1 large tomato
1/4 cup onion
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
1 cup broth
Add all to Vixamix and blend 5 minutes until steaming hot.
Makes 1 serving.
Cucumber Lemonade
2.5 cups water
1 TBSP Honey
1 cucumber
2 lemons, peeled
Stir together water and honey. Juice cucumber and lemons and combine with water mixture.
Makes about a quart
Around the Homestead – Vacation time
I spent most of this week in Wisconsin Dells on vacation! When I got back, the garlic harvest had been completed and they are all drying in the packing shed now. I spent my time at the farm trellising the other half of the tomatoes. The tallest ones are at the tops of their strings now.
I’ve been on a plateau for a while now and lost some of my momentum. But this week I got back to meal prepping and working out and lost 6.4 pounds…even while on vacation! I want to lose at least 20 before the cruise because everyone gains during one of those and I at least want to even it out 😀
The garden is rockin it this year. I was able to nibble the first few peaches when I got home!
Creamy Zucchini Soup
2 TBSP butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced bell peppers
1 cup diced onions
2 medium zucchini, diced
2 cups broth
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 TBSP cornstarch
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp pepper
In a soup pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat and and then add the celery, bell peppers and onions and cook until soft. Add the zucchini, broth, and salt and simmer about 10 minutes. Mix the milk and cornstarch together, then stir into soup. Return to a simmer and mix in the Parmesan and pepper.
Makes 4 servings.
Creamed Chard and Eggs
1 bunch (about 6 leaves) chard
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
6 large eggs
Separate the chard leaves from the stems. Chop the leaves and dice the stems. Saute stems with onions in a skillet with butter, until softened. Add garlic and chard leaves and cook several more minutes until wilted. Add cream, lemon juice, mustard, and half of the Parmesan. Simmer several minutes then make shallow wells, and crack the eggs into them. Sprinkle with pepper and remaining Parmesan. Bake 10 minutes or until eggs are set.
Makes 4 servings. (Shown is 1/4 recipe)
The Sweetest Blueberry Muffins
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Around the Homestead – Calendula
This morning for my shift at the farm I was out in the North field hand weeding around some beets that hadn’t gotten any attention yet this season. The interns had said rescuing crops that had gotten overly weedy was intimidating, but I like it! It’s work I can do sitting down and scooting along the row, and I know the plants appreciate it as the next week I can see a huge growth spurt.
I had paused my meat CSA for a while to work on emptying the freezer, so I was excited to get my goodies this month now that I’ve restarted my subscription. It looks great! I’ve gotten to know my butcher through facebook and the farmers markets, and I’m glad to be able to support him and the local grassfed farms he sources from.
In my own garden, the food has started rolling in. I was most excited about colorful beans 🙂 But I’ve now harvested lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet peas, tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, and new purple potatoes. Between that, the beets, potatoes, carrots, and garlic I got at the farm, and my meat CSA basket….I’m looking foward to whipping up some goodies this week.
I’ve finished up all my fall plantings, including this section of spinach, two types of beets, and kale. It’s probably too early for spinach, but I picked two spots that get part and mostly shade to see how it goes.
And tonight I had breakfast for dinner so I could try cooking with Calendula 🙂
Buttered Radishes with a Poached Egg
6 french breakfast radishes
1 green onion
1 TBSP butter
1 egg
1 piece of toast
Trim the tops and bottoms off of the radishes, and slice in half lengthwise. Saute radishes and green onions in butter in covered pan for about 5 minutes or until radishes are tender. Meanwhile, poach egg. Serve radishes on toast, topped with egg.
Around the Homestead – De-stressed
Spent a toasty morning weeding at the farm with the heat index rising into triple digits. It’s exciting to see how quickly things grow this time of year. The beans I planted last week are already up! Picked some kale and carrots for this week…you know it’s getting juiced.
I’m still making ridiculous amounts of juice. I’ve been replacing 2 meals most days, saving one for making good use of my meat csa, veggie csa, and garden goodies.
This year’s garden is a good indicator of how much better things for me. For the last few years, I came home from work stressed, tired, and defeated and weeds ruled the yard. This year, I’m feeling great, my evenings suddenly feel long and productive, the garden is looking good, and I’m enjoying spending time working in it again 😍🌈 (but notice the rabbit in the middle of the yard disrespecting me)
That empty spot in my garden pic where spent spinach, radishes, and lettuce came out is already sprouting with carrots, beets, spinach, and kale. 🙂
Beef Pot Roast
Looking for ideas for using buttermilk leftover from making butter? How about this Beef Pot Roast from Nourishing Traditions. Mines made with homegrown purple potatoes.
If you don’t have the book, considering getting yourself one!
I also found a copy of the recipe here: http://bit.ly/1Af2got
