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How to Clean Up Your Garden in the Fall When You Have No Time

September 15, 2019

The vegetables have been picked, the temperatures are cooling, and fall has arrived.  You know you should clean up your garden for the year, but lets be real–you’re feeling the time crunch with back to school, a busy work life, or just plain being sick of your garden.  While a proper garden clean up is ideal, I’m going to give you my guide to what you must do–and what you can skip, so that your garden is dealt with in record time.

No time do a fall garden clean up? Here's some good tips on which jobs you must do with your vegetables and perennial flowers, and which chores you can skip until Spring. #gardening #tips #beginners #fall #autumn #garden #vegetables #perennials #chores #tasks
[Read more…]
Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

https://www.shiftingroots.com

6 Comments
Filed Under: Gardening, Harvest Tagged: Autumn, compost, fall, fall clean up, garden tools, Gardening, no time, perennials, pots, time saving, Vegetables, Weeds

25 Drought Tolerant Native Plants for the Prairies

July 2, 2019

Gardening in a drought is no fun. Sure, if you have access to city or well water, you can keep everything living. But nothing will really thrive. As gardeners, we like to be conscious of our footprint on the environment and save water where we can.

One of the best ways to do this is to plant native plants. Once established, these perennial flowers and bushes will help beautify your yard and be able to withstand a drought year. Plus, they are generally very low maintenance–win win!

Be Responsible, Don’t Remove Native Plants From Their Habitat

When I say native plants, I am going to be talking about mostly domesticated varieties that are available in garden centres. Please DO NOT scour country side ditches and transplant native plants to your home. It may seem like you’re helping an endangered species by giving it a controlled environment, but you’re actually hurting it.

Native plants need the specific ecosystem they are in to thrive. Your garden is not that ecosystem. Plus, you’ve just taken away a future source of seeds for that plant from the area.

Finally, removing native plants is illegal and there are steep fines. Ladyslippers and Prairie lilies are gorgeous, but are really best enjoyed in their native Prairie habitat.

Finally you can have a drought tolerant, low maintenance landscape in your yard...if you plant these native perennial flowers and shrubs.  Help save water and have a beautiful yard at the same time. #nativeplants #zone3 #perennials #flowers

Where Do I Buy Native Plants?

The varieties I’m suggesting today should be available for purchase at most local greenhouses, or by mail order. However, if you’d like to go further into the world of native plants, your local Native Plant Society will likely have a list of places you can responsibly order seeds from. Here are links to the native plant groups in the three Prairie Provinces.

  • Alberta Native Plant Council
  • Saskatchewan Native Plant Society
  • Nature Manitoba

Do Drought Tolerant Plants Need To Be Watered?

In short, yes. Like any other bush or perennial, your plants need to be watered every day (unless it’s raining or the ground is saturated) the first year until they are more established. I personally would water them in the second year as well, especially if the weather is abnormally dry or hot.

After the third year, your native plants should require very little care.

Easy to Grow, Low Maintenance Native Plants for the Prairies

One last disclaimer–this list is intended for a beginner gardener in the Prairie Provinces or even the Mid-West of the United States. I garden in zone 3 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and my list is best suited for this area.

I’ve strived to pick plants that are readily available and drought tolerant. This means, they may not be the exact native variety, but a naturalized one. I hope you find this list with pictures helpful!

If you would like to go further in your native plants journey, I urge you to see the sites I’ve suggested above. Is there a plant you feel should be on this list? Let me know in the comments!

Edible Fruit Trees

Saskatoon Berry

Chokecherry

Buffalo Berry

Sand Cherry

Highbush Cranberry

Hazlenut

Shrubs

Dogwood

Prickly Rose

Showy Mountain Ash

There are lots of beautiful native shrubs, but unfortunately, it is not so easy to find stock photography of them. Please see this website for plenty of shrub options with pictures. I think the Mountain Maple and Smooth Sumac would also be beautiful options.

Flowering Perennials

Sage

Wild Blue Flax

Coneflower

Crocus

Gaillardia

Wild Columbine

Related: 5 Reasons to landscape with native plants

Aster

Goldenrod

Yarrow

Hyssop

Liatrus

Black Eyed Susan

Scarlet Mallow

Grasses

There are many beautiful grasses you can grow to add winter interest and movement to your garden. It is suggested that you grow at least one cool season and one warm season variety. Click here to read more and discover different varieties.

