WHOLE LOTTA UPDATES

Well a bright and early good morning to you boys and girls. How are you doing today? I am busy… busy busy busy! Family business calls for the next couple of days for me to be out of the house… so the Fabric challenge is on hold until Monday. I am still piddling at night, but nothing significant.



OMGoodness… I so have to show you what I found when I went to water my garden…. BABIES! Baby everything! I was SOOOOO excited! I started looking because I happened to notice my pea plants were rather tangled and I need to tie them up on the next level. Then I noticed I had a baby Pea pod!! Oh I squealed LOL and the neighbors all around were looking but I didn’t care!



Then I noticed my scallop squash have blooms!!!! YAY! I see some pretty squash coming to dinner soon! LOL YAY! Aren’t they just the cutest thing? I noticed it looks like my yellow squash will be blooming soon too!



Yet another baby I found? Baby Jalapeno Peppers!! YAY! I love jalapenos and I use them a lot in my cooking… we like it spicy here LOL! Sadly my cayenne and habanero plants aren't looking as good.



Look at the size of my romas! They are getting so HUGE and I pray they don’t bust the stems LOL! And my cherry tomatoes you ask? Well let’s just say there are so many I couldn’t get them all in one shot LOL! Covered top to bottom… when they aren’t so green, I will take more pics so you can make them out!



Now remember that tray of new seeds I started just this past Monday? It’s exploded too! (You might have to enlarge these next couple of pictures) Can you see them? Little CABBAGE sprouts! Oh I was just so excited when I saw these!



Then you can see the Purple Vienna Kohlrabi sprouts in this picture. Every square I started has at least 1 or 2 sprouts! I have never actually had purple kohlrabi, so this will be an interesting experience! From the research I have done, it is supposed to be nicknamed a “German Turnip” and its origin in nature is the same as that of cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, and brussels sprouts: They are all bred from, and are the same species as, the wild cabbage plant (Brassica oleracea). The taste and texture of kohlrabi are supposedly similar to those of a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but milder and sweeter, with a higher ratio of flesh to skin. The young stem in particular can be as crisp and juicy as an apple, although much less sweet. The kohlrabi can be eaten raw or cooked. So, we shall see if this plant yields a pretty vegetable and if it is delectable as well.



Ok… do you see them? I mean REALLY see them? Its my “Magic Seed Corn” LOL!!! I have sprouts YAY!!!! I am bound and determined to grow corn! All I ask for is 1 ear and I can die a happy woman! LOL. I want to be able to tell my grandchildren… MANY YEARS down the road LOL… that there was this one time that I grew my own corn! LMAO… I know you are probably thinking I am crazy but its ok.



And do you remember those roses I got on clearance? Check them out now! YAY! Beautiful and boy are they sweet smelling! I love it. Why does a rose always smell sweeter when you grow it yourself? LOL. Anyway, I clipped one of the blooms yesterday morning and took it to my mom… so there was actually one more than what you see LOL! Both rose plants have 3 or 4 blooms each! Beautiful aren’t they?



And since we are talking about roses… remember the mini roses I got? Well they have exploded too! I went from just a few blooms to being COVERED in blooms! And oh they smell so sweet too! I wish I could cover my house and yard in roses!

There are tons more plant “ongoings” than I should post pictures here. Like I said, the cherry tomatoes are running rampant, the broccoli, sweet banana, and bell peppers all are showing flowers which will soon be fresh produce, and the Swiss chard has a sprout too! The rosemary and Parsley herb plants are bushing SO nicely. It’s just so nice to be able to show my kids where their food comes from and also to HAVE fresh foods to enjoy! I think that everyone who has kids should grow at least one edible thing to show teach their children where their food comes from and how it takes hard work, but it IS worth it. I know the DS18 is tripping out about it all! Each time I look out at my little garden of Eden, I feel such a sense of pride and accomplishment! It’s a very soulful thing to me and I hope the kids, both mine and the “adopted ones”, all get that same understanding and feeling too. Who knows, maybe one of them might become a future food supplier or something.



