monday musings



hendrix got a new swing this weekend.  i forgot that we had this old sky chair in storage.  it works better then that the tire swing idea i had, although he still calls it his tire swing.  we also got a new washer and dryer.  which has brought me more happiness than it probably should.  but laundromats are soul crushing and the units seem to symbolize that we are in the beginning stages of climbing out of our streak of bad luck.  the county is also here doing work on our road and i do believe redoing our driveway.  the driveway that is a safety hazard and we have been trying to figure out how we could afford to repair it.  well, the county came to clear trees and replace drainage.  you know, the 15 feet of trees mike was going to clear out by hand and chainsaw.  now, they are redoing the driveway after they replaced the drainage below.   turns out, bulldozers and backhoes are much better equipped and if the county will do it - even better.  even if they don't make the driveway better it will still be great to have the trees cleared and the drainage replaced.   our road kind of gets ignored since there are no other homes that are on it for miles.  now there is a school going in down the street, though, so they will be able to devote more time to the road.

last week was a rough one, but this week is already looking better.  i am waiting for news that i hope is good and that i can share later today.  hendrix and i are going to the wizard of oz exhibit at the children's museum (which he is beyond pumped for) on thursday.  friday, i get to see my dear friend at her baby shower.  plus, this weekend is the sarpy county fair.  ya'll should go....it is so awesome and what fairs are made of.  hendrix and i might even go bowling this week if the weather stays hot.  speaking of weather...saturday was so beautiful here, wasn't!?!? it sure seems like it wants to rain today, too.  *fingers crossed* oh, and i really want to check out the bittersweet bakery in ashland this week.  you see? it's guaranteed to be a good week!

....also going on this week in the omaha metro (all free!)

jazz on the green on thursday, free family flicks at aksarben cinema, and the westroads kids club science show about weather.  have any other ideas or events to make this week great?  please share!

back to school

 
it is almost august which means that school is almost here.  hendrix goes to a mom's day out program once a week, but it doesn't start until september.  his cousin, however, is starting kindergarten (!!) and all the crayons and milestones are making me panic a little bit.  it means the summer is almost done and i still have lots of things on my list.  it also means that my kid is growing up to fast and so are his cousins.  so, instead, of feeling sorry for myself i am focusing on what i like about back to school time...cooler weather (please!!) and SCHOOL SUPPLIES. 
what do a 3 1/ year old and 31 year old need school supplies for?  crafting, yo.  oftentimes, things like crayons, markers, glue, colored pencils, and watercolors are on sale at this time.  especially at the end of the august when they are trying to liquidate the leftovers.  plus, hendrix's head is going to explode when he sees all those crayola packages in the target cart.  so is mine. so we are going to go stock up and stock the craft closet. that way when we are snowed in (please!!) we will have plenty of tools to help the time pass.
while, i have been dreaming of a color coordinated, craft closet, i have also been going through hendrix's old clothes.  like a smartie when i bought summer clothes in april for him, i also picked up some fall shirts. but no pants.  if they made boy's pants with a 24 month waist and a 4T/5T length, we'd be in business.  alas, they do not.  so i am stuck going with the adjustable waist ones at old navy which are about $8 more a pair then i like to spend.  i prefer the consignment and last chance shops for kids clothes shopping. do they make toddler belts?
anyways, that is how we are participating in the "back to school" craze.  i also realized that with back to school came fall gardens.  and fall food.  oh, beef stews...how i long for you.  this year, my fall garden may or may not happen depending on if we get any rain.  it is so dry that i am not sure how well my seed will germinate without some decent rain.  if we do luck out and get some rain then i will be doing beets, spinach, garlic, kale, collards, buttercrunch, and turnips. are you planning on a fall garden? getting excited for apples?  counting the days until the kids go back to school?

