first of the season...

This weekend was one of firsts, first of the season that is!

We traveled to Estes Park, Glacier Basin for our first camping trip of the season. It was SO windy so we cut our trip short by one night but had a lot of fun with Kevin's family anyways. All our pictures that Kevin took are on his mom's camera, so we might post some later on.

We also found our first produce from our garden. Two very small yummy strawberries. We have three plants of strawberries and there are about 10 more berries to come very soon. These first two were a nice welcome home from camping surprise!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend. Now off to a BBQ with friends and then jumping in the pool!

Friday: What's Cooking In The Kitchen...

At 6:30 this morning it was already 65 degrees here. Today we are supposed to reach 85! So thankful they opened the pool yesterday and that the kids are still in school for one more week!

This week in the kitchen I am preparing food for our camping trip. I like to have everything pre-washed and chopped in containers so that we just pull out and cook over the fire. Makes life so much easier and means I don't have to pack my wonderful CUTCO knives! I use Ziplock twist seal containers because they seal tightly and I don't have to worry about water leaking into our food when the ice starts to melt in the cooler. I buy them at the beginning of the summer and use all summer long for our trips!

Our meal list this weekend looks like this:

* side note* we use a combination of the fire/griddle and a camp stove with propane

Saturday Breakfast: we will make bagel, egg, cheese, sandwiches at home and take coffee/tea in our travel mugs for the road

Saturday Lunch: Subway in Estes Park as we meet up with Kevin's family

Saturday Dinner: Walking Tacos - cook the ground beef as you would for tacos, chopped tomatoes, salsa, lettuce, hot sauce, cheese then take these ingredients and add to an individual chip bag (we like doritos or fritos, crush them some in the bag before opening). Eat dinner right out of the bag! This is great for a no mess lean up and so easy for all age groups.

Saturday Dessert: Smores! classic :)

Sunday Breakfast: pancakes and bacon - even better when camping!

Sunday Lunch: Hotdogs - Chips - Carrots and Ranch (pretty traditional camp food)

Sunday Dinner: Hobo Dinners - lay out a piece of foil and place your choice of meat (steak) with any veggies you love (carrots, mushrooms, squash, onions, peppers, potatoes, garlic) add some butter, salt, and pepper then wrap up tightly in the foil (we wrap ours up three times). Place directly into the hot coals of the fire and let cook for about 30 mins. AMAZING!

Monday Brunch: Potatoes, Eggs, and Bacon (kevin's family tradition)

So with all these veggies I am in the kitchen chopping away. Hoping to also get some Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins done and Chocolate Chip Cookies before it gets too hot outside.

Can't wait for lunch today with Kevin... it will be spent in the pool!!!

Hope everyone has a relaxing and fun Memorial Day Weekend!

Friday: What's Cooking In The Kitchen...

Today finally feels like spring. It is beautiful outside with 65-70 degree sunny weather. The lawn is being mowed and they are pulling off the pool cover to open for the summer!

I had a wonderful conversation with my mom this morning; over an hour long. It made me miss home. I am craving homemade bread with cheese from middlebury. I also wanted Amish Peanut Butter so I made some. YUM! Last Christmas I taught Kevin how to make it and we made some for his mom and her boyfriend Rob. They loved it and have been asking about it. If Kevin doesn't eat all of it this week we will have some to share with them while we go camping for Memorial Day!

For lunch I made Gyros. Sunflower Market had the meat, sauce, and pitas all on sale. I heat up the meat with some sauted chopped onions and slice some cucumber very thin to add to the pita! Perfect for a beautiful day. They remind me of summer time in Indiana at the fair. My dad always ate them a couple times during that week.

I was going to make chocolate chip banana muffins and choc chip cookies at Kevin's request but it is just too nice of a day to be running the oven. Maybe tomorrow or one evening this week. Sorry babe!

Now I am off to have ice tea with a long time friend and hear about all her wonderful travels she has been on this past year! Can't wait!

happy 3rd anniversary to the BEST husband in the world! thanks for being an amazing man of integrity and honor. it is a privilege that i never take forgranted that you are my best friend and husband.

Friday: What's Cooking In The Kitchen...

Kevin is always challenging me to relax. I have a really hard time sitting still relaxing on my day off work. I come up with this big agenda and feel so accomplished when I cross it all off. Last week I did better at his challenge. This week I am trying again. I slept till 9:15, that is huge right?

