This year we have a wide selection of various hot and sweet peppers at Orchard Nursery, so come in and pick some up today!

Sweet Peppers:

In the United States, the term "sweet pepper" encompasses a wide variety of mild peppers that, like the chile, belong to the Capsicum family. Both sweet and hot peppers are native to tropical areas of the Western Hemisphere. Sweet peppers can range in color from pale to dark green, from yellow to orange to red, and from purple to brown to black. Their color can be solid or variegated. Their usually juicy flesh can be thick or thin and flavors can range from bland to sweet to bittersweet. The best know sweet peppers are the bell peppers, so-named for their rather bell-like shape. They have a mild, sweet flavor and crisp, exceedingly juicy flesh. When young, the majority of bell peppers are a rich green, but there are also yellow, orange, purple, red, and brown bell peppers. The red bells are simply vine-ripened green bell peppers that, because they've ripened longer, are very sweet.

Hot Chile Peppers:

One of the wonders that Christopher Columbus brought back from the New World was a member of the Capsicum genus, the chile. Now this pungent pod plays an important role in the cuisines of many countries including Africa, China (Szechuan region), India, Mexico, South America, Spain, and Thailand. There are more than 200 varieties of chiles, over 100 of which are indigenous to Mexico. They vary in length from a huge 12 inches to a 1/4" pewee. Some are long, narrow and no thicker than a pencil while others are plump and globular. Their heat quotient varies from mildly warm to mouth-blistering hot. As a general rule, the larger the chile the milder it is. Small chiles are much hotter because, proportionally, they contain more seeds and veins than larger specimens. Those seeds and membranes can contain up to 80 percent of a chile's capsaicin, the potent compound that gives chiles their fiery nature. Since neither cooking nor freezing diminishes capsaicin's intensity, removing a chile's seeds and veins is the only way to reduce its heat. After working with chiles, it's extremely important to wash your hands thoroughly; failure to do so can result in painful burning of the eyes or skin (wearing rubber gloves will remedy this problem).

The above information is from: The New Food Lover's Companion, Second Edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst, Barron's Cooking Guide.

With these recipes it is easy to substitute peppers, depending on the heat level you want.

Tomatillo Salsa
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Number of Servings: 4
Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Per Person: 1.0

Ingredients:

12 tomatillos, husks removed, washed and finely chopped or 2 (12oz) cans tomatillos, drained and finely chopped
4 serrano chilies, finely chopped, seeded if desired
1 small white onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Pinch of salt, optional
Pinch of sugar, optional

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients. Season with salt and sugar, if desired. Serve or store salsa in refrigerator for up to three days in a covered plastic or glass container.

Tortilla Pizzas
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Number of Servings: 6
Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Per Person: 1.0

Ingredients:

12 small corn or flour tortillas
Vegetable oil or margarine
1 (16 oz.) can refried beans
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 ounces fresh or canned green chili peppers, diced
6 tbsp. red taco sauce
3 cups chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, and bell peppers
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Brush one side of each of two tortillas with water. Press the wet sides of the tortillas together to from a thick crust for the pizza. Brush the outside of the tortillas with a small amount of oil or margarine. Evenly brown both sides in a heated frying pan. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Set aside. Heat refried beans, chopped onion, and half of the diced chili peppers together in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Spread about 1/3 cup of the bean mixture on each tortilla pizza. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of taco sauce, then top with 1/2 cup of the chopped vegetables, 1 teaspoon of diced chili peppers, and 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese for each pizza. Return to frying pan and heat until cheese melts. Top with cilantro, if desired. Serve immediately.

Mexibean Mock Lasagna
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Number of Servings: 6
Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Per Person: 3.0

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil
1-1/2 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne powder
1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup no-added-salt tomato sauce
4 oz. can diced green chilies, drained
Nonstick cooking spray
6 corn tortillas
1 cup fat free ricotta cheese
3/4 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

In large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and peppers for 5 minutes. Stir in spices and sauté 1 additional minute. Remove from heat. Mix in corn, beans, tomato sauce, and diced green chilies. Spray 13" x 9" dish with cooking spray. Place 3 tortillas in the dish, arranging to cover the bottom. Spoon in half of the corn mixture, and spread ½ cup ricotta cheese on top. Sprinkle with half of the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers, using up all the ingredients. Cook, uncovered at 350°F for 45 minutes, until casserole is thoroughly heated and cheddar cheese has melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Very Veggie Salad
This is a great and easy recipe to use up a lot of veggies!

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Number of Servings: 4
Cups of Fruits and Vegetables Per Person: 4.0

Ingredients:

4 cups raw spinach
4 cups romaine lettuce
2 cups chopped red, yellow, orange bell pepper
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup sliced yellow squash
1 cup sliced zucchini
2 cups sliced cucumber
2 cups chopped baby carrots

Directions:

Wash all of the vegetables and mix them together in a large mixing bowl. Top this colorful meal with the nonfat or low-fat dressing of your choice.

These recipes are from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website. You can get the nutritional facts and diabetic exchange information from the website for each recipe. The website is http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/dnparecipe/recipesearch.aspx

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH) are leading this initiative and are in partnership with other health organizations. The goal is to achieve increased daily consumption of fruits and vegetables.

For more information on the Fruits and Veggies — More Matters health initiative, brand and logo, please visit PBH at www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org. You will also find activities and tips for getting children involved as well as more recipes.

Cleome gets its nickname "Spider Flower" from the exotic spidery-like flowers with long, waving stamens held on tall, strong leafy stems. It is one of the few annuals that look perfectly at home among shrubs and perennials. This South American native blooms in summer through fall.

Planted in mass or intermingled in your perennial garden, cleome can become quite tall in a good season. Give cleome full sun and regular water.

Oh, and get ready for attention from passersby. Everyone is amazed by this beautiful flower!

Were your petunias beautiful one day and demolished the next? Petunias, geraniums, dahlias, and cosmos as well as other flowers are feasts for budworms this time of year. If the buds are gone and the leaves have lots of holes with little black speckles (worm castings), then your flower beds may be home to budworms. If the buds on your petunias or geraniums are failing to open your plants may be the victims of bud worms. Check the buds for small holes about the same diameter as a pencil lead. They are the entry holes for a little moth larva that enters the bud after hatching in the spring and eats the flower petals even before the buds open up.

Safer CATERPILLAR KILLER contains Bacillus thuringenis, a bacterium that is deadly to caterpillars of any type but completely safe for all other creatures great and small. You can obliterate the budworms without harm to such garden helpers as earthworms and honeybees, not to mention pets and children. Safer CATERPILLAR KILLER is also a nice safe way to protect your ripening vegetables from pests such as tomato hornworms and cabbage loopers.