what the drought means to my family and families like ours

i think by now most people in nebraska and beyond understand that there is a serious drought happening in the corn belt.  perhaps, not all people understand what that means to family farms such as ours and  our fellow farmer friends. our family is in recovery mode from a few years of bad luck, effects of the bad economy, and unplanned, major life changes.  so if we had a gotten a bumper crop, like it looked like we would in april, then that would put us on the path that brought us closer to financial security.  however, at this point we may be lucky to make any money at all.  and if farmers cash in their crop insurance they basically have their inputs covered but no profit.  also, if the snow fall is minimal this winter and does not adequately replace all the lost water we might have to consider just planting beans, which bring in much less money than corn, since they don't require as much ground water as corn.  thus, prolonging recovery mode for us. there are still plenty of family farms out there that are not farming 10,000 acres and rely on farming to feed their families.  farmers that are still operating off the homesteaded land of their families. families that have only ever farmed and have rode the ever changing wave of farming.  for my family it means a significant loss in this year's income, a possible loss in next year's income, and a few years more of  not being as financial secure as people need to be in  this world.   for a lot of families it will mean a tighter budget, postponement of debt payoff, less christmas presents, and for some it may just push them out of farming.   a lot of farmers will not be able to pay the rent on the land, make the payments for their equipment, so on and so forth.  farming was one of the last industries doing well in this economy so in the end, this drought will affect all of us. weather related issues are always a factor when you are farming.  no matter what you are growing.  however, this particular disaster is, of course, historical and record breaking.  so, do me a favor will ya?
do a rain dance. 

no comment

earlier this morning i was reading about the tragedy in colorado.  while doing so i, unfortunately, came across some pretty insensitive and irrelevant comments.  for instance..."who brings their 3 month old to a midnight movie?  that baby should be in bed." or "i would never let my 12 year old go to that movie at midnight"....which quickly reminded me of why i almost never read the comments section on news stories or even on facebook, really.  it seems in this social media and 24/7 news-heavy world, that people leave a comment either stating the first thing that comes to their head or to be a total anonymous asshole.  i am the first to say that the first thing that comes to my head is, 95%  of time, what i should not say. somewhere along the way folks forgot that words matter and the news is about actual people going through actual horrific stuff.  i am not really sure when or how this all happened nor do i care to get into it, but i would just like for more folks to be little bit more kind.  especially if you are a fellow parent making those comments.  we, parents, are all in this together.  parenting is tough stuff and judging a fellow parent when they have lost a child or have a seriously injured child is beyond insensitive.  it is cruel.  so, this weekend let's be kind to all those we love and all the strangers that look like they could use a little love.

so not cool

i came to the ugly realization on monday night that i am so not cool anymore.  i am so far from it.  i am the person i used to make fun of when i was in my twenties or even when hendrix was still a baby and i was working at the buv.  i also came to the realization that you can hold onto your coolness until your baby is mobile and has an opinion.  basically, once they won't sleep in their carrier while you have lunch with your girlfriends or dinner with your lover...you're screwed and you are done. done. you will then be spending all of your time chasing said baby around, cutting up food, taking them to the bathroom, and talking about monster trucks.
folks without children...you know that couple that walks into the hip, beautiful restaurant/ bar you are hanging out in?  you know the couple.  the ones with an almost gleeful, "we're free" look on their face.  the lady has nice dress on and the dude's got a polo on.  they might even get a little too tipsy, too fast.  well, you should be nice to them because they are on a date and they are pumped to not have to fill a sippy cup. or how about the group of ladies that showed up in the minivan and are a little overdressed? this is their girl's night, yo.  and these ladies just want to be in a pretty place with pretty people without cleaning their kids butt.  however, this realization does not mean that i will be wearing be-dazzled butt jeans anytime soon. or ed hardy. i do dream of getting a minivan, though.  also, i am still thrilled i had so much damn fun in my twenties.

thirty one



this weekend i turned 31, almost got a costco membership, ate at el bees for the first time, ate coconut cream pie (that my husband got for me at 9 o' clock at night), harvested those veggies you see above on sunday morning, had a kid (hendrix) get sick (on me!) at the bbq restaurant, had a peanut butter shake at zesto's in wahoo, got a canning utensil set at bomgaars....



