Here’s a recipe originally from Ball Canning’s Fresh Preserve website:

Pumpkin Pie Bars

• You’ll need one or more (depending on how many gifts you want to make) Ball wide mouth canning jars with lids.
• A small decorative or handmade card to write or print the mixing and baking instructions on.
• a funnel
• a ribbon
• a hole punch

Mix For the Jar

• 1 1/3 cup of flour
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of old fashioned or quick cooking oats (uncooked)
• 1/2 cup of chopped pecans

Layer all the ingredients one at a time in the jar, patting down each layer firmly before adding the next. When all the layers are in there screw the lid and band down tight on the jars.

Mixing and baking instructions:

The instructions below should be written on the card, and attached to the jar with a ribbon. Punch a hole in the corner of the card, then feed the ribbon through the hole and tie it around the top lip of the jar.

To Prepare Add:

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of cold butter or margarine
• 1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
• 3 eggs
• 1 - 15 oz can of pumpkin (or 15 oz of cooked pumpkin)
• 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice

Preheat the oven to 350`F. Line a 13×9 inch baking dish with aluminum foil, grease the foil lining, or coat with cooking spray. Remove the pecans and oats from the jar, and place them in a small bowl. Remove the granulated sugar from the jar, and place it in a separate small bowl.

Place the brown sugar and flour in a medium bowl. Measure 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and add it to the flour mixture. Stir the mixture evenly to blend. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, or two knives until it resembles coarse crumbles. Stir in the pecans and oats. Reserve one cup of the crumb mixture. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the baking dish and bake at 350`F for 15 minutes.

Beat the cream cheese, remaining half cup of granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin, and pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Pour over the crust, and sprinkle with the crumb mixture. Bake for 25 minutes. Lift the baked bars from the pan with the aluminum foil, cool completely, and slice into bars. Makes about 24 bars.

There are also a few other options you can add to make your gift truly unique.

• cut a small 5″ x5″ square of fabric to use as a jar topper.
• Print or hand make a label to stick directly on the jar with your own handmade brand name and instructions.
• Give with a baking dish, and pot holders so the maker will have everything they need for baking.

It’s a simple, and fun way to add a little homemade to your gift giving this year. Especially if you have a few leftover canning jars laying around the house.

If you want to make some homemade preserves for Christmas gifts check out the Black Currant Jelly, and for eco-friendly homemade gifts take a look at Homemade Eco Gifts You Can Make For The Holidays.

Image courtesy of Ball(tm)

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Right now I have it in our laundry room, which doesn’t have any direct heat vents, and stays between 55-60` F through the winter. I’ve repotted it, since it was in a large planter outside with several other plants. It’s in a sunny north window. I was thinking about taking it upstairs, where it’s even cooler, and no direct heat, but I’m afraid I’ll forget about it.

I don’t know what variety it is, I purchased three rosemary plants in the spring, but didn’t keep any of their tags. This one seems to be the hardiest of the bunch, since he survived a couple killer frosts (that killed the other two plants) before I brought him in.

If anyone has had any luck with growing rosemary through the winter, please jump in and  post your advice in the comment section. So far the plant looks good. I gave him a good soak of water the first day (but didn’t let the plant stand in water), and I’ve been giving him a light water spritz with a spray bottle once a day. We’ll see how it goes.

Image (c) L Gerlach

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From the company:

The LEHR Eco Trimmer will be the first product on the market from the complete Eco Series line. The Trimmer has all the power and performance of a competitively priced gasoline trimmer — minus the danger to our families and detrimental environmental effects of gasoline use and storage.

A couple facts about the new LEHR Eco Trimmer:

• The LEHR trimmer has Zero evaporative emissions.
• No ozone depleting hydrocarbons.
• No messy mixing of oil and gas ( a huge plus to me)
• Easy start – no choke or priming (another huge plus, since I have to have my husband start our trimmer)
• The trimmer will run 2 ½  hours on one canister.

LEHR claims the propane canisters will be readily available, and 85% of the propane will be produced domestically in the US.

Check out the LEHR website for more information.

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The trees and yard are all sparkly and snow covered. I don’t think it will last long, are temps are hovering just above freezing right now.

The last few surviving plants in the garden weren’t enjoying their snow cover.

I think it’s a good weekend to curl up in front of the window with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate. My husband thinks it’s a good weekend to clean the office and do some re-arranging, sigh.

Have a great weekend.

Images (c) L Gerlach

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I did bring in some of my potted plants and put them in the sunny windows in my kitchen, and they’re still happily blooming in their new home.

And I have a geranium blooming in the laundry room.

What’s blooming in your garden (or in your kitchen window) this month? Check out who has blooms this month at May Dreams Garden Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day.

