Peaches Galore...

When I find perfect peaches I feel like I've found a treasure. These were perfection. They landed in a pie. We never looked back.

Now I need to go back to the farmers market for more...so I can try another peach recipe.


I'm thinking of taking this cherry cobbler (yum) recipe and substituting peaches.



2 1/2 cups sweet cherries, pitted
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup fine-grain raw sugar

1 1/4 whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup fine-grain raw sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4+ teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 cup toasted nuts (optional)
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled a bit

Preheat oven to 425F degrees, racks in the top third. Butter a 9 - 10-inch round tart pan (or equivalent).

In a small bowl gently toss the cherries with the cornstarch and sugar. Set aside.

To make the cobbler topping, combine the flour, baking powder, and sugar, salt, and nuts in a large bowl. In another separate, smaller bowl whisk together the egg and the buttermilk, whisk in the butter. Fold the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until it's barely combined.

Pour the fruit into the prepared pan. Now top the cherries with the buttermilk dough by dropping dollops into the pan a scant tablespoon each - not too big of they won't cook throughout. I thwack the tart pan against the counter a couple times to flatten out the dumplings a bit. Push the batter around and out to the edges with your fingers if you need to - I like a lot of coverage with a few windows and cracks for the cherries to peep through and the juices to bubble up.

Bake for 15 -20 minutes or until the top is golden and cooked through.

Our Saturday

Today: I've got a sick little girl.

= The poor thing hangs on like a little koala bear when she's sick. So cute and so pathetic.

I'm begging that we all nap this afternoon. Please?!

Recipe Wednesday {Baked Spaghetti}

Crisp air and fall skies have set in. It's a lovely lovely day. And I've taken time and finally come to the conclusion that it is OK to not be good at cooking everything. I've not ever said I was good at everything, but I try. I like to impress my husband. After several recipe failures I took a break. Yes, I'm the girl that loves comfort food: potatoes, pasta, cinnamon rolls. You name it. And, my husband likes it all too. But I wasn't getting it right.

This week I wanted to get back into the swing of comfort foods with Baked Spaghetti! This is a recipe everyone should have in their arsenal. So get cooking and don't think about cooking the next day. Eat leftovers and enjoy.



What You'll Need

1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (26 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


What To Do


1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
3. Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.



** My changes: Add extra jar of sauce, added fresh basil, used extra virgin olive oil instead of butter, and added a little oregano and fresh garlic.

Rocks, Mosquitos, and Mud

I'm done whining about missing family. At least not to you...it would be bad. And you don't want that. So I'll just share with you how we spent one evening...


It's no secret that my kids LOVE throwing rocks into a creek that is near our house. So what did we do? Drag my nephew and sister-in-law (who are from Florida) down to the mosquito infested creek to have family time.


The kids loved collecting rocks...from places they probably shouldn't have collected from.

"See my big rock!!"

Look at that mud! And because I said it one time...
I hear, "but mud all over me means I had a good time."

And he did. The proof is in the dimple.

Scratch those bites.

All kids slept really well that night.

Photography 411: all photos shot with 70-200mm lens and are all SOOC (straight out of camera).

Missing Them

I'm sad today because my sister-in-law had to go home. We all had such a fun time together and wish we lived closer to each other. My nephew, Benjamin, is adorable and growing up way too fast. He's 2 and talking up a storm. AND learning how to share. Fun times. I think seeing each other once, maybe twice a year isn't enough. We must remedy this situation...but don't know how.

I'll post photos when I finally download and get the chance to sit and look at them all. {Those blurry kids finally let me snap a few last evening.}

Weekend Review {the brief}

It's Monday! I know, who saw it coming so fast??!! We've had a fun weekend. This little guy and his mom, my sister-in-law, have been visiting us from Florida.


I'll post some better photos once I actually get some! Seriously, the kids have been so excited to see each other they've been total blurs in every photo. This is one of the few clear ones that I've gotten. I love challenges.

I'll keep shooting...as much as the little blurs will let me.

Off to get some coffee.

Have a great Monday!

Picture Perfect...or Something

I thought our recent visit to a local pumpkin patch would be the perfect photo opp. You know, that nice fall photo you mail to family and friends letting them know all is well with the kids?? All I can say is I tried.

I'm still trying to decide which one of these gems to choose?

Recipe Wednesday {Apple Muffins}

Have I mentioned that I love love LOVE fall??!! And now that fall is officially here, apples are in abundance at local farmers markets and fruit stands. Just in case you're wondering: A favorite apple at our house is Honey Crisp.