....had breakfast at jimmy's egg, and made the most delicious steak dinner with potatoes, tomatoes, and chard from out garden and corn from our neighbor.  my life has a food problem. HA! in other news, i also officially took mike's name last week (whoa. we're legit). in more food related news, my brother somehow (in less than week) got me a signed copy of the dinner: a love story cookbook (!!!) for my birthday.  so sweet.  we all know my love for cookbooks and DALS.



monday mommy



leo + alice

how was your weekend?  ours was pretty good.  we celebrated the break in the heat by getting some yard work done.  then last night, around midnight, hendrix got sick.  he feels great this morning but he is not taking into account my lost of sleep.  ha!  mike is home sick with what seems to be whatever stomach bug hendrix has/had.  so this morning i am slowly but surely getting some things done and playing nurse.  sick kid and hubby make this momma sad. and tired.  so, i will be back later today or tomorrow with some breakfast ideas.  i'm well on my way to kicking that nemesis' in the butt.
my brother spent his weekend cleaning his basement and he found some old pictures of our grandparents.  i am not sure when the one above was taken, but i love it.  until recently, i had only seen one picture of my grandfather.  he died long before i was born.  my father looks a lot like his dad.  you can read more about alice here and here.

the oven and my nemesis

i don't remember the last time i turned on my oven on.  i have only used the stovetop three times in the past two weeks.  mostly, i have been cooking dinner like it is 1995...on my george forman grill, in the crockpot and in the toaster oven.  i long to turn my oven on to make some pie. but i refuse to do such a thing to myself when it is 100 degrees outside. so what have i been cooking? among others: sausage & peppers, grilled zucchini ribbon salad, pasta carbonara, cheeseburgers, sausage stuffed swiss chard, kielbasa with latkes and shrimp tarragon rolls. only a couple more days and the heat wave will be broken.  hopefully. it brings some rain. the corn needs it.  i need it.  i got big plans to do some breakfast freezer cooking.  breakfast and i have been fighting lately.  i cannot bear to make anymore eggs for hendrix, but i have no backup plan.  if i don't have a plan, then i turn hangry. hangry is a condition where mommy turns crazed and angry with hunger right around 10 am.  it's not pretty.  however, the last two mornings i have made breakfast grilled cheese.  cream cheese, berries, a drizzle of honey on wheat bread grilled on....you guessed it! the george foreman.  what do ya'll eat for breakfast? 

hello, july!



art by katie rodgers of paper fashion found via pinterest





hi, friends.  it seems like july just appeared out of nowhere, doesn't it?  maybe it is just me. we had a nice relaxing, yet productive, weekend.  on sunday, we had hendrix's cousins and friends over...there were 6 children under six...for supper, swimming, tie dye, and watermelon eating.  hendrix had a blast.  however, our poor kitty, whitey, started getting sick over the weekend.  i thought she was really sick, but thankfully it is just some bad teeth. she is in surgery right now and hopefully will be home later today.  we've been surviving the heat wave in our non-air conditioned house, but i am looking forward to a break in the heat.  tomorrow is the fourth and we are planning on laying low perhaps we'll try to hit the ralston parade and, for sure, the fireworks. we'll try to get some swimming and eating in, too.  i think i am going to make this red, white, and blue salsa.   i'll be back soon with a weekly menu plan and more.  whatever you do for the holiday tomorrow...i hope it is grand and spent with all those that you love. xo!

getting it together + a cobbler

it's funny how sweet the mess seems when the mess maker is gone for awhile.  hendrix has been spending some much needed quality time with his aunt theresa yesterday and today.  turns out, my big idea of how wonderful it would be to have him all to myself for three months was not so wonderful all of the time. this momma needs a moment to get some things done in peace and quiet. so, there is no {garden}REVOLUTION picture today, but there will be later this week.  instead, how about a one cup cobbler recipe?  fruits are coming into season and are darn cheap at the grocery stores now, as well.  this is one of my favorite things to do to fruit besides just eat it.  i learned of the one cup cobbler from elle {lien} lynch at our cooking class last year.  after quick research, i learned that i had really been missing out and apparently this is totally a well known way to make cobbler. so in case you have been missing out, too.....

