I am obsessed. For real. That might seem like a strong statement for a feeling about a food, but right now, it is truth. I spend more time then I want to admit thinking and drooling over Socca, which is, to those who do not know, the most basic chickpea flour pancake-y bread thing. Chickpea flour, water and salt. Cooked fast under the broiler in a screaming hot skillet. That is it. And it is amazing. Depending on how you make it, it can be creamy and soft or more cracker like with some crisp crunch to it. Either way, it is just so freaking good. Of course, what I am dreaming about regarding it is not just plan basic socca (which I have made 3 times in the past 3 days) but different flavored soccas (I have experimented with lot of seasoning, and they are all A+) with all sorts of different topping and using it in all sorts of different ways. But for now, I wanted to keep basic so we all know how good simplicity is. We will go from here.

There is no stopping me. There is no stopping the socca.

Now to my new favorite food, the socca.

Chickpea flour, salt and water. That is it. Mix it all up.

Batter all smooth and now in need of a rest. Half an hour or up to a day of rest is good.

Now to cook the socca. You need to use something oven safe like cast iron. The trick here is to preheat the skillet while you are preheating the oven. Crank oven to 450 with the skillet in oven and once the oven reaches temp, turn oven over to a high broil. Let the skillet get really hot for another minute or two then remove skillet from oven (carefully!!!) and give it a splash of oil. Don%u2019t preheat the skillet with oil in it or else it will start to smoke and get gross.

Now that you got a nice hot and oiled skillet, grab the rested batter and pour half of it in. Tilt skillet around to coat bottom then stick skillet back into oven under broiler and cook for 4-8minutes. ( It depends on your broilers strength and your preference for blisters)

Out from the broiler. Cooked and slightly blistered. I went easy on this one. The next one got a few more blisters.

2 soccas, one a little thicker then the other. One a little more blistered then the other. Both in my belly.

So many Soccas to come.

So. many. Soccas.

-C

makes two 10 inch soccas

• 1 cup chickpea flour

• 1 cup room temperature water

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• olive oil for pan

Mix chickpea flour, salt and water together into a bowl until smooth. Let mixture rest for at least half an hour or up to a day.

When ready to make the socca, preheat oven to 450 with a 10 inch oven safe skillet (I used cast iron but any oven safe dish would work) in oven.

Once oven reaches temp, turn oven over to broil and place skillet under it for a minute to really heat the skillet. Carefully, with oven mitts, remove hot skillet from oven and brush or pour a smidge of oil into the hot skillet to coat bottom. Pour in half the batter and tilt around until bottom is coated then place skillet back into oven under broiler and cook for 4 -8 minutes or until the socca starts to blister. (it kind of depends on your broiler so keep a close eye on it) Remove from oven and slip socca onto cutting board. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil if you like. Then all you do is cut and eat.

Left over socca can be stored in fridge and reheated in oven or toaster.

Note. IF you want a slightly thicker socca, use a 8 inch skillet. For a thiner, more cracker like socca, pour in 1/3 of the batter at a time (you will end up with 3 instead of 2)

It%u2019s a smoothie. And no, we have never really been smoothie people in this house, but what can I say, sometimes smoothies happen, especially when you have about 20 ripe bananas in the fruit bowl with no room in the freezer and no need for 7 loafs of banana bread.

So I smoothied. And I like it (a lot).

This is a smoothie of simplicity. Nothing fancy. Simplest of simple. Straight to the point. And all sorts of good.

You might think, does this simple smoothie you speak of taste very good? Yes, yes indeed it does. It is all sorts of fantastic. Basically if you like creamy, nutty, oaty, bananery things, you will like this. And it%u2019s a perfect breakfast, snack, dessert, or just wanting a little treat like thing that is not garbage food. A smoothie of all smoothies with the most basic ingredients. And takes about 15 seconds to whip up. Can%u2019t complain about that.

To the smoothie goodness!

The stuff. A ripe banana, some old fashion rolled oats, a pinch of salt, water, and a smidge of maple syrup if you want it.

Everything goes into blender.

And blended until smooth. Hence the word smoothie.

Pour it into a cup (or if you are feeling primal, drink it straight from the blender%u2026 it%u2019s totally cool)

And done.

A banana oat smoothie.

Let the good time roll!

-C

makes 1 smoothie

• 1 very ripe banana

• 1/3 cup raw old fashion oats

• 1 1/2 cups water

• pinch of salt

• a tablespoon or two of any sweetener you like (optional)

• a pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a cup, sprinkle with cinnamon if you wish, and drink right away.

It’s melon season!%u00a0The past few farm shares have included at least 2,, if not 4, watermelons and cantaloupes… Can you imagine. eating 4 watermelons a week? That’s a tall order, even for someone like me who could probably eat a whole watermelon in one sitting, it’s just doing it 4 times a week might be a problem. %u00a0It’s a whole lot of melon and not enough stomach, you know what I mean?%u00a0

So what do I do with so much melon? Well first off, whenever anyone comes over I try to get them to %u00a0eat as much of it as they can, which helps a great deal. Secondly, I cut it up and freeze some. But here is the thing, I love eating chunks of frozen cantaloupe, but frozen watermelon,%u00a0never been my favorite so I usually just pass on sticking in the freezer, until now.

There is something magical that happens when you stick the frozen watermelon and cantaloupe together into a blender and making it into a slushy. It’s like eating a ray of sunshine or maybe even a rainbow, just really satisfying and juicy, and sweet but not overly sweet, and just really freaking good. Especially with all the stupid hot and humid weather we have had lately, these slushies have really been hitting the spot. %u00a0Even the mr who says he dislikes watermelon was all into these melon slushies. (he likes things that he says he doesn’t like all the time. I am pretty sure he is taste confused) Like %u00a0he was really into them. Usually I have to prompt him to tell me how something tastes, but not the slushy, he told me right away how good it was. I was like, I know dude, I just drank 2 of them myself. And I could have drank 2 more but I was trying to not get tot far ahead of myself. Moderation is key, plus I didn’t;t have any more of the melons frozen. Time to restock the freezer.%u00a0

Go make yourself a slushy, it’s juicy deliciousness will make you happy.%u00a0

The stuff. Watermelon and cantaloupe. There should be a lime in there too but it must have rolled away….%u00a0

Chop some of each of the melon up, remove the rinds, and place on a big baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen. You can do as little as 2 cups %u00a0of each or as much as a whole melon, it’s up to you. (I suggest freezing extra)

Frozen melon. And now you can slushy.

Equal parts watermelon and cantaloupe go into blender, along with the juice of half (or more to taste)%u00a0a lime and you are probably going to need to add about 1/2 a cup of water, to help the blender blend it all together. %u00a0And that’s it. You blend until it’s all slushy.

Pour into cups, garnish with a lime and/or little chunks of melon and you are good as golden.%u00a0

From now on, or until summer is over and I run out of melon, I will be keeping the freezer stocked, especially because I know that the next few weeks are suppose to be stupid hot again.%u00a0

Waterloupe slushies. Summertime goodness.%u00a0

-C

• about 2 cups %u00a0of a watermelon
• about 2 cups of a cantaloupe%u00a0
• 1 lime
• 1/2- 1 cup water%u00a0

Note. The amounts above are for two%u00a0 2 cup slushies. You can, and should,%u00a0freeze a crap load more melon for future slushies. %u00a0Also, no one would fault you for maybe adding a little nip of some clear alcohol to this slushy situation to make it more of an adult drink……

Cut up a watermelon and a cantalopjue. Eat some and reserve at least 2 cups of each. Remove the rinds from the melons and cut into cubes. Place melon on a baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen.%u00a0

Once frozen,%u00a0place equal parts frozen watermelon and cantaloupe into the blender with the juice of a lime. Turn blender on. Slowly add in water until the blender can handle blending the frozen fruit. Blend until smooth. Pour into cups, garnish if you want with more melon and lime, then get to drinking.%u00a0

I picked up the first summer farm share this week. (Whoo Hoo!!)%u00a0In it included lettuce, spinach, kale, cilantro, and potatoes. A heavy on the greens,%u00a0start to the season, but I am never going complain when it’s heavy on the greens. I could eat greens, any greens, by the bucket full (and basically do).%u00a0And there was pyo cilantro, which I wasn’t expecting for a least a week or two so that was just fantastic because oh how I have missed fresh herbs.%u00a0

So greens went directly to my stomach without a chance, but the potatoes and cilantro I left so I could make something to share with the mr. Roasted potatoes because that’s my favorite way to eat a tater and covered in lots and lots of cilantro because yes, and when you eat cilantro, you must eat a lot of it. Lime juice for good measure and you got yourself a dank little potato dish if I do say so myself.%u00a0

The stuff. Potatoes, cilantro, limes (you probably only need one), garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

After washing your potatoes, dice them into mouth sized pieces and place them into a pot of cold water%u00a0

Dice potatoes go into pot and need a little boil. If you have a pinch of salt to toss into the water, well you should do that.

After boiling for a few minutes, give the poe test, if you can kind of pierce a potato with a fork, they are done.%u00a0%u00a0You don’t want to completely cook the potatoes, you just want them juuuust barely fork tender.. Once they get there,%u00a0strain them.

Let the potatoes drain for a minutes or two to make sure all the water is gone. In the mean time, mince up the garlic.

Add the garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper and a glug glug of olive oil back to the pot (you could use a new bowl, but why dirty another dish?)

Add in the drained potatoes and toss around until they are all evenly coated.

Dump potatoes onto a baking sheet (if you think of it, preheat the oven with the baking sheet in it… just make sure to be careful when handling hot pans)

Into the oven those taters go to roast and be great.

And sometime between putting the potatoes in the oven and taking them out, chop up the cilantro.

Once potatoes are all nice and golden roasted, remove from oven and drizzle and toss the juice of the lime all over. Place the potatoes back into the oven for a few minutes to let them crisp up again.

And then you toss all that chopped cilantro all over those potatoes.

And then eat them. Maybe serve with salsa and whipped avocado because that is what I did and I did good.

-C

Serves 2-4 peoples

• 2 1/2 %u00a0pounds small yellow potatoes
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 4-6 cloves garlic%u00a0
• 1 juicy %u00a0lime
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 with the baking sheet preheating in the oven as well.

Wash potatoes well and chop into pieces about an inch or so big and place in a big pot of cold water. Once you got all the potatoes in the pot, add a pinch of table salt and bring the potatoes to a boil. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until the potatoes are just barely fork tender.. don’t over boil them. Drain potatoes.

In either the empty pot (less dishes) or a bowl, combine 2 tablespoon oil with the garlic, a good pinch or two of pepper, and same with salt. Mix around then add in the potatoes. Toss to coat and if you feel that you might need little more oil, drizzle in a bit more.%u00a0

Dump coated potatoes onto a %u00a0preheated baking sheet and place in oven for about 40-50 minutes, giving the potatoes a good stir after 30. You want the potatoes to be a nice roasted brown. Once roasted, pull potatoes from oven and squeeze the juice of the lime all over the potatoes. Toss and place the potatoes back into the oven for a few minutes just to crisp up a bit. While the potatoes are crisping up,%u00a0chop the cilantro. After the few minutes, pull the potatoes back out and toss with the cilantro. Season with more salt and pepper if needed and then just eat them. I like to serve with salsa and some avocado situation, but ketchup or naked works too.
%u00a0

The mr has a soft spot for tortilla chips. He doesn’t get chips often, but when he does it is usually the super fried, super salty, in a plastic bag, tortilla chips. And I am ok with that because it is not often and the dude deserves chips when he wants them. But I hate how crappy they are for him, especially all the salt. So much salt that I can smell it in my mouth (yes, I said that right). So, as with everything else we eat in the house, I now make chips from scratch. (Slowly I have eliminated just about everything that is pre packaged and started making it myself.%u00a0I think it’s pretty much just the dried pasta and the mr’s yogurt and cheese that I haven’t gotten to.Yet.) This way he can eat his chips and I don’t have to sit there tasting the smell and thinking about the crap that he is eating.%u00a0%u00a0I know I say this a lot, but lets just take a minute here and acknowledge how I really am the best girlfriend ever.%u00a0

Ok, now about these chips. I have made plan tortilla chips a few times before and figured it was time for a twist.%u00a0%u00a0In come black beans. Why, because I was pretty sure beans were going to be awesome, and lo and behold, I was completely right. Adding the beans take little to no more effort then making the chips without, and bonus here, more fiber and protein and good stuff going into a chip. Then they are lightly oil, lightly salted, and eaten without any guilt because I made them and they are the best. Seriously, the mr thinks they are amazing and doesn’t miss those pre package ones a bit.%u00a0%u00a0And sure, they might take a little time and minimal effort, but really they are super easy and the time and effort to make them is probably no more then going into a store, waiting in line to pay, and driving home to eat your chips. You can have these chip made in that amount of time. So you might as well just make them.

To the chips.%u00a0

The stuff. Masa harnia, black beans, water, salt, and a little oil. There should be a lemon or lime here too, but I forgot to stick it into the picture. Oops.%u00a0

Pretty easy.%u00a0%u00a0Add the beans to a food processor and blend untill completely smooth. Add in the masa and pulse then gradually add in water until a dough forms. Stop and feel the dough. If it feels like play dough and comes together into ball easily, then you are good. If it is to wet, add a little more masa, to dry, more water.

Dump the dough onto the counter and form into a ball. Place the doguh into a bowl and cover with a damp closer for 15-30 minutes to let the dough rest.

After the rest, divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place the balls onto a damp cloth and cover while you are making the tortillas so they don’t dry out.%u00a0

To flatten those balls into tortillas.%u00a0%u00a0After doing this a bunch of times, I have a system that works the best for me.%u00a0%u00a0I use a large ziplock bag (the plastic is a little thicker and easier to deal with, plus I don’t use plastic wrap), a cutting board, and a rolling pin. Place a dough ball into the center of the bag then take the cutting board and press directly on top, placing all your weight onto it. It gets flat, but not flat enough so take the rolling pin and flatten some more. Then press the rolled out dough with the cutting board one last time. Carefuly remove from bag and place direrely onto a hot dry skillet.%u00a0

Cook each side 3-4 minutes or until it starts to get a few light brown spots. Once cooked, place on a plate or baking sheet. If I were just making tortillas, I would place then in between a kitchen towel to keep them warm, but because they are destined for chips and don’t care.%u00a0

Black bean corn tortillas.%u00a0Hey, you could stop here and make a taco or something if you need to. Feel free to use a tortilla or two before using the rest to make the into chips.%u00a0

So chips. Grab baking sheets, oil, salt, a knife, and the tortillas. Take a few of the tortillas and oil them. (The easiest way I found to do this is to rub oil on with my hands then rub the oil onto the tortillas.%u00a0)%u00a0Oil 3 at a time, stacked them on top of each other and cut into 8 triangles,%u00a0

Get as many of the triangles onto a baking sheet as you can, without overlapping. %u00a0Once all nice and tight, sprinkle the tops with salt and pop them into preheated oven.%u00a0

Pull the chips out of the oven when they are crispy and done (about 10 minutes)%u00a0then squeeze a little lemon juice all over the chips. Toss around and pop the pan back into the oven for another minute or two just so the juice doesn’t %u00a0leave the chips soggy.

Dump cooked chips %u00a0onto a wire rack to cool. Eat as you work, you deserve it.

Pile chips into a bowl, and serve with some salsa or guacamole or whatever you eat you chips with. %u00a0They are your chips.%u00a0

-C

Makes 98 chips, or like a good sized bag worth

• 2 cups masa harina%u00a0
• 1 cup cooked black beans in bean juice
• 1- 1 1/4%u00a0 cups warm water
• couple teaspoons neutral oil (I used grape seed oil)
• 2-3 teaspoons salt
• A lemon or lime

Beans go into a food processor and blended until completely smooth. Add in the masa and blend, slowly adding 3/4 cups water until a dough starts to forms. %u00a0Stop and check dough. It should feel like play dough and come together easilty onto a ball. If it feel wet, add in a couple of tablespoons more of the masa. If it is still too dry and crumbly, add in more water until it’s to the right consistnacey. Dump dough onto counter and form in a ball. Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp towel and let sit for abut 15-30 minutes.

Preheat a skillet on medium high heat on stove.

Once dough has rested, divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Place balls onto a damp towel and cover when not working with them.%u00a0Grab a large ziplock bag, a cutting board, and a rolling pin. Take a dough ball and place in the center of the bag. Press down with the cutting board, placing all your weight on top. It got flat, but not flat enough. Continue to flatten out with the rolling pin until it is about %u00a01/8 inch thick. Press again one last time with the cutting board. Gently remove from bag and place directly onto the hot skillet. Cook each side for 3-4 minutes or until it %u00a0starts to get a few light brown spot. Place cooked tortilla on a baking sheet or in between a kitchen towel. Repeat until all 12 dough balls are cooked into tortillas.

Preheat oven to 375

Working in 3’s. dump a little oil onto your hand then lightly rub it all over the tortillas. Stack them on top of each other then cut into 8 wedged. Place wedges onto a baking sheet, get as many as you can onto sheet without any overlapping, then sprinkle with salt. to taste. If you have them, use multiple baking sheets.%u00a0%u00a0Place in oven for about 10-12 minutes or until the chips are crispy. Remove and sprinkle lemon juice all over the chips. Toss around and place back into oven for a minute or two just until lth lemon juice evaporates. Remove and dump chips onto a wire rack to cool.

Eat chips. Any left over can be placed into a airtight container or bag and will last about 3-4 days.%u00a0

IF you are a Vermonter you probably have maple on the mind. You drive anywhere outside of the city and you start see all tubes and lines running through the woods attached to all the trees. And spring. The weather plays a huge part in sugaring so when the weather is right, people be talking.%u00a0It’s maple sugaring time around here so of course I am thinking maple thoughts. It is kind of hard not to.

The first thing that goes through my mind when I think about maple is that I think I want a small sugarbush on our land (the land we have yet to find and buy) We already know that we are going to have an apiary (bees and honey) so why not do maple too? The would keep us busy all summer through spring with sweet things. Summers with the bees then trudging through the cold waist high snow tapping trees and hanging out in a sugar house in the woods.. I think that it should be part of my life. Plus think about the possibilities of a name for a honey/maple farm. Let your mind take you there.%u00a0

Second thing I think about when I think about maple is how to eat it. Most people jump right to pancakes, maple on snow, or lattes. But then what? Not going lie, I do not have a sweet tooth, like at all. I do’t eat pancakes covered in maple. I don’t drink lattes, and the maple on snow thing got old in 5th grade.

But I do like popcorn.%u00a0

Maple popcorn. Sounds good right? But maybe a little too sweet so add in a savory component to balance the sweetness out, and that is where the cumin comes in.%u00a0%u00a0%u00a0%u00a0%u00a0%u00a0%u00a0Maple is earthy and sweet, and a tad bit smokey. Cumin is earthy and savory, and smokey as well.. The two together create a fantastical flavor combonation that is smokey sweet and savory and all so freaking good. %u00a0Added to popcorn, well it’s right in all the ways that we need it to be. %u00a0

Now if the mr and I could just decide on a movie that we can both watch together… Probably just end up watching the Office instead. And we will each have our own bowls of popcorn.%u00a0

The stuff. Air popped popcorn, maple syrup, ground cumin,%u00a0vegan butter, and salt.

Butter and cumin go into a pot to melt and activate the flavor of the cumin.%u00a0

Once the butter is melted and the cumin is fragrant, the maple joins the pot party. Keep the pot on low and stir continuously for about 5 minutes until the syrup get a tiny bit thicker.%u00a0

Maple cumin syrup ready to go.

Dump the popcorn on a large rimmed baking sheet. Grab the syrup and drizzle it all all over the popcorn. Toss it around, sprinkle with a a little salt and then pop it into the warm oven for 5-7 minutes to keep the popcorn from being soggy.%u00a0

And then it’s done. Dump it into a big bow and get ready to eat.%u00a0

Sweet and smokey all in your mouth. This popcorn is sure to please.

-C

makes about 8 cups popcorn

• 8-9 cups air popped popcorn
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup (preferably from VT)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• salt to taste

Preheat oven to 250.

Grab a large rimmed baking sheet and dump popcorn onto it.

Place cumin and butter in a small pot and place on low heat. Stir until butter is melted and you can start to smell the cumin. Add in the maple and continuously stir for about 5 minutes until it start to slightly thicken. Immediately drizzle the syrup all over the popcorn, toss it around, sprinkle with a little salt and then pop it into the oven for about 5-7 minutes to prevent the popcorn from becoming soggy.

Remove and let cool a minutes then dump popcorn into a big bowl. Grab a movie (because you know that is what you are doing) and get to the popcorn.%u00a0

Extra popcorn (but there will not be any) will last for a few days in a airtight container)%u00a0

Have you heard of switchel? A lot of people haven’t so don’t feel bad if you don’t know what the hell I am talking about (like my computer. It keeps auto correcting switchel to switched). So switchel. It’s basically a drink made from water and apple cider vinegar. But wait, don’t grimace and click away, it’s also has fresh ginger, lime, and maple syrup mixed in and is really really really freaking refreshing and tasty and just really good. I guess it was even used back I the day as a sort of sports drink, like Gatorade because it has all sorts of electrolytes and anti-inflammatory properties from the ginger.%u00a0%u00a0Plus apple cider vinegar has got all sorted or health benefits,%u00a0so it’s a tasty treat with benefits. Who doesn’t love the benefits?%u00a0

You can drink the switchel %u00a0straight up hot or cold, add it to seltzer for a bubbly soda like drink or even %u00a0mix some cocktails with it. I enjoy a nice cold glass when I am feeling thirsty but what I usually do it fill up half a %u00a0jar with boiling water, then fill the rest of the jar up with the cold switchel. It’s a nice tangy, spicy,%u00a0refreshing and warming drink that I look forward to every day. I even got the littles to try it.%u00a0%u00a0One thought it to be nasty (can’t win them all), but the other one really liked it too, so you know it’s not just me that thinks it good.%u00a0

The stuff. Apple cider vinegar (the good stuff that is raw and has the mother), fresh ginger, limes, maple syrup, and water.%u00a0

Fresh ginger is the best. Give it a little peel with a spoon, just to maximize gingerness exposure then chop into small pieces.%u00a0

Ginger and water goes into big pot. Bring it to a boil then turn down to a high simmer for 10-15 minutes to really get the ginger infused into that water.%u00a0

After it’s cooled a bit, strain the now ginger water into a pitcher or a big jar.

Add in the vinegar, the juice of the limes and a bit maple syrup. Start off with a little maple, you can alway add more later if needed.%u00a0

After the switchel has some time in the fridge to cool (at least 2 hours, but I like it best when it’s sat overnight) grab a glass ,some ice cubes, and a slice of lime. It’s go time.%u00a0

A drink to you my friends

-C

Makes bout 6%u00a0 cups%u00a0

• 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar (with the mother. Braggs is a popular option)%u00a0
• 5-6 inch piece of fresh ginger%u00a0
• 2 limes
• 5 1/2 cups water
• 1-4 tablespoons maple syrup%u00a0

With a spoon, gently peel ginger . Not perfectly, just get some of the skin off. Chop it into small pieces and place it into a large pot with the water. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Strain ginger water int a large pitcher or jar.

