OMG...CSA!

Saturday was a day full of fun!
Guess what I joined? Hint: not a gym.

Months ago, with the recommendations of many friends, I started to follow Twin Maples Farm on Facebook. In my effort to supplement our grocery shopping with fresh, organic food, one of my goals this year was to join a Farm to Family CSA. What's a CSA you ask?

Here's Twin Maples's description:

Community-supported agriculture (CSA; sometimes known as community-shared agriculture) is an alternative, locally-based economic model of agriculture and food distribution. A CSA also refers to a particular network or association of individuals who have pledged to support one or more local farms, with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production. CSA members or subscribers pay at the onset of the growing season for a share of the anticipated harvest; once harvesting begins, they receive weekly shares of vegetables and fruit, in a vegetable box scheme. Many CSAs also sometimes include herbs, cut flowers, honey, eggs, dairy products and meat. In theory a CSA can provide any product to its members, although the majority of CSA tend to provide produce and other comestibles. Some CSAs provide for contributions of labor in lieu of a portion of subscription costs.

Twin Maples Farm is a local farm located about 20 minutes from me. There are several folks that I know that are part of TM's CSA  and it was definitely something I wanted to be a part of, too!So Saturday, not three days into the New Year, up pops into my newsfeed that there was an extra share (box of food) this week that was up for grabs. First come, first serve. So I thought, well why not? It's something I want to try and why not give it a test run. When I checked the pickup locations, you'll never guess where one of the drop offs are. My neighborhood.I squealed.She even offered to deliver to my door!OMG!
I was so excited! And for good reason, because I am very impressed with these boxes.

Here's a peek into the box:

I got the half share which is just perfect for us two. (Note: since this was a trial run for me, they just gave me a cardboard box. If I were to purchase a subscription, I would get a sturdy, plastic box that I would exchange weekly.)

This week's box included:

• half dozen brown eggs
• 1 lb ground beef
• loaf of homemade bread
• bag of spinach
• bag of chard & kale
• a few cookies (peanut butter)

The  meats and produce varies according to what is in season. Also, from what I've read on the Facebook group, sometimes a jar of honey, bar of goat's milk soap or a jar of salt is thrown in.

The full share is more appropriate for a family; full dozen eggs, more meat, bigger variety of produce, etc.

I froze the meat, but have used everything else in my box. Very tasty, very fresh :)

If you are interested in Twin Maples Farm, here is their info:

• Twin Maples website
• Twin Maples Facebook page (note: there is also a closed group that you can request to join through this page)

If you are interested in finding a farm co-op in your location, go here:

• Local Harvest

Are you part of a farm co-op? Is this something that you find beneficial to your family? I would love to hear your experiences!

Jolly Good Gyro

I firmly believe that you can find some of the most delicious food in the most unexpected places. The little mom & pop, hole-in-the-wall restaurants can be a jewel of a find.

Last week Matt came home and told me that he had, "THE BEST GYRO EVER". 

At a donut shop. (!!!)

I raised my eyebrows, so he took me out to lunch Saturday and we both had...THE BEST GYROS EVER.

Now, Jolly Pirate Donuts is a place I would drive by. Never would I ever go there, ON PURPOSE. It's old, shabby, and in a sketch part of town. They were/are famous for their fried-not-baked donuts and the baker's dozen (13 instead of a traditional 12).

At some point, no one knows when, no one knows why, JPD started to make gyros.
And homemade tzatziki sauce.
And herbed fries with feta sprinkled on top.
And the underground foodie world raised their eyebrows.
And the word spread and here we find ourselves in a dingy donut shop eating gyros.

S'cuse me: THE BEST GYROS EVER.

Ok, FINE. We got some donuts, too.

Home Alone

Things you do while your husband is out of town:

Turn the oven on auto-clean and then go try on every article of clothing in the closet to see what fits and what doesn't look right anymore. Closet clean, oven clean. And three bags of clothes off to Goodwill!

Sleep with ALL THE PILLOWS. On a bed of pillow-y softness. With all the pillows. Like a cloud. (Heaven)

Count how many Kroger bags you have stashed away under the sink (73) and discover now would be a good as time as any to start making plarn! (eh?....plastic yarn!)