one cup cobbler
1 stick of butter
1 cup of flour
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of fruit {use up to 2 cups if using small fruit like mulberries}
1 cup of milk
in a 375 degree oven, melt the butter in a baking dish.  meanwhile mix the flour, sugar, and milk in a bowl. remove baking dish with melted butter from the oven.  pour the batter into the pan.  in the middle - dump your fruit.  bake for an hour. enjoy.  with ice cream, preferably.

rainy saturday

it's raining so superwoman and bob the builder are playing
 in cloud dough hanging out on their john deere.

things i love this week

finding rogue lettuce growing in the nooks and crannies of our garden

you know what's nice about posting what i love this week, every week?  it forces me to be grateful and kind even when i am having a rough day and don't want to be nice.  it's good for my soul to search for pretty or neat things to share with you all.  it's even better when they happen to have something to do with my friends or community. so, thanks for reading.

.....

 this week, i love....

the omaha public library offering a free lecture on how to eat seasonally

cloud dough...this stuff is awesome on a rainy day or too hot to go outside day
{boredom buster!}

splash pads! {boredom buster!}

a city that offers lots of stuff to do for free {boredom buster!}

customizable chore charts to help kids understand what it means to be part of a family

this nectarine rice pudding with an indian twist. it's calling my name.

amazepack!  i'd sign up, but i have an entire art::workroom that is filled with projects. {boredom buster!}

this house... i want our next house to be an a-frame meets shipping containers sort of dwelling.  preferably, in the middle of nowhere.

this picture....

i have to blow this up.  it's too great. my heart hurts looking at it.

 

GSW::five

help the kids set the table with these diy placemats by say yes to hoboken



howdy!  this week's menu has quite a few super easy weeknight options, and of course, LOTS of veggies.  if you are looking to learn more about eating seasonally then check out this lecture that the omaha public library is offering. omaha's own local food writer, summer miller, will be the speaker.
for dinner on saturday, we're lucky enough to be going to our friends for a lamb dinner and i am super excited.  i think i am bringing a hoho chocolate cake for dessert and this beautiful {and super easy to make!!} hand scrub for the hostess.  on sunday, hendrix's cousins will be visiting and eating dinner with us.   i think i'll have them make some {easy!} tie dye shirts while mike grills something, perhaps #5 below for the adults. i'll be back tomorrow with some clementine's tested summer boredom busters for the kids & the things i love post for this week.
.....
1. beet greens pasta
{you could substitute any greens for the beets greens, as well as, pine nuts for the walnuts}

2. chicken "nuggets" with broccoli carrot raisin slaw
{super fast and easy for the weeknight and always a hit with the kids.  see below for the recipe}

3. sweet potato + black bean quesadillas with swiss chard pesto
{this a good make ahead and/or use for lunches meal, as well.  the components would work for several other meals, too.}

4. grill a steak or chicken and serve alongside roasted cabbage with gorgonzola
{weekend meal alert! or better yet...grill that cabbage right with your steaks or chicken}

5. baked cod with creamed kale
{easy + elegant weeknight meal}

sweet treat...
lemon bars

let's go the healthy route... 
10 healthy breakfasts in 10 minutes or less!
.....

Chicken "Nuggets"
1 lb. chicken tenders or breast, cut up and pounded thin
flour
salt
pepper
breadcrumbs
egg
oil
set up a breading station with three bowls: bowl one has about a cup of flour, bowl two has a beaten egg with a bit of water, and bowl three has about a cup of breadcrumbs seasoned with salt and pepper {you can add dry or fresh chopped herbs, if you like}. begin to heat about an inch of oil in your skillet.  meanwhile, dip chicken in the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.  in that order.  brown pieces in the skillet.  about 2-4 minutes total to cook thoroughly {depending on the thickness of chicken}.  serve with your favorite dip.

*this breading technique is my go to when i want to bread anything from chicken to veggies to fish.  the three dip process is the best way to ensure a nice crust.  cornmeal can be substituted for the breadcrumbs and is especially delicious for fish.

