Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen.

A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. 

*     *     *     *     *

• Yesterday I returned to cooking after two and a half weeks off duty. So, still not too many pictures on my end, I really didn't do much in that department. I'm almost 42 years old and never in my life have I said out loud, "I need a break from cooking for a couple of weeks." I felt so free to drop into my creative work and not have dinner or the bigger task, grocery shopping, on my mind. In the beginning, I was clear to my family that this was not about them cooking for me... I'd eat carrots if they didn't feel like cooking. No problem! I just felt the need to be clear and honest that I wouldn't be doing any actual cooking or grocery shopping. They were awesome. They cooked and shopped and harvested - and came away realizing they actually have only four meals in their collective repertoire. Let's just say we probably won't be having tacos for a long while. In the end, the biggest effort for them was grocery shopping within a reasonable budget. That is one heck of a skill that takes practice, foresight, and lots of creativity.

• Anyway... I'm back! I made granola yesterday, this morning set out the crockpots for stock and yogurt is culturing on the counter. There was roasted chicken last night with fresh from the garden potatoes that were also roasted with young onions and ghee. The dehydrator is cranking and herb jars are filling. In a few minutes I'll harvest the dill and calendula for dehydrating. This afternoon we'll pickle beets and possibly dill pickles. It was so good to take a break, but now I'm happy and inspired to get back in there.

Each day I find myself snapping a picture or two in the kitchen - a pile of ingredients, a table waiting for us to gather around, a sink full of soapy dishes, a cup of tea, dinner as it comes out of the oven - simple, everyday moments in the kitchen. These photos serve as a reminder of days gone by and as encouragement to carry on in this busy kitchen of ours when inspiration is lacking.

Every Thursday morning I'll post my photos from the week, words or recipes optional. Just glimpses into my kitchen and you're invited to do the same!

It's simple to join in:

• On your blog, post photos taken in your kitchen throughout the week.
• Words aren't necessary, your photos will tell the the story. Some of us enjoy adding a few thoughts to accompany the images... the choice is yours. 
• Feel free to grab the brief description at the top of this post, or add a few words of your own to explain the project.)
• Link back to this post so your readers can visit This Week In My Kitchen and join in. 
• Come back here and link up your current post (not your main blog) so we can all visit your kitchen!
• Join me every Thursday or the occasional Thursday if that works better for you.
• Please be sure to only link up if you are participating in this series. Thank you!

I look forward to visiting your kitchens! 

Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen.

A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. 

*     *     *     *     *

• I'm still off kitchen duty over here so the photos I have to share are of the simplest moments. But when peaches are in season, there isn't really a need for anything too thought out or complicated. Pick peach... enjoy.

• My relationship with coffee is a long and complicated one. I've written about it many times here so I won't go into it again, but let's just say I feel a break coming on. It's been nice to come to the realization that it isn't about being a coffee drinker or not a coffee drinker... for me, sometimes I am a coffee drinker and sometimes I am not a coffee drinker. Such peace around coffee finally! So, I'm not certain yet, but I think I feel a break coming on. In which case I'll switch to herbal tea for a few months and then a crisp October morning will roll around and I will be so very happy to brew up a sweet cup of Mind, Body, and Soul.

Each day I find myself snapping a picture or two in the kitchen - a pile of ingredients, a table waiting for us to gather around, a sink full of soapy dishes, a cup of tea, dinner as it comes out of the oven - simple, everyday moments in the kitchen. These photos serve as a reminder of days gone by and as encouragement to carry on in this busy kitchen of ours when inspiration is lacking.

Every Thursday morning I'll post my photos from the week, words or recipes optional. Just glimpses into my kitchen and you're invited to do the same!

It's simple to join in:

• On your blog, post photos taken in your kitchen throughout the week.
• Words aren't necessary, your photos will tell the the story. Some of us enjoy adding a few thoughts to accompany the images... the choice is yours. 
• Feel free to grab the brief description at the top of this post, or add a few words of your own to explain the project.)
• Link back to this post so your readers can visit This Week In My Kitchen and join in. 
• Come back here and link up your current post (not your main blog) so we can all visit your kitchen!
• Join me every Thursday or the occasional Thursday if that works better for you.
• Please be sure to only link up if you are participating in this series. Thank you!

