I am a no fuss soup extraordinaire.  Whats in the fridge or freezer is whats going into the pot. Adding water, spices, tomato chunks or paste. Lentils or beans. Anything from creamy tomato, eggplant zucchini bisque, to one of my favorites… Split pea. There is no limitations to the soup combinations that can be created.

During these cold winter days in Vermont, I always have soup in my house. It’s a lunch time staple. . I have a weekly standing lunch date with my sister and her little for soup. The fussy 2-year-old will dig right into her little bowl. Once she has thoughtfully emptied the contents of her bowl on herself and table, she goes in for everyone else’s. That’s when you know it tastes good, when a 2-year old robs your soup bowl.

Today I need a warm, comforting soup. Something to eat curled up on the couch with a good book and a cup of tea. Today its split pea!

Start with your veggies. Chop chop chop. You can do once consistent size, or a messy chop. It’s nice to have different sized bites in your soup.  This recipe calls for certain roots, but really, use whatever you want. I wouldn’t omit the carrots or onion, but anything else. Why not right?

Cooking down the veggies with the spices before adding the water and peas help to really bring out the flavors. I love a good spoonful or to of slightly cooked vegetables. I could eat it just like this. But you really should add the peas and water… Its so worth it.

Added peas and water, this soup takes on a sewage type look. Hooray, that is exactly what we are going for! This point you  can let the liquid cook down even more or leave it a little thin.  The consistency is up to you. If you choose to keep it on the thicker side just know that if you save any in the fridge, it will get considerably thicker. When going to heat up, just add more water and maybe another pinch of salt.

I like to add a little bit of texture to the last stage of my soup. Throw in a handful of finely chopped cabbage and let that sit for a few minutes, just to get the tiniest bit tender…. Right! You want to make this so bad and you can. It a saturday. So have fun, this soup is all about warmth and comfort and what makes you happy.

Split Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 2 large carrots
• 2 stocks celery
• 1 parsnip
• 1 medium onion (any kind will do)
• small head of cabbage
• 1 pound of dried split peas
• teaspoon thyme
• teaspoon marajoram
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• salt and pepper

Clean and chop carrots, celery, onion, and parsnip into smallish chunks. Shredd cabbage , leaving a handful or two to the side for later.  Place in a 8 quart pot on low heat.  Add in all spices and a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Let cook for 10 minutes giving it a stir or two.

When vegetables have cooked down a bit, add in split peas and enough water to cover the contents. Bring to a rolling boil, half replace lid and turn heat down to low  Let simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The split peas will expand and will suck all the water or of the pot so add water when needed. Simmer until  soup is at  desired consistency, The last few minutes of cooking, add the rest of the chopped cabbage and replace lid. Salt and pepper to taste.

ENJOY!!!!!

Can you believe it… August already. What the what?

 I was in the great big Coscto store this week and saw Halloween costumes and I am pretty sure there was some Christmas shit too. (I wasn’t  about to look to closely and fall down that rabbit hole) I mean, jeeze, It’s still summer and I like to think that I live a little more in the somewhat present moment.  I have a hard time figuring out what I am going to be doing in 2 weeks, let alone 2 months from now.  But man, seeing that stuff really sent me into a time whirl… It’s just flying by so fast. 

Anyway, August. One of my favorite months of the year. The farm shares are gigantic (I got corn and watermelons at the last pick up!) and the garden is bursting with so many goodies. The days are still really warm, but the nights are starting to cool off, The wild flowers are in abundance all over. Plus my Dad always comes back to Vermont in August for a long visit (he;s here now!), which means lots of family stuff, a Stem family reunion, lots of hiking, and of course lots of food eating. And it’s getting close to back to school time. The littles are all getting equally exctited/depressed about the going back. I am kind of excited for them to go back too! 

My goal for August.. try to check off some more of my summer bucket list and also try to buy some plane tickets to a far away land.( I hear that tickets prices this month are at the lowest they have been in years!) At the same time I want to try not to worry to much about doing a bunch of stuff..  just try to enjoy what’s left of the summer. No pressure!

So what about you? Got any end of summer plans? 

I’ll leave you with some good internet stuff from the week.

-I know I have said this before, but this is the house I am meant to live in.

-Cocoon in a tree!?!!…but where do you pee?

–Get it here…IKEA 2016 CATALOG!

-I love a good tub. The World’s Most Beautiful Bathtubs

–Whoa. How Birds See Our World 

-This wood is so pretty. 

–Different types of summer squash

-I am a plant whore so this makes me happy. A Plethora of Plants in Every Room

-Oh to be one of these littles… The Kids of Burning Man

And hiking and bee pictures from the week

Be Happy and enjoy the rest of the weekend!

-C

Happy St Patricks Day!!!! As a kid, St Patricks day always meant green milk, green eggs, and those nasty gold foil covered chocolate coins. (you know, from the pot of gold) Not to mention all the leprechaun hunting and  pinching.  In my family, if you were unlucky enough to forget to wear green, you ended up as a walking target. It all started out nice an innocent, a pinch here or there, but by the end of the day, someone would end up pinching a little to hard or maybe just one too many times and the game would go from pinches to punches.   

Ahh, memories. 

Now as an adult (kinda adult) St Patricks is celebrated a little differently. The little ones in the family still get their green milk (which they are told is leprechaun pee) and those nasty gold coins, but I think the pinching has stopped.( a great tradition lost)  I myself don’t have any littles at home so no little leprechaun games or gross dyed food for me.  Nope, in my house we celebrate with a few beers and a more traditional irish dish, Colcannon. Mashed up potatoes with cabbage and kale… I mean, can it get much better? It can when you use red potatoes and red cabbage. Not only is it so tasty tasty, but it is so pretty pretty. No need for green milk or nasty candy. 

But I still make sure to wear green and you might find me doling out a pinch or two. 

  The stuff…. Super pretty red potatoes, red cabbage, shallots, kale, salt and pepper, and olive oil.

Note. If you do not have or want to use red potatoes, russet or white will work, it just won’t be as pretty. 

   Dice up the pretty potatoes and stick them into a pot and fill up with water and add in a good tablespoon of salt.  Stick on high heat and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium  and cook those taters until super fork tender. (bring them to the edge of falling apart)

While the potatoes are boiling, chop up the cabbage, shallots, and the kale and stick into a big skillet with a good drizzle of olive oil. Sauté on medium heat until soft and tender.

Once the potatoes are super tender, drain the water and dump them into the pan with the sautéed veggies. With a potato masher or a fork, mash up the potatoes and mix in the veggies, adding a drizzle or more of olive oil as you go. (Start with a drizzle and work your way up until it tastes good to you) Salt and pepper to  taste. 

The most pretty pan of smashed up potatoes that I have ever seen. Eat as a side dish or even a light main dish. Fork is a good utensil to use, but I found that my fingers worked just as well.

Have a great happy day full of green, potatoes, and pinches. Maybe even a leprechaun or two!

