i have to say...

just checking in...

...to say that our visit was lovely.

Our family members arrived early so we had a houseful for a couple of days, but it worked out just fine.  Everyone was a wonderfully easy guest (I am serious about that!) so it made the time pass by too quickly, and it seemed premature when everyone left. I suppose that is better than counting the minutes until a difficult guest leaves, right?

Our garden is beginning to produce some edibles.  Is it me, or are garden-fresh tomatoes heavenly? 

My basil is going strong and I am looking forward to making some basil pesto soon.  Usually we make spinach pesto and I am looking forward to trying it a different way.

The only other item we are growing is peppers---3 kinds---but they aren't even close to being ready.  The one little jalapeno that I can see is only the size of a small bead, but I do hope for enough to makes loads of salsa!

It makes me laugh to think of those early spring days when we were so excited to go to the nursery and pick out our plants.  Snow was falling softly on the day we chose, but that didn't stop us, because the change of season held too much promise.  Warmer, longer days filled with sunshine and laughter and lemonade.  It occurs to me that we are living the days that we longed for back then. 

It puts a smile on my face to think of that.

some canning

One of the perks of working at a CSA is that we get to take home "extras" sometimes.  Beki, the farmer-in-residence is quite generous when we pick, and this week she gave us some extra yellow zucchini. 

Martha's recipe for Sweet and Spicy Bread and Butter Pickles was the perfect way to use them up.   (You can always count on Martha, can't you!)

They taste great, but next time I will add a little more of the spicy stuff to each jar, probably a 1/4 teaspoon of the red-pepper flakes, to make them hotter. 

My family likes a lot of flavor!

a day at the farm

Once a week my hubby and I have been dragging our kids to the farm to pick weeds.   Now, before you go awarding us the "super-fun parents" award or something like that, let me say that this has a purpose:  free food!  We were lucky enough to get a "worker-bee share" at our CSA that allows us to put in 3 hours of labor per week while receiving one free share of food.  This I like!

My kids do fine for about 1-1/2 of those 3 hours and then the complaining/when can we go/ it's hot and I am melting in this sun, starts.  But that is A-OK because we  believe that it is good to teach the value of hard work all while helping out the community.  (That was another opportunity for the "super-fun parents" award!).

The boys think it is great that we get to drive this very cool vehicle:

Aubry, of course, has developed some "working on the farm" fashion:

There is something relaxing about digging through the dirt and pulling weeds, except when I accidentally picked up a squishy toad.  Really gross.

It is ridiculous that I take my camera, but at least I don't wear make-up.  You could find me in the fields if you looked for the gal wearing the giant-brimmed straw hat and the long-sleeved shirt.  In other words, look for the gal who is old enough to be concerned about preserving her appearance!

The colors of the plants are perfect:

Aubry suggested that I show you her choice of shoe for the farm:

One cool thing about having lots of kids is that when you go to the farm they notice that you accomplish more work than most of the other people who help out and they offer you a free share.  Awesome! 

These days I take all the free food I can get!

Have a great Monday!

The Recipe Box Swap

Hello!  Welcome to the June edition of The Recipe Box Swap! 

Today there is no theme, so any recipe goes.  Whatever you are craving or thinking of for dinner tonight, post it on your blog and add your post URL to the auto-link below.  Then you can get to looking for some great recipes from the list.

My contribution for the day is not so much a recipe, as it is a how-to.  I love roasted red peppers, but hardly ever used them due to their cost, but I found that they are very simple to make.  This is the season to buy the peppers on sale and roast up a bunch and add them to salads, pasta dishes, sandwiches, pizzas, etc., etc.  You will fall in love with these for sure!

How to Roast a Red Pepper:

1. Buy some red peppers, or better yet, pick them from your garden when they are ripe:

2. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and arrange the peppers on it:

3. Place them in your oven set on broil for approximately 15-30 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered:

4. Place them in a ziploc bag to cool completely:

5. Remove them from the bag and peel of the skins (they come off very easily):

6. Chop them to the desired size (I like mine in strips) and use them as you please.  I added some to my lasagna sauce and they tasted great!

If you need some inspiration, here are some roasted red pepper recipes to choose from.

Happy cooking!

making some changes

I have noticed that many of the things I am doing to save money these days, also turn out to be good for the environment and good for our health.  Once again, getting back to the basics is a good thing.