I look forward to visiting your kitchens! 

Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen.

A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. 

*     *     *     *     *

• I've done something I've never done before. I asked my family to take care of all cooking AND all grocery shopping for the next two weeks. I'm off duty. They are always willing to help in the kitchen, but the meal planning and shopping naturally falls on me. I think about our meals the way Adam probably thinks about when the cars had their last oil change, if the water filters need changing, or if the lawn is looking scraggly. Our roles have nothing to do with "women's work" or "men's work", they have to do with yin and yang. Balance. If we're all doing job "a", then who the heck is doing job "b?" That sort of thing. We each have our natural strengths and prefer  to lean into them rather than fight the tide. Anyway... food sourcing and meal prep take up an exorbitant amount of headspace for me, and with a brand new workshop coming up I wanted to place all of my attention on that. No guilt. Life will go on. Two short weeks.

• That was a really long winded way of saying that I didn't really cook much this week! I did make a batch of our bulk taco seasoning though and thought you would like the recipe. It is so tasty! If you buy your spices in bulk, either through a place like Mountain Rose or in bulk at your natural foods store, this is a very economical way to go. I imagine if your spices come in the little jars from the supermarket there won't be much savings, those spices are very expensive.

Bulk Taco Seasoning

• 3/4 cup dried onions
• 1/2 cup chili powder
• 3 Tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne (more if you like it spicy, we prefer mild)
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3 Tbsp garlic powder
• 3 Tbsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients and store in a sealed glass jar.
2. To use - Whisk together 3 Tbsp mix (slightly rounded) with 1/2 cup cold water and add to the skillet after cooking one pound of ground beef, or heated 3 cups cooked brown rice. Simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken. Serve.

Each day I find myself snapping a picture or two in the kitchen - a pile of ingredients, a table waiting for us to gather around, a sink full of soapy dishes, a cup of tea, dinner as it comes out of the oven - simple, everyday moments in the kitchen. These photos serve as a reminder of days gone by and as encouragement to carry on in this busy kitchen of ours when inspiration is lacking.

Every Thursday morning I'll post my photos from the week, words or recipes optional. Just glimpses into my kitchen and you're invited to do the same!

It's simple to join in:

• On your blog, post photos taken in your kitchen throughout the week.
• Words aren't necessary, your photos will tell the the story. Some of us enjoy adding a few thoughts to accompany the images... the choice is yours. 
• Feel free to grab the brief description at the top of this post, or add a few words of your own to explain the project.)
• Link back to this post so your readers can visit This Week In My Kitchen and join in. 
• Come back here and link up your current post (not your main blog) so we can all visit your kitchen!
• Join me every Thursday or the occasional Thursday if that works better for you.
• Please be sure to only link up if you are participating in this series. Thank you!

I look forward to visiting your kitchens! 

It seems that I won't make it for weekly garden updates this summer. Oh well, logging our progress every couple of weeks is better than nothing at all. Yesterday I was reminded just how important these garden entries have become to us. Sitting in the garden, lamenting over the fact that some pest swooped in and pretty much ate all of my basil in 48 hours (never did see it... Japanese Beetles?), I remembered that last summer I directly sowed some basil seeds on a whim, some point in July. So I was able to look through my garden archives and pinpoint dates (check it out!)... it was only one week earlier than today, that basil did indeed grow and we enjoyed it well into September. It wasn't quite the big pesto haul, but still plenty for eating through August and September. Well, you know I just had to put a bunch of basil seeds in the ground yesterday and try again for a late summer harvest. Take that Japanese Beetles.

Here is our last garden visit, nearly three weeks ago.

And now, let's take a stroll through this week's garden.

