Big Sky Days

poached eggs and pickled squash

Let me introduce you to my new favorite breakfast...

2 poached eggs on half of whole wheat english muffin

Aunt Jodie's Pickled Squash

Ooooh.  Ahhhh.  Intrigued?  Or just wondering what the big whup is?

Well, it only took me 37 1/2 years and my own flock of chickens to learn how to poach eggs.  Yes, this may make me a slow learner.  But with a husband whose friend was hospitalized from salmonella poisoning - runny eggs were simply out of the question for years.  Finally, a few months ago I realized that I can put those fears to rest since I am in charge of my little chick-a-dees and, thus, there is no salmonella in our hen house!  Perfect.  I dropped and cracked my microwave egg poacher and after a few tears I pulled myself up from my bootstraps and thought - Begone egg poaching contraptions - let me learn to poach my eggs the old fashioned way.  And it turns out that all that fear was silly because poaching an egg is easy, peasy, bananafanna feasy.  

2 poached eggs

Use a small nonstick pan.  Fill with water and add 1-2 tsp of white vinegar.  Boil.  Once boiling, crack the eggs and slowly (gently now) slide the eggs into the water.  When the yolks turn opaquey, they are ready.  Take them out with a slotted spoon and serve.  

I like my poached beauties with salt and pepper and one half of an english muffin.  It looks like I may be saving carbs and maybe I am, I don't know.

What I do know is that Aunt Jodie from Stevensville, Montana is a whiz at pickled squash.  And the poached egg/pickled squash combo is pure delight.  I am thinking that this summer I may have to grow my own squash to pickle and can.  These are the dreams that Januarys are made of.

 

 

first snowfall

As we were circling over Bozeman with the potential of be re-routed for a landing and fresh from the Florida sun, I wasn't delighted about this season's first snowfall.  But we did land, shortly after we were told we may not.  And we made it home and awoke the next morning to a few inches of snow all around us.  

It just so happens I love the snow.

Look at this.

We all love the snow, which may have something to do with why we live here.   And so, yesterday we strapped on our skis and took off.  

It was only skiing in the subdivision behind us but it felt great to be skiing once again.

We pulled out all of our winter warmest gear and found that some of us have really grown taller.  We made a list of gear to get.  We reset the heat lamp for the chickens and got out the bird feed.  

Winter has arrived.  

After skiing we came in for an early dinner of lentil soup, spinach salad, and homemade cheddar biscuits.  Winter fare.  Cold weather food.  I even saw the first pheasant in our yard.  There is much to look forward to.

And my family is ready. 

9.11.11

Yesterday, we had a birthday celebration for a 39 year-old man.

It is hard on the 10 year anniversary of 9.11.01 to not reflect on what was 10 years ago.  Sure we can think of things nationally or globally and try to consider what has evolved since the hijacked plane attacks, 2 wars, and 2 presidents.  And I think all of that should be considered and thoroughly thought through but what has changed around here?  In our little part of the world so much has changed in the last 10 years.

I remember I had just arrived to Connell Hall for class in my second year of nursing graduate school when I heard the news. Greg just started his first week of medical school.  We were married a year and living in an 800 square foot apartment on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston.  As the days events unfolded, we still felt the need to continue with our plans for a birthday dinner celebration.  I remember walking the side streets toward our favorite Indian Restaurant and just feeling different.  We felt different - people walking in and out of their apartment seemed different, too.  I think the difference was recognition of how one moment can change everything.  And fear of what could possibly be and what was.  

That night we toasted to peace.  We toasted our accomplishments but with uncertainty for our future.  

Ten years later we again had a birthday dinner celebration.  But this time, dinner was at home and it wasn't just the two of us.  This year we had our own little family and some more family to share the meal and a few toasts.  Here we are now in our new town, our degrees complete, our family complete - with our two children - looking toward the future.  We have had many moments in the last 10 years where everything seemed to change in an instant but mostly in good ways.  And we have also had a lot of hope.  

So cheers!  And, around here, you get extra wishes for that!

 

a recap and a recap and a recap

I guess I have been too busy to be in this spot for very long lately.  

