In the Garden

August 12, 2015August 28, 2015 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

It’s August! This means we have entered the jungle-phase of the gardening season. In order to move about the garden, one must weave in and out of the labyrinth of branches and vines. And while doing so, one may come across our cat sleeping amongst the beans, or perhaps a groundhog who has found his way into our tomatoes. (Talk about a bit of a fright when not expecting that guy. Oh boy.)

But amongst this tangle of vegetation there is a great deal happening, and our kitchen is finding itself brimming with our garden’s bounty. The tomatoes have now grown taller than me (and standing at 5’11” that is saying something), and for the first time EVER we have been able to grow broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage! We planted ever-bearing strawberries two years ago and we are now reaping the rewards of an amazing second round of these lovelies.

A few weeks back, as I mentioned in this post, I hung some herbs to dry. This week my girls helped to take the leaves off these dried plants, grind them by hand, and then can them for the winter months.

Also in the herb department, our basil and lavender are just beautiful this year. I decided to try out Ashley English’s Lavender Lemonade from her book //ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=makofahom-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1611801281&asins=1611801281&linkId=XB3HIFBW6PW65FC3&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true“>Quench (using stevia to replace the sugar) and it was delicious! I have also been making basil-lime water infusions and it puts a whole new face on my family’s hydration needs.

I pulled most of our carrots this week and tried my hand at lacto-fermentation. So far, there is a lot of fermentation goodness in the form of carbon-dioxide bubbles rising to the surface of the jars when I burp them each day. I am very excited to taste these in a few more days.

Coming up next week, I hope to share with you some of the recipes I have been working on, which feature so much of this garden goodness. Until then, enjoy the remainder of your week!

Cherry Crisp

July 20, 2015July 27, 2015 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

Last week my girls and I, along with my sister, ventured to my in-law’s home and spent the afternoon tangled up in branches and brambles. It was picking’ time! By the time the day was done, we ended up with two giant bowls of tart cherries and black raspberries. Simply marvelous!

The black raspberries quickly became freezer jam, with the help of my six and eight-year old sous chefs. And the cherries, well, the cherries ended up going into an absolutely amazing cherry tart. I don’t often like to toot my own horn, but friends, it was good. Very good. Let me share the recipe…

Cherry Crisp

6 cups pitted tart cherries (This measurement was taken AFTER the cherries were pitted.)

1 cup local honey

2 T Non-GMO corn starch

Mix these ingredients in a large bowl and pour them into a 9×9 baking dish. (I use this baking dish because then I can serve the crisp table-side and it looks as good as it tastes.)

2 cups oats

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 stick cold butter cut into cubes

Mix all these ingredients together in a large bowl (such as one of these sustainably harvested bamboo bowls) using a pastry blender. Pour the crumbled mixture onto the cherry mixture.

Bake at 375 degrees for one hour. Allow 20 minutes to cool before serving. Enjoy!

*A note about all my recipes: I use all organic ingredients, local when available. I use non-homogenized milk, and all of the dairy we use is from animals raised on pasture. I also use oils that are non-GMO verified. All our meat is raised locally on organic feed, and our beef is grass-fed, grass-finished. All our spices and cane sugar are fair-trade certified and purchased through a cooperative.

Pesto with a Kick

June 24, 2015June 18, 2015 / makingofahome / Leave a comment

I love making pesto with early summer greens. It just makes me feel good. It’s green. It’s a great way to pack tons of vitamins and minerals in my kids’ bodies. And, there is cheese in it, and anything with cheese is a must have in my book.

I have written about making pesto before, like in this post, where I also discuss how I preserve my pesto for those Midwestern days when there is no green growing outside. This pesto is a bit different in that I didn’t use any herbs to impart flavor. This time I used kale and mustard greens. If you have never had mustard greens, they are amazing. They are incredibly earthy tasting, but very spicy. They are also another one of those cruciferous vegetables that have fabulous health benefits. I like to think of this pesto recipe as a cruciferous cancer-fighting bomb of deliciousness 🙂

This recipe made a giant batch of pesto, so feel free to adjust as needed. You may also need to make it in batches, depending upon the size of your food processor.

Here’s what to do:

1. Wash and spin dry (I adore my salad and berry spinner. Summer would not be the same without it. I use it Every. Single. Day.) 5 cups of kale and 3 cups of mustard greens. (Fyi…I jam packed the greens in the cups when measuring.) Set aside.

2. In a food processor, combine 1 cup raw walnuts and 6 cloves of garlic. Pulse them in the processor.

3. Add the washed greens to the food processor. (Again, you may need to do this in batches.)

4. Slowly add in 1/2 cups olive oil while the food processor is running.

5. Add 1/2 pound good shredded Parmesan cheese to the food processor.

6. Slowly add an additional 1/2 cup to 1 cup of olive oil depending on the consistency you would like.

7. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Enjoy!