Every year, mid-July, I wake up and it seems the entire garden is taken over by weeds. We spent about 15 hours in here this weekend getting things back into shape, pulling bolted lettuce and peas that are finished. Compost was added and late summer/fall crops were planted. Now the food growing plants can have the nutritive soil all to themselves and the air flow is much improved.

Raspberries are starting to ripen. The one thing we did not check off the list this weekend was netting the berries so we have to take care of that over the next couple of days. I know some people like to share with the birds, but in my experience the birds do not feel the same way. They'll eat every last ripe berry and leave none for us. So, if we want fruit, we must cover - and it makes all the difference.

We are in the middle of a three day rainstorm which is so very needed because growth was starting to feel quite slow for this time of year. I have a feeling at this time next week things will be looking much different in here.

See what I mean? I have picked the first few handfuls of bush beans, and beans in general are good performers even without perfect conditions, but the plants are looking a little sad. Hopefully this rain will fix that right up.

A variety of squash, winter and summer varieties. Slow and steady.

The second planting of shelling peas is in full harvest right now. They seem to grow by the hour so I check them twice a day for picking.

My broccoli that won't seem to make broccoli. I started this very early, sometime in April, and we are well past the 56 days to maturity that was expected. Now I imagine it's just too hot for anything to happen. In a couple of weeks I'm going to try another row (if I can find a spot) for an attempt at a fall harvest. I had such high hopes for this broccoli.

My garden rock star. Thanks to the kale cage, we are growing the healthiest greens we have ever grown. Not a single worm! The only two observations I have are that when we build the second cage (still have to do that), we make it so both sides hinge upward. It's a little tricky, though not impossible, to reach all the way to the back for harvesting. Also, the greens seem on the small side. I imagine it's a few degrees warmer in the cage and they'll become more robust in the cooler months of autumn, but for now we are incredibly happy to have plenty of dark leafy greens each day, even if they are on the small side.

Swiss chard is one of those plants that almost never disappoints, but this year it's been a struggle since day one. Poor germination, something eating huge holes in it (nothing ever usually eats chard!), and weak stems breaking off at the base with the slightest touch. It prefers the cool air of autumn, but usually hangs on and performs quite well in the summer too. Kind of perplexed on this... any thoughts?

Six beds have opened up as garlic, and the first plantings of peas and lettuce greens are all done. After some compost was added, rutabaga, parsnips, more beets, carrots, shelling peas and greens went in. Oh! And two more varieties of winter squash that I hope we are not too late for. We planted delicata squash last July and it matured just fine.

These are the pickling cukes. I had some seeds from 2012 to use up so this row is half 2012 and half 2014 seeds. Both are producing equally, and the picking has begun!

I have to remember that only 10 seeds come in a pack of the English cucumbers next year and order two packs. Of course saving the seeds is a good idea too. I've never saved seeds before but am learning to do so this year. I figured I'd start small and would save tomato, pepper, dill and cilantro (coriander) for my first year - maybe I should add cucumber to that list.

This row will be plenty for us, but cucumbers are such a great thing to share and I love adding them to smoothies or fresh juices. Their high water content makes them perfect for that. These plants are now filled with the first growth, yesterday morning when I checked they were all about three inches and at night they were FIVE inches! See? The rain is a much needed tonic.

Oh, potato boxes. I don't know about you. Your plants look healthy and happy, we continue to stack boxes and add soil, but I'm just not sure you're going to produce what you claim to. I'm challenging you...!

Eggplants are so pretty. It's hard to tell from this picture, but this one plant is dripping with the tiniest starts, at least ten fruits. That one in the front grew an inch in one day with the rain. So cute.

So happy we are growing corn this year, I really missed it last year. Although next year, at least two rows should be planted.

Happy blueberries. I guess sprinkling all those coffee grounds around the bushes is paying off. This is their third summer in the ground.

Shelling peas is my current obsession. I think I could plant 1/4 acre of just shelling peas and be very happy.