-C

• 5-10 Red potatoes Red Potatoes depending on the size (about 3 1/2 – 4 chops chopped)
• 1 Cup Chopped Red or Green Cabbage
• 1 Cup Chopped Kale
• 1-2 Shallots
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Rinse and dice potatoes and place into big pot. Cover potatoes with water and add about a tablespoon of salt. Place on high high heat and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium low and let potatoes cook until super fork tender. While potatoes are boiling, chop up cabbage, shallots and kale and sauté in a large cast iron skillet (or any skillet) with a good drizzle of olive oil.  Once the potatoes are done, drain water and add potatoes to the skillet with the sautéed veggies. With a potato masher or fork, mash the potatoes and mix with the veggies, adding a drizzle or two (depending on your taste) of olive oil as you go. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve from skillet or dump into a fancy dish with a big spoon.

Eat as a main dish or as a side….Good hot, warm and cold.

I know that it it spring, but I still have a winter farm share for another month and will be cooking and eating roots and squash until the summer share starts in early June. And I am good with that cause I love me some root veggies and butternut squash.  But, yes, it is spring and my body isn’t craving the super hearty, rich foods that it was just a few short weeks ago (more like last week) When the temperatures first start to go up, I usually want my food to not feel as heavy or my spices to be quite at warming (I am still all over curries and hot hot hot sauces in the summer). It’s like I have said before, I tend to change up my spices with the seasons.  

So to give a lighter feel to a heartier squash, I busted out one of my favorite spices, the oh so lovely tarragon. It has a sweet, light, fruity and floral taste that pairs beautifully with the squash and onions. It give the dish a nice spring like flavor that will leave you feeling satisfied without wanting to move directly onto the couch and hide under a blanket. This is a eat and ride you bike kind of dish ( you don’t actually have to go for a bike ride if you don’t want to)

Note. If I had a grill, I would definitely cook this dish on it. As of now, I don’t own one so I am left to cook on the stove. But by all means, if you have a grill, do it up!

Half of a medium sized butternut squash (or use a whole one.. I had a half in the fridge that was waiting to be cooked)  and one whole onion (two if you use a whole squash)  Apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt , pepper, garlic powder, and, last but not least, the oh so fragrant and tasty, tarragon. 

Chop the onion  and the squash into big chunks. If you don’t like the skin of the squash, you can peel it, but I like it so I don’t peel. Drizzle olive oil in a pan or a baking sheet, toss the veggies in and add the garlic powder, tarragon, salt and pepper and a few splashes of apple cider vinegar. Toss around. Stick into oven at 425 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. When the squash is tender and the onions are cooked, remove from oven.  

I am pretty sure you can figure out the rest.

Happy day!

-C

Tarragon Butternut and Onions

• Half of Medium Butternut Squash
• 1 Large Onion
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Tarragon (use fresh if you have it.. 2 tablespoons)
• 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• Salt ans Pepper
• Olive Oil

Chop squash and onions into similar size pieces. Toss in a skillet or on a oiled baking sheet and add the rest of the ingredients. Toss around and place into a 425 degree oven for about 30-40 minutes or until squash is fork tender.  

Remove from oven and eat.

 Make as a side dish or add to a salad. Eat as a light lunch, or a midnight snack… eat it however you want.

Let’s just say that that the mr and I  had a long ass week. 7 days (and some nights) of 2 of the coolest littles. We are pretty f*ing tired, but what a fun week we had.  

Our week of advetures included going to Montpelier and having  a picnic/stick fight on the State building lawn. Thrift store shopping and bean and flower picking at the farm. We watched a field hockey game and picked up my sister from summer camp. There was also a lot of hiking, river wadding, and rock hunting. Watercolors and crayons have been used on a daily bases and every clean sheet was used to make a sleeping fort up in the loft. And the food. The amount of food these kids can consume is impressive. I made pancakes more this week then I have in the past year (I shit you not, Judah, the little guy, he at 9!!! in one sitting) and lets just say my toilet is inserious need of some cleaning ( 5 year old boy with no aim.. I have sat in a lot of pee)

So much fun, but today no littles. Today I shut my door, turn off my phone, and hide from the world….and catch up on that stack of paper and bills that I have been pushing aside this week. (BLAH) And maybe a few other goals; toilet cleaning, laundry,  mopping (everything is dirty and sticky!) Also going to try and spend a little time with the pup. (he gets so jealous when he isn’t the center of attention) And maybe even spend a little time sitting alone, grown up drink in hand, enjoying a bit of quite time…. Maybe.

Interent stuff that I have been browsing this week (usually while the littles get tv time and  watchi the disney channel.. not cool disney, annoying disney.) 

–Lavender fields. so pretty. 

-This makes my heart happy. Maddie The Coonhound

-I am all about doing this.Look Up: Wallpaper on the Ceiling  

–This tree is crazy cool. 

–How An 11-Year-Old Boy Invented The Popsicle

-My new want for my feet. Mahabis Slippers.

-What are our wisdom teeth doing there, and why do we need to pull them out? 

-Vegetarian Fast-Food Restaurant…Uh duh. 

–These murals are pretty sweet. 

-Small Kitchen Ideas: How to Maximize Storage in a Minimal Kitchen 

–New house for me. 

-And this is where I should work

And some pictures of the adventures we had.

Have a fantastic day!!!

-C

FRIDAY YEAH YEAH!!!!

And for your Friday, I made these awesome little raw/ vegan/ gluten free cookies. 

Now wait a minute. Don’t let all the labels of what is not in these cookies scare you away. Just focus on all the stuff that these cookies are made of. Almonds, Cashews, Coconut, Cocoa, Oatmeal. They are cookies made with lots of good yummy stuff that just happened to be enjoyed by those with specific food diets as well as those who eat anything. A cookie for all!  See, don’t they sound excellent? Yes, yes they do. And they are good. So, so, good. Even the mr. is into them. And he is far from being raw/vegan/ gluten free. 

And because these cookies are made with all sorts of good for you stuff (lots of proteins, good healthy fats, and complex carbs) you can pretty much feel zero percent guilt eating them. They a are a no joke, healthy, energy packed cookies of goodness. A fantastic way to start the morning, eat with lunch, as dessert, post work out, or eat as a late night snack. (Just don’t eat them all at once) 

Now go for it!

The raw stuff. A cup of old fashion rolled oat that have been soaking in water for about an hour.  Almonds(which I spent 20 minutes deshelling) cashews, dehydrated coconut flakes, some cocoa powder and a few medjool date. If your nuts are unsalted, add a pinch of salt too. 

Dump everything into  a food processor. BUT WAIT! Make sure to remove the pits from the dates)I have broken a blade in the past form a date pit)

Blend unit combined and a kind of rough dough is formed. It will be a little sticky. If it;s to sticky to handle, place into the fridge for a few minutes to set up.

Now take blobs of mixture and roll into balls

And you could totally leave them as balls… you can even play with your balls….

But I think they look nicer squished flat and topped with pieces of nuts and coconut. They look almost fancy, if I do say so myself.

Now have yourself a cookie, and place the rest in the fridge (they get harder and, if you can imagine, taste even better after a few hours of cold)

Freak Yeah FRIDAY! Do fu stuff!

