Guacamole

Tomorrow is my babies birthday.  That baby will be 10!!!!  I can’t believe it.  Ok, enough of that…..

I am serving a lunch for our family and a few friends to celebrate.  We will be having deli sandwiches, Dorita Salad (I will post that recipe another day), watermelon, guacamole and lime chips, and chicken wing dip with pita chips.

I am not fond of avocados plain.  I like them in the pudding form I make (recipe here).  That is a fabulous recipe for your avocado fans!!  Recently I have acquired a taste for guacamole.  This is one of those items that you should never purchase from a chain.  It’s so easy to make your own and so delicious!!

Here is the recipe I have used to make a basic easy guacamole:

4 avocados, halved, seeded and scooped out

1 lime juice and pulp

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 medium onion chopped very fine

1 small or 3/4 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro (more or less to your taste)

1 clove garlic minced

Scoop all the pulp out of the avocado, juice and pulp the lime and pour onto avocado mixing until it’s all coated.  Add the remaining ingredients and mash with a potato masher.  Store overnight in the fridge or at least 2 hours.  Bring to room temperature to serve.

**I like to make it a day ahead so all of the flavors can marry together.

(on the side I serve chopped up tomatoes, pomegranate seeds, or chopped grapes for people to add if they like).

Serve with tortilla chips. 

It’s good for you and delicious at the same time!! 

 

Hibiscus

I planted a hibiscus plant in the corner of my garden.  When all the vegetables are starting to fizzle out, this beauty opens her huge blooms and shares a wonderful touch of red to the garden area.

I think what makes it even more special as it was given to us by the man of the house’s mother.  She has beautiful gardens which should be featured in a magazine.  However, she is getting older and gardening is harder and harder for her.  This plant reminds me of her beautiful gardens and I know she loves to look at it when visiting our home. 

It’s a touch of “Grandma Ruth” in the garden!!

 

The Erie Canal

My nephew who is in the Army and stationed 4 hours from us came home for the long weekend.  Today we took him and his girlfriend for a cruise down the Erie Canal.  Click on the Erie Canal and you can read all about how important this canal was in our history!!

We headed out in beautiful sunshine

We passed under the Niagara Falls bridge

We came by the Island Street Boatyard Lighthouse (click to read about it)

We came upon the old train bridge built around 1892

We had all our ducks in a row at this point

We passed by the old Wardell’s Boatyard, Bait shop and Gasoline pump

We continued on under a train bridge still in use today

We stopped for a quick lunch at the Dockside Grill

And back into the boat with the skies clouding up

And we zoomed off to beat the storm home

But the storm was not to be..it clouded over…sprinkled 100 drops of rain.. and the sun snuck back out

And the rest of the ride home was beautiful!!

That’s right!!

It’s Saturday and a long weekend so it’s ok!!  Have a great day!

Camp Out Visitors

This camp area is about 600 yards from our house.  Tonight while sitting back relaxing and getting the spot ready for a weekend camp out, we had some visitors of all kinds.

Gram and the man of the house waiting to light the fire and having a serious chat about building a cabin.

Gram watching the fire and the ice skating pond and warming shanty

Next came the horses to relax with their family

This is the view the horses see

Shortly after the fire was lit, Chance and 2 neighbor boys wandered over to check it out

Across the pond another neighbor and friends headed out on our trails for an evening trail ride

This was followed by Chance and his friend passing through again with our dog who runs with them while they ride

The fire was going strong enough to lure the tween and her friend and Chance back for some marshmallows and snacks

The kids are nestled in and it’s adult time to relax and enjoy some drinks on a candle lit table

This is what it’s all about 🙂

 

Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to sneak certain vegetables, vitamins and minerals into your diet as well as your children.  I made one the other day for us with Kale, Strawberries, Orange Juice, honey and ice cubes.  The kids had no idea what was in it and they drank it right down. 

Here is how I made it:

5 Strawberries washed and dehulled

6 chopped small kale leaves

1 Tablespoon honey

1/4 cup orange juice

5 ice cubes

Put all in the blender and blend until smooth.  Great flavor and I snuck in those extra greens!!

 

 

Why yes it is!!!

If you are on facebook and would like to follow my new page, please click on the facebook link on my page!!  Happy Friday!!

Cookie Tips

I saw this on Facebook and a few of my blogging friends sites.  This is very interesting. 

A friend who is a chef told me years ago that whenever a recipe in cookies, cakes or cupcakes called for baking soda or baking powder I should use half of each.  For example if the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon baking soda, you would use 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp. baking powder.  I have done that for every recipe I have made since and it’s never failed me. 

Maybe I will try some of the above along with my secret!!

Staycation Vacation

The sun was setting over the campsite we built on our property next to our ice skating pond.  Sitting by the fire I was reminded again of the beauty of nature with this sight. 

This area used to be fields where the trees resided surrounded by brush.  Slowly we have cleared it out to build an area away from the main house to relax and enjoy friends and family but close enough to care for the animals. We have a tenting area and a pond for “frogging” in the summer and ice skating in the winter.  Our next project will be to build a small log cabin as a place to sleep rather than our tent.  We have our first woodburner still in the garage and will incorporate that into the cabin for warmth.

There was always a “low” spot in the trees that filled with water.  As kids my siblings and I would walk back through the wintery brush and ice skate on the frozen waters in that area with double edged ice skates.  It was not smooth, big or easy to skate on, but it was fun!  We cleared that area out a few years ago and built a large ice skating pond.  We hung colored Christmas lights on either end, built an ice shanty to warm up in, and have a burn barrel with a fire going to warm yourself during the cold winter days and nights when skating. With electricity back there the kids can even brew up a hot chocolate.

The horse pastures are near the area.  The horses love to be back there when we are and we enjoy seeing and hearing them during the night.  The coyotes howl off in the distance, owls hoot, and crickets play their music.  It’s one of the most relaxing areas on our property.  I picture my kids as teenagers hanging out back there with their friends, having a bonfire, skating, listening to their music, being silly and loud and feeling independent being away from mom and dad, but not too far.

It’s a “staycation” area giving us the feeling of a true vacation without having to worry about the care of the animals, watering of the gardens, and upkeep of the farm!! 

 

Facebook Page

It’s true I am technically challenged most of the time!!

I have had a few requests for a facebook page tied into my recipes or canning instructions that I post on my blog.  I think I finally did it today.  Hope it works!!  If you are on facebook and would like to join the page you can below.

You can check it out here.

Thanks!!