It does not even occur to me to look in the veggie bin anymore, I just go straight to the garden with a colander to pick what I want for dinner. If only I had looked I could have chopped the onion and broccoli up and put them in the freezer for future use. TheRead More
Lady Bug, Lady Bug
We have an aphid problem on a weeping cherry tree. The bigger problem is the location of the tree: The tree is in the middle of my strawberry patch, so I decided to try lady bugs to take care of the problem. I am feeling a little like I’ve hired a mercenaries, pretty, nontoxic mercenaries,Read More
Homemade Paint With Water Coloring Pages
I have spent way too much time this week talking on the phone with companies. During these calls I need Rew to be happily occupied for a couple of minutes so that I can focus, remember to ask the right questions, and write notes. I remembered my older kids enjoying paint with water books.Read More
The Perennially Long Suffering Gardener
Last year I was introduced the the concept of perennials in the garden. I was excited by the idea of not having to start my garden each year from scratch. I planted little rhubarb plants, asparagus from roots, and started patience dock from seeds I received from Mother Earth news. The first asparagus to breakRead More
Raspberry Lemon Scones
Scones are a teatime treat that also works for breakfast and dessert. Here’s a tasty recipe for Raspberry Lemon Scones. My daughter will be hosting a Jane Austen themed tea party for her college friends later in the month. We have been reviewing recipes trying to finalize the menu for her tea. There are manyRead More
Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce
Here is a classic favorite recipe – Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce. I made pork chops with mustard sauce this evening. There wasn’t time to take a picture of our entire meal because we were running late for a graduation party. I quickly took a picture of a leftover pork chop, so you could seeRead More
Dinner Menu Plan
Monday – Grilled Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, and Peas with Green Onion and Basil. I was supposed to make this yesterday, but I decided to stink up the entire house baking Salmon for my husband instead (I am such a loving wife). Tuesday – I am not sure what I willRead More
Growing Tomatoes in a Short Growing Season
I couldn’t stand it any longer! I harvested a couple of stems of Swiss chard and 3 cherry tomatoes (2 were ready, 1 was close). We also ate several varieties of lettuces, spinach, onions, cilantro, parsley, radishes, and strawberries from the garden. I thought I would show the process that has enabled me toRead More
Extreme Gardening!
My family teases me about trying to transform Mordor into The Hundred Acre Woods. I live in the land of extremes: Extremely cold winters, very hot summers, little precipitation,and high winds that blow the leaves right off the seedlings. Why do I attempt gardening under such conditions? I love a challenge, I enjoy providing inexpensiveRead More
Baked Chicken With Rhubarb Sauce
Rhubarb gives a savory twist to this baked chicken recipe. Baked Chicken With Rhubarb Sauce Recipe Ingredients: 6 chicken breasts, trimmed 2 Tablespoons butter 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 2 Cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces 1/3 Cup sugar 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch 1 1/2 Cups water 2 teaspoons lemon juice Directions:Read More
Using Dryer Lint in the Garden
Warning: This is another one of those “can’t she just throw it away?” posts. And no, I can’t! We have very sandy soil, which is great for growing asparagus, but the other plants I grow in my garden require more water and less drainage. There are companies that manufacture moisture control soil, but it isRead More
Strawberry Cream Pie
Like most pies, this Strawberry Cream Pie Recipe takes a little time, but the result is well worth it! This pie is my daughter’s specialty. We frequently ask her to make it for us. We feel a little less guilty about eating pie when it is filled with fresh strawberries. She adapted her Strawberry CreamRead More
The Secret to Creamy Mashed Potatoes
I learned the secret to creamy, lump-free, mashed potatoes from my mother-in-law. The secret? She doesn’t mash potatoes, she rices them. Scoop a couple spoonfuls of cooked potatoes into the ricer and then squeeze. Repeat until all of the potatoes are riced. Stir in butter, milk, and pepper to taste. That is it! It isRead More
Menu Plan
Monday – Garlic Chicken (I am going to bake this the night before according to the directions and then have my husband “grill” it to heat it up and put stripes on it on Memorial Day), Roasted Potatoes, Baked Beans, Strawberry Spinach Salad, and Corn on the Cob. (I am making lots of side dishesRead More
It Is Better to Have Tried and Failed…
My food waste for this week is semi-homemade hummus. At Whole Foods Market they sell hummus mix in bulk for less than $3.00 a pound. I had been buying small packages (8 oz. container – I think) of premade hummus at Trader Joe’s for $2.99. I thought this was a good opportunity to save moneyRead More
The Great Flower Compromise
As my husband was leaving work to pick me up on one of our first dates a colleague asked, “aren’t you going to bring her flowers?” It was too late for my husband to purchase any before picking me up, so when he arrived he greeted me by apologizing for not bringing flowers. Being myRead More
Weekly Dinner Menu Plan
Monday – Spaghetti with Red Sauce, Nutty Broccoli Salad (inspired by the local deli), Gluten Free Breadsticks with Dipping Sauce (wish me luck!) Tuesday – Tacos, Refried Beans, and Spanish Mexican Fried Rice Wednesday – Use leftover taco meat and cheese to make Taco Salad Thursday – Use leftover taco meat,Read More
The "Uniform"
A couple of months ago Gwenyth Paltrow received a lot of negative attention for her new blog GOOP. I decided to check it out and could not figure out what the big deal was all about. I personally believe that if you have an open mind you can learn from almost anybody. I am notRead More
Guidelines to Eliminate Food Waste
We wasted food again this week. Well, actually my husband wasted food because nobody else would have opened this can of olives to begin with and if they did they would have transferred the contents to a glass bowl with a lid per mom’s food saving guidelines! Unfortunately, my husband is the only one whoRead More
Fried Rice Recipe
Ever wonder what to do with the leftover white rice you get from Chinese take out? It is usually dry and unappetizing. Instead of tossing it out you can add it to soups or casseroles. However, my favorite way to use it is to make Fried Rice! Fried Rice is actually better when madeRead More
