If you missed the Business After Hours at the Extension Master Gardeners of Lenoir County’s Children Garden (Children’s Garden), you really missed out! Great food, with a summer-time theme, as well as great fellowship was had by those that attended! Many exclaimed how amazing the garden space is, and how they cannot wait to visit again and bring their children, grandchildren, etc.!
The Children’s Garden, designed and maintained by the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Lenoir County (EMGVs), was recently established is in its new location at the Governor Caswell Memorial Historic Site at 2612 West Vernon Avenue, Kinston, NC.
The Children’s Garden, relocated from its previous site in early 2023, was created in an area that was a “blank slate” to build a new, even better, learning laboratory for Lenoir County children and community members. Once a partnership was formed with the site, plans and progress began to take place. Led by EMGV Jeannie Holmes, committee chair for the Children Garden, the volunteers have researched historic planting methods, and historically used crops dating back to the 1700’s and featuring many of the unique crops of the period. Broom corn, green cotton, barley, millet, mullien, black peanuts, etc. These are often the plantings that draw the most
attention and interest of youth participants in the garden. All that visit the garden are excited to see vegetables, fruits, and herbs growing around the garden area in their natural forms.
The EMGVs are currently providing weekly programs on Wednesdays for youth ages 5-8 and are also available for special scheduled programs. For more information about these educational programs and to get on the schedule, contact Paige Petticrew, Horticulture Agent, with Lenoir County Cooperative Extension, 252-527-2191.
The Business After Hours featured the culinary talents of the many of the EMGVs and
Cooperative Extension Staff. They were all kind enough to share these with me to share with each of you. Hope you will enjoy!

The America’s Native Nut: Pecan Tassies
Jeannie Holmes, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer of Lenoir County
(For this recipe, you do not need a special Tassie pan or a Tassie Tamper for the crust)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pecan halves for garnish, optional
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat miniature muffin tins with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla, beating with a wire whisk until smooth. Stir in pecans and flour. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each cup to within 1/8-inch from top. Place a pecan half in center of batter, if desired.
Bake 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pans on wire racks 1 minute. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin cup to loosen. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
Makes about 30.

Slice of Summer Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
(A truly Southern Treat)
Kelly Tyndall, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Family & Consumer Sciences Agent
1 pound of fresh cucumbers, from your garden or Farmers Market, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
8 slices firm sandwich bread
In a medium bowl, toss the cucumber slices with salt. Be sure the cucumber slices are thoroughly coated. Spread the cucumber slices in an even layer on the kitchen towel. Roll it up and let stand to absorb the moisture from the cucumber slices while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, mayonnaise and lemon zest until smoothly combined. Stir in the dill and chives.
To make the sandwiches, place four slices of bread on a cutting board and spread about ¼ cup of cream cheese mixture on each. Unroll the towel with the cucumber slices and divide them between the four slices of bread, placing them evenly on the cream cheese. Place the remaining four slices of bread on top to make the sandwiches, pressing down lightly.
If desired, slice off crusts, then cut in half in triangles, or into four “fingers”. Serve immediately, or wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
**For the Business After Hours Kelly made these as open faced sandwiches and used a cookie cutter to make them round.
Nature’s Butter: Butterbean Hummus
Jeannie Holmes, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer of Lenoir County
1 (15 oz) can of butterbeans, drained & liquid saved
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup Aquafaba (the reserved bean liquid) or water
1 clove garlic (more or less to your taste)
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
1 pinch paprika
Garnishes ideas- chopped parsley, caramelized onions, extra olive oil or Sumac
Place beans, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic salt in food processor. Drizzle in liquid and process hummus until smooth. Transfer to serving bowl, add garnishes if desired. Serve with pita chips & vegetables.
Hummus can be made with any legumes such as green peas, blackeyes, white beans, chickpeas, boiled peanuts. Try adding cooked sweet potato, roasted eggplant, roasted carrots, roasted beets or roasted butternut squash for color and flavor. It can be used as a sandwich spread also.