Add in the apple cider vieager, the juice of the limes, and a tablespoon or two of maple syrup. Give it a good stir then place in the fridge until cold (about two hours but overnight is best)%u00a0

When it’s cold, give it a good stir again, taste, and if it needs more maple, add it in. And then it’s ready.

You can drink it on ice, maybe add some seltzer to it, or mix it into some fancy cocktail. It can also be reheated for a nice spicy warming treat.%u00a0

I have had a shit ton of rhubarb in the freezer all winter and the other day I just needed it gone so I made a big old batch of rhubarb jam. I was actually saving the rhubarb to make the mr a pie for his birthday, but that was like 2 months ago and he ended up with ice cream sandwiches and that is why the rhubarb was still there. Oops. But now we have rhubarb jam. And I think I was feeling a little guilty about not making the pie so I, like the nicest girlfriend in the entire universe (self proclaimed yes, but so so true), used that jam to make little hand pies. And in the shape of hearts no less because hearts are amazing and it doesn’t hurt that it is Valentine Day next week.%u00a0%u00a0

%u00a0Valentines Day. What does that even mean? I think the primary meaning of Valentines Day is that all things should be in the shape of hearts. The rest is to be determined by however you may feel about the day. Whether you hate it or love it, (we love it, It’s an excuse to take the day off and cover the house in hearts) you get to make the day yours. Just make sure that whatever you do, you make it with hearts. And with pie.%u00a0

These heart pies make for great little additions to hand made Valentines day cards ( I see maybe for a kids class), are great for breakfast because they are basically just like heart shaped pop tarts,%u00a0or even for an evening of bindge watching Netflix with a loved one or by yourself. It’s pie my friends. Eat it whenever, and with whomever you want.

Also, hearts are not just for Valentines Day. And pie sure the hell isn’t either. They both just happen to work for the occasion.%u00a0

The stuff. Basically just pie crust things. Flour, a little sugar, salt, coconut oil, and ice water. Then you need jam. Jam or perseveres of any flavor(s)%u00a0%u00a0you like. I used grape and rhubarb and %u00a0had raspberry here, but I didn’t use it because I didn’t want to open it.%u00a0

Make the crust. Flour gets mixed with the salt and sugar %u00a0and the the coconut oil gets cut in until it %u00a0looks all crumbly.

The water is added %u00a0in tablespoons until a shaggy from forms.

Dump the dough onto the counter to gather all together and rest for a bit. Or if you like, wrap in plastic and refrigerate %u00a0for up to a day or two.

After the dough got a good rest, roll it out and cut your hearts out. (Not your actual heart. Please and thank you)

Half of the hearts get a dollop of jam

Then each heart gets a top and crimped together with a fork. Poke a little hole into the tops to allow for steam to escape then all of the hearts get stuck into the fridge (or place on the back porch) to get nice and cold for a bit.

%u00a0After the chill, off they go into the hot oven to bake and be.

Look at these cuties. A little jam overflow, but all is good.%u00a0

I decided last minute that they needed a little something. Powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice. The easiest of glazes. You could do lemon, or vanilla, or almond, or even melt a little chocolate and drizzle that on. Next time I will do chocolate because because.%u00a0

Drizzle that glaze all over.%u00a0

There you have it. The cutest little hand pies ever .

Share if you like, or just eat them all. They are your hearts so do what you will.%u00a0

-C

makes 18 %u00a0three inch pies

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salr
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 8 tablespoons ice water
• 3/4 cup solid coconut oil
• about 1 1/4 cups of some sweet ass jam (any kind you have)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 lemon or lime%u00a0

Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. add coconut oil in large chunks then with a pastry cutter or a fork (I used a fork) cut the oil into the flour until the flour looks crumbly and there are lots of tiny little chunks of coconut oil throughout the mixture. Add in 5 of the tablespoons ice water, toss around, then add in another 3. Mix around until the dough starts to come together when squished. If it still seems too dry, add in a tablespoon or 2 more water. (I always end up using a little more in the winter months) You want the dough to just be able to come together. Dump dough onto counter and press and smoosh dough into a ball. Let dough sit for 1/2 hour or wrap in plastic and place in fridge and using within the next day or two.%u00a0

After the dough has had some time to sit, flour the counter and roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick. Take a cookie cutter ( I used a 3 inch at the widest part heart cookie cutter) and cut out the hearts (or whatever shape you want) Make sure you have 2 cutouts for each hand pie. After you have cut out as many as you can, gather dough into a ball and roll out again. Repeat until dough it gone.%u00a0

To assemble.

Place a tablespoon of jam into the middle of half of the cut out hearts . Gently place the remaining heart cut outs on top of those.%u00a0. Take a fork and press the edges together and then with the fork or a knife, pierce of cut a small slit into the tops to allow the steam to escape while baking. I did this directly on the baking sheet but found out after it was easier to do on the counter and then move it to the baking sheet. Do what ever it easier for you. Once they are all assembled and on the baking sheet,%u00a0refrigerate for 15 minutes.%u00a0

Preheat oven to 350

After the time in the fridge, remove and place directly into the hot oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bottoms are a nice %u00a0%u00a0golden brown. The tops will be slightly pale so check the bottoms.%u00a0

Remove and let cool on the baking sheet.%u00a0

While they are cooing, make the glaze. Zest the lime and juice the lime and combine with the sugar. If it is too runny, add a little more sugar, too dry, add in a splash of water. Once the pies are cooled,%u00a0drizzle each one with icing.

Now you have a bunch of cute little heart shaped hand pies and you should probably eat one (or a few)

And all of a sudden the world is green and it is mazing and magical. The best time of the year, when all the cool and wet weather pays off with sunshine and flowers and the greenest greens. No longer freezing and it is yet to be too freaking hot. Spring spring SPRING. It is not lost on me. I take it, I suck it up, I appreciate it all. Even the cray cray rain storms. What a time, what a time.

Last week we started off Sunday going to see some jumping fish. We packed our lunches, grabbed the camera, drove the 2 hours to the river and sat around watching and waiting. Sadly we saw no jumping fish. And that was that in case you were wondering. One of these years we will see it.

The rest of the week has been a little crazy. In between work and chores and life stuff, just about every day we have had anywhere between 2-4 littles. What for their parents needed a sitter or a ride here and there cause their car broke down. Or just some aunt and uncle hang time because who doesn%u2019t want to hang with us? So beside the mr finish off the trophies for the Lund Family Fund Raiser, me working the pug mill at the studio, or us trying to trade off the car in hopes that we both can get where we need to go in time for getting there. (Oh man the car thing, that is a whole other beast.) Yeah, it%u2019s been busy and hectic. On the bright side we have spent a lot of the time running around outside, drawing, and eating. A few little highlights. One of the nights So was feeling a little sick and Coco was feeling mean and wouldn’t let her nap on the couch so she ended up dragging a bunch of pillows into the pantry and falling asleep. It just made sense. Then there was Judah with his mad drawing skills drawing me pictures of vegetables (amazing) then farting with his armpits. And Miley, with her tude and phone. Getting her to hang out and just be sweet was nice. And Coco. That freaking little. Always happy, always eating, always causing trouble. Loves to run into the garden and jump all over the couch covered in peanut butter. (that is the baby, not me. ha) We found him a three wheeler. His legs might be too short but we will figure it out. It is gonna be a fun summer!

After the week long little marathon that ended with sticky littles eating pancakes (and being dangerously low on maple syrup), thrift store shopping (I scored the best new photo piece), and stopping in on my maybe future new bike(???), I came home and cleaned the crap out of everything. It never fails to amaze me how gross kids can be. The toilet alone, well, lets not go there.

Today, as it is Mothers Day and all, I am going to be a dutiful daughter and go see my Mama. Right now (at the wee early hour of 5 am, I%u2019m about to pop some bread and then a cake into the oven as offerings. We are going over around lunch so I%u2019m going make focaccia grilled cheeses (with the fresh bread) and hand over the blueberry cake that she loves. Then hopefully just spend a couple hours drinking lots of coffee and chilling on the porch.

Look at me, I am such a good daughter.

Links of interest on the internet.

–Yes, I’m In School for Nutrition. No, I Don’t Want to Hear About Your Diet. I feel this. Sometimes people feel like they need to tell me everything they eat, for approval or something. And I actually don%u2019t mind talking about what people eat. I’ll even make suggestions about foods that I like to eat or ways to prepare certain things but I stay away from telling people what not to eat%u2026 (people always assume I am going to tell them to not eat meat. I say, I do me. You do you.)

-I don%u2019t know how may times I have seen Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure. This should be good. PlusI totally have a thing for Keanu Reeves. Bill & Ted are embarking on a third excellent adventure next year

–How Weeds Help Fight Climate Change. Weeds are not the problem friends. The chemicals that people use to get rid of them are!

-If you are interested in VT State Parks, here its the list of all the parks opening days. Can%u2019t wait for CAMPING!!!

-Did you go through an Arizona iced tea phase? I had a very brief stint with the green tea%u2026 I can%u2019t even imagine drinking one now. The Dream of the %u201990s Is Alive in AriZona Iced Tea

–An Interview With A Man Who Eats Leftover Food From Strangers’ Plates In Restaurants. I think this is awesome and have much respect.

-A question the I didn%u2019t know I wanted answered until I read this article. Why do cats%u2014and so many other animals%u2014look like they%u2019re wearing socks?

-I get all sorts of feels when I see pandas. MY favorite favorite animal growing up. I carried a pink polka dotted panda around with me for years. SO many panda things. So this is fantastic and I hope to visit one day and hug me a panda (with pink polka dots) China%u2019s new panda park will be three times bigger than Yellowstone

–I have heard and seen some crazy fights in the past in places we have lived. A good few actually. It is never a comfortable thing but sadly, we got used to it. Listening to My Neighbors Fight

-Mothers Have Been Complaining About Mother%u2019s Day Breakfast in Bed for More than Half a Century. Why Does It Go On?. I am a strict, NO FOOD! in bed person. It just have zero desire to eat in bed so breakfast in bed sounds terrible to me. Plus I am awake at 430 every morning and I don%u2019t eat for a few hours after I wake up. It just wouldn%u2019t work.

And pictures from the week.

Hey hey hey! Happy Sunday. Hope you are finding yourself happy and relaxed and enjoying all the good things the world is giving us. Like coffee and green things. All the coffee, all the green things for sure.

Another week that came and left and now it%u2019s May. MAY! Can you even? The time, where does it all go? (an existential question for you) Our week (and time) started off with a chilly wet jaunt to a river. We were going to go out to the kingdom to watch the salmon jump out of the river but it was just to dang cold and rainy so we decided to hold off on it. But we did make our way to a river near by so the mr could officially toss in a fly line into some water. I guess fishing season started a week or two back but we have had so much rain that it has not been great for fishing, or being outside much for that matter. Anyway, he got a few casts in so he is happy.

Wet and raw weather wise was the way of the weather this week. We did have a few breaks of sun which lead to an impromptu afternoon hike just because the sun came out. It was fantastic, or started off that way. Up and down and around the woods to the very flooded lake. Half the way through the hike we ended up at a boardwalk that had a little water coverage, which was fine because someone placed nice big rocks to pass over. Or so I thought. A few steps in and the bridge gave away and into the lake I went. Just my feet and up my legs a bit, but yeah. I just stood there in shock for what seemed like minutes but eventually made my way to the other side of the bridge, drenched boots and all. The rest of the hike was soggy, but hey, I was outside and there was sun and I wasn%u2019t freezing cold so yeah. Could have been worse. It could have been the mr who went in and I really really would not want to have had to deal with him hiking back with drenched feet. Now if my hiking boats would dry out. That would be great.

Other then our little outdoor adventures, the week went the way the weeks does with work and all. The mr running around frantic, having doors, making room for giant ass wood slabs in the barn, wheeling and dealing.

Friday was all day studio work. Lots and lots of pugging clay. While I was at work the mr picked up littles (Miley, So, and Judah) and they all came to the studio to pick me up. It is always a great way to get people to listen and leave the studio when they are suppose to when a bunch of kids rush in and start demanding food. People, at least the clay people, are scared of hungry little kids. Ha. Off we all went, me covered head to tow in clay. Found out in the car that Judah was sick (so sad) so he went home and it turned into a girls night sleep over. Pizza, soup, and peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. We went walking/piggyback riding, the mr and Miley played with the new wood brander which included fire and hot metal. The mr took them to the store to pick out ice cream while I tried to clean myself up, they came back ,ate lots of ice cream, then showered and brushed hair without arguments. They picked out movies without fighting (movies about ballerinas and singing animals) and happily curled up together on the floor. Me being me with no attention span or energy left skipped the movies and went to bed. When I went to wake them up the next morning, I found out that they had woke up (or never went to sleep) in the middle of the night to draw and do yoga? Yeah, I don%u2019t exactly know what went on. What I do know is my yoga mat was upstairs and I remember waking up in the middle of the night to sounds of the wall being kicked a bunch, and there were drawings of crazy things and colored pencils everywhere that were not there when I left them the night before. Hey, if that is what they want to do in the middle of the night, more power to them.

After pancakes and cartoons, the ladies and the mr spent the morning going through a million awesome shells. I guess someone had massive shell collection and gave it over to the mr. Neither of us are really shell people, I mean a few cool ones, but this collection was INSANE. SO we gave them all to the littles. And gave the littles a boxes to bring home to their siblings. They can have all the shells, we are good here.

We dropped girls off, ran around doing errands, then came home and I putz in the yard before going about cleaning the house. Lots of dirt and mud and sticky shit on everything. I just don%u2019t know where it comes from. Well I do actually. And it%u2019s mostly not me so yeah.

Today the mr and I actually are heading out to the kingdom. We need to see some fish jump. A few hours back and forth will give me time for some open window car rid air and reading if it doesn%u2019t make me puke. Picnic lunch by the river and afternoon road coffee. Hopefully we get home in time for me to spend at least a good few hours in the garden to ooh and awe at the stuff that is starting to pop out of the ground and maybe figure out if it%u2019s a perennial I planted or just a weed. Good thing I like weeds too or else I would be terribly disappointed a lot of the time.

Have a few extra minutes? Take a look at some interesting internet from the week.

–The Obamas Are Making a Kids%u2019 Food Show on Netflix. Oh HELL YEAH! And I am not a kid but I am gonna watch it.

-What a great business/environmentally awesome/ logical/ just plain right idea. Toronto Restaurant Fights Waste By Chopping Menu Prices Till Food Is Gone

-Some serious boldness. Bold Line Drawings Layered on Top of Deconstructed Images of Fruit, Flowers, and Animals in Tattoos by Mattia Mambo.

–Rise of the Lady Backpack. Purse. Please. Back packs are the best, but to be honest, I mostly stick to nothing, just my wallet and keys in a pocket. Back pack for biking and hiking and a tote bag for the groceries, the library, or the occasional kitting project. Simple.

-I struggle hard with my OCD cleaning. I sometime wish I had the ability to let things be mess, but then again%u2026. The Unbridled Joy of (Occasionally) Letting Your Room Get Really, Really Messy

–What Comes After a Rut? Take the good with the bad and all the craziness that is the ebb and flow of life.

– Why the Kentucky Derby is a 145-year-old celebration of hats. Now imagine if people went around wearing those hats all the time. The world would be a better place.

-Maine, you so smart. Maine just banned Styrofoam food containers

–How to be assertive without being called a bitch. Why are women always considered bitches? Well I am anyway%u2026.

-I love this and only wish I was ablate %u201cGramp%u201d when my grandparents were alive. ‘Gramping’ Is the Latest Travel Trend Grandparents Need to Know About

And some pictures from the week.

I am so happy for spring. It is my favorite season for sure. All the new, green things popping form the ground.. Warmer but not hot days, rain and sun then rain and more sun. No more winter jackets but sweaters are still good. People are in good moods. Flowers are coming out of the ground. The world is just a delight.

The week started off with a bang. I turned all of the garden beds over and did a great big yard rake and cleaning so things are looking pretty good back there right now. I repotted my tomatoes and peppers and started a bunch of greens and peas which makes me feel awesome. I think this might be the first year that I am actually on top of the planting season like I want to be. Yeh me. I also busted out the bike and went for the first ride of the year. Sure it was only a few blocks, but it was still fantastic. Now what I really need to do is give the old gal a tune up cause the chain was grinding and the tires need air and maybe new brakes? Not sure but I need to get to it, like asap because I plan on making the bike my means of transportation for the summer.

aside from all the that stuff, we also did some work, the mr did even more work (he is always working). I finished up a couple clay projects that have been lingering for a while. We went for lots of walks without jackets and I wore sandals all week. We managed a good stop by to see the littles and bring them carrot cookies. They ate all the cookies (2 dozen), beat the shit out of the mr, and managed to clean while they were doing it. We were impressed to say the least. The mr was sore from getting wacked a bunch.

Then Wednesday was Seans birthday. Would have been 30 years old%u2026Whoa. The family, friends, all of Seans friends went to the basketball court for a little pick up basketball game to celebrate and be together. It was fun, and sad, and good to see all the boys, but sad, but good. Never going get used to it. You know what I mean? Life.

Rest of the week came and went with the usual plus lots of rain and gray, but again, I was all about it because it is spring. worked at the studio on Friday where I moved all the clay in the world, got stabbed so hard by a stray pointy tool that was in slop bucket and got blood everywhere. I also managed to get so much clay in my hair and was overly praised for my height by all the studio ladies. They really appreciate my abilities at grabbing things on high shelves.

And the weekend. Yesterday we woke and basically ran out of the house to moms to borrow her truck (still haven%u2019t found a car to buy). We then drove the truck up to the greater north of Vermont and picked up all the cedar wood we need for the porch. Loaded up, drove back to the porch and unloaded all the wood. I came home for a few hours of power cleaning while the mr ran around all over some more and then back to moms for dinner. (Mom made ham, I brought my own dinner) We ate, Mom brushed my hair and then Barb breaded it which I love love and will never be able to do myself. I raided moms books (found nothing I haven%u2019t read already), searched for a missing bowl, made fun of the boys. Then I came home just in time to passed out.

Today, well today is Easter so after the gym and a few Sunday errands I need to do this morning, we are going to be doing a little easter lunch thing and an egg hunt for the littles at moms with the fam. After that I am coming home and continuing my quest for perfection in the yard, maybe tinker with the bike a bit, take a nap, read, drink all the coffee.. Looking at some sunshine and 70 degrees for the afternoon.. It%u2019s going to be a fine fine day.

And I still have not washed my hair so I need to do that. Most of the clay dried and fell out, but there still is some left%u2026.SO yeah, I need to do that today. I really hate washing my hair.

Internet links to check out.

–Fireflies Will Soon Light Up the Skies In Mesmerizing Harmony %u2014 Here’s How to See Them. I love me some fireflies, how cool would it be to see this.

– The Single Most Useful Snacking Rule I Give My Kid. I don%u2019t have my own kids, but when I have other peoples, I go by a rule like this too except my rule is you can eat veggies any time all the time.

-Want to grow your own avocado tree, here is how. Good luck.

–THE VINTAGE ROMANTIC BATH.. All the clawfoot tubs. Can%u2019t go wrong

-I am so ready. The first official %u201cStranger Things%u201d Season 3 trailer

–4 Natural Ways To Fertilize Houseplants. Now is a good time to fertilize!

-Hate the dentist? Read this and you will only hate it that much more. The Truth About Dentistry

-If ever I was to live on a house boat, this boat would be the one. And the floors in this place%u2026 swoon!

–How One Woman’s ‘Magically Delicious’ Pot Brownies Changed%u00a0History. Brownie Mary, what a lady.

-What the freaking f@ck? I am pretty sure I don%u2019t like where this could go. Neuroscientists just brought pig brain cells back to life.

Some pictures from the week

We are having the worst mud/pothole season ever. I don%u2019t know how many times I think I have blown out the tire on the car or have gotten just about stuck on a dirt road. Picking up farm share this week my car almost sank into the mud. Like it was literally about to be swallowed up into the earth. All the good fun of living here in Vermont. Gosh I am such a Vermonter. First thing I have to say is about potholes and weather. But that is life here isn%u2019t it.

The week has been more or less productive. We both have been busy this week and have been trying to plow through projects (taxes me and the mr with the porch). Blah. Doesn%u2019t that just sound annoying. Doing the taxes. I gave myself until the end of the month a few weeks ago and then last week I gave myself the entire week, made no plans for anything or anyone, to get them done. That didn%u2019t really happen because well I started a weaving project and maybe have a tendency to read a little too much when I am procrastinating (I started reading 4 different books%u2026) and can%u2019t forget about the garden planning that needed to be done. So now I am giving myself the rest of next week to finish because those things are not going do themselves and the deadline is looming. Yeah. Besides half assing tax stuff, reading and weaving, I worked at the studio, took some nice long walks, packed away most of the winter stuff and stock piled cabbage. 20 heads because it was on sale. 20 heads might seem like a lot but it will be gone within the next 2 weeks and I will be sad and wished I bought 20 more heads. Hey, don%u2019t judge me. The mr, when not working on porch or other apartment related stuff, has spent a good chunk of his free time carving away at spoons which means I have also been spending a good amount of time vacuuming up wood chips all over the house. Who has time for taxes?

Yesterday was the perfect example of Vermont. I woke up and there was like 6 inches of fresh snow. Cold, windy, just not looking like much of anything I wanted to deal with. But then all of a sudden around late morning, after doing all of our chores (recycling center, stores, compost, tenant stuff) we came home, the sun came out, the temperatures rose, and the snow started melting fast and furious. It was a completely different, so very pleasant and lovely day. We got to enjoy a nice long walk, pull the kitchen island out onto the front porch so the mr could give the top a good sanding, and we even got to eat dinner out on the porch! It was oh so nice. And to top it all off, I didn%u2019t even crawl into bed before 7pm. I was awake when it got dark out which is like whoa. Spring. It is a happening here. Finally.

Today the mr and I are hoping to take a nice stroll down the bike path, maybe get good cup of coffee, stop in and see the little and maybe even pop in on Barb. I miss my people. And then back to the stuff I really don%u2019t want to think about. Taxes. This is it. I am going myself the rest of the week and that%u2019s that. So I will probably open my computer, get out the calculator, and then start reading a book again%u2026.. Oh boy am I in trouble.

Reads from the internet to read. If you want.

-I have been having the weirdest dreams ever. Just last night I dreamed that I was eating soup made of tiny staplers. What the F? Bad Dreams Are Good. Your night life prepares you for what%u2019s to come

-Watch what you eat friends. Kale Is One of the Dirtiest Vegetables, According to the EWG’s 2019 “Dirty Dozen” List

–This little cabin should be mine.

-Misophonia: When Life’s Noises Drive You Mad. Oh how can I relate to this. Sometime a certain sound makes me want to smash my head against a wall.

-%u00a0I Love Pink Tiled Bathrooms. Maybe in the next house.

–The Stigma of Choosing Trade School Over College. I often times wish I went to trade school instead of college.

-Cool ass paper DINOSAURS and check out these Under-Cats.

–MUSIC JAR. Such a great idea. I think I am going to start one for the littles.

-I think I should have a seed vault and all the pretty x rays. The mr just said I should start digging in the backyard%u2026.These x-rays of seeds turn biology into art

-What Makes People Heed A Weather Warning %u2014 Or Not?. Living in Vermont we get weather warning (mostly for snow) all the time and it is defiantly interesting to hear and see the people who listen and don%u2019t. Needless to say there are a lot of cars sliding off the road.

