Time to Heat the Grill...

As we made the left turn into our driveway, the vibrant colors in the cut-out on the right greeted us!  These colorful gorgeous Zinnias grew from seeds that were saved from last year's plants.  There are even more buds ready to burst open.  What a nice welcome!

After breathing in the salty air at the Cape (Cape Cod) for a few days it's great to enjoy our fall weather "back home".  Relaxing at Nauset Beach during the day and dining out in the evening...  Quite often Swordfish was listed on many menus.  However, no longer do I order that tasty fish while dining out.  I know that our local grocery store, The Big Y, carries the "wild caught" fresh Swordfish steaks at this time of year.  So, the first dinner at home this year after our vacation included Grilled Swordfish.  That's a change!  :) 

Now that I'm back into a routine, it's also time for me to remember the daily habit of "enjoying" a Banana every day for the Potassium content.  My blogging buddies know well that I try to hide or even ignore that healthy yellow fruit whenever possible!  :)  However, today's lunch - Yummy Yogurt with a little Peach Freezer Jam drizzled on top, all with a sliced Banana (ripened just right).  Cannot forget the tall glass of O.J.

Whenever I think of Bananas, I remember Dr. Seuss's great book "Green Eggs and Ham"!  I do like that book.  Bananas?  Ummmmm...

Is there a food that you do not particularly enjoy, but eat anyway?

Tonight we used our outdoor grill, again - Grilled Sockeye Salmon!
We enjoyed it!
Yummy!

    

What? No Buttermilk???

Usually, I am very aware of what is in my fridge. Usually, I have all of the necessary ingredients for a recipe.  Usually I recognize the difference between an opened and an unopened container on the top shelf in the fridge, even if it is located in the back.  The important word here is usually. Every morning I consider black coffee to be in its very own important food group. So this AM after enjoying a cup of my necessary first food group, I was ready to start in on the Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes for breakfast. The variety of pancakes we did not have last weekend.  I was envisioning a breakfast of light fluffy cakes dotted with dark blueberries.  A stream of maple syrup would be dripping down the pile on a plate. Yummy!

After the majority of ingredients were ready, only the liquid needed to be added to the batter. Once again the fridge door was opened, but the familiar quart container of Fat Free Buttermilk was no where to be seen. So, thinking way back into the depths of the memory to what I sometimes did years ago when 1 Cup of Buttermilk was needed but not to be found...  1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice is placed in a liquid measuring cup and Milk added to make 1 Cup. O.K. I needed 3 Cups, easy enough. I had Lemon Juice and I had 1% Milk.


The resulting batter was o.k. The pancakes tasted good. Maple Syrup did roll down the stack just as I had envisioned. :) There were many pancakes to place in our freezer - always an added plus.  My DH gave them 2 thumbs up!  Sweet! 


However, my light fluffy cakes dotted with dark blueberries were no where to be seen. :( You know the expression - Flat as a Pancake.

Well, last week the opened quart container in the fridge had been tossed, because it only contained a small portion of Buttermilk.  The grocery list containing the word Buttermilk was lost on the way to the grocery store.  Then, getting ready to drive into Boston for the Boston College Football game took top billing. 

Ah, next time I better double check the Fat Free Buttermilk situation.  My flat pancakes tasted good and more are located in our freezer.  But more importantly, BC won the game!  :)

Blueberry or Oatmeal???

As the saying goes, "Variety is the spice of life."  It's also quite amusing at times.  Unless there is a blizzard, an ice storm or a heat wave (like currently here in New England) my hubby & I take a daily walk.  The exercise is important for health and it's a great way to greet our neighbors as we move along.  There is always time for a friendly, "Hi!"

Baseball caps add protection from the sun, so it is not unusual for us to wear our favs.  However, at first not all of our neighbors realized that we cheer on rival baseball teams.  Yup, it the Red Sox and the Yankees.  It's comical when suddenly an individual will discover this fact.  :)  Unfortunately, my team has had many injuries this season...

