Dog Days of Summer

Maybe the best $30 I've ever spent:

I have a feeling I'll be spending a large majority of the remaining summer sitting right there.

Sketchbook and some music - a great way to spend the afternoon!

The garden has also been coming along nicely.  We've harvested about 5 good sized zucchini, a bunch of herbs, swiss chard, and baby romaine.

The black-eyed susans are almost in bloom!  

I still can't believe how huge the lettuce is!

And we've been making good use of it too.  We have a 10 foot row of swiss chard, and a 10 foot row (that was half destroyed by rabbits) of baby romaine, and we've had more than enough salad for the two of us.  Last night we used lettuce and rosemary from our garden to make these turkey burgers:  

A quick tip when growing your own lettuce - often times it can get pretty bitter if eaten right from the garden.  If you have a lettuce that is bitter - try washing it off and putting it in the fridge for a day or so - cooling it takes away most of the bitter flavor.  

I'm looking forward to tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, jalapenos, and peppers.  I'm also thinking that I'll be expanding the garden a bit next summer. :)  What are you growing this summer?  Anything new and exciting?

Things I've Devoured Recently.

Grilled shrimp, red potatoes, and corn on the cob with chive butter.  It is really easy to make.
You need: 2 lb small red potatoes, 4-6 ears of corn on the cob, 1 lb pre-cooked shrimp, olive oil spray, salt, lime wedges (optional)
Step 1: Boil water in a large stock pot  - while waiting for the water to boil shuck the corn and break each ear in half.
Step 2: Add potatoes to boiling water and cook them for 20 minutes - while they are cooking put your shrimp on the skewers, spray them with a light coat of olive oil spray, and season them with your choice of seasoning.  I like to use spicy chipotle lime seasoning.
Step 3: Once the potatoes have been cooked for 20 minutes, add the corn to the water with the potatoes for 8-10 more minutes.  While the corn is cooking - cook your shrimp on the grill or on a grill pan.  Because they are already cooked, you are just going to cook them long enough to heat them up and singe the edges a bit.
Step 4: Drain the veggies & serve with butter and salt.
(If you want to make the chive butter simply microwave about 3 tablespoons of butter until it is melted, and add a teaspoon or two of fresh cut-up chives - muddle slightly with a spoon to release the flavor & serve!)


I also tried a new veggie this week - garlic scapes - which are the flowering stem of hardneck garlic varieties.  The flower stalk is harvested from the plant to force it to put more energy into creating the garlic itself.  The scapes taste extremely garlicky when they are uncooked - and can be made into pesto or grilled up to mellow out their flavor.  I simply tossed them in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, lightly salted them, grilled them in a grill pan on medium high heat until tender, and then topped them with some grated parmesan cheese.


They were really good - they tasted like a slightly garlicky version of asparagus.  I love summertime because there is so much fresh food that you can buy locally - It really inspires me to cook a lot!

Simplicity

Sometimes it is good to have a simple and relaxing day.  Yesterday was that day for me.
Painting:




Making a terrarium using a thrifted glass container and a tiny plant I found in my yard.


And a simple dinner of Salmon and Red Potatoes.


I'm waiting for corn to be in season so I can do a shrimp/potato/onion/corn boil!  Even though it is hot as hell outside, I'm really loving this summer so far. :)

Pita Pizzas & Garden Progress

Usually we make pita pizzas on the grill, but since the weather has been less-than-pleasant around here, I tried making them in the oven instead, and they turned out great!

These are super-easy to make.  I use whole wheat pitas as the crust (sprayed with a thin layer of olive oil), and then just layer on the sauce & toppings.  We usually make a quick homemade sauce which consists of crushed tomatoes, garlic powder, salt, sugar, oregano, crushed red pepper, and a little dash of malt vinegar - all mixed up and microwaved for a minute or so, just to get everything dissolved.  It is probably the laziest pizza sauce ever, but it works!
Then we just top it with mozzarella, mushrooms, spinach, oregano, and whatever else your heart desires & cook it at 400 degrees until the pitas are crispy and the cheese is melted.
In other news, the seedlings have started to grow!

