Thursday, September 30, 2010

tomatillo berry crisp


tomatillos                     marianberries
from our csa farm            from our backyard











tomatillo berry crisp

(makes about 8 servings)

4 c chopped tomatillos, husks removed
1 c sugar (or a bit less)
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp cornstarch
4 c berries

topping:
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 c flour
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 c chopped toasted pecans
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

Place tomatillos in a food processor. 
Zoom them around, then strain and reserve excess liquid. 
Pour processed, strained tomatillos into a saucepan.
Cook over low heat while stirring in sugar and salt, until it has the flavor of a nice tart apple (about 15 minutes).

Combine cornstarch with 3 Tbsp reserved tomatillo liquid.
Stir into simmering tomatillos until mixture thickens; remove from heat.

Heat oven to 375°

Spread cooked tomatillos in baking dish. Top with berries.

Mix remaining topping ingredients until crumbly, then sprinkle over fruit.

Bake 10-15 minutes.  Serve with ice cream.


Wednesday, September 29, 2010

kids workshop at home depot - this saturday!


the first saturday of october is in just a few days!
that means it's the
free kids workshop
at the
home depot
9:00 am - 12:00 noon

click here for more information
and to see this month's project
{a boat}

here are the photos from last month
when ned made...

~ a cute little table ~

okay...
it's supposed to be a football display stand


Tuesday, September 28, 2010

favorite quick breakfast: egg sandwich



hot, quick, delicious,
and more than 25 grams of protein.
what more could you ask for?

whole wheat english muffin
farm fresh egg
veggie sausage
cheddar cheese
{and butter}

...serve with fresh orange slices...

~ YUUUM! ~



p.s. this is the veggie sausage i buy


Monday, September 27, 2010

earthly delights - csa bounty week 18


~ the final harvest ~
{thank you to our farmers & farm interns!}

here is our last share of the season
red russian kale
tomatoes
tomatillos
ground cherries
red and yellow onion
{our farm newsletter read,
"The tiniest red onion in the world,
and it's all yours..."}
leeks
carnival squash
summer squash
cucumbers
green beans
hot peppers
{a long joe cayenne for ned's mustache,
& a tiny jalapeƱo for bunny's mustache}
sweet italian pepper
eggplant
magic garlic
basil

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

our paradigm-shifting farmers,
~ casey & lori ~
they truly make the world a better place.

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

and me,
wearing my new upcycled
~ earthly delights farm t-shirt ~
{100% farmer screenprinted}

who's your farmer?

Sunday, September 26, 2010

earthly delights harvest party 2010


it was a really cool shindig
on this gorgeous day
in a northwest boise backyard.

there was a delicious potluck
from mostly local ingredients
{with a contest ~ the tomatillo berry crisp won}

there were several musical guests,
poetry readings,
and then ned sang the abc's

there were favorite farm games of yore:
a three-legged race & potato sack races.

ned won the sack race... twice.
here he is with his farm-fresh prizes:











if you live near boise,
you would be well-advised to
click here
and find a way to connect with these great folks.

you could:

1. buy a csa share for next summer
for 18 weeks of local, organic produce

2. buy a winter csa share
for 10 weeks of homemade soup & bread

3. attend one of their workshops on
seed saving, canning, homebrewing,
fruit tree pruning, backyard chickens,
or urban permaculture.

4. just call or email them and ask for a farm tour
or find out how you can get involved.

earthly delights is not a traditional farm.
it is made up of several urban backyards
in northwest boise.
homeowners allow the farmers to grow
crops in their backyards,
maximizing diversity and production
in previously underutilized lots.

locally grown food is healthier
for us,
for the environment,
and for the local economy.

the web of earthly delights farmers, interns,
neighbors, friends, and family
is a model for a sustainable, happy world.

and they throw one heck of a party.


Saturday, September 25, 2010

fall window


brown, orange, warm red.
pewter, gold, tarnished silver, rust.

i have redone my kitchen window.




i'm dedicating it to
~rebecca~
who, like me, has a fall birthday
and who needs it's familiar, cozy warmth
more than ever.

