Vanilla Icing

A Simple Italian Dinner

After my big cracker flop, I needed something to reassure me that I haven't lost my touch and whipped up a batch of biscuits (to bake in the morning for breakfast) and started a biga for Italian bread.

Saturday was a very busy day.   Lots of coming and going, including Rick and I blading while the kids biked. Six mile again!!   Tristyn wasn't tired at all and Maia only a little bit.  I was a little worn out because I had also used the treadmill earlier that morning.  Luckily, before we left, I had started Wedding Soup in the crock pot.

I'm quite proud of this meal.  It's made from ALL organic products.  The soup had kale from our CSA in it, the Italian Bread I baked myself and the olive oil I infused with herbs I have grown.  Best of all, I made such a big pot of soup that I had enough to freeze for other days.  Got to love convenience food you've made yourself!  =)

 

Crackers aren't What They are Cracked Up to Be

Poppyseeds are NOT a replacement for sesame seeds.   Must remember.

CSA Week 5

Red Potatoes, Broccoli, Kale, Lettuce, Kohlrabi, Strawberries, Vine Ripened Tomatoes

Busy

Whew!  Things have been busy around here lately.  Saturday we spent the day with friends.  Rick and Levy went biking in the morning while the rest of us adults watched "2 Days in Paris" (I don't recommend it) and all the kids played.  Then, we all had Chinese food for a late lunch and everyone resumed playing and talking.  Maia and Macey biked for a little while in the alley--I think Maia was still a little tired out from our big ride the day before!

Sunday came bright and early.  After the usual to-do list in the morning, Tristyn and I snuck off to the Mac Store and  Whole Foods.  Tristyn LOVES that grocery store because of all the free samples they give out and he makes sure to sample each every food item.  Health and Beauty samples annoy him because he thinks it's a waste of space that a food sample can go in!   

Rick and I took the children to the Jail Trail in the afternoon.  Once again, the kids biked and I rollerbladed but this time with Rick.  =)  We went the WHOLE six miles.  Tristyn and Maia were exhausted.   We had a family dinner afterwards and Tristyn devoured food at an alarming rate.  Between the biking he's been doing and the growth spurt I'm pretty sure is coming I'm getting a little worried I won't be able to fill him quickly enough.

Monday wasn't very hot but the children and I still played at Sandcastle for a couple of hours before dark gloomy clouds chased us out.   Today, the forecast looks more promising and we are planning on going right after lunch.  

Ahh, Summer

After an evening of trying Guitar Hero then deciding it was better to purchase the game myself someitme soon and practice in secret! and generously letting Rick play it with Levy all by himself and indulging in quite possibly the best chocolate brownie and fudge sauce ever ... (Do you know, Katie, last night at about 11ish I was feeling quite peckish and feeling that ONLY that brownie would do.   You're lucky you live several houses away and not immediately next door or else you might have had an unwanted person rummaging through your kitchen!)....I was feeling really guilty and needed to work off some of those decadent calories.

I used the treadmill for 45 minutes in the morning but it just wasn't enough.  Then, over lunch on the deck with Tristyn and Maia we decided we were going to try the Jail Trail.  It's really called the Eliza Furnace Trail but everyone calls it the Jail Trail because a part of it goes right by the newer jail as it makes its way downtown.  Tristyn has only been riding his bike for more than 10 foot swatches for about 2-3 days now and I thought the trail would be perfect to practice going longer distances.   I didn't bring my bike; I strapped on my rollerblades.  

Are you impressed that I took this picture with my cell phone while rollerblading?   No?  Okay, how about I also emailed it to myself and sent three text messages to people with this picture attached?   Alright....fine. I also did this all in a skirt too!  So there!

The kids did great.  There were two spots where Maia's legs started to get really tired and she whined a bit.  I think training wheels make you work harder than no training wheels.  Tristyn was way out ahead most of the time and doing fantastic.  I was so proud of him.  Even more proud of him when he wanted to keep going despite Maia wanting to turn around and a big gray storm cloud overhead.  We did turn around but I promised him that we would go 'all the way' next time.  As it was, we went four miles.

FOUR MILES.   

Not bad for their first time out, huh?  On the way home, we stopped in Squirrel Hill at the Barnes & Noble for a treat and a cold drink and perused the books in the kid section.  Surely, I've got to be near the end of Berenstain Bears books I haven't read to Maia yet!  Then it was a quick stop at the library to pick up a book they had on reserve for me before lots of relaxing at home before dinner.

Tristyn and Maia may have biked four miles today but when I suggested we go to Frick Park to play for awhile they were all for it!   We picked up our friends and headed over to the park where all of the kids played for just shy of two hours.  Everyone was tired but happy.

The best type of summer exhaustion there is.  =)

CSA Week 4

This week's box brings us tomatoes, sugar snap peas, romaine, lettuce, MORE spinach (when will it end?), strawberries, and asparagus.

White Bread with a Twist

Many recipes make two loaves of bread.  Who wants two plain old loaves of white bread?  Sure, one is fine for things like PBJs but what about toast?   Toast is a pretty bland thing to eat...but not if you give it a little twist.

A cinnamon sugar twist!!  

Heck of a Lot & Herbs

It's been quite awhile since I've updated with actual doings and happenings.  Pretty much we've been enjoying our summer very much. 

We got Sandcastle passes (a local waterpark) so we can go swimming as much as we want.  Correction.  As much as the weather will allow us.  We only have got to go two times in the last week and a half.  It's been very dreary here most days and today I actually had to wear a sweatshirt!!

Tristyn turned 9 last week and we had a lovely celebration. 

