My Weekly W's

What's top of my mind:  My community.  I really do love it here and I wasn't quite so sure I would when we moved here 20 years ago since I had never lived in a small town before.  One of the best things about this area is the number of farmers, gardeners and people that make and sell local products.  Roadside stands are still a thing here, but they are evolving quickly.  We have so many farms that you can visit to buy local items and visit with all of the animals.  Sheds and small buildings are being converted into self-serve stores.  Not only do I love the local products, but I love supporting local families and getting to know them as friends.  Here are a few photos of one of the newest 'shops.'  She sells dozens of different baked goods, canned goods, mixes and more.  I really love this option for our town.

Where I've been:  Monday-Wednesday I worked.  Thursday was dentist day.  That was not fun at all, and I hope to never have to do that again.  I have to say the actual pain was very minimal, but the sound of roots and bones and loud pops was way too much for me.  Friday, I did feel well enough that we went to the farmers market and stopped by the bakery.  No road trip today though since checking out a new BBQ place is on the agenda and I'm not up for that yet.

Where I'm going:  We have only two appointments this week.  TBG has a 3 month follow up with his cardiologist and we have a follow up with our lawyer to sign our wills.  Both of those should be a breeze.  

What I'm watching:  I didn't watch anything special this week on TV.  Our crepe Mertle is in full bloom and it's more gorgeous this year than any other times.  We had rain a couple of times this week and it perked everything up.

What I'm listening to:  I usually always listen to music when I'm home alone working around the house.  I have a very diverse taste in music.  This week it was Fleetwood Mac, Kid Rock and Annie Lenox.  

What I'm eating:

Even though it is hot as hell outside I was craving chili, so I made a batch, and we had it with garlic cheese biscuits. Culinary Adventures with Lori: Savory Drop Biscuits

Chicken legs, mac and cheese and salad.  I halved this recipe for the mac and cheese.  It made two perfect sides for us with just enough left over to make a few mac and cheese balls for lunch one day. Culinary Adventures with Lori: 52 Recipes in 52 Weeks #11 Stove Top Macaroni and Cheese

BIG salad with Coho Salmon

Thursday, I heated up left over chicken legs for TBG and made a pot of rice.  I had chocolate pudding.  I am so glad I made homemade pudding Wednesday night because that's all I could handle.  Luckily, we went to breakfast before I had my teeth pulled so I had at least one good meal that day.

I heated up LO sloppy Joe's that was in the freezer and cubed a couple of potatoes to roast int he oven.  It was the first solid food I had since Thursday morning and I am so glad I was able to eat it.

I'm not sure what is on the menu for tonight, but salad is out for a few more days.

Who needs a good slap:  No one comes to mind

What is making me smile:  Checking things off of my to do list.  I managed this week to clean and straighten up the laundry room, the hall closet and the laundry room on top of everything else that gets done in a week.  

As soon as TBG and I have our daily game time, I'm off to do a bit of dehydrating and odd jobs around the house.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend doing what makes you happy.

What's top of my mind:  I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that it is August.  But I know it is because every year these beauties pop up out of the ground the first week.  Around here they call them paper lilies, but I've heard them called many other names.  

Where I've been:  It was a pretty low-key week here and I didn't go anywhere outside of work.  There was a festival downtown that we considered going to but it was nice and comfy at home in the AC so we opted out.

Where I'm going:  Thursday morning we're going out early for a big breakfast so I can have a full stomach to get two back bottom teeth pulled at 8:30. I usually go by myself, but TBG offered to come with and I think knowing he's out in the waiting room will take a bit of the edge off.  I'm hoping so anyway.  Saturday if I'm feeling ok, we're going to take a quick day trip.

What I'm watching:  Not much at all.  I didn't really watch TV this week other than Master Chef and Secret Service.  The last will make you not want to eat in a restaurant ever again.

What I'm reading:  I'm still reading The Dirty Life and enjoying it.  I have her other book Good Husbandry waiting to read next.  

What I'm eating:

BIG salad x2

Sloppy Joes and 'fries' my recipe is here Culinary Adventures with Lori: My Week

Chicken fajita bowls with cheese roll ups.  SO good.

BLTs with zucchini 'fries'

Steak for me, chicken wings for TBG, rosemary potatoes and coleslaw with garlic cheddar biscuits

Tonight, will be left over wings, slaw and tomatoes

Who needs a good slap:  Insurance companies again.  I'm sure everyone has wanted to slap them at least once or twice.  TBG has been on Entresto for his heart since November 2023 when his heart issues started.  Saturday, he called the pharmacy to reorder, and they told him insurance wasn't going to cover it anymore now that there is a generic substitute.  Well, his cardiologist does not like using generic for whatever reason, so his office is fighting with them.  Insurance companies arguing with physicians is crazy to me.  I'm just thankful that this is a minor issue with them and not some of the horror stories you hear about where they've denied surgeries and other procedures that will help someone live.  