We've got them set up with a light at night as well because it has been to cold to even keep them out on our screen porch, and it has been cloudy for two weeks straight!

  

They are getting a little bit 'leggy' but I'm hoping keeping the light on at night will help them from getting too tall.

Keep your fingers crossed that it will get warmer here soon!

Smoothie Time

Hi all,
Amidst the craziness of the last few weeks, I've been enjoying making smoothies with my homemade yogurt.

They are really simple to make and are a great way to make your day a bit brighter and healthier.

Ingredients:  

• 1 Cup Plain Yogurt
• 1 Banana
• Handful of Frozen Blueberries
• 1/4 Cup of Milk (or you can sub in a few ice cubes)
• Tbsp Honey

Put it in your blender and you are done!  Makes 2 servings.

Homemade Yogurt!

This week's cooking accomplishment has been homemade yogurt!  I was prompted to finally try making my own after reading a post on my future sister-in-law Amber's blog here: Don't Be Afraid of Real Yogurt

I know it may sound a bit scary, but homemade yogurt is actually fairly easy to make - granted you follow the directions closely until you get the process down.  It is really cheap to make as well - I made a pint of yogurt for about $0.75.  Basically all you do is heat milk to 180 degrees, cool it to 110, add some plain yogurt from the grocery store with live cultures (this is the bacteria that causes yogurt to form), and keep the yogurt at about 110 degrees for 7-8 hours until it solidifies.  Once I worked out the kinks of making it the first time, it only took about 10 minutes to make it all the second time.  

I didn't use a fancy yogurt maker or have to buy anything besides a $10 heating pad.  I used this video tutorial:  How to Make Homemade Yogurt.  There are three parts to the video, and I followed it pretty closely.  I only changed a few things.  I used the low setting on my heating pad and covered the pot with a blanket to insulate it.  This kept it at a perfect 110 degrees.  I think the next time I make it I will pour the milk in to mason jars before I put it on the heating pad - this way I can transfer them straight to the fridge, and not have to mix up the yogurt (which thins it) before I cool it.  I just bought a set of Ball Storage Caps to use for the jars instead of the metal lids.  

The yogurt that you get is plain yogurt - which is really nice because you can choose the amount/kind of sweetener that you add to it.  Store bought yogurt literally makes my teeth hurt after I eat it because there is so much sugar in it!  I like to eat my homemade yogurt with a little honey and granola, or a dollop of raspberry jam!  We've also made some really great smoothies using yogurt, honey, strawberries, and bananas.  Yum.

Lastly,
If you are looking for a few good blogs to follow I'd recommended checking out Amber's blog here:
Coffee Table Reads
And, my sister Molly's blog here:
Molly Jo Cooks

Dark Days and Comfort Foods

I've been a little stressed lately - I'm spending a lot of time working, and little time in my studio.  I think there's got to be a correlation there.  The house is messy and I've got an unending to-do list!
Cooking has been my solace as of late.  I think it has something to do with the weather, and my general mood.

I made this soup last week, and again yesterday.  It is simply cooked (and well rinsed) soba noodles, veggie broth, 1/3 inch tofu cubes, cilantro, chopped green onions, and a tiny dash of garlic powder and ginger powder. Usually when I make soups like this, I make a lot, and eat it for lunch multiple days.  I love cooking, but I also love homemade leftovers.

It has also been very snowy here - which is to be expected in South Dakota.  I think the difference between here and Wisconsin/Illinois is that the snow doesn't ever really melt.  Usually in Wisconsin we'd have a couple of freak days each winter where the snow would melt away leaving a gross muddy slush everywhere.  I specifically remember one Christmas in Wisconsin where all of us cousins were outside at my aunts house playing basketball in t-shirts because it was 65 degrees outside.  Those days where you could feel the sun and be reminded that summer will in fact eventually come back were so revitalizing.
At least now I am working from home, and get to see the sunshine every day.  When I was living in Illinois for grad school, I remember the second winter I was there my schedule was so intense that I rarely got to see daylight!  I taught an 8am class, and would be either on campus (in a windowless room) or at my studio (also windowless) and by the time I'd leave at around 7 or 8pm, it would be pitch black outside.  That was a hard winter.  I'm thinking I need a vacation someplace warm!
On the plus side, I got these sweet pyrex mixing bowls at the thrift shop last weekend!

