Culinary Adventures with Lori
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Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Spring turned into Summer
Spring was a busy time and it looks like Summer is going to be the same. Along with the extra work of gardening and taking care of everything outside we're working on a few home projects while also trying to find time for some fun. It's good to get it all done now though so I can hibernate in peace during the Winter.
We've already been enjoying so much of the seasonal foods this time of year brings. We've been eating so many BIG salads with fresh salad mixes. The snow peas, radishes and cucumbers have all been so amazing. We've had fried green tomatoes, BLT's and zucchini fries. That first BLT of the year is always so delicious. I love winter but Spring and Summer garden veggies have been missed.
I find that basil does better in pots than out in the herb garden. I always do two large pots so we have enough to eat fresh, to dehydrate and make pesto for the winter. I love fresh basil.
I dehydrated my first batch on Sunday and it filled a pint jar. By next weekend I should have enough for a batch of pesto and a tomato, basil pizza which is my favorite.
A friend of mine gave me a huge pot of hens and chickens to plant in the yard. This is a new to me variety and I think they're gorgeous. I also was given a dogwood start for Earth Day. I have it in a pot for now so that by Fall the roots will be much larger and then I'll plant it in the back yard.
Reading outside on the back patio is one my favorite things about summer. So far I've enjoyed The Little Giant of Aberdeen County and The Gilly Salt Sisters both by Tiffany Baker along with A Bakery in Paris by Aimie Runyan. All were very good but the last was a 10 for me. The story, characters and the writing were captivating.
Meals have been on the simple side. We've been mainly cooking on the grill or having Big salads and more veggie focused light meals. Tonight I'm doing poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, onions and ground lamb over rice because I've been craving them for a few weeks.
I've decided to go back to soy candles and found this one that smells heavenly. Who doesn't like caramelized praline? I think the soy candles just burn a lot cleaner.
I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying Summer (or winter for some of you). I'll leave you with a cute picture I snapped of Binx, who always brings a smile. My boy is all grown up.
Monday, June 16, 2025
Thursday, June 5, 2025
Mary's Amish White Bread Recipe
In Sunday's post I mentioned the amazing sandwich I picked up from this cute Farm Market a few weeks ago. I told the owner, that this was the most delicious white sandwich bread I had ever tasted. So we started talking about breads, dough, etc. I told her I made all of our breads and I was very happy with them all except the sandwich bread recipes I had tried which were good but not amazing. We finished our conversation and right before I left she handed me a piece of paper with her recipe for the bread. How sweet was that?
It's funny how food can bring people together isn't it?
I tried her recipe two days later and it tasted exactly like the one she made and TBG loved it. I've made it twice now and it's safe to say this is our new go to sandwich bread.
Ingredients:
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Happy 3rd Gotcha Day Binx
Three years ago today we brought Binx into our lives. You can read about that here.
https://culinaryadventureswithlori.blogspot.com/2022/06/things-that-make-me-smile.html
He's all grown up now but still the same strong willed, curious, smart, full of energy creature we have loved since day one.
Sunday, June 1, 2025
What happened to May?
It's June 1st! May was a busy month with projects, my birthday (chapter 58), two graduations, Memorial Day weekend and 9 glorious days off of work. 😉 This post is my brain and camera dump of it all.
A few weeks ago, we had a bunny have babies in our yard behind the shed. It was the cutest thing seeing these two tiny little creatures running around our yard. They have gone off on their own now, I think, but the mom is staying put. All of the houses around us have dogs so she is a pretty smart bunny. We can be outside, and she isn't afraid of us at all. This is her enjoying free time laying out under the old red bud. She stays under there for hours. I think it is a good shelter away from hawks.
This bush is one of my favorites and I don't even know what it is. It always blooms in the middle of May. The blossoms smell so divine, and the bees just love it. Bonus points if you know what kind of a bush this is.
The farmers market opened up, so we've been enjoying springs snap peas, radishes and lettuce. It was so good to see my favorite farmer. We talked about the cold, wet winter and spring. He was also selling flower baskets, and they were all so gorgeous, so one had to come home with me.
In my last post I told you about the Commons that opened up in our downtown area. They had a grand opening, and this was a photo taken of the area from a drone. It's really a great addition to our town.
I've spent quite a bit of time sitting outside reading. I've read Love, Loss and What We Ate by Padma Laksmi. The Little Giant of Aberdeen County and The Gilly Salt Sisters both by Tiffany Baker. All three were really good books that I enjoyed. Yesterday I started Keeper and Kid by Edward Hardy and I'm enjoying it too.
