Splashin' Around

Beat the Heat!

He's Got the Beat

Rockin' Rowen

Lindsi- are you thrilled with all my posts today? That's what you get when I'm stuck in the bedroom with the AC! (Praise God for AC... )

Bathtub Swimmin'

Who needs a pool?  Rowen swims in the tub!

er.... well.... he used to anyway. This video is from July 1st. Now all he wants to do in the tub is stand up, much to Daddy's chagrin!

First Tooth!

Well, after a couple weeks of teething, his first tooth finally poked it's way through his gums.  I can't say that I've ever seen just one bottom tooth come in before- so I'm sure number two is on it's way- but here it is! Bottom right. Ouchie!

Hiking at Silver Falls

This weekend we went for our first little hiking trip with baby Ro!  He was not a happy camper when we put him in the pack on the ground and we thought to ourselves "what are we getting ourselves into?"  But- as soon as Matt put the pack on his back, Rowen started laughing hysterically!  He loved "riding" daddy, and kept smacking his shoulders as if to say "yaah! yaah! faster, Daddy!" hehehe.... it was a fun trip- we hiked a few miles in a couple hours and just enjoyed the shaded surroundings and the beautiful waterfalls!

cooling off in the end- ah!

CSA Harvest Box: week 5

yum yum!  Last week we enjoyed lettuce, zucchini, cucumber, basil, green beans, blueberries, black berries and cherries in our share.  Have I inspired any of you readers to sign up for a CSA next year?  Well if I haven't yet... we have 13 more weeks comin' our way!  A lot of people have been asking me how many weeks it is total and what the price is, and I can never remember.  So I finally looked it up. Back in february we payed $375 for our share in advance.  That hurt.  But for that price, we get a bag of produce every week from mid June through mid October- that's 18 weeks of pure, local, organic goodness at about $20 a week.  So this year we're putting $20/week of our grocery budget into savings to pay for next year's so that it doesn't hurt so much when we have to pay up front!

We grilled the green beans along side the salmon and topped with a sauce made with olive oil, basalmic vinegar, gorgonzola, brown sugar, garlic green onion, and fresh basil.  Mmmm...

With the basil I made pesto, tossed with pasta and left-over grilled chicken.  Zucchini from the farm on the side.  Hm... I'm getting hungry...

I chopped up the cucumber and tossed it with rice vinegar and dill- it would have been better with fresh dill, but I only had dried.  It was still a yummy snack!

We didn't get cabbage this week, but I finally used up the last of it from before!  I made egg rolls with ground turkey, ginger, garlic, shredded cabbage and shredded carrots.  It was my first attempt at frying!  They were just okay, though.  We both thought they needed some sweet chili sauce or something for more kick.  

I'm feeling lazy and already behind- so I'm not posting recipes this week.  If anyone wants them, comment and I'll be sure to post it when I have time!

Simple Things that make me Happy #2

hanging the laundry to dry

the quietness of summer mornings... other than the chirping of happy birds... just a few minutes all to myself in the beautiful outdoors!

Simple Things that make me Happy #1

Monday's are not anyone's favorite.  So in honor of the lamest day of the week, I'm going to tell you (myself) some simple thing that makes me happy.

Today's simple thing:

reading my bible with a cup of coffee out in the cool morning sunshine. (on my strange little deck structure- hey, the lounge chair is comfy!) What makes you happy today?

Nikki's 25th Birthday Dessert Extravaganza

My little sister turned 25 this month!  To celebrate,  everybody made a dessert that she would like.  It was a contest, of course!

Brit's entry:  dutch oven cobbler made right on the spot!my entry: sample size chocolate pot de creme (why am I the only one who thought of sample size? lol)

Karen's entry: super-moist chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting

ken's entry: (enjoyed here by Josh) pumpkin roll 

Becca's entry: carrot cake

Troy's entry: dark chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and heath bar

Josh's entry: doughnuts!

