Summer Days

chamomile suntea, try it and love it
(.23 c. chamomile blossoms + 4 c. water + sunshine)

sunny afternoons outdoors on a beat up porch

arugula pesto

things warmed up and i slowed down.
i.e.—the front yard isn't where it needs to be ("needs" as in, ready for me to plant peppers there).

so, in a panic of where i would be planting all my pepper seedlings, i decided to harvest my swath of first-crop arugula. and what do you do with that much arugula? make pesto.

i washed it all in my handy roasting pan, arugula has the tendency to be gritty-dirty.

and then i threw it in my food processor with some cloves of garlic, olive oil and some toasted pumpkin seeds. i love it. it's shockingly green and nice and spicy. i've been using it to dress up grain salads but have some plans for pasta with arugula pesto and maybe a spinach-arugula pesto lasagna.

rhubarb every way

i spent the evening working my way through ten pounds of rhubarb.

i had put it out there that i was looking for some and was fortunate enough to find someone with an enormous plant and absolutely no fondness for rhubarb at all. i probably picked up 20 lbs of it. for free.

tonight i worked my way through savory picked rhubarb and carmelized rhubarb jam.

i also prepped four pounds to make a rhubarb jam recipe from the Blue Chair Jam Cookbook and started a jar of rhubarb infused vodka.

ten pounds to go. any suggestions? i was contemplating a fruit butter or perhaps some sweet-pickled rhubarb. or both. and then some. rhubarb jelly? rubeena? so many possibilities!

this week is for rhubarb alone (and then i'll do a batch of strawberry rhubarb undoubtedly.)

i'll play catch up soon and get some recipes posted. until then, this putterress is exhausted.

happy bunnies

the bunnies seem to like their new digs. tucked under the maple tree in back, they seem to have the right mix of sunshine, shade and privacy. i've been throwing weeds and bolted salad greens in for them to snack on. happy bunnies, happy neighbors, happy garden.

pickled asparagus

i love pickling. compared to making jam, it's a breeze. i can do it with only a few hours on hand and since you pack each jar separately, i can make as much or as little as i have supplies for.

(i didn't chop the asparagus for pickling)

spring's first foray into canning was pickling asparagus: cheap, in season and impressive looking.

i've found that the large roasting pan that i have is perfect for washing large amounts of things. i used it for my first arugula harvest and its come in handy for the asparagus as well.

over two weekends i did two batches of asparagus. i'll do one smaller batch this weekend.
for all of them, i used a simple brine: water, white vinegar and salt in a 1/1/1 ratio.

finished product!

• 3 cups of water
• 3 cups of vinegar
• 3 tablespoons of canning salt

for the first batch, i used in each jar:

• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 clove of garlic 
• 1 dried chili pepper

for the second batch:

• 1/2 teaspoon pink peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon dill seeds
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 dried chili pepper

all in all it was pretty simple.

1. blanch and ice-water bath asparagus, that has been trimmed to fit the jars. (I used the tall 12 oz. ones.)
2. bring bring to a simmer.
3. pack jars with herbs and then asparagus, tightly.
4. pour hot brine to 1/2" mark.
5. cap and place in hot water bath.
6. process for 10 minutes at a boil.
7. remove and place on counter to cool.

they're alive

yesteday i spent some time puttering with the plants. i'm not sure if it was smart or just neurotic—but i moved the seedlings around by size, which allowed me to put the lid back on one of the trays to help nurture the little guys some more.

it also provided an opportunity to take stock of what was doing well and what wasn't. to my pleasure, the tomatoes are all looking good. if i keep on top of it, this could be my first year to grow tomatoes from seed. (last year i massacred all of my little friends through neglect.)

the peppers were also looking good, and the rosa bianca eggplant. a handful of things died and did not come back, so in the restructuring i did a quick replant in hopes of more peppers and more herbs. for good measure, i planted another tray heavily with thyme, cabbage and lettuce.

so i have three trays going and in a few weeks i'll start my cucumbers, melons and zuchinni. this april has been unseasonably cold and with the rate that squash and melons grow, i think it would be tempting fate to try and plant them now. soon, soon.

spring flowers

bought spring flowers for the house today. tulips and daffodils. simple, colorful. so cheery.

spring has sprung, in my basement

despite my best attempts to neglect them, the seedlings are surviving.

after killing all my peppers, its now part of my morning routine to go downstairs and water everything. this weekend i will likely plant another round of things and move some things around—its difficult to maintain trays half tall and green, half newly planted.

those especially impressive sprouts at the bottom are four o'clocks and down the way are several starts of bunny tails grass. here's hoping for an especially productive project weekend coming up.

chickies, becoming little women

they have cute little chicken-like tails and are developing nice coloring.
i initially named them mitzi, bunny, muffin and lala. but maybe i should take a louise may alcott route?

spring chicks

bought four chicks this year: two golden sex links, one black sex link and a new hampshire red. these days i just went for female, available and steady layers. i'll be rehoming some of the older hens soon.

they are now living in the rabbit hutch, you can see them leaping and poking about from the kitchen window. it's nice to have chicks that aren't in the house, stinking up the place.

this is the year

i've had a red-letter weekend of productivity sprung from aimlessness. who knew?

friday i put together another tray of seedling cups and filled them with flowers and herbs. i won't start another tray until it is time to kick off the squash, melons and cucumbers.

i'm hardening off (if not abandoning) the cabbage—i'd like to plant it in the front yard and my plans for that just aren't quite yet together. but it is still alive and it's the melissa cabbage, which i have had a crush on for some time. so i would like to follow through on it and my few onion sprouts. think positively.

saturday i threw down a row of arugula and another of mizuna, with a handful of red candle radishes in between. no sooner had i raked it over then we were gifted some luscious rain from the sky. my timing has been spectacular this season so far and i have to admit i've been feeling very fortunate.

i think this could be a red-letter year, if i just don't get carried away.

a new spring

today i planted my tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and some herbs. mingus helped.

trying to plant and tend more thoughtfully, carefully—successfully. 

using a potmaker given to me by a friend. i was intimidated by it, but its easy. i think i'll sit down tonight and build another tray out so that i can start more herbs and some flowers. contemplating peas.