-C

Makes 15 normal sized cookies (you can make more or less, depending on the ball size)

• 1 cups oat fashion oats soaked in 1 cup water for at least an hour (use gluten free oats if needed)
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 5-6 medjool dates
• 1/2 cup dehydrated flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• a pinch of salt (if your nuts are unsalted)

Add all the ingredients into a food processer and blend until the mixer forms a  cohesive dough. It;s going to be a tad sticky, but if it seems to sticky to handle, refrigerate for a little bit so it’s easier to handle. (I have no problem handling right away)

Scoop  and roll into balls and either leave them as is or squish them flat. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and coconut

Eat one or two right away, then stick the rest in fridge.

A ok to eat as breakfast, with lunch, at dinner, as as snack, a post workout protein, or when sitting on the couch and watching TV.

The past week was freaking gross hot, like sweaty, smelly, I want to live in the Costco walk in freezer hot. But today, well today was the most lovely day. A cool dry 70 with a nice breeze and sunshine. Then around dinnertime, a little bit of rain, followed by a rainbow. It was the most fantastic perfect weather.This is why I love living in Vermont. We get weather.

.Last night, dinner was all about trying to make some more room in the fridge for the farm share pick up tonight and to make something that I didn’t have to really watch. (the mr and I were moving the beehive to the roof of the house so I wanted to make something that I could leave on the stove and not have to babysit (just stir every now and then). With the weather being so freaking amazing, with a cool crispness in the air,  I was craving something a little more on the warm and comfy side. And what do you know, the stuff I had left in the fridge (there is still a basket of zucchini on the table) was what was needed for a big pot of stewed summer ratatouille with lentils. It was everthing that I ever could need and want for a meal. Full of the best veggies and lentils, easy to make, nothing fancy to do. Just stick stuff into a pot and cook until done. 

Cooler, light long sleeve, kind of weather.  Enough rain where I didn’t have to water the garden, the most perfect pot of the best ratatouille shared with the mr. and a feeling of accomplishment and excitement (bees on the roof!).

The perfect night.

The stuff. Zucchini, yellow summer squash, eggplant, onion, tomatoes and lentils. And we have some fresh basil, fresh oregano, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and some salt and pepper.

To get this party started, chop up the onion and toss it into a big heavy pot with a little  olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stick on the stove on medium heat.

While the onions are cooking,  mince up the garlic and chop up all the other veggie into medium sized chunks. 

When the onions start to become translucent and smell fantastic, add in all the veggies and garlic. Give it a big stir and place back on the stove to cook for a few minutes to let the veggies release some of their liquid. 

Then add in the lentils along with a equal amount of water and top with a lid.

After about 30 minutes, the lentils should be near done and the veggies tender, the tomatoes pretty much dissolved. Now chop up the basil and oregano and toss it in along with a few swigs of the balsamic vinegar. Give it a stir and keep on cooking for another 10ish more minutes or until the lentils are nice and tender.

Scoop onto bowl then into mouth. If you like, finish off with a bit more fresh basil or,ike the mr, top with parmesan cheese.

Have a fantastic day! So close to the weekend!!

-C

Makes 2-3 big servings (if serving with pastas or rice, its more like 4-5 servings)

• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium yellow summer squash
• 1 medium onion
• 1 small eggplant
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1/2  cup water
• 3 medium to large tomatoes
• handful fresh basil leaves
• a few glugs of balsamic vinegar
• couple sprigs of fresh oregano
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

Drizzle a little olive oil into a large pot. Dice up the onion and place on medium heat and cook for a few minutes. Mince up the garlic and chop up the remaining veggies into medium sized pieces. Once the onion is cooke a bit and strting to smell oh so nice, toss the veggies and garlic into the pot. Mix, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place a lid on it. Cook for a few minutes to draw out a bit of liquid from the veggies. Now add in the lentils and the water. Stick the lid back on and let cook for about 30 minutes on medium low heat or until the lentils are starting to soften.

When the lentils are mostly soft, but still have a bit of biet, dice the fresh herbs and toss into pot with a few swings of balsamic vinegar.  Stir and cook  for another 8-10 minutes or until the lentils are full cooked.

Remove from heat and ladle into bowls..

Serve with rice, pasta, bread, a big old pile of fresh greens, or just as it is.

Eats fantastic right aways, or cold late at night standing in front of the fridge..

And now the cucumbers are growing shit crazy.

Every time I open the fridge, at least one (if not a few) come falling out from all the places that I have managed to squeeze them in. (the egg tray in the door is not a safe place for cucumbers) This is a slight problem, but a problem that I kind of like having.

This past weekend I had planned on doing a bunch of pickling and canning. Like a whole day of music blasting, dancing around the kitchen in a cute little apron with wooden spoon in hand, (pretending its a microphone) canning all sorts of fruits and veggies that a piling up in massive amounts for the winter months. 

That didn’t happen, and I still have a million cucumbers and not a whole heck of a lot of time this week to inact my canning day day dream.

My simple solution. Cut um up, stick in a bowl with a some fresh dill, a lithe vinegar and leave them on the counter…..  And watch as they disappear. It’s crazy. I find if you leave a bowl of cut up anything on the counter, anyone that walks by will stop and eat a few pieces (if not the whole bowl) It’s a scientific fact (no not really, but maybe)

As for my blissful canning day. It will be happening soon. But until then, this is the way to go with those all those cucks. (this works fantastic will zucchinis too!)

The stuff. Cucumbers, onion, fresh dill, salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar.

Slice up the cucumber and onion and toss into a bowl. Spinkle with salt, pepper, and lots of fresh chopped up dill. Splash in the vinegar and toss it all around.

Let it sit on the counter for at least 2 minutes, but the longer they sit, the more pickley they taste.

And eat.  Leave on the counter until they are all gone..which won’t take too long.

Enjoy the Tuesday!

-C

• 2-3 medium to large cucumbers
• 1 medium  sweet onion
• a bunch of fresh dill
• salt and pepper (fresh cracked is best)
• red wine vinegar

Slice cucumber and onion into thin slices. and stick in a big bowl. Sprinkle with salt. pepper, chopped up dill. Pour on a few glugs of vinegar. Toss around, taste and adjust seasoning if needed and let sit on the counter for a few minute… or as long as you want*.

Eat all day long or until they are gone.

IF there are still cucumbers left over after 2 hours and you are worried about leaving food out all day  (I don’t worry, but that’s me), stick in the fridge until you ar ready to eat them.

Can you believe it… August already. What the what?

 I was in the great big Coscto store this week and saw Halloween costumes and I am pretty sure there was some Christmas shit too. (I wasn’t  about to look to closely and fall down that rabbit hole) I mean, jeeze, It’s still summer and I like to think that I live a little more in the somewhat present moment.  I have a hard time figuring out what I am going to be doing in 2 weeks, let alone 2 months from now.  But man, seeing that stuff really sent me into a time whirl… It’s just flying by so fast. 

Anyway, August. One of my favorite months of the year. The farm shares are gigantic (I got corn and watermelons at the last pick up!) and the garden is bursting with so many goodies. The days are still really warm, but the nights are starting to cool off, The wild flowers are in abundance all over. Plus my Dad always comes back to Vermont in August for a long visit (he;s here now!), which means lots of family stuff, a Stem family reunion, lots of hiking, and of course lots of food eating. And it’s getting close to back to school time. The littles are all getting equally exctited/depressed about the going back. I am kind of excited for them to go back too! 