And some pictures from the week.

We got the little spring teaser. 2 beautiful days, high 50%u2019s, a bit of sunshine. Most of the snow and ice melted and little green shoots appeared underneath all that snow. I even opened all the windows and left the front door open to air out the house. It was amazing. And the sun. When it is out, it is out and feels so so nice. ( I am definitely vitamin D deficient). But again. It was a tease. Back to it being not so warm and a little more snow ( it snowed last night). Aye Yai Yai!! Just be spring already!

Week was and now its over minus that hour we lost which actually kind of kicked my ass. The beginning of the week, rolling out af bed at 4:30 to get to the gym, well my body didn%u2019t like it much and gosh was I tired and dragging ass. But I am all adjusted now and everything is good. And we have more light at night which is nice I guess. I don%u2019t mind reading in bed with natural light. HA.

There were a few good walks, one down by the lake, another with Megan down to the river. (We are all trying and needing to stay off of hiking trails for a little while because they are either covered in ice or mud and we don%u2019t want to trash them) The mr spent a good amount of time ripping up a porch and doing porch things all the while being on rat duty for friends of ours. Barb was suppose to come over for lunch and a hike of some sort be she kept ditching me with oversleeping. I have been plugging away, ever so slowly and because they are taking over my life, at taxes. Barf. I did manage to start tomatoes and pepper seeds, have the littles over for dinner and popsicles, worked at the studio, contemplated renting and driving a bulldozer %u2026 Nothng big or grand. Not yet anyway.

Today, after the gym and doing a few little chores, we are going to pack a lunch and head out of town. I%u2019ll grab the binoculars and maybe we can find a good place to do a little bird watching. That is how the day is feeling. Slow and lovely and full of birds. They are coming back, I can hear them more and more, bringing with them the spring.

Links from the week to browse at your leisure.

–Why Southeast Asia Is Flooded With Trash From America And Other Wealthy Nations. And now we are all going to feel the affects because they don%u2019t want to buy our recycling anymore. How to actually recycle

–Did Cooking Really Give Us The F-Word? The science of language and how it has evolved

-It%u2019s not fancy but this is the Sweater of my dreams.

–The One Thing I Hate About Being a Wellness Influencer. You are allowed o eat, even things that are not considered healthy. Stop being haters.

-One at a time. Nobody Blows Out Birthday Candles Like Mitt Romney. I actually kind of love it. Next time I need to blow out candles%u2026%u2026

–The Pineapple Hack That%u2019s Taking Over the Internet Right%u00a0Now

-Shall I get myself a cottage like this one in Scotland too? I think so.

–A Popular Benefit of Houseplants Is a Myth. But I don%u2019t care, they improve life.

-Welcome to Vermont. Goat starts term as town’s pet mayor. And did you hear. Bill would place Vermont on year-round daylight saving time

-All the lovely chairs. THE TIMELESS BEAUTY OF BENTWOOD.

And some pictures from the week

Ok, I think I hit that wall. The wall that all of a sudden I am over it. I am ready for spring, like hella ready. I think what broke was the day I didn’t need my coat outside or to wear socks in the house. I just realized how sick of wearing a coat every time I leave the house. And the day I was walking around the house barefoot without socks. Let me tell you, my feet couldn%u2019t have been any happier. And then it got cold again and I am now, well, now I am done. Bring on Spring! (summer can wait, still not ready for that)

As for the week, it was up and down. It started off all good and well. Had a sister dinner at my moms house, we%u2019re getting ready to leave for the week to go see my Dad and Grandmother, but before we got a chance to go, Grammy passed away. Sucky sucky suck. We knew it was going to happen, the old broad was 98 for pets sake, but still. We just thought we were going to be able to get down there and see her before it did. So yeah it%u2019s been kind of a sad week. And because she passed we are waiting til next week to leave now because of funeral and all the jazz.

The rest of the went kind of unscripted and strange. We were all feeling sad and bummed. Also we didn%u2019t have a lot planned because we thought we were leaving, but we also had (have) a lot to do so we tried to get some stuff done. We did take some time to go see green stuff at the garden center, walk in some woods, and hang with the littles. But towards the weekend, we both started to feel like garbage. The mr especially. He was ok and then he was not. The littles slept over Friday night and after we got rid of them Saturday, he crashed and spent the rest of the day pretty much immobile and I still felt like trash. So basically I cleaned house, he slept on the couch, we ate some dinner, we walked around the block before the sun went down, came home and crawled into bed. We watched Waynes World because sheyeah, right, and fell right to sleep. Nothing but boring old us to make your life seem exciting right? Haha.

Today so far I am feeling ok. As for the mr, he hasn%u2019t woken as of yet (I am sure that he has since awaken while some of you are reading this) so I am not sure about him. I am hoping for a full recovery on his part and we can spend some of today doing that shit that we needed to do yesterday, like the chores, but maybe even a little hike or a little walk down by the lake. I need outdoors to wash the yesterday off me.

Links to stuff from the internet that don%u2019t suck.

–Recipe Introductions Matter. Here’s%u00a0Why. If you don%u2019t want to read what I write, well then don%u2019t.

-History and study about the neighborhood where I grew up. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT

-You know what pisses me off? Going to the store and seeing that they are out of celery because it is now what everyone wants to drink. I just wanted to eat it. Is that allowed abymore> Actually, You Can Just Drink Some Water

-This is a thing and it is awesome. A New Book Explores the Wide Range of Charming Homemade Cat Ladders in Switzerland

-I love this TREE HOUSE

-30, no 60 (one for me, one for the mr) outfits that I need to make. AMAZING! HAHA 30 Laughable His-And-Hers Fashions From The 1970s You Wouldn%u2019t Wear In Public Today

-The mr and I were just talking about making artificial coffee for when the world goes to hell and we can not longer grow the bean. Someone also had the somewhat same idea. Atomo: We hacked the coffee bean – invented molecular coffee

–You Can Now Book a%u00a0Golden Girls Cruise, Complete with Cheesecake, Bingo and More!. A cruise I would take, just as long as I could still go to bed at 7pm. HA

-Poptarts? I guess so. In London, The American Food Aisle Is Filled With Nostalgia And Preservatives

-The dream. Sometimes. I bought a house%u2014and then moved into a van

And some pictures of the week.

Winter storm for the win! I am so excited for snow although not quite so excited that it is going to be like -20 for the next two days, but what are you gonna do? I know what I am gonna do, once it is not so cold, I am going go play outside! Until then, I am pretty ok with hunkering down and reading for a day or two. And I can still go for walks and stuff. It%u2019s not THAT cold (well though it kind of is).

We had a pretty full week. We did the drive down to Rhode Island. Spent some time with dear Pamela and David. When we got there,Pam made made us lentil soup (itt was fantastic.) and we got to work going through piles and piles of fishing stuff. By the end we had a car packed to the brim of a million flys and poles and all sorts of stuff that I have no clue about. The mr was in heaven and then I was forced to watch football. Haha, I know right. It was an experience for sure, one that I will probably never have again (if I can help it.)) And before we left we set some art on fire (it needed to be done) said our goodbyes then drove on back. A sore body, cramped neck, and fishing poles catching in my hair%u2026. It wasn’t;t the coziest of drive.

And then the rest of the week happened. Qui and Adrianna came for dinner and cookies, the mr and I visited Barb in her dorm and brought her cookies, the littles were over for a few nights and they ate the rest of the cookies. It was a cookie kind of week. We also did some work, the mr mudded and painted the basement stairwell, I reorganized the closets, nothing major, nothing magical. Then little Coco got sick again and is in the hospital so we had the older littles for a few days which is always a good time. We studied science things with Miley before her test, played lots of games of checkers with Judah, and did a lot of drawing as usually. And they didn%u2019t give me shit when I woke them up at 6:30 to get ready for school. That was a great big win. Then Friday night So came over too and all of use went to the hill for some crazy sledding. Whoa, I haven%u2019t been sledding in a while and it was intense. The hill was prime and ready and the kids were flying down. Fearless littles they are. Me, I was scared as shit. The mr, well he was cruisin down with the kids just the same. It was awesome. Then we all went home and tossed all of our wet things all over the house. I made them hot chocolate and popcorn and let them watch movies for the rest of the night. I read and went to bed.

Yesterday we all woke up for pancakes and hupala, a bit of this, a bit of that. Dropped the littles off at their friends house for the day, and I came home, passed out for 10 minutes and then cleaned. And that was that.

So it is really really cold out. We were suppose to go cross country skiing today but that%u2019s not gonna happen so we will probably just go visit Coco, bring Barb her new coffee maker, and maybe hang out at the library for a few hours. If the weather clears out tonight, I am going go to bed a little early (like 7:30) so I can wake up at 11 to see some of the lunar eclipse! And if the weather doesn%u2019t clear out for that, well early bed still sounds like a plan to me.

Internet I found of interest.

–This is happening tonight! Set your alarm clock (if you know you cannot stay awake that long. I will for sure be in bed already) Heads-Up For Sunday, A Super ‘Blood Moon’ Is On The Way

-t has been pretty freaking cold out these past fe day. So Do wild animals hate being cold in winter? And the dog boots are not just for fashionable reasons.

-CBD is everywhere. The super-popular cannabis compound, explained.

-Have you heard of The Planetary Health Diet? It involves eating a lot less meat. Better for you and better for the planet.

-I saw this girl doing her routine on the news. Holy Shit. AMAZING! The UCLA Gymnast Whose Floor Routine Went Viral Was Once Shamed For Her Curves

-We ARE going to going to get a wood stove in time for next winter and are trying to do it as green as possible. This is all good stuff to know. What Are The Pros And Cons Of Heating With Wood?

And now for some pictures from the week.

What a world wind of the first week of the year. I feel like nothing has happened and everything is happening all at once. With all the holidays birthdays and family gatherings, happy and sad ones%u2026 it has been a lot to take in. I am in serious need of some time hiding away, not that I don%u2019t love everyone and have had loved being around them, its just been a lot and I can only hold it down for so long. You feel me?

We started the week with Judah Birthday (Happy birthday Judah!!!). I made an ice cream cake and the mr slept on the couch for half the day until it was party time. Poor guy, he has got such a heavy sinus infection so he has been feeling like shit all week long. Some days worse then others, and he has been trying to push through but this infection had really taken hold. I have been pushing all my concoctions and tinctures and good stuff into him and I think we are started to see some of the better feeling mr.

New Years was low key as can be. We went for a little drive, a little hike, and that was it. I stayed awake until 9 then passed out which is exactly my kind of night. New Years day was much of the same, went for a long walk to the river, hung around the house trying to get the mr better. and was just so exciting because I got to start a whole new calendar and binder system. Fresh paper, a nice new pen, and not a cluster fuck of a bunch of bills and papers yet. It was like the excitement of shopping for new school supplies. It really made me happy.

After A calm New Years, it was back to the grind. Working and doing the life thing. The littles over a few times for games of Sorry, and trying to french braid Judah%u2019s hair. Sophia came over for a day and helped me repot some plants, spun around in circles on the kitchen floor for like an hour, and hit Barb right in the face with a snow ball. I finally took the tree down and packed up most of the Christmas decorations, deep cleaned the pantry, and made the phone calls I have been dreading making for the past few weeks. Get it done, got it done.

Yesterday was another long ass day. We grabbed our nice shoes (are hiking boots nice shoes?) and climbed back into the car for the 4 hour drive to Rhode Island for Seths Memorial. 150 plus people packed inside his and Pamula%u2019s loft to listen and honor this amazing person. And I must say, it was sad, but so good. So much love and sharing. Music and food and family. Hearing the stories and the way he impacted so many lives, it really was just such a lovely night and really gave me a bit of happiness from such a shitty situation. After hanging at the loft and spending as much time as I could around all the people, the mr and I jumped back into the car and drove on home. By the time we got home, we were pretty trashed. Walked in the door and crashed. That was only just a few hours ago.

And yet I am still awake. I don%u2019t even know how Im still woke up at 4:30 this morning. My brain knows no other way I guess. For the rest of the day, after my 4-6 cups of coffee (I will drink all the coffee and then some today) I am heading to work at the studio for a while, going to do some gym, maybe hit the library, then I need to go grocery shopping because farm share was canceled this week and now I am running dangerously low on food. After that I will probably come home and crash. Yeah, and then off to a fresh week of more family and birthdays and work stuff, but hopefully this week the mr will not be sick, I will catch a little more sleep, and the snow storm that we are suppose to get will actually be and we get 2 feet of snow. That would be just so nice.

Internet from the internet.

-Top sky-watching events coming in 2019. Super blood moon eclipse is my birthday!

-Me. Why Am I Always Cold? I started eating more cooked food a few years back because I would be freezing after I ate.

-Bread inspiration for sure. LEOPARD BREAD

–The 100 Best Pens, As Tested by Strategist Editors. I love pens, really good pens. I draw with then so I have my own little box of special pens that no one is allowed to use besides me.

-We are aassholes. We’ve wasted so much plastic, it’s almost impossible to picture%u2014these charts will help

–When Too Cute Is Too Much, The Brain Can Get Aggressive. Yes, Have threatened to %u201csmoosh%u201d or %u201cpop%u201d a baby or puppies head off. What I find really works is when the feeling strikes, punch the mom, it helps.

–I Keep My Holiday Lights Up All Year Long%u2014Here’s Why You Should, Too. I love my lights, they make me happy.

–Dog influencers are so popular, they need their own talent agency. Hope this dogs are getting a cut of the pay to go towards all the best

-When someone tells me a fact that I might not believe I ask were they got the info from. If they say the internet, I assume there is a 50/50 chance that is is wrong. How Much of the Internet Is Fake? Turns Out, a Lot of It, Actually.

–What Foods Are Banned in Europe but Not Banned in the U.S.? Seems like these food should also be banned in the stare too.. Hum.

Who doesn’t like a good bun, right?  And just because this is where my mind wonders, peachy sweet buns. Doesn’t that sound like a pick up line or something you say to your significant other. Like, “Oh hey peachy sweet buns, you are looking good. Woo hoo”…….. Anyway, this is not about anyones peachy sweet buns, it it about actually sweet buns so u-hum, yeah. 

I am not trying to float my own boat here, but I am really really good at making buns, and you know what, I bet that you are too. They may seem a little intimidating, but really, it’s quite easy. I think what throws some people off is the yeasted dough and having to knead and waiting for the dough to rise, but don’t let that stop you from sweet sweet buns. They are no harder to make then a boxed cake (maybe a little harder) and the results are by far more amazing and delightful (we don’t use the word delightful enough around here) then any old box or pre-made thing will ever be. Ever. Freshly made buns are what is right in this world.

If you are awesome and decide to make buns like any good person with a baking itch or a need for some sweet bun goodness does, make them peachy because its peach season and how can a peach bun not be that much more amazing?  Just think. Soft sweet dough, jammy cinnamon peaches, covered in a sweet lemony glaze……

Go on now, go and get yourself some peachy sweet buns.

The stuff. Flour and salt in the bowl, melted earth balance, brown sugar, yeast, warm soy milk, cane sugar, cinnamon, powdered sugar, a couple of lemons, and af course, peaches.

Warm (not hot) soy milk, yeast, cane sugar, an melted (but again, not hot) earth balance go into a big bowl and get whisked around. Then add in the flour and salt ans mix around until you just can’t.

Time to knead. Dump the dough ad all the little bits onto a flour surface. Gather it all together and knead away, for about 5-8 minutes, or until the dough looks like….

This. Nice and soft and glossy.  Lightly grease the bowl ans stick the dough back into it, covered with a towel, and set for about 1 hour to rise and double in size. 

As soon as the dough is set ti rise, start on your peach filling. Chop up enough peaches that you have about 2 1/2 cups of chunks.

Brown sugar and peach chunks go into a pot and stuck on a medium heat until they start to bubble then set to a low simmer for about 20 minutes or until the peaches all break apart and reduce by half.

Add in the cinnamon and stir.. Peachy goodness. Now quick and stick that shit in the fridge or freezer to cool down.

BOOM. Dough did what it’s job and doubled. Time o make the buns. 

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll our into a rectangle of sorts that is about 1/2 an inch thick 

Cover the surface with all the peachy jammy goodness, and sprinkle on the remaining finely chopped peaches.

And roll, as tightly as you can, without squeezing all the filling out. I roll towards me, but roll away from you if it is easier.  It might get a little sloppy… it’s ok, just lick your fingers and keep going. 

Rolled and cut into 12 pieces.

Place the rolls carefully onto a grease and parchment lined baking 9×13 baking dish. In my picture I used a baking pan, which was not what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t thinking properly and so that’s what I did. Something with sides is preferable, but the baking pan did the job so really, your call. 

When you place the buns in the dish, place them toughen a bit, it helps then bake up high instead of out.  And any remaining go on jam that spilled out can get scraped right on top of the buns, if you didn’t already eat it.

Now into the preheated oven these  babies go.

Look at those beauts. And they smell. A-MAZ-ING!! 

Right away get that glaze made. Powdered sugar, lemon zest, ans lemon juice. Super easy, just add the zest and juice to sugar and mix until smooth and glaze. 

Pour glaze over warm buns. Make sure to hit them all or someone is going to be pissed they didn’t get enough glaze….. 

Then it’s really just up to you whether you wait for coffee or tea or not, but really, just eat right away. There should be very little time between newly glazed buns and a bun in your face.

Enjoy the peaches!

-C

Makes 12 Buns

• For the Dough 
  • 3 1/2 cups all purposes flour
  • 1/4  cup cane sugar
  • 1 cup warm soy milk
  • 2 teaspoon or 1 packet yeast
  • 4 tablespoons melted vegan butter 
  • 1 teaspoon salt
• For the Filling 
  • 3-4 good sized ripe peaches (about 3 cups chopped peaches)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • Juice of half a lemon
• For the Glaze
  • 1 lemons
  • 1 1/2 cup powered sugar

In a large bowl mix together the yeast, warm (not hot) soy milk, sugar, and melted but cooled butter. Now add in  the salt and the flour. Mix until it’s too hard to mix then dump it all onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 7-10 minutes until the dough is  soft, elastic-y, and smooth. Place dough back into a clean lightly greased bowl and drape with a damp towel. Let dough rise for about 1 to 1.5 hours or until it has doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, chop the peaches up until you have about 3 cups. Place 2 1/2 cups of the  peaches into a medium sized pot with the brown sugar and lemon juice and stick on medium heat. Set the rest aside. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring and mashing with a wooden spoon every few minutes, until mixture has become thick and reduced by about 1/2. Remove from heat, stir in cinnamon,  and place in fridge to cool. 

Once thee dough has doubled, dump onto a flour surface and roll our into a retacnge that is about 1/2 inch thick  Grab your peach mixture and spread the mixture evenly over the dough. Evenly distribute  the remaining chopped peaches over jam.  And then it’s the to roll.

Start from the long side and start to roll toward the other end, keeping it as tight as possible without squeezing out all the filling.  Once rolled, slice into 12 even sized buns.

Place on a lightly greased and parchment lined 9×13 inch baking sheet or pan and let rest and rest for another20 minutes or so. OR if you want to wait to bake them off, cover them with plastic and set into the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, remove from fridge and let the buns set on counter to come to room temperature before baking. 

Preheat oven to 350.

Place rolls into oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until all the buns have gotten a nice golden brown on top, and if you want to take the internal temp, that the temp has reached 190. 

Once the buns are done  baking, mix together the zest and juice of the lemon and powdered sugar. If the glaze seems to thick, add more juice or water, to think, add more sugar. Pour glaze all over warm (but not hot) buns.

And now all you need to do is serve up those buns right away, nice and warned.

Any left overs should be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days but should definitely be warmed up in the microwave for a minute or two before serving. They also freeze well too. 

Sometime you look back at a week and think, blah, or whatever, or that sucked. This week I look back and smile. It was a good week. Nothing to special, just springy and warm. I got to hang out with my peoples, see the world turn green and lush, and I didn’t stress too much about anything because what is the point? Plus I bought a single pink carnation at the grocery store at the beginning of the week for the mr. and every time I see it, I smile a little. Sometimes just a little something something is all we need.

So yeah, the week was good. There was the normal stuff of work and what not but also a fair amount of not work stuff. I saw my moms for Mothers day and brought her food. The mr and I went for some long walks that did not involve any outdoor clothing (just normal indoor clothing) We hung out with the littles for a good afternoon of tree house chilling, baby running, three wheeling, and all sorts of other fun. Miley was super pumped to show off her new shoes that are partially gold. She was obsessed and needed to wash them off at the end of the day. Those were the days,when you cared about your shoes? (I am assuming you don%u2019t now , like me, but maybe you do.) Also Barb finally come back to me (school is over so she has time again) me and I feed her soup. Megan also came over for a soup lunch and a walk because that is what we do. (We are a family of eaters and walkers.) I worked on some clay rainbows, planted some more plants, and cleaned under my fingernails. The one big thing that I tried to accomplish and haven%u2019t yet managed is the bike thing. I have been shopping for a new bike and it is so so so HARD! I am not good at buying anything in general, especially when it is for me, and not food, and costs more than 5 bucks. But not just that, it%u2019s that there are so so so many bikes to choose form. I am all like , YIKES! And so I did myself a favor and just gave myself another week to ponder and look and decide. The right bike will present itself when it is suppose to, or when I finally break down and just buy this one.

Yesterday was a good solid day of getting shit done. I got the winter tires changed to summer (thanks Justin!) and hung with Alex while it was happening. We talked music and cassette tapes and how music is everything. Then I went home to the yard and all the massive piles of leaves, dead tree(so sad) and over all lawn degree and the mr and I got it all into the truck to send off to compost land. After hitting the transfer station to offload we made a really quickly stop over to see Anthony getting ready for his prom%u2026.Oh my shit. The kid is like not a kid anymore and was wearing a tux and looking all old and what not. The shinny ass shoes alone were too much for me. (more shoes that need cleaning). How is it possible that I have a sister that is old enough to have a kid that is old enough to be going prom? OH, because I am getting old. That is how. Ha.

And after that, it was back home to finish cleaning and eat dinner and water the garden and feel exhausted but accomplished. I don%u2019t mind being super tired, just as long as I have something to show for it (The yard looks A+ so I am happy)

I think today mainly going to be a work day. The mr has a project that he is in the middle of so he is going to be doing that all day and I have a few things I need to get done and then a ton of other things that need doing as well. Don%u2019t worry, I will be spending some of that time outside with the green things in the dirt, making sure I have sun screen on, listening to some good tunes and drinking coffee like it is going out of style.

The ways of the internet this week.

– The news of abortions and women reproductives rights has been front and center this week. The lengths women have to go to to do what is right for themselves is shameful at best, but basically pretty fucking grotesque. These are the people that are trying to help. The Secret Baby Catchers of Alabama.

–Report: U.S. Navy Cracks Case Of Majestic Sky Dick. Phew. Now we know who to hire for our own sky dick.

-Can%u2019t wait for that new pool to be build around the corner%u2026NOT. And really, didn’t we all know this already? Your Neighborhood Pool Is Full of Unshowered Pee-ers

-A lot of breakfast food in America is basically junk food if you really think about it. Muffins (really cupcakes), pancakes (really cake covered in maple sugar), Pop tarts (pie) yogurt (almost ice cream)%u2026 Its all just desert with a different name. I Broke Breakfast. Americans eat a narrower variety of foods for breakfast than anyone else.%u00a0

-Imagine the magic.. I get feels just thinking about this place. A Fleeting Dandelion Wish Processing Facility Appears For Two Days Outside of Los Angeles

–ECLECTIC DINING STYLE.. I want all the tables and chairs. Just where to put them%u2026%u2026????