Monday, May 12, 2025
My Weekly W's
What's top of my mind: I have loved the downtown areas in every city I have ever lived in and have so many memories from them all. Where we live now has really evolved over the last few years. We have a number of good restaurants and shops. The library is there. TBG's Tae kwon do school is there. A number of weekly, monthly and yearly festivals go on there also. Now the city took a large vacant area in the middle and made a gorgeous green space with lots of seating, swings and picnic tables. It is a great place to hang out during some of the festivals or to just relax and enjoy. They had an Easter egg hunt there this year and it was so cute to see so many children running around. I think it is a great addition to our town.
Where I've been: Wednesday I had a dentist appointment for a cleaning. All is good except the two back bottom molars that need to come out soon that I've known about. We went to a grand opening of a furniture restoration business that a couple we know opened. They do beautiful work, and the store front is very pretty. Saturday there was a recycling event, so got rid of a few old electronics, went and picked up soil for the gardens and then had a nice lunch at the local BBQ place. The rest of the day and most of Sunday was spent outside working in the yard and on the gardens. I have a couple of more things to plant (and pick up) and then we're done. It all looks so nice. I'll get pictures soon.
Where I'm going: We have a high school graduation to go to Saturday. I also want to stop by the orchard to pick up a flowering basket of some kind and a few more things. They beat the box store prices and products by a mile.
What I'm watching: We watched Nonna's on Netflix and really enjoyed it. His lifetime experiences with food are the same as mine so I really felt his story and what he wanted to do. The 'real' guy that started Nonna's has a cameo in the movie so I'm glad I had seen a previous story on the movie to recognize him.
What I'm reading: Little French Bistro by Nina George and I LOVED it. From the NY Times, "this is an extraordinary novel about self-discovery and new beginnings." Her writing really puts a picture in your mind of the places and characters. For me to make time to read a book in a few days tells you just how good it is. It was an unpredictable, heartwarming story.
What's making me smile: This may sound funny to some but checking things off my to do list really makes me smile. It's good to be able to look back and see what you've accomplished. Even the little things feel so good to get checked off the list.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week!!
Thursday, May 8, 2025
Things That Make Me Smile
This picture popped up in my FB memories today from probably 12 years ago. Some of you know my Mom has had severe dementia for the past 5-6 years. Like many mothers and daughters, our relationship was 'complicated'. But through it all, I can still see pictures like this and smile.
Saturday, May 3, 2025
My Weekly W's
Asparagus season has arrived here, and we've been enjoying it so many ways. We do love it roasted but if you haven't tried it fried, you really should. It takes it to a different level. Culinary Adventures with Lori: My Week and the April A-Z Challenge
Add some cheese, chicken and/or hardboiled eggs and all of these veggies made 6 really good size salads. We both also eat a lot of various salads for our lunches.
Last night when we were leaving the downtown area, TBG wanted to stop at the Elk's for their Friday chicken bucket special. It was delicious as always and so much food so we're having the leftovers tonight.
Saturday, April 19, 2025
My Weekly W's
Sunday, April 13, 2025
My Weekly W's
Where I've been: We went to Market Days downtown yesterday after breakfast. The weather was gorgeous, and it was so nice to sit on one of the park swings and just relax a bit after walking around all of the shops and vendors. I'll take pictures next time because this new Commons area is really cool. I picked up a few things from Kingdom Seasonings and did find a cute mat for the front door from a vendor. It looks just like Binx.
Sunday, March 30, 2025
My Weekly W's and a Crock Pot chicken taco recipe
What's top of my mind: The moon phases. I have three steno notebooks that were my maternal Grandmothers. 90% are filled with recipes but there is the odd list or notes that she wrote. I found two pages that talk about the moon. "The moons gravitational pull causes predictable rises and falls in sea levels. Our bodies, being primarily water, also benefit from the phases of the moon. To feel more inspired and productive we need to align our energies with the phases of the moon" She taught me to garden by the moon phases and I always do. But I don't remember much about the effects on us when the moon is waxing, waning and full. I will say that I've been extremely productive this week and that is the stage the moon is now, so I've decided to keep notes in my journal to see if there really is a connection.
Where I've been: Stopped at Kroger one afternoon for fresh veggies and a couple other items. I dropped off a few recently released books that I have finished to the library. And we had a game night with friends. Everyone brought delicious appetizer types of food, and we had a great time.
Where I'm going: We have a benefit to attend on Friday here in town. Sunday is our 35th wedding anniversary and we are planning a short road trip to Evansville on Saturday if the weather cooperates.
What I'm watching: Spring has really sprung over the last two weeks. The forsythia is now starting to green a bit but still has a lot of yellow. Our tulip tree is in full bloom. When we bought this house, it was maybe 4 feet tall. It has grown a LOT since then. It is one of my favorites.
What I'm reading: Sadly, I haven't read much the last two weeks. Summer is coming though so my to be read stack is waiting for days on the patio in the sun.