My goal for August.. try to check off some more of my summer bucket list and also try to buy some plane tickets to a far away land.( I hear that tickets prices this month are at the lowest they have been in years!) At the same time I want to try not to worry to much about doing a bunch of stuff..  just try to enjoy what’s left of the summer. No pressure!

So what about you? Got any end of summer plans? 

I’ll leave you with some good internet stuff from the week.

-I know I have said this before, but this is the house I am meant to live in.

-Cocoon in a tree!?!!…but where do you pee?

–Get it here…IKEA 2016 CATALOG!

-I love a good tub. The World’s Most Beautiful Bathtubs

–Whoa. How Birds See Our World 

-This wood is so pretty. 

–Different types of summer squash

-I am a plant whore so this makes me happy. A Plethora of Plants in Every Room

-Oh to be one of these littles… The Kids of Burning Man

And hiking and bee pictures from the week

Be Happy and enjoy the rest of the weekend!

-C

What are your weekend plans?

Me well, I need to can, pickle and eat as much zucchini as I can. And it’s not just zucchini anymore… we are getting into cucumbers too…AAAHHH  I know I have said this a few times in the past weeks, but man, I have so manning freaking zucchinis.. and the more I eat, the more I end up with… It’s getting pretty crazy here!

So anyway, yesterday my dad came back to VT, WOO HOO! and I was his first stop on his rotating dinner schedule. (cause I am his favorite child. I think..maybe) I made zucchini noodles for dinner (I have made them every night for the past week) and I wanted to make him dessert,  I have all sorts of pretty fruit that I wanted to make and prepare,  but I also had little time and honestly, little desire to move all that much (it was so f ing hot!)  I already had out the shredder and a bowl, and the zucchini was just sitting there, in the basket  taunting me with it’s gigantic green whaleness.  So I figured I’d just make a zucchini cake, or better yet, cause my dad really likes chocolate, a chocolate zucchini cake. 

This cake is tender and moist, almost like a cakey brownie, so it does not require any frosting  which is nice when your dead tired and it’s so hot that any frosting would probably just melt off anyway. (although you could totally frost it up) It makes a great dessert, but I would not hesitate to serve this for breakfast either because,  1. It has a lot of zucchini in it which automatically justifies eating it whenever,  2.  also made with whole wheat, and 3. it’s totally ok to eat chocolate cake for breakfast. I mean people eat donuts for breakfast and that shit is usually fried. 

Yeah, this is for sure a dessert/breakfast cake.

The stuff for cake…. Regular all purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, and cocoa powder. Some sugar, salt, baking soda and oil. A little vanilla extact and a splash of coffee. And of course, shredded zucchinn

Dump the sugar, salt and baking soda into flour, whisk together, then mix in the oil, vanilla and the coffee. Now add in the shredded zucchini, but right before adding it in,  give it a squeeze to remove a little bit of the liquid. 

Mix until combined.

And pour batter into a well oiled pan

Feeling fancy? I was so I peeled the green skin from a zucchini and make a little starburst on top

And into the oven to bake…

And it comes out looking so fancy.  Let cake cool for a few minutes and carefully flip from pan.

Note. It might not be the best idea to test your cake with a blunt chop stick.. I did and it made the middle sink in a little. No big deal, but next time I will use a fork.

Cooled and removed from pan. Now all you need to do now is eat cake.. I think that’s something you can handle.

Happy Friday!!!! 

-C

• 1 cup white whole wheat (can use regular whole wheat or all all purpose)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup oil (veggie, canola, sufflower)
• 1 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
•  2 cups of shredded zucchini 
• 2 tablespoons of coffee

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda, cocoa powder, salt and sugar. Then add in the oil, vanilla and coffee. Add in the zucchini, but right before, give it a squeeze to remove some of the liquid. (don’t got crazy, just get a little liquid out). Mix until incorporated. 

Oil a 9 inch cake pan and pour in the batter. If you want, use  zucchini skin to make a pretty design on top (completely optional), and place into preheated oven.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a tester stabbed in the middle comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for at least 5 minutes the gently invert pan to remove cake and place on a rack to cool.

Serve as soon as you want..

Place in mouth, chew, and swallow…..Smile!!!

Are you sizzling? Is that pool of water next to you , in fact, your own sweat?

Yeah, I feel you…..stupid heat wave. 

During these long extended periods of heat and humidity, my body starts to revolt. I get bitchy, by skin get itchy, my head goes foggy, my stomach starts to refuse food. and I generally just feel like crap. I love the summer, but I am not,  by any means,  a hot, high humidity person.

So during this nasty bout of heat, I do what I can to find comfort. And one of my comforts is watermelon. I am pretty sure that watermelon is a magical fruit. A giant green oblong ball that when cracked open is the brightest, sweetest bright pink fruit.. I mean, thats pretty f ing magical. It can make anything better, and is one of the few things that I want to eat when its a million degrees outside without barfing.

Watermelon is my official heatwave food. Watermelon all day long (Is it bad that I could literally eat an entire watermelon all to my face, in one sitting? ) And because I am me, I like to spice it up a bit and slather a big glob of basil pesto to the melon…. and that makes me happy. Plus it makes the fact that I am eating nothing but melon seem a little more substantial.

   Do you have a heatwave food? If not, try this….It will be your food.

The stuff. A big hunk of watermelon, basil, a lemon, olive oil and salt.

Stick the basil, the juice of the lemon, and a pinch of salt into a blender. Turn on and blend, adding just a tad bit of olive oil until a nice green pesto is made. 

Prepare your melon. Remove rinds if you want and save for later.. (seriously, we can make gazpacho with it) and cut into inch thick chunks.

And now if your feeling it, stick a skillet on the stove and preheat on medium high. Once heated, place watermelon chunks on hot skillet and sear each side for about 3-5 minutes per side.

If you want to go fresh, just skip searing it. Me, I do a bowl of both. 

And now slather the melon with the pesto 

And go to town

Stay cool my friends!

-C

• Watermelon
• a bunch of basil
• a lemon
• salt
• olive oil

Place basil, a pinch of salt and the juice of the lemon into a blender. Turn on and blend, adding in a drizzle of olive oil until pesto forms. 

Preheat a lightly oiled skillet (or a grill) on medium high heat. Take your watermelon and remove rinds (save for later) and cut into inch chunks.* When heated, add the watermelon. LEt each side sear for 3-5 minutes, or until caramelized. Tarnsfrer to a bowl.

*Note. The seared melon is fantastic cooked then cooled. Also, I know some people blot out the juice before grilling, but I think that is a waste and I find unnecessary, but if you don’t want a juicy piece of cooke melon, by all means, blot out the juice.. 

Or if you don’t want to cook it, don’t

And lastly,  toss in a big giant scoop of pesto 

Now eat… eat eat eat. 