-After reading the list, I feel pretty dang awesome cause I clean all that shit! Cleaning Supplies Might be Spreading Dirt Around Here%u2019s How to Clean Them This Weekend

–How Did Chickpea Flour, A Staple Of Indian Cuisine, Become A Health Food Sensation? Because it is amazing. See recipe for Socca.

–Have you tried plogging, the Instagram trend that might be the sustainable sport of the future?. Even if it%u2019s trendy and a way to be cool, well it is pretty cool and great and I am all for it.

–Can %u201cIndie%u201d Social Media Save Us? Something needs too.

Pictures from the week.

We are having the worst mud/pothole season ever. I don%u2019t know how many times I think I have blown out the tire on the car or have gotten just about stuck on a dirt road. Picking up farm share this week my car almost sank into the mud. Like it was literally about to be swallowed up into the earth. All the good fun of living here in Vermont. Gosh I am such a Vermonter. First thing I have to say is about potholes and weather. But that is life here isn%u2019t it.

The week has been more or less productive. We both have been busy this week and have been trying to plow through projects (taxes me and the mr with the porch). Blah. Doesn%u2019t that just sound annoying. Doing the taxes. I gave myself until the end of the month a few weeks ago and then last week I gave myself the entire week, made no plans for anything or anyone, to get them done. That didn%u2019t really happen because well I started a weaving project and maybe have a tendency to read a little too much when I am procrastinating (I started reading 4 different books%u2026) and can%u2019t forget about the garden planning that needed to be done. So now I am giving myself the rest of next week to finish because those things are not going do themselves and the deadline is looming. Yeah. Besides half assing tax stuff, reading and weaving, I worked at the studio, took some nice long walks, packed away most of the winter stuff and stock piled cabbage. 20 heads because it was on sale. 20 heads might seem like a lot but it will be gone within the next 2 weeks and I will be sad and wished I bought 20 more heads. Hey, don%u2019t judge me. The mr, when not working on porch or other apartment related stuff, has spent a good chunk of his free time carving away at spoons which means I have also been spending a good amount of time vacuuming up wood chips all over the house. Who has time for taxes?

Yesterday was the perfect example of Vermont. I woke up and there was like 6 inches of fresh snow. Cold, windy, just not looking like much of anything I wanted to deal with. But then all of a sudden around late morning, after doing all of our chores (recycling center, stores, compost, tenant stuff) we came home, the sun came out, the temperatures rose, and the snow started melting fast and furious. It was a completely different, so very pleasant and lovely day. We got to enjoy a nice long walk, pull the kitchen island out onto the front porch so the mr could give the top a good sanding, and we even got to eat dinner out on the porch! It was oh so nice. And to top it all off, I didn%u2019t even crawl into bed before 7pm. I was awake when it got dark out which is like whoa. Spring. It is a happening here. Finally.

Today the mr and I are hoping to take a nice stroll down the bike path, maybe get good cup of coffee, stop in and see the little and maybe even pop in on Barb. I miss my people. And then back to the stuff I really don%u2019t want to think about. Taxes. This is it. I am going myself the rest of the week and that%u2019s that. So I will probably open my computer, get out the calculator, and then start reading a book again%u2026.. Oh boy am I in trouble.

Reads from the internet to read. If you want.

-I have been having the weirdest dreams ever. Just last night I dreamed that I was eating soup made of tiny staplers. What the F? Bad Dreams Are Good. Your night life prepares you for what%u2019s to come

-Watch what you eat friends. Kale Is One of the Dirtiest Vegetables, According to the EWG’s 2019 “Dirty Dozen” List

–This little cabin should be mine.

-Misophonia: When Life’s Noises Drive You Mad. Oh how can I relate to this. Sometime a certain sound makes me want to smash my head against a wall.

-%u00a0I Love Pink Tiled Bathrooms. Maybe in the next house.

–The Stigma of Choosing Trade School Over College. I often times wish I went to trade school instead of college.

-Cool ass paper DINOSAURS and check out these Under-Cats.

–MUSIC JAR. Such a great idea. I think I am going to start one for the littles.

-I think I should have a seed vault and all the pretty x rays. The mr just said I should start digging in the backyard%u2026.These x-rays of seeds turn biology into art

-What Makes People Heed A Weather Warning %u2014 Or Not?. Living in Vermont we get weather warning (mostly for snow) all the time and it is defiantly interesting to hear and see the people who listen and don%u2019t. Needless to say there are a lot of cars sliding off the road.

And some pictures from the week.

We got the little spring teaser. 2 beautiful days, high 50%u2019s, a bit of sunshine. Most of the snow and ice melted and little green shoots appeared underneath all that snow. I even opened all the windows and left the front door open to air out the house. It was amazing. And the sun. When it is out, it is out and feels so so nice. ( I am definitely vitamin D deficient). But again. It was a tease. Back to it being not so warm and a little more snow ( it snowed last night). Aye Yai Yai!! Just be spring already!

Week was and now its over minus that hour we lost which actually kind of kicked my ass. The beginning of the week, rolling out af bed at 4:30 to get to the gym, well my body didn%u2019t like it much and gosh was I tired and dragging ass. But I am all adjusted now and everything is good. And we have more light at night which is nice I guess. I don%u2019t mind reading in bed with natural light. HA.

There were a few good walks, one down by the lake, another with Megan down to the river. (We are all trying and needing to stay off of hiking trails for a little while because they are either covered in ice or mud and we don%u2019t want to trash them) The mr spent a good amount of time ripping up a porch and doing porch things all the while being on rat duty for friends of ours. Barb was suppose to come over for lunch and a hike of some sort be she kept ditching me with oversleeping. I have been plugging away, ever so slowly and because they are taking over my life, at taxes. Barf. I did manage to start tomatoes and pepper seeds, have the littles over for dinner and popsicles, worked at the studio, contemplated renting and driving a bulldozer %u2026 Nothng big or grand. Not yet anyway.

Today, after the gym and doing a few little chores, we are going to pack a lunch and head out of town. I%u2019ll grab the binoculars and maybe we can find a good place to do a little bird watching. That is how the day is feeling. Slow and lovely and full of birds. They are coming back, I can hear them more and more, bringing with them the spring.

Links from the week to browse at your leisure.

–Why Southeast Asia Is Flooded With Trash From America And Other Wealthy Nations. And now we are all going to feel the affects because they don%u2019t want to buy our recycling anymore. How to actually recycle

–Did Cooking Really Give Us The F-Word? The science of language and how it has evolved

-It%u2019s not fancy but this is the Sweater of my dreams.

–The One Thing I Hate About Being a Wellness Influencer. You are allowed o eat, even things that are not considered healthy. Stop being haters.

-One at a time. Nobody Blows Out Birthday Candles Like Mitt Romney. I actually kind of love it. Next time I need to blow out candles%u2026%u2026

–The Pineapple Hack That%u2019s Taking Over the Internet Right%u00a0Now

-Shall I get myself a cottage like this one in Scotland too? I think so.

–A Popular Benefit of Houseplants Is a Myth. But I don%u2019t care, they improve life.

-Welcome to Vermont. Goat starts term as town’s pet mayor. And did you hear. Bill would place Vermont on year-round daylight saving time

-All the lovely chairs. THE TIMELESS BEAUTY OF BENTWOOD.

And some pictures from the week

Hey there lovely peoples. So nice of you to stop by. Hope all is well and dandy with you. Well and dandy.

Holy crap am I one tired lady. Mentally and physically but mostly mentally because it has been one of those weeks. It all started off with the mr and I both feeling like absolute crap. Sinus infections and some other fun stuff. Heads and brains super dysfunctional (although we can%u2019t blame being sick for all the dysfunction). I blame the ick on the weather and it not being spring yet. But let%u2019s not talk to much about the weather. It%u2019s a touchy subject for me right now and I just can%u2019t. Anyway, the week started slow. We got a few things done that needed doing then got ready to take off for PA to visit with my dad and go to my grandmothers funeral.

Took off mid week, the mr driving the 6ish hours down and over. A super sunny and bright day it was . One might think that sounds kind of nice but I hated it. Brightness while in a car without sunglasses makes for brain pain, at least in my case. So I had my head under a blanket for a few hours. Got to PA alright but as soon as we pulled into my dads driveway the wave of pain knocked me to my knees and I got a full fledge migraine. I haven%u2019t had one of those fun episodes in years and I can safely say that I hope to NEVER get one again. But after a night of zero restless sleep, I got up and rallied and went about the next day as half a human baking machine. Made the breakfast pancakes, some lunch, a birthday cake, cookies, my dinner, and cinnamon buns for the next morning. %u201cDon%u2019t worry%u201d my dad said. .%u201d We can go to the store and get as much flour and sugar as you will need!%u201d And so we did because I used a lot of flour.

The next morning was the funeral. Early to wake, walked the dogs, fed people buns and headed to the Catholic Church. The one my dad and his siblings went to for their entire childhood. OH boy oh boy, what a hoot. Their mother finally got them to go back one last time. HAHA. And as for me, I can say that was the first time I have ever been in a Catholic Church (for church reasons) and seen a catholic funeral. Very interesting to say the least. And I do go to hand it to the priest. He was pretty cool. Hip, sweet, not a typical catholic church man, and he kept calling my grandmother Ava instead of Eva. That got some laughs. My grandmother would have loved it.

The funeral ended and we all went to a restaurant and did the food thing with the family love fest. It was very bittersweet. Sad because of the loss but we were celebrating a freaking amazing lady and her amazing long life. Oh Grammy. She was the greatest, coolest, funniest little lady ever and I will miss her deeply. So yeah. Then after all the food we topped it off with the birthday cake I made for Teena cause it was her birthday too. My family, we packed it all in because that is how we do it.

After hugs, pictures, Shannon falling asleep in a booth, we headed back to the car and away we went, a long drive home with lots of shitty weather and bad roads. But we made it. And I even unpacked the car and managed to shower off before passing out. And a pass out was exactly what I needed and still kind of do. I told myself I would let myself sleep in a bit, but 430 came and look at me, awake.

So it%u2019s today and I must do some stuff. I%u2019m going to go to the gym for the morning, Run run run until I cannot possibly run anymore. Then I will come home and eat eat eat until I can not possible eat any more. After that it is a bunch of chores that need to be done and I need to go see the littles because I miss them. And I know I will need a nap at some point because I am feeling the even all the coffee in the world will not be enough to keep my brain afloat for a full day. Or maybe I%u2019ll just go to bed at a unreasonabley early hour. (5ish sounds good to me. Ha. But really) Yup yup, looking forward to that.

Until then.

Internet link from the online.

–Greener Childhood Associated With Happier Adulthood. NO SHIT for reals.

-My Library even lends out baking pans and garden tools! 8 Unexpected Perks of a Library Card. And I don%u2019t think the article mentions, but library cards are cool people card to. HA

–Thank a cloud today. Five reasons you shouldn’t take cloud cover for granted. OH how I love me a nice cloudy day.

-Nothing like FRESH HORSERADISH ROOT. Might be picking up a piece today to knock out my sinus crud.

–Do anxious owners make for anxious dogs? Yes. There is no question in my mind what so ever.

-I listen to a story about this article on NPR. It%u2019s really crazy how people, especially in our culture, are living to work,n to working olive. Workism Is Making Americans Miserable

–A scientist on the myth of ugly produce and food waste. Interesting, very interesting.

-I don%u2019t need a baby nursery but if I did (or ever do) I want it to look just like this. MARIGOLD%u2019S NURSERY TOUR

-What. I thought they were real. Balloon Birds by Terry Cook Mimic Their Real-Life Counterparts

–Vanuatu Has One Of The World%u2019s Strictest Plastic Bans. It%u2019s About To Get Tougher. We all (the entire world) should be getting tougher.

And some pictures from the week.

Ok, I think I hit that wall. The wall that all of a sudden I am over it. I am ready for spring, like hella ready. I think what broke was the day I didn’t need my coat outside or to wear socks in the house. I just realized how sick of wearing a coat every time I leave the house. And the day I was walking around the house barefoot without socks. Let me tell you, my feet couldn%u2019t have been any happier. And then it got cold again and I am now, well, now I am done. Bring on Spring! (summer can wait, still not ready for that)

As for the week, it was up and down. It started off all good and well. Had a sister dinner at my moms house, we%u2019re getting ready to leave for the week to go see my Dad and Grandmother, but before we got a chance to go, Grammy passed away. Sucky sucky suck. We knew it was going to happen, the old broad was 98 for pets sake, but still. We just thought we were going to be able to get down there and see her before it did. So yeah it%u2019s been kind of a sad week. And because she passed we are waiting til next week to leave now because of funeral and all the jazz.

The rest of the went kind of unscripted and strange. We were all feeling sad and bummed. Also we didn%u2019t have a lot planned because we thought we were leaving, but we also had (have) a lot to do so we tried to get some stuff done. We did take some time to go see green stuff at the garden center, walk in some woods, and hang with the littles. But towards the weekend, we both started to feel like garbage. The mr especially. He was ok and then he was not. The littles slept over Friday night and after we got rid of them Saturday, he crashed and spent the rest of the day pretty much immobile and I still felt like trash. So basically I cleaned house, he slept on the couch, we ate some dinner, we walked around the block before the sun went down, came home and crawled into bed. We watched Waynes World because sheyeah, right, and fell right to sleep. Nothing but boring old us to make your life seem exciting right? Haha.

Today so far I am feeling ok. As for the mr, he hasn%u2019t woken as of yet (I am sure that he has since awaken while some of you are reading this) so I am not sure about him. I am hoping for a full recovery on his part and we can spend some of today doing that shit that we needed to do yesterday, like the chores, but maybe even a little hike or a little walk down by the lake. I need outdoors to wash the yesterday off me.

Links to stuff from the internet that don%u2019t suck.

–Recipe Introductions Matter. Here’s%u00a0Why. If you don%u2019t want to read what I write, well then don%u2019t.

-History and study about the neighborhood where I grew up. ONE NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT

-You know what pisses me off? Going to the store and seeing that they are out of celery because it is now what everyone wants to drink. I just wanted to eat it. Is that allowed abymore> Actually, You Can Just Drink Some Water

-This is a thing and it is awesome. A New Book Explores the Wide Range of Charming Homemade Cat Ladders in Switzerland

-I love this TREE HOUSE

-30, no 60 (one for me, one for the mr) outfits that I need to make. AMAZING! HAHA 30 Laughable His-And-Hers Fashions From The 1970s You Wouldn%u2019t Wear In Public Today

-The mr and I were just talking about making artificial coffee for when the world goes to hell and we can not longer grow the bean. Someone also had the somewhat same idea. Atomo: We hacked the coffee bean – invented molecular coffee

–You Can Now Book a%u00a0Golden Girls Cruise, Complete with Cheesecake, Bingo and More!. A cruise I would take, just as long as I could still go to bed at 7pm. HA

-Poptarts? I guess so. In London, The American Food Aisle Is Filled With Nostalgia And Preservatives

-The dream. Sometimes. I bought a house%u2014and then moved into a van

And some pictures of the week.

I finally got rid of the last of the Christmas tree needles just in time to replace them with glitter for the next few months.. It is my own fault. I didn%u2019t HAVE TO use glitter on a giant ass heart that I made for the mr, but I sure as heck wanted too. (I redact my statement%u2026 I HAD TO) It%u2019s ok though because glitter happens and you just gotta deal with it.

The week was the week. Nothing out of the normal. Nothing overly exciting. Valentines day was nice. The mr covered all the windows with little heart and besides the giant heart I made, I also made the mr a heart cake and heart bread and all his food for the day was basically in the shape of a heart. And we went snow shoeing where we might have almost stole a dog. Maggie was her name and she showed up out of nowhere on the trail which was out in the middle of nowhere. Hiked with us for a while, took off, and showed back up on our way out of the woods. Obviously she lived someplace close by and she did have a collar on (that is how we knew her name) but gosh, she was so sweet. She even walked us to our car and got in like she was ready to go home. Ugh, it hurts my soul a little. I miss having a dog. Who I really miss is Washer. Oh boy, here I am feeling all sad and shit%u2026..But the snow shoeing was amazing! Haha

Anyway, a mellow week. And now it%u2019s the second half of February so it basically going to be spring soon and mellow won%u2019t be staying mellow for long so I am going appreciate it for now, although I am getting little antsy for when I can finally pull out my sandals and open all the windows in the house and dirt. I am getting ahead of myself here. That is still a month or 3 away. But it is on my mind.

The mr and I don%u2019 t have any big plans for the day other then dropping in on the littles and maybe going out for coffee with Barb. We have a few chores that need done so we will probably do those%u2026%u2026 Whoo hoooo!

As usual, some links to read if you feel like perusing the Internet.

-Not going to lie, I completely see his point. Why Thomas Keller Thinks Farm-to-Table Is Absurd. I want the carrots from the farmer that is in love with his carrots too.

-Totally my type of home. . Life in This Verdant Home in Vietnam Is a Walk in the Park

–Here’s why ultra-processed foods are so bad for your health. So so bad.

-Baking fantastical things is not as easy at it might seem on the T.V. The Only Way I Got Through a %u2018Great British Baking Show%u2019 Challenge Was By Cheating

–I must make a fantastic pie soon. Dazzling Gradients and Geometric Designs Baked into New Pies and Tarts

-Got questions, here are some answers. Your Questions About Plastic Waste, Answered

-Genius. And the best feature is that it craps every last bit out of the jar.. This New Pump Will Help You Put Peanut Butter on Everything Without a Knife

–These Surreal Guesthouses with Impossible Staircases Have Alice in Wonderland Vibes. I think more like the movie Labyrinth and then I think of David Bowie in tight tights%u2026%u2026

–Please Don’t Let Your Tiny Dog Blow Away in the Wind. Real life problems.

-He climbs without any rops or harnesses. The guy is crazy. And amazing. A documentary I will watch. Free Solo.

And pictures from the wee

What a world wind of the first week of the year. I feel like nothing has happened and everything is happening all at once. With all the holidays birthdays and family gatherings, happy and sad ones%u2026 it has been a lot to take in. I am in serious need of some time hiding away, not that I don%u2019t love everyone and have had loved being around them, its just been a lot and I can only hold it down for so long. You feel me?

We started the week with Judah Birthday (Happy birthday Judah!!!). I made an ice cream cake and the mr slept on the couch for half the day until it was party time. Poor guy, he has got such a heavy sinus infection so he has been feeling like shit all week long. Some days worse then others, and he has been trying to push through but this infection had really taken hold. I have been pushing all my concoctions and tinctures and good stuff into him and I think we are started to see some of the better feeling mr.

New Years was low key as can be. We went for a little drive, a little hike, and that was it. I stayed awake until 9 then passed out which is exactly my kind of night. New Years day was much of the same, went for a long walk to the river, hung around the house trying to get the mr better. and was just so exciting because I got to start a whole new calendar and binder system. Fresh paper, a nice new pen, and not a cluster fuck of a bunch of bills and papers yet. It was like the excitement of shopping for new school supplies. It really made me happy.

After A calm New Years, it was back to the grind. Working and doing the life thing. The littles over a few times for games of Sorry, and trying to french braid Judah%u2019s hair. Sophia came over for a day and helped me repot some plants, spun around in circles on the kitchen floor for like an hour, and hit Barb right in the face with a snow ball. I finally took the tree down and packed up most of the Christmas decorations, deep cleaned the pantry, and made the phone calls I have been dreading making for the past few weeks. Get it done, got it done.

Yesterday was another long ass day. We grabbed our nice shoes (are hiking boots nice shoes?) and climbed back into the car for the 4 hour drive to Rhode Island for Seths Memorial. 150 plus people packed inside his and Pamula%u2019s loft to listen and honor this amazing person. And I must say, it was sad, but so good. So much love and sharing. Music and food and family. Hearing the stories and the way he impacted so many lives, it really was just such a lovely night and really gave me a bit of happiness from such a shitty situation. After hanging at the loft and spending as much time as I could around all the people, the mr and I jumped back into the car and drove on home. By the time we got home, we were pretty trashed. Walked in the door and crashed. That was only just a few hours ago.

And yet I am still awake. I don%u2019t even know how Im still woke up at 4:30 this morning. My brain knows no other way I guess. For the rest of the day, after my 4-6 cups of coffee (I will drink all the coffee and then some today) I am heading to work at the studio for a while, going to do some gym, maybe hit the library, then I need to go grocery shopping because farm share was canceled this week and now I am running dangerously low on food. After that I will probably come home and crash. Yeah, and then off to a fresh week of more family and birthdays and work stuff, but hopefully this week the mr will not be sick, I will catch a little more sleep, and the snow storm that we are suppose to get will actually be and we get 2 feet of snow. That would be just so nice.

Internet from the internet.

-Top sky-watching events coming in 2019. Super blood moon eclipse is my birthday!

-Me. Why Am I Always Cold? I started eating more cooked food a few years back because I would be freezing after I ate.

-Bread inspiration for sure. LEOPARD BREAD

–The 100 Best Pens, As Tested by Strategist Editors. I love pens, really good pens. I draw with then so I have my own little box of special pens that no one is allowed to use besides me.

-We are aassholes. We’ve wasted so much plastic, it’s almost impossible to picture%u2014these charts will help

–When Too Cute Is Too Much, The Brain Can Get Aggressive. Yes, Have threatened to %u201csmoosh%u201d or %u201cpop%u201d a baby or puppies head off. What I find really works is when the feeling strikes, punch the mom, it helps.

–I Keep My Holiday Lights Up All Year Long%u2014Here’s Why You Should, Too. I love my lights, they make me happy.

–Dog influencers are so popular, they need their own talent agency. Hope this dogs are getting a cut of the pay to go towards all the best

-When someone tells me a fact that I might not believe I ask were they got the info from. If they say the internet, I assume there is a 50/50 chance that is is wrong. How Much of the Internet Is Fake? Turns Out, a Lot of It, Actually.

–What Foods Are Banned in Europe but Not Banned in the U.S.? Seems like these food should also be banned in the stare too.. Hum.

I am kind of sick right now. A chest cold thing and maybe e coli from all the romaine. Plus my arm hurts a shit ton from kind of dropping a 500 pound cast iron sink on it. Oh and I spilt boiling hot water on my leg and burn the shit out of myself, and I grabbed a falling cactus which got a hand full of prickers stuck into it. Plus I am still feeling all sorts of sad about Only. I guess you could say I am not at my finest right now. But this time nest week, I am sure I will be radiant and gleeful. HAHA. (But I sure do hope so.)

The past two weeks have been a blur. Only getting sick and then having to put him down took it all right out of me. Dealing with him being so sick and then the week after him being gone%u2026just so shitty. But there was good stuff too.. There was lots of snow that made me so so happy. Shannon had a pizza birthday party. The family did the annual pre -Thanksgiving Thanksgiving, which the mr and I only spent a short time at because we had to bring Only to the vets. There were dinners with the littles, more snow, cold weather, work stuff, broom shopping, heavy cast iron sink moving. There was stuff.