* this chicken recipe can also be made in bulk, cooled, and frozen for a make ahead meal.  just reheat in the oven or toaster oven to ensure crispness.

july for free

free is good.  some of the best things in life are free.  especially when it comes to entertaining the kids.  i have found that children are fickle and dirtballs which is why i don't like to spend much on entertainment or clothes for hendrix.  so a  few months ago, i provided a list of free (or nearly free) stuff to do around the omaha metro.  here is the list for july, as promised. august will come out next week.  let me know if i missed anything or if you tried any of the free stuff i listed.  don't forget about the splash pads, schramm park aquarium, farmer's market, and gene leahy mall slides....they are almost always open and are free or damn near free.

JULY:


Everyday
Kids Bowl Free

Every Tuesday @ 10am {doors open @ 9:30 am}
Free Family Flicks @ Aksarben Cinema

July 4th in Ralston

July 4th
Swim for $4 at all Omaha City Pools

July 7 @ 9am
Free Fishing Clinic @ Mahoney State Park

July 12 @ 6pm
Free Family Fishing @ Halleck Lake in Papillion

July 11th @ 10:30am
Whiz Bang Science Show @ Westroads {free}

Every Thursday from July 12 - Aug. 16
venue opens @ 5pm, show begins @ 7pm
Jazz on the Green @ Midtown Crossing {free}

July 14 @ 10am
Lowe's Build & Grow Workshops {free}

July 15 @ 2pm
Lowe's Build & Grow Workshops {free}

July 20 - 22nd
Gretna Days {nearly free}

July 20
Muppets @ The Holland Center Courtyard

July 27- 29
Benson Days {nearly free}

July 28
Playing with Fire Concert {free}

July 28 @10am
Lowe's Build & Grow Workshops {free}

July 29 @ 2pm
Lowe's Build & Grow Workshops {free}

July27 doors open @ 7:30, movie begins @ dusk
The Muppets @ The Sumtur Amphitheater

cookbooks for $100

cookbooks are shoved all over my house.  most of them are in two stacks in my kitchen, though.  the pages of how to cook everything and time for dinner are smudged and those two books seem to stay on top of the piles.  this time of year, though, canning for a new generation competes viciously with both.  also, my first cookbook given to me by my grandmother, alice, still gets pulled out from time to time.  it's a sort of junior cookbook put out by betty crocker.  my grandmother wrote in the inside cover page, too.  i love seeing her handwriting.  it still makes me tear up to speak of her.  she will have died 12 years ago this august.  she, too, had a cookbook collection issue.  i can still seem them lined up on a back counter in her kitchen.  i can close my eyes at any moment and smell what her fridge smelled like, feel the breeze from the back porch door, and see the flour sack towels laid on the counter.  she read cookbooks like they were novels.  much as i do today, actually. i miss her so much some days that it breaks my heart. i hope i never forget what that kitchen smelled, looked, and felt like.  i hope that my children and grandchildren remember what my kitchen smelled, looked, and felt like. 
.....
cookbooks hold a special place in my heart because they are tools for creating experiences and letting people you know that you love them.  food is love. that junior betty crocker cookbook is one of my most prized possessions. as well as, a cookbook that my friend, summer, made for me for my bridal shower.  she asked guests to contribute their recipes to the book and tell her why they gave her that recipe.  mike's mom included a recipe for macaroni meatballs that her mother used to make weekly when mike and his sister were growing up.  mike gasped and was left a little speechless when he saw that recipe.  my friend, julie, that i have known since i was hendrix's age contributed her grandmother moretta's chocolate cake recipe.  it made me so happy to see that recipe.  julie's mother is italian and i have many fond memories of eating with her family.  in fact, most of the "real, whole" food i had growing up; i had at julie's house.  that was one of the first home gardens i was exposed to, as well. i have a distinct memory of trying blueberries for the first time on the their front porch.  i was not a fan and didn't become one until i had hendrix.  i also have cravings for that mint tea you could always find in their fridge during the summer.  so, you see, cookbooks mean something.  they are powerful memory-chasers.   i collect them for many reasons, but maybe mostly, so my children can read through my collection someday and remember the many meals full of laughter and love that we had when they were growing up.  i guess that is why i cook at home so much, too.  not just to give my family real food, blah, blah, blah....but to create real memories.  the ones that matter.  and food made with love makes some of the best memories i have.
.....
so, what cookbooks would i buy today if you gave me $100?
DG at Home
Dinner A Love Story
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
The Homemade Pantry
AYear of Pies

things i love this week

i just love one thing this week.  well, only one is worth mentioning...i love the dads this week. in honor of father's day this sunday, i made these for mike....