Monday was kind of a suck until I made dinner. It was hot, I didn’t sleep well the night before, and I spent the morning calling the dentist over and over until someone picked up so I could get my butt in there to get my tooth fixed (sometime during eating on sunday I broke my back molar…. and that happened) . Whatever, I got the only appointment that they had available and was just happy that I was able to get in. So went about my morning, went to the gym, did my things then ran home, took a shower and headed to the appointment.  When I got there, I checked in, sat down, and waited..Then waited some more, then was called in to the room and then did some more waiting. But finally, the doctor came in and took two minutes to check the tooth (the doctors said I was as badass… couldn’t believe that I don’t do novocain) and left the dental assistant lady to fix it. And ok, I know that people have to practice their craft to learn, but I am pretty sure that I was one of the first solo tooth fixings that this lady has ever done. And that’s cool, but I was hungry and just wanted to get the f out there.(did I mention that it was lunch time?) So taking her sweet time (at least she did a good job) she got it done. But then I had to wait some more, in the chair, for the doctor to come back and check. Holy hell I was there for way to long.

Then I got home and rushed out.. grabbing a carrot on the way. But I was still hungry.. And that just sent me to a dark place for the rest of the day.

So when I finally got home, I immediately went to the fridge to get dinner started. While aggressively riffling through bags of veggies and greens, I stubbled upon a big bag of mustard greens that I got last week at the farm….SCORE.., this made me happy.

Sure, I could have just eaten them right there, fresh and all spicy like, but I if I waited this long to eat, I could wait a little longer and I figured I would share.. and mabye do a little some thing fancy, like toss them with some cooked up onions and sweet potato and that left over quiona that was also in the fridge. 

And thats what I did. And it was good. And the day didn’t seem so bad. (food always makes me better)

The stuff. Mustad greens oh lala. A small sweet potato and an onion (I used half of that big one). Cooked quinoa, garlic, salt and pepper, and a little olive oil. 

Dice up the sweet potato into little chunks and toss into a big skillet with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place skillet on medium heat and cook potato for a few minutes just to give it a little head start before adding the onions. When the potato starts to show a little browning, add in the onions and a splash or two of water. Stir around, stick a lid over it, and continue to cook until the onions are soft and the sweet potato is fork tender. 

When the stuff is cooked, mince up the garlic and stir that in and cook for a little longer.

And now toss on the mustard greens. (Don’t worry if they are overflowing from the skillet, they will cook down really fast). Add another splash of water and place the lid back on. Cook for a couple minutes and mix everything together.

Place cooked quinoa (hot or cold) into a bowl.

And dump the stuff right on top. If your into it, drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar. (I highly recommend)

And eat to be happy.

Hears to a better day then yesterday!

-C

• roughly 1/2 lb. of fresh mustard greens
• 1 small sweet onion or half a big onion
• 1 small sweet potato
• 3/4- 1 cup cooked quinoa*
• few cloves of garlic
• 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar(optional)
• salt and pepper
• olive oil

Note- To cook quinoa, use1 part quinoa- 2 parts water. Place quinoa in pot with water, bring to boil, place on a lid, then turn to simmer for 15 minutes. After 15, turn heat off and let sit of a few more minutes then fluff with fork. Also, i f you don’t have quinoa, just use rice or faro or nothing, the greens are good their own.

Dice up sweet potato into small picese and stick in a large, lightly oiled skillet on medium heat. Toss on some salt and pepper and cook potato for a few minutes until they start to slightly brown. Slice up onion and toss that into the skillet with the sweet potato. Add in a splash of water and place a lid on the skillet, giving it a stir ever now and then. (Watch the stuff carefully, it cooked pretty fast.) Cook until both the sweet potatoes and onion are browned and soft. Now mince garlic and mix that it and let cook for a few minutes..

Now everything is cooked,  toss in the mustard greens. (It may seem like a lot, but its not) Hit with a splash of water, place a lid (it doesn’t have to be a snug fit) on top and cook for a few mites until greens are wilted.  Toss everything around to mix together. Take your quinoa and place in a bowl. Top with cooked stuff and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Eat right away and maybe save a little for later cause it very much good cold too!

Let’s just say that that the mr and I  had a long ass week. 7 days (and some nights) of 2 of the coolest littles. We are pretty f*ing tired, but what a fun week we had.  

Our week of advetures included going to Montpelier and having  a picnic/stick fight on the State building lawn. Thrift store shopping and bean and flower picking at the farm. We watched a field hockey game and picked up my sister from summer camp. There was also a lot of hiking, river wadding, and rock hunting. Watercolors and crayons have been used on a daily bases and every clean sheet was used to make a sleeping fort up in the loft. And the food. The amount of food these kids can consume is impressive. I made pancakes more this week then I have in the past year (I shit you not, Judah, the little guy, he at 9!!! in one sitting) and lets just say my toilet is inserious need of some cleaning ( 5 year old boy with no aim.. I have sat in a lot of pee)

So much fun, but today no littles. Today I shut my door, turn off my phone, and hide from the world….and catch up on that stack of paper and bills that I have been pushing aside this week. (BLAH) And maybe a few other goals; toilet cleaning, laundry,  mopping (everything is dirty and sticky!) Also going to try and spend a little time with the pup. (he gets so jealous when he isn’t the center of attention) And maybe even spend a little time sitting alone, grown up drink in hand, enjoying a bit of quite time…. Maybe.

Interent stuff that I have been browsing this week (usually while the littles get tv time and  watchi the disney channel.. not cool disney, annoying disney.) 

–Lavender fields. so pretty. 

-This makes my heart happy. Maddie The Coonhound

-I am all about doing this.Look Up: Wallpaper on the Ceiling  

–This tree is crazy cool. 

–How An 11-Year-Old Boy Invented The Popsicle

-My new want for my feet. Mahabis Slippers.

-What are our wisdom teeth doing there, and why do we need to pull them out? 

-Vegetarian Fast-Food Restaurant…Uh duh. 

–These murals are pretty sweet. 

-Small Kitchen Ideas: How to Maximize Storage in a Minimal Kitchen 

–New house for me. 

-And this is where I should work

And some pictures of the adventures we had.

Have a fantastic day!!!

-C

I am a year round maker and consumer of soup.

With that being said, the nature of my soups change seasonally. My summertime soups are usually on the lighter side, made with the fresh bounty of the season, and spiced more on the light and floral side, opposed to the really deep and warm spices that I use all winter long,

This corn chowder is made just right. It had the perfect balance of hearty and creamy from the potatoes and use of pureed onion cream, but  still light and refreshing from the sweet fresh corn and the lemony fresh thyme. It is for sure a great summertime soup (chowder) Even the Mr. was even really into it, and he claims he doesn’t like corn. (I say bullshit to that.. he eats corn all the time)

Now to chowder!

The Stuff. Some super fresh corn on the cob, a couple onions, a few chopped up potatoes and a chopped up carrot. Then we have a little oil, a lemon, dried thyme and salt and pepper. 

To start, take an onion, chop it up, and toss into a large heavy pot with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Stick pot on stove on medium heat and cook until  onions are soft and traslutcent. When the onions are done, remove and add to a blender or bowl. (if using a hand blender) Add in the juice of the lemon and blend it all up until nice a smooth. 

You have now made a nice creamy cream that will help make the final product more, well more creamy without the use of cream (lets say cream on more time !) .Set aside.

