darling duckie

canning

We had a garden last year. We planted seeds and bought tomato plants. We were so excited but then I got pregnant. And sick. Very sick. I never went out by the garden again because just the thought of it make me lose what little I could eat.

So, we tried it again this year. It was "late" in the season so I just planted what little we had. Potatoes, onions, and garlic. We were given tomato plants and I found some basil seeds. With that, we got our little vegetable garden going.

I had no intention of doing anything but eat fresh vegetables and apples. But then I was overwhelmed with vegetables. Tomatoes were turning red and apples were falling out of the tree. Something had to be done. So I chose the easiest canning recipes I could find and went for it. Applesauce, tomato sauce, pesto, and salsa. I even bought some strawberries and made frozen jam. With the last few apples from our apple tree, I made some apple pie filling and canned that too. Most of the food turned out good, although I am a little nervous to try the tomato sauce.

an autumn concert

I thought that I would write a little about how to make your experience at the Rooftop Concert on Friday night more enjoyable.

The parking terrace where the magic happens is on the corner of 100 North and 100 West. There will probably be lots of people and lots of signs.

There is an issue with the traffic. As you may or may not have already experienced, there is a bit of ridiculous traffic in the part of Utah that we call Utah County. Most of the freeway there is under construction. Take that into consideration when planning when to go. It gets even more complicated becasue they have shut down the Center Street exit. Plan ahead of time which alternate route you are going to take and it will lessen the stress of the construction considerably.

As it is October and the weather has cooled down significantly in the last couple of days, bring blankets and hot chocolate so that you can cozy up as you enjoy the show. The show starts at 8pm but if you want better seats, get there a little earlier. We like to go out to eat when we are down there because there are some really great places. The Indian Palace is next door to the roof, often tempting us with their savory smells that gently tease our noses. There is also Sammy's, Brick Oven, Bombay House, Sensuous Sandwiches, Demae, and SLB Pizza. For more restaurants, see here and here. Be adventurous and try some place new. Because Will doesn't get off work in time to go out to eat, I am going to make a chowder and pack a picnic so that we can get there early and get good seats.

For more help with things to know about the night, I would read this post by C. Jane, giving her tips on the night. She is one of the planners, so she would now.

This video was created by Mango Productions of one of our favorite concerts from this past summer. It had such a fantastic feel. I think this next one will be similar. (Can you tell I want you to come?)

 

 

'tis the {clementine} season

Mmmm, my favorite time of year...

yum!

what would you do?

What would you do...

...if the only food that ever looked good to you was food that is not on the nutrition list?

What if you always wanted to eat chocolate:

chocolate ice cream!

chocolate cake!

chocolate milk!

chocolate candy bars!

chocolate cupcakes!

chocolate!

CHOCOLATE!!

CHOCOLATE!!!!

You would blame the baby you are carrying and eat all of it too...

...right?

You would...

...wouldn't you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

summer lovin'

Summer, obviously, is the season of the barbecue. We all know it and, I believe, most of us love it. Who can argue that hamburgers don't taste better when done of the grill?

This year, we have been doing something a little different. Still on the barbecue. But we have been making Shish Kebabs instead.

And I love them. They use less meat, you get to have yummy veggies with it, and we have this great recipe that you just can't go wrong with.

Today, am going to share that recipe with you. And I hope you enjoy it. I hope you use it. Trust me, it is worth the 10 minutes of work, even if you are lazy.

So friends, here we go:

Shish Kebabs: (Serves 12, so you can half it and still end up with a lot)

Ingredients:

    6 lbs top sirloin- cut into (thick) cubes. Is is also great with chicken.

    1 1/4 cups soy sauce

    3 cups oil

    1 cup lemon juice

    1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

    2 Tbl. dry Mustart

    1/4 tsp. parsley flakes

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    Assorted Veggies, cut into thick slices ( bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, pineapple chunks, tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash. You be creative)

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients, except the meat. Blend well then add the cubed beef. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or more. When ready to grill, cut the veggies into thick slices or chunks. Thread the meat and veggies on skewers. I like to pour some of the remaining marinade over the skewers to give the veggies a little flavor. Broil or grill until meat is cooked through (obviously). Can be served with rice.

  

For dessert, you can put pineapple on the skewers, then pour coconut milk over them and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and grill. Yum.

Try it out and let me know how it goes!!

Bon Appetit!

  

hot summer days

This weekend, eat an avocado...

pick some wild flowers...

and read a book in the shade.

Happy Weekend!