I have come by and looked at the same old post from weeks back and thought to myself, "Self.  I should really post something new."  Then I look up and my daughter is about to draw on my wall or my son screams he needs help with some thing downstairs or I realize I should be cooking dinner, paying bills, or picking someone up from something.  That is what has been going on.  And therefore, there have been no recent posts.  

However, the good news is that we have really been up to some dynamite things and I just haven't been sharing.  I need to share.  The quickest way is the recap.  I know, I know I have done a lot of recapping this summer.  But I think maybe that is good...it means we have been out doing.  Doing.  That seems important.  So, I will berate myself no longer and get on with the recap.  

  

Joseph Creek.  A slice of heaven on this beautiful earth.  A place where the indoors is also outdoors.  The bikes were ridden every day.  The kids explored endlessly together.  We played in the river and had milkshakes.  We had delicious dinners outside by candlelight.  The kids rode in old trucks with no seat belts down the rural road to get cinnamon rolls.   The night sky was rich with stars and a waning moon.  A sheepherder's camp was rediscovered.  There were ATVs.  It was heaven for all and I can't wait to go back.

Back to School.  Second grade for Henry and a new start at Montessori for Lila.  The beginning of school is a hopeful and exciting time.  The fresh start and clean slate are welcome.

It has been the summer of the chicken egg and the tomato.  We have little else that we have produced.   Our beans were so-so.  Our chard was so-so.  Our broccoli was all wormed out.  The birds got to our strawberries.  Oh yes, we did have great raspberries!  And we did decide on a spot for the garden next year.  These are the important steps along the way, I guess.  

We did discover that homemade chocolate pudding is worth making (despite what many believe!)    And that it is best consumed outside by a fire pit.  At the end of summer.  With family and friends.

And finally, Yellowstone - our friend and neighbor.   We have sneaked in a few visits this summer to see the sights.   How can we not when we live but an hour and 1/2 away?!  

This last time we found out that if you take a 4- mile-hike to a creek you can see a lot along the way.   I think Edward Abbey talked about this.  He said to get out of the car and you will be rewarded.  It was a tough hike for these kids and, yes, some of them did require carrying and many moans and groans were uttered but in the end it was so worth it.  

Yes, worth it all.  

 

raspberry smoothie

There isn't much better than picking raspberries in your yard and making a smoothie for lunch...so summery.

first eggs

2 eggs a day.

That is what has been happening this past week.  This is amazing stuff people.

I brought those eggs in and ate them straight away.  No fridge time at all and really nothing on them.  They tasted great.  It was just like when I grew my first tomato and ate it right there in the garden.  In the hot sun.  Mmm.    

This is exciting.

beginning of something good

We kicked off the weekend with Strawberry-Rhubarb pie.  You can almost guarantee a good weekend after that move.  I used a pie mold to create the beautiful, leaf design on top.  So purty.  I always use Fannie Farmer's pie crust recipe - it is what I am comfortable with and I like it because it is not sweet.  And for the strawberry-rhubarb filling, I mixed a carton of strawberries, 5 rhubarb stalks chopped, 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and a 1 tsp of cornstarch. It was sweet and sour and lovely.

Next up, the official dance performance.  She did very well and it was long day since the school will not release any of the dancers until everyone performs.  But we congratulated her with her own fresh bouquet of flowers, which she found much delight in. 

 

We also had a special out-to-dinner in her honor and she stayed in her ballet outfit and kept her bouquet of flowers close by (or in her hands) the entire time.

And it turns out the performance reignited her dancer's flame and she can only talk ballet now.  She is such a little girl.

Our lilac bushes are alive and plentiful all around our home.  (Or "lilocks" as they are called in these parts.)  It is fun to move in a new home and watch what was previously planted and see it all come up.  It is such a surprise.  We can't resist bringing some inside...

 
Last evening we had a nice supper with our relatives and tried to have the season's first s'mores outside by the campfire.

(Yes, that is a hand cranked marshmellow toaster.  For the s'mores lover who has it all...I know you are impressed.)