When the pot is empty again, add in the rest of the stuff, including the cobs of the corn, (they hold a butt load of flavor) the dried thyme, and salt and pepper. Place on stove and add enough water to completely submerge the veggies. Keep pot on a medium heat, add a lid, and stir ever once in a while. Cook until the potatoes are nice and tender. (when the potatoes are done, so is everything else)

Now that everything is all cooked up, remove the cobs and stir in the onion puree.

Now with a hand blender, blend up until the chowder is thick and smooth, but still nice and chunky. (If you are working with a blender, just remove about half of the soup and blend up, then dump back in) The optimal chunkiness  is up to you , so  blend, check the chunk,  then blend a little more if needed. If you feel that the soup is to thick, add in a little more water, or to thin, just cook down o little longer.

 Once you like the constituency,season to taste with salt and pepper and place pot back on a simmer until you are ready to serve. 

And thats how we make corn chowder

It tastes best serves in the daintiest of the cups, sprinkled heavily with cracked pepper, and with a side of some cracker situation (Saltines would be best, but sometime there are only triscits in the house)

Summertime is for chowder!

HAPPY Humpday Wednesday!!!

-C

Makes a pot big enough for 4-6 nice decent sized servings

• 2 fresh ears of corn
• 3 medium (tennis ball sized) red or white potatoes
• 2 white or yellow onions
• 1 carrot
• Juice of a lemon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2  tablespoons dried thyme
• salt and pepper

To start, peel and dice one whole onion and toss into pot with olive oil and stick on medium heat. Cook onions until translucent and fragrant. Remove from pot and add cooked onions and the lemon juice to a blender and puree until smooth and set aside.

While you are cooking down the onions, dice up the carrot and onion, remove the corn kernels from the cob, and chop up the potatoes. Once you have removed the first batch of onions, toss in corn, onions, carrot, potatoes, and the dried thyme. Stir around in the pot on medium heat for a few minutes just to warm up the spices. Add the cobs into the pot and fill with enough water to cover the stuff in the pot. Place back on medium heat with a lid and cook for another 20ish minutes, or until potatoes are super tender and almost falling apart.

Remove cobs from pot and add in the onion puree. Now either remove about half the soup and place in the bender and blend up til smooth, or use a hand blender and blend up chowder until you get your desired chunkiness. If you think the chowder seems to thick, add in more water, or to thin, just cook down a little longer on the stove.

When ready to eat, ladle chowder into a cup or bowl and add lots of fresh cracked pepper. 

Serve with a cracker and a spoon to eat it with.

     WOO WHOA!! MARDI GRAS! I wish I was down in New Orleans today celebrating… and soaking up some warmth and sunshine, catching beads, maybe even  taking my shirt off(?!!?) 

No, I keep my shirt on today because I am not like that, and also, I would die of hypothermia. Today I wear a shirt, underneath 5 other shirts ad sweaters.  Because today is just another day of -20 below here in Vermont. 

To keep me from going completely crazy, I am thinking of warm weather and I am thinking of New Orleans (love that place!) and the humongo celebration that’s been going on there for the past week. Everyone partying out in the streets. Big floats and beads all around. I might be feeling a little jealous, (more of the weather then the partying) but thats ok, I have TV to watch and a warm comforter to wrap myself up in. And maybe I should have done a post of fried donuts or of some type of alcohol party drink to celebrate the day, but I really just wanted to make something warm and spicy, so I went with some dank cajun beans. And also I wanted to sing…. “Beans Beans the musical fruit, the more you eat the more you toot!!” hehe

But for real, these beans  are sooooo f-ing tasty and super versatile. You can serve the spicy beans with the rice or just eat just the beans. You could do the beans and  add to a bed of kale (me) or add cheese, guacamole and a few  corn tortillas to the mix (the mister).  Simple to make, super tasty and full of flavor!  And pretty freaking heathy to boot! This dish gets an A+!

This dish is so full of flavor but so simple to make. We start with presoaked black beans drained and rinsed. Cajun seasoning (which is basically 1 part onion powder, thyme, oregano,  and 2 parts paprika, garlic powder, cayenne power, and salt and pepper) Sliced onion and jalapeno, and a few tablespoons of tomato paste. Oh, and the rice.

     Beans are in a pot filled with water unit beans are completely sumerged. Add in the onion, jalapeño, tomato paste and cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil then cover with a lid and simmer for about 45 minutes…..  After about a half hour, start up the rice. Water in pot with rice, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

The rice is done and fluffed with at fork. The beans are cooked with just the tiniest bit of bite, bathing in a thick spicy tomatoey sauce. The chunks of onion and jalapeño have broken down and are hiding in every bite…. Oh so good!

 Now get ready for the bowl!!! Bringing a little spice and  nice to this crazy cold winter day or any fun festivities you may have planned.  

Have a Fantastic Day.. Stay Warm or if you already are.. lucky you!

-C

Cajun Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried black beans* soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight..Rinse and strained
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 1 Jalapeño
• 1 small yellow onion
• 1 tomato (I used a large roma)
• 1 1/2 cup of dried rice plus 3 cups water

*If you want to use canned beans, go for it…Just sub in 2 cans rinsed and strained black beans and only add a cup of water to the beans. Pre sauté the onion and the jalapeño before adding to the beans and only simmer the beans for about 15 minutes. 

Place you soaked beans into a pot and fill with water until the beans are completely summered.  Slice the jalapeño and onion and add to the pot along with the  tomato paste and the cajun seasoning.  Bring to a boil then place a lid on it and turn heat down to low. Let simmer for about 45 minutes or until the beans are completely cooked.

When the beans are about half way done, add rice to water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, place a lid on pot and turn heat down to simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or  until all water is absorbed and rice is tender. Fluff with a fork.

To sever. place a scoop of two of rice to a bowl and top with a scoop of two of beans.… Top with diced tomatoes and scallions… (The mister added shredded pepper jack to his and thought it was excellent)

Eat with a fork or spoon.

This week started with the notion that I was going to make a big dish of potato salad.  I boiled the potatoes so that they would be ready when I needed them and stuck them in a bowl in fridge. That was Sunday. Monday was super busy and I didn’t get a chance to get to the potaoes, but that was ok, I figured I would just make it the for Tuesday. (which has officially been dubbed family dinner night). But for the first time, my sister declined potatoes and said she was already making goulash, which turned out that no one really wanted to eat. (I bet they would have eaten the potato salad) And Wednesday we were in Montreal so no go there.

So last night (now Thursday) when I opened the fridge to contemplate the dinner options, I knew that whatever I was going to make, the potatoes had to be used. I could have made the potato salad that I had been planning on making all week, but the potaotes were a little on the weird side, not bad, just not the best. They needed to be cooked. Plus, I had eaten the avocados and tomatoes that I had planned on using for the potatoes so I think it just wasn’t meant to be.  I was tired, so nothing to elaborate was going to happen. I wasn’t feeling like spending too much time in the kitchen cause I really wanted to bike to the garden. I already had my giant dinner salad made and the mr. was pretty hungry, so split decision.

Cheesey nacho potatoes

That mr.. he has got it made with me.