I took the plunge and made my own laundry detergent.  The cost was about $2.00 for 2/3 of a 5-gallon bucket, and so far it has worked just fine.  The clothes are clean, they smell good and my husband hasn't noticed, which is a sign of success for me!  ;)  It is all natural, with no chemicals or weird ingredients.  The recipe is here if you are interested.

I also found a source for fresh eggs, and the cost is a little lower than the grocery store!  Honestly, I was nervous about trying them because I expected them to taste funny, but I am happy to say that they are downright edible!  Being from Southern California, I am not used to having a connection to the foods we eat.  Bar-coded, plastic-wrapped foods are my norm, but I am learning to like these new, healthy changes.

Saving money, eating better food.

I like it!

i dropped a few hints...

...and I ended up with this:

Craig and Micah spent most of Saturday making a potting bench for me.  I have wanted one for a couple of years now--every serious gardener (and wanna-be, like me!) needs one--so when we found this how-to and some scrap wood, it was a "go".

I love watching my hubby work with the boys.  He is very skilled in doing home-improvement type projects and I am glad that he is passing that wisdom along to the boys.  In case you are wondering, yes, he passes the wisdom along to the girls, too.  I have a nineteen year-old girl who could tile your bathroom or put hardwood in your living room as long as you provided something to eat and good music. 

The bench is supposed to go outside, but for now I am keeping in our "green room".  (Any guesses on why we call it the "green room"?)   Seed starts and some herbs will be making an appearance any day now, and when the time comes, I am not sure that the bench will make it's way outside.   Since it is my bench, I can keep it wherever I like, right?

The thought of getting my hands dirty and watering plants is like a dream!  I am sure that I have said this too many times this month, but I am so ready for spring to be here.  A pair of capris coupled with flip-flops sounds like the perfect combination these days.  Is anyone else tired of winter clothes?

Have a lovely day!

baking french bread is easier than you think

I love baking bread. 

When I first started out, many years ago, I ended up with a few failed loaves on my hands, but after time I figured out how to mix the ingredients properly and I learned what the dough should feel like when it has been kneaded properly.  These days I use a stand-mixer, which pretty much does all the hard work, but the scent of the bread is no less perfect than when I did things by hand.

To make the dough:
1 cup + 2 TB. of warm water
2 tsp. yeast
1-1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups flour  (I used 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour.  You may use whatever you like)

***(This is the same dough that I use for calzones.  It also makes great pizza crust.)

Start by dissolving the yeast in the water.  Next you will add  enough flour and the salt to the water mixture until you are able to handle the dough with your hands (it shouldn't be extremely sticky, although a bit of stickiness is OK).  Knead the dough on a lightly floured counter for 8 minutes.  (If you are using a stand mixer, knead the dough for 4 minutes at speed 2.)   The dough should feel smooth and elastic at this point.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl (covered with a cloth) for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. 

(You may also make this in your bread machine on the dough cycle.)

Shape your loaf as shown and place it on a baking sheet covered with cornmeal:

Dust the dough with some flour and then cover it with a towel and let rise for an hour, or until doubled in size:

Once the dough has doubled in size,  slash the top with a sharp knife.  Be careful doing this because it is possible to deflate your risen dough:

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place a pan of water on the lower rack.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown.

Let the loaf cool and then enjoy.  This bread is great for sandwiches or simply sliced with butter.

If you find that your crust is too hard or the bread has risen too much and is crumbly, simply toast it and enjoy.  Then start all over again until you come up with a loaf to be proud of!

(I tripled the recipe to make 3 loaves:

Click here for some great bread recipes and tips for successful loaves.

Happy bread baking!

we're making lots of stuff with beans!

One secret to cutting the meat in your diet is to add beans in its stead.  Beans are high in protein and vitamins, and they are inexpensive, making them even more inviting.  One easy recipe that uses beans is Tostadas, and with this basic how-to you can make these any way you please (these are great with meat as well!).

Here are the basic ingredients:

Corn Tortillas
Oil for frying
Cooked Pinto Beans or a can of refried beans***
Lettuce (we used spinach also)
Tomatoes
Red onions
Avocados
Shredded Cheese
Salsa

First you will need to heat the oil in a skillet and then fry the tortillas until they are golden brown.  I make 2 per person, except for my hubby who will eat 3 or more:

Prepare the vegetables by chopping them and grate the cheese:

Now you simply assemble the ingredients in the following order:
One corn tortilla, a spoonful of beans, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, avocado, etc.  They should look similar to the picture at the top of the post.

