IN THE GARDEN Encourage Vigorous Growth By Becca Badgett The rose of Sharon shrub flowers on growth from the current year, allowing optimum opportunities for when to prune rose of Sharon. Pruning rose of Sharon shrub may be done in late fall or winter after leaves drop or in early spring before buds form. Rose of Sharon pruning done later than early spring may cause the loss of some blooms, but those that are not removed will be larger....

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Sun loving and beautiful In The Garden Looking for that rock-solid perennial to deliver no-full color in the landscape year after year? Consider adding hardy hibiscus. This plant delivers on all points in Kansas and the Midwest: bold flowers, nice foliage and easy care. Hardy hibiscus is a durable perennial that is often confused with its tropical cousin. Hibiscus are members of the mallow family, which have large circular open-face flowers....

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STORING & COOKING {creamed peas and potatoes recipe} Green peas aren’t usually the star of the meal, but we think they deserve more attention! And we aren’t the only ones – many public health organizations, including the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society, recommend legumes (peas, beans, and lentils) for optimizing health and preventing disease. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans...

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Yummy Recipes! Good Food, Good Times The best antioxidant defense comes from an assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables. These kebobs have it all, red, yellow, green, and even orange. Easy and fun to make, the family or company can even build their own kebobs! Serve over brown rice and with a spinach salad to round out this healthy meal. Ingredients 6 tablespoons brown sugar 6 tablespoons soy sauce 6 tablespoons diced red onion 3 garlic...

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Yummy Recipes! Good Food, Good Times We’ll eat cauliflower in any form—whole roasted, on sliders, as a rice substitute. Add to that list these crispy cauliflower tacos. We bake florets to perfection (it’s all about the seasoning), drizzle them with queso (homemade, duh) and wrap everything in warm tortillas (we used the flour variety). We have a feeling you’re going to like—wait, scratch that—love the final result. 4 servings...

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Yummy Recipes! Good Food, Good Times I am a firm believer that fresh is best. I developed this recipe to take advantage of our garden veggies. It really shows off the full flavor of the green beans. —Carol Mayer, Sparta, Illinois INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons butter 4 garlic cloves, sliced 2 pounds fresh green beans 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon salt DIRECTIONS In a Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over...

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