Vines

Wild Hops

Virginia Creeper

Virginia creeper can become invasive, so plant with caution!

Which one of these resilient plants will you plant? Or will you create a whole flower garden with them?

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

https://www.shiftingroots.com

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Filed Under: Flowers, Landscaping Tagged: landscaping, native plants, perennials

50 More Perennials You’ll Regret Planting

May 25, 2019

Perennials are a fantastic, low maintenance investment for flower gardeners.  Plant them once and they’ll return year after year.  However, some perennials are a little too good at their job and can quickly take over your flowerbed and crawl into your lawn.  What you thought was a low maintenance plant can quickly become your worst nightmare.

[Read more…]
Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

https://www.shiftingroots.com

26 Comments
Filed Under: Gardening Tagged: flower bed, flower garden, Flowers, invasive, perennials

Gardeners Worst Nightmares: 28 Perennials You’ll Regret Planting

April 17, 2019

Perennial plants are a good investment.  Plant once and have flowers that bloom for years.  However, some plants that seem innocent enough literally take over the garden and quickly spiral out of control.  Others bloom for such a short time that they don’t seem worth the trouble.  Here’s a list of 28 perennials I’d rather not see in my next garden.

Disclaimer: This post contains plants that are problematic in USDA hardiness zones 2 and 3.  Some of these plants may not be problematic in your area.  If you have difficult growing conditions, you’ll want to put these plants on your next shopping list.  🙂 

Disclaimer #2: Just because your favourite plant is on this list doesn’t mean it is “bad” or you shouldn’t plant it. This list is intended for brand new gardeners who think these plants are low maintenance, then aren’t able to keep up with them when they get out of hand. I just wanted to spare them some heartache until they get better at gardening and are able to keep up with any more aggressive plants.

This post also contains affiliate links.  If you purchase something from my link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it in my Privacy Policy.  Thanks!

[Read more…]
Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

https://www.shiftingroots.com

337 Comments
Filed Under: Backyard Florist, Flowers, Gardening, Outdoor Life Tagged: anemone, bachelors button, bellflowers, chinese lanterns, comfy, daisies, day lily, fast growing, ferns, Flowers, goats beard, hardiness zones, hollyhocks, invasive, iris, lamium, lemon balm, lily of the valley, mint, oriental limelight, perennials, persian coneflower, rasperies, rhubarb, roses, snow on the mountain, soapwort, tansy, veronicas, virginia creeper, Weeds, yarrow, zone 3, zone 4a

How to Plan & Design a Low Maintenance Flower Bed

April 3, 2019

Designing your first flower bed can be a daunting process. You probably know where you want it, but how big should it be? What should you plant in it that won’t die? How can you keep everything as low maintenance as possible so you don’t have to spend the whole summer weeding? And how much is this thing going to cost?

I’m going to walk you through the process of selecting a location for your flower bed, preparing the soil, picking plants, and finishing it off so it’s as low maintenance as possible.

A few disclaimers before we start–I garden in zone 3b in the Canadian Prairies, so my flower selections are going to reflect that. My choices should work well in zones 2-8, but there may be other flowers that would work better or are more common in your area.

Designing a low maintenance flower garden with perennials doesn't have to be an impossible task.  Here's some ideas for landscaping a flower bed that even a beginner can do. #perennials #garden #flowerbed

It’s also impossible for someone on the internet to know exactly how much light your yard gets or the exact number of plants you should buy for your particular space. While I do my best to give you advice that should work, use your common sense. There’s no shame in having to buy an extra perennial or two after the fact, or moving a plant somewhere else next year because it didn’t work the way you thought it would.

Finally, this post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you buy anything at no extra cost to you. You can read more about it in my privacy policy.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s get planning!

Deciding on Where to Plant Your Flower Bed

There’s not too many rules when it comes to where a flower bed will do best. You’ll have more plants to choose from if you choose a sunnier spot, but basically you can find perennial flowers for both shady and sunny situations.

