Pretty as a Peacock

And proud as one too.

The fanciest resident of the petting zoo we frequent. And yes, the ladies were definitely impressed.

Chad the Container Car

American country cousin to Thomas the Tank Engine.

Hanging out in Bloomer, Wisconsin.

Looks like he's got a mischievous streak. 

And possible gang affiliations. 

We'll be looking for the episode in which he goes to visit his posh relatives.

Trouble, or at the least hi-jinx are likely to ensue.

Tomato Days

So many tomatoes! 

If only we could spread the bounty of the Wisconsin garden out through the year to have real, homegrown tomatoes instead of the pallid impostors passed of as tomatoes at the grocery store in the winter months.

But we can't, so all-you-can-eat BLTs, puttanesca sauce, caprese salad, and salsa are on the menu everyday, several times a day, in tomato season.

And to add to the wonderful experience is the annual reminisce that comes with pulling out a recipe card written in the hand of the giver. 

In this case, Tammy. 

Here is her salsa recipe with adaptations for a smaller quantity. We don't have a many friends as she does. Her recipe would feed a very large group. Ours is just right for a family weekend.

Tammy’s Salsa

4 cups fresh tomatoes (can use part canned tomatoes)

Cilantro to your taste (1/4 bunch)

1/3 large or ½ medium onion

1-3 mild jalapeno peppers, seeded (or more, or some hot ones if you like heat)

1/8 cup (1 ounce) lime juice

1/8 cup (1 ounce) vinegar

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

½ teaspoon each salt and sugar

Chop finely or pulse in food processor.

Serve with chips (and margaritas if you are lucky).

This is pretty spicy stuff for a pastor's wife. We are going to send her some recipes from our church lady cookbook for times when canned soup combos are called for. Although we would never want to quash her spirit, culinary or otherwise, salsa as a funeral potluck offering might make some tongues wag, and burn! Tater tot hot-dish might put out more than one kind of fire.

Best of luck in your new role, Tammy. We're on stand-by with Jello recipes if you need inspiration.

Free Puppies!

Remember the bromeliad? 

She's quite the champ. Here is her fifth pup.

Going to a new home now that it is weaned.

We wouldn't blame her if she retired from the whelping biz, but it has been fun dividing and sharing her offspring.

Will there be more?

If NDL was a Bunny

This is the pattern of dishes she would eat off of exclusively. This is a serving platter.

Clover. From the '70s. 

By this company.

Would look great with a composed salad on top. And a ring of bunnies around it sharing lunch. 

Berries with a Chance of Bears

The Up North young people discovered a beautiful blueberry patch. Easily accessible, and bordering a lovely woods with just the right amount of potential for bears to come out and join in the picking. A hint of danger makes one pick faster so a pail was filled in no time at all. Let the baking commence!

 

We heard once that the average number of recipes that people use from a cookbook is three. Seems low, but realistic given that there is only one recipe we consistently use from The Berry Cookbook. T'would be a shame to tear out just that page, so here it is in our digital recipe record for when that cookbook finally winds up in the thrift sale pile. We give you:

Bessie’s Brown Sugar Blueberry Muffins

From The Berry Cookbook - Carol Katz

Makes one dozen

1 ½ c. sifted flour

¼ t. salt

1 T. baking powder

1 egg, well beaten

¾ c. loosely packed light brown sugar

½ c. milk

1 T. melted butter or margarine

1 ½ c. blueberries, well drained after washing and dredged in a little flour

Preheat the oven to 425F. Grease a muffin tin.Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Combine the egg, brown sugar, milk, and butter, then mix into the dry ingredients.  

Stir with a fork until the mixture is moist but still lumpy. Fold in the blueberries.

Fill the greased muffin tins two-thirds full and bake for 15 minutes, or until done.

Please note:

Very little fat is used. 

We have substituted orange juice for the milk with good results. 

If you do not have a blueberry patch nearby, grocery store berries work just fine too.

Enjoy!