Month: July 2018

This is a delicious latte recipe that I found that is really easy to make! When I first tried it I really enjoyed it. All of the ingredients are basic items that can be found in almost every single kitchen.

I found this recipe off of withsaltandwit.com

Yields 2

Ingredients

Cinnamon sugar syrup:

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup of cane sugar

1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon (or pumpkin spice mix, which is what I used)

Latte:

1 cup of coffee

1 cup of milk

Cinnamon sugar topping:

1 tablespoon of cane sugar

1/16 teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin spice mix

 

Directions

To make the cinnamon sugar syrup, put the water, sugar, and cinnamon into a sauce pan and let them boil for 2 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved. Then remove it from the heat and set it aside.

Brew a cup of coffee.

Put milk into a sauce pan and warm it. You can also warm it in the microwave for a couple minutes. Then froth the milk with a frother or put the milk into a blender and blend on high.

Take out 2 coffee mugs and add a tablespoon of cinnamon syrup to each. Then divide the coffee and milk between the cups and put the foam on top.

To make the cinnamon sugar topping, mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the foam.

Last night I made a family favorite, Soba Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing.

Peanut Sauce

5 tablespoons  chunky peanut butter

5 tablespoons water

5 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 garlic clove or 1 tsp garlic powder

sricacha sauce to taste

Blend are ingredients in a blender (I use Magic Bullet) until smooth

Salad

1 package edamame

1/2 cup shredded carrot

2 cups chopped cabbage (I used purple)

Soba noodles cooked according to directions

Toss everything into a salad bowl and mix in dressing.  Delicious!

 

A couple of years ago I was standing at my kitchen window, drinking my coffee and trying to figure out what was so different about my backyard.  Something had changed, but I wasn’t sure what.  A few minutes later my daughter walked through, looked out the window and asked “why is the grass dead?”  Aha!  Dead grass was the change in my landscape.  I immediately knew that Eric was behind this drastic change.

When I asked what was up, he told me he killed all the grass on purpose because he was going to turn the back yard into a native prairie.  I thought it was good idea, but I wished he would have at least told me of his plans.  He claimed he did, he didn’t 🙂  I definitely would have remembered any conversation that started with “I am going to kill our backyard.”

Fast forward 2 years and we have an established prairie in our backyard.   Eric belongs to a local organization that promotes the use of native plants in landscaping.  He was able to get us started with a discount on plants because of his membership.  Last year was a bit of an investment, but this year I believe he had to replace 2 plants.  Not bad. Thankfully, we do not live in a subdivision that has a rule saying we can’t do this.  We are also fortunate to have neighbors who encouraged us.  I have friends who do not have the options we do with their property due to HOA rules.

There are many benefits to turning your backyard into Native Plant Landscape.  They include the following:

• Bees and butterflies love native plants.  As I was taking pictures today, a monarch was flying around.  The fact is, if you have native plants in your backyard, you will have butterflies.  It probably goes without saying, our bees love our yard.
• You don’t mow a prairie.  The plants just grow, allowing native species to thrive.
• Native plants are beautiful.  Honestly, looking at those plants while sitting on my patio allows me to be truly at one with the natural world in my own backyard.
• Native plants do not require pesticides or herbicides, keeping the poisons away from your family and pets.
• You will save money.  Less water and no chemicals.

I am 100% sure that I have missed several other reasons why native plants are beneficial, but you get the gist.

Milkweed-Monarchs love these

Give native plants a try.  They are so much better for our planet.

The chickens have started to wander the lawn.  They are exploring their surroundings and hopefully eating some ticks!  We have had them for close to 3 months, which I find unbelievable.  Time sure flies, but I guess that is discussion for a different blog post.

It has been a really hot summer for these gals.  We have had temps soar to a heat index of 105, but they have been able to keep cool thanks to the coop they have which allows for shade.

The dogs have been very interested in them, requiring us to keep them inside when they are out of the coop.  The exception to that rule is the puppy, who sits in her little play enclosure just observing.  She appears to be more used to them than the dogs who have been around them for 2 months longer.  I suppose that she is just used to them because she has known of them since she got here.

Eric feeding the chickens.  He uses meal worms to bribe them.

Three of the girls wandering about.

I hope that snack is a tick.  I read that chickens eat the ticks and I am counting on that.

The chickens are not the only critters who are active. Our honey bees have been very busy.  Fall should provide us with a healthy honey harvest.  Eric was called on Friday night to catch a swarm of honey bees.  He actually amazes me, he caught that swarm and was stung once.  We are waiting for pictures of that adventure from the homeowner who requested help, when they arrive, I will write a post about it.

On a final note, my daughter Maeghan, celebrated her 16th birthday today.  We celebrated as a family tonight with dinner on the patio.  Her brother and his girlfriend came over to celebrate with us.  It was a perfect night, even if with the mosquitoes.

Happy Birthday Maeghan!

Yesterday I was able to harvest our first batch of black raspberries this season.  Don’t these beauties look delicious?  Tonight I will serve them over vanilla ice cream and then I will probably freeze any left over.  Tomorrow will require another harvest.  I don’t think we will have enough for jam, but enough for some ice cream topping and the random fruit salad over the coming months.  Over the next couple  years, we should have blueberries and red raspberries, but until then, these will do!

I spent the last couple days visiting my parents in Green Bay.  My dad and I went to a state park on Lake Michigan on Friday.  He loves to search for rocks and has a knack at finding some real beauties.  He found a beautiful fossil within a pile of rocks.  I don’t know how he does it, but I wish I had paid more attention to this when I was younger and had spent time with him when he does this.  He is 100% one with nature when he is on the prowl for rocks.  I searched for a while and then found the perfect log to sit on and closed my eyes to listen to the waves.  We don’t live by an ocean, but we have a beautiful Great Lake in our back yard that I don’t enjoy nearly enough!  

On our way back from the lake, we stopped at a local market.  I saw a sign that said “fresh curds” and knew I had to stop.  Cheese curds are in my top 10 favorite foods and I will purchase them when I can find them very fresh.

Finally, an update on Luna.  She is just the best puppy!  She has settled in nicely and while she still has accidents in the house, I think she is getting the potty training thing.  She goes to the back door and pees there if we don’t get to her.  I think that shows that she is connecting the dots.  Maybe?

I should be back on a more regular basis.  As lame as it sounds, my computer has been giving me a hard time.  Eric has put on a band-aid on it for the time being, but it appears that we will need to upgrade very soon.  Happy Sunday!