Wherever you choose to put your flower bed, you’ll want to make sure your soil has a fresh layer of compost and manure to give your new plants the best possible start.

Designing a low maintenance flower garden with perennials doesn't have to be an impossible task.  Here's some ideas for landscaping a flower bed that even a beginner can do. #perennials #garden #flowerbed

If you’re planting new flowers in an existing, overgrown flowerbed, you’ll have to weed and remove the unwanted perennials first before you dig in and add new ones. You want to give the new perennials the least amount of competition possible so they can establish good roots and get the nutrients. (Weeds are greedy when it comes to soil nutrients.)

Starting completely from scratch? Rototill the area in question, add soil, and get started, or lay cardboard over the area with a thick layer of soil overtop. (The cardboard method works best if you do it in the fall and plant in the spring, but it can be done in spring with a spring planting.)

Guidelines for Choosing the Best Flowers for Your Space

While you can put a flower bed almost anywhere, you need to know a few things about the area you’ve selected so you can pick the best plants possible. Here’s a few questions to ask yourself:

  • How much light does the area get? (Hint: Full sun=6 or more hours, Part Sun/Part Shade=3-6 hours, and Shade=3 hours or less.)
  • Is the soil acidic, basic, or neutral? You can easily test with a home soil test kit to find out. If your flower bed is planned for underneath a coniferous tree, you can guarantee the soil is acidic.
  • How much moisture does the area get? Some spots in your yard will be dryer than others.
  • Have I picked an area with any special considerations, like intense heat or lots of wind? For example, tall flowers like delphiniums would need staking if the flower bed in question had no protection from harsh winds.
Designing a low maintenance flower garden with perennials doesn't have to be an impossible task.  Here's some ideas for landscaping a flower bed that even a beginner can do. #perennials #garden #flowerbed

By knowing the answers to these questions, you can research the best flowers for your situation and buy the plants that are actually going to work. Here’s a couple of guides I’ve written to help you pick your perennials:

  • 53 Favourite Perennials
  • 28 Nightmare Perennials you Want to Avoid
  • 50 More Perennials You’ll Regret Planting
  • 36 Best Flowers for a Cut Flower Garden
  • 14 Flowers for Companion Planting
  • 17 Perennial Flowers that Love the Shade
  • 30+ Plants for Underneath a Tree

A Few Design Rules for Which Flower Should Go Where

Designing a flower bed doesn’t have to be an impossible task. It’s kind of like composing a group photo. Tall people in the back, short people in the front. Lines will work, but it looks more natural if everyone is in clumps. Finally, make sure that the colours of everyone’s clothes don’t clash.

*Mind Blown*

In terms of flowers, this means that the taller ones go in the back, bushy ones in the middle, and shorter ones and ground cover at the front. Arrange your flowers in clumps instead of lines.

Designing a low maintenance flower garden with perennials doesn't have to be an impossible task.  Here's some ideas for landscaping a flower bed that even a beginner can do. #perennials #garden #flowerbed

However, there can be clumps within the lines–it’s just single lines of flowers that look a bit ridiculous. But in the end it’s your flower bed, do what you like.

Finally, be aware of the colours of all your flowers–or not. I’m one of those impulsive people who plants whatever I want regardless of the colour. I just want to try as many things as possible. If I wasn’t constantly experimenting, I would pick three colours for my flowerbed and try to generally stick to that colour scheme for a more cohesive look.

For Best Results, add Mulch

Beginner gardeners often make a flower bed with high hopes in the spring, then are crushed to discover by summer that everything is a weedy-mess-struggle-garden.

Save yourself a ton of work and surround your perennials with a healthy amount of mulch. Yes, it’s more work and it costs extra money, but it’s so worth it to be able to actually enjoy your summer and your flowers, instead of spending it weeding or feeling guilty about not weeding.

Click here for everything you need to know about mulch.

Designing a low maintenance flower garden with perennials doesn't have to be an impossible task.  Here's some ideas for landscaping a flower bed that even a beginner can do--like these beautiful flowers along the fence. #perennials #garden #flowerbed

Fill in Spaces With Annuals

Beginner gardeners are also disappointed to discover that it takes a lot more flowers to fill up a space than they bargained for. While you’re waiting for those perennial flowers to fill out, add in some annual flowers for season-long colour. Here’s 22 picks for shady spots. I haven’t written about sunny spots because, let’s face it, if you planted in a sunny location the world is pretty much your oyster.