And finally... the garlic is in! In this pic it had been drying for a couple of days, so I brushed off the dirt and trimmed the roots. Now they are all set up single layer for curing. Fingers crossed for successful storage.

Almost forgot! The last three weeks of our pretend CSA. So far we've been able to offer a nice selection each week.

Harvesting:

• peas - sugar snap, shelling, snow
• kale - dinosaur, red russian
• collard greens
• swiss chard
• beets
• onion thinnings
• last of the lettuce
• the first bush beans
• pickling cucumbers
• blueberries
• a few remaining strawberries
• chives, basil, oregano, sage, parsley, dill, cilantro
• flowers - black eyes susan, daisies, calendula, bachelors button, cilantro and dill blossoms,  salvia, lavender, bee balm, echinacea

Thank you for coming out to the garden with me this morning!

Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen.

A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. 

*     *     *     *     *

• With some travelling this week, some beautiful (September-like!) weather followed by the return of hot and sticky, my kitchen has seen a mix of activity.

• Emily had some friends over for a girls night and my oh my if teens can't handle their carbs well... I miss those days! Pasta salad, bruschetta, garlic bread, watermelon, Moosewood Six Minute Cake with raspberry sauce and fresh whipped cream... the works.

• Our beets are starting to come in. Tomorrow I'll be making a batch of pickled beets per Adam's request - hopefully "just like his grandmothers." Fingers crossed. (Also, somebody please empty the compost... holy overflow!)

• My plants have yet to offer up their first zucchini, but a farm close by is already in harvest so I was happy to pick some up. Last night we grilled up thick slices and turned them into mini-pizza. A very simple and light dinner served alongside fresh berries. Summertime food really is the best food of all.

Each day I find myself snapping a picture or two in the kitchen - a pile of ingredients, a table waiting for us to gather around, a sink full of soapy dishes, a cup of tea, dinner as it comes out of the oven - simple, everyday moments in the kitchen. These photos serve as a reminder of days gone by and as encouragement to carry on in this busy kitchen of ours when inspiration is lacking.

Every Thursday morning I'll post my photos from the week, words or recipes optional. Just glimpses into my kitchen and you're invited to do the same!

It's simple to join in:

• On your blog, post photos taken in your kitchen throughout the week.
• Words aren't necessary, your photos will tell the the story. Some of us enjoy adding a few thoughts to accompany the images... the choice is yours. 
• Feel free to grab the brief description at the top of this post, or add a few words of your own to explain the project.)
• Link back to this post so your readers can visit This Week In My Kitchen and join in. 
• Come back here and link up your current post (not your main blog) so we can all visit your kitchen!
• Join me every Thursday or the occasional Thursday if that works better for you.
• Please be sure to only link up if you are participating in this series. Thank you!

I look forward to visiting your kitchens! 

Capturing my love of whole foods, combined with the activity of a bustling kitchen.

A weekly collection of photos from the center of my home. 

*     *     *     *     *

• This week flew by all too fast. My mom was here (and dad a bit too), so things felt a little different... less picking up the camera, once again. But we ate well! It's been hot hot hot (and incredibly humid), so dinners have largely been hearty salads that I can prepare slowly, early in the day, and pull from the fridge at dinnertime.

• Last year was the first in a long time that hunting season for Adam did not result in a freezer full of venison. This was leaving our freezer a little empty and we finally remedied that by purchasing a 1/4 cow and a freezer full of roaster chickens from Baldwin Brook Farm. We were even able to meet our cow a few weeks back and she was a spectacular animal with the glossiest coat I've ever seen on a cow. Last weekend I made some breakfast sausage patties for the freezer with some of the ground beef.

• My favorite cookbook for the summer I believe is going to be The Four Season Farm Gardener's Cookbook. I love it so much as the recipes call for ingredients that are growing outside my door or can be easily sourced locally. Our cool, mealtime salads this week were found here.

• I think in total we've put about five gallons of strawberries in the freezer from our garden so daily smoothies have been enjoyed by all. Some days are strawberry smoothies and other days are green smoothies. It's the best of times.