Rick and I finally got around to getting the kids some new bikes as they both had the circus clown on a teeny tiny bike thing going.   Maia was super excited but Tristyn was less than thrilled.  However, after an hour the other night behind the field and a good hour and a half today in the alley he is officially (and finally!) a bike rider with NO training wheels.  It took a long time to get him here because he had zero interest and none of my stubborn streak to push him through the frustration of wobbling.  It took me playing bad cop (thank you Air Force boot camp for giving me the idea!)  to get him to put good honest effort into it.  Really I think my 'hard ass' attitude got on his nerves enough that he would do anything to shut me up.  Including riding the bike.  And it worked.  AND more importantly he thinks it's fun and can't believe he couldn't do it sooner.

We had a lovely dinner on Friday with our friends Levy and Katie and their family at Don Pablos.   Chile (chili?  chillie?) Mashed Potatoes---Yum!!   Katie and I and all of our kids went to a potluck lunch at another woman's house on Monday.  I made brownies to bring because they were quick but mostly because I needed to lick the spoon after they were in to bake to satisfy a sudden chocolate craving.

The strawberries from our CSA box last week were so delicious that on Saturday the children and I looked up what Farmers' Market  'our farm' was going to be at and went and got a few more quarts.  They were for jam which Tristyn and I made early Sunday morning before everyone else was awake.  We had attended a wedding on Saturday night that must have exhausted Rick and Maia because they slept in!  Anyways, Tristyn, Maia and I wandered around the other booths at this itty bitty Farmers' Market and got a few more things; potatoes, a flat of impatients, French Bread shaped in a circle (okay this was mainly for investigation purposes because I am building myself up to making French Bread and then eventually working up the nerve to make baguettes) and another basil plant because the two of mine have been looking sad.

Today was a nice day.  We had no major plans other than running a couple of errands but mostly we played and spent time together after we got back from our errand running.  We watched a movie together while we had lunch.  Salami and cheese is our current favorite lunch and we were doubly excited because we had gotten Organic Genoa Salami at Whole Foods yesterday and we made our sandwiches on the Vienna Bread pistolets (rolls) I made yesterday.  (Always about the bread!!) 

After the movie ended, the three of us walked over to the alley.   Tristyn rode his bike and Maia practiced her rollerblading.  She only has Barbie baby-style rollerblades but is hoping that if she gets good someone will get her a 'real' pair.  It started drizzling, ending our fun on wheels but we didn't go in.  Instead, we went back home and took turns jumping rope.  I impressed Maia with my 'skill' at jumping rope that had been finely honed over 9 years of Catholic school education.  She's determined to learn how to jump rope on one foot and also had to turn around for the Teddy Bear song while Tristyn and I turn the rope!  Maia and I read a chapter of "Pony on the Porch."  The rain stopped and we went back to the alley---this time both Tristyn and Maia took their bikes and I took a book!  I'm reading "Last Child in the Woods" and I only have it on loan from the library for a week and have to squeeze in time as I can with it.

I'll spare everyone the mundane parts of my day (cleaning, ironing, etc) but I was poking around with my garden today.  Below, you'll notice I snapped some pictures of my herbs.  I orginally bought 6 all together: Thyme, oregano, sage, basil, rosemary and savory.  I think.  Here you have Italian oregano.  At least it smells like oregano and I've been using it as such!  Seriously, I know my oregano.  I'm Italian.  I'm required to recognize it, use it and like it.  It's like a law or something.  The sage was sagging for awhile there but it has perked right up.  I plucked a few leaves today to add to Crash Hot Potatoes, recipe by the Pioneer Woman. Seems like I really didn't need that extra basil--mine have recovered and is overtaking the pot it shares with poor Miss Rosemary.  I think it's time to split up this trio. 

 This is thyme.  Right?   It has to be because it takes a TON of time to chop this stuff up.  Seriously.  (Pun intended)  That last thing is called dying savory.  I'm not sure what's up with it.  I think it might need to go to the plant hospital before it's too late.

Vienna Bread

A self-critical review of Vienna Bread:

1.  You can see a large hole on the two slices and also on the batard.  I've heard this is called 'the room where the baker sleeps.'

2.  Said room is probably there because the slashes aren't quite deep enough.  I was afraid of the lame.

3.  Also, must remember after making a slash to wipe off lame so it does not stick when making other slashes.

4.  Slashing the bread is significantly easier with a lame (even one that needs wiped off!).  Check out that slash on the pistolet.  It's perfectly shaped though I think it should be a wee bit deeper.  

5.  Producing steam in my oven is GREATLY aided by my recent purchase of a spray bottle.  Now, not only can I create steam from the bottom of my oven but from the walls and ceiling!  This produces a wonderful crisp, crunchy crust.  <---Crust is my favorite part.

6.  The batard is a little wonky shaped.  I must work on that.  However, the pistolets (those pictured, plus the four not pictured) turned out very well shaped.  It's not quite the same shaping process and I'm not sure if the smaller ones are better shaped because of that or because they are simply smaller.

7.  I would like one of these to help me in sifting flour over the tops of the loaves.  You'll notice that one or two areas have more flour on them then should be there.  That's because when I tap my little wire mesh sieve the force of my tap is altered by things like a child's shout, a dog poking his nose into my thigh or the buzz of my phone announcing I have a text message.

8.  Vienna Bread despite needing a few touch ups to its appearance is delicious!

Me & Missy

Hey it only took 28 years to get a picture of me and Missy!!!  Okay, so techincally 23 since I met her when I was 5.   She is my dearest friend--the one person aside from Rick that I would be lost without.  =)