Life With The Crew

Scavenger Hunt - August

Joining in with Greenthumb over at Made with Love for the monthly scavenger hunt.  It's a lot of fun and people come up with some great interpretations of the clues.

W is for?  Water.  Water in a lake in Maine.

5pm  Happy Hour rum punch on vacation in Maine.

Everyday  My husband grinds coffee every morning with a hand grinder.  The little babe knows the sound and hears it when she wakes up in bed.

Centered  The little babe, walking in the center of the line at the park.  Following instructions pretty well for a babe who isn't even two!

Peace  White is the color that is associated with peace.

Ball  My husband doing a cannon ball off the end of the dock in Maine.

Luggage  Our bags being inspected by our Corgi after returning from Maine.

Under  These are the two dogs, Chip and Lola, that always sit under the little babe's high chair.  Lola is so bad that she won't even go to the bathroom if the little babe is in the chair because she doesn't want to miss a crumb dropping on the floor.

On your shelf  On a recent trip to the grocery store, the little babe apparently grabbed a can of Fruta Bomba - papayas in heavy syrup - and my husband and I didn't notice until we got home.  It sticks out like a sore thumb on our shelf of drab colored grains.  It gave us a good laugh!

Something you do everyday  Laundry.  With all of the animals, plus the little babe and husband, I do laundry every day.  In the summer I dry them outside.  In the winter, I put the drying rack by the woodstove, which actually dries them quicker than the sun.  Spring and Fall are tough when it is not cold enough for us to use the woodstove, but the days are damp and rainy.

Glitter  Glitter isn't something that we have in the house.  I'm not into crafting with it and the little babe hasn't discovered it yet.  I wanted to try and photograph something natural that glitters.  I was hoping to get some sunny water photos, but it wasn't working.  These raindrops on a nasturtium leaf will have to do.  Just squint slightly when you look at the picture - it will look glittery.

Sunglass  I am slightly cheating with this picture.  I actually took it in late July, not August, but it fits the clue perfectly.

Cheese Made By Me - August - Ricotta Salata Part 1

Apparently I haven't done a cheese making post since the beginning of July and that one was technically supposed to be for June.  So I'm slacking a bit.  I am running out of easy soft cheeses to make and will have to step up my game and try something more difficult.  I really would like to try making some cheeses from cream, but I can't find cream that is not ultra pasteurized.  I asked at the health food store where I buy the raw milk about buying cream and they said that it is illegal to sell raw cream here in Pennsylvania unless you have a contract with the farmer and buy it straight from the farm.  So for this month I am venturing into the world of aged cheeses - just a bit though.  

At first I was just going to make Whole Milk Ricotta using cow's milk.  I already made Goat's Milk Ricotta back in April, which used apple cider vinegar to separate the curds and whey (along with heat).  The recipe for Whole Milk Ricotta with cow's milk in Ricki Carroll's Home Cheesemaking book uses citric acid and heat to separate the curds and whey.  On the next page in the book, I saw the recipe for Ricotta Salata, which is a dry, salted ricotta that can be eaten sliced when it is young or grated when it is aged.  The first step is to make the ricotta cheese, so that is what I am sharing this month.

Making the ricotta was very simple.  The process differs a little bit from the other soft cheeses that I have made because you add the citric acid to the milk before you heat it.  The recipe in the book called for one gallon of milk, but I didn't want to experiment with $8.59 worth of milk.  Here is the process:

 

1.  I poured 1/2 gallon of raw milk into a large saucepan.

2.  I combined 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid with 1/8 cup of water.  Once dissolved, I stirred that into the milk.

3.  Using medium heat, I heated the milk until the temperature was 185 F.  I stirred it frequently to prevent the milk on the bottom from scorching.  You do not want the milk to boil, so as the temperature rises, keep an eye on it.  

4.  As soon as the curds and whey separated, I removed it from the heat.  I was supposed to make sure that there wasn't any milky whey, but it was difficult to tell because the milk was really foamy - almost boiling.  I think it was separated.  