Nate was a sweetheart and went thrifting with me.  I'm pretty sure it may have had something to do with the fact that I let him bring a drum kit in to the house.  :)

Meaty Goodness: Pork Carnitas!

I had bought a pork sirloin roast at the grocery store the other day because it was on sale with the intention of making pulled pork sandwiches.  After bumbling around on the internet for a while searching for recipes, I came across a bunch of recipes for pork carnitas, and changed the game plan.  This recipe was an amalgamation of about five different recipes - I didn't want to leave the house, so I used what I had on hand and it turned out fantastically.  Also, it is done in a slow cooker - it is so easy!  

Pork Carnitas:

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lb pork sirloin roast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 C orange juice
• 1/4 C lime juice
• 7-8 cloves garlic cut in half
• 1/2 c chicken broth
• 1 dash pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix the salt and cumin together in a small bowl.  Place the pork in the slow cooker, and with your hands rub the spice mixture in to the surface of the meat.  
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker, cover, and set on low.  Cook for 9-10 hours.
3. Remove meat from slow cooker and shred with a fork.  Once the meat is shredded - return it to the juices in the slow cooker.    

We had ours as tacos with corn tortillas, cut up onions, cilantro, and salsa.  Tonight I think we'll have the leftovers with rice, beans, cheese, & tomatoes.  

So good!

Cassie's Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe

After almost two weeks on the road visiting family and friends in Wisconsin, we are back in South Dakota and needed some comfort food. Also, I had to give my new immersion blender a whirl! {thanks mom for getting it for me for x-mas!} If you don't have one, get one now!

After seaching online I couldn't find a recipe for creamy tomato soup that I liked, so I mashed all of the ones I found into one, and it was amazing - so I'm sharing with you guys.  Here are the results:



Cassie's Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe
Ingredients:

-1 small onion

-2-3 cloves garlic

-2 tbsp butter

-1 large can crushed tomato (28oz)

-1/2 tsp baking soda

-1 cup chicken broth

-2-3 slices of crusty bread (can be day old)

-4 oz (1/2 block) cream cheese

-Salt and pepper

*you’ll also need an immersion blender

Step 1:

In a deep stock pot, cook chopped onion, chopped garlic, and butter on medium heat until they are translucent.  Stir constantly to avoid having the butter burn.  You don’t have to chop the garlic and onion very finely because you will be blending the soup later.

Step 2:

Pour in the can of crushed tomato, the baking soda (which neutralizes some of the acid in the tomatoes), and the chicken broth into the pot.  Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3:

Cut the bread and cream cheese into chunks and add to the soup.  Let simmer while stirring for a few minutes.

Step 4:

Blend with your immersion blender and then let cool for a few minutes.  Garnish with oyster crackers, and cheese.  Enjoy!

Happy {belated} Turkey Day!

This Thanksgiving my youngest sister made the bulk of the food!  She's an aspiring cook -- she made a wonderful meal for us!


See:

Southwestern Stuffed Turkey Breast

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes

Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes

And here she is serving up some dinner!

And, over Thanksgiving I got the chance to help her set up her very own blog!
Check it out here:


Molly Jo Cooks   


She just posted some cupcake and cakes that she made, and they are making me huuuungry!

Exquisite Dinners and New Projects

Nate's family was here last weekend for a visit and we celebrated my brother-in-law's engagement and a slew of birthdays!  To celebrate the occasion I decided to try out a new recipe that I'd been dying to make for a while now, but couldn't make for my family's visit because of their dislike for all things mushroom. :)
Here is the end result:

I used this recipe from Smitten Kitchen:  Mushroom Lasagna 
It was delicious!  And mega-filling!
I totally recommend trying this recipe out yourself if you like mushrooms.  I'm not even a huge fan of white-sauce based lasagnas, but the homemade sauce in this one isn't too rich or overpowering.


