Veggies, Please with some Bling on the Side

I know I'm starting off subject...but, I thought if I waited a full week to post it might allow for people to lerk and they would eventually comment. I was wrong. I seem to have several peepers who would rather remain silent. Admittedly, it's so silly but I tend to be hurt over a lack of commenting on my blog. I realize that's ridiculous. I'm over it. I've accepted that I have people that won't comment too much. I will try to be grateful people care to stop by at all.



On to the real post, I awoke yesterday morning to find my new box from Farm Fresh. This week we received sweet potatoes, collard greens, kale, leeks,broccoli,radishes, fennel, cranberries, pears & apples. This is so exciting for me. What do I do first?

I chopped leeks, collard greens & kale. Sauteed them for a bit. Boiled & chopped up a butternut squash from last time. Through in some lentils, diced tomatoes, chicken stock with course salt & pepper & oh, what a yummy soup did I have.

The kids weren't as convinced. Bruce, however, (he's my toughest critic) liked it. In fact, I think he really liked it. He happened to pass through the kitchen when I was cooking and saw the ingredients which was not good. I'm sure had he not seen them raw he never would have known and would have enjoyed it even more.

About my jewelry show, Holy Toleto, thanks to all my wonderful peeps that came. It was SO fun. I can't believe how great I did. My sister-in-law did a fabulous job setting the whole thing up. I'll be posting pics of my new loves shortly. I got so much stuff that I'll be cheery and positive for at least a full week!

P.S. I do give full credit to my couple of buddies that comment regularly. I can count on you to brighten my day!

P.S.S. (or is it P.P.S? I'm deliriously tired.) If any of you locals are interested in Farm Fresh to you. I have 3 $5 off a box coupons to hand out. You can order only 1 box to try it and see what you think. First come, first serve!

Produce Delivery!

Yummy Raw Kale Salad with Gouda, Pear & Walnuts

With our most recent Farm Fresh to You delivery, we received Kale. Kale was unheard of to me up until a few years ago. With 13 kids, my mom stuck to the very basics. Kale was not part of that. It is a power food. Really & truly, everyone should make it a point to try all of the leafy green varieties. Click here for the latest recipe I found using Kale...Doesn't it look delicious?

We also received a couple of sugar pie pumpkins..They are so cute. But, they won't last forever. I will be trying this pumpkin pie recipe from Martha Stewart. I'd really like to make it when I'm home alone and can curl up on the couch in my favorite PJ's(sorry no picture) and eat the whole thing while watching sappy chick flicks. Anyone want to join me?

It's a Wonderful Life...

I have spent alot of time feeling alone or isolated emotionally. This afternoon I see how foolish I am. Friday after school, Bruce went hunting with a friend. I was actually happy to see him go because I started reading "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" by David Wroblewski. I like alot of alone time when I have stuff like that going on. I also was watching my friend's 2 kids while she & her hubby went out on a much needed date. I got no reading done that night since Cameron was at an all-time mischief high. By the time my friend picked up her kids my back was killing me from holding that sweet little newborn.(A reminder that I cannot handle having another child anytime soon)Bruce came home for a brief moment to show me the deer in the back of my car that his friend got. It was very exciting for us. He went over to his friend's house, where they cleaned & cut it up...

I slept great that night...Woke up in the morning to go to a very exciting soccer game for Spencer. The whole family went which made me so happy. Spencer's team lost as they seem to always do but they played better then they have before and it was quite fun to cheer them on. After the game, I took Taylor for a date w/ Mom. We went to my dear friend, Molly's home, for a yarn sale. OH MY!! Ladies, please learn to knit. It's so great. I feel so empowered while knitting. I'm creating this wonderful piece to warm and comfort someone I love and all the while armed with dangerous weaponry(THE NEEDLES AND YARN) If Bruce gives me any lip while I'm knitting, he could be a goner if wanted him to be. Anyhow, I got alot of fabulous threads for practically nothing. We went over to watch my sister, Stevie, play in a volleyball tourney and then we had lunch at El Palmar. One of my favorite things about my daughter is that she shares my love of beans and rice. Gotta love her. We met up with Bruce at Home Depot to get wood for the treehouse that Bruce and Spencer are building together. (Isn't that sweet!) I took a very short nap and did a little cleaning. Then Bruce took Spencer and went our for another hunt. I got a babysitter and went to dinner with my friend, Megan. Her hubby was hunting with Bruce. We had great food at California Pizza Kitchen. I was excited since Bruce never wants to eat there. I came home, put Tay & Cameron to bed and enjoyed my book until Bruce came home. It was late...but we got to talking and then we started reading a book "Rock Solid Relationships" by Wendy Watson together. I've read it before and liked it and mentioned that I thought it would be a good one to read together. He agreed so at midnight, we read.

