (400g if, unlike me, youÂre super accurate) 400g sugar 130g flour Preheat the oven to 170°C, and generously butter a 24cm-wide cake pan. In a bowl, melt the chocolate and butter. In a heatproof bowl, mix the eggs and sugar, and place over medium heat (or as said above, on a water bath). Keep on mixing until not cold anymore. It shouldnÂt be hot either. Just at room temperature. This step is done, as we say in French, to casser le froid [break the coldness]. Pour the chocolate over the egg mixture, and homogenise. Sprinkle the flour over and using a rubber spatula, gently incoporate it iuntil just smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes until just set. Oly

Well, you could always send some to me! I'm as nutty a person as they come. Remember that walnuts and pecans can be interchanged in most recipes. You can add nuts to any basuic biscuit (cookie) recipe (or simply press one on top of a plain biscuit), or crush them and toss over a salad, or toss into a stirfry or fried rice, and sprinkle over ice cream. Or crush them and sprinkle over your morning muesli, or crush them and use to coat chicken or meat before frying. Crush them and add to your cobbler topping. Nut Butter Shell 2 handfuls of nuts (any kind, or a combination), put through a blender with 1 cup cold water, adding more water if needed to make a thick, creamy consistency. Excellent as a spread of rye bread or fruit and cinnamon bread. Store in the fridge for up to 3 months. Chocolate Hazelnut Slice 125g dark chocolate, melted 4 egg whites 1/4 cup castor sugar 1 cup packaged ground hazelnuts 2 tablespoons plain flour Line base and sides of a 20x30cm lamington tin with foil. Spread chocolate over the foil on base, refrigerate about 10 minutes. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form, gradually add sugar, beating until dissolved between additions. Gently fold in nuts and flour- spread over chocolate base. Bake in moderate oven about 20 minutes or until firm, cool about 20 minutes. Spread with topping, bake further 15 minutes- cool in pan. Refrigerate several hours or until firm before cutting. Topping: 200g dark chocolate, chopped 125g butter 1/2 cup castor sugar 4 egg yolks 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier, optional Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water; cool 10 minutes. Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well between additions. Add liqueur and chocolate, beat until just combined, gradually add sugar. Chicken with Hazelnuts 1 chicken breast, halved salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon flour 1 tablespoon oil 1 cup chicken stock 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts 1/3 cup softened butter 2 tablespoons sour cream 1 tablespoon chopped parsley In a large frypan, heat oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust evenly with flour on both sides. Place chicken, skin side down, into the hot oil. Sear until golden brown and turn. Sear for 1 minute and add the stock, and let reduce. In a food processor, puree hazelnuts until finely ground, then add the butter and process until incorporated and smooth. Remove the puree and add to the frypan, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, add sour cream, and adjust the seasonings. Remove the chicken and place on a serving platter, top with the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley. Candied Almonds 1 cup boiling water 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 cups almonds Combine all ingredients in frypan. Cook on medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Continue boiling, stirring constantly, and sugar will granulate again. Continue stirring until it begins to melt. Pour onto a greased baking tray or waxed paper, cool. Sugar-free Date and Nut Loaf 1 cup chopped dates 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup chopped almonds or walnuts or pecans 2 cups self-raising flour 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 egg, well beaten Combine dates, bicarbonate of soda, butter and boiling water. Beat and mix in remaining ingredients. Turn into a greased loaf tin and bake in a moderate oven. Slice and serve with butter. Hazelnut and Dried Tomato Pesto 2 cups dried tomatoes 3 cloves garlic, peeled 1 1/4 cups olive oil 1/2 cup romano cheese 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 1/2 cup hazelnuts, roasted and coarsely chopped freshly ground black pepper to taste Blend tomatoes, garlic and olive oil in food processor until smooth. Add hazelnuts and cheese. Process to the consistency you prefer, smooth or slightly chunky. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Great on pasta, vegetables, rice, potatoes, seafood, etc Pecan-Coated Salmon 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons melted butter 4 teaspoons honey 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts 2 teaspoons chopped parsley 4 salmon fillets or steaks, thawed if necessary salt and pepper to taste lemon wedges Mix together mustard, butter and honey. Mix together bread crumbs, pecans and parsley. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking tray. Brush with mustard mixture. Press a little of the breadcrumb mixture on top. Bake at 200C for 10 minutes per 1.5cm of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges. Pecan Jam 1 cup finely chopped pecans 1 cup sugar pinch salt 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 60g margarine 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice Heat all ingredients together until sugar has melted and turns pale brown. Cool and bottle. Sweet Potato and Nut Pie 1 shortcrust pastry flan 225g sweet potato, boiled and mashed 110g butter 150g brown sugar 3 eggs, separated 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 14 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 110g whole pecans or halved walnuts 50ml dark rum, brandy or whisky Heat oven to 190C. Cream butter and sugar, add potatoes. Beat egg yolks and milk together. Add spices and half the nuts, roughly chopped. Beat in spirits. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, gently fold into the mixture. Pour into pastry flan. Press remaining nuts around edge of pie. Bake about 40 minutes until pie has risen and is golden on top. Serve warm or hot with whipped cream. Baklava 4 cups chopped pistachio nuts and/or medium walnut pieces 1/4 cup sugar 500g commercial phyllo pastry 2 cups melted butter or margarine 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon pinch ground cloves Combine nuts, sugar, cloves, cinnamon. Preheat oven to 180C. Butter baking sheet well. Brush 5 sheets of phyllo pastry with melted butter. Place them on top of one another in pan. On top of the fifth layer spread a thick layer of nut mixture. On top of that, place 2 sheets of phyllo, each spread with melted butter. Using remaining phyllo sheets, spread a thin layer of nut mixture on each, reserving 3 plain sheets of pastry for topping, each one layered with melted butter. Liberally brush whole top with melted butter. With a sharp knife, cut the pastry into diamond shaped pieces prior to baking. Bake 45-60 minutes until golden. Syrup: In a saucepan, boil 2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups water until they begin to thicken and form a thread. Add 1/2 cup honey and boil. Cook over medium heat 20-25 minutes thick and syrupy. Add 2 tablespoons rose water or orange blossom water and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Skim foam off syrup and allow to cool. While pastry is still hot, pour syrup over it. Chicken Pistachio 2 cups chopped pistachios 1 egg beaten with 60ml milk 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/2 cup flour Dredge 1 side of chicken in flour; shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture. Press into pistachio nuts. Sautin butter for 2 minutes nut side down. Turn and cook for 3 or 4 minutes or until done. Pistachio Ice Cream 2 cups heavy cream, chilled 1 cup whole milk, chilled 1 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 drop green food colouring (optional) Place ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine until well blended. Pour into freezer bowl, turn the machine on and let mix until mixture thickens, about 20-25 minutes. If desired, transfer ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer until firm, about 2 hours. Walnut Cake 2 cups plain flour 2 cups sugar 250g tin crushed pineapple, undrained 2 eggs 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups crushed walnuts (reserve 1/2 cup for top) Preheat oven to 180C. Mix all ingredients except the nuts together. Add 1 1/2 cups of nuts. Grease and flour a loaf tin and pour batter in, bake for 45 minutes. Allow cake to cool at least 20 minutes and remove from pan. Icing 2 cups icing sugar 125g butter 250g cream cheese reserved 1/2 cup walnuts Beat all ingredients except nuts together until very creamy. Spread over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with walnuts. Beans with Pine Nuts Slice beans as desired, or leave whole. Saute in a frypan with a little butter until tender, and sprinkle with pine-nuts. Cardamom Pine Nut Scones 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup oat flour 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 2 teaspoons ground cardamom (or to taste) 1/4 cup pine nuts, ground 4 tablespoons butter 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2-1 cup cream as needed Combine dry dry ingredients. Add the pine nuts and the butter and cut into the flour mixture. Stir in the eggs and add just enough cream to make a stiff dough. Put the dough on a floured board and pat it out into a circle about 3mm thick. Cut into wedges and place wedges on a baking tray at least 2cm apart. Bake at 200C for 15 minutes or until nicely browned. Sprinkle with additional cardamom and serve with plum jam. Lamb With Spinach and Pine Nuts 1.5kg boneless lamb 1/3 cup olive oil 350g onions, diced large 4 teaspoons chopped garlic 2 teaspoons turmeric 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cardamom 1 teaspoon chilli powder, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1 can tomatoes, drained and chopped 1 cup beef stock 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and drained 1/2 cup yoghurt 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind salt to taste 1/4 cup pine nuts, roasted Sear lamb in the olive oil, add the onions, saute for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and saute it for 1 minute. Add in the turmeric, nutmeg, cardamom, chilli powder and cinnamon and saute the mixture for 1-2 minutes more, being careful not to burn the onions or garlic. Add tomatoes and stock and stir. Cover the dish and bake at 180C for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender and begins to break up. Remove the dish from the oven and add the spinach, stirring until the spinach is wilted and blended in. Allow the stew to cool slightly. Add the yoghurt, lemon peel and salt to taste. Sprinkle with roasted pine nuts. Serve with rice. Beans with Pine Nuts Slice beans as desired, or leave whole. Saute in a frypan with a little butter until tender, and sprinkle with pine-nuts.