Realistic Expectations for Your Flower Bed

Have you ever heard the saying about perennials, “First year sleep, Second year creep, Third year leap?”

There’s profound wisdom in this statement.

Your flower bed is likely not going to look the way you imagined it in its first year of growing–especially if you used smaller perennial plants. In fact, it won’t look much better in year two.

However, don’t give up!!

In the third year, your perennials should get to a more mature size, and your flower bed will start to look the way you envisioned. By year five, those perennials will likely have started to multiply, creating a lovely, full flower bed.

Designing a low maintenance flower garden with perennials doesn't have to be an impossible task.  Here's some ideas for landscaping a flower bed that even a beginner can do. #perennials #garden #flowerbed

Want more Flower Bed Ideas and Hold-Your-Hand Beginner Gardening Advice?

The Growing Roots Online Gardening Course was written with you in mind! It contains eight chapters full of gardening know-how to get you growing in your garden with confidence.

Because not everyone has a seasoned gardener friend to help them plan and grow their garden. This course is your virtual-hand-hold through everything you need to know to plant, grow, and harvest your first garden.

Even if you kill everything you touch.

Even if you think you don’t have enough time.

Even if you’ve tried and failed before.

It’s the basic gardening advice you need, all in one place.

Are you planning a flower bed this year? Tell me about it in the comments!

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

https://www.shiftingroots.com

3 Comments
Filed Under: Uncategorised Tagged: flower bed, flower garden, low maintenance, perennials

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

Recent Posts

  • How to Make a Tempting Christmas Cookie Tray (Plus Recipes!)
  • Cranberry Butter Tarts
  • 10 Easiest Annual Cut Flowers to Grow From Seed and 2 to Avoid
  • Why Won’t My Christmas Cactus Bloom? (And What to Do About it)
  • The Best Companies to Purchase Cut Flower Seeds for your Backyard Flower Farm