The stuff. Sliced up cold boiled potatoes, cheese, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. and a little bit of oil.  And we need guacamole, salsa, something spicy in the form of jalapeño jam (I use it on everything!) and a bunch of fresh cilantro. 

Spread the sliced potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet and  drizzle with a tad bit more oil. Sprinkle with the spices and salt and pepper and  pop those suckers into the oven.

Once the poatoes turn a golden brown and are all crispy, remove from the oven and sprinkle on the shredded cheese. Toss on a few spoonfuls of salsa, and add on the jalapeños. Pop back into the oven for another minutes or two until the cheese is all melty.

And cover the potatoes with lots of freshly chopped cilantro.

Serve with extra salsa, guacamole and if you have it, more jalapeño jam.

I was thinking that I would totally make these for my dad this Sunday, if he didn’t live all the way in Michigan. (I think it’s time to move back!!!)

Happy Friday..Have an excellent weekend!

-C

• 4-5 boiled potatoes the size of lemons (or 2 big ones)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar and can easily be made with vegan cheese)
• heaping teaspoon garlic powder
• heaping teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• salsa
• fresh cilantro (or if you hate it,  some kind of fresh herb)*
• guacamole* 
• jalapeños (or something spicy)*

*note.. These last three ingredients are optional, but you should definitely use them all. 

Turn the oven on to 425 degrees

Thinly slice potatoes and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Drizzle with a bit more oil and sprinkle with the garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Stick into oven until potatoes are brown and crispy. Remove from the oven, sprinkle on the cheese, toss on the jalapeños and some globs of salsa. Place back into oven for a minutes or two or until the cheese is all melty.

Remove from oven and cover with a handful of freshly chopped cilantro. 

Serve with more salsa, guacamole, and more jalapeños. 

If eating all yourself, eat directly from baking sheet or if sharing, transfer onto a plates. (or eat from the baking sheet..less dishes, more conversation) Forks and fingers work equally.

What a week. Was it summer where you  are this week as well? I mean jeez, talk about one extreme to another. Oh well, at least the world has turned green, the winter stuff is completely out of sight and I found the box that contained all of my shorts and summery clothes (pants and long sleeves in 90 degrees is just gross)  And honestly, it’s been great. In between work, chores and just plan old being busy, we have manage to get a few bike rides and long walks in. Plus all the veggie starts are doing great, the flowers are coming up everywhere and life just has a little bit more of a relaxed feeling. So what if my allergies are turning my face into big red puff or that the past few night have been so hot that the act of sitting has caused me to break a sweat. I’ll take it.

Oh and I can’t forget…. 

Happy Mother’s Day ladies!!!!

Here I give you a few thing from the internet this week …

– I didn’t believe they were paintings at first. Hyper-realistic Cactus Paintings that Bristle with Detail by Kwang-Ho Lee

-I’ll take any one of these The 5 Fanciest French Press Coffeemakers We Could Find

-Love love the floors in This house.

-Spending a bit of time making summer camping plans here…Vermont State Parks. I can’t wait to get the tent out!

 -I think this should be happening everywhere. Recycled Drinking Water: Getting Past the Yuck Factor

– And there is this. ABC Brings Muppets Back To Prime Time As News Emerges About Fall Shows

And that, here are a few pictures from the week.

 My boys. I long socks and sneakers… these guys know cool. Took the super cutie cuties out for an ice cream cone.Our first bike ride picnic down on the waterfront. I love bike ride picnics!So many succulents. I didn’t actually buy any because I need to stop being a plant whore.I have made a batch of this stuff evey day this week. I can’t stop eating it, it’s like eating summer. So good

Have a wonderful day and to all that it applies to…

Happy Moms Day!

-C

And I am home. The mister and I woke up at 2:15 am Friday morning to drive to Easton PA and spend the weekend with family, going to the Crayola crayon factory, wondering a  grave yard, and hearing some fantastic stories about my family from the mouth of my 95 year old grandmother. (I’ll show some pictures and tell you some stuff later this week) Than we drove back late last night… I don’t know how I am even awake right now…I am sooooo much tired! But that’s how I work I  guess.  The coffee is almost ready, calling my name, telling me its totally cool to drink it all.

I’ll leave you with a few little internet things I liked this week..

– I just love looking at other peoples homes. Treehouse in the city 

– These puppies make me think of my little nephew., he is in love with bulldogs. 20+ Beautiful Bulldog Puppies That Will Melt Your Heart

-Holy Shit  YES!!!! ‘Full House’ Reunion on Netflix Is Officially Happening

-How cool would to find one of these? New Urban Geodes on the Streets of L.A. by Paige Smith

-I don’t know if I would want to stick stuff on these shelves.These Wall Shelves are Dollhouses for Adults

– And if you need a push…On Your Mark, Get Set, Grow: A Guide To Speedy Vegetables

A few pictures from earlier in the week..

 My forsythia bush in from of one of my houses… Always the first one to bloom.  This is how washer sleeps in the warmer months.. All feet in the air.  I ate it all and it was good. Two pretty ladiesVeggies Plants!!!! 

So yeah, I am tired and happy and in need of a day to processing, lounge and drink tons of coffee.

Hope your weekend was fantastic and today brings all the whatever you want and more.

-C

I don’t know about you guys, but I am JUMPING FOR JOY… cause its finally SPRING!!!!!!! I was really starting to doubt that it ever going to happen.  So now that it is actually warm enough to be outside, what are your plans today? Are you going to spend it outside? Or at the very least, in a light filled house with all the windows an doors open? I hope so, cause I think everyone needs to take the day to finally de-thaw and get out of the winter funk that we, or at least me, having been living in for that past 2 months. 

My Sunday list of things to do.

• Wash the cat..and finally let him run free
• Pick up all the trash that has been blowing  up my driveway
• Make bread
• Put air in bike tires…. Go for a bike ride
• Return and withdrawal a few books from library
• Clean off the outdoor tables and chairs and eat meals OUTSIDE!!!

So yeah, do a few somewhat productive things, but mostly just enjoy this shit out of this day!

And here is some internet stuff from the week that might be of interest to you.

-Hold The Mammal: Daring To Make Dairy-Free Cheese From Nuts. I am into this. 

-Hell YES!!!! Golden Girl Legos… What’s the hold up?

-Did you know about this? National Park Week!!! And if you can’t make it this time, I am pretty sure that there is a noter free week later in the season.

-Hey, if a a coloring book is what you need to get creative, this one looks pretty cool.  Fantastic Cities is an architecture-themed coloring book for adults  

-Being a Vermonter and a fan of stupid sick humor, the first movie was everything and more a stoned kid for ask for. For Fans Of ‘Super Troopers,’ Meow They’re Getting A Sequel….

-I was very happy to hear about this. Lunch, Not Landfill: Nonprofit Rescues Produce Rejected At U.S. Border. I have experienced having all my fresh produce confiscated at the border. I was so pissed and the food the guy took was my lunch  and dinner. I was starving and angry. (Not a good combination on me) So at least now that food can be put to good use.