Images (c) L Gerlach

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Not much going on in my garden right now, but I am using some of my garden bounty to prepare for the holidays.

Here are some links for your weekend reading:

Since there’s not much left to do in the garden, plant a tree to help you lose that belly fat.

Did you miss Do Nothing in The Garden Day? I was all over that one, I’ve actually had a do nothing in the garden week.

Carrot and Pasta Soup- A warm recipe for those cold November nights.

Don’t forget to think about your four legged, and winged friends this winter.

Get a jump on the holiday baking, here are 50 Cute and Tasty Christmas Cookies to get you started.

Can you over winter hardy plants in containers? Here are some tips on what you can and can’t over winter in containers.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Image via Stock.xchng

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A couple overlap with the popular posts, but others are my favorites whether they’re popular or not.

Here are my top 5 favorites:

1. What Is Bee Colony Collapse? Is one of my favorite posts, because it feels like every time someone reads it the word gets out there about the plight of the honey bee.

2. Another favorite for me is How To Make Bird Seed Ornaments. We have a great time this time of the year making up our bird seed ornaments, and decorating the evergreen trees for the birds.

3. Making a Seed Card is a great post to return to this time of year. Instead of purchasing your holiday cards, why not make them yourself from recycled paper, and add a few seeds so the card can be planted next spring.

4. My grandma’s recipe for canning red beets has the most sentimental meaning. When I read through it I can hear my grandma telling me step by step.

5. Being a Gardener Means… was just me having fun one night and reflecting on what being a gardener means to me.

There you have it, my favorite posts from the last year. There are others, but those are the posts that stand out in my mind. I hope you enjoyed reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Image (c) L Gerlach

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1. Martha Stewart Tells You How To Make Chalkboard Pots
2. What is Bee Colony Collapse Disorder? How Could It Affect You?
3. Hedge Apples To Repel Spiders
4. Caring for Shamrock Plants
5. How to Make Bird Seed Ornaments
6. How To Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden
7. Anything Can Be A Container Garden
8. 5 Natural Alternatives for Removing Garden Pests
9. Create A Haven For Toads In Your Garden
10. Cow Pots: Biodegradable Pots for Seedlings

Do some of the posts on the list surprise you? You never know what’s going to be popular. Who knew a tiny little shamrock plant would be such a hot topic of discussion.

Next up-my favorite posts from the last year.

Image (c) L Gerlach

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At Busy Family Meals Cyndi has decided to devote all of November to comfort foods…what’s your favorite?

Cyndi has a new blog check her out at Cooking Gadgets- Do you love gadgets? Are you more than just a bit crazy about cooking?

11 Autumn Jobs For The Herb Garden- Here are a few things you can do to get your herb garden ready for winter.

Fall Doily Bread Basket- When you say Thanksgiving grace, let this lovely bread bowl grace your table. After the meal, you may want to make the empty bowl a gift to someone at the table that day.

How To Grill Your Thanksgiving Turkey- My brother in law is a supreme grill master. He grills everything, and everything turns out delicious. Here’s his recipe for grilling your Thanksgiving turkey.

 Santa Cones- A fun Christmas treat for the kids.

How To Preserve Autumn All Year- A nifty trick for preserving those fall leaves while they’re in full color.

Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Image (c) L Gerlach

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Jelly makes a wonderful Christmas gift, paired with crackers, or some tea. It’s not perishable, like cookies, or fudge, but it is delicious to eat. The extra bonus, it doesn’t take too much time in the kitchen, it just looks like it did.

R.W. Knudsen sent me this wonderful, and simple recipe for black currant jelly. If you missed the boat on the berries, or fruit in your garden this summer to make homemade jams, or jellies for Christmas gifts, here is a recipe just for you.

Black Currant Jelly

Ingredients:
1 32 ounce bottle of R.W. Knudsen Family’s Just Black Currant (4 cups juice)
1 1.75 ounce no sugar needed pectin
2 ½ cups sugar

How to make the Jelly:
1.Pour juice into 6-quart pan.
2.Gradually stir in pectin.
3.Bring mixture to full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
4.Stir in sugar and return to full rolling boil.
5.Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
6.Remove from heat. Skim as necessary.
7.Fill, seal, and water-path process according to instructions included with pectin.

Yields 5-6 8 ounce jars.

Top your jars with a small 5×5 inch square of calico cloth, and tie it with a thin ribbon, or raffia string. Stick it in a small basket, or bowl with a pack of crackers, and maybe some tea to make a wonderful inexpensive gift from the heart.

Check out their website for more wonderful recipes.

More Christmas from the garden ideas.

Image via R.W. Knudsen

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