Last week, on our evening walk through the neighborhood, I told Matt that I'm going to knit a rug out of brown plastic bags and he wanted to know what on earth was wrong the new rug we got for the living room.
Me: Um, nothing at all.
Him: Then why KNIT a rug?
Me: Because I can!!

And this is the rug I plan to knit right here

P.S. I'm also planning this for old sheets, too. 

So here I am, sorting and counting bags all over the living room floor. We normally just save these back for lining the wastebaskets in the bathrooms, but hey they are OVERFLOWING out from under my kitchen sink.

I'm keeping the white bags for liners and just using the brown Kroger bags for uniformity.

Halfway through cutting, I got hungry and ordered a salad and pepper calzone (because that's something else you do when home alone and don't feel like cooking!)

Here is my process:

Smooth

Fold

Cut off tops and bottoms

Chop, chop, chop. 

Fill up a bag with about 5 million little nubs

Then dump it out all over the perfectly good living room rug and start piecing the strands together. 

Obviously, I want to finish the rug before he gets back, so 'scuse me whilst I work on this :)

Dinner with the Brotsky's || Fresh Corn Salad

{Fresh Corn Salad}

2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
dash fresh ground pepper
dash basil
dash parsley
1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
1/4 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbs sour cream



Mix all ingredients together.
Refrigerate until cold.
Add on top of a plate of fresh greens (I prefer romaine lettuce).
Serve with quesadillas.

{Butterscotch Cupcakes}

I saw my friend's Facebook status a few weeks ago, saying that she was trying out a new cupcake recipe: Butterscotch Cupcakes! Naturally, I emailed her and asked for the recipe; I thought they'd be a yummy treat for Mother's Day! They were a huge hit and gobbled right up :)

If I had a mini muffin pan, I would definitely make a miniature version of the cupcakes; very moist, very rich.

Enjoy! These are amazing!!

BUTTERSCOTCH CUPCAKES

• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened (I used coconut oil)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2/3 cup milk
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips, coarsely chopped

Caramel Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Garnish

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher (coarse) salt

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups, grease bottom and sides of muffin cups with shortening and lightly flour, or spray with baking spray with flour. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, about 1/3 of mixture at a time, and milk, about 1/2 at a time, beating just until blended. Stir in butterscotch chips. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each with about 3 tablespoons batter or until 2/3 to 3/4 full.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; place on cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar with whisk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/4 cup milk. Return to boiling. Remove from heat; cool until lukewarm, about 30 minutes. Gradually stir in powdered sugar. Frost cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle each with kosher salt.

{Brunch Berry Pizza}

Years ago, I was visiting my dear friend Melody in Ohio and we went to a little luncheon at her friend's house. The served a delightful little fruit pizza that was amazingly delicious. We all begged for a copy of the recipe and she happily wrote it down for us. 

Later than evening, Melody and I decided we must have more of that fruit pizza and made ourselves a batch. We also cooked up two more variations to this pizza!

I am not a fan of cake, so every year for my birthday I request this fruit pizza. We take it to baby showers, brunches, church events, make it for friends and consistently make it for a dessert. It is such a hit! I think it's our family's top choice for a dessert, second only to Chocolate Chip Cheesecake. 

Please. Thoroughly enjoy this recipe! It's a perfect end to a summer meal.

Brunch Berry Pizza

Crust 

2 c. flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. cold butter or margarine

1 c. chopped pecans

Filling

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 egg

1/3 c. sugar

Topping 

1 3/4 c. frozen mixed berries, thawed

1/2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 c. water

fresh strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries as desired and to taste.

Combine flour, powdered sugar, and pecans.  Cut in margarine, stirring just until crumbly.  Spread and press into an ungreased 12" pizza pan (10x14" cookie sheet with sides works, too).  Bake at 350 for 12-14 min. until crust is set and edges are lightly browned.  In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, egg, and sugar until smooth.  Spread over the crust.  Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until set.  Cool to room temperature.

For topping, process mixed berries and sugar in a blender.  In a saucepan, combine cornstarch and water until smooth.  Add mixed berry mixture.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Let cool slightly, and spread over cream cheese layer.  Arrange fresh berries on top.  Refrigerate. 

