Have I mentioned I am ready for Fall?
The planets have shifted or something...I have always been a summer girl. I would stare at the calendar willing June to arrive. I spent the summer in a swim suit, swimming, canoeing, camping, bonfires, margaritas...you get the drift.
But for the past few years I have been over summer by July, and long for the crisp days of Autumn.
I love warm soups, breads, apples, snuggling under a blanket with a good book and cup of tea. I love the rain, the gray.
Maybe it's because it reminds me of coastal Oregon. Maybe it's because I haven't done the mentioned activities since having the pollywog, maybe it's because I no longer bake my skin in the sun, or maybe it's because no one wants me living in my swimsuit around here :0...
So with the season change, just around the corner...I am cleaning, clearing (again), planning and organizing.
However, this week I plan to be more present in these tail end days of summer.
We are gonna spend time outside sweating and preferably in water.
We are planning a small vacation just before school starts and we are all looking forward to that- we haven't been anywhere this summer.
We are going to eat fruit salads, BBQ, have sleepovers and I might just get me a Margarita...
Now I have just got to get this brain of mine out of cool weather plans...but oooooo I can't wait to go camping when the leaves are painted red, orange and yellow...and the streams smell of wet rocks and sky...and I love hiking in the fall and winter!!! and now that pollywog is older and happens to LOVE being outside, we are gonna have a blast.
I leave you with the bestest Minestrone soup recipe... my dearest made it tonight.
Literally, I have not had soup this good. The flavors were so rich but light. This one is definitely going in the B&B box of recipes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Minestrone Soup
3 TB olive oil 1 large onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery chopped 2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp each dry rosemary, oregano and thyme
1/4 cup peral barley, rinsed and drained
2 med. thin skinned potatoes, diced
2 large carrots diced 2 quarts homemade or canned veg. broth
1 large turnip peeled and diced
1 can red kidney beans
2/3 cup small dry shell macroni
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded parm
Heat oil in 5-6 qt pan over med heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring often, till onions are soft (8-10 min) Add barley, potatoes, carrots, and broth. Increase heat to high and bring to boil; reduce heat, cover, boil gently for 20 min.
Add turnip, cover and continue to cook for 20 more minutes. Stir in beans and their liquid, macaroni, and tomato paste. Increase heat to high and bring to boil till macaroni is tender (about 12-15 min) Add cabbage and cook uncovered, till cabbage is tender-crisp (5 min.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with cheese!
...I pity the fool who doesn't enjoy this soup...
Have I mentioned I am ready for Fall?
The planets have shifted or something...I have always been a summer girl. I would stare at the calendar willing June to arrive. I spent the summer in a swim suit, swimming, canoeing, camping, bonfires, margaritas...you get the drift.
But for the past few years I have been over summer by July, and long for the crisp days of Autumn.
I love warm soups, breads, apples, snuggling under a blanket with a good book and cup of tea. I love the rain, the gray.
Maybe it's because it reminds me of coastal Oregon. Maybe it's because I haven't done the mentioned activities since having the pollywog, maybe it's because I no longer bake my skin in the sun, or maybe it's because no one wants me living in my swimsuit around here :0...
So with the season change, just around the corner...I am cleaning, clearing (again), planning and organizing.
However, this week I plan to be more present in these tail end days of summer.
We are gonna spend time outside sweating and preferably in water.
We are planning a small vacation just before school starts and we are all looking forward to that- we haven't been anywhere this summer.
We are going to eat fruit salads, BBQ, have sleepovers and I might just get me a Margarita...
Now I have just got to get this brain of mine out of cool weather plans...but oooooo I can't wait to go camping when the leaves are painted red, orange and yellow...and the streams smell of wet rocks and sky...and I love hiking in the fall and winter!!! and now that pollywog is older and happens to LOVE being outside, we are gonna have a blast.
I leave you with the bestest Minestrone soup recipe... my dearest made it tonight.
Literally, I have not had soup this good. The flavors were so rich but light. This one is definitely going in the B&B box of recipes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Minestrone Soup
3 TB olive oil 1 large onion, chopped
1 large stalk celery chopped 2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp each dry rosemary, oregano and thyme
1/4 cup peral barley, rinsed and drained
2 med. thin skinned potatoes, diced
2 large carrots diced 2 quarts homemade or canned veg. broth
1 large turnip peeled and diced
1 can red kidney beans
2/3 cup small dry shell macroni
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups shredded parm
Heat oil in 5-6 qt pan over med heat. Add onion, celery, garlic, basil, rosemary, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring often, till onions are soft (8-10 min) Add barley, potatoes, carrots, and broth. Increase heat to high and bring to boil; reduce heat, cover, boil gently for 20 min.
Add turnip, cover and continue to cook for 20 more minutes. Stir in beans and their liquid, macaroni, and tomato paste. Increase heat to high and bring to boil till macaroni is tender (about 12-15 min) Add cabbage and cook uncovered, till cabbage is tender-crisp (5 min.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with cheese!
...I pity the fool who doesn't enjoy this soup...