5.  Then I let it sit for 10 minutes undisturbed.

6.  While it was sitting, I lined my colander with butter muslin and set it over a bowl to catch the whey.

7.  After 10 minutes, I carefully scooped out the curds and strained the whey through the colander.  Looks like ricotta!

8.  Then I hung it up to drain for 20 minutes.

After that, it is supposed to be ricotta cheese and you can eat it immediately.  If it is too dry you can either add some whey back in or add some cream.  (If you're using raw milk, before you shake the milk, you can carefully pour off a bit of cream that has separated from the milk.)  It yielded the same amount of cheese as my cottage cheese recipe does, with about 1 3/4 quarts of whey left over.  It seemed to have worked, but I didn't taste it because I then continued the process to turn it into ricotta salata.   To be continued in 2-4 weeks...

My Stroller Metaphor

Yesterday I was out for a run with the little babe and as we headed down a steep hill, the jogging stroller started pulling me and I had to run faster to keep up.  I didn't really feel like running that fast, so I had to exert some control on the stroller to slow it down to a pace that was easier.  I had to pull it back in order to run at a pace that was more enjoyable.  I then realized that what just happened was a good metaphor to use when discussing the simplification of life.  So many people talk about how their lives are busy and they wish they didn't have so much going on.  The "simple life" appeals to people, yet they don't seem to be able to attain it.  However, if they are just waiting for it to happen, it won't.  They need to take hold of the stroller, to make the decisions that will give them the life that they want.

When the stroller started pulling me down the hill, there was the temptation to just start running faster.  That would be the easier choice and the more exhilarating choice - running as fast as I can, even a bit out of control.  Sometimes running fast is a good thing, like in a race.  It is easy to choose the "fast choices" in life.  And some people enjoy that life - the rat race.  They want the newest technology that will supposedly make their life so much easier and better.  They eat food that can be bought cheap and consumed quickly while they run from one activity to the next.  They don't think twice about buying something brand new to replace a broken object instead of trying to repair it.

If this isn't what you want, then you have to exert some control.  You need to make the choice to slow down your life because no one else is going to do it for you.  It might not be the easiest choice when it feels like everyone else is running faster.  At first it might seem like you're missing out on something or that you don't have the time to choose the slower pace.  But since we only have one life, I want to actually enjoy it.  While some days with my little babe might seem really long and exhausting (especially nearing the "terrible twos"), I know that every day is one that I need to cherish.  

 

 

Reconnecting With Nature - 8.27.14

I am joining Chrisy at Living A Good North Coast Life for her "Reconnecting With Nature" series.  As we bloggers sit around connected to our computers, it is a great way to force us to step outside and maybe notice something new in the natural world or just appreciate something that we see every day.  Read more about the Reconnect with Nature - one photograph at a time idea here.

Today's post is a quick follow-up to this post that I shared in July about native and solitary bees.  The little babe and I were at the park again last week and I checked out the bee "houses" which are designed to provide native and solitary bees with places to lay their eggs.  The place was definitely buzzing and bees were moving in!  I think it is neat that they are actually being used.  I apologize that the pictures aren't the best - there were quite a lot of insects flying near my head, I only had my camera phone, and I was trying to keep the little babe from sticking her fingers into the holes.

You can see the top hole is capped already, the middle one has a bee inside it, and I'm not sure what is in the bottom hole.  Bee eggs?

The reeds in the foreground have been filled with eggs and capped.

Another photo of a bee inside the log.

I knew I wouldn't remember all of this information, so here it is for your reading enjoyment.

If you're looking for an easy way to make your yard more pollinator friendly, consider building a bee hotel.

Thankful Tuesday - 8.26.14

Today I am thankful for...

-Pretty flowers from the garden.  I am having trouble expressing thanks for the cats that eat them and then throw them back up.  They manage to do this even though I put the flowers up on a high shelf and surround them with other objects.  Those darn cats will destroy anything green and pretty. 

-Apples growing on my own apple tree.  We pruned it really hard in April, basically cutting the entire top off, and we weren't sure what would happen.  The apples are now much bigger than last year.  Still buggy and spotty, but bigger!  More to crush in the cider press come Fall, bugs and all.

