Renee's Garden Seeds Nursery

Renee's Garden Seeds is an on-line (only) source for seeds of heirloom and cottage garden flowers, aromatic herbs, and gourmet vegetables from around the world. www.reneesgarden.com


In addition, Renee Shepherd's web site is full of useful garden information for the seed gardener as-well-as recipes, products, garden design and other odd specialized things.

It's a good time to visit her site since many seeds need to be started early or a plan needs to be in place before the ground thaws and that last freeze hits. She also has diagrams that help the small or first time gardeners with laying out a veggie plot; maximizing the use of land.

Here is one of her recipes and if you fix it today, CALL ME:

Fran’s Orange Scented Chocolate Zucchini Cake
This moist cake is not too sweet and has enticing highlights of chocolate and orange. A welcome change from ordinary zucchini bread or carrot cake.

2 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest

1 whole egg, slightly beaten

3 egg whites, slightly beaten

2 cups finely shredded, unpeeled zucchini

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

GARNISH: sifted powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly grease and flour a round 10-inch spring form baking pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cocoa two times. In a large separate bowl, combine the sugar, oil, and orange zest, mixing well. Add the whole egg and egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the zucchini. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in a separate cup.
Add the dry ingredients to the zucchini mixture alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla, a third at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the spring form pan, between the pan and the cake . Remove the sides of the pan. When the cake is completely cool, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Serves 8 to 10