This week, in our kitchen, I have...
:: fallen crazy-in-love with the hour before dinner spent in the garden seeing what's ready, gathering it, and planning what to have for dinner.
:: spent so much time blanching, freezing, pickling, canning and otherwise preserving the abundance.
:: felt grateful that the kitchen that kept us COLD in wintertime, is at least keeping us COOL in the summertime heat.
:: dreamt a little bit more about my someday-in-the-distant-future dream wood cook stove.
:: worked through the long-day, pre-dinner energy slump by trying to keep our summer meals simple. Roasted veggies over pasta. Roasted veggies over rice. Grilled veggies over greens. (You get the idea.)
:: walked out the door and gone for ice cream (for dinner!) when even "simple" feels like too much.
:: made, and loved, this popcorn variation a whole lot.
:: shelled a whole lot of peas.
:: eaten even more, whole and fresh off the plant.
:: said goodbye to peas and zucchini and hello to cucumbers and the early potatoes.
:: brought in the first tomato! And cut it six ways...
:: rung the dinner bell and seen my people coming running from five different directions.
:: listened to a whole lot of Beastie Boys, courtesy of my after-dinner clean up crew of boys (because when you're washing dishes, you choose the music, y'know?).
:: seen kale in the sink, at the cutting block, in the freezer, in the blender, in the oven, still in the garden, and definitely coming out of my ears.
:: made this yummy zucchini chocolate cake for my honey's birthday. Then made it again. And one more time. (It's good!)
:: remembered how much we love the easy and satisfying Blueberry Crisp in The Art of Simple Foods.
:: made our favorite pulled pork for the last time until winter.
:: made a lot of quick and easy "pizza" for lunch with dinner leftovers, over bread, inspired by a friend.
:: enjoyed fruit and veggie smoothies for lunch nearly every day (our 'recipe' is in The Rhythm of Family!)
It's a busy place, this kitchen of ours!
What's going on in YOUR kitchen this week?