mostly, because he loves them.  he has actually said that he needs to do something about his "pickled egg mania".  he probably has a dozen a week. so, yeah, he probably should do something about his "pickled egg mania".  i also made them for him because he gave me this...

and after a long day at work and a long dinner listening to hendrix talk non-stop...he hoes my garden...

happy father's day to all the dads, especially my own dad,  my brother, my uncle ed, and mike. us, moms, thank you. xoxo.

.....

hot pickled eggs {makes 2 quarts}

1 dozen eggs, boiled and peeled

4 hot peppers

1 onion chopped

4 garlic cloves

4 c. white vinegar {5% acidity}

1 t. pickling salt

2 t. pickling spices

2 quart mason jars + lids

sterilize jars for 15 minutes in boiling water.  remove jars from water and divide eggs, onion, garlic, and peppers into two jars.  meanwhile, bring vinegar, pickling spice,  and salt to a rolling boil for 2 minutes.  let lids sit in water you sterilized jars in, for about 1 minute.  remove and dry.  pour hot brine over eggs and screw lids on....allow to cool to room temp.  place jars in fridge.  eggs will be ready to eat in 8 days.  good for 2 months in the fridge.

.....

here are this week's post in case you missed you them:

all purpose dough

face lift

garden update

father's day menu

GSW:four {father's day edition}

the twins are merry

sunday is father's day, folks.  so stock up on beers.  take the kids out of the house. come back. grill some steaks and tell dad you love him.  this week for the {garden says what?} meal plan i am going to include a few recipes for father's day, plus some dinner ideas for next week.  you'll notice some new veggies + herbs on the dinner menu...beets, basil, green beans, and more.  the early spring has been good to us here in nebraska so even some early zucchini has been making appearances at the markets.  i know i already have cherry tomatoes getting ready to ripen. so, enjoy!

{FATHER'S DAY}

breakfast: chicken fried steak + eggs with hashbrowns
and guinness bloody mary's

lunch: fancy hot dog bar

dinner: grilled rib eyes with stuffed tarragon mushrooms
and horseradish swiss chard

dessert: sour cherry pie

.....
1. shrimp tarragon rolls with roasted broccoli
prepare the shrimp as directed in the recipe but instead of making it crostini style just fill hollowed out hoagie rolls with your filling.  roast broccoli your favorite way and enjoy!

2. beet, arugula, and goat cheese grilled cheese with tarragon bean salad

3. sausage stuffed swiss chard with roasted spring potatoes
potatoes are ready!! i like to toss mine in olive oil, salt, pepper, and lots of fresh herbs before roasting.

4. french onion burgers with beet + potato chips
simply mix 1 pkg. on onion soup mix in with 1 1/2 lbs of ground meat and a bit of worcestershire sauce.  form into patties and cook.  meanwhile, saute mushrooms.  construct burgers with mushrooms and provolone cheese. serve with chips.

5. grilled chicken with zucchini ribbon salad


it's summer.  have a cocktail....
basil tarragon mojitos

snack time is all the time...
emerald hummus

....
i'll be back tomorrow with {things i love this week} and then i will be signing off early to enjoy the weekend with some of my favorite people.

