The selfish kitty....

So Petal has reached the stage where she's learning animal sounds. Most the time she just gives you a doggy panting sound for every animal. Lately though, she's changed it up. Apparently she thinks cats are very selfish *wink, wink*


Here's the conversation:


Me: "What's the cow say?"
Petal: "Mooo"


Me: "What's the puppy say?"
Petal: "Woof woof, (then panting noises)"


Me: "What's the kitty say?"
Petal: "Mine! Mine!"


Every time I get the same answer. Cracks me up. Doesn't matter how much I coach her to say "meow", it always comes out "mine"!

Chicken bok choy stir-fry

When I roast a chicken I like to save all the pan drippings. Store them in the fridge in a jar and the fats will rise to the top, while the broth congeals on the bottom. These are wonderfully flavorful, and full of healthy gelatin, minerals, and fats. Tonight I used leftover pan drippings as the basis for flavorful broth and stir-fry.

1-2 pounds baby bok choy - roughly sliced

2 zucchini - cut into a pont-neuf (.5 x .5 x 2.5)

2 large heirloom tomatoes, I used yellow, large dice

3 large portabello mushrooms, thick slice

2-3 cup pan drippings, aprox- allowed to separate in the fridge

2-3 cups cooked chicken (this is a great use for leftovers from roasted chicken)

Salt and pepper

2 Tbs cold butter- diced

Scoop the chicken fat off the top of the drippings and add to a hot skillet or wok. Add zucchini, seasoning with salt and pepper. Lightly saute - but don't cook all the way. Now add the bok choy and saute until wilted. Next add the mushrooms and sweat lightly. Once everything is close to being cooked, add the tomatoes, diced chicken, and the remaining pan drippings. Melt the gelatinous broth(pan drippings), and soften the tomatoes. Everything should be tender and hot. Dice the butter and add it. This is called to monte au buerre, which means to whisk cold butter into a sauce to add richness and gloss. Adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

You are going to be amazed at the wonderful flavor in this stir-fry! Let me know what you think.

Time for a garden update! This year has been exponentially better than last year in the garden. We have made a bunch of changes. We’ve increased the garden space to 300 square feet, although it isn’t all planted at the moment. A huge and WELCOME change was in the area of watering. My dear husband installed a drip system on automatic timers for me. It’s saving me about 8 hours a week in watering! Thanks babe!!!!

In the following picture are:

Okra, and tomatoes, yard long beans, peppers,melons (growing everywhere!) basil, arugula, salad greens, daikon radishes, pepper plants and cucumbers.

This is my permaculture inspired herb spiral. Love this thing! I plan on making at least one more.

Colors colors colors!!!!!

I love gardening. Not very good at it. I'll admit that easily. But I love the results. I love the colors of nature. I love cooking with produce I just cut fresh from my backyard. Thought I would share my latest bounty from the garden!

Look at all those beautiful colors! In case you are wondering, there is 4 different kinds of basil, 2 kinds of sweet peppers and jalapeno peppers!

So we've been weighing our produce and tracking it. It's not been a lot so far- but it's so much more than last year!

Allan brought Petal in and set her at the table for dinner. While I was dishing her food up, she decided she just couldn't resist the bright green peppers!

I'm sooo very glad she reached for a sweet pepper and not a jalapeno! That would NOT have been a good start to dinner!

Looks like she's enjoying her pepper!

Happy Dad's Day~

I will admit. I'm one of the lucky few. One of the lucky few who has a great daddy, and an amazing daddy for my kids. In a society that devalues the role of the father, I'm eternally grateful for the strong men who walk out the patience, love and perseverance that it takes to be a father.
In honor of today I'm going to show of some photos and videos of my hubby! What a great example of Heavenly Father he is to our children!








Making their first snowman!

Finished!!!!

Checking the soccer scores!!!!

The all important NAP!














Go Cart Racing!!!












It's easy to take you for granted dad! Thanks so much for being there, and making an unforgettable impression on your kids!

Petal dancing

Petal is starting to enter the toddler years! She LOVES music. This morning she started dancing to the songs from her toys

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Giggling at last!

My dear Petal is such a gentle soul. She has be a study in contrast after our experiences raising Mickle. One of the greatest milestones is hearing your little one laugh with abandon. We've all be trying hard to hear that with Petal. She smiles like her soul is going to break free, and her face is going to split- but is normally silent. Although she does adore her nana, and the first substantial giggle came in her nana's arms as she was bounced up and down. Her loudest and longest to date- was actually at some friends house, and I caught the latter half on my phone camera.

Here's something to smile at!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuMwZbg9W3o