Homegrown & Homemade
There was a time when cabbage was the king of vegetables… I’ve always thought I was born in the wrong time-period. No complaints here about the indoor plumbing, but I find myself drawn to objects of another time- whether it be an old-fashioned rug beater, blue mason jars, the 50s radio we keep in the bathroom, or… vegetables. Who is with me?! I dream about a …
I made something incredible the other night. Out of vegetables! Even Karl liked this Cobb Salad (read: big huge bowl full of vegetables)… and he’s still working through his vegetable-haters rehabilitation program. He’s conquered salad greens, asparagus, kale, and even Brussels sprouts! This year we’re working on squash. He gets so sad whenever I try to feed him squash, like I’ve done the most horrible and unthinkable thing. …
You’d think “cookies” would be a pretty agreeable subject matter… not like religion, politics, or which direction the toilet paper roll should go. But growing up, Christmas cookies were a hotly debated holiday topic in my household, mostly because of my incredible loathing of one particular variety of Christmas cookie. A classic cookie that apparently EVERYONE else in the ENTIRE world loves. A cookie that, …
There are only a few things that Karl won’t eat- and much to my disappointment, one of those is things is winter squash. He acts like I’m offending him at even the mention of putting some on his plate. It’s become kind of a joke around the homestead now- where if he asks what’s for dinner I’ll often declare, “just squash.” And then a wave of …
I just… really love kale. I know a lot of people don’t- they think that it’s old news, yesterday’s vegetable, yadda yadda. I whole-heartedly disagree. Kale is awesome and I put it in all the things. Not only because it tastes good, but because it is loaded with nutrients! Case in point: Beef & Kale Stroganoff. Supporting evidence also includes: Kale and Mushroom Rice Salad, Bacon, Sausage …
(gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, grain-free, healthy, vegetarian) When we moved onto our homestead last year, I knew that one of the things high on my garden priorities list was to establish a mint patch. People are usually quick to warn you about mint: not to plant it in a garden or flower bed, because it will take over everything. Which is precisely what I wanted! I …
I’m pretty sure I won Karl’s heart with potatoes: his favorite thing in the whole wide world. I learned early on in our relationship that I needed to become a potato-master, which I now proclaim to be. These are the best potatoes ever- crispy, salty, easy to prepare, and no special equipment needed- no deep fryer, just a pan. Plus, they are a great vehicle …
Roasted what?! Maple trees already provide us with pretty much the greatest substance ever created– could their seeds taste phenomenal too? While they don’t taste exactly like maple syrup, they are nutty and abundant and best of all: free. We have two big beautiful Autumn Blaze Maples in our yard, one right next to our house overhanging the patio and covering the cement every year …
I planted two little mint plants last year, in a crappy spot with poor soil and partial sun, hoping that they would spread and hide an ugly rock foundation wall on our house. I watched and watched this spring, and was ultimately disappointed that there was nothing coming up where I planted them the year before. Until one day I was walking by and spotted …
(gluten-free, easily dairy-free, vegetarian) I was eating kale before it was cool. I even have three different varieties of kale planned for this year’s garden! I also tuck my pants into my socks… I’m kind of a trend-setter. My grandma grew kale in her garden 50+ years ago, and my parents grew it in theirs when I was a young girl, so I’ve been a kale-lover my whole …
