Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Prepping the Plot
(Pictures from last year's garden)
It's time to start our garden for this year and I'm super excited...but a little hesitant at the same time. Last year I planted more than I could ever dream of using and had to find lots of willing people to take the extras...at times, if you can believe it, that was hard.
This year I have to tone down my excitement and try to plant only what I can use or store for use during the winter. I also have to get right to work this weekend planting since I only have a couple of weeks left before our new addition is due to make his/her arrival.
This year I plan on planting the following:
two varieties of peas
beans
lettuce
beets
carrots
radish
leeks
basil
green/red peppers
1 plant of cucumbers and 1 of squash
1-2 varieties of tomato plants
4-5 varieties of flowers
I opted out of planting corn, potatoes, watermelon, patty pan, brussell sprouts, and I've cut the number of tomato plants by about 15. I like all of these, and had fun growing them last year, however I needed things that were a little less water dependant and plants that have shorter growing seasons. Many of the things I selected this year will mature and be ready for use in a short amount of time like the lettuces, radish, peas, basil, and some of the flowers. This way I can decide later on if I would like to have a second planting or just leave some of the garden open and give myself a break from the watering and tending that comes with such a large plot. Many of the other things I plan on planting a smaller amount of, say, half of what I planted last year.
As long as the weather cooperates I will be out digging in the dirt this Saturday. I can hardly wait!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Stuffed Bread
Monday, April 07, 2008
Picnic Lunches and Cake
I decided on a picnic theme today since the weather is getting warmer and it seemed fitting to have one in the living room followed by some outdoor fun for the kids. I can't wait for even warmer days when we can actually take the picnic outside.
I had 6 moms and 8 kids to prepare lunch for so I decided to designate a brown gift bag for each family. I decorated the bags with a nametag and then filled each with enough food and supplies so that everyone had some options to choose from. There was nothing earth shattering in the bags, but everyone devoured their goodies and seemed to love the idea of eating on blankets...which is quite a feet. It isn't easy to please 8 children between the ages of 1 and 3.
I liked the idea mainly because I was able to prep most of the lunches last night and finish off the sandwiches and pasta this morning before our guests arrived. There was nearly no clean up afterwards since empty bags were tossed and leftover food was easily packed away or taken home. Being nearly 8 months pregnant, I can't help but try to make things a little easier on myself, so I don't feel too bad about trying to avoid mess and clean-up.
Each bag contained the following: 1 apple, 1 mini-water per person, 1 ham and cheese on pretzel bread, 1 container basil pesto pasta with pine nuts, 1 snack bag of cheese and 1 with crackers, 1 applesauce per child, and 1 granola bar per person. Extras included forks, spoons, straws, and plenty of napkins.
Gabe and I will be recreating these picnic lunches often this summer since we both love getting out and spending the day at the park. I can hardly wait for that warm weather!
Cookbook Catchall
Foodbeam
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
BLT Pizza
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Challah Bread
This was so easy and it was a big hit with the boys. Gabe loves rolling the bread "snakes," painting the egg wash on, and licking the leftover Nutella off of the spoon. I almost think he could do this recipe alone because it is just that easy. Give it a try...it is worth it. Here are a few other options for this dough and a couple of very similar recipes. The sticky buns look scrumptious!!
No-Knead Nutella and Hazelnut Challah Bread
No-Knead Sticky Pecan Caramel Cinnamon Rolls
I'm also reposting the master Challah Bread Recipe just so that it is easy for me to find the next time I want to make it.
Master Challah Bread Recipe
as posted on Steamy Kitchen from Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day
Mix the master dough first and place it in the refrigerator overnight. You'll be using about a grapefruit sized piece for one batch of cinnamon rolls or one braided challah bread recipe. Leave the rest in the refrigerator for another use, it will last for days. This amount would make about 4 loaves...I made half of this and it worked perfectly.
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tbl instant yeast
1 1/2 tbl kosher salt (1 1/2 tsp table salt)
4 lg eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
7 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, water, honey, melted butter, yeast and salt. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Add in the flour. Stir until flour is completely incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and stick it in the refrigerator overnight, or up to 4 days. The longer you leave it in the refrigerator, the better tasting the dough will be.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Blogging By Mail
The first thing I found in the box was the cutest little kitchen timer I've ever seen. Not only is it going to be oh-so-useful, but it even has a magnet on the back so I can attach it to the fridge or oven. How did she know that I needed one of these...my oven timer is awful because you actually have to turn the oven off and then turn it back on to get it to stop beeping. So, a big thank you to her for this great tool!