Well today in the kitchen:

1. Homemade Croutons - i make this a lot, because we eat a lot of salad!

2. Pita Chips - i have some old pita pockets that I just sliced into triangles, added a little EVOO and garlic salt and am baking at the same time as the croutons. These will go great with the leftover hummus we have!

3. Garlic Mashed Potatoes - Crockpot Style: peel and roughly chop potatoes place in crockpot and add water, just enough to cover potatoes. peel garlic and add whole cloves. we love garlic so i add about 1 clove per two potatoes. salt and pepper then cook on high for 6 hours, low for 10 (depending on how long you are gone for the day!) when potatoes are soft drain water if there is any then mash and add butter and sour cream serve! we also like to sometimes add cheese, bacon, etc to add some fun.

* i make enough for mashed potatoes one night and shepherds pie another night * YUM

That is about it, another slower day in the kitchen. It is too nice outside to be in there too long! Time to go carry all my plants outside. We did survive the snow, if you even call that snow! Even my uncovered marigolds did great!

Tonight: date night at Tattered Cover! after we eat those garlic mashed potatoes of course :)

snow.

hope you enjoy our garden update and pictures.

another update... it is going to snow tonight.

when we checked the weather on saturday morning it said just low of 40's and rain.

thanks colorado.

garden.

Growing up my parents always had a garden and I remember them working on it together. Dad did the tilling, helped with planting, etc. Mom planted and picked and roped me into helping often against my will. Well here is another time that I am thankful that my mom pulled me into something I didn't see any point in doing.

I remember my parents living "green" before it became popular. Shopping at our one and only (still to this day) all natural food store in town and growing most of our vegetables, even some fruit. They were and are resourceful people. Something I am so proud and honored that they instilled in me.

When Kevin and I looked for a place to live we had on the top of our list a place to have a garden. I wanted just something small to experiment and get started with. Last year was our first attempt and it turned out great! So much fun and quality time together was had. This year we hope to do the same.

We did our first planting indoors and also found

some organic starters on freecycle . On saturday we transplanted outdoors and are ready to go. Kevin found organic potting soil at Big Lots for $8.00 a bag, such a steal! We needed some because our soil in our garden patch is very clay like and not garden friendly.

This year we planted

* tomatoes

* sweet peppers

* hot peppers

* onions

* cilantro

* broccoli

* squash

* strawberries

* wild flowers

* zinnas

* african daisy

* geraniums

* marigolds

My parents are hard honest work

ers. They are amazing. Both of them did everything to provide the best for my sister and I growing up; and still working hard as they continue to provide a strong foundation for us to model our marriage after and our work ethic. Our garden is for us to in enjoy but also in their honor. Thanks mom and dad for teaching me the importance of spending time together and for teaching us to love each other as you two do.

friday: What's Cooking In The Kitchen...

I have been sick for weeks. I am now sick of being sick.

UGH.

Could always be worse though. It is to be expected working with kids, specially the small ones.

They carry EVERYTHING!

I am convinced it is a mix between a head cold and allergies. Which means, if I am right it will be gone in two weeks. Press On.

I am trying to relax today after having a VERY busy week with evening plans every night However I want to get some prep done for meals/snacks this week. Thankfully this week is cooking club and that knocks out three dinners/lunches right there!

In The Kitchen:

1. Apple Chips: dehydrating apples for kevin's snack this week, started them last night and they are still going, being that they take about 24 hours

2. Homemade Salsa: chop tomatoes, jalapeno (leave seeds for more spice, remove for mild flavor), onion, garlic, cilantro, juice from a lemon or lime, salt, pepper, cumin - refridge overnight to let flavors blend

3. Pizza Sauce: we make homemade pizza every sunday together, we don't often use a tomato base sauce but I like to have some frozen and on hand in case we decide to use it. I just chop tomatoes in big chunks cook on med heat until soft, add fresh basil and garlic with a little olive oil (extra virgin) and mash with a potato masher until it is a nice consistency. Makes a great pasta sauce as well.

4. Kale with White Beans and Garlic: I am making this for my dish for cooking club this week. I am hosting and our theme is "beans" Check out our blog (again) for the recipe

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Happy Mother's Day Mom, love you so much and wish we lived closer. Looking forward to our time together in October!