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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Instagram post 2196671569572144940_2204272319 The Christmas baking tray wouldn't be complete without a batch of butter tarts! (Well, at least in Canada 🍁. . . )  I personally love butter tarts with or without nuts or raisins, but I think I love this cranberry version the best of all.⁠
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I'm curious, are you team plain, nuts, raisins, or cranberry butter tart?⁠
⁠
Whatever version you choose, I love making butter tarts because they look fancy, but they're super fast and easy to make--perfect for those who don't do a lot of baking the rest of the year.⁠
⁠
Here's the recipe. . . ⁠
⁠
1/2 cup butter ⁠
1 beaten egg⁠
1 cup brown sugar ⁠
1 tbsp flour⁠
1 tsp vanilla⁠
2 tbsp cream⁠
1 cup dried cranberries ⁠
16 tart pastry shells⁠
⁠
Combine all ingredients (except shells) into a med high pot. Stir until combined and melted and remove from heat when boiled. Fill tart shells. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool and serve.
Instagram post 2195916441484264107_2204272319 The 12 Days of Christmas Baking: Day 9⁠
⁠
You know what is always one of the first things to go on the baking trays?  Anything with cream cheese.  These mocha mint cheesecake bites will help keep you awake at the party, and be a hit with your guests.⁠
⁠
1 box of oreos (36 cookies),⁠
1/2 cup melted butter,⁠
2 envelopes powdered whip topping,⁠
1/2 cup milk,⁠
1/2 cup cold brew coffee⁠
2 bricks cream cheese⁠
4 crushed candy canes⁠
Instructions⁠
⁠
Pulse Oreo cookies in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Stir in melted butter and distribute amongst two lined muffin tins.⁠
Whip two envelopes of powdered whip topping with milk and cold brew coffee. Do not substitute regular whipping cream or all coffee with the powdered whip topping--it will not work!! Set aside.⁠
Whip cream cheese with a small amount of the whipped cream mixture until smooth. Add in the rest of the whipped cream mixture. Spoon overtop of oreo mixture.⁠
Crush four candy canes and sprinkle on top. Crushed Coffee Crisp tastes great too!⁠
⁠
P.S. If you don't like coffee, just replace the cold brew coffee with more milk. ⁠
P.P.S. If you don't have cold brew coffee on hand, brew regular coffee at twice the regular strength.
Instagram post 2195191325988479835_2204272319 DAY 8:  12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
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Let's take a small break from recipes today and discuss what makes a good baking tray.  The key is in the mix, and in the decor.  The goal of the baking tray is to be as appealing to as many people as possible.  Aim for 4-7 different types of baking.  I personally like to have the following types of goodies in mine: ⁠
⁠
✅One decorated cookie, like gingerbread or sugar cookies⁠
✅One chocolate-based item⁠
✅One item that contains jam or fruit⁠
✅One square⁠
✅Shortbread or one shortbread-based goodie⁠
✅One kid-friendly item⁠
and finally, if no one who will be eating the tray has any allergies. . .⁠
✅One thing that contains nuts⁠
⁠
You want to have a variety of different flavours and textures so that you keep your guests coming back for more.  And yes, I may have over-thought this a little bit!⁠
⁠
What's that one thing you hope will be on a baking tray?⁠
⁠
I always go for the shortbread!⁠
⁠
#bakingtray #christmasbaking #dainties #bakingaddition #bakinglover #bakinglovers #thefeedfeedbaking #christmastraditions
Instagram post 2194827779875063954_2204272319 This is me about three-almost-four years ago.  I had just done an interview for a self-love blog by @naomizurv . I was at an interesting place in my life because I was starting this blog, we had finally received Dominic’s Autism diagnosis, and my husband and I had decided that as much as we wanted more kids, it seemed we were destined to be a family of three.  This picture (and interview) was all about accepting life as it was and choosing to make the best of it.  Most of the time I was very happy, but there were times where acceptance only got me so far.  Friends kept having second and third babies, and while I was happy for them, I was sad for me.  Then last February—almost 7 years since Dominic was born—-we had our miracle second baby.  This May, we’ll be having a third surprise miracle baby. 
I’ve been really struggling with breaking the news on social.  While I am over-the-moon to be a Mom for the third time, I also keenly remember the woman in this photo who would have cried and felt bad for a week if I heard this news about someone else.  I also feel like every time I tell people about this pregnancy, they look at me like I’m crazy or are kind of making fun of me.  Just because this was not the timing I would have picked doesn’t mean this baby is any less special, loved, or fiercely wanted.  And while I’m very nervous about handling two babies 15 months apart, I know that it will be worth it to hold my baby I never even dared to dream of.