How to Make Dried Pineapple Flowers
Jeannie Holmes, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer of Lenoir County
(These are beautiful and amazing; they almost resemble a fall leaf. Dried pineapple flowers are simple to make, beautiful to look at, and delicious to eat! Just slice, dry, and shape!)
You will need: Mandolin or very sharp knife
Baking Sheet – I added parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking
Mini Muffin Tin
1 pineapple outside cut off (not cored)
Preheat oven to 175°F.
Using a serrated edge knife, cut top and bottom off of 1 whole pineapple. With the pineapple set vertically on your cutting board, cut the sides off. Use a paring knife to remove any eyes that remain on the fruit.
Slice pineapple into paper thin slices. It's best to use a mandolin slicer to get the slices as thin as possible.
Dry each pineapple slice carefully on both sides with a paper towel, getting up as much moisture as you can.
Lay rings in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Dry in 175°F oven for 3-5 hours (or longer) while flipping pineapple rings every couple of hours until the slices are fully dried out and crisp on the edges.
While still warm, place each dried pineapple slice into the inside of a mini muffin tin or similarly sized small cup/dish to create the shape of flowers you want. Allow pineapple to fully dry in the muffin tin. Once dried, they’ll hold their shape!
Place flowers on desserts, cupcakes or eat as a low-calorie snack!
Storage: Store dried pineapple flowers in an airtight container in the refrigerator
** If using an electric dehydrator, the process is the same as in the oven. The slices will not need to be flipped and drying time will be less.

Serve U Pick-em Veggies
Jeannie Holmes, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer of Lenoir County
*You can change out the vegetables with whatever you like
Begin with a piece of Styrofoam, cover with burlap, wrap in a small picket fence.
Layer greens on top, your choice.
Then place pick size vegetables in rows as in a garden.
For the “corn stalks” green onions were used, which had been curled and placed a mini corn in the top.
Sliced watermelon radish, which had been thinly sliced and soaked in sugar water.
Sliced mushrooms.
Cherry or grape tomatoes, and cut up mini corn cops.
Get creative, and make your own “field!”

Who Grew my Soup? Gazpacho
Jeannie Holmes, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer of Lenoir County
Gazpacho is a classic cold Spanish soup, perfect for these HOT summer days.
6 ripe tomatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and chopped (about 6 cups)
1 red or sweet onion, finely chopped
1 English cucumber, seeded, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped (optional)
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups tomato Juice, V8 vegetable juice or Bloody Mary mix for more spice
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 or more drops Tabasco sauce to taste (optional)
Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Use an immersion blender or blend in batches in a blender to desired smoothness. For gazpacho somewhat chunky, only pulse a few times in the blender.
Adjust the seasonings to taste with more salt, pepper, sugar, or Tabasco.
Place in a non-reactive container (tomatoes are acidic) to store. Chill several hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend and get icy cold.
Can also be topped with cooked crab meat or cooked shrimp and / or croutons. Serves 8.

Sweet Potato Muffins
Marsha Lovick, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer of Lenoir County
(This recipe is Mrs. Ray Hardy’s from the Institute United Methodist Church Favorite Recipes Cookbook)
1 stick of butter or margarine
1 ¼ cups of sugar
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups mashed sweet potatoes (well drained canned sweet potatoes work
best)
1 cup milk
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon cup raisins
½ cup chopped nuts

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs until fluffy. Mix in sweet potatoes and milk. Sift dry ingredients together and add raisins and nuts, all at once. Stir only until all flour is moistened.
Bake in well- greased muffin tins for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. (I used mini muffin pans, baked for about 8 minutes — made 144 mini muffins)

Best-Pickled Shrimp Appetizer
Tammy Kelly, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Director
1 Vidalia or sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
¾ cup cider vinegar
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup capers with their juices
¾ teaspoon celery seeds
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon. salt
Splash of Tabasco sauce, to taste
1 ½ pounds (41/50 count) peeled and cooked shrimp

In a large bowl, combine the onions, lemon, cider vinegar, canola oil, capers, celery seeds, sugar, salt, and Tabasco. Add the shrimp and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve chilled. Keeps for at least a week. Serves 6-8.
Notes: I would half the canola oil and double the vinegar, it seems a little greasy when using the whole amount.
Tam’s Pimento Cheese
Tammy Kelly, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Director
(a favorite recipe used at many of our market activities)
1 8 oz. block sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 8 oz. block Colby/cheddar cheese, shredded
1-2 Tbsp chopped green chilies with juice
1 4 oz. diced pimientos
1 cup mayonnaise (can use light)
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
4 – 5 shakes red pepper
4 – 5 shakes black pepper

1 Tbsp chopped jalapenos (may use more)

Combine ingredients and chill.
Notes: the amount of jalapenos can be adjusted according to taste.

Hummingbird & Flower Décor
Jeannie Holmes, Extension Master Gardener Volunteer of Lenoir County
Bring out your creative side and see what creations you can come up with!