This past weekend our sons & families were in for a family visit/neighborhood Get Together.  Saturday AM arrived very quickly with many last minute preparations.  Hearty Pancakes that have been prepared, ready and waiting in our freezer always work so well for quick breakfasts.  Earlier in the week a quart of Fat Free Buttermilk was in my fridge.  A dilemna - which Pancake to make - Blueberry Buttermilk or Oatmeal with Strawberry Topping?  You guessed it -  my hubby enjoys the Blueberry and I am so partial to anything containing oats.  Our son likes both Strawberries & Blueberries.  The last couple of batches of Pancakes this summer I've made Blueberry Buttermilk, so this time Awesome Oatmeal Pancakes with defrosted Strawberry Topping it was.

Much to my surprise, our son added his own touch to his breakfast ...

There always is a canister of Reddi-wip on the top shelf of our fridge.  Just like the ole' days!  :)  This week located next to the Reddi-wip is a new quart of Fat Free Buttermilk!

Does everyone in your family have the same fav Pancake?
Enjoy this Labor Day weekend.
If you are in Earl's path - Be safe!

       

Peachy Craisin Crisp

The trip to Calabrese Farms in Southwick, MA on Friday afternoon resulted in purchasing local, fresh, juicy, fragrant Peaches!  If you enjoy making Freezer Jam, as I do, it is time to get moving when the fruit is ripe!  Yesterday a batch of Peach Freezer Jam was prepared.  In a couple of hours it will be stored in our large freezer downstairs.  The afternoon began with preparing Freezer Jam and ended with one very tasty dessert - Peachy Craisin Crisp.  Yummy!  

It has become a tradition for me to bake this scrumptious dessert after making the jam.  I'm sure it's due to the fact that not only are the juicy 6 - 7 Peaches in my fridge, but my kitchen counters and stove contain all of the necessary utensils.  My rose colored Pyrex container can be located quickly.  It's 8" x 8" size is perfect to use.  The combination of Peaches and of dried Cranberries is scrumptious in this dessert with an oat topping. 

***After washing the Peaches in cold water, the skins of the fruit need to be removed.  To remove the skin easily, carefully place each Peach in simmering water for about 35 seconds.  Using a slotted spoon, remove each Peach and place on a plate to cool.  When the fruit can be comfortably handled, peel and cut fruit into slices.  :)
 
Peachy Craisin Crisp

Oven Temperature:  375° F    
Baking Time:  About 45 Minutes

Ingredients:
6 - 7 sliced Peaches
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
3/4 tsp. Cinnamon
3/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/3 Cup softened Butter or Margarine
1/4 Cup Craisins (dried cranberries)

Method:

1. Preheat oven.
2. Spray PAM in glass baking dish.
3. Place sliced Peaches in baking dish.  Sprinkle on Craisins and mix.
4. In small bowl combine remaining ingredients thoroughly.  Sprinkle over Peaches.
5. Bake 45 minutes or until Peaches are tender.  
6. Serve warm or cold topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
7. After cool, cover and refrigerate any leftovers. 

This is a great dessert filled with slices of fresh fruit!  An added plus is that there is no pie crust to roll out on a warm summer day if this delicious fresh dessert is prepared.  Sweet!  Do you bake using fresh peaches?  

Yummy!
Enjoy! 

   

     

Ten Large Peppers

After these 10 large green peppers were placed on my countertop the song/book  "Five Little Pumpkins" quickly came to mind.  It's the song that young children learn during the month of October.  For younger tots there is even a board book or two containing the cute verse and illustrations with bright colors depicting the adventure of the bright orange pumpkins.

However, the bright green peppers on my counter would take the journey into my freezer.  During the month of August the local roadside stands sell and home gardeners grow nutritious, delicious green peppers.  It is at this time period each summer I purchase, prepare and then freeze these veggies after they have been cut into strips.  Later in the year and into 2011 whenever I want to add green peppers while preparing a main dish, I'll reach into my freezer and voila, they will be ready to use.  Sweet!  