-This is almost exactly what the mister had been wanting to o for a few years now(before it was cool)..BEFORE & AFTER: 1971 SHASTA CAMPER MAKEOVER

And a few pics from the week. 

Oh little little. I picked him up from school and all he wanted to do was cut out paper snowflakes. It then proceeded to snow 3 inches … I blamed him. Snow covered world. I admit, very pretty, but I am hopping that this was it, that I won’t see snow again unlit November.A day with blue skies and amazing cloudsThe most perfect little and the trash dog. These two spent a good hour fighting over sticks. It was fantastic. 

And this salad. I have been eating it all week long. Pineapple and dill… So freaking good. 

Have the best Spring filled Sunday!

-C

This has been the week of broken things. My immersion blender broke. 2 of the 4 new bowls I bought were smashed. The hand mixer broke while I was making frosting (F**CK). The steam mop is finally completely broken and the mister smashed the screen on his phone. All in a weeks time. Oh, and not broken, but the front end of my car got stuck in a muddy sink hole. It took five badass farmers to help me push it out. It was crazy, but thankfully the car and I survived. But’s it cool. I can replace all that crap and my arms are getting a great workout now that I have to hand mix everything and hand wassh the floor on my hands and knees. ( I do it like a beast!) Because what I really am having a hard time with is that it is nearly April and still have most of my winter clothes out. I just want to but the boots away and get my chaco sandals out. It’s getting a bit ridiculous if you ask me.

Things I tell myself to keep from losing my shit

• 20 degrees.. That’t tropical compared to the -30 we were having
• I will be bitching about how hot it is in just a few short months so try to enjoy the cold now.
• Hopefully most of the mosquito population all dies this winter  and only enough  survive to be eaten by things that eat them
• Because it still so cold, its ok to spend an entire day at home in my pjs baking cookies and bread and  binge watching Kimmy Schmidt. 

See.. there is a bright side.

Here is some cool internet stuff form the week

-Love this house and will some someday have plants in every nook and crank of my home. PEEK INSIDE WORLD’S END FARM + SAIPUA PLANT SALE

-I am ready to move into a tree, if only for a little while. This one would work for me

-I looked before I read. and didn’t realize what I was seeing. Behold! The Cosmos Created From The Contents Of A Kitchen

-The Most Effective Alarm Clock Ever Brews Your Morning Joe If only it came in jumbo size.

-I love/ hate this story. I get so excited for the produce that is marked down because its not perfect. If people realize how silly it is to look for “perfection in food”  then I won’t get awesome stuff for cheap. Think Nobody Wants To Buy Ugly Fruits And Veggies? Think Again

And here are a few life pictures 

WHAT WHAT!!! The first sign of green that I have seen in the neighborhood. 

This little came over and hung out with me. I gave him a muffin and a bowl of “Carrot Chips” (really thinly sliced carrots) He at a few bites of the muffin but ate  all the carrots and wanted more…… I love him!

Oh the old man trash dog. His butt hair is finally starting to grow back after he chewed himself a big hot spot. I love this pattern for a driveway. 

March 29, 2011. Yeah sure we were in California, but still, we were camping outside.

COME ON SPRING!!!!And who doesn’t love a pineapple, or 4? 

Have a fantastic Day!

We are looking at a high in the 30’s here in VT.. WA HOO!

-C

 This week was good.  Two days in a row the front door was open, the window was open and the heater was off, which pretty much made me that happiest person in the world. My spring cleaning brain has kicked in and I want to clean everything (even the walls). I even spent a good part of an afternoon moving and rearranging furniture. (The house ended up basically the same as when I started) And one of the best parts of the week….most of the snow melted! I am getting super hyped to start raking, cleaning, planting and weeding and and just getting really dirty! Oh how I love the spring!

Here are a few internet things from the week

– Ancient Grains are new again About time!

– This article about the chemistry of cookies is a good one….

– Oooohh pretty.  String art

-How to Do Fishtail or Herringbone Braids Step by Step  I need to start doing something with my hair besides a really sloppy pony tail that I don’t take out for days on end. 

-I think I want to make this Honeycomb shelves.

And  some real life happy Oh Intervale Community Farm..I love you. I picked up my farm share and was especially pumped  for another gigantic kohlrabi and some locally grown, locally milled wheat flour.

  The trees, they are a budding

 The perfect ripeness, destined for naner ice-cream!

My sister and I took this little for a sled ride through the wood where there was snow (but it was 45 degrees!) The hike ended up with me  pulling her through a field of mud. It was fantastic. 

One year ago today. Dinner with my favorite people. 

Hope your weeks was awesome and warm..Spring is just about here to stay!

Have a great week!

-C

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.  

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  that needed to be done and got to spend time with just about everyone in my family. The highlight was 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)  journeyed across state lines to the closest Target where we purchased some hand soap,  2 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.  It was the best. 

Heres a few of this weeks happy bits from the internet. 

– I will be making these wire baskets this week. I need storage and I love a good wire basket.

-I have been ending  up on this website every night..Making plans

-I need this shirt!!! Feel free to buy it for me!

-Throw Back Song!… And yes, I was sure I was going to be Mrs. Zac Hanson when I was 11. 

-My sister sent me this link, Wool and the Gang. So 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…..

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.

 Two 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. 

Have the best first week of March ever!!!

-C

Another week in the Siberian Express (and another catchy name for weather)  The lake is completely frozen over and the snow piles are getting bigger then ever… We are in the dead of the winter, which means it an only get better from here.

Yes cold, but not a bad week. I have been getting our stuff together to start the ever daunting task of filing our taxes (blaaahhhhh), and the lovely mister has spent his week pretty much dealing with everyone’s frozen pipes (poor guy), but we have managed to fit in a little fun. Dinner with sisters. A day with a little that included a lunch date of clementines and mustard. We even went to a high school play that my littlest sister was in. (She was so freaking awesome!) Plus, this week I have really noticed the longer amounts of daylight happening. (I can’t wait for daylight savings)  I can feel it in my inner most parts of myself..that its going to be spring soon!!! I just need to keep from freezing to death for a few more weeks.

Here is some fun internet stuff  I have found this week.

• Ever wonder how mushrooms grow? Take a look inside a mushroom house.

• These Stuffed pets are pretty funny. If I were to bring home a stuffed animal that looked like the trash dog, he would almost certainly love it for about a week, but the moment he feels like he is not getting the adequate amount of attention, would stand in front of me and slowly tear it apart. (because that’s what he does)

• I want to make this Marbled paper… But am going to wait until I can do it outside, so maybe in like a few months

And a few bits from the real world

This little is rocking out to some sweet tunes….We started out listening to Beck and ended up listening to Elmo. I guess that happens sometimes. 

Can I buy then all? I am a plant hoarder… and can never get enough. I took this picture, walked away to contemplate about weather or not to buy the purple one, went back and someone else had grabbed it. Bummer,…So instead I bought some fresh daffodils, YAY!

 Romanesco. A cross between cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and a space ship.  Pretty Pretty!

It took this guy about 5 minutes to cross over this bridge. The stick in this mouth was too long and would get stuck between the two railings. It  was some funny shit. 

Of things to come!!! 

Have a fantastically lovely week..It’s the last one of February! 

-C