To eat them you simply lift the whole thing to your mouth with your hand, and take a bite and enjoy.  Tostadas will probably be the crunchiest dinner you have served in a long time!

Happy eating!

***To make your own beans you need to buy a package of pinto beans.  Sort through them to remove any rocks or odd-looking beans.  Soak the beans overnight in a pan of water, and then rinse well in the morning.  Place beans back in the pot and add water to cover by 2 inches.  Simmer, covered, for approximately 2 hours, making sure the water level doesn't get too low.  When the beans are soft, they are ready to use.  (If the beans are too watery, you can simply pour off the excess before adding to your recipe.)  They can also be frozen for later use.

just thinking...

This type of thing scares me:

"After years of debate, the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday declared that food from cloned animals and their progeny is safe, removing the last government hurdle before meat and milk derived from copies of prize dairy cows and superior hogs can be sold at grocery stores."

Call me old-fashioned, but I have a problem with the thought of eating meat or drinking milk from a cloned animal.  Already I feel too far from the source of my food and I wonder just how healthy the items are that make it to my table.  Adding cloned meat to the mix would push me over the edge, for sure.

Food that is fresh from the garden or farm is the healthiest way way to go, and the more the food is tampered with, the worse it gets.

Year by year I become more convinced that the food I put in my body needs to be fresh, clean and natural, and cloning takes me about as far from that ideal as I can get.

What do you think?  Would you eat meat from a cloned animal?

You can read the full article here.

friday awards day!

Our Co-op day at the farm was actually quite enjoyable.  Hot?  Yes!  But we ended up staying an extra two hours to do some weeding because it was obvious that help was needed.  The farm is organic which equals weeds everywhere---I had to hunt through the foot tall weeds carefully to find the cucumber plants lurking beneath.  Even though the work is hot and sweaty, it feels good to be involved in something like this.  The owner of the CSA, the daughter of a local farmer, is running it all be herself simply because people in the community requested it.  So far our pick-ups have been great and delicious, and I expect them to get even better as the summer moves forward!

A couple of very sweet friends have sent some love my way in the form of an award.  This puts a smile on my face and happiness in my  heart and, for that, I say "thank you"!  I am also blessed to be able to continue this by giving each of these to five bloggers.  Here we go:

Bethany at Picturesque Life has given me a "Reflection Award".  This is described as follows:

"make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you. Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy… of knowing them and being blessed by them."

1. First on my list is the sweet blogger at Berlin's Whimsy.  Even in the midst of some trying times, she leans on the One who is able to sustain and who leads her.  This is an encouragement to me and she inspires me to trust in Him even more.  She is also fabulously crafty!

2. The Woman is a gal who loves, laughs and encourages, all while being honest about life's challenges.  I want to be more like her when I grow up!

3. Kimmie is one of the sweetest gals that I "know" in this blogosphere.  Her kindness and joy shine through as she raises her brood of 6 (5 adopted and 1 homemade!) and waits for a couple of little ones from Guatemala.

4. Pam is my real-life friend who has a listening ear and a sweet-heart full of good counsel.   She wears her heart on her sleeve and it is a lovely one to behold!

5. Lani has a beautiful writing style as well as an obvious love for family and home.  She is a consistent encouragement in keeping my eyes focused on the right things in life.

Thanks, girls!

Next up is the Rockin' Girl Blogger from The Woman and Iowa Geek.  I love to know that as old as I am, someone still thinks that I rock!  ;)

Now I get to share it with five bloggers who rock!  Here goes:

1. Jill is THE most adorable expectany mommy EVER.  That is, of course, until her dear hubby straps on the belly himself and gives her a little competition!  She is in the final countdown of her pregnancy and I am so excited to see her new little one!

2. Kate has been blogging for a long time, even though she blogs a little less these days.  She is inspiring, encouraging and happy, and I love that in a person!

3.  Erin has a fun and inspiring blog and I LOVED it when she posted about her daughter's artwork in her "My Favorite Artist" post.  Very sweet, for sure!