The process I follow is easy.  The peppers are washed in cold water and dried.  Then, each pepper is cut into strips.  I place a handful of the cut strips into sandwich bags (that fold).  Then, each sandwich bag is closed, rolled and placed into a gallon sized Ziploc Freezer Bag.  For me, about 7-8 sandwich bags of pepper strips fit in one Ziploc Bag.  After labeling & dating the Ziploc Bags, they are stored in my freezer. 

These veggies are now ready to be added to my slow cooker or into any main dish that I will be preparing when the local fresh green peppers are not in season any longer.  In the winter there is no walking past imported green peppers in my grocery store - wishing for our local summer crop.  They are waiting in my freezer!

Do you freeze pepper strips when the green peppers are in season?  Do you like to stash veggies away for the colder months?  

We enjoy them!
Yummy!

   

      

Simply Delicious!

There are occasions (like last night) when I'll open our freezer door prepared to make two ice cream cones.  Unfortunately, there will only be about 1 cup of ice cream remaining in the container.  That is my clue that the next day I will be making Simply Delicious!  It's light, it's colorful and it needs only three ingredients.  Did I mention easy to prepare?  The directions below are for 2 servings, but it can be doubled very easily.  :)

Simply Delicious

1. Boil 1 Cup cold water.
2. Place contents of 1 small pkg. flavored gelatin in a medium bowl.
3. Pour in hot water and stir to dissolve gelatin.
4. Add 1 Cup Vanilla ice Cream.
5. Whisk or stir well until ice cream melts.
6. Pour into 2 serving dishes/mugs.
7. Refrigerate several hours.
8. Serve with whipped cream.

Earlier this afternoon I used one small pkg. Raspberry flavored Jello gelatin and 1 Cup of Black Raspberry ice cream.  Sweet!

Sometimes, I use Strawberry flavored Jello, Strawberry ice cream and a few defrosted Strawberries. 

Life sure is good!  Looking out my window at the colorful bouquet of blooming Zinnias eating Raspberry Simply Delicious!  Yummy!  That was after our visit this afternoon to Stanley Park in Westfield.  Stanley Park is a gem in Western MA.  Filled with flowers and beautifully landscaped, a stroll through this gorgeous park always offers wonderful gardening ideas.  It also has a fountain!  :)

Do you have a favorite quick dessert you make during the summer?  Do you have a favorite park you visit?

Enjoy!

From scratch ...

and also from the soil rising upward!  Usually food is my topic of choice, but during this past week I have been enticed with the plants growing around our home.  Summer in the Pioneer Valley is so colorful - filled with annuals  and perennials.  The local Strawberry and the local Blueberry crops have been sweet and also abundant.  In my last post I mentioned that while growing up my family always had two large gardens filled with veggies.

My Hubby & I continued my tradition.  We lived in an apartment in a suburb and had a great landlord!  He knew that we were dreaming of a garden ... someday.  Well, his thought process was why wait?  Part of his side lawn was plowed, so we could have our wish!  Now, that was totally cool!

We grew corn, cantaloupes, squash and all of the customary veggies.  I canned and froze veggies to my heart's content!  After we purchased our house and moved into our home, my DH and I were raising a family and gardening was in the past.

However, there was always a place for flowers and flower boxes.  Flowers are just gorgeous!  Earlier this summer our Salmon colored Daylilies blossomed for a month.

Last year after having a difficult time locating Zinnia plants that would grow to a certain height, I decided to plant Zinnia seeds.  Until a hard autumn frost arrived, the vibrant colorful display of blossoms were so pretty!  One of our planters contained deep purple New Wave Petunias.  Throughout the growing season, I saved the extremely delicate small black Petunia seeds and also many Zinnia seeds.

This past week has been sunny and bright.  The seeds that I saved and planted in early June (from last year's abundant crop) is now blossoming!  A few Zinnias and one Petunia!  There are so many buds visible!  How cool is that?!?

We will have a very large bouquet of Zinnias in our yard starting this week!  (I did keep my distance from the Bee.)  Cardinals and Blue Jays sing in our trees, but a ceramic bird makes his home on my pot.  :)

Yes, I will be saving seeds, again, to plant next year!  I will plant the seeds 2 weeks earlier.

Do you save flower seeds to plant the following growing season?

We are enjoying their beauty!