What is making me smile:  Being able to fill my cabinets and freezer with so many local veggies and herbs for the winter really does make me smile.  The 'ber months will be here before we know it and I'm stocking up all that I can to enjoy over the winter.

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoys the day!!

My Weekly W's

Happy August!!  We had a huge cool down that has brought zero humidity and lows in the 50's.  It has been beautiful weather.  Summer weather comes back late next week but that's ok, at least we had a really nice break.

What's top of my mind:  Slowing down.  At home, I'm pretty good with this but work is a bit of a challenge.  Between the cell phone ringing or text messages coming in and then the email, office phone and the dreaded messages that anyone can pop up on my computer at any time it can get a bit frustrating.  This was a really good reminder to see.

Where I've been:  TBG and I went out for a weekday lunch which is always a treat.  Stopped by the farmer's market which is hopping with so much local goodness this time of year. That's about it except for regular errands.

Where I'm going:  Today we have a birthday party to go to, TBG gets his stitches removed Wednesday and other than that no solid commitments.  That is always a good thing in my mind.

What I'm watching:  Tuesday I went in to work and had to leave at 6:15 am to go to the other hospital and this is what I saw when I walked out the back door.  It was so beautiful the picture doesn't really do it justice.

What I'm reading:  Dirty Life A Memoir of Farming, Food and Love by Kristin Kimball.  I started it yesterday and really am enjoying it.  Her style of writing really pulls you in.

What I'm listening to:  This morning when I got up at 5:30 I opened up all of the windows to get the fresh morning air and the birds were all singing away.  The house was totally quiet except for them and it was a really great way to start my day.

What I'm eating:

BLT with zucchini fries

BBQ chicken with smashed garlic potatoes and coleslaw

Chicken sausage, tons of veggies over pasta with a small salad.  Peppers of every kind, onions and garlic smell so good when they're cooking.

BIG salad x 2

Nachos

Yesterday I made a big jar of Bread-and-Butter pickles from my grandmothers' recipe.  They were always my favorite.  

Who needs a good slap:  K the cashier at Kroger.  For many years I have ignored this womans rude, miserable, bossy attitude but Wednesday I finally couldn't stay quiet.  There was a woman probably in her 80's in front of me with a cart full of groceries.  K visibly was very annoyed that she was taking a while to unload all of her groceries.  The look of distain was all over her face and it wasn't lost on the woman.  She looked at me an apologized and I told her to take her time I was in no hurry.  Then she told me she is getting too old for all of this.  K then started scanning the woman's coupons and harshly told the bagger to find this, and then this from the 20 plus bags that were in the cart making the woman feel even worse.  When all was said and done I planned to keep quiet but she hit a nerve. She told me I didn't need to have both packages of water on the belt and to take one off.  I told her no, just slide it down to the bagger.  She huffed and puffed 'and said why are you cranky.  That's when I told her I was horrified by the way she treated the woman and the bagger and let her know she was rude.  She disagreed and so I told her she may not mean it, she may not realize it but yes, she is rude and makes people feel bad for disturbing her. Funny thing is the next day I was telling a friend at work and she asked if it was the 50 ish woman with long stringy hair and glasses and I said YES. She agreed and said she's been like that for years and I don't know why they keep her.  I give her 5 slaps. I have no problem ignoring this kind of behavior but making that woman feel the way she did is just wrong.

Who needs a huge thank you: Ameran Illinois.  Last Sunday during the severe heat warning we heard a loud boom and the power went out.  My heart sank knowing that was a transformer.  I immediately called and notified them of the outage.  I was worried because I've heard horror stories that a new transformer can take days to weeks if they do not have any in storage.  Well, 3 hours later we had a new transformer and power.  We both went out back when it came on and thanked them and took them a drink.  

Well, I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the weekend.  I'm off work tomorrow so I'm excited to not have to get up tomorrow morning at 4:30.

The last Sunday in July?

It was a hot and humid week here with feels like temps at 115 every single day, but after this Tuesday the humidity is supposed to be low and the temps only hitting 80 for a bit.  I've been keeping everything watered and the heat hasn't hurt a thing so that is good.  My back rosebush is still looking good.  I have noticed the days are getting a bit shorter.  It isn't as light when I go to work at 5:30 now. 

Monday TBG had an outpatient surgery to remove a cyst.  Everything went well and we were back home in less than two and a half hours.  I'm thankful for the hospital staff that took care of him and made everything seamless. We also had our will done this week.  Not exactly a fun thing to do but necessary and it is finally checked off my list.  

This next week I have a much-needed three-day weekend. Saturday we're going to meet my brother and his girlfriend for lunch at a new place in Effingham and then Sunday is a first Birthday party for a special girl. 

