Category: family

Birds of a Feather

Allow me to  introduce you to  purple finch mama and papa bird, and their three little eggs – all sitting about five feet from me on the lantern right outside my office window as I type this post.    If I have the species wrong, feel free to correct me.  They come back every year, a sure sign that Spring has arrived, regardless of whether the weather concurs.

 

Meanwhile.. out on the back porch – the chicks look more like chickens now… and will soon be moved out to a sectioned off part of the coop I’ve arranged for them until they are full grown and can be turned out with the rest of the flock.   They are quickly growing out of their two-box condo.

This past weekend we also put our first Horse show of the season in the books – It was a cold and mostly wet windy rainy weekend but K and Miss Leah did very well with their trail patterns which are no easy feat to memorize, let alone complete,  and although they didn’t place in their other classes, they completed them without major errors and Leah was so well behaved, I just love this good minded mare.  Proud of K for learning a new discipline so quickly and enjoying the process  and her horse regardless of the placing.  That’s what it’s all about.

One of the four days we saw the sun and with it, smiles everywhere…

 

Yesterday I brought the dogs down to Stella to plant some Zinnia in the tiny cottage garden and put the trash out for pick-up.  Grass cutting didn’t happen, too wet.   After chores  we went for a long walk exploring the “island”.   Although the skies were grey, there was plenty of Spring color…

Frasier is always the first of the season to go for a swim.

Meanwhile – back at Winterfell (if you’re a GOT fan but haven’t seen it yet, turn away)…. Holy cow – Season 8 Episode 3 – Winter finally arrived! And what a murky, epic battle – what we could see of it anyway.  All my favorites are still standing (Sigh of relief!) and  still so many questions – and more to come.   All I want to say about that.. is this…

 

More grey skies for the coming week – not sure we’ve ever seen so many rainy days strung together in a row.   The following picture is of our senior boys, Max 1 and Max 2, out grazing in the pasture this morning.  Time to go bring them back in.

 

I hope all is well in your world – and thank you for stopping in …

 

 

 

What’s cookin

Do you have plans for Easter weekend?  We’ve been so busy we haven’t given it much thought.  Because I’m more of a spiritual soul, this weekend isn’t typically about a religious celebration here at this old house. For me it’s a time to celebrate the renewal that comes with Spring, and spoil my now-adult kids with a basket full of “stuff” – They will still find the big chocolate bunny  and a few fluffy marshmallow peeps – and some summer clothing items and a kitchen gadget or two for their apartments, and something fun to remind them they were once my littles.

Speaking of my littles – my littlest – just celebrated his 23rd birthday – how.. did that happen?  How time flies…

Me and my guys….

My favorite “peeps” in all the world right here….

   For this weekend’s family gathering I’ll  cook a meal for whomever in the family doesn’t have other places they need to be.  On the menu for sure are a spiral ham, my very popular Martha’s Vineyard Scalloped Potatoes, given that name because we discovered the magnificently rich smokey flavor while at The Atlantic restaurant in Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard.  I asked the chef to please tell me the secret to these most divine scalloped potatoes – and the answer was quick – a little chicken broth, smoked gouda and gruyere cheese, heavy cream.  Slice the potatoes super thin.   I incorporated all those tips into a basic recipe and it’s been a staple on our Easter dinner table ever since.  The rest of my meal for this weekend has yet to be sorted out.

Two recipes I’ve tried in recent weeks were a big hit, so I’ll share them here with you.  Now that I’m on a no sugar no dairy diet, not eating some of what I cook for this weekend is going to be a real challenge.  I’m not big in the Willpower department, tis just my truth.

French Onion Chicken Meatballs –  these sound weird, but trust me…. they are THE BOMB.  Give them a go – fun to make, not complicated, and so freak’n delicious.  The recipe has been shared on many sites, I’m not sure who the original is to be acknowledged.

**I double the recipe, they’re good enough that you’ll wish you did too.  This is also my photo – I served them as a dinner with no extras, they’re hearty enough. Greens of your choice  on the side would be perfect.  You can of course serve wtih bread, pasta, or tuck them in a roll for a delicious meatball sandwich. 

Ingredients

For the Carmelized Onions

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 white onions (about 2 pounds), sliced 1/4″ thick
  • 1/4 dry white wine

For the Meatballs

  • 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
  • 1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Caramelize the Onions

  1. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions (the pan will be very full). Cook the onions, stirring them occasionally, for about an hour or until they have turned a light golden-blonde colored. At this point, turn the heat to medium-low and keep cooking them, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and a deep golden brown in color, approximately 30 to 40 minutes longer.
  2. Turn the heat back to medium and pour the wine into the pan with the onions. As it simmers, scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Once the wine has cooked away transfer the onions to a clean plate.

Make the Meatballs

  1. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, herbs, salt, pepper, and egg. Add the ground chicken and, using a wooden spoon or your hands, mix it with the breadcrumb and egg mixture just until combined.
  2. Scoop approximately one ounce of the mixture to form the meatballs. You should be able to make 16 meatballs.
  3. Once the onions are ready and you’ve removed them from the pan, add the olive oil to that same pan. Heat it over medium heat. Place the meatballs in a single layer and cook them until they are browned on all sides. Transfer them to a clean plate.

Make the Sauce

  1. In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk it with the butter until combined. Add about a 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and, whisking continuously, combine it with the butter and flour. As you whisk you should be scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
  2. Whisking continuously, add the rest of the chicken stock. Bring the pan to a boil and cook the sauce for about five minutes, or until it starts to thicken. Add the caramelized onions and stir to combine. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Add the meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking the sauce until it’s glossy and thickened about five to ten minutes.
  3. At this point, you can sprinkle the cheese over the meatballs and either cover the pan to melt the cheese or stick the pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes. Garnish the meatballs with parsley, if using.

These lemon brownies are so lemony good – a perfect dessert selection for any Easter table.   *this is not my photo – again internet grab. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE LEMON BROWNIES:

  • 1/2 cup salted butter (softened)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon  baking powder

FOR THE GLAZE:

  • 3/4  cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • zest of 1/2 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare an 8 x 8 pan by spraying with cooking spray or lining with foil, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the lemon juice. Add the flour and baking powder, and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out clean. Let lemon brownies cool for 10-15 minutes.
  • To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest, then pour over the brownies, spreading evenly to coat. Let lemon blondies cool completely before slicing and serving.

I hope you have an enjoyable Easter weekend  celebrating in the way that has most meaning for you –  I’m off to market once I’ve settled on the menu for the coming weekend.

Till soon –