And in a quick twist in the weather, a rain and hail storm took over the evening plans and drove us indoors but then a rainbow arrived and stole the whole show.

This looks like the beginning of summer in Montana.

 

my comfort food

For me, it is all about spaghetti and meatballs.  It has always been my favorite food.  

Pure comfort.

If I am sick , it is the first meal I want when I am better.  

I ate it all through my pregnancies.  

It seems to be the perfect balance of healthy and hearty.  

It works for all the seasons but best eaten with a chill in the air.  

It works for kids and adults alike.  

It is fairly simple but friends are always grateful when you serve it to them.

And it makes me so happy.

I remember going to Howard Johnson's as a kid and ordering spaghetti and meatballs and now -  I am still the kind of person to order it in restaurants.  Although I will admit, it is best eaten at home. On a Sunday.  Surrounded by people who are not on a low-carb diet.

These days I make the meatballs usually with ground turkey or ground bison.  That makes the meatball leaner, healthier.  I even have my own special meatballer gifted to me from my mother-in-law,  after I drooled over hers for years.  This meatballer is a wonderful gift for someone who loves uniformity and it really makes me feel like I know what I am doing, a meatballing professional.  And that is an interesting feeling.  

Finally, I make a simple tomato sauce and don't forget that good cheese is equally as important.  

Do you bake the meatballs?

This is the only way I go now.  It makes making the meatballs much easier (less oil splashing everywhere) and a bit crispy.   Then I just plop them in the sauce for a quick bit after they are baked through and it is all ready.  Perfection.

Here is a nice recipe to try, love the Barefoot!

 

 

soggy spring and comfort food

As the persistent rain continues, a little comfort goes a long way.  For me comfort means many things: a warm home, family nearby, a hot shower, friends to chat with, my bathrobe and a good book...and most definitely food!  To some degree we all agree on which foods are "comfort foods" - like perhaps mac and cheese.  Yet everyone seems to have that special dish (or two) that really is their go-to comfort food.  Screams comfort.  Or more likely, relaxes you into a full belly of overeating anonymous. 

For this soggy spring, I thought I would go through the family and make their special comfort food.

We started last night with my son.

Tacos.

Let's break it down.

My son adores blue corn hard taco shells filled with black beans and shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese.  We make this every season of the year (although, especially good in hot weather because it requires little cooking.)  I have tried all kinds of sides or possible fillings - onions and peppers, sour cream, avocado, meat - but he likes these tacos as basic as basic can be.  And he usually eats about 7 tacos!  Seven!  I do worry about him keeping all these bean and cheese tacos down but so far so good.  Phew.

Often I add some raw sliced red or green pepper on the side which he will happily chomp on. And lately, I have been making Spanish Rice which is simple and yummy and always-on-the-side if you are my boy.   Some people may consider putting it into their taco...

Spanish Rice

2 tbsp oil

1 onion, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups rice (I usually use long grain, white rice)

3 -4 cups warm chicken stock

1 cup chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp salt

Brown rice in oil over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic until soft.   Turn down heat and add 3 cups warm broth, tomatoes and spices to rice and bring to boil.  Then simmer with lid mostly on for 15-25 minutes, adding more broth if needed.  Turn off and cover and let stand for 5 minutes. 

 Last night we also roasted asparagus, which is fresh and delicious this time of year.  And so good roasted - 350 degrees with a little salt and olive oil for about 15 minutes.  

And one boy's comfort food has become a family favorite.

 

we're full

Our long weekend has been full...  

full of plantings

full of twirlings

full of reading about treasures

full of salmon burgers with sweet potato fries

full of tickle torture

full of entertaining Daddy as he recovers from ACL repair surgery

full of imitating Daddy as he recovers from ACL repair surgery

full of playing on the deck when the rain breaks

full of making cookies

full of love

full of serving healthy, fiber enriched meals to speed along recovery

full of eating the best oatmeal cookies ever

full of hugging daffodils

full of mama's day love and kisses

full of rainy soccer and scoring 2 goals

full of getting clean and ready to start the week off right.