So there.  I’ve spilled the beans.  Now maybe I can show my face on social media again.  But if not, you know I’m just over here trying to wrap my head around some very big (and good!!) life changes.
Instagram post 2194466595210828187_2204272319 DAY 7: 12 days of Christmas Baking⁠
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So why am I showing you cinnamon buns that aren't cooked?  To prove how much delectable sauce will be at the bottom of this version. . . obviously. 😉⁠
⁠
You can make this cinnamon bun recipe the night before, then set it in the fridge to rise overnight.  Then all you have to do in the morning is heat the oven, cook the cinnamon buns while everyone is unwrapping presents, and they'll be fresh, hot, and ready by the time you're done.⁠
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I also like to save a bit of the sauce and pour it over the cinnamon buns right when they come out of the oven.⁠
⁠
Ingredients:⁠
1 tbsp yeast,⁠
1 tbsp sugar,⁠
1 cup warm water,⁠
2 eggs,⁠
5 cups flour,⁠
pinch of salt,⁠
cinnamon for sprinkling,⁠
brown sugar for sprinkling,⁠
1/2 cup melted butter for rolls,⁠
1 cup cream,⁠
1 cup brown sugar,⁠
1 cup butter.⁠
⁠
Instructions:⁠
⁠
Dissolve sugar in warm water and add yeast. Let sit for ten minutes. Whisk in two eggs. Add flour one cup at a time and mix with dough hook. Add in the pinch of salt with one of your cups of flour. Do not add in the salt before the flour, as it can make the yeast less effective. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled. If it is cold outside, let rise in an oven that has been warmed up and turned off.⁠
⁠
To make sauce, combine the cream, brown sugar, and butter in a sauce pan and mix until combined. Do not boil.⁠
⁠
When the dough has doubled, punch down and divide into 4 smaller balls. Roll out into a rectangle. Spread over some of the melted butter. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and cut into pieces with a string (as shown in the photo above). Set in a greased pie plate or casserole dish and pour in some sauce. Reserve a bit of sauce for drizzling at the end. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Drizzle with reserved sauce and enjoy!⁠
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#christmasbaking #holidaybaking #cinnamonbuns #theeverygirlbakes #homesteadingskills #urbanhomesteadskills #bakingaddiction #bakinglover
Instagram post 2193741846005217737_2204272319 DAY 6: 12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
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Today's recipe requires a little more time, but it's the weekend, so you can do it!  This recipe is what my family lovingly refers to as Hutzelbrot.  It's some sort of combination of 3 different German Christmas breads--if you want the full story you'll have to hop on the blog and read about the research I did.  Like many of my family recipes, it's roots are German, but it definitely got North-Americanized along the way.  Anyway.⁠
⁠
It's better than fruitcake and delicious as a breakfast bread.  I didn't really like it as a kid, but now that I'm an adult I gobble it up like there's no tomorrow.⁠
⁠
Ingredients⁠
⁠
2 1/2 cups dried fruit such as peaches, pears, apples, figs, apricots, prunes, cranberries, or currants.⁠
1/2 cup of raisins⁠
5 1/4 cups unbleached white flour⁠
1/2 cup warm water⁠
1 1/2 tbsp dry yeast⁠
1/2 tsp sugar or honey⁠
1 cup liquid from cooking fruit⁠
1 tsp cinnamon⁠
1 tsp salt⁠
1 tsp grated lemon or orange peel⁠
1/2 tsp ground cloves⁠
1/4 cup honey⁠
1/2 cup melted butter⁠
Instructions⁠
⁠
Boil all fruit except raisins. Drain and set one cup of liquid aside for use in the bread recipe.⁠
Combine sugar, yeast and 1/2 cup warm water and let yeast rise for 10 minutes.⁠
Put all ingredients in a mixer and mix with a dough hook until the dough makes a nice soft ball. You can mix by hand, but it is very difficult dough to work with and don't recommend it for beginners.⁠
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This can range from 1-2 hours depending on the humidity level where you live.⁠
Punch down and shape into loaves. Place in greased bread pans and poke holes in the top with a fork. Let rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour.⁠
Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes, or 25-30 minutes if you use smaller loaf pans.⁠
Notes⁠
⁠
Rising times vary greatly depending on how much humidity is in the air on baking day. Even though the recipe takes a long time, most of that is spent impatiently waiting for the dough to rise.
Instagram post 2193017018314283996_2204272319 DAY 5: 12 days of Christmas Baking ⁠
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Shortbread is one of my favourite Christmas treats, but whenever I made it I would always mess it up.  The first time I tried to replace the butter with margarine. . . bad idea.  Another time, I chose a three ingredient recipe that was so crumbly it wasn't worth eating.  Then I found this recipe and everything was better!! Until 2 Christmas's ago when I went to Jamaica and decided to make them for my new relatives.  Hot and humid country + different butter= cookies that were a complete disaster.  However, we didn't throw them away and someone served them when everyone came to visit the condo we rented.  I was mortified, but my brother-in-law's family loved them, as they had never experienced North American style baking.⁠
⁠
Moral of the story?  Don't make these in a tropical-weather country.  But even if they flop, they're still really delicious!⁠
⁠
1 cup corn starch,⁠
1 cup icing sugar,⁠
2 cups flour,⁠
1 1/2 cups butter, softened⁠
Instructions⁠
⁠
Mix all ingredients and spoon on to a cookie sheet.⁠
Optional: chill for 30 minutes and roll out for a cut cookie⁠
Apply sprinkles or cherries before baking⁠
Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Cookies should have the barest hint of light brown at the edges. Makes 48 small cookies⁠
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If you want the cookies to look like this, skip the sprinkles and the cherries and bake them plain instead.  Once everything has cooled, dip cookies in melted white chocolate and sprinkles.
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