Finally – the Rhubarb…not a lot but I think enough for a small batch of Rhubarb Chutney.
Cool cat.
VERY cool cat!
Cool and relaxed Bear!
Crackers.
Rosemary Garlic Crackers.
Yum.
Week End.
The army has nothing on us…
The U.S. Army slogan – or at least it was: “We get more done by 9 a.m. than most people do all day”.
Here at la Casa Summers, we are NOT most people.
Plus, at Latitude 48 North, sunrise is now before 6:00 a.m. It is light by 5:00 a.m. The birdies are singing about 4:45.
I’ve always been a morning person, but in the summer I get going even earlier. Auggie is right with this program as he’s ready to go as soon as he hears the birds!
Bear has no objections either.
Wild strawberry on this morning (Wednesday).
Sticky shooting star – not many of these in my woods and it is always fun to find one!
Auggie, in the morning sunshine…looking very serious!
Auggie’s legs are fluffy down to the “knee” and then the hair is short to his feet. I laugh every time he trots ahead of me as with his tail in the air: his fluffy behind and upper legs with the close haired lower legs – it makes him look like he’s wearing pantaloons.
Bear’s turn to be serious and he did it very well. A herd of 6-8 deer ran near the west property line and out onto the state land. I asked Bear to “Leave it”. He didn’t want to, but he did. Good Boy!
Meanwhile that boule was baking, the dough for the tortillas was resting and post walk the tortillas were made as well as my breakfast of a fresh tortilla stuffed with black beans and cheddar – topped with tomatillo salsa and a side of fresh pineapple.
It was 8:09.
I ate my breakfast at the island in morning sunshine and was at my desk by 8:30 a.m.
Bear and Auggie were having morning naps.
The army has nothing on us!
Salud!
Yes, a rainy, gray Cinco de Mayo…
But, there were sun breaks now and again – YEA!
And I had Mexican food all day long ending with a bowl of halibut enchiladas verde, rice, beans and guacamole for my supper. Every single bite was homemade from the verde (tomatilla sauce) to the corn tortillas to the quacamole, rice (turmeric, cayenne & cumin spiced) and pinquitos. Halibut from Vital Choice (www.vitalchoice.com).
And then, dessert…
Pineapple, mango and orange popsicles.
YES – popsicles!
I’ve been enjoying these Outshine bars.
I like frozen bars/popsicles at night when I’m feeling thirsty/hungry and often too warm … it is zee hot flashes still!!!
Popsicles are my favorite “cure”.
And while the Outshine bars ingredients are not horrible, the list is still longer than my homemade version…
My ingredient list: Pineapple, mango, orange juice (fresh squeezed).
That’s it. No added sugar or other sweetener. Add the fruit to the Vitamix, blend, pour in the molds, then freeze.
Salud!
We’re all from Mexico on Cinco de Mayo!
Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of a Mexican (state of Puebla) victory over the French… a while ago.
In the Western U.S. at least, it is celebrated – I think partly because there is a large population from Mexico as well as …HEY! – its a party and it involves margaritas and Mexican food and beer. YAY!
I am all for it.
And, I am ready.
Mint. Newly available “live” just like the basil. It doesn’t have anything to do with Cinco de Mayo but I found it gathering the other stuff and it is so PRETTY on the window sill.
O Corona! I did not buy tequila for margaritas as I LOVE tequila and I love it a little too well to have it around during the work week.
I like Corona. And I found limes for only 68 cents!!! – they have been over a $1.00 lately. Corona and limes.
I like Corona and lime but I can behave with it.
It might change, but my Cinco de Mayo week menu includes fish tacos with mango-pineapple salsa, fish enchiladas verde and a LOT of guacamole.
I don’t think the rhubarb is going to make Cinco de Mayo, but it is doing well!
Lily of the Valley!
Lilac buds.
Happy Day before Cinco de Mayo!
Homemade Mozzarella
It was a beautiful morning with the sun coming up over the mountains and shining through the woods…the woods that is getting greener by the minute.
That itty bitty white patch is the last of the large snow pile and I am fairly sure it will be gone by this afternoon.
For the last week and a half I’ve been on a big push to finish a work project that was due last Friday. I finished about 2 p.m. yesterday – Monday. Yes, late. But, all is well. It has been intense, though and so this morning, before starting on another task, I decided to have some fun and make fresh, homemade mozzarella.
I’ve made ricotta (EASY!) and watched some videos about making mozzarella but it wasn’t until seeing the step-by-step photos and seeing the “only takes 20 minutes” in this post: Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn, that I decided to give it a try.
A beautiful morning…with the sun pouring into my kitchen…perfect for a try at something new and fun!
The ingredient list is short: milk, water, citric acid, rennet and salt. I bought the citric acid and rennet from Amazon. The article also contains links to online cheesemaking supply stores.
The method is short and simple … and it did only take 20 minutes!
The post has complete details but the short version is:
Cook the milk with the citric acid and then the rennet.
The curds (white chunks) separate from the whey (yellow liquid).
Cook the curds, drain the whey and then knead and stretch into mozzarella.
Curds and whey! Bear LOVES, LOVES, LOVES whey and it is good for him. I give him some, put some in my smoothies and it is also good for plants so the lilac bushes get some. Everyone is happy!
The curds are at temperature…
Drain the whey from the curds and then they are ready to be stretched and kneaded…
And suddenly you have mozzarella!
Homemade mozzarella.
I did a melt test and it does just as well, if not a bit better than the store bought fresh mozzarella.
So much fun, so easy and so quick – Happy Tuesday!