-Surprises in the garden.  Morning Glories that self seeded from last year, pumpkins that I took for lost, but apparently are making a comeback, a surprise squash or gourd of some sort growing out of the compost bin, and green beans!  I planted the bean seeds this year, but then the darn rabbit came and mowed everything down.  I guess when the weeds grew up enough to cover the plants, they were able to do their thing.  Also thankful for some late season flowers, which help to balance out the rotting tomatoes.  They just aren't able to ripen with all of the rain and cool weather we've been having.  

-A day of sun! Well, not quite a full day of sun, but not raining, so I'll take it.  The rain started last Wednesday and since then we have had rain at least once during the day, with no strong sun to dry anything out.  Everything is wet and moldy.  Even my drying rack is molding!  My sandals, which got soaked last week, started molding!  There is probably mold on one of my dogs.   

Hope the sun is shining in your neck of the woods!  What are YOU thankful for today?  I welcome other bloggers to leave a link to their Thankful posts.

Life With The Crew Intros: Chip

This is the third post in the Life With The Crew introduction series.  I'm going to introduce you to Chip, our Sheltie mix.  He must have gotten stuck in the tomato plants the other day, because he came to the back door with a tomato vine encircling his neck, looking like a goofball.

To listen to the podcast about Chip, CLICK HERE.  It should start playing automatically, if not click the orange circle.

If you missed the first two podcasts, these are about Lola and Callie.

Recipe for the Weekend - Homemade Pita Chips (and Bread)

With all of the hummus that we eat in this house, we go through a ton of pita chips.  I love Stacy's baked pita chips, but I feel guilty for buying something that seems so simple to make.  I decided that I was going to try and make them myself.  When I looked at recipes on-line, I discovered that you can't just make pita chips; you first have to make pita bread.  I guess that makes sense!  So I used this recipe.  I already had bread dough rising in the oven, so I made this and threw it in too.  The recipes are very similar, but there is a pinch more yeast and salt in the pita bread recipe.  I find it fascinating that so many different types of bread can be made with the same ingredients, just in slightly different quantities.  

The dough rose a lot and was really elastic.  After the dough was doubled, I kneaded it by handed just a bit, formed it into a log, and cut it into 8 equal sections.  I rolled them into eight balls and then rolled them out into flat circles with a rolling pin.

 After making the recipe twice, I found that the bread puffed up the most if you don't roll it too much.  If you can keep it to 4 passes with the rolling pin - one in each direction - the bread puffed up the way it is supposed to.  It is also important to have your oven at the proper temperature - 450 F - and to have the baking stone or cookie sheet already in the oven.  Then I just threw the flattened dough onto the stone.  I found that 7 minutes was just enough time.

I found this recipe for the pita chips, but then just went for it without measuring anything.  I tried two different ways of making the chips and I think the second way is better.  You start both by cutting the pita bread into triangles.  Then you can arrange all of the triangles flat on a baking sheet, brush them with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.  Or you can throw them in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper, and then toss until the triangles are coated well.  They get more evenly coated with the second method.  Then bake at 375 F.  I was multi-tasking both times I made them and sort of lost track of the time.  I think it was about 15 minutes.

I am now addicted to homemade pita bread and chips!  They are not quite the same as the store bought pita chips.  Mine are not as crunchy, but the fact that they are homemade makes up for it.  And I'm saving money, which is the best part.  The little babe loves munching on the plain bread and it made a great summer dinner.  I took the panzanella salad, left out the bread, and stuffed it in the pita.  For extra flavor, you can line the pita with basil pesto.  Add some fresh green beans and you're set!

This Moment - A Cat Food Eating Rabbit

*This Moment*

Joining the SouleMama club.  A Friday ritual.  A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

  He plays with the cats, tries to procreate with the cats, uses the cats' litter boxes, and then I saw this the other morning.  The transformation is complete.  The rabbit has now crossed over and officially thinks he is a cat.

*On a serious note, I know that cat food does not contain the fiber that rabbits need and he will continue to get his own bowl of pellets each morning.  In no way did I encourage this behavior.

I Don't Like Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob.  Fresh sweet corn.  I'm just not a fan.  Corn is the darling of summer, everybody is so excited when it is finally ready.  Around here, there is a roadside stand that sells corn on the honor system.  Every evening the stand is empty, all the corn bought by people on their way home from work.  We receive several ears in our CSA share and it typically sits in the fridge for a couple of days before we eat it, even though I know it is best the day it is picked.  If you're interested, this website tells you the science behind why you should eat it ASAP after being picked.

