YUM YUM YUM

Yesterday I tried a new recipe for zucchini tots.  They were yummy and extremely popular!  Luckily I doubled the recipe because the whole family every last one of them!!!

It is a new recipe to use our garden zucchini and I will definitely make them again.

Find the recipe here:
http://www.emilybites.com/2012/05/zucchini-tots.html


Sean ate FIVE, I had to cut him off!!!  Dear Sweet Hubby ate all ELEVEN that were left when he got home late; I was hoping for a couple leftover.  Lesson learned, hide a stash!!

Pickles Anyone?

Yesterday Josh brought in a huge basket of cucumbers from the garden.  Obviously it was WAY MORE than we could possibly eat.  So it was time to make pickles.  The last time I did this several years ago they turned out very salty.  Hopefully this new recipe turns out better.

It all started with a big basket of cucumbers.

I am so LOVING the new sink, especially the colander attachment

for rinsing the brine off the cucumbers.

Bringing them to a boil in the vinegar water.

Safely sealing/preserving the jars.

One quart of dill pickles.

The total lot....four quarts and six pints.

The whole process began yesterday afternoon and I just finished late this morning.  AND I did not even use all the cucumbers.  I probably could have gotten another six quarts or so, but frankly I don't have the time right now to do more.  I'll save the jars for when the tomatoes come in....I predict canning a lot of salsa and marinara!  In the meantime our contractor is enjoying a lot of cucumbers!

If you look closely in the photo there are two different kinds.  Most of them are rather thin cucumbers.  I used the ceramic hand slicer at the thickest setting.  Turns out maybe it wasn't quite thick enough.  So the last two quarts I did today I dug out the mandolin from storage and got some thicker ones.  We'll find out in six weeks if they turned out!

New Granite!

Last week we finally got our new granite counter tops installed.  The result it absolutely wonderful.  We love the granite we picked  out and our contractor was great.

In addition to the new counters we of course also have a new sink and faucet and disposal.  I am enjoying EVERYTHING!!!  I love my big sink.  It is so much easier to wash pots and pans now.  I will really be testing it out later today too, canning pickles!

We are waiting for the new stools (on back order) for the raised bar.  We will soon have four new tall stools.  The boys all look forward to that.  Right now they can't sit at the bar for snacks which is driving them nuts!!!

Close up of the counter, plus all the cucumbers I need to pickle!! 

More on the pickles later.

We just ordered five tile samples for the backsplash.  Hopefully we will pick one and get it up soon.  New stainless appliances would look great with the counters too.  All in good time....the garage work started the same day as the counters so our time and money are otherwise tied up now!

Weekend Fun

We are all enjoying our three day holiday weekend.  Jack and Ewan are enjoying having the freedom to pick out their cloths.  My favorite is Ewan with his socks hiked up and his hiking boots on!!!  Jack is happy to have his work gloves on!

Sean is not even dressed yet, but he insisted on being in the photo.

The boys also enjoyed their first Drumstick after riding their bikes through the neighborhood tonight (hills and all).



Flashback Friday - May 2011

Catching Up

Lately I have hardly had time to breathe.  So here I am catching up.  There are several posts so be sure to check them all. 

Emmie M, I have not forgotten you.  I still plan on getting close ups of the boys (Jack's lip finally looks better).  So here is a sneak peek just for you.

Your Palmetto Family.....

Bountiful Garden

These past two weekends I have spent my mornings weeding the garden.  I think this year I have spend more time in the garden than all years combined!!!  The weather has been unusually comfortable (other than the bugs of course).  Just one more row to weed and it will be done, except for of course the regular upkeep.  We have just been so crazy busy hectic to keep up with it that the weeds got way out of control.

This has been our most successful garden too.  We enjoyed the early asparagus, lettuces, herbs (the thyme is out of control).  Right now it is zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage, napa cabbage, kale, yellow squash and kohlrabi.  The tomatoes are crazy big and growing, not ripe yet.  We have our own pumpkin patch with baby white and orange pumpkins, gourds, big pumpkins, baking pumpkins....  Hopefully they stay good until the fall!

The peanuts did not take, nor did the peppers.  Carrots are questionable.

Baby pumpkin

Baby white pumpkins

Gourds

Gourd

Cannot wait for this butternut squash

Kohlrabi

Herb garden in front of the garden (plus flowers and weeds)

Look at all those lush green veggies!!!

The tomatoes are the tall ones in back

Most Wonderful Time of the Year

This is truly the most wonderful time of the year.  The hydrangeas are in bloom, the gardenias smell wonderful, the flowers are blooming and I can fill the house with beautiful vases, the garden is superb, we can play outside....

Balsamic chicken with thyme from the garden, zucchini from the garden.

Sean enjoying the first cucumber from the garden!!

This weekend's harvest of zucchini, yellow squash, kohlrabi and lettuce.

Lettuce wraps with garden lettuce and kohlrabi.

YUMMY!!  Notice the flowers too?!

Yummy fillings for the wraps.

Jack insisted on having his photo taken too!

New Water Table

Yesterday I finally had a chance to put together the boys' new water table/ship (been too rainy and muddy lately).  They had great fun with it, despite the missing pieces (most important one, the mast/flag and motor). 

Three Little Pigs

Loving their popcorn!!!

Hello Neighbor

Last weekend we found this fellow in the backyard.  It started out funny.  Jack was telling his Daddy about how he and I saw a snake in the yard.  Josh asked if this was true.  I said sure.  After all, we have seen a few small garden snakes.

Jack took Daddy to  the spot he said we had seen the snake and this big fellow was there.  No, I have not seen this BIG snake before!!

Hope you will still visit us Emmie M!!!!

Flashback Friday - August 2008, Glacier National Park, Montana

Ah, family hikes with Jack and pregnant with Ewan.  Such fun times, especially the cold weather in the summer!!

Flashback Friday - Beaufort, SC May 2009

One of my favorite airshow pictures of Jack.