Balance

January 21, 2014 / makingofahome / 3 Comments

So much of being a parent is a balancing act. Each of us who takes on this role knows that in order to be a parent you must find some sort of equal platform between all aspects of life: between wife/husband and parent, between house chores and playing, between health and the occasional treat. These past few weeks I have found myself trying to find this level ground between work and keeping my home as I have been for the past three and a half years. I am not a stranger to working as a teacher while also playing the role of wife, mother and homemaker. I just need to find that place again.

I truly believe that balance is within my grasp, getting closer each day, and hopefully soon I will find myself in a new rhythm of life that will guide me through these newly forming roles. Until that time, I will just keep inching forward, as best I can, searching for harmony between wife, mother, homemaker and teacher.

Thank you for continuing to visit this space, and taking this new journey with me. And great thanks for your kind words of encouragement on this space and outside of it.

May each of you find balance as you move throughout your week.

At This Moment

November 25, 2013November 24, 2013 / makingofahome / Leave a comment

At this moment, I am…

~recalling a fabulous weekend of crafting and fun.

~returning from a very early trip to the grocery store for our first round of Thanksgiving dinner shopping. A five o’clock (in the AM my friends) arrival time is a sure fire way to beat the crowds at the ole’ grocery store 🙂

~glancing at my stack of Christmas cards, and thinking I may be able to get them in the mail on Friday. Fingers crossed.

~looking forward to a short two days that my girls are in school this week. I cannot wait to spend five full days with my babies!

~preparing for my favorite holiday of the year. A day filled with family and food. What could possibly be better?

~hoping to get some sewing projects wrapped up this week.

~wishing each of you a wonderful start to your week. Have a great Monday!

Dash to the Finish

October 23, 2013October 22, 2013 / makingofahome / Leave a comment

Every year it happens. The mad dash to get anything and everything in the garden harvested and indoors before temperatures dip below freezing for the first time of the year.

That day came on Monday, when the evening’s forecasted low was 27 degrees. So, I spent my day entangled amongst the tomato and cucumber vines, and bending over the multiple herbs remaining in the herb garden. Each year I say I will do this all sooner, so I’m not rushed come late fall when cold temperatures are eminent. But each year I find myself in this position, racing against time.

But I must say, I’m growing to enjoy this dash to the finish line. Because at this time of year, when I’m weary of harvesting, canning, freezing and drying, I see ahead of me a time of rest. A time spent nestled inside, surrounded by projects and crafts. It is at this time of year I am grateful to live in an area where we experience all four seasons. When there is a natural break, and a chance to rest and recharge for the next growing season. This time of rest is so close now. I feel the subtle pull inward, and I cannot wait to embrace all that it has to offer me in the days, weeks and months to come.

Anew

October 15, 2013October 14, 2013 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

There are those times when each of us needs a breathe of new life. When the grind of our day to day tasks feel a bit too heavy to bear, and we need an opportunity for fresh air to fill the fibers deep within our being, giving us a renewed direction and energy to guide us further on our personal journey through life.

This greatly-needed internal recharge took place this past weekend, which I must say was perfect timing for this mama who was trying her best to stay afloat in her desire to maintain a holistic household, while feeling pulled down by the current of a fast-paced, industry-driven society. Our family made the trek to Lawrence, Kansas and attended the Mother Earth News Fair where we were allowed the wonderful opportunity to interact with over 10,000 like-minded individuals, seeking that same recharge we were so desperately needing.

Our time was spent learning about everything from primitive drilling skills, to chicken keeping, to fermenting, to non-traditional building methods, and everything in between.

But the most wonderful moment of the weekend came in those last 60 minutes of the fair, when we were privileged enough to listen to Joel Salatin speak. Back home when my husband or I bring up this name, people look at us with raised eye brows while muttering, “Who?” beneath their breaths. But at the fair in Kansas, all of these people…

not only know him, but crowded in amongst one another to listen to him articulate just what it means to be a true steward of the Earth.

Chills formed on my arms before the presentation even began because the energy in this space was palpable. The words Mr. Salatin greeted us with were, “It’s lonely out there isn’t it? But look around you today. It feels a lot less lonely right now doesn’t it?” Tears brimmed in my eyes at hearing these words because yes, I had recently been feeling so very lonely. Lonely in my thoughts, beliefs and ways of life. But looking around this space made me feel so whole again because I am not alone. Not by a long shot. There is an entire community of people out there trying their best to live more deeply, trying to raise families in a way in which they tread a bit more lightly on the Earth. I left Kansas inspired. I left recharged. I left anew.