{fall is my favorite season}

Friday, September 24, 2010

♥ bunny ♥


around here, he's a VERY big deal.

and today, he got to go to school with ned
for show & tell.

here are ned & bunny the moment they met
{easter 2006, ned was 17 months old}
 
without question, bunny is the best.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

i helped in ned's class today.
such a treat to get to witness this special time.

when it was time for recess, i gave him a kiss,
then stood in the doorway of his classroom
and watched him run out into the sun,
down onto the playground with his friends.

it's all still so new for him,
and recess is the part
he looks forward to the most.
 
i pressed the moment into my memory.
hard.
like a handprint into clay.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

pip & patito ~ just a couple ducks who happen to be living the good life


visiting them continues to be my daily gig.

here they are from earlier today
in all their ducky spendor:



Wednesday, September 22, 2010

do you ever... put your hair up with a knot & a chopstick?


this is what i do with my just-washed hair

i gather it up as if i'm making a ponytail,
twist it into a knot,
then skewer it securely
{say that 5 times fast}
with a fancy chopstick.
{you can also use a pencil}

it's quick, easy, pretty,
& better for your hair than an elastic band.

have you ever tried to photograph the back of your head?
it's not easy.

and this hairstyle has a bonus:
once it's dry,
it has turned my stick-straight hair
into loose ringlet curls.

i actually made these beaded chopsticks
13 years ago when i worked here.

{i was even their hair model!}


Tuesday, September 21, 2010

callapitters


i love them
and how he says callapitters

~~ also ~~
breakfast is brek-dis
animal is ama-lul
squirrel is sqwuh-luh

Monday, September 20, 2010

earthly delights - csa bounty week 17

we are fortunate to eat so very well.
thank you, farmers, for
our share this week:
{~these kids are getting downright squirrely~}
tomatoes (lots!)
tomatillos
cucumbers
green beans
magic garlic
yellow onion
a leek
a baby melon
eggplant
bell pepper
ground cherries
basil
~ ~ ~
happy eating!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

today wasn't such a good day


this card really sums it up: 
after a day like this,
i just KNOW that tomorrow will be better.

{ eyes up, right durls? }

 

Saturday, September 18, 2010

rustic roasted tomato bread soup {from tracy porter}


are you familiar with tracy porter?
she is such an inspiration to me.
~{and many of you}~
she is a genius
of fashion, decorating, gardening, cooking...
to name a few of her arenas.

yesterday, i made her recipe for
and it was phenomenal.

tracy first posted this recipe & video
18 months ago,
and i've been meaning to make it ever since then.
{i'm a little slow on the uptake}
it is a bit like she read my mind, though,
as my kitchen counter was full of gorgeous tomatoes
{from monday's csa share,
our own backyard, and a few from friends}
and i was planning to make it this week
when she re-posted the recipe.

i will let you head on over to HER blog
to see the recipe & her loveliness in action.
{click right here}

i adapted her recipe a bit
since i had no olives, leeks, or scallions.

i had lots of organic heirloom tomatoes,

one big yellow onion & 3 partial heads of garlic.
note: since they were partial heads,
i peeled all the cloves prior to roasting.

here is my tomato/onion/garlic mixture
{before} roasting


 {after} roasting

as she predicted,
my whole house,
inside AND outside, 
smelled heavenly.

once i had them in my soup pot,
i used my immersion blender to quickly blend
the roasted tomatoes/onions/garlic.
{this is easier than using a food processor.}

i used my usual vegetarian broth instead of chicken stock.

this is the bread i used
with basil from my garden
and parmesan shavings on top,
the finished soup was epic.

thank you, tracy, for a new family favorite!

Friday, September 17, 2010

show & tell


friday is ned's show & tell day.

show & tell is not really a time for boring.
no, show & tell
is when you break out the Ć¼ber-cool.
the unbelievable.

with that in mind,
he chose his magnetic rocks.
he demonstrated for the class
how he can put one rock on top of the table
and {magically} move it around
with another rock underneath the table.
a trick that, according to his teacher,
was very much appreciated
by his colleagues.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

september 16 ~ today is my dad's birthday!



☼ ☼ ☼
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

happy birthday, pop!
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
☼ ☼ ☼

if my dad had his perfect day,
it might look like this:
wake up early
read the paper
with coffee & a couple krispy kremes
do the crossword puzzle
hit the outlet mall {☺just kidding}
go to a baseball game {make it a double-header}
watch the stock market recover
have a scotch on the rocks,
then a gourmet italian dinner,
then see a concert.
{all with my mother, of course.
because, after almost 50 years of marriage,
they still really like each other.}

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

here are some choice bits of sage fatherly advice:


1.
the diplomatic
ask your mother


2.
i never promised you "fair"
my dad is a VERY fair man.
but, for whatever reason,
like,
ice cream cones that seemed to be different sizes,
someone would inevitably whine, "that's not FAIR!"


3.
read the book
handy when someone can't figure out
a new gadget

and, my favorite:
4.
we are a family;
we will get through this together.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

i love you, dad.
hope your day is great.

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