Then we did a little Thnaksgiving on actual Thanksgiving with Erin and the littles. We played board games (well, they did, I was cooking), made Christmas decorations, listened to Christmas music and danced a little. I made tofu lasagna, mac and cheese, potatoes, and bread. And of course there were veggies and fruit, but yea, starch bomb. But that is what the littles wanted. I am nothing but accommodating. Quite, low key, and everyone was happy. It was a just what I needed.

And then the day after Thanksgiving was Erins birthday so the littles came over again and we made her a cake and they slept over and we watched more Christmas movies and ate pancakes for breakfast all the while I was feeling like garbage. So after we brought them home, I kind of curled in on myself. I can%u2019t deal with being sick.

So today the mr and I are going to keep it a low key day, probably just putz around the house, maybe hang the Christmas lights outside, read a lot, drink lots and lots of hot tea (and coffee). I don%u2019t want to get any sicker then I am so I need to kick it. That%u2019s the goal for the day Get un-sick!

Some stuff from the internet that I looked at that you can look at too.

-I asked the mr if he could ever do a fake tree. He hesitated but said no. (the hesitation shocked me) I could never get a fake tree, or scratch that. I must always have the main tree be real. Having extra fake trees is ok. Hking in the woods to cut our tree down is probably one of my favorite things ever. Real all the way. Real And Fake Christmas Tree Sellers Fight For American Hearts And Minds.

–Reading Fiction Makes You a Little Nicer. With all the reading I do, should I be nicer. Ha

-We must ACT NOW! It isn%u2019t a freaking joke. Shit is already hitting the fan. Climate impacts grow, and U.S. must act, says new report

–Sweet Potatoes: It’s A Thin Line Between Love And Hate. Sweet potatoes are amazing. I can%u2019t understand how some people hate them. They just haven%u2019t had it roasted with cumin and chili powder or covered in tahini.

-Can Anyone Save PBR? The beer that conquered Brooklyn is on the brink of extinction. I know a lot of people who will be so sad if PBR goes away. (the mr for sure)

–Why Does It Seem Like Everyone Is Getting Sick from Salad? Another reason to eat as local as you can. (although more then half my food is local but I am still convinced I got E coli form the romaine%u2026 I need my own farm to grow ALL my own food!)

-Holiday crafting is the best. I am working on something like this.

–Breathing Through the Nose May Offer Unique Brain Benefits. To smell all the smells.

-I am really feeling these shoes%u2026but I will never buy them because I don%u2019t buy shoes. But someone needs to get a pair.

-Oh, The Places You’ll Go: Toilet Signs Try To Help

Pictures from the past two weeks. There are not a lot because I pretty much didn%u2019t take any pictures for a week.

It’s melon season! The past few farm shares have included at least 2,, if not 4, watermelons and cantaloupes… Can you imagine. eating 4 watermelons a week? That’s a tall order, even for someone like me who could probably eat a whole watermelon in one sitting, it’s just doing it 4 times a week might be a problem.  It’s a whole lot of melon and not enough stomach, you know what I mean? 

So what do I do with so much melon? Well first off, whenever anyone comes over I try to get them to  eat as much of it as they can, which helps a great deal. Secondly, I cut it up and freeze some. But here is the thing, I love eating chunks of frozen cantaloupe, but frozen watermelon, never been my favorite so I usually just pass on sticking in the freezer, until now.

There is something magical that happens when you stick the frozen watermelon and cantaloupe together into a blender and making it into a slushy. It’s like eating a ray of sunshine or maybe even a rainbow, just really satisfying and juicy, and sweet but not overly sweet, and just really freaking good. Especially with all the stupid hot and humid weather we have had lately, these slushies have really been hitting the spot.  Even the mr who says he dislikes watermelon was all into these melon slushies. (he likes things that he says he doesn’t like all the time. I am pretty sure he is taste confused) Like  he was really into them. Usually I have to prompt him to tell me how something tastes, but not the slushy, he told me right away how good it was. I was like, I know dude, I just drank 2 of them myself. And I could have drank 2 more but I was trying to not get tot far ahead of myself. Moderation is key, plus I didn’t;t have any more of the melons frozen. Time to restock the freezer. 

Go make yourself a slushy, it’s juicy deliciousness will make you happy. 

The stuff. Watermelon and cantaloupe. There should be a lime in there too but it must have rolled away…. 

Chop some of each of the melon up, remove the rinds, and place on a big baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen. You can do as little as 2 cups  of each or as much as a whole melon, it’s up to you. (I suggest freezing extra)

Frozen melon. And now you can slushy.

Equal parts watermelon and cantaloupe go into blender, along with the juice of half (or more to taste) a lime and you are probably going to need to add about 1/2 a cup of water, to help the blender blend it all together.  And that’s it. You blend until it’s all slushy.

Pour into cups, garnish with a lime and/or little chunks of melon and you are good as golden. 

From now on, or until summer is over and I run out of melon, I will be keeping the freezer stocked, especially because I know that the next few weeks are suppose to be stupid hot again. 

Waterloupe slushies. Summertime goodness. 

-C

• about 2 cups  of a watermelon
• about 2 cups of a cantaloupe 
• 1 lime
• 1/2- 1 cup water 

Note. The amounts above are for two  2 cup slushies. You can, and should, freeze a crap load more melon for future slushies.  Also, no one would fault you for maybe adding a little nip of some clear alcohol to this slushy situation to make it more of an adult drink……

Cut up a watermelon and a cantalopjue. Eat some and reserve at least 2 cups of each. Remove the rinds from the melons and cut into cubes. Place melon on a baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen. 

Once frozen, place equal parts frozen watermelon and cantaloupe into the blender with the juice of a lime. Turn blender on. Slowly add in water until the blender can handle blending the frozen fruit. Blend until smooth. Pour into cups, garnish if you want with more melon and lime, then get to drinking. 

Let%u2019s talk about how soup is the perfect food. It can be light and fresh, hearty and deep, chunky or smooth. You can eat it with a spoon, or somtime a fork if warranted, or just drink it from a mug. It%u2019s usually a one pot meal, a small pot for one, a big pot for many. Make a pot of soup and eat some now and save some for later. It freezes amazingly well. Got a few extra sad carrots and wilted greens? Toss them into a pot with whatever you have on hand, maybe those veggies scraps and you got yourself a meal. Want something more filling, just add in some grains. Feeling sick, warm soup will make it all better. Feeling fresh and springy, well soup is there for you too. Seriously soup, you can do anything. If I could, I would marry you. %u2665%ufe0f

This soup is one of this velvety smooth, light but rich, delicious beyond delicious soups. A fresh spring time soup. Not to hearty or heavily spiced. Super rich and creamy and flavorful. Bright ass green which makes it amazing in itself, but then with a nice tangy sumac tahini swirl on top, well it is just about the most perfect soup. I made to share, which I did, (and everyone licked their bowls clean) but then hoarded the little bit left over and ate it cold for a late afternoon snack. That is another thing about soup, you can eat is cold and it is still amazing.

Tasty and delicious, and nutritious. This soup does it all.

To the soup!

The stuff. Peas, chopped broccoli, and chopped cauliflower which are all frozen and slightly thawed. You can totally use fresh here too, but I just so happen to have it frozen so you might as well save the fresh stuff for fresh eating. Also have a big yellow onion, a few cloves garlic, some tahini, a lemon, sumac, and salt and pepper. You need water which I did not picture here.

A pot, some water and a roughly chopped onion and the garlic start off this soup. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn to medium and let the onion and garlic cook until very tender. I have been making a lot of soups starting with this step lately. Boiling the onion and garlic until tender and fragrant really make for a super flavorful and clean soup base. Or soup in itself.

Now add in the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot and cook until tender.

Mid soup cooking time is a good time to make the sumac tahini sauce for the swirl. Basics here, just mix the tahini, the sumac, a pinch of salt and pepper, the juice of the lemon and a tablespoon of warm water together until smooth.

Last but not least, the peas. Add them in and they just need a few minutes to cook through.

And then it all gets blended to become this green creamy goodness.

Ladle into bowls, grab the sumac tahini sauce and swirl it on in. A tablespoon or so is good. And don%u2019t forget a little more pepper and another pinch of sumac for good measure.

Just appreciate for a moment. That is one good looking bowl of soup. And it taste even better then it looks.

-C

Makes about 4 serving

• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas

• 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen cauliflower

• 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen broccoli

• 1 large onion

• 3-4 cloves garlic

• 4-5 cups water

• Salt and pepper

• 1 teaspoon sumac

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 2-4 tablespoons warm water

Start by removing the papery skin from the onion and chop into a few big chunks. Remove the skin from garlic too. Place into pot with 4 cups water. Turn heat on high and bring to a boil then turn heat to medium and let onion are garlic cook until tender which should take about 15-20 minutes

Once the onion is cooked, add in the broccoli and cauliflower. Turn heat back to high and bring to a boil again then turn back down to medium heat. Keep cooking until tender (another 15 minutes or so) then add in the peas. Keep on heat until peas are cooked through then remove the pot from heat and either transfer to a blender or use a immusrian blender to blend the soup until smooth. Add a little more water if needed to get to the right consistency to blend right. Or if you want a thinner soup.

For the tahini sumac swirl just mix the tahini and sumac together along with the juice of the lemon, two tablespoon warm water and a pinch of salt. Mix together until smooth. If the mixture is to thick, add another tablespoon of water.

To serve. Ladle or pour soup into bowls and drizzle and swirl the tahini sumac on top. Sprinkle with pepper and a pinch more sumac and you are good to go.

It%u2019s a smoothie. And no, we have never really been smoothie people in this house, but what can I say, sometimes smoothies happen, especially when you have about 20 ripe bananas in the fruit bowl with no room in the freezer and no need for 7 loafs of banana bread.

So I smoothied. And I like it (a lot).

This is a smoothie of simplicity. Nothing fancy. Simplest of simple. Straight to the point. And all sorts of good.

You might think, does this simple smoothie you speak of taste very good? Yes, yes indeed it does. It is all sorts of fantastic. Basically if you like creamy, nutty, oaty, bananery things, you will like this. And it%u2019s a perfect breakfast, snack, dessert, or just wanting a little treat like thing that is not garbage food. A smoothie of all smoothies with the most basic ingredients. And takes about 15 seconds to whip up. Can%u2019t complain about that.

To the smoothie goodness!

The stuff. A ripe banana, some old fashion rolled oats, a pinch of salt, water, and a smidge of maple syrup if you want it.

Everything goes into blender.

And blended until smooth. Hence the word smoothie.

Pour it into a cup (or if you are feeling primal, drink it straight from the blender%u2026 it%u2019s totally cool)

And done.

A banana oat smoothie.

Let the good time roll!

-C

makes 1 smoothie

• 1 very ripe banana

• 1/3 cup raw old fashion oats

• 1 1/2 cups water

• pinch of salt

• a tablespoon or two of any sweetener you like (optional)

• a pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a cup, sprinkle with cinnamon if you wish, and drink right away.

Do you ever wake up first thing in the morning with a craving, a maybe somewhat strange food craving? Lately I have been waking up and within an hour of being up, I start to think about olives. My mouth starts to water and it%u2019s like I can almost taste the salty, briny, fattiness in my mouth, which in itself is kind of weird, but for me is really really weird because up until very recently I completely hated olives. Now, well now I just want to eat them all. And first thing in the morning.

I don%u2019t pretend to understand such things. My brain is going to do what it%u2019s going do. Tell me I like olives, well all right then.

Another thing I am desperately craving is freshy fresh greens which makes complete since because I always crave greens. I am still pretty deep in root veggies and cooked things because winter and Vermont and all, but all I really really really want to eat are buckets of greens. Any kind will do, but the sweet tender baby ones%u2026. So good.

And so I combined my two cravings, greens and olives and hit those craving like POW! BAM! POOF? A salad so simple yet so amazing and mouth watering. I outdid myself here.

To the bestest, most amazingly perfect salad yet!

The stuff. A big ol%u2019 bowl of greens. Black pitted olives, half an avocado, a lemon, toasted almonds, a chunk of red onion, a couple cloves garlic, and pepper.

Almond crumbs. Exactly what it sounds like. Place almonds into a clean food prosessor and pulse until they are crumbs.

Dump the almonds into a bowl. Don%u2019t bother cleaning it out, you are about to use it again. Olives, avocado, garlic, and all the juice of the lemon now get a go in the food processor. Pulsed together into a creamy, kinda of chunky but mostly smooth, mixture of amazing. Add a few tablespoons of cold water if the mixture seems really thick, but other then that, you be done.

Very thinly slice up red onion and slice up a few extra olives.

All here, all ready to go. Just got to toss it together now.

Greens, some slices olives and onion tossed all together in a good amount of the olive avocado goodness then topped with a hardy helping of almond crumbs. Fresh pepper to finish it off.

I was barely able to stop myself from eating it all before snapping a few pictures.

All of my cravings come true%u2026

It%u2019s salad time!

-C

Makes enough dressing and crumbs to feed 2-4 people

• 1/2 of a ripe avocado

• 1 cup pitted black olives

• 1 lemon

• 2-3 tablespoons cold water

• 1-2 cloves garlic

• 1/4 cup toasted almonds

• 2-4 large handfuls of fresh greens (I used a mixture of baby spinach, baby chard, and baby kale. Spring mix or even chopped leaf lettuce would be grand as well)

• about 1/2 a small red onion

• pepper to taste

Place almonds in food processor and pulse until they are crumbly. Not to fine, a few big chunks are good.. Remove and set aside

Roughly chop the garlic and place in the food processor (no need to clean it out after the almonds). Add in the avocado and most of the olives (leave few behind to slice up). Add in the juice of the lemon. Pulse until mixture is combined but with little specks of olive left.or completely smooth if you wanted too. Scoop out into a container. You want it to be slightly loos so it will mix well with the greens. If the mixture seems really thick, add in a a few tablespoons of cold water to thin out.

Grab the onion and remaining olives and thinly slice.

Now to assemble salad. Place a handful of clean greens into a bowl. Toss a some onions and extra sliced olives into greens. Add as little or as much olive avocado dressing as desired then sprinkle as much or as little of the almond crumbs all over that. Top with freshly find pepper

Then eat it.

I feel like this salad is kind of a summery salad, or better yet, a salad that highlights all the best of what summer has to bring. All the fresh tender dill that is still growing (but not for long) , all the brightly colored and amazing veggies that are being harvested and are nearing the end (bye fresh cucumbers.) This salad might just be my little last hurrah of summer cooking before it is all root veggies and dried herbs and hot and hearty food. And not going to lie and say that I am sad to see summer go because I am so so ready for it to be over, but I will miss all the fresh fresh produce. And I will especially miss all the fresh dill because fresh dill is seriously the best.

Eat up what is left of summer now before it%u2019s too late!

The stuff. Quinoa, a bunch of dill, a cucumber, a pepper, an onion, and some cherry tomatoes. Also a clove of garlic, some salt and pepper, and red wine vinegar.

Mince the garlic, chop the onion, mince the pepper and the cucumber, half the tomatoes, and last but noblest, rough chop the dill.

All that goodness goes into. big bow, along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and the vinegar Tossed around and left to meld.

Uncooked quinoa with water turns to cooked quinoa

Quinoa meets the bowl of veggies

And after a good mix, viola!

You got yourself a yummers fresh dill and veggie quinoa salad.

-C

serves 3-5 as a side or 2 as a meal

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa

• 2 cups water

• I bunch fresh dill (like a 1/3 cup chopped%u2026 But use as much as you want)

• 1/2 a small red onion

• 1 clove garlic

• 1 small Persian cucumer

• 1/2 of a sweet red or yellow pepper

• handful or two of cherry tomatoes

• 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• salt and pepper to taste

Start by cooking the quinoa. Place the water and the uncooked quinoa into a medium sized pot. Place on high heat until sorts to boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and place lid on the pot. Let cook for about 15 minutes, checking at 10 minutes, to see if all the water has absorbed. When it has, remove from heat and let sit for a few more minutes then fluff with a fork.

While the quinoa id cooking, mince the garlic and chop all the veggies into small little pieces. Place into a big bowl. Chop up the fresh dill and toss into bowl too, along with the vinegar and a good sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix it all around and let sit on the counter for a little so the veggies get nice and vinegary. Once quinoa is cooked and fluffed, dump into the bowl and mix around. Season with more salt and pepper if needed. Eat warm or refrigerate and eat cold. It%u2019s defiantly one of those salads that taste great right away but tastes even better the next day.

This summer has been weird. And when I say weird, I mean too stupid freaking hot and humid and it’s screwing up my life.%u00a0I think I have gone a month, maybe more, without making soup.%u00a0That is just not right. For as long as I can remember I have made soup, or at least eaten soup, just about everyday, even all summer long. But the terrible heat and humidity this year, I just have had no desire. It has been straight up shredded zucchini and whole tomatoes for some time now. I just don’t want to have any residual added heat to my life.%u00a0%u00a0But the other day, oh how lovely. I woke up with a chill, %u00a0enough that I needed to grab a long sleeve before leaving the house, and had the very strong urge to return home and get my soup on. And soup on I did!

For my first trip back into soup (oh how I missed soup!),%u00a0I went simple and used what I, and many, many people have ample supplies of right now.%u00a0Tomatoes. And beans because I wanted my soup to be thick and creamy and I had the beans so why the heck not.

This soup really requires very little and you get the most thick, delicious, creamy, tomatoey soup. Perfect to eat alone, but is fanatic with some crackers, or a hunk of crusty bread. And it uses a lot of tomatoes which is nice because I am (as are many of you.. My neighbor is bringing me HER tomatoes now too) trying to make a dent in the ever growing pile or these beauties on the counter. This soup dented it, until I went out to the garden a few minutes later. My pile is bigger then ever, which is fine because I am back on my soup game.%u00a0

The stuff. Lots of tomatoes, some white beans (I used navy, but any white bean would be good) a large onion, a carrot, salt and pepper, a lemon, some olive oil, and honey (optional).

First off, chop the carrot and onion into chunks.

Toss the chopped stuff into a big ol’ pot with a drizzle of olive oil and cook on a medium heat until nice and soft.%u00a0

While veggies are cooking, core and cut up all those tomatoes.%u00a0

When the veggies have cooked up a bit, add the tomatoes, the beans, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the pot and give it a good mix. Return to high heat, stirring even so often, until the tomatoes give off enough juiced to start boiling then turn heat down to medium and cook for a little while, like 1/2 an hour or 45 minutes.

Until it looks lit this. The tomatoes have all fallen apart and the beans, carrots and onions are mushy.%u00a0

Blended with the juice of the lemon and a sprinkle of pepper and more salt if needed.%u00a0

Now serve into a %u00a0bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of honey if you are feeling it. Sliced cherry tomatoes make for fancy garnish.%u00a0

Creamy tomato bean soup for everyone!

Hurray for soup!

-C

Makes about 1/2 gallon (enough to serve a crowed or enough to serve one for a few days and maybe freeze some for later)

• 10-12 large tomatoes%u00a0
• 2 1/2 cup or 1 can of cooked white beans (I used navy but any white bean will be good)
• 1 large onion
• 1 large carrot
• I lemon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• honey (optional)

Start by chopping the onion and carrot up into small chunks. Grab a large heavy bottom pot, drizzle a teaspoon or two of olive on the bottom then toss in the chopped veggies. Place the pot on a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onion and carrot start to soften.%u00a0

While the veggies are cooking, core and cut up all the tomatoes. Once the veggies are soft, dump in all the tomatoes, along with the beans and all the liquid they are in. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn heat up to high, giving it a good stir until the tomatoes start to get super juicy then bring the pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook for another half hour to 45 minutes, giving it a stir ever so often. %u00a0When the tomatoes have completely fallen apart and the carrot, onions, and beans are mushy, you know its done.%u00a0

Remove the pot from heat and dd in the juice of the lemon. Using a hand blender, blend until it’s a smooth creamy consistency. If you only have a counter belnder, let soup cool a little before handling and %u00a0be really freaking careful and blend a few cups at a time, making sure to have the blender lid on. Hot soup in the face is no fun.

Once soup is creamy and smooth, serve in bowls with a drizzle of honey (totally optional, but some people really like a touch of sweetness to their tomato soup) and more pepper to a taste. Garnish with thinly sliced cherry tomatoes if you are feeling fancy.%u00a0

Any extra soup can be refrigerated for up to a week. Can also be frozen.%u00a0

I think that my favorite thing abut summer is probably the food. Yeah, no, definitely all the food. If it weren’t for all the delicious amazing things that grow during these summer months, I would probably hate summer. %u00a0Well, I mean, not hate it because summer is nice when it it nice, but lately it has not been so nice and so I am trying to make myself feel better by finding all the good things that I like about summer. Summer trees, summer flowers, the smell of fresh cut grass, river rocks, summer sandals, summer… well that’s what I got right now. But summer produce, that is the best and what keeps me happy when I am extremely over heated and over sunned and just want a blast of cold air accompanied by some dark clouds, a sweater and the smell of decomposing leaves. Obviously I am being a little crank butt, and I actually do usually like me some summertime, I am just over this summer. To hot, to humid, to dry. I am ready to move on.%u00a0

But back to the good parts of summer that I am not over.%u00a0The food.%u00a0The corn is flowing steadily (I am getting on average 10 pieces of corn a week from the farm. That is a lot of corn for 2 people, one of which says he doesn’t like corn), the kale is growing in super abundance in the garden, and it’s is for sure blueberry season. When we %u00a0have those three things and we toss in a avocado, as little onion, and lots of lime juice ,%u00a0BAM,%u00a0another super fantastic summertime eating time, reason that summer can be a ok. Makes %u00a0all the heat a little worth it.%u00a0

I am telling you, this is my new favorite food combination. Blueberries are magical (I think so anyway) and really add the perfect little sweetness, tartness, and texture to this salad. Crisping up the kale and corn elevates the deliciousness, and avocado always is welcome is any salad situation. This is one of those salads that you will make for yourself and then immediately want to make for someone you like because it is so good you want to share. OR you just want to make it for yourself again because you could share or you could just eat more of it yourself. It’s ok either way, you do you.%u00a0

The stuff. A cob of fresh corn. some fresh blueberries, a bunch of dinosaur kale, a lime, an avocado, a piece of a sweet onion, sea salt, pepper, and a little oil.%u00a0

First off preheat the oven then cut the corn off the cob.

Then deal with the kale. Each leaf needs just the slightest bit of oil. The easiest way to do this is to dump a little oil into your hands and grab each piece of kale and rub your oily hands all over the kale.

After the kale is oiled, chop it into chunks. First place the corn on a baking sheet then add the kale on top. Placet it into the oven to get all crispy… The kale will might get crispy before the corn, which is fine because you can remove the kale then pop the corn back into the oven for a few more minutes to keep cooking if you want. Or you might just want to call it cooked, it’s your call.%u00a0

I popped the corn back into the oven to get a little more color. I like a real crispy corn.%u00a0

Cut up some onion and avocado into chunks.%u00a0

And time to compile. Kale, onions, corn, avocado, blueberries, and lime juice. And don’t or get a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper.%u00a0

Toss it all around and be delighted.%u00a0

Just look at that salad. Who wouldn’t want to eat that?%u00a0

Heres to summer salads….The reason I can barely stand the heat!