And speaking of Rosemary, I think my DS18 figured out why I love the smell so much. See many people do not like the smell. I on the other hand love to rub my hands, and arms, etc. in the plant just to smell it. Well… last night the DS18 tells me that he thinks it smells like a Christmas tree. OMG I think he’s on to something! And I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the Pine smell of Christmas trees! SOOO LOL, I did a “smell comparison” with everyone in the house. I rubbed my right arm (I had a jacket/sweatshirt on) in the rosemary plant and then sprayed my left arm with the pine room spray I have left from Christmas. Almost identical!!!!! I never put the 2 together… even AFTER the fact my mother once gave me a Rosemary Christmas tree all decorated for Christmas one year! Can we say DUH! LOL! Shoot, I love Pine/evergreen smell so much I buy tons of candles and febreze each holiday season that smell like pine… enough to last me the whole YEAR until next season! LOL! And my rosemary plant is so stout… I left it out and the snow and freezes didn’t even hurt it this past winter! Cool huh? I hate to admit it, but the boy actually had a “smart” moment! LMAO! J/k!



Ok, food… let’s talk about last night’s Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. OMG it was very moving. To correct a previous error, the larger young lady’s name is Brittany, not Bridget. Well this week Oliver made a bet with the skeptic DJ that he could teach 1000 people in the town to cook healthier. The DJ doubted him. Oliver took the DJ to the Funeral Home where the directors showed them the double wide coffin and told them some horrific information. Then Jamie took the DJ to his kitchen classroom to meet some of the people he has been working with. Brittany was there and told her story to the DJ, who was heartbroken to hear it. Long story short, the DJ came around to Jamie’s ideas and helped get the 1000 people. They even got the Governor involved. It was an awesome show, especially the food dance they did at Marshall College. He has a petition on his website to sign to help support him and the Food Revolution. He will be taking this petition to the White House to present to the president and first lady. I will be adding this link on my sidebar, or you can click HERE to sign the petition!

OK, since I will be out of the house pretty much all of the weekend, I will be setting up the trusty crockpots and letting them do the work for me so that there is a nice hot homecooked meal when I get home. However, my absence got me to thinking how a lot of my readers need something simple and delicious but quick. That inspired today’s recipe… check it out.



Pasta Pomodoro

Ingredients

12 ounce package angel hair pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 (10.75 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
crushed red pepper to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Pour olive oil in a large deep skillet over high-heat. Saute onions and garlic until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-high and add tomatoes, vinegar and chicken broth; simmer for about 8 minutes.

Stir in red pepper, black pepper, basil and cooked pasta, tossing thoroughly with sauce. Simmer for about 5 more minutes and serve topped with grated cheese.

OK gang, let me get moving this morning and take care of my biz… I hope you have a pleasant day in wherever life takes you! HUGS!

SOAPBOX

(EDITED 11:19am- I have deleted most of this blog because apparently I upset some people with what I posted, so I apologize if anyone else was upset with me. I will not vent or speak my mind so bluntly anymore in this forum.)

Good morning everyone. How’s things in your neck of the woods? I’m still kind of shaking out the cobwebs right now. It was a pretty rough night for me. Hopefully as the day progresses, I’ll feel a little better.

You know how when you don't feel good, things irritate you more than normal? Well I go outside to get one of the baby cats out of my planters and guess what I saw? Something OR SOMEONE has picked every single strawberry I had growing off my plants!!!!! I had like 6 or so growing and turning red, etc. and they are ALL GONE! The stems look like they have been picked off, instead of broken like an animal would do… I swear some people have no respect! Guess I need to be the "good little tenant" and bring it up to my landlord (like he'll do anything about it... he won't put up a fence or anything else. Guess I should just bring them inside every night!)



Ok, so yesterday mom told me about the Jamie Oliver show with the school foods and the little 1st graders who could not recognize their vegetables, etc. So last night I HAD to look it up. The show is called Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and let me tell you… I am setting the DVR to catch the next episode! I couldn’t find the whole episode online to watch but what it is about is a famous British Chef goes to what the government named the “unhealthiest town in America” which is Huntington, WV. He tries to help these people, whose population is 50% obese, change the way they are eating so they don’t die! His first mission is the elementary schools. OMG while my mom was talking to me about it I was teary eyed (like I am right now), but when I watched the clips I could find last night I was like OMG and started crying a bit. There is a part you see with a construction industrial sized dumpster full of FAT, lard, grease, etc. that they use to cook the kids food in at the Elementary School in one year!!! It was SOOOO gross!