4. Heidi's blog is crafty and fun!  Her sweet spirit shines through in every post!

5. Karyn's craftblog is one of the best.  She is the queen of the adorable totebag and she has inspired me to "Use What I Have" before I buy.  Not only has she saved me money, but she is also a librarian, which if you ask me, is a really cool job!

Well, there you have it!  A bunch of wonderful ladies, for sure!

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and I hope that there are smiles to be had in abundance!

a post for the gals only!

Normally I don't like to get too personal here on my blog, it is just not my way.  But I also don't like to have useful information just to keep it all to myself.  So here goes!

We are all women here (I hope) so I assume that we are all affected by either PMS or menopause symptoms.  I have found a couple of herbal remedies that have given me lots of relief over the last couple of months.  The first is this:

Yes, it is called Get A Grip Tea!  If you click on the link you can see all of the ingredients listed.  This works very nicely for those overly emotional, freak-out type of days.  When I start feeling unbalanced, I have a cup of this tea and within 10 minutes I feel like I am coming down to earth and away from crazy mode.  Honestly, the flavor is not the best, but I take it anyway simply because IT WORKS!

The next tip is for dizziness, lightheadedness and the feeling of disconnection that sometimes comes as a PMS symptom.   

Over the last year or so, I have been getting dizziness that is bad enough that I feel uncomfortable driving.  This generally happens only every 3rd month or so, but it is often enough that I wanted it to stop.  Since herbs are an area of interest for me I have some natural healing books and by combining a little of this and a little of that, I have found something that works for me.  Make a cup of tea using the following 3 herbs (approximately 1/2 tsp. each):

red rasberry leaf
sage
peppermint

***All of these should be high-quality herbs from the health food store or from a trustworthy online source.

On the days when I am dizzy, I put this in a water bottle and tote it around if I leave the house.  Once the dizziness comes on, I take a few sips and it is gone within 10 minutes.  This has been a true life-saver for me!

I hope that this information is helpful to someone! 

And now back to our regularly scheduled non-embarrassing posting!

new things

Last week I bought rhubarb for the first time.  Every year when it is in season, my eyes consider buying it--it is a lovely vegatable, you know!--but I leave without it simply because I have no idea what to do with it!  Well, a sudden burst of motivation to use new produce items came over me in the grocery store and I bought some, and I am glad that I did!

My kids have termed this new creation "Red Celery Pie" for obvious reasons, but the taste does not resemble the name at all.  The rhubarb tastes wonderful sweetened with sugar, but it retains some tartness which makes it interesting.

Our  adventure in trying new produce is just beginning since we signed up for our local farm co-op with the pick-ups beginning next week.  On my to-do list is finding ways to use chard, beets, and turnips, all of which will be making an appearance in my kitchen very soon!  Lucky for me, I have a cooperative and food-lovin' family, and one daughter who loves to prepare healthy veggies in new and interesting ways, so I know we will be successful!

Aubry, not to be left out, made her own version of "Red Celery Pie".  She was very proud of it!

the easiest granola recipe--ever!

We are a granola-lovin' family.  We love it with milk or with yogurt and fruit, we even eat it by itself.  It is full of whole-grains and it is fairly low in sugars and fats, although a little bit of both is added for some yummy flavor.  Here is the recipe as I make it, with a few variations for you at the end:

9 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup shredded coconut, 3/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup oil, 1-1/2 tsp. salt, 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla, and 1 cup of dried fruit (I use cranberries or blueberries).  The fruit is not added until after the granola is baked.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Mix grains and coconut together in a large bowl.  Mix honey, oil, salt and vanilla together in a small bowl.  Pour the honey mixture over the grains and mix until thoroughly combined.  If you are willing to get messy and use your fingers, this step will be quick.  (This is a good kid-job!)

Spread mixture out on a large cookie-sheet and bake until golden brown. (Approximately 25-40 minutes.)  Watch the granola closely while it is baking because it scorches very quickly and this will REALLY stink up your house! 

Remove the granola from the oven and cool completely.  Mix in the dried fruit and store it in an airtight container.  Enjoy!

***The original recipe calls for 6 cups of oats and 3 cups of a mix of grains and nuts such as: sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, wheat germ, cashews, almonds, etc.  You can add as much or as little of these items as you like, adding up to the 3 cups.  I opt for the extra grain because my kids will spend lots of time picking out the extra stuff!

There is an interesting article here about the benefits of buying local foods as opposed to organic foods.  Something to think about...