-C

makes one salad

• 10 or so large Lacinato (Dinosaur) Kale leaves
• 1 fresh cob of corn
• %u00a01/2 of an avocado
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/4 of a sweet onion (about 1/4 cup diced)
• 1 lime
• teaspoon olive oil
• sea salt and pepper %u00a0

Preheat oven to 350

Cut the corn off the con and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Take a little oil and rub into hands then grab the kale leaves ans rub oil all over them. Once oiled, rough chop into medium sized pieces (don’t chop small, it will shrink a lot in the oven). Place chopped kale on top of corn and stick into hot oven. Bake until the kale is crispy, about 12-15 minutes.. What closely after 10 minutes to prevent burning.

Remove the kale from the baking sheet and place in a large bowl. The corn will be cooked, but if you want to make it a little crispier , just toss it back into the oven for a few minutes. %u00a0Once corn is to your liking, remove from pan and toss into two with the kale.

Small dice up some onion and dice up half of the avocado. Toss into the bowl with the kale and corn. And the blueberries, add those in. Sprinkle the whole shebang with a little sea salt and pepper and squeeze the juice of at least half of a lime all over (use the whole lie if you want) Give it all one last toss and that is it.%u00a0

Eat your new favorite salad. Think about making it for all your favorite friends and family and how impressed they will be because this is one of those impressive salads. T

It’s melon season!%u00a0The past few farm shares have included at least 2,, if not 4, watermelons and cantaloupes… Can you imagine. eating 4 watermelons a week? That’s a tall order, even for someone like me who could probably eat a whole watermelon in one sitting, it’s just doing it 4 times a week might be a problem. %u00a0It’s a whole lot of melon and not enough stomach, you know what I mean?%u00a0

So what do I do with so much melon? Well first off, whenever anyone comes over I try to get them to %u00a0eat as much of it as they can, which helps a great deal. Secondly, I cut it up and freeze some. But here is the thing, I love eating chunks of frozen cantaloupe, but frozen watermelon,%u00a0never been my favorite so I usually just pass on sticking in the freezer, until now.

There is something magical that happens when you stick the frozen watermelon and cantaloupe together into a blender and making it into a slushy. It’s like eating a ray of sunshine or maybe even a rainbow, just really satisfying and juicy, and sweet but not overly sweet, and just really freaking good. Especially with all the stupid hot and humid weather we have had lately, these slushies have really been hitting the spot. %u00a0Even the mr who says he dislikes watermelon was all into these melon slushies. (he likes things that he says he doesn’t like all the time. I am pretty sure he is taste confused) Like %u00a0he was really into them. Usually I have to prompt him to tell me how something tastes, but not the slushy, he told me right away how good it was. I was like, I know dude, I just drank 2 of them myself. And I could have drank 2 more but I was trying to not get tot far ahead of myself. Moderation is key, plus I didn’t;t have any more of the melons frozen. Time to restock the freezer.%u00a0

Go make yourself a slushy, it’s juicy deliciousness will make you happy.%u00a0

The stuff. Watermelon and cantaloupe. There should be a lime in there too but it must have rolled away….%u00a0

Chop some of each of the melon up, remove the rinds, and place on a big baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen. You can do as little as 2 cups %u00a0of each or as much as a whole melon, it’s up to you. (I suggest freezing extra)

Frozen melon. And now you can slushy.

Equal parts watermelon and cantaloupe go into blender, along with the juice of half (or more to taste)%u00a0a lime and you are probably going to need to add about 1/2 a cup of water, to help the blender blend it all together. %u00a0And that’s it. You blend until it’s all slushy.

Pour into cups, garnish with a lime and/or little chunks of melon and you are good as golden.%u00a0

From now on, or until summer is over and I run out of melon, I will be keeping the freezer stocked, especially because I know that the next few weeks are suppose to be stupid hot again.%u00a0

Waterloupe slushies. Summertime goodness.%u00a0

-C

• about 2 cups %u00a0of a watermelon
• about 2 cups of a cantaloupe%u00a0
• 1 lime
• 1/2- 1 cup water%u00a0

Note. The amounts above are for two%u00a0 2 cup slushies. You can, and should,%u00a0freeze a crap load more melon for future slushies. %u00a0Also, no one would fault you for maybe adding a little nip of some clear alcohol to this slushy situation to make it more of an adult drink……

Cut up a watermelon and a cantalopjue. Eat some and reserve at least 2 cups of each. Remove the rinds from the melons and cut into cubes. Place melon on a baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen.%u00a0

Once frozen,%u00a0place equal parts frozen watermelon and cantaloupe into the blender with the juice of a lime. Turn blender on. Slowly add in water until the blender can handle blending the frozen fruit. Blend until smooth. Pour into cups, garnish if you want with more melon and lime, then get to drinking.%u00a0

It happens every year. SO MANY TOMATOES! This is not a complaint, just a fun fact. And so for the forseeable future, besides canning and freezing tomatoes at a rapid pace, I will also be sticking them into everything. Enter here a tomato cracker. But who wants just a tomato cracker? I( bet some would love just a tomato cracker) But a tomato basil cracker, well that is something people will want. And yes, I have a buttload of basil at he moment too.. I cook with what I got!

Tomato basil crackers. First off, I needed to make a road snack for the mr and cut up chunks of raw tomatoes would not have gone down well with him, so I figured what better way to use up some tomatoes then a cracker situation because why the hell not.%u00a0%u00a0I was a little hesitant to use fresh tomatoes and not cook them or roast the in anyway before using them in the crackers, but I glad I didn’t. The tomato flavor really shines through, pairs beautifully with the basil,%u00a0and you get to skip having to deal with cooking down the tomatoes, which makes them all the more easy to make.

So I made the crackers and gave a baggie to the mr to eat, which he did right then and there (with some sweet ass baba ganoush because yes)%u00a0then packed a big bag for the road trip.%u00a0Not only was the mr chowing down, but my sisters were gobbling them up too, even the one who is gluten free. %u00a0That is good cracker validation.%u00a0

If you have never made your own crackers and you are a cracker person, now is the time to start doing it. I don’t eat crackers personally, but the mr and every one around me really seem to be cracker people so a while back I started to make them at home, and once you make a homemade cracker, the store bought ones will just not be acceptable anymore. But they really are super easy so you really should be making them at home anyway.. No pressure though.

The stuff. Flour, olive oil, tomatoes, fresh basil, and sea salt.%u00a0

Chunks of fresh tomato go into blender and get blended up all nice and smooth. Add in basil and oil and pulse until basil turns to little specks.

Pour the blended mixture into the flour.

Mix with a spoon until you can’t mix anymore then dump onto the counter.

Keeping the counter nice and floured, knead dough for a minute until it all comes together into nice ball.

Working with half of the dough at a time, roll out one of the pieces %u00a0about 1/4-1/8 inch thick.%u00a0%u00a0(really flour counter and rolling pin)%u00a0

And cut into crackers.. Shapes are up to you, but inch to 2 inch squares are easies to cut.%u00a0

Place crackers onto backing sheet. Before oven time and after oven time.%u00a0%u00a0They shrink and puff up a little bit in the oven. That is what a cracker is suppose to do. (but if you don’t like that you can prevent it by piercing the crackers with a fork before they go into the oven)%u00a0

And that’s it. Simple, and delicious.%u00a0

Crackers are looking all pretty like I am about to have party or something. I even made baba ganoush to serve with them. Lucky mr, he got to have this cracker party all to himself. Ha (He did not eat all of these crackers at once, that would be crazy)%u00a0

-C

makes between 100 -125 crackers%u00a0

• 3 cups flour
• 2 large tomatoes %u00a0( equal to 1 1/4 cup of tomato puree )
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves%u00a0
• 4 tablespoons olive oil%u00a0
• About 2 tablespoons sea salt%u00a0

Remove core from tomatoes and place into food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and measure out 1 1/4 cups of the puree. Any left overs rs can be used as food later on. Dump measured puree back into blender and add in the basil and oil and pulse until the basil is in little pieces but not completely blended in. %u00a0Add flour to a big bowl then pour in tomato mixture and mix until a dough forms. Dump out onto counter and knead for a minute or two until dough is uniform in texture.%u00a0

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

On a floured surface, divide dough in half as to make rolling it easier, and roll dough into a rectangle that is 1/4- 1/8 inch thick. It is important to make sure the rolling pin and counter are well floured to avoid the dough from sticking. Once rolled out, sprinkle with sea salt and lightly roll the dough once more to kind of press the salt in then cut with either pizza cutter or a cracker cutter, or a knife, into 1 1/2 inch squares. The edges are going to be wonky shaped and you can either except them as they are or re roll and recut. (Note. IF you want your crackers to late flat and not puff up while baking, stab the crackers with a fork before they go into oven to create air vents. But honestly, most people really like the puffed up cracker)%u00a0%u00a0Place cut crackers onto a baking sheet and stick into oven. Bake for 15 minutes, checking after 10, until the crackers are golden brown. %u00a0Don’t forget to roll and bake off the other half of the dough!

Once crackers look good, remove from oven and place onto cooling rack. They will get crisper as they cool.%u00a0

Eat as many as you want. Store extra crackers in a airtight container or bag.%u00a0

Let%u2019s talk about how soup is the perfect food. It can be light and fresh, hearty and deep, chunky or smooth. You can eat it with a spoon, or somtime a fork if warranted, or just drink it from a mug. It%u2019s usually a one pot meal, a small pot for one, a big pot for many. Make a pot of soup and eat some now and save some for later. It freezes amazingly well. Got a few extra sad carrots and wilted greens? Toss them into a pot with whatever you have on hand, maybe those veggies scraps and you got yourself a meal. Want something more filling, just add in some grains. Feeling sick, warm soup will make it all better. Feeling fresh and springy, well soup is there for you too. Seriously soup, you can do anything. If I could, I would marry you. %u2665%ufe0f

This soup is one of this velvety smooth, light but rich, delicious beyond delicious soups. A fresh spring time soup. Not to hearty or heavily spiced. Super rich and creamy and flavorful. Bright ass green which makes it amazing in itself, but then with a nice tangy sumac tahini swirl on top, well it is just about the most perfect soup. I made to share, which I did, (and everyone licked their bowls clean) but then hoarded the little bit left over and ate it cold for a late afternoon snack. That is another thing about soup, you can eat is cold and it is still amazing.

Tasty and delicious, and nutritious. This soup does it all.

To the soup!

The stuff. Peas, chopped broccoli, and chopped cauliflower which are all frozen and slightly thawed. You can totally use fresh here too, but I just so happen to have it frozen so you might as well save the fresh stuff for fresh eating. Also have a big yellow onion, a few cloves garlic, some tahini, a lemon, sumac, and salt and pepper. You need water which I did not picture here.

A pot, some water and a roughly chopped onion and the garlic start off this soup. Bring the pot to a boil, then turn to medium and let the onion and garlic cook until very tender. I have been making a lot of soups starting with this step lately. Boiling the onion and garlic until tender and fragrant really make for a super flavorful and clean soup base. Or soup in itself.

Now add in the broccoli and cauliflower to the pot and cook until tender.

Mid soup cooking time is a good time to make the sumac tahini sauce for the swirl. Basics here, just mix the tahini, the sumac, a pinch of salt and pepper, the juice of the lemon and a tablespoon of warm water together until smooth.

Last but not least, the peas. Add them in and they just need a few minutes to cook through.

And then it all gets blended to become this green creamy goodness.

Ladle into bowls, grab the sumac tahini sauce and swirl it on in. A tablespoon or so is good. And don%u2019t forget a little more pepper and another pinch of sumac for good measure.

Just appreciate for a moment. That is one good looking bowl of soup. And it taste even better then it looks.

-C

Makes about 4 serving

• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen peas

• 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen cauliflower

• 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen broccoli

• 1 large onion

• 3-4 cloves garlic

• 4-5 cups water

• Salt and pepper

• 1 teaspoon sumac

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 2-4 tablespoons warm water

Start by removing the papery skin from the onion and chop into a few big chunks. Remove the skin from garlic too. Place into pot with 4 cups water. Turn heat on high and bring to a boil then turn heat to medium and let onion are garlic cook until tender which should take about 15-20 minutes

Once the onion is cooked, add in the broccoli and cauliflower. Turn heat back to high and bring to a boil again then turn back down to medium heat. Keep cooking until tender (another 15 minutes or so) then add in the peas. Keep on heat until peas are cooked through then remove the pot from heat and either transfer to a blender or use a immusrian blender to blend the soup until smooth. Add a little more water if needed to get to the right consistency to blend right. Or if you want a thinner soup.

For the tahini sumac swirl just mix the tahini and sumac together along with the juice of the lemon, two tablespoon warm water and a pinch of salt. Mix together until smooth. If the mixture is to thick, add another tablespoon of water.

To serve. Ladle or pour soup into bowls and drizzle and swirl the tahini sumac on top. Sprinkle with pepper and a pinch more sumac and you are good to go.

I am obsessed. For real. That might seem like a strong statement for a feeling about a food, but right now, it is truth. I spend more time then I want to admit thinking and drooling over Socca, which is, to those who do not know, the most basic chickpea flour pancake-y bread thing. Chickpea flour, water and salt. Cooked fast under the broiler in a screaming hot skillet. That is it. And it is amazing. Depending on how you make it, it can be creamy and soft or more cracker like with some crisp crunch to it. Either way, it is just so freaking good. Of course, what I am dreaming about regarding it is not just plan basic socca (which I have made 3 times in the past 3 days) but different flavored soccas (I have experimented with lot of seasoning, and they are all A+) with all sorts of different topping and using it in all sorts of different ways. But for now, I wanted to keep basic so we all know how good simplicity is. We will go from here.

There is no stopping me. There is no stopping the socca.

Now to my new favorite food, the socca.

Chickpea flour, salt and water. That is it. Mix it all up.

Batter all smooth and now in need of a rest. Half an hour or up to a day of rest is good.

Now to cook the socca. You need to use something oven safe like cast iron. The trick here is to preheat the skillet while you are preheating the oven. Crank oven to 450 with the skillet in oven and once the oven reaches temp, turn oven over to a high broil. Let the skillet get really hot for another minute or two then remove skillet from oven (carefully!!!) and give it a splash of oil. Don%u2019t preheat the skillet with oil in it or else it will start to smoke and get gross.

Now that you got a nice hot and oiled skillet, grab the rested batter and pour half of it in. Tilt skillet around to coat bottom then stick skillet back into oven under broiler and cook for 4-8minutes. ( It depends on your broilers strength and your preference for blisters)

Out from the broiler. Cooked and slightly blistered. I went easy on this one. The next one got a few more blisters.

2 soccas, one a little thicker then the other. One a little more blistered then the other. Both in my belly.

So many Soccas to come.

So. many. Soccas.

-C

makes two 10 inch soccas

• 1 cup chickpea flour

• 1 cup room temperature water

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• olive oil for pan

Mix chickpea flour, salt and water together into a bowl until smooth. Let mixture rest for at least half an hour or up to a day.

When ready to make the socca, preheat oven to 450 with a 10 inch oven safe skillet (I used cast iron but any oven safe dish would work) in oven.

Once oven reaches temp, turn oven over to broil and place skillet under it for a minute to really heat the skillet. Carefully, with oven mitts, remove hot skillet from oven and brush or pour a smidge of oil into the hot skillet to coat bottom. Pour in half the batter and tilt around until bottom is coated then place skillet back into oven under broiler and cook for 4 -8 minutes or until the socca starts to blister. (it kind of depends on your broiler so keep a close eye on it) Remove from oven and slip socca onto cutting board. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil if you like. Then all you do is cut and eat.

Left over socca can be stored in fridge and reheated in oven or toaster.

Note. IF you want a slightly thicker socca, use a 8 inch skillet. For a thiner, more cracker like socca, pour in 1/3 of the batter at a time (you will end up with 3 instead of 2)

Spring is here for reals, I think. No, it is here, it has just been a bit raw and maybe a bit more rainy then it really needs to be, but whatever, it is spring and it is good. Things are greener by the day, the temperatures although not exactly warm are still inhabitable and without cause for winter jackets (although I have still been rocking the mittens) and spring veggies are popping up all over. Things are looking good.

So last week I made a pie crust with the intention to make a veggie pot pie and stuck it into the freezer. When the time came to make said pot pie, I forgot to take it out of the freezer so the crust was not meant to be for pot pie (it will probably end up as a rhubarb pie%u2026we shall see). Without pie crust, I wasn%u2019t exactly feeling like I should make a pot pie, but a tart, well yeah, sure. A crispy and chewy crackery crusted thing with almond ricotta a spring veggies because that is where the mind went and what the mr agreed sounded good. (When I make up recipes I just start taking about ingredient and preparations and wait til the mr says %u201cYea, that loud good. I%u2019ll eat that %u201c He usually will say it right away and for anything. Very easy to please or he just doesn%u2019t care%u2026hum? )

And so the tart was made and the tart was eaten in all entirety for dinner by the mr alone. Usually when he eats all of something it means it was one of the really good things. Or he is really really hungry. But he said it was a really good thing. I trust him because I agreed. I got in a few spoonfuls of the almond ricotta mixture and it is really freaking good if I do say so myself (I could eat bowls of almond ricotta all day long).

Anyway, heres to spring and all things that are green and good.

To the tart.

The stuff. Flours (white and white whole wheat), baking powder, and a little salt in the bowl. Water and olive oil, blanched almonds, a lemon, a clove of garlic, asparagus, peas, frozen and thawed spinach, a small red onion, and salt and pepper.

Start with making the crust. Mix the dry together then add in the oil and water to form a dough. Knead dough a minutes until the dough is uniform and place back in bowl and cover. Dough needs a few alone minutes to rest. I can relate to that.

While dough is resting, make the almond ricotta. Almonds, garlic, the juice of the lemon, and a bit of water go into blender. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper too.

Blend until creamy and smooth.

Dump in the spinach and blend, just until combined.

Scoop ricotta into a bowl and mix in the peas. And sure give it another taste but try not to eat it all.

Grab the onion and slice it all nice and thin.

And after the resting time, grab dough and roll it out. Try for a rectangular shape or as rectangular as you can get it, but nice and thin. Thiner is better.

Place rolled out dough onto a baking sheet and poke the bottom with lots of little hole. Take ricotta mixture and spread evenly all over crust, leaving a 1 1/2 border all the way around.

Then top with the asparagus and more onions.

Fold over the edges of the crust, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, and into the oven it goes to bake.

And then it is baked. And ready to eat (after a few minutes of cooling).

Nothing left but to cut it up and eat it.

Spring. Green. Food.

Things are good.

-C

Makes a 8×12(ish) tart

• For the Crust

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup white whole wheat (can sub for all purpose)

• 3 tablespoon oil

• 1/3 cup room temp water

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• For the Almond Ricotta and Veggies

• 1/2 cup blanched almonds

• 1/4- 1/3 cup warm water

• 1 lemon

• 1 clove garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper or more to taste

• 1/4 cup frozen and thawed spinach squeezed of liquid

• 9-10 spears of Asparagus

• 1/4 cup peas (fresh or frozen and thawed)

• 1 /2 red onion

First make the crust. Whisk together the flours, salt, and baking soda. Add in the oil and water and mix until a dough forms. Form dough into a ball and knead for minute or two on counter then place dough back into the bowl and cover. The dough needs to rest for 10-15 minutes.

While dough is resting, make the almond ricotta. Place almonds, garlic, and juice of lemon into a blender. Start blending and add in the lesser amount of water, adding a little more until the stuff all starts to blend. Blend on high for a minute or two until the mixture is nice and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, blend a second to mix then add in the squeezed out spinach. Blend until mix together then dump or scoop the mixture into a bowl and mix in the peas. Then thinly slice up the onion.

Preheat the oven to 450

After doughs little rest, lightly flour a counter and roll it out, thin as you can, in a rectangular shape. Try for at least 12in x 16in. The rectangle doesn%u2019t need to be perfect. Rough is good.

Place the rolled out crust onto a baking. Take a fork and dock the surface (poke holes into it to prevent air bubbles). Take the ricotta and pea mixture and spread evenly on crust, leaving about a 1 1/2 inch border all the way around. Add a layer of sliced red onion and then take asparagus (trim off woody ends) and either lay on whole or break in half and lay on. Add more onions on top. Fold the border of the crust over the top. Sprinkle the whole thing with pepper and place into the hot oven.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the crust becomes a nice golden brown. Remove and let cool a few minutes

And then cut up and eat. Right away or at room temperature. Or some now and some later. All up you you.

Store left over in fridge in air tight container for up to a few days. the crust will not be crispy but more chewy. Can stick it back in oven for a few minutes to crisp it up.

It is spring yes? I know it is officially spring but around here it has been more or less still winter which is to be expected but is, at this point, no longer welcomed. I, as well as everyone else I talk to, are over it. Enough snow. enough of the hats and jackets. Just enough.

But the bright side of the chilly, cold weather is that we can and still want to turn the oven on and cook things. And because I turned the heat off a little prematurely, I am cold so I really want the oven on.

One skillet, a little chop action, a stir, some good time in the oven and there you go, food for your belly. Not a ton of dishes to do, steps to fallow, thoughts to think (other then eating thoughts). A good old, hearty, simple to toss together, spicy, delicious skillet of goodness. Prepare it fast, pop into warm oven, sit in kitchen drawing up plans for the spring veggie garden, and then eat yourself warm. What more can we ask for?

We can ask for spring weather because seriously. But other then that.

To the goodness of cajun lentils and rice!

The stuff. Lentils, brown rice, cajun seasoning, some crushed tomatoes, an onion, a carrot, a few cloves garlic, some cauliflower, water, oil, and salt and pepper.

First off, mince garlic and chop up the cauliflower, carrot, and onion into small pieces.

Toss it all into a good sized oven safe skillet with a splash of oil. Mix in the cajun seasoning too and stick o nth stove on medium heat for a few minutes.

Cook until fragrant and slightly tender. Taste it, it is good.

Dump in the lentils and rice. Then dump I the tomatoes and the water. Give it all a mix.

And after. All done. Now dinner.

Grab some green thing to chop and toss on for some color.

Now grab some bowls, a few forks, and get to eating.

-C

Serves 4-6

• 3/4 cup uncooked brown or white rice

• 3/4 cup dried green lentils

• 2 cups crushed tomatoes (preferably not salted)

• 2 1/4 cups water

• 3 tablespoons cajun seasoning (see note)

• 1 large carrot

• 1/4 head of cauliflower (about 2 cups chopped)

• 1 large yellow onion

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• salt and pepper

Note. Store bought cajun seasoning usually contains salt and pepper so when seasoning, be aware of the amount of salt (if any) you choose to use.

Preheat oven to 350

Start by chopping the carrot, onion, and cauliflower into small pieces. Mince the garlic and toss it all into the skillet with the olive oil. Stir in the cajun seasoning and sprinkle in salt and pepper if it needs it. Place skillet on medium high heat and cook veggies until fragrant and slightly tender which should take about 5 minutes then remove from heat. Dump in the lentils, rice, water and tomatoes. Stir until mixed then either place a lid or foil over the top. Place into preheated oven for about an hour, removing the lid or foil after 40ish minutes and giving it a stir when you do. The bake is done when the rice and lentils are fully cooked, but if you are into a crispy top and crunchy sides, by all means, cook a little longer.

Remove from oven when fully cooked and you are happy with crispness. Let cool for a few minutes, toss on some chopped green something or another if you want, and serve it up.

Left overs store great in the fridge for a few day and freeze well too.

