I'll plant and I'll harvest what the earth brings forth....

Made some pickles from out abundant cucumbers..Yummmmm
I used this recipe. Happy harvesting.

I can see the day coming when even your home garden

We planted peppers, tomatoes, marigolds, cucumbers, basil, and cilantro today. I didn't snap any photos because, well, it still looks like dirt, but trust me, we spent all morning outside, then walked down to a friends house to pal around. The longer I live in my neighborhood, the more I love it. Here's what I'm taking to a pot luck at the park tomorrow evening with friends:

Cucumber Alfalfa Wraps:
Mix goat cheese and avocado in the food processor. Spread on tortillas (you could make your own, but I'm not going to tomorrow.) Fill tortillas with the following "salsa" made with: cucumber, red onion, dill, and sprouts. You could add lime. Cool and enjoy. A summer hit at our home. What could I change to make it more yummy? Ideas?

You might like to eat caviar, you might like to eat bread,

Sourdough - My version
The above critter was found rolled up in my cheesecloth. I could see a dark splotch as I used the cloth and as I unrolled it, I discovered the source.

2 cups of water to 1 cup of flour. Cover with cheesecloth (lady bug free) and let sit for several days. I let mine sit for 3 or 4 days. It starts to stink. Like puke. Don't stir or touch.

Then, it looks like this. Bubbly and gooey and stinky. Mix with bread ingredients of choice. I did very simple: flour, salt, olive oil, water, and about a cup of starter. Mix, knead for at least 10 minutes, let rise for several hours, then bake with a pan of water in the bottom of the oven.

, This is a thick, hearty bread that will last only a day or two.
I've found, the more you knead, the better the consistency.

I am also trying to use up all my yarn that I currently have instead of buying new.
I end up with the dregs..Soon to try re-knitting..

She’s a junkyard angel and she always gives me bread

Mmmmmm, the basics.
Bread and butter.
This week we had a scrumptious treat. I bought cream at out local dairy, let it sit out over night in a mason jar, and then during our lessons, shook the cream for about 15 minutes. When I could feel it start to thicken, I opened the jar, and strained the remaning liquid off. Voila, yummy, all natural, local, handmade, butter. This was so easy that we will be doing it again and again.
I also made a loaf of french bread using the following method. The combo was heavenly.
Combine 2 -3 tsp. of yeast and 1/2 cup of warm water. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir.
Combine 3 cups of sifted flour and 1/2 tsp salt with the yeast mixture and 1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water. Mix until you have a workable dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Put in oiled bowl, cover with a clean dishcloth, put in a warm place for an hour.
Punch down, cover again for 45 minutes.
Punch down again and roll out a baguette. Put on baking sheet, dust with cornmeal, cover and let rise once more for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven at 400 degrees with a pan of water in the oven. Score the top of the bread. Spray the sides of the oven every 5 minutes for the 1st 15 minutes of baking. Bake for a total of 30 minutes. Enjoy.
Basic ingredients and really easy.

When you're at the breakfast table

We are not the healthiest eaters on the block, but we do try to eat whole foods from locally grown sources when possible. I try to cook from scratch as much as possible, too. I have been making our morning granola bars, and they are a big hit. I got the recipe from the Internet, and it can easily be manipulated to suit tastes and nutrition..

4 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use oats from the grocery store)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup butter (or margarine, squished banana, or other soft substance to hold it all together)
1/2 cup honey (local is good :))
1/3 cup brown sugar (or agave or maple sugar..)
2 cups of nuts, raisins, chocolate, seeds, or other filler..

Mix all ingredients by hand. They should be all wet and moist and gooey. The wetter the better. Put all on a cookie sheet and roll out. Cook for 18 to 22 minutes at 325 until browned around the edges slightly. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. I store ours in a glass container in the microwave or in the fridge.

Yum.

Father, who turneth the rivers and streams.

For dinner this evening, I made these babies into a delicious sauce. They came from my garden. I also used zucchini, peppers, and basil from the CSA, and fresh rosemary from my friend Jennifer's. Ollie and I did a little country study about France today, so we had to make a baguette, too. His favorite, and involves only yeast, flour, water, salt , and olive oil, but does require plenty of kneading, punching, and sprinkling.

Plus, look at desert! Yummy, they remind me of my childhood.

Tuesday we went to a great class on the creek where we found: Darters, Chubs, Mosquito fish, and craw fish. Did you know that Otters live on the Stones River!?? I would pee my pants if I saw an otter in the wild around here, but the teacher swore it was so..

This is one of the first field trips I've organized for strangers, but it went really well, and we can't wait to do it again.

She's a junkyard angel and she always gives me bread

What does one do with a shiny new sifter?
Make Alphabread of course. I have kept an old, plastic, hard to use sifter since we were married almost 10 years ago, and the Easter bunny brought me a new one.
Funny how we hold onto things that are neither useful, beautiful, or joyful.

Alphabread was a blast, and the kids loved every bit of it. Weekend chores these days now include making granola bars, granola, bread, peeling and slicing carrots and celery, and making homemade pancakes that can be popped in the toaster on busy school days. Yum!

The drinks are ready and the dogs are going to war.