Dark Days #3: Unexpectedly local

around eleven today i thought i would like to eat something amazing today.
it is a thought i often have when i am bored or restless at work, and hungry.

no less than ninety minutes later, here i am lunching on four-cheese ravioli made by our local italian delicatessan doused in a pea-shoot pesto my roommate created using organic microgreens a good friend grew. to round it out i made up a little sunflower and pea shoot salad and am taking the last sips of a bottle of Cougar Crest Anniversary Cuvee.

it is indeed pretty amazing.
bonus? this may be the most green i've eaten in weeks. a happy girl indeed.

present packaging

this is the second year i've done a homemade christmas.
this year i decided to use magazine clippings as jar toppers.
(and in some instances fabric scraps from my napkin endeavor.)

all my favorite scraps right here

i found it great fun. to play with the textures, colors and scenery cut down to a small scale. it added a bit of playfulness and in most instances the paper toppers would come off with the screw top. it was inexpensive and entertained me. truly, i do this for pleasure...

magazine clippings

using green cardstock and an every day printer, i made up simple labels.
i cut them out and tied them with rainbow twine i bought at the craft store.

this year on each label i tried to include ideas for the treat. a cheese it might taste good with, a style of meal—roasted meats, stir-fry. the concept came up while doing my white elephant gift and i think its a good one. i truly hope that people use what i gave them and it will make me sad to hear they did not.

like a mother hen i would almost rather they give them back.
but let's not digress into negativity.

i enjoyed how colorful my workstation became as i made progress.

and with most of it behind me, i can snuggle in and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow.

nefarious squash

pyrex never looked so evil

the canning continues

this friday i spent the night in canning.
pickled beets, apple pie filling and pears in a light syrup.

it took me awhile to settle on a recipe for the pickled beets. the majority of the ones i came across featured cinnamon, nutmeg or uncomfortable amounts of sugar.

here is the one that i chose, found here:

3 lbs peeled, cooked beets cut into 1/4 inch slices

3 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

2 teaspoons dill seed

2 teaspoons peppercorns

1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon salt

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

2 cups water

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 onion, sliced thinly (about 3/4 cup)

Place all of the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Prep your jars. Pack the beets into the warm jars and ladle the pickling solution over them. Leave a 1/4 inch headspace. Process in a water bath for 30 minutes.

the pie filling recipe i pulled from here.

on the other side of this experience (pie filling), i will say that i think it is more work than is worthwhile. christmas gifts for picky family members was my specific purpose and in that i was successful, but i wouldn't do this in the future. canned apples in syrup are far simpler and can be put to the same purposes.

the pears were simple and looked like such beauties in my blue bowl.

Dark Days #1: Local Tacos

the forces of the universe combined in such a way that some delicious steak tacos were the result.

free range skirt steak marinated over night and grilled, sauteed winter sweet onions, homemade salsa and shredded local cabbage, all served up on corn tortillas made in the town ten minutes away.

enjoyed with a friend, it was the perfect foundation for an epic night of dancing and debauchery.

it made me happy to no end to remember the corn tortillas. i see some delicious dark days breakfast tacos or huevos rancheros in my future.

white elephant in a can

a typewriter provided a simple solution to labels

fabric scraps for the final touch

i agreed to help a friend put together some of my homemade gifts for her company white elephant exchange. it tickled me pink to put something together so fantastic from items around the house: fabric scraps from my napkin project, paper left over from last years christmas gifts.

to pull it all together i broke things down into themes, added simple suggestions for each item and typed them up:

SWEET
SAGE PEAR BUTTER: PAIR WITH BLUE CHEESE OR CRUSTY HEARTY BREAD
BLUEBERRY BUTTER: PERFECT FOR BREAKFAST ON BISCUITS OR TOAST
LAVENDER SUGAR: LAVENDER LEMONADE, USE IN MUFFIN RECIPES

SPICY
CURRIED ZEBRA RELISH: DELICIOUS WITH GRILLED CHEESE, SAUSAGE
PLUM CHUTNEY: CONDIMENT FOR ROASTED MEATS, TRIPLE CREAM CHEESES
FRESH CURRY SPICE: ADD TO A STIR-FRYS, LENTILS AND SOUPS

STRONG
CRANBERRY CLOVE COCKTAIL MIXER: WINTER CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS
CLEMENTINE BROWN SUGAR COCKTAIL MIXER: SPICE UP OLD FASHIONEDS
NUTMEG INFUSED SIMPLE SYRUP: GREAT IN COFFEE, RUM COCKTAILS

it was a fun project for the weekend and i can't wait to hear how it was all received.

early fall sunset

pickled peppers [insert joke here]

after reading a post at Food in Jars about pickled peppers, i was inspired to turn these:

into these—!

i think they look absolutely beautiful in my kitchen.