It%u2019s a smoothie. And no, we have never really been smoothie people in this house, but what can I say, sometimes smoothies happen, especially when you have about 20 ripe bananas in the fruit bowl with no room in the freezer and no need for 7 loafs of banana bread.

So I smoothied. And I like it (a lot).

This is a smoothie of simplicity. Nothing fancy. Simplest of simple. Straight to the point. And all sorts of good.

You might think, does this simple smoothie you speak of taste very good? Yes, yes indeed it does. It is all sorts of fantastic. Basically if you like creamy, nutty, oaty, bananery things, you will like this. And it%u2019s a perfect breakfast, snack, dessert, or just wanting a little treat like thing that is not garbage food. A smoothie of all smoothies with the most basic ingredients. And takes about 15 seconds to whip up. Can%u2019t complain about that.

To the smoothie goodness!

The stuff. A ripe banana, some old fashion rolled oats, a pinch of salt, water, and a smidge of maple syrup if you want it.

Everything goes into blender.

And blended until smooth. Hence the word smoothie.

Pour it into a cup (or if you are feeling primal, drink it straight from the blender%u2026 it%u2019s totally cool)

And done.

A banana oat smoothie.

Let the good time roll!

-C

makes 1 smoothie

• 1 very ripe banana

• 1/3 cup raw old fashion oats

• 1 1/2 cups water

• pinch of salt

• a tablespoon or two of any sweetener you like (optional)

• a pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Place everything into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a cup, sprinkle with cinnamon if you wish, and drink right away.

I am sadly at my last few bags of frozen garden foods from last season. As of now I have a bag of tomatoes, a couple bags of shredded zucchini, and a bag of rhubarb. Well, had a bag of rhubarb. I think I have eaten almost all of it already. My rhubarb patch better get up and producing stalks soon. And as for the rest of the veggies that I will require. Guess I am going to be surviving mostly on roots from farm share (we are getting a lot more greens though!!!!) and probably doing a bit more grocery shopping then I care too. A few more months. I can do it.

Anyway, enough about my freezer and lack of fresh produce problems.

Here in Vermont maple season is well on it%u2019s way making it a perfect time for anything maple. And rhubarb. Yeah I am using my frozen rhubarb from last year, but any time now (after the snow melts) there will be plenty of stalks for the taking. There will be so much maple and so much fresh rhubarb which are the perfect taste combination. Exciting times! And when added to oatmeal, things just get more gooder. (I know gooder is not a word but I think it should be) Oatmeal, especially baked, is the stuff where all gooder things start.

Have you had baked oatmeal yet? It truly is fantastic. Not at all gummy and gloopy like stove topped cooked oatmeal (but I like it like that too). It still has a good bite to it while still being soft and creamy and boy oh boy is it just the bees knees. With the addition of some crunchy almond friends, well even better. Trust me. If you are a oatmeal eater, you must try it baked. Best part is that it can be eaten as breakfast but also I have been serving it to the mr for dessert with a healthy drizzle of more maple. It%u2019s that good friends. From breakfast to dessert. Everyone is happy.

To the baked oatmeal.

The stuff. Old fashion oats, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, rhubarb (fresh or frozen), REAL maple syrup, some plant milk, a few flax eggs, a bit of tahini, and some almonds.

To start. Oats, cinnamon. salt, baking powder and almonds get a quick toss together in a big bowl.

If you rhubarb is not already chopped up into inch long pieces, do that. I already did before freezing it so yea me. Once its chopped, layer almost all of it (reserve a few small needful to toss on top) into a lightly greased 9×9 inch baking dish then cover evenly with the oat mixture.

In now empty bowl mix together the milk, the flax eggs, the tahini, and the maple until evenly incorporated.

Pour the wet mixture all over the oats and let it absorb.

Once the liquid is all absorbed , top with any left over almonds and the left over rhubarb. For good looks.

Pop into a hot oven to bake.

Golden brown with crispy edges. Rhubarb and maple baked oatmeal for all your maple, oaty and rhubarbie needs.

Fresh from the oven scooped warm into bowls. Top with extra maple if thats what you should want do.

Enjoy and happy maple season!

-C

Make a 9×9 pan of oatmeal

• 2 1/2 cups old fashion oats (make sure gluten free if need be)

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/3 cup maple syrup plus more for serving

• 1 tablespoon tahini or any other nut butter

• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax seed with 6 tablespoons warm water)

• 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb chopped into inch long pieces

• 1 1/2 cup plant milk (water works but it won%u2019t be as creamy)

• 1/2 cup chopped almonds (optional)

Preheat oven to 375

Lightly grease a 9×9 inch baking pan (I used metal because it makes for crisper edges but glass works too) and dump 2 cups of the rhubarb in and evenly distribute on the bottom. In a large bowl mis the oats, the baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together. Mix in chopped nuts if you are using. Evenly cover rhubarb with oat mixture. In now empty bowl mix together the milk, flax eggs, maple syrup, and tahini until evenly incorporated. Pour mixture over oats. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes until the oats have abosbed all the liquid. Toss the rest of the diced rhubarb and a few more chop nuts to the top and pop into the oven to bake.

Bake for 30-40 minutes (shorter time for a wetter oatmeal, longer for a denser crispier oatmeal)

Once baked to your likeness, remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes just so it is not super hot. Scoop into bowls and serve warm with extra maple and milk or whatever you might want to serve with it.

Left overs last great in fridge for 3-4 days or individual portions can be frozen for a month or two. Just pop into microwave for a couple minutes to warm up.

Barb has been bugging me for a few months to make her pierogi and I keep telling her I will. But for some reason I just kept forgetting and ever time she came over for dinner I would just end up making her lentils . I make lentils for people when I care about them because lentils are perfect and I always figure she could use the nutrients. But finally, FINALLY, I remembered and figured it was about time. Time for Barb to get her pierogi. I got the ingredients, made up a plan, and went about making them thinking she was coming over for dinner. But guess what. She didn’t come over. After all that, she decided it was better for her to go to her classes and then go to her shift at work, that it was not a good idea to skip out on all that just because I decided to finally make her pierogi. Well whatever I guess.

And full disclouse, I don%u2019t think I made actual plans with her for the particular day that I made these pieorgi. I might have just assumed she was coming over%u2026. So maybe my bad. Good thing these things can be made ahead and cooked whenever. So I saved her half for whenever she does come over (today I think). I did make them for her after all.

Anyway. Pierogi. Pretty much a stuffed ravioli I filled these with the potato, chickpea, and onion mixture, tossed a little dill in for the hell of it, and there they were. The mr got the first half, covered in cashew cream. But I bet these would be equally fantastic with marinara sauce. Or ketchup? I could see that if you are into that sort of thing. Ha.

Also have to note. I keep wanting to write pierogies but I think that is wrong. Pierogi is the plural for pierog.. I think.

To the pierogi.

The stuff. Flour, oil, salt and pepper. Cooked chickpeas, a couple russet potatoes, a big onion, some dried dill (optional), warm water, soaked cashews, and a little red wine vinegar.

First make the dough. Flout, salt, water, and oil get mixed together until la shaggy dough is formed. Dump onto a floured surface ans give ut a good knead for a minute until lit comes together into a nice ball. Place dough back into the bowl (clean it out), cover it with a towel, and set aside to let the dough have little rest.

Meanwhile get the potatoes boiling. You are more then welcome to peel your potatoes but I don%u2019t. Chop the potatoes into small pieces, dump into a pot of cold water and cook them (boil until fork tender)

And cook the onions too. Chop the onion into small little bits and place in a skillet with a couple slashes of olive oil. Medium heat and a good stir until they are nice and golden brown.

Cooked onions and cooked ans drained potatoes.

Now to make the filling. Add the potatoes, onions, chickpeas, and ill to a bowl. Sprinkle in salt ans pepper

Mash it all together, small chunks are ok, but not big.

Taste and season with more salt and or pepper if needed. And stop eating all the filling, you need it.

Wen the filling is made, grab the dough, rolling pin, and a large biscuit cutter or a cup.

Roll out dough, then cut out circles.

And to make a pierogi, grab a dough disk, add a mound of filling, then fold in half and pinch closed. Simple. IF the dough doesn%u2019t want to seal, run a wet finger around the edge of the dough. That will do the trick.

All made, and not perfect by any means but perfect to me. Once you have made them, they need a little rest before cooking. Just a half hour or so. Enough time to clean up the mess that you just made and ge ta pot of water boiling on the stove. This is also a good time to prepare some to save for freezing. Any that you do not plan on eating in the next few days, place on a lightly floured baking sheet and stick in freezer. Once frozen, remove from sheet and place in an airtight container or freezer bag and stash away for another day. They can also go I the fridge for 3-4 days without being frozen, just make sure that you give each one a good dusting of flour so they don%u2019t stick to each other.

Oh, and before you finish cooking the pierogi, make a the cashew cream. Place soaked cashews into blender with the vinegar and a splash of hot water. Blend into creamy and smooth. Season with salt and pepper and that is that.

Now to cook those pierogies. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, drop (gently) the pierogies one by one into water. A few at a time as to not over crowed, boil until they start to float to the top, which should take 4-5 minutes. Once cooked, scoop them out and place them on a plate or pan while you boil more (if you are indeed cooking more)

After the pieogies had a boil, they then need a little crispness (you can skip this step if you don%u2019t want them crispy). Use the frying pan you cooked the onions in and add a splash more oil. Heat on medium and when pan is hot, add in the boiled (not sopping wet) pierogies. Cook each side for 3-5 minutes or until nice and and browned then flip and cook the other side.

And then all is left is eating. layered on a bed of cabbage carrot slaw and dolloped with a good dollop of the cashew cream. Done and done and ready to for the face.

I don%u2019t know. Maybe Barb should have skipped school and work for dinner.. Just saying

-C

makes about 25

• For the dough

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting

• 1 cup warm water

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• For the Filling

• 1 large sweet or vidilla onion

• 2 medium sized russet potatoes

• 1 cup cooked chick peas

• 2-3 teaspoons olive oil

• 1 teaspoon dill (optional)

• salt and pepper

• For the Cashew Cream (Optional for serving)

• 1/2 cup soaked cashews (soaked for at least 1/2 hour)

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

• 3 tablespoons hot water

• salt and pepper

First off, make the dough. Mix the flour with salt then add in oil and water. Mix together until a shaggy dough forms then dump out onto a lightly flour surface and knead a few times to form a uniform ball. Place dough back into (cleaned) bowl and cover. Set aside to rest.

Once dough is made, chop onion into small little pieces and place in a large skillet with 2-3 teaspoons of oil. Stick on medium heat and cook until tender and browned. Also cook the potatoes. Chop the potatoes into small pieces (peel if you want but you don%u2019t need to) and place into a pot of cold water. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook until they are fork tender, almost falling apart.

Once potatoes are cooked, strain from water and place in a big bowl. Add in the cooked onion and the chickpeas. Sprinkle in dill if you are using and season with salt and pepper. Grab a potato masher or a fork and mash the mixture together. It can be a little chunky, but you don%u2019t want really big chunks. Taste and season if it needs it.

Filling is done so now grab the rested dough. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, cut in half, place one half back in bowl and roll the other out about 1/8 inch thin. Take a large biscuit cutter or a large cup and cut out circles. Gather remaining dough and re roll out. Do this until you can%u2019t. Repeat with second half of dough.

Once the circles are cut out, place about a tablespoon of filling into the center of each. Fold the dough in half and pinch closed. If the dough has dried out to much, brush a little water on the edge of circle to help it seal. Place the pierogi on a floured surface (so they don%u2019t stick) And don%u2019t worry if you have a little extra filling.. Just eat it.

When all the pierogi are made, let them rest for about 1/2 an hour. There are a good amount of pierogi here so if you want, stick some in a container and in the fridge to have in the next few days. Just make sure to flour them so they don%u2019t stick together. Or if you prefer, place however many you to want to save on a lightly floured baking sheet and stick in the freezer until frozen. Once frozen, place into a freezer safe bag or container. They will keep for a few months.

Also, before you finish cooking, make the cashew cream (if you want it) Just add soaked cashews to a blender with vinegar and the water. Blend until smooth and creamy then season with salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture seems to thick, just add a splash more water until it is a desired thickness.

To cook the pierogi, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place pierogi, one at a time, into pot. 5-7 at a time as to not crowd them, and cook until they start to float. Remove the cooked ones with a slotted spoon and stick on a plate. Boil as many as you are going to eat. Grab a skillet and add a few teaspoons of olive oil. Heat to a medium heat and place the pirogies into pan. Cook each side for 4-5 minutes or until browned and crispy. Flip and cook the other side.

Remove form pan, place on a plate, dollop with cashew cream (if desired) and eat.

I have a bag of coconut flour that I need to use up so I have made coconut snack cake a few times the past couple weeks. Once with orange instead of lime. Once I added chocolate chips. This time I stepped it up made a little glaze action, toasted a little coconut for some extra coconutiness and took these here pictures and wrote down the recipe. Just. For. You.

Not that I don%u2019t know already that my snack cake creation is good, but I guess it was just super A+++. I threw this one together right before the mr and I headed down to PA to hang with my dad. As soon as he (and sister and nephews) started in on it, well the responses were more then average. My dad even snuck a piece off and hid it for later. They really, really, really were into it. Wanted me to make another right then and there. Normally I would but my dad doesn%u2019t keep coconut flour on hand and I don%u2019t make it a habit to travel with any myself. (I might have to change that.) Next time he will know to stock the coconut flour.

I didn%u2019t realize my people were such coconut people. Good thing for them that I like coconut people. As a matter of fact, I consider myself a coconut person. And coconut is not code for awesome, but I am that too. HA

Anyway enough about me. Coconut snack cake is what you want to know about. It is soft and dense. Moist, not overly sweet. Lots of lime and coconut flavor and is just perfect for snack time. Eat it with a fork on a plate with coffee or tea or grab an piece and eat it walking down the street while thinking about green leaves and warmer weather. Or wherever and whenever. If you make it then it%u2019s up to you when and where you eat it. That only seems fair.

Now to the snack cake of your coconut lime dreams.

The stuff. Gonna need all purpose flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, a couple flax eggs, some warmed coconut oil, plant milk, brown sugar, vanilla extra, apple sider vinegar, a couple lime, some powdered sugar, and some lightly toasted shredded coconut.

Grab a big bowl. Add in the brown sugar, flax eggs, warmed coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla. Mix it all up until evenly incorporated.

Dump in the flours, baking soda and powder, and salt. Zest in lime, squeeze in lime juice and start to mix. Add in the milk as you are mixing.

Cake batter mixed and done. Now to bake it.

Dump the cake batter into a well greased baking pan and level it off with a spoon or spatula.

Now it%u2019s oven time to bake into a great and well cake.

A cake out of the oven, great and well. Golden brown and smells of all the goodness that a coconut cake could possible smell.

While cake is cooling, which it should be now, make the glaze. Powdered sugar, lime zest, and lime juice. Mix until it%u2019s glazy.

Pour the glaze all over cooled cake.

Don%u2019t forget the shredded coconut. Get it on before the glaze starts to set.

And then it%u2019s just the matter of cutting cake%u2026%u2026.

You know once you cut it, that means snack time right? Coconut lime snack cake for all of your coconut time, lime time, hungry snack time needs.

Keep it good.

-C

Makes a 9×9 cake

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 3/4 packed cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 cup coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

• 1 1/4 cup plant milk (I used almond)

• 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax seeds with 1/2 cup warm water)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• A lime

• For the glaze

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

• a lime

• 1/4 cup or so toasted shredded coconut to sprinkle on top (optional)

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, mix together the bbrown sugar, flax eggs, warmed coconut oil, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar until completely incorporated. Next dump in the flour, coconut flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Zest the lime into bowl. Start mixing, adding in the juice of the lime and the plant milk. Mix it all together until completely incorporated.

Dump mixture into a well greases 9×9 baking pan and level off with a spoon or spatula. Place into oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and a tester stuck into the middle of cake comes out clean.

Once baked, remove from oven, let cool in pan for a few minutes then carefully remove cake from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

While cake is cooling, make the glaze. Just zest other lime into powered sugar then add the juice (or as much juice as you needed) of the lime until a pourable glaze forms. If your lime is not particularly juicy enough and the glaze is still really thin, just add a splash of water to thin out as needed.

And when cake is completely cooled, pour glaze all over cake and cover with toasted coconut flakes.

Now cut. And eat.

Store left over cake in a air tight container for 3-4 days. Individual pieces freeze well for all your future snacking needs.

It’s melon season! The past few farm shares have included at least 2,, if not 4, watermelons and cantaloupes… Can you imagine. eating 4 watermelons a week? That’s a tall order, even for someone like me who could probably eat a whole watermelon in one sitting, it’s just doing it 4 times a week might be a problem.  It’s a whole lot of melon and not enough stomach, you know what I mean? 

So what do I do with so much melon? Well first off, whenever anyone comes over I try to get them to  eat as much of it as they can, which helps a great deal. Secondly, I cut it up and freeze some. But here is the thing, I love eating chunks of frozen cantaloupe, but frozen watermelon, never been my favorite so I usually just pass on sticking in the freezer, until now.

There is something magical that happens when you stick the frozen watermelon and cantaloupe together into a blender and making it into a slushy. It’s like eating a ray of sunshine or maybe even a rainbow, just really satisfying and juicy, and sweet but not overly sweet, and just really freaking good. Especially with all the stupid hot and humid weather we have had lately, these slushies have really been hitting the spot.  Even the mr who says he dislikes watermelon was all into these melon slushies. (he likes things that he says he doesn’t like all the time. I am pretty sure he is taste confused) Like  he was really into them. Usually I have to prompt him to tell me how something tastes, but not the slushy, he told me right away how good it was. I was like, I know dude, I just drank 2 of them myself. And I could have drank 2 more but I was trying to not get tot far ahead of myself. Moderation is key, plus I didn’t;t have any more of the melons frozen. Time to restock the freezer. 

Go make yourself a slushy, it’s juicy deliciousness will make you happy. 

The stuff. Watermelon and cantaloupe. There should be a lime in there too but it must have rolled away…. 

Chop some of each of the melon up, remove the rinds, and place on a big baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen. You can do as little as 2 cups  of each or as much as a whole melon, it’s up to you. (I suggest freezing extra)

Frozen melon. And now you can slushy.

Equal parts watermelon and cantaloupe go into blender, along with the juice of half (or more to taste) a lime and you are probably going to need to add about 1/2 a cup of water, to help the blender blend it all together.  And that’s it. You blend until it’s all slushy.

Pour into cups, garnish with a lime and/or little chunks of melon and you are good as golden. 

From now on, or until summer is over and I run out of melon, I will be keeping the freezer stocked, especially because I know that the next few weeks are suppose to be stupid hot again. 

Waterloupe slushies. Summertime goodness. 

-C

• about 2 cups  of a watermelon
• about 2 cups of a cantaloupe 
• 1 lime
• 1/2- 1 cup water 

Note. The amounts above are for two  2 cup slushies. You can, and should, freeze a crap load more melon for future slushies.  Also, no one would fault you for maybe adding a little nip of some clear alcohol to this slushy situation to make it more of an adult drink……

Cut up a watermelon and a cantalopjue. Eat some and reserve at least 2 cups of each. Remove the rinds from the melons and cut into cubes. Place melon on a baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen. 

Once frozen, place equal parts frozen watermelon and cantaloupe into the blender with the juice of a lime. Turn blender on. Slowly add in water until the blender can handle blending the frozen fruit. Blend until smooth. Pour into cups, garnish if you want with more melon and lime, then get to drinking. 

It’s melon season! The past few farm shares have included at least 2,, if not 4, watermelons and cantaloupes… Can you imagine. eating 4 watermelons a week? That’s a tall order, even for someone like me who could probably eat a whole watermelon in one sitting, it’s just doing it 4 times a week might be a problem.  It’s a whole lot of melon and not enough stomach, you know what I mean? 

So what do I do with so much melon? Well first off, whenever anyone comes over I try to get them to  eat as much of it as they can, which helps a great deal. Secondly, I cut it up and freeze some. But here is the thing, I love eating chunks of frozen cantaloupe, but frozen watermelon, never been my favorite so I usually just pass on sticking in the freezer, until now.

There is something magical that happens when you stick the frozen watermelon and cantaloupe together into a blender and making it into a slushy. It’s like eating a ray of sunshine or maybe even a rainbow, just really satisfying and juicy, and sweet but not overly sweet, and just really freaking good. Especially with all the stupid hot and humid weather we have had lately, these slushies have really been hitting the spot.  Even the mr who says he dislikes watermelon was all into these melon slushies. (he likes things that he says he doesn’t like all the time. I am pretty sure he is taste confused) Like  he was really into them. Usually I have to prompt him to tell me how something tastes, but not the slushy, he told me right away how good it was. I was like, I know dude, I just drank 2 of them myself. And I could have drank 2 more but I was trying to not get tot far ahead of myself. Moderation is key, plus I didn’t;t have any more of the melons frozen. Time to restock the freezer. 

Go make yourself a slushy, it’s juicy deliciousness will make you happy. 

The stuff. Watermelon and cantaloupe. There should be a lime in there too but it must have rolled away…. 

Chop some of each of the melon up, remove the rinds, and place on a big baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen. You can do as little as 2 cups  of each or as much as a whole melon, it’s up to you. (I suggest freezing extra)

Frozen melon. And now you can slushy.

Equal parts watermelon and cantaloupe go into blender, along with the juice of half (or more to taste) a lime and you are probably going to need to add about 1/2 a cup of water, to help the blender blend it all together.  And that’s it. You blend until it’s all slushy.

Pour into cups, garnish with a lime and/or little chunks of melon and you are good as golden. 

From now on, or until summer is over and I run out of melon, I will be keeping the freezer stocked, especially because I know that the next few weeks are suppose to be stupid hot again. 

Waterloupe slushies. Summertime goodness. 

-C

• about 2 cups  of a watermelon
• about 2 cups of a cantaloupe 
• 1 lime
• 1/2- 1 cup water 

Note. The amounts above are for two  2 cup slushies. You can, and should, freeze a crap load more melon for future slushies.  Also, no one would fault you for maybe adding a little nip of some clear alcohol to this slushy situation to make it more of an adult drink……

Cut up a watermelon and a cantalopjue. Eat some and reserve at least 2 cups of each. Remove the rinds from the melons and cut into cubes. Place melon on a baking sheet and stick into the freezer until frozen. 

Once frozen, place equal parts frozen watermelon and cantaloupe into the blender with the juice of a lime. Turn blender on. Slowly add in water until the blender can handle blending the frozen fruit. Blend until smooth. Pour into cups, garnish if you want with more melon and lime, then get to drinking. 

Spring is here for reals, I think. No, it is here, it has just been a bit raw and maybe a bit more rainy then it really needs to be, but whatever, it is spring and it is good. Things are greener by the day, the temperatures although not exactly warm are still inhabitable and without cause for winter jackets (although I have still been rocking the mittens) and spring veggies are popping up all over. Things are looking good.