Homemade Breakfast Sausage Patties (beef or pork - though pork is better)

• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp dried sage (freshly dried is best)
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp ground clove
• 1/8 tsp allspice
• 2 pounds ground pastured beef or pork

1. Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well until everything is well incorporated. Refrigerate for 24 hours to combine flavors. Form into a log, freeze for 1-2 hours until it is firm enough to slice, then slice into patties.
2. Freeze patties or cook on medium to medium-low heat until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes per side. 

Each day I find myself snapping a picture or two in the kitchen - a pile of ingredients, a table waiting for us to gather around, a sink full of soapy dishes, a cup of tea, dinner as it comes out of the oven - simple, everyday moments in the kitchen. These photos serve as a reminder of days gone by and as encouragement to carry on in this busy kitchen of ours when inspiration is lacking.

Every Thursday morning I'll post my photos from the week, words or recipes optional. Just glimpses into my kitchen and you're invited to do the same!

It's simple to join in:

• On your blog, post photos taken in your kitchen throughout the week.
• Words aren't necessary, your photos will tell the the story. Some of us enjoy adding a few thoughts to accompany the images... the choice is yours. 
• Feel free to grab the brief description at the top of this post, or add a few words of your own to explain the project.)
• Link back to this post so your readers can visit This Week In My Kitchen and join in. 
• Come back here and link up your current post (not your main blog) so we can all visit your kitchen!
• Join me every Thursday or the occasional Thursday if that works better for you.
• Please be sure to only link up if you are participating in this series. Thank you!

I look forward to visiting your kitchens! 

Last July was a rough one for me. A bad case of poison ivy left my hands immobilized for much of the month, and the extreme heat... well, it's not my favorite. I made a promise to myself that I'd plan ahead for this July, heading outside into the heat only before 8am and after 5pm, whenever possible. So, what to do with the rest of my time?

Well, I decided to have a little Christmas in July crafting party. Not to lump myself with a consumer culture that puts up holiday decorations in October, I'm just thinking of this as a month of making, if you will. Small gifts, mostly sewn, that can be tucked away into my slowly developing gift closet. Maybe some tote bags, coaster sets, potholders, lap quilts, table runners, fabric gift bags (more for using than gifting - and now is the time of year to find wintry fabric patterns on clearance), prayer flag sets, jammies and a few skirts. Okay, the skirts are for me. And there will be knitting too, because if we're going to have a couple of big knitted projects under the tree then I best get to it during these quiet summer afternoons.

One thing I have going for me is that I'm the slowest person to make it through a tv series (still on season 2 of Lark Rise to Candleford), so I envision knitting while catching up on some shows. As for sewing, that is a perfect activity to do while perched in front of a fan, and so I will.

In Summer Soul Camp I'll be teaching a tutorial for making what I have come to love as the perfect market tote. It's a design I came up with a few years ago and has proven to be my go to bag for groceries. Handles that slip over the shoulder (am I the only one that tries to get all the groceries into the house in one trip?), and a nice boxy shape make it the exact style I prefer.

Yesterday, on the first of the month, I kicked off Christmas in July by sewing up a market bag and a stack of fabric gift bags for the holidays. (I like to fold the gift bags over and tie with a ribbon, as seen in this post.)

I thought it would be fun to send these first creations out into the world as a gift to you! How does that sound? I'll draw two names on Friday and announce the winners here... if you'd like a chance to win just go ahead and leave a comment.

Happy July, friends!

*   *   *   *   *

Comments are now closed! And the winners are...

Sarah said:
Aack! Too much prettiness in one post....love your fabrics :)


Jeanne Teed said:
I love the idea of these bags and especially like the Christmas in July theme! Last year my children held a surprise birthday party for me in July and made it a Christmas in July party with all things Christmas. This year we are doing it again but for no other occasion than to celebrate Christmas in July!!!

Congratulations! Check your email for a note form me. :)

Thanks everyone, that was fun!