Variation 1

Crust 

2 c. flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. cold butter or margarine

1 c. chopped pecans

Filling

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 jar canned pumpkin

1/4-1/2 powdered sugar, depending on taste

Topping

3-4 Gala apples, thinly sliced

cinnamon

Variation 2

2 c. flour

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. cold butter or margarine

1 c. chopped pecans

Filling

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese

1 egg

1-2 Tbsp. cocoa (or more!), depending on taste

Topping

Blueberries

shaved chocolate

{Good Eatin'}

This is one of our family's favorite soups I thought I'd share! My friend gave it to me years ago when I was trying to think up something to do with cabbage. We aren't big cabbage eaters except during the New Year when we go to Grandmas house for cabbage rolls. I usually serve this soup with cornbread, but a good crusty loaf of Italian bread would taste just as good! Enjoy!

Hearty Italian Soup

2 14.5 oz cans beef broth
2 Cups shredded cabbage
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (or fresh)
3 potatoes, cubed
2 yellow peppers, chopped
1 Cup carrots, copped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 15 oz can white beans
optional: 1 1/2 cup chopped cooked beef or chicken

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

{ viva la breakfast }

(photo taken at First Watch, a fantastic breakfast place)

Breakfast is not my favorite meal of the day. I usually skip breakfast, but I find when I do I'm even hungrier by lunch. As we all know, or if you don't know, hear this: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. When you skip breakfast, your brain and body is very low on fuel (protein and fiber). Naturally, you can't perform at work, school or home with low energy. Breakfast sets the tone for the rest of the day.

So eating just a little bit of protein or fiber is enough to make it to lunch. I usually just eat a banana, but more recently I've been making this fabulous granola that my dear friend sent me. I'll share it with you. It's very high in fiber. Here's to breakfast!

Stacy's Homemade Granola

10 cups oats

2 cups wheat or oat bran

2 cups shredded coconut (I use 1 c coconut & 1 c millet)

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup flaxseed

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 -1 cup honey

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together all ingedients. Use hands to mix well, pressing clumps together. Pour into shallow pan, spreading evenly. Toast at 275 for 30-45 min. Stir occasionally.

Great with soy milk!

Lucy and Ricky

Meet Lucy (red) and Ricky (white), the newest addition to the family! We are on a warpath to start eating healthier and living off our wonderful three acres. We thought we'd start with fresh eggs. We got these two little guys when they were a few days old at a local feed store right down the road. They were so cute and fluffy! One was red and one was white, so we christened them "Lucy and Ethel". Ethel 'cock-a-doodle-do-ed' about a week ago, so her/his name is now Ricky. They've been relatively easy to take care of; they roam our garden, eat all the nasty little bugs and keep the yard well fertilized. Our cat Jake, has taken a liking to them. He'll watch them for a good 20 minutes with a ferocious look and the spring up and chase them all over the yard. It was time to build a cage for them. Plus if they were going to start nesting, we sure didn't feel like hunting all over the place searching for eggs!

My dad drew up a schematic and started working on this pretty amazing chicken coop. He had a ton of scrap wood and chicken wire in the garage. Few weekends later . . . ta-da! A two-story condo.

Since we are going to get a few more girls, (that's what you're supposed to call them: 'girls', says our chicken consultant. Doesn't it sound quaint and "Little House on the Prairie-ish"?) my dad is going to add on and give them more space to run around. And some nesting boxes.

Here's to a dozen eggs!

Anniversary Party

This weekend is my parent's 28th anniversary, so I had a little par-tay for them. Just the family. Luke was my lil helper. We threw a ton of comfy pillows, old quilts and scarves on the back porch, hung a few colored lights and lit a few candles. Voila! Party time.
I made my favorite recipe ever ever ever. I found it a while back on Alicia's blog and I make it every single chance I get or whenever we happen to have cous cous on hand. I posted the recipe below and I hope you'll make it and a tell me it's your new favorite recipe ever ever. Ever.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup yogurt (I almost always use sour cream)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 long skewers

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream (I have used soy milk. Because I didn't have any cream, that's why.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat a grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken onto skewers, and discard marinade. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.
Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over cous cous or rice.

I almost always forgo the grilling and just use a skillet. And I always serve over cous cous.

Enjoy!