So last week I made a pie crust with the intention to make a veggie pot pie and stuck it into the freezer. When the time came to make said pot pie, I forgot to take it out of the freezer so the crust was not meant to be for pot pie (it will probably end up as a rhubarb pie%u2026we shall see). Without pie crust, I wasn%u2019t exactly feeling like I should make a pot pie, but a tart, well yeah, sure. A crispy and chewy crackery crusted thing with almond ricotta a spring veggies because that is where the mind went and what the mr agreed sounded good. (When I make up recipes I just start taking about ingredient and preparations and wait til the mr says %u201cYea, that loud good. I%u2019ll eat that %u201c He usually will say it right away and for anything. Very easy to please or he just doesn%u2019t care%u2026hum? )

And so the tart was made and the tart was eaten in all entirety for dinner by the mr alone. Usually when he eats all of something it means it was one of the really good things. Or he is really really hungry. But he said it was a really good thing. I trust him because I agreed. I got in a few spoonfuls of the almond ricotta mixture and it is really freaking good if I do say so myself (I could eat bowls of almond ricotta all day long).

Anyway, heres to spring and all things that are green and good.

To the tart.

The stuff. Flours (white and white whole wheat), baking powder, and a little salt in the bowl. Water and olive oil, blanched almonds, a lemon, a clove of garlic, asparagus, peas, frozen and thawed spinach, a small red onion, and salt and pepper.

Start with making the crust. Mix the dry together then add in the oil and water to form a dough. Knead dough a minutes until the dough is uniform and place back in bowl and cover. Dough needs a few alone minutes to rest. I can relate to that.

While dough is resting, make the almond ricotta. Almonds, garlic, the juice of the lemon, and a bit of water go into blender. Add in a pinch of salt and pepper too.

Blend until creamy and smooth.

Dump in the spinach and blend, just until combined.

Scoop ricotta into a bowl and mix in the peas. And sure give it another taste but try not to eat it all.

Grab the onion and slice it all nice and thin.

And after the resting time, grab dough and roll it out. Try for a rectangular shape or as rectangular as you can get it, but nice and thin. Thiner is better.

Place rolled out dough onto a baking sheet and poke the bottom with lots of little hole. Take ricotta mixture and spread evenly all over crust, leaving a 1 1/2 border all the way around.

Then top with the asparagus and more onions.

Fold over the edges of the crust, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, and into the oven it goes to bake.

And then it is baked. And ready to eat (after a few minutes of cooling).

Nothing left but to cut it up and eat it.

Spring. Green. Food.

Things are good.

-C

Makes a 8×12(ish) tart

• For the Crust

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup white whole wheat (can sub for all purpose)

• 3 tablespoon oil

• 1/3 cup room temp water

• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• For the Almond Ricotta and Veggies

• 1/2 cup blanched almonds

• 1/4- 1/3 cup warm water

• 1 lemon

• 1 clove garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper or more to taste

• 1/4 cup frozen and thawed spinach squeezed of liquid

• 9-10 spears of Asparagus

• 1/4 cup peas (fresh or frozen and thawed)

• 1 /2 red onion

First make the crust. Whisk together the flours, salt, and baking soda. Add in the oil and water and mix until a dough forms. Form dough into a ball and knead for minute or two on counter then place dough back into the bowl and cover. The dough needs to rest for 10-15 minutes.

While dough is resting, make the almond ricotta. Place almonds, garlic, and juice of lemon into a blender. Start blending and add in the lesser amount of water, adding a little more until the stuff all starts to blend. Blend on high for a minute or two until the mixture is nice and creamy. Season with salt and pepper, blend a second to mix then add in the squeezed out spinach. Blend until mix together then dump or scoop the mixture into a bowl and mix in the peas. Then thinly slice up the onion.

Preheat the oven to 450

After doughs little rest, lightly flour a counter and roll it out, thin as you can, in a rectangular shape. Try for at least 12in x 16in. The rectangle doesn%u2019t need to be perfect. Rough is good.

Place the rolled out crust onto a baking. Take a fork and dock the surface (poke holes into it to prevent air bubbles). Take the ricotta and pea mixture and spread evenly on crust, leaving about a 1 1/2 inch border all the way around. Add a layer of sliced red onion and then take asparagus (trim off woody ends) and either lay on whole or break in half and lay on. Add more onions on top. Fold the border of the crust over the top. Sprinkle the whole thing with pepper and place into the hot oven.

Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the crust becomes a nice golden brown. Remove and let cool a few minutes

And then cut up and eat. Right away or at room temperature. Or some now and some later. All up you you.

Store left over in fridge in air tight container for up to a few days. the crust will not be crispy but more chewy. Can stick it back in oven for a few minutes to crisp it up.

I found another bag of frozen rhubarb in the chest freezer which is never a bad thing, but my rhubarb patch outside is growing strong and I will have all the fresh rhubarb I could possible eat within the next few weeks. So found rhubarb just means I need to eat it right fast before the fresh stuff comes in. (I haven%u2019t had a problem with that. it%u2019s almost gone already). Plus the other day while I was digging up and transplanting raspberry bushes to the back yard, my neighbor came over and gave me a gallon of frozen raspberries, harvested from said bushes that I was currently planting in my yard. Score for me! Free bushes and berries%u2026I have such nice neighbors.

So the logical thing to do with my new found and giving bounty was of course to hurry up and bake something. Cobbler. Why cobbler? Well, why not? I figured the mr would really like it and eat it and I also didn%u2019t want to make anything to fussy because I was just to dang busy spending all of my extra time outside doing outside things. And cobbler, it%u2019s not fussy because it is basically biscuits and jam baked up all together. Not a lot to think about and comes out looking all homey and sweet and smelling all nice and cozy. Doesn%u2019t that sound nice? And not a pain in the ass?

And best part. A made cobbler works as dessert or breakfasts or just a snack. Just asked the mr. He ate it for all the reasons. With a dollop of yogurt or cream of course because he is fancy like that.

And yeah the fruit I used was frozen, but fresh works just the same here too.

Now, lets get to that cobbler.

The stuff. Raspberries (frozen), rhubarb (frozen), sugar, flour, salt, baking power, cinnamon ,almond milk, apple cider vinegar, cornstarch, and oil.

Raspberries, rhubarb, sugar, cinnamon, cornstarch. Its all there in the bowl. Just needs to be mixed. So mix it.

Dump fruit mixture into well greased 8 inch pan and pop it into a hot oven to get a head start on baking.

While the fruits in the oven, make the biscuit dough. Mix the dry together then mix in the wet until just incorporated and a sticky dough forms.

Pulled from the oven, the fruit is starting to cook down and whoa, it just smells so good!

Drop on the biscuits dough on top of the fruit (careful of the hot pan). Evenly if possible, but don%u2019t work to hard to make it look perfect. Imperfection makes it look perfect, you know?

Once biscuits are on, lightly brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle with more sugar then pop it back into the oven for another 25-30 minutes or until the biscuits are baked.

Pulled from the oven with a bubbly filling and a golden brown biscuity top. Things are looking good here.

And now it%u2019s time.

Dig on in my friend. Sever with something creamy like whipped coconut cream or some type of yogurt or ice cream situation of your choice. And again, this can be your breakfast.

Happy spring people!

-C

make a a 8 inch round which serves 5-6

For the Filling

• 2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)

• 2 cups rhubarb chopped into 1/2 inch to inch long pieces (fresh or frozen)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch

• 3/4 -1 cup sugar (lesser amount if you like a little more tartness. I used lesser amount)

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the dough

• 1 cups all purpose flour

• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 3 tablespoons neutral flavored oil

• 1/2 cup plant based milk

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl mix together the rhubarb and raspberries with the corn starch, sugar, and cinnamon. Grease a 8 inch round pan the is at least 2 inches deep (can use a slightly large pan or a square) and dump in fruit mixture. Place into oven to bake for about 15 minutes or the fruit starts to break down.

While fruit is baking, mix up biscuit dough. Flour, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and baking powder go in a large bowl and mixed until combined. Add in the oil, the milk, and the vinegar. Mix until just incorporated and a dough has formed.

Remove the fruit cooking from the oven. Turn heat up to 375.

Carefully drop spoonfuls of biscuit batter on top of fruit. Brush the top of the biscuits with a little milk and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar. Place the pan back into the oven and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the biscuits are all nice and golden brown on top.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve warm with a scoop or dollop of soothing creamy (coconut cream, yogurt, ice cream%u2026..whatever floats your boat.)

Left overs can be stored in pan, just cover it with something and place in fridge. Can be eaten cold to or reheated in microwave or oven.

Who doesn’t like a good bun, right? %u00a0And just because this is where my mind wonders, peachy sweet buns. Doesn’t that sound like a pick up line or something you say to your significant other. Like, “Oh hey peachy sweet buns, you are looking good. Woo hoo”…….. Anyway, this is not about anyones peachy sweet buns, it it about actually sweet buns so u-hum, yeah.%u00a0

I am not trying to float my own boat here, but I am really really good at making buns, and you know what, I bet that you are too. They may seem a little intimidating, but really, it’s quite easy. I think what throws some people off is the yeasted dough and having to knead and waiting for the dough to rise,%u00a0but don’t let that stop you from sweet sweet buns. They are no harder to make then a boxed cake (maybe a little harder) and the results are by far more amazing and delightful (we don’t use the word delightful enough around here) then any old box or pre-made thing will ever be. Ever. Freshly made buns are what is right in this world.

If you are awesome and decide to make buns like any good person with a baking itch or a need for some sweet bun goodness does, make them peachy because its peach season and how can a peach bun not be that much more amazing? %u00a0Just think. Soft sweet dough, jammy cinnamon peaches, covered in a sweet lemony glaze……

Go on now, go and get yourself some peachy sweet buns.

The stuff. Flour and salt in the bowl, melted earth balance, brown sugar, yeast, warm soy milk, cane sugar, cinnamon, powdered sugar, a couple of lemons, and af course, peaches.

Warm (not hot) soy milk, yeast, cane sugar, an melted (but again, not hot) earth balance go into a big bowl and get whisked around. Then add in the flour and salt ans mix around until you just can’t.

Time to knead. Dump the dough ad all the little bits onto a flour surface. Gather it all together and knead away, for about 5-8 minutes, or until the dough looks like….

This. Nice and soft and glossy. %u00a0Lightly grease the bowl ans stick the dough back into it, covered with a towel, and set for about 1 hour to rise and double in size.%u00a0

As soon as the dough is set ti rise, start on your peach filling. Chop up enough peaches that you have about 2 1/2 cups of chunks.

Brown sugar and peach chunks go into a pot and stuck on a medium heat until they start to bubble then set to a low simmer for about 20 minutes or until the peaches all break apart and reduce by half.

Add in the cinnamon and stir.. Peachy goodness. Now quick and stick that shit in the fridge or freezer to cool down.

BOOM. Dough did what it’s job and doubled. Time o make the buns.%u00a0

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll our into a rectangle of sorts that is about 1/2 an inch thick%u00a0

Cover the surface with all the peachy jammy goodness, and sprinkle on the remaining finely chopped peaches.

And roll, as tightly as you can, without squeezing all the filling out. I roll towards me, but roll away from you if it is easier. %u00a0It might get a little sloppy… it’s ok, just lick your fingers and keep going.%u00a0

Rolled and cut into 12 pieces.

Place the rolls carefully onto a grease and parchment lined baking 9×13 baking dish. In my picture I used a baking pan, which was not what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t thinking properly and so that’s what I did. Something with sides is preferable, but the baking pan did the job so really, your call.%u00a0

When you place the buns in the dish, place them toughen a bit, it helps then bake up high instead of out. %u00a0And any remaining go on jam that spilled out can get scraped right on top of the buns,%u00a0if you didn’t already eat it.

Now into the preheated oven these %u00a0babies go.

Look at those beauts. And they smell. A-MAZ-ING!!%u00a0

Right away get that glaze made. Powdered sugar, lemon zest, ans lemon juice. Super easy, just add the zest and juice to sugar and mix until smooth and glaze.%u00a0

Pour glaze over warm buns. Make sure to hit them all or someone is going to be pissed they didn’t get enough glaze…..%u00a0

Then it’s really just up to you whether you wait for coffee or tea or not, but really, just eat right away. There should be very little time between newly glazed buns and a bun in your face.

Enjoy the peaches!

-C

Makes 12 Buns

• For the Dough%u00a0
  • 3 1/2 cups all purposes flour
  • 1/4 %u00a0cup cane sugar
  • 1 cup warm soy milk
  • 2 teaspoon or 1 packet yeast
  • 4 tablespoons melted vegan butter%u00a0
  • 1 teaspoon salt
• For the Filling%u00a0
  • 3-4 good sized ripe peaches (about 3 cups chopped peaches)
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • Juice of half a lemon
• For the Glaze
  • 1 lemons
  • 1 1/2 cup powered sugar

In a large bowl mix together the yeast,%u00a0warm (not hot) soy milk,%u00a0sugar, and melted but cooled butter. Now add in %u00a0the salt and the flour. Mix until it’s too hard to mix then dump it all onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 7-10 minutes until the dough is %u00a0soft, elastic-y,%u00a0and smooth. Place dough back into a clean lightly greased bowl and drape with a damp towel. Let dough rise for about 1 to 1.5 hours or until it has doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, chop the peaches up until you have about 3 cups.%u00a0Place 2 1/2 cups of the %u00a0peaches into a medium sized pot with the brown sugar and lemon juice and stick on medium heat. Set the rest aside. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring and mashing with a wooden spoon every few minutes,%u00a0until mixture has become thick and reduced by about 1/2. Remove from heat, stir in cinnamon,%u00a0%u00a0and place in fridge to cool.%u00a0

Once thee dough has doubled, dump onto a flour surface and roll our into a retacnge that is about 1/2 inch thick %u00a0Grab your peach mixture and spread the mixture evenly over the dough. Evenly distribute %u00a0the remaining chopped peaches over jam. %u00a0And then it’s the to roll.

Start from the long side and start to roll toward the other end, keeping it as tight as possible without squeezing out all the filling. %u00a0Once rolled, slice into 12 even sized buns.

Place on a lightly greased and parchment lined 9×13 inch baking sheet or pan and let rest and rest for another20 minutes or so. OR if you want to wait to bake them off,%u00a0cover them with plastic and set into the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you are ready to bake, remove from fridge and let the buns set on counter to come to room temperature before baking.%u00a0

Preheat oven to 350.

Place rolls into oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until all the buns have gotten a nice golden brown on top, and if you want to take the internal temp, that the temp has reached 190.%u00a0

Once the buns are done %u00a0baking, mix together the zest and juice of the lemon and powdered sugar. If the glaze seems to thick, add more juice or water, to think, add more sugar. Pour glaze all over warm (but not hot) buns.

And now all you need to do is serve up those buns right away, nice and warned.

Any left overs should be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days but should definitely be warmed up in the microwave for a minute or two before serving. They also freeze well too.%u00a0

Do you have a gazillion tomatoes, like so many that they are practically coming out of your ears? Me too…. Me too. This year the tomatoes have been gang busters, a explosion of the sweetest and most delicious fruit and now I have tomatoes littered everywhere, tucked into all the corners and baskets all over the house. It’s getting kinda tomato crazy over here.

%u00a0I can only eat so many tomatoes a day before all I have eaten are tomatoes and I start to feel slightly sick. Same with the mr, he has been a tomato eating champ as well but I think he was getting a little bored with all the tomato salads that I have been making. So I thought I would try something new and make a tomato cake. I figured why the heck not, tomatoes are technically a fruit and fruit and cake are great together and yeah. So tomato cake is going to be fantastic. I also wanted to make something that the mr would eat for breakfast. I have been doing this new thing in the mornings for the mr. I have coffee ready, some breakfast food (its been zucchini bread for a while), and a little vase of fresh flowers that I pick on my morning walk, all set out on the counter for when he wakes up. I know, I am so great right. Really I do it cause I want him to eat something before working all morning and plus if I am all sweet in the morning, he can’t be an old man cranky pants (at least he tries not to be).%u00a0 Now for the next few days the tomato cake is breakfast cake and all is good.

Anyway, the cake come out great. Bright reddish orange, dense but fluffy and most, and smells so good. The mr tells me it’s amazingand I shared a chunk with some of my family and everyone (minus a little) where fans. I am for sure going to be making this again soon, although I have been toying with the idea of eggplant sweet bread (too far??) but I’ll get to that later.

Now for the tomato cake!

The stuff. Flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt (all in the bowl). Brown sugar, oil, vanilla, apple cider vinegar and a few nice and juicy tomatoes.

First off, remove the core from tomatoes and cut into some chunks. Stick the chunks into a blender and blend.

Fresh and smooth tomato puree.

Now just dump the rest of the liquid stuff into the blender now and give it a whirl to mix it all up.

And pour the blended wet into the dry and mix until incorporated.

Pretty pink batter goes in a well greases bundt pan. I had got brown sugar everywhere while I was measuring it out and decided to just toss it on the cake as not to waste it…doesn’t hurt.

And now the batter goes into a preheated oven to bake .

A bit of time later you have yourself a cake.

The scary part. Flip the pan and hope all that grease does it’s job and the cake pops out. Lucky me this one popped out like a champ.

One de-panned, let the cake cool for a bit before cutting into it.

And now all you have left to do it eat it, so eat it.

Have a great weekend. Eat lots of tomatoes and make lots of cake.

-C

Makes one bundt cake

• 2 -1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 -1/2 teaspoon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2-3 large tomatoes (2 -1/2 cups after blended)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (for a tad sweeter, add another 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup of any neutral flavored oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350

Start by whisking together all the dry ingredients into a big bowl. Take tomatoes, remove core, chop into chunks, and place into a blender. Blend tomatoes until a smooth and frothy puree. Now add in the sugar, oil, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar and blend until incorporated. Pour wet mixture into dry and stir until combined.

Pour the cake batter into a greased (and floured if you want. I find it helps to make sure all the nooks are greases) and stick into preheated oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes until it’s a dark reddish golden brown and a tester (I use a fork) comes out clean when stabbed.

Remove from oven and let cool for a minute or two then invert cake, give the pan a few tap taps and hope that it comes out all nice and clean. (don’t worry if a piece gets stuck, you can just dust the top with some powdered sugar)

Let cake cool and when ready, cut a slice and eat it up. I was told no glaze, but I was going to make a simple lemon glaze (lemon juice and powdered sugar) for the top. The mr said it was perfect, but glaze would have been pretty.%u00a0 So glaze it up if you want.

I bought a tub of ricotta cheese about a month ago to make the mr his birthday lasagna, and for some reason, I can’t seem to get rid of it. I have been adding spoonfuls of the stuff into his food every now and then, but I still have not managed to go through it. I am starting to think that I bought a magic container that will never empty. And if that is that case, is there a never ending tub of hummus I can buy?

Yesterday I cleaned out the fridge.%u00a0 The cleaning that involves defrosting, washing the shelves, removing the stuck on crap that has so steadily hung on for the past few months and using any food that needs to be used up. To be honest, there isn’t much in the fridge at the moment(which is why I am cleaning the it) but there is the freaking tub of ricotta, ans I want it gone, it is taking up to much space. (for real,. my fridge is tiny) And because we all know that I am the worlds greatest girlfriend lady person in all the land, I decided to, once ans for all, get rid of the ricotta and make the mr some biscuits.

Off topic here but… It’s SNOWING!! And not just a tiny bit, we are going to have a couple of inches of white stuff. I am so excited! I must get my winter boots out (I have to find them first)

But the biscuits. These biscuits are super freaking easy. Just a few simple ingredients and 15 minutes and you got yourself home made goodness to make your people(or yourself) happy. They would make a great breakfast thing, made for a brunch situation, or even made with the help of the littles that may or may not be hove from school and eaten as a afternoon snack.%u00a0 As for me, I am just thrilled to have the space back in the fridge and an empty container that may or may not be magical.

The stuff. A bowl of self rising flour, ricotta cheese, a little bit of honey, and an orange.

Dump the ricotta, a few couple tablespoons of honey, and the zest of the orange into the flour.

And say hi to my new amazing bowl! (Hi bowl, you are so pretty!)

Juice the zested orange and add in 1/2 a cup of the juice.

Now mix everything together until just incorporated.

Scoop dough onto a baking sheet in 12 similar sized balls. Brush the tops with any remaining orange juice you have (if you don’t have any, use water) and stick those puppies into the oven (not actual puppies please)

After a quick 9-10 minutes, the biscuit cooking is complete! Golden brown and smelling all biscuit like.

Bust one open, maybe a smear of honey or jam…

And so the things you do with biscuits.. Eat them. I served the first one up tothe mr with a little drizzle of honey (cause I am sweet like that)

Keep on people!

-C

makes 12respectable sized biscuits

• 1 1/2 cups self rising flour
• 1 navel orange (1/2 cup juice and 2 teaspoon zest)
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 1 cup ricotta cheese

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, honey and ricotta. Zest in the rind of the oragne (about 2 teaspoons) then juice the orange and hopefully get at least 1/2 a cup of juice. Add in the 1/ 2 cup of juice and mix until everything is just combined. Scoop out dough into 12 similar sized blobs and place onto a baking sheet. Brush tops of biscuits with any remainingorange juice or water if you don;t have it

Place in oven and bake for 9-11 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and the insides are completely baked.

Remove from baking sheet and let cool for a few minutes.

Bust one open and either eat as is or slather with honey, butter, jam, or all three.

Any left overs can be stored in airtight container for 2-3 days. Can be frozen.

Oh do I love a good Sunday. The picture above was taken last Sunday and what a glorious day that was. The mister and I took the pup hiking and it was the most spectacular of days. Sunny, 30 degrees and no wind..I could’t have asked for better weather. %u00a0

The rest of the week turned out alright. The weather went back to hell again and I was a little frantic and super busy, but all in all, good. I accomplished some things %u00a0that needed to be done and got to spend time with just about everyone in my family. The highlight%u00a0was when my sister slept over and we finally watched the Fault in our Stars while eating lots of food, cuddled together on the couch. (movie was good, but book was better. Books are always better) We then woke up early the next day and we (the mister too) %u00a0journeyed across state lines to the closest Target where we purchased some hand soap, %u00a02 seltzer waters and 2 jars of baby food. (I needed the jars) On our way out, the lady experienced her first ever taco from the taco bell in the food court before heading back to Vt. We spent the car ride singing terrible pop songs and eating the babyhood (Blueberries and sweet potato, and yes, they are tasty) We then came back tom my house, listened to more awesome music while she did her homework and I played on the computer and made dinner. %u00a0It was the best.%u00a0

Heres a few of this weeks happy bits from the internet.%u00a0

– I will be making these wire baskets%u00a0this week. I need storage and I love a good wire basket.

-I have been ending %u00a0up on this website every night..Making plans

-I need this shirt!!! Feel free to buy it for me!

-Throw Back Song!%u2026 And yes, I was sure I was going to be Mrs. Zac Hanson when I was 11.%u00a0

-My sister sent me this link,%u00a0Wool and the Gang.%u00a0So cool.

-These pictures made me laugh. I end up with veggies like this all the time.

And here are a few pictures of my real life happy%u2026..

Playing on the frozen lake. It was so freaking cold and windy, but we just had to do it!

Beach stairs. Hopefully soon they will be a little less icy and maybe even lead to some sand and not waist high drifts of snow.

%u00a0Two of my favorite people in the world.

And I made brunch with 2 more of my favorites.

My little brothers (can I say little if they are bigger then me?) came over and we all had dinner together while listening to music from when they were born. Nothing like a few 17 year olds to make a person feel old.

Blooming daffodils. I love to watch my flowers open up, it’s just as good as the flower itself.%u00a0

Have the best first week of March ever!!!

-C