Venison Ambassador

First Salad of the Season!

Lettuce 2012 has sprung! I picked my first volunteer crop of lettuce & will be enjoying it with tonight's dinner.

Salsa ("People just like saying Salsa!")

Homemade salsa - I did it! I made salsa for the first time and it is YUMMY!!! Jeff even said if he were served it in a Mexican restaurant he would notice how good it is! Yea!!! Tonight we had Mexican Pie out of our new cookbook - wow! It used my salsa and of course, venison - delicious!

Dill Pickles!

It's official - you are now reading the words of a bona fide pickle co-maker!!! Last night Jeff & I tasted our pickles - imagine this - they taste like "real" pickles! We are going to have to get on the fast track to eating them because now I want to make Bread & Butter pickles.

What a great way to use up the wildly prolific Cuke!

(Due to space constraints we have to down at least a jar and a half before I start the new batch-these are the refrigerator type, so they must fit.)

 

Pickles?

We bravely entered a new world last night. Yes, our kitchen has vinegar scent (I know, I know, call it whatever you want, vinegar is still a smell, not a scent.) We have the proof of our late evening project safely upside down in the fridge. Why upside down? Because part of the learning curve (apparently) is learning that it only makes 4 jars if you are a fantastic judge of the amount of cucumbers needed for 4 jars. We did weigh them, but somehow still found ourselves short. So, we condensed the whole project into 3 jars and they spent the night right-side up and are now spending the day upside down, because we are tasting our project tonight. Keep your fingers crossed and I'll let you know on the yumminess scale where we wind up.....

Greens

We went to a family gathering yesterday and got to bring our own salad greens! They were so yummy and pretty, too!

The Big Thaw

Finally! We have outlasted the ice and ick, (insert crossed fingers here) and emerged into the thaw zone. We are finally warm enough to have a complete melt, providing the forecast holds. (please, please let it hold!) This past week I pulled up the drive, only to promptly slide right back down, and I might add, quite a bit faster than the ride up had been, so I will be thrilled when the icy stuff is gone.

On the breakfast front, Jamie's chickens did a little laying and she did a some sharing, and we had delicious fresh eggs for breakfast today. Wow - there is just really no comparison between those yummy, rich eggs and the pale, pitiful things we get at the grocery store. Thank you, Jamie!

On the Pepper watch, today is a banner day! The Carmen's will start receiving bloom food to encourage an abundance of pepper production that would (hopefully) overwhelm Peter Piper himself! For this, I will have to wait, watch and update.

Groundhog Day Miracles

The seed catalogs have been showing up now for a few weeks. Thank goodness! With this new mess of snow and ice icky combo, reminders that spring is eventually coming are so welcome! Farm and Home has up their seed displays and I am dreaming of the yummies that we will harvest from the garden this coming summer. We are discussing tomato varieties and squash choices with an intensity that belies how much time we really have to decide. It is our frantic escape into the warm rays of summer, never mind that the escape is mental only, and temporary at best. Hang in there - I hear that Phil says spring is sooner rather than later! Please, please, let Phil be right!

On a delicious note, Jeff fixed Venison Loin seasoned with smoked black pepper and thyme, sauteed in  a little olive oil. Wonderful!

Beautiful....Eggs???

That's right - we had beautiful, delicious farm raised eggs this morning! All eggs are NOT created equal! They may all start on some version of a farm, but these came from chickens who are not cooped up in a gross little cage and pumped full of heaven knows what, these are peck the ground and act chicken-y chickens. Thank you, Jamie! Jeff & I agree - they taste better and look yummier, richer - check out the yolks below:

 

Winter Peppers - Winter Squash

Last night I planted 2 Carmen Peppers and 1 Flavorburst Pepper. Yes, I am still trying to grow a Flavorburst because I am dying to taste one!!! These are so that this winter we have fresh peppers in the indoor garden room.

Yesterday morning I fed fish emulsion in the garden and picked the winter squash. I also pulled the melon vines. I collected as much okra off my 2 plants yesterday as I could possibly want (please read as "desperately searching for additional okra-requiring recipes"). I also collected a couple of Roma Tomatoes and an assortment of cherry tomatoes. Two cucumbers also made it in my basket.

Regarding winter squash, all of the ones planted in my garden here at the house are finished. The funny thing is, my Sweetie (Jeff, of course!) bought me a "Grow" magazine on Friday night and guess what one of their ideas for saving space was?!?! Grow your winter squash out of the compost pile!! How funny that ours did that on a voluntary basis! Anyhow, that spaghetti squash is still in the ground, not quite ready yet.

Yesterday afternoon I had a real butternut squash treat. I cut a tiny one in half, scooped out seeds then baked it in the toaster oven till soft. I added a touch of butter, some honey and apple pie seasoning - so good!!

Romas - They're What's for Lunch!

Delicious light lunch! Leftover pasta (plain) with italian seasoning, salt, pepper, fresh roma tomato, parmesan and mozzarella! YUM!! Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes. So good! Eating local, knowing your food source? Check it out - I can narrow mine to a plant! No chemical yuckies, just super yummy freshness!