It's not that I don't actually like eating it - the flavor of corn slathered with butter and a sprinkling of sea salt is great.  I've always wanted to try it grilled with lime butter, but have never had the time to be so gourmet with the grill.  There are several things about corn on the cob that annoy me.

#1  Husking it takes way too much effort.  I broke down and husked two ears last night and it felt like I was out there 10 minutes.  It was tough getting all of the leaves off (leaves - are they called leaves?) and then pulling off all of the corn silk is a lesson in patience.  I am very picky and hate getting the silk in my teeth, so I try to remove all of it.

#2  It is so darn messy to eat.  I feel sorry for the poor teenager who makes the mistake of eating corn on the cob during a first date.  After 10 years, my husband and I are comfortable picking the bits of corn out of our teeth at the dining table together, but it is such an annoying feeling to have a mouthful of corn kernels and silk. 

#3  Once you pick it up, you can't stop.  It's like eating a big burrito (or at least me eating a big burrito) - they are way too messy to put down, so before you start you have to be ready for the duration.  Have napkins at hand.  Don't start eating in the middle of a conversation.  Know where the bathroom is so that you can run in to pick your teeth as soon as you're done.

#4  There is so much waste for such a small amount of food that can be consumed.  All the husking beforehand and then the cob when you're done.  If you have chickens, the cob at least gets picked clean a second time.

In last week's CSA shipment, we got 6 ears of corn.  Since my husband loves corn on the cob, he took the little babe outside with him and did the husking.  I boiled the water.  Then with the remaining two ears, I made corn fritters.  Much easier to eat.

We don't always have the best luck with frying fritters.  They tend to fall apart and be very greasy, but these were perfect!  For a thrown together recipe, I was impressed.  I didn't measure anything, so these are loose guidelines.

1.  Cook the corn and remove from the cob.  

2.  In a large bowl, combine the following:  corn kernels (from 2 ears), one red pepper diced, one small red onion diced, about 1/2 cup of flour, 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, a handful of fresh basil chopped, about 1 teaspoon of oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.  Also two eggs and about 1/2 cup of milk.  I also added a couples squirts of lime juice.  It should be a loose chunky batter.  

3.  Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.  We were out of veggie oil so I used a mixture of half peanut oil/half olive oil.  I didn't deep fry mine, just coated the bottom of the skillet with oil.

4.  Drop batter into hot oil and fry until browned on each side.  I flattened mine down a bit when they were cooking to make sure the middle gets done.

5.  Serve with plain yogurt or sour cream.  

How do you like your corn?

Reconnecting With Nature - 8.20.14

I am joining Chrisy at Living A Good North Coast Life for her "Reconnecting With Nature" series.  As we bloggers sit around connected to our computers, it is a great way to force us to step outside and maybe notice something new in the natural world or just appreciate something that we see every day.  Read more about the Reconnect with Nature - one photograph at a time idea here.

Yesterday we visited the local nature center in the early morning and had the place to ourselves.  We have been there three times over the summer - once in June, July, and now August.  It has been interesting to notice how things have changed over that period.  The milkweed that was just barely in bloom in June now has fully developed seed pods.  The cattails that were only knee high are now above our heads.  And the barn swallows that were nesting in the bird blind are no longer there, hopefully flying high above our heads.  Here are some sightings from this visit.

Early morning mist over Mt. Nittany.

Teasel in bloom.

I saw this caterpillar on the leaf, noticing that I saw the same kind on our back screen door last week.  Then I discovered the spider web on the underside of the leaf!  I am 95% certain it is a Hickory Tussock Moth Caterpillar, and coming into physical contact with the hairy barbs can cause irritation, swelling, and even nausea in some people.  Luckily I had told the little babe not to touch the hairy caterpillar, not because I knew it was poisonous at the time, but because bugs gross me out and so that is just my standard operating procedure!

Signs that Autumn is approaching.   Some trees are already dropping leaves.

Jewelweed.  It is named so because dew and raindrops will bead on the surface of the leaves, looking like tiny jewels.  It has a lot of medicinal uses.

Get out and enjoy the remaining days of Summer!  Only one month left!