Today I made pancakes with strawberries for breakfast, chicken salad sandwiches for lunch, and have a venison roast in the crockpot for dinner that will be served with winter squash and apple mash, and mixed greens. All from my Friday delivery. I've been watching the General Conference on TV that our chuch has twice a year. It was so great this time. I felt so much hope and comfort. As I watched I knit. Then Henry B. Eyring began talking about being knit together in unity. I was so inspired I finished one scarf and started another that is halfway done. I share all these boring details of my weekend only to say that I have so many wonderful things and wonderful people in my life. The things that are missing seem huge at times, but I have a great life without them so doesn't that speak volumes about how little I really need those things? I love my husband and my children. I have great parents. More brothers and sisters than I can keep track of. I love my filthy little home. I have great friends. It really is wonderful being me.

Special Delivery

Our 1st box of fresh organic produce was delivered to our front door!! I am so ecstatic about this new venture for my family. I'm so motivated to cook more. I love cooking. I love food! I get so annoyed and frustrated having taste buds like I do and having a husband with none!! He's so picky. We received a honeydew melon, grapes, sweet peppers, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, basil, lemon cucumbers, arugula and okra. Maybe a few others...it's late in the day for me to remember such details. So, tonight we had the missionaries from church over for dinner. I signed up to feed them months ago so I was surprised to get a note on my door confirming our dinner tonight. (I got the note at 3. Dinner was at 5!!) I called them and confirmed. Bruce spruced up the house while I began cooking. Can I tell you how fabulous it was for me to make a gorgeous green salad with arugula(YUM!), tomatoes, lemon cucumber and sweet pepper varieties that were all picked fresh on Thursday! I added slices of fresh mozzarella to appease my husband who must have cheese in his green salad.(I'm all about cheese too so that's OK but he refused to try by salad because of the arugula.) It was great! I made a quick spaghetti sauce with all fresh veggies...and of course, french bread & BUTTER!! On a side note, My Uncle Jerry has been in the restaurant bus. for a long time...He's also a great cook. There's high pressure when your around him on food choices..I'd normally be nervous to feed him. When my Grandma was dying, my sister & I were busy caring for her physical needs while my uncle kept all of us well fed...(If you have to deal with death, GREAT FOOD IS A MUST!) I'm looking for a really cool recipe using my crazy produce selections to wow him with. My challenge with this box is the Okra. I've heard of Okra, but honestly, had no idea what it is or what to do with it. Thanks to our dear friend "Google", I figured it out. Here is a recipe that I want to try:




CHICKEN & OKRA GUMBO(You've gotta love the south)
Ingredients:

* 3 1/2 pounds frying chicken
* 1 onion, cut in chunks
* celery leaves
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 5 cups reserved broth
* 6 slices bacon, diced
* 1 pound smoked andouille or smoked sausage, sliced 1/4" thick
* 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
* 2 green bell peppers, chopped
* 2 celery ribs, chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
* 1 can (approx. 15 ounces) tomato puree
* 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed
* 1 package (10 ounces) frozen sliced okra, thawed
* 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme or 1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme

Preparation:
Combine chicken, the onion chunks, celery leaves, and salt in a Dutch oven or large kettle; add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 45 minutes. or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving 5 cups of the chicken broth; discard onion and celery leaves. Remove chicken from bones; cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Cook bacon and sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon and sausage, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon; set bacon and sausage aside. Add onion, pepper, celery, and garlic to Dutch oven; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender. Add chicken, bacon, sausage, reserved broth (should be approximately 5 cups), tomatoes, and remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours.

I'll let you know how it turns out....I think I'm going to make this a regular feature on my blog...Good Eats from Tanja's Kitchen(or whomever's I steal it from)

Farm Fresh to ME!!

I'm so excited about the the service that my family is using. An organic produce farm from Capay, CA (where my mom was once a cheerleader)offers farm fresh plenty to your front door!! My friend, Ashley Kilpatrick, (had to specify last name since I have so many Ashley's currently in my life) introduced me to this farm. Her family has received the home delivery for awhile now and raves about it. I have tried many varieties of nuts, fruits and veggies in her home from this marvelous farm that were so fantastic. I'm expecting a little resistance from my ever so picky husband and children.(or alot) But, I will not give up! I'm determined that the whole family receive healthy, quality food. More to come about the good eats as we receive our first delivery. For more info click here.