I have been a bad blogger, but I make no apologies. After the month and a half that my family and I have gone through I'm just happy to be back at the keyboard. It all started out so well. August was busy, but I had it under control. We had bus tours at the winery, I had a catering job in town, the kids started dance class and taekwondo. And then the proverbial "it" hit ...
Buttermilk Pie
I have never looked forward to the dead of winter as much as I do now. The calm and still of January is like a siren song to me. It's speaking of cold days spent warming by the fire, cozying up in big warm cable knit sweaters and eating big bowls of soup. I am ready for January even if that month holds my 30th birthday. But this is not January. This is August. And it's busy. ...
Separating the Curds from the Whey – Cheese making
I try not to be pretentious on this blog. I do my best to keep things simple and familiar enough that the average person who likes to cook will find something that they can make just about any day of the week without having to earn a degree in the culinary arts to do so. I also realize that most of you probably live either in the city or suburbia. Most of you don't have ...
Cheesy Tomato Basil Souffle
Don't let this Cheesy Tomato Basil Souffle intimidate you! Souffles are easy! Showcase all of that summer produce in this creamy and decadent Cheesy Tomato Basil Souffle! Here it is, the end of July and I am happily swimming in fresh, ripe, homegrown tomatoes. It's an event I look forward to all year. It's hard to beat a just picked sweet tomato still warm from the sun and I ...
Homemade Cucumber Relish
Thity-three quarts of green beans, 9 quarts of tomtoes, 7 pints, black eye peas, 8 pints of cucumber relish, 7 pints of kosher dill pickles and 2 gallons of sauerkraut fermenting in my utility room.Our stockpile shelves that have very sparse since we moved are now busting at the seams. I have been on a canning bender. I think I may have a "problem" because I just can't ...
My opinion of Clearly Fresh Bags
My garden is going nuts. As long as I can keep the bugs at bay, most of the plants are becoming quite prolific. I get something new out of it everyday, and between my garden, the CSA I split with my Mom, and weekly trips to the farmer's market it's all we can do to keep up! I love it though. There is something very comforting about being surrounded by plenty to eat. The only ...
Too many irons on the fire…
When we decided to move to the country, it was not only to be closer to family, but also to have more time to ourselves to really concentrate on the things we loved. So far, the time with our family has been priceless but the "free time" we were dreaming of has eluded us. Which is why I want to apologize to my dear readers and my fellow bloggers whose virtual friendship I have ...
Dinner on the grill
Officially or not, Summer is here in Tennessee. It has been 95 + degrees every day for the last 2 weeks. Our mornings are spent outside in the garden or just enjoying the brief cool part of the day, while the hot afternoons are spent in, on or around some kind of water activity. This past week we were enjoying our vacation on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas. We all spent ...
Country Garden Update and Cilantro Lime Grilled Chicken Salad
So 3 weeks of rain was followed by 5 days of searing heat, then... more rain. All of this wishy washy weather has been reeking havoc upon our allergies but the garden doesn't seem to mind much. Especially the broccoli and lettuce. We have been eating off of those plants for the last week or so. Especially the lettuce. I have certainly been adding more fiber in my diet. The ...
Tuna Tuesday: Tuna, Spinach and Bacon Penne
Whew! It's been a couple of weeks since I have done a Tuna Tuesday post. Tuesday keeps sneaking up on me! Anyway, I wanted to show you guys this quick and easy dinner dish. It is packed with a lot of flavor and is a perfect way to use some of the spinach that you can find everywhere right now. If you don't have fresh spinach, feel free to use frozen spinach that has been ...
Rosemary Garlic Foccacia Bread
Life without bread would be dismal. Even those who are allergic to gluten find ways to have bread. And ask anydieter and you will find that they crave bread. Bread is just so delicious, so satisfying. Adding garlic, herbs, and olive oil to bread sends it into another realm entirely. When the heat hits those aromatics your entire house fills with the intoxicating smells of yeast ...
Cows, Evil Groundhogs, and Stinky Armadillos
I would like someone to tell me why it is 38 degrees in May. This crazy weather has been reeking havoc on my allergies and my garden. Just the other night I had to make a mad dash to get everything covered up because of a frost warning. My tomato plants don't like frost. The silver lining is that we have woken up to a fog filled landscape for the last couple of mornings that ...
Lemon Roasted Chicken Drummies
I am so tired of the rain. The last 3 weeks have had more rainy days than sunny ones here in Middle Tennessee and just last week many of our creeks and streams broke their banks and flooded roads and fields. Rainy days do have up sides. My garden certainly appreciates the rain and being stuck inside means that I am forced to do some cleaning. Not to mention rainy days are my ...
Easter Schmeester
Easter has really snuck up on me this year. I don't know why, it's dang near May so I have had plenty of time to prepare for it. Nevertheless, I have found myself fairly unprepared for the arrival of the Easter Sunday. I would like to blame this on the fact that every Easter since we have had children has been spent by myself with the kids while my poor husband had to go ...
From Scratch Chocolate Meringue Pie
Speaking of enjoyable, this Chocolate Meringue Pie is one of my favorite ways to blow a diet. It's so rich and creamy and the ingredients to make one is almost always in my house. It's pretty darn inexpensive, too. Sugar, flour, cocoa, eggs, milk, butter, vanilla and a pie crust and you've got yourself an impressive dessert that everyone will love. If you can get your hands on ...