Then he visits the home of a family with a mom, dad, teen, and toddler... all obese. He takes all of the food out of her house and dumps it on the table (pictured). Then he offers to take them to a doctor and also buys them all new food for their house in hopes to get them eating healthier. He goes back in like a week and that lazy mom made a million excuses why over half the food was still there! Jamie Oliver began to cry. He tried telling that woman how she is killing her family... HER KIDS! And she didn't seem to care! WHAT IS WRONG WITH PARENTS TODAY! OMG!!!! Well I commend this guy for what he is doing and for trying to help! Check out the show… especially if you have kids! And the bad part is, its not just schools and kids… its everywhere! Why just this morning Yahoo featured an article about the Unhealthiest foods at the mall! How many of you have teens who like hanging out or going shopping there? Yep it’s getting them at school AND their favorite hangout! Check out the Mall article… You might be surprised! I was… cause I am even guilty of buying a couple of things off this list!

Now if you have learned about me, I am all about getting and making the most with little money. I was driving around the other day and saw a bunch of garage sale signs. Ya know spring is here and everyone is cleaning out their old “junk” LOL! I love to go to garage sales really. Its true- one person’s trash is another person’s treasure! Well sometimes at estate sales, you can find neat older furniture and that has inspired today’s craft! Its at minimum a weekend project, but I would LOVE to find an old armoire so that I could do this… even do one in my bedroom or something! So if you have one or happen upon one, here’s an idea to give it a fresh new look AND use!



Craft Idea of the Day: Kitchen Storage Armoire

When you run out of room in the kitchen cabinetry, try this idea for a tablesetting station. Deep shelves and neatly labeled drawers keep tableware and linens in place and close at hand. You could also adapt this to be a extra pantry!

Using a precut alphabet stencil, trace the words for the drawers onto paper, then cut the words from stencil plastic. (The plastic makes the stencil sturdier and easier to paint.) Center the word stencil on the drawer and use a stencil brush to paint. Choose words that identify what you will store in the drawers for easy organization.



For extra pretty touches, stencil flower-and-scroll patterns onto the corners of the door panels. Then glue strips of eyelet trim to the shelf edges for added feminine flair. Decorate the shelves with your favorite teapots, pitchers, and plate stacks. Use large and small bowls to corral cloth napkins and silverware.

Now today for dinner, I’m not sure what I am gonna make, so I’ve decided to share with you a deliciously sweet treat. Key Lime is a favorite in this house, as is cheesecake. So why not combine the 2? It’s low calorie and diabetic friendly as well.



Key Lime Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

6 squares low-fat honey graham crackers, finely crushed (1/2 cup)
2 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 tsp. sugar
1 4-serving-size pkg. sugar-free low-calorie lime-flavored gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1 16-oz. container fat-free cottage cheese (1-3/4 cups)
1 8-oz. pkg. fat-free cream cheese, softened
4 TBS of confectioners sugar
1 8-oz. container frozen fat-free whipped dessert topping, thawed
Key Limes or limes, cut in wedges (optional)

Directions

In small bowl combine graham crackers, margarine, and sugars. Press crumb mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart square baking dish. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

In large bowl combine gelatin and water. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside.

In blender or food processor combine cottage cheese and cream cheese. Cover and blend or process until smooth, stopping several times to scrape down sides. Whisk 1/2 cup of the cottage cheese mixture into the gelatin mixture. Whisk in remaining cottage cheese mixture until smooth. Fold in whipped dessert topping.

Spoon filling over chilled crumb mixture.

Cover and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours or until filling is firm. To serve, cut in squares. Top with lime wedges. Makes 9 servings

Well folks, that’s all the time we have today. I’ve got tons of things I have to do today around the house and everywhere else even though I don't want to do anything today! The guys are going back out to my parents house to work on the floors again. Until tomorrow… HUGS!