The winner was Justin with his entry: chocolate cake with a raspberry puree layer and a marzipan layer and white chocolate frosting. Can you say Oh. My. Goodness?

everyone having a glorious gluttonous time!
Happy Birthday, Nikki!

CSA Harvest Box: week 4

Another yummy week of farmer's market produce!  This bag included: lettuce, the last of the pea pods, fava beans, cabbage, broccoli, blueberries, zucchini, fresh cut herbs (I got Italian flat leaf parsley- yum-o!), and a succulent plant.  I haven't used the parsley yet, and the blueberries are just being eaten as they are!  Rowen loves blueberries. (don't we all?)  The zucchini we ate sauteed, and here's how we've been using up the rest:

Sautéed Broccoli with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
(from Cook's Illustrated)

(I chopped up the broccoli greens and included them! Broccoli greens are SUPER good for you!)

Serves 4 



1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth


1 to 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon


1 teaspoon cornstarch


1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)


1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil


1 1/2 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 3/4-inch pieces, stems trimmed, peeled, and cut on 45-degree angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices


2 medium shallots, peeled, halved, and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices


1/2 teaspoon table salt


1/4 teaspoon sugar


4 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved


2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves


1 tablespoon unsalted butter



 

1. Combine chicken broth, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, cornstarch, and pepper in small bowl and set aside. Combine garlic and 1 teaspoon oil in second small bowl.



2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add broccoli, sprinkle with salt and sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until broccoli begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add shallots and toss to combine; continue to cook until broccoli is bright green and well-browned, and shallots are cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes longer.



3. Push broccoli to sides of skillet; add oil-garlic mixture to clearing and cook, mashing with rubber spatula, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir to combine garlic with broccoli; add tomatoes and basil and continue to cook until florets are cooked through and stalks are tender-crisp, about 1 minute longer.



4. Add chicken broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly until broccoli is well coated and sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat, add butter and toss until well-coated. Serve, adding remaining 1 teaspoon lemon juice if desired.

 

 

 

sauteed market veggie risotto (from my imagination)

-your favorite risotto recipe (ask me if you don't have one!)

2 purple carrots, sliced

a couple hand fulls sugar snap peas, roughly chopped

fava beans, prepared

olive oil

I made risotto, and while it was cooking, lightly sauteed the purple carrots from LAST week for a couple minutes, threw in some of the peas, and then added the fava beans right toward the end.  If you've never prepared fava beans, here's how:

pop the beans out of their giant pods.

blanch them (drop them into boiling water and boil 1 minute, then strain them out of the boiling water into ice water)

pop them out of their little skins. easy peasy!

Chinese Chicken Salad (in an email from the farm! sorry no picture- we took this to the Weathersby's Marshmallow Gun War potluck)

1 cup slivered almonds
2 T sesame seeds (omitted)
3 chopped green onions
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
2 pkg Top Ramen noodles
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped1/3 cup oil
2 T rice vinegar
2 T sugar
1 tsp salt

Brown broken dry noodles in 2 T oil. Add nuts and seeds to brown. In bowl, combine cabbage, onions and chicken. Add ramen mixture. Mix remaining oil, vinegar, sugar and seasoning packet. (just used 1 of them) Pour over salad. Toss gently and enjoy.

Quick & Easy Pancit (from Allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (12 ounce) package dried rice noodles
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken breast meat
• 1 small head cabbage, thinly sliced
• 4 carrot, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 lemons - cut into wedges, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the rice noodles in a large bowl, and cover with warm water. When soft, drain, and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in chicken cabbage, carrots and soy sauce. Cook until cabbage begins to soften. Toss in noodles, and cook until heated through, stirring constantly. Transfer pancit to a serving dish and garnish with quartered lemons.

Marshmallow Gun War

you read that right: marshmallow. gun. war.  We went over to the Weathersby's this weekend for a roaring good time shooting miniature marshmallows at each other with home-made marshmallow guns.  

prepare to die!!

 future marshmallow sniper:

Well- Rowen and I never actually got to fire one as I was on baby duty and Matt was having too much fun to share. haha.  But Rowen and I had a super time enjoying the weather and the watermelon! 