It was a fun few weekends with family visiting.
This week I've been waiting for the easel I ordered to come in the mail.  I've been using my portable easel in the meantime, but it is a bit rickety and kind of a space hog in my studio.  I am completely impatient.  It is now sitting in Hodgkins IL, two days away from me via UPS. :(
On the plus side, I've still been working on things in the studio:

I've been doing a lot of still life drawings, and am going to start to take some of my ideas into painting as well.

Green Curry Mussels

I've never made mussels in my life.  So when I saw them frozen and on sale in the supermarket, I thought I would give it a go.

They were delicious.  Nate and I sat in a food-induced coma for about an hour after eating these.
The recipe is very simple, and it really doesn't take a long time if you use pre-cleaned frozen mussels.

Ingredients:
- 2lb bag of frozen mussels
- Can of coconut milk
- 2-3 TBSP Green curry paste (use more for a spicier sauce)
- 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 dash of powdered ginger (use fresh if you have it)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Dash of dried lemongrass (or fresh if you have it)
- 2 TBSP Lemon Juice
- Cilantro

Instructions:
1-  Add oil, garlic, lemongras, ginger, and curry paste to a large wok or skillet.  Cook on Medium for a few minutes until everything is mixed together and heated.
2-  Add the can of coconut milk and the lemon juice to the skillet, and simmer on low while you prepare the mussels.
3- Cook the Mussels using the directions provided on the package (I had to immerse the bag in boiling water for 5 minutes). Once the mussels are cooked, discard any that didn't open and add the rest to the skillet with the green curry sauce.  Cook on Medium for a few more minutes, while stirring around the mussels to make sure they are absorbing the flavors.  Lastly, roughly chop some cilantro, and sprinkle it on the cooked mussels.

Serve warm with a nice crusty bread to soak up the excess sauce.

Be warned, this meal is both simple and wonderful.  You may find yourself fantasizing about it every night.  :)

Slow Progress

I've been working on a lot of unexciting house stuff these last few days.  Painting, pulling up carpet, cleaning, etc, but hopefully soon I'll get to the more fun parts - like buying furniture!  But, I'm working my way through the painting and major basement overhaul first, so I can have the windows open while I work.  It is getting so cold outside -- I keep wondering where summer went!


I'm working on the porch today, I can no longer stand the bright country yellow paint.  So, it is getting painted a light grey.  We'll also be replacing the carpeting on the porch, but that may wait until the spring. right now it is forest green. Ack.  At least it will be a little better with the walls painted.

Despite the awful color scheme out on the porch, I've been loving spending time out there.  It is really nice to be able to enjoy it now that the temps have gone down a bit and it isn't like a sauna in there.
After all of our hard work the last few days, I decided to make us a wonderful dinner last night.  It is my specialty chicken zuchinni curry with flat noodles.

I was thrilled to find there were a few oriental grocery stores in Sioux Falls.  There will be many more curries to come this fall!  :)

Summertime.....

Last week we had some friends over for a barbecue,

We had DIY shish kebabs with chicken, pineapple, red and green peppers, onions, and mushrooms with corn.  I was really proud of myself for saving the pineapple top to use as decoration.  I am usually not so fancy.  haha...

Nate and Courtney putting together their kebabs.  Surprisingly, no injuries resulted from this meal.

Pre-grilling...

Nate and our sad excuse for a grill.  Notice the flower pot holding up the leg, it rusted off over the summer...  Instead of standing around the grill shooting the shit, you've got to crouch down by it, trying not to fall into it.  Note to self: we are getting a bigger grill when we move. 

But it did the job!

And after our gluttonous feast, Courtney and I had a chance to bring out our projects.  I love having knitting/crocheting friends. 

And Darren with his 'too much food' face. :)

It was a wonderful night!