We are not strict vegetarians around here, but we do try to limit the meat intake and make healthy eating decisions. One of many "we will never"s was about serving hot dogs. Somehow the boys found out about them and fell in love. They order them to my disgust when we go to restaurants or when they are being served at someone else's home. They bug the crap out of me to buy them at the grocery store, and finally I relented with a compromise. I found that for about the same price you can buy these. And, they are pretty yummy. Vegetarian junk food is better than regular junk food, right? They'll eat the whole package in one day. Literally.

I can drink like a fish, I can crawl like a snake, I can bite like a turkey, I can slam like a drake

I have survived yet another right of passage: The Thanksgiving day dinner. Finally, I have been promoted to a position of adulthood as far as holidays are concered, and I actually cooked the meal and hosted the party. We had 12 folks, all family, and tons of delicious food. The weather was perfect, and the turkey pretty moist. FYI- One should clean out that poor bird BEFORE cooking it. I asked friends, family, and even read recipes and directions, and not one told me I'd need to violate the poultry in such and obscene manner, but luckily I found out an hour into cooking time..

Tomorrow we head to Indiana to spend a couple hours with the other have of the clan. As for tonight, our Christmas tree is up, lights are shimmering, bellies are full, and everyone is lightly snoring. I am thankful for peace.

Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah!

Our sweet neighbor surprised us with a bushel of apples this afternoon. Sooo,

We made apple pie from scratch.

Improvising in some areas, but all in all pretty tasty treat.

Watching the pies bake...

Showing off their sign language.

Reciepe as made today:

A bunch of apples, peeled and sliced

3/4 cup of sugar

1 tsp lemon juice (I was out, so I squeezed 1/2 of an orange all over them)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix all together and let sit for 15 minutes while you make the crust

Combine 2 cups of flour and 1 tsp salt, mix in 1/4 cup of cold water. Mix in 3/ 4 cup of shortening (I used Smart Balance because that's all I had). Make a dough, roll it out, put in a pie dish.

Mix in 1tbsp of flour into the apple mixture

Poor and top with remaining dough. You can add a brush of milk to the crust (or soy milk) and a couple of pats of butter. Cook for 2 hours or so on 375. Standing in front of the oven for a while with big boots on and no pants makes for tastier, more anticipated treat. Also, send the husband out for vanilla ice-cream is nice, too, but it doesn't make it vegan and without, it is.

Come on sisters, clap your hands

I love my sister-in-laws. They are smart and funny and interesting. I got to see both of them this weekend, and it was a delight, as always. I am blessed to have you both in my life. Thanks for reading the blogaroo. Anyway, we were talking about granola, so here's how we make it. I usually make 2 batches, because Evan hosses it.

3 1/2 cup oats (any kind'll do, but I use the oatmeal that comes in a big cylinder from the grocery)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tbsp. vanilla
~1 cup of whatever else (nuts, coconut, raisin, craisins, etc)

Mix all together, spread on an un-greased cookie sheet, and cook for 10 minutes on 350.
This recipe is very forgiving and can be changed to suit the audience. We use walnuts.
I eat it with soy milk, and the kids and husband like regular ole' cow. You could mix it with yogurt.......

Yea! Heavy and a bottle of bread

If you know anything about us, you know how in love we are with good, good French bread. It must be perfect. No WalMart soft loaf for us. The crustier the better. So, every once in a while, I make my own. Here's how:

1 packet of yeast
1/2 cup of warm water
Let sit without mixing for 5 minutes

Sift together 3 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt or so.
Pour in stirred yeast mixture and add about 1/2 cup of warm water.
Mix with mixer or with hands until doughy.
Knead for 10 minutes.

Form ball. Put olive oil in a bowl and put the ball of dough in the bowl and cover with a clean dish towel and set aside of 1 hour.
Punch the ball down and re-cover. Let rest for 45 minutes more hour more.

Shape the loaf into a baguette rolling it out with a little corn meal to keep from sticking and cover with the dish towel. Let sit 30 more minutes. Preheat oven to 400.

Put a pan of water in the oven. Brush the loaf with water and put in the oven. Spray the sides of the oven with water ever 5 minutes for 15 minutes. Bake for 15 more. (30 minutes in total)

Enjoy hot, right out of the oven. Yummy.

Food was flying everywhere, and I left without my hat

We have been making lately a yummy dish from The Ultimate Healthy Eating Cookbook that our dear, lovely, favorite Uncle Ethie gave me one year for Christmas. Here is the recipe:

Cucumber and Alfalfa Tortillas:
(you can easily make your own tortillas: 2 cups flour, pinch of salt, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2/3 cup of H20- Knead until soft, roll out, and cook until brown in a skillet for about 30 seconds each side)
Or you can buy them, use pita bread, etc....

Mix one avocado with 2 tbsp goat cheese and juice of 1 lime in food processor. Set aside to use as base spread in the tortilla.

Mix 1 chopped (red) onion, 1 chopped and seeded (red) chili, 2 tbsp fresh dill or coriander, 1/2 cup peeled and chopped cucumber, and 2 cups of sprouts (we've used several different kinds)

Roll 'em up and eat 'em. Evan approved, raw fresh eatin'. Yummy and healthy.