This recipe will probably be the healthiest recipe you'll ever see posted on my blog. I can't resist baking anything and everything apple related in the fall. These Apple Muffins are super healthy and are the perfect pick-me-up snack in the afternoon. Even my 4 year old will eat one of these ...with peanut butter on it.



What You'll Need

2 unpeeled apples, chopped
1/2 c honey or brown sugar (I always use honey)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup oil
1 cup milk
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup wheat germ


What to Do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Generously grease muffin pans
3. Put chopped apples in a bowl and pour honey over them; set aside
4. In medium bowl, mix egg, vanilla, oil and milk; set aside
5. Sift flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder together; add wheat germ
6. Combine all ingredients, mixing just enough to moisten, folding in apples last.
7. Pour into prepared muffin pans and bake 20 minutes.
   

**The next time I make these I'm going to add some golden raisins.

Invasion

My kids, invading the scene just before a photo shoot. No, I don't usually bring them along. They, along with my patient husband, came to see old friends and then were whisked away to play at a nearby playground. They don't exactly blend in well...

Fall

It is a beautiful Monday and I don't think we did a single important thing over the weekend. We were just us. I like that.

I did have a quick photo shoot with some dear friends and captured this leaf while everyone was shuffling around for their next pose.

Other than that, I really don't have much else to add. I'm glad Monday is here and I'm glad I have the sweet family I have. You know, the ones that will only give me outtakes as photos. Love them.

Outtakes

What happens when all you get are outtakes?

One Leg at a Time

Lisa's husband, here. I'm sure you've been wondering just what in the world this whole pants debate is about. Perhaps I can shed some light on it.

I believe it goes back to my carefree days as a four-year old. I had a pair of coveralls (overalls to some of you) that were the shorts version...you know, for summer. I'd throw on my favorite Ernie shirt with those overalls, shoes, and a ball cap, and I was out the door until lunch time. Does that sound adorable? Well, let me tell you, it was.

That was circa 1980/81, and it wasn't long before I noticed that the Dukes of Hazzard's Uncle Jesse (played with wisdom, grace, and homespun elegance by the late Denver Pyle, God rest his soul) sported a pair of overalls that went all the way down to his ankles! He had a red ball cap like mine, and he went out to play every day, too (actually, he made moonshine. But that was neither here nor there).



I told my mother that I wanted overalls like Uncle Jesse, and she said, "You have overalls." Seeing the need to clarify that I wanted big boy overalls, I replied, "but I want some with LONG pants, not SHORT pants."

Thus began my years of identifying these things as such. Jeans are long pants, because jean shorts are short pants. If anyone tries to tell me different, I respond with, "Well, if you see someone wearing shorts, do you exclaim, 'He has no pants on!'?" No, of course you don't. Why? Because shorts are pants, and regular pants are pants, but if you want to be specific all the time like I do, isn't it only natural that you would clarify? Short pants, long pants. Capri pants are called capri pants, jeans are called jeans, and jean shorts are called jean shorts, unless I want to call them short denim pants, which I only do when I'm trying to be difficult, like right now.

My wife finds this funny, and I don't blame her...although I never told her that the real root of the story belongs to a sad little boy who just wanted some pants.

And a slingshot for the back pocket.

Guest Post Tomorrow

If you haven't already voted...please DO! Tomorrow's post will be the continuation of the "what do you say" saga. And you don't want to miss that.

Recipe Wednesday {Chicken Pot Pie}

I really wanted to title this post — "Hey! LOOK! I cooked!"

You know when you see someone cook something on television and you suddenly feel hungry? Yeah, that happens to me a lot. I saw the very end of a late evening cooking show that suggested pot pie. I've never made chicken pot pie before and wasn't sure I wanted to try. But on that crisp fallish evening it sounded good. And it was. I found a recipe that is perfection.

So here it is...try it out for yourself!




What You'll Need:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts


What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.



**My changes: adding extra chicken broth and milk. I made a mini pot pie for my boy so I needed a little extra sauce.

All Important Poll

Please take part in my poll today and help settle a longtime "discussion" between me and my husband. We seem to have our differences on what to say when you're putting on ________. You can figure it out and see what our "issue" is here.

I'm interested — Do you say, "I'm going to put my pants on now." OR, "I've got to put on my long pants." Do you see where I'm going with this?

So before we head to professional counseling, I'm interested in what YOU say!!!


I'll fill you in on our sides of the story once I get the official results!!!