 

And lastly: Matt demonstrates how to enjoy delicious pot-luck goodies while holding a baby.

  

Can't get enough :o)

aren't you just a *little* bit jealous you don't have THIS GUY climbing up your lap every day?  (And then chewing on your face before you can resist?) hehehe.  I love him so much!!

Our Little Swimmer!

splish splash!

Why we call him Monkey

not only does he make monkey noises and bounce up and down all time and climb everything, he can also hold his bottle with his feet. Go figure!

CSA Harvest Box: week 3

boy, this week was some what of a blur!  I didn't take any pictures except this one- and it was kind of an odd week as far as our schedule goes so I didn't cook dinner as often as usual/ or it was super-fast meals.  But that's life, right? Well in this week's "box" (it really comes in a reusable cloth bag) we got lettuce, cabbage, broccoli,a sample of the first of the summer squash, edible pea pods, rhubarb, purple or orange carrots, and an herb plant.  Our herb plant happened to be Moroccan mint, otherwise known as spearmint, which I actually despise.  I unintentionally left it on the back patio without watering it all week- so, if anyone likes Moroccan mint tea, the leaves are already nice and dry! hahaha.  I didn't realize there would be different potted herbs until I got home and got my email from the farm saying that there were various potted herbs in each share.  I was bummed I got the mint plant.  Oh well! :o)  Anywho- as far as what I used this week....  the lettuce of course made a delicious salad, the broccoli and zucchini I just used as normal (we eat those all the time)  and the rhubarb made it into round two of the rhubarb custard pie.  Which turned out really yummy this time, I might say.  Way less sugar than the recipe called for.  We haven't used the fantastic looking purple carrots yet, or the pea pods- I'm planning on sauteing those bad boys up for lunch today!  If you do get fresh carrots from the farm,  make sure you cut the stems off right away.  They make the carrots go bad much faster.  I used half the cabbage with last week's dried beans in the crock pot since we had some nice cool weather.  It was super good. Here's the recipe if you're interested!  I'd post the original recipe from allrecipes.com, but I changed it so much it's really just the "sauce" that's the same. :o)

Sweet Sausage 'n' Beans

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots (used one of the big farm carrots)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 4 cups mixed beans (picked over, rinsed, soaked over night, and drained)
• 1/2 head cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
• 
  

• DIRECTIONS

  1. In a slow cooker, layer carrots, onion, beans, green beans, and sausage. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and mustard; pour over beans. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cabbage for the last half hour or so before serving.
     

Help Rusty find a New Home

It's not fair- to poor Rusty- to try and keep him any longer.  He is obviously not a "family" dog.  We thought he'd get used to having Rowen around, to being the family pet rather than the fur baby- but after 9 months he's only getting more and more sad.  He needs a family without small kiddos- who aren't tugging his tail and feeding him cheerios (he's allergic to wheat- makes him scratchy scratchy!)

Before Rowen came home, Rusty was the best dog.  He doesn't chew or bark, he loves his owners and is very faithful.  He can hold his bladder for 14 hours straight!  (it happened once in a while when we were both working- sad- I know...)  He doesn't run away when you open the front door, doesn't need a lot of space to run- just likes to look out a window and watch the day go by.  (Preferably on a soft blanket or pillow!)  He does a few tricks and is a fast learner.  The biggest challenge we've had with him is keeping all wheat out of his diet.  Lately it's just not happening.  We try to- and imagining having two kids (someday)- the crackers and cheerios and pasta and toast... it's just not happening.  So Rusty is an itchy mess.  he's eating his backside like it were prime rib. (ew- maybe a bad mental image!)

So if you know anyone who wants a free, sweet, adorable, well behaved small dog- let us know.  It's sad to have to give away part of your family... but we really think it's the best for him.  He's old and isn't up to the baby game. :o(