May each of you feel a sense of rejuvenation and renewal as you move through your week. Today I leave you with Joel Salatin’s final words of his presentation. I hope they move you as they did me…

May all your carrots grow long and straight,

and your radishes be large and never pithy.

May the coyotes be struck blind by your pasture chickens.

May all your culinary experiments be delectably palatable.

May the rain fall gently on your fields,

the wind be always at your back,

your children rise up and call you blessed,

and may we all leave the world better than we found it.

Cooking Sauce with Daddy

September 19, 2013September 18, 2013 / makingofahome / 3 Comments

While I was enjoying myself at a baby shower in the beautiful Anderson Japanese Gardens, my girls were home making pasta sauce with Daddy. My husband gets huge bonus points for this because not only did he cook with the girls (a feat in and of itself), he took pictures of them doing it! In honor of this momentous occasion, today I bring you a blog post written by the man himself…

Pasta sauce, or “sugo” has a special place in our family. Every holiday I can remember involved Grandma Jan’s giant pot of sauce, simmering on the stove, filled with meatballs and hunks of pepperoni. The pasta was always an afterthought, the lowly vessel on which more sauce could be ladled. Her recipe was given to her by her mother-in-law, my Great-Grandma Lou. She could flat-out cook and to this day, her skills bring the conversation to a halt, as eyes glaze over in remembrance of what she could do in the kitchen. Although she is no longer with us, her memories inspired a lazy Saturday to turn into a sauce making event that I was honored to share with two excited and delightful sous chefs.

This time of year brings us tomatoes, onions, oregano, carrots, and basil right out of the garden. Despite eating more than we process, there were enough tomatoes to get the project started. The girls both helped with Gianna pulling carrots from the garden and Addie peeling cloves of garlic. Both girls helped peel onions and prep the herbs. We absolutely destroyed the kitchen, used every cutting board in the house, and left onion skins all over the floor. Despite the mess, I was able to spend a few hours with my girls recreating the smells and flavors that I remember growing up with. My most sincere hope is that they will remember these moments and find time to create them with their children and grand children, so that future generations will know the importance of food, family, and the sense of community only found in the kitchen.

At This Moment

September 9, 2013September 1, 2015 / makingofahome / 1 Comment

At this moment, I am…

~thankful for a most relaxing weekend spent with dear friends and family, while celebrating a wedding in the most beautiful of settings.

~gearing up for yet another hot, hot day. Trying to get all animals cared for, and plants watered before the sweltering heat is upon us.

~glancing around my house this morning, realizing my day needs to be spent in the throws of cleaning. Being gone all weekend did not bode well for the cleanliness of this place.

~listening to the tomatoes calling out to me. There are not many, but those that are hanging out in the garden are ripe and ready to be processed. (I think today I’ll make some tomato sauce. Nothing like a little sauce simmering on the stove for multiple hours on a ninety degree day, right?).

~enjoying this book in the wee hours of the morning and late at night after the little ones are tucked in.

~staring at the growing pile of laundry in my family room. Apparently, I should be tackling that instead of reading the above mentioned book 🙂

~wishing you all a wonderful Monday, friends!

Home

September 4, 2013September 13, 2013 / makingofahome / 4 Comments

Good morning, friends! Where has the week gone? I have been deep in thought and reflection of late, and have found it difficult to come to this space and attempt to articulate just what it is I have been mulling over in my mind. So, I must warn you…This post may take on a very stream-of-consciousness-type nature 🙂

The past two years, when this time of year rolls around, thoughts of home seep into every thought in my mind. Summer for our family represents such a time of connection. Connection to each other, our home, our land. And it just seems that each year when we reach that late-August-back-to-school-crazy-schedule-never-leaving-a-second-to-breathe time, those familiar connections are somewhat strained.

Now don’t get me wrong, there is also a wonderful sense of renewal and excitement that accompanies this time of year, but it’s the common societal belief that this fun and excitement needs to take place outside our homes that has me thinking. We are all a bustle with activities beyond the scope of our homes because there is this notion that our homes are confining. But what about the idea of our homes as embracing? Instead of looking beyond the walls of our home for fulfillment and excitement, shouldn’t we be welcoming each other into our homes, to share the love, laughter and learning found within?

Historically, the home was where all activity centered, and it seems that each day we as a culture are moving further and further beyond the home in search of the next big thing. But I just can’t help to wonder, what if all of that greatness we are in search of is right under our noses, in the very homes that we are trying to escape from? For often “a man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.” ~George Augustus Moore

Making of a Home

workshops :: blog :: shop

food preservation

In the Garden

Cherry Crisp

Pesto with a Kick

Balance

At This Moment

Dash to the Finish

Anew

Cooking Sauce with Daddy

At This Moment

Home