GSW {garden say what}: menu threeeee!

romaine salad with greek yogurt taztziki

holy smokes.  it is june and the gardens and markets are offering a bit more then just greens and herbs in our part of the world.  but, man oh man, i cannot wait for peppers. and tomatoes, eggplants, green beans, cukes, squash, melon, and pole beans.  so this week's menu is based off what is available, but also a little wishful thinking with what is on sale in the grocery store.  i am also experimenting with the format of the menu presentation this week. let me know your thoughts.  hope this menu helps a little with your planning next week.

menu...
1. stirfry chicken and broccoli rice
{andrea makes this for her family and they love it.  hendrix was there last week and loved it which is amazing since he normally avoids meat.  she reserves the marinade, cooks broccoli in oil in another pan, and adds the marinade to the broccoli when it is almost done.  then she mixes the chicken and rice together and serves on rice}

2. bacon wrapped chicken tenders on romaine with red peppers and tzatziki sauce for dressing
{just make the recipe as directed and use leftover tzatziki sauce from this week's greek burgers, otherwise, it is just as great with a mustardy vinagrette}

3. tacos (your choice of filling - we'll be doing pork because i have some frozen in the fridge) with black beans, rice, mango, and cilantro {this meal is especially easy if you throw some meat and taco seasoning in the crockpot in the morning...even easier if you go vegetarian and fill the tacos with beans + rice or use frozen leftovers}

4. personal pan pizza night: swiss chard with egg, chard & shrooms, chard & sausage
{swiss chard, eggs, cheese, mushroom, olive oil and italian sausage are the building blocks.  let the diners make their own pizza by splitting dough up and rolling out for each diner}

5. homemade sloppy joes with turnip chips and fresh fruit

sweet treat...
homemade pudding pops!
make popsicles with your favorite pudding mix {prepared} and fresh berries.  prepare pudding according to package directions, fill molds 3/4 full, add berries and freeze.  we love lemon pudding  pops with blueberries around these parts.

cool drink...
mint ginger slush

hello, summer {an ode to spring via photos}

well, i guess with memorial day gone we are officially in summer mode...even if our gardens are still producing spring worthy veggies. thank goodness because i still have lots of new recipes to try with all those goodies. 
did you all have a lovely weekend?  i hope so.  we did.  there was very little working involved...and a lot of relaxing, eating, long drives, and naps.  i really enjoy weekends where i can hole up with my little family.  it is very rejuvenating for my heart.  we also had a great playdate with hendrix's cousins on sunday.  there were four children ranging from 1 1/2 to 5 1/2 here....they all had so much fun. it could of been the two rounds of bomb pops! 
.....
here are some pics from around our farm this spring...

trying our hand at no knead artisan bread

apple of my eye

those are big boots to fill...

we live near a great recreation center and lake

finding new parks

working on the tractor

baking cake to celebrate the end of planting

outdoor tents

my favorite spot on our farm with my favorite person

eating herby mixed greens

baking pies with last of the frozen peaches from last year's harvest





happy holiday + best sandwich

hope your weekend is full of color and playing. photo by cami rawlings.



hooray! it is memorial day weekend.  it is officially SUMMER! our plans include doing nothing, going to a fishing clinic for kids, having cousins over, roasting weenies and smores, and playing in the garden. 
what are you all doing?  either way, i hope it is great and that you try this delicious sandwich....

they had these precious eggplants at aldi this week and even though, it is too early for them here, i had to have one for a taste of summer.  plus, i had a dream about this sandwich.
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eggplant, bacon and arugula sandwiches
makes 4
8 slices of bacon
4 slices of fresh mozzarella
1 small bunch of arugula
mayo
8 slices of italian bread
1/2 of an eggplant, peeled & cut into 4 discs
1 egg
flour
breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper
salt eggplant discs and set aside.  fry bacon and remove from pan.  turn off pan. after eggplant has "sweat" towel off excess moisture.  set up a breading station with three bowls: 1. flour 2. egg beaten with a bit of water 3. seasoned bread crumbs.  dip eggplant discs into flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.  making sure to thoroughly coat the disc. turn the pan, you fried bacon in, back on and fry up your eggplant.  be sure to only flip when the underside is golden otherwise it will stick.  meanwhile, toast your bread.  fry your eggplants until they are soft and tender in the middle. assemble you sandwiches by spreading mayo on one slice of bread, top with eggplant, arugula, mozzarella, and second slice of bread.  enjoy!!
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this week's posts in case you missed them:
reinventing leftovers
container gardening & look who likes clementine's
next week's dinner menu plan: 7 dinner recipes, 1 dessert recipe and a cocktail