I already started my fall sweep in the house.  Two or three times a year I like to go through EVERYTHING and re organize and spruce things up.  I already have a huge bag of miscellaneous items to take to the thrift shop.  I also got the freezer re organized and all cleaned up.  Everything in it now is from 2025 since I'm using the last of the blueberries from last year today to make a cake.  Try this recipe if you haven't.  It's delicious.  Culinary Adventures with Lori: 52 New Recipes in 52 Weeks #2 Sour Cream and Blueberry Coffee Cake

I follow this blog Olla-Podrida: The St. Louis Gerber Sandwich – A Cheesy, Toasty Discovery and this recipe screamed out to me because I love Provel cheese.  Well, what did I find when I went to the store Thursday?  This is the first time I've ever seen it here. We usually have to go to a store almost an hour from here to get a block.  This is ropes but it was really tasty.  We had it on stuffed peppers this week (and it was delicious) and this week we'll try the Gerber.  She has a lot of great recipes so be sure to check out her blog.

Between our garden and the farmers market I've been getting a lot put away for winter by either dehydrating or freezing.  It's been a banner year for almost everything.

I mentioned before we have a lot of baby bunnies in our yard this year.  We've had so much fun watching them running and jumping around.  Believe it or not they have shown no interest in the garden or even in the pots on the patio.  I'm sure that will change soon but they are so stinking cute.

Dinners this week...

BIG salads x3

Chicken sausage with pesto pasta and salad and Texas toast.  I sliced the homemade bread a little thicker and it was so good with garlic butter toasted on it.

Stuffed poblano peppers with beef and onions over rice, homemade salsa and a cheese rollup with cilantro and Provel cheese. My salsa recipe. Culinary Adventures with Lori: Salsa and some good news

I hope everyone is doing well and staying cool.  If it's winter where you are, I hope you're warm and cozy. I'm off to tackle a few things in the house and then it's mani, pedi, facial day.  Enjoy your Sunday!!

Corn Sweat is Real

 

Happy Saturday!!

Everything in my world has been going pretty well.  Busy, but well.  I keep reminding myself that Fall and Winter will be here before I know it and I'll be able to slow way down and enjoy the cozy season.  We've been working on projects around the house.  We decided instead of sharing an office like we've been doing, to each set up our own so soon I will have my very own personal space.  The bedroom we've been using is a good size and worked well but I think we each deserve our own room to personalize a bit. I haven't had an entire room to myself since I was 18 and I think TBG is pretty excited to have his own room too.  

Last weekend, I bought a new laptop for personal use and I'm still trying to get used to it.  I think I'm going to really like it. It's smaller which is what I wanted, but the smaller keypad will take a bit to master. 

We celebrated TBG's birthday this week.  He chose to have lunch at La Fuente which was delicious, followed by going to see Superman.  We all thought the movie was really good with a heartwarming message on humanity and then we ended the day with cake and ice cream which all birthdays should have.

It's summer so it's been hot and humid.  We've had a few afternoon storms that have rolled through.  I watched this one come in as I was at the office Thursday.

It dropped a ton of rain but ended right as I was getting ready to leave. When I got out to the Jeep, this is what I saw. 

How gorgeous is this?

Meals this week...

Lamb burgers with Havarti, red onions and garlic aioli and zucchini fries

Steak for me, Cajun spiced shrimp for TBG with baked potatoes and a salad

Chicken sausage with peppers and onions and pesto pasta with a salad

BIG salad

Poblano peppers stuffed with ground lamb, onions and cheese with rice and a cilantro cheese roll up.  SO GOOD!!

We started watching Family Recipe Showdown on Food Network and enjoyed the first two episodes.  I can't help it but every time I see Octavia Spencer I think of her making her chocolate pie in The Help.  IYKYK.

Well, I'm off to get a few things done and then hopefully sit outside for a bit.  I haven't finished The Finnish Way yet and it is calling my name.

I hope everyone is well and enjoys the weekend!!

The long days of Summer

Summer is in full swing here and we've had some really nice weather.  We've spent a lot of time outside talking about our day over an ice cream cone or having lunch/dinner out on the patio table. There have been some really hot and humid days but that's expected, and we just roll with it. 

I've started dehydrating and canning things for the winter. Strawberry season and blueberry season are over here, and we really enjoyed them.  I was able to put about 3 or 4 pints of each in the freezer for later.  This is one batch of garlic dill pickle spears that I water bathed.  Today I made pesto for the freezer. It really livens up a dish in the winter.

We've been eating our share of summertime meals.  

BBQ chicken thighs, potato salad and a small side salad.

BIG salads

Spach cocked chicken on the grill

Chicken, red onion and poblano pepper skewers with beans and rice with a delicious avocado crema.

BLT's with zucchini 'fries'

Pepperoni, green pepper, onion and mushroom pizza with a ton of fresh basil cooked on top.  SO good.

This is before and after cooking.  The basil really shrinks up, doesn't it?

I started watching Son of a Critch on Netflix. It has three seasons right now and I'm about halfway through and really enjoying it.  It is set in Newfoundland during the 80's and follows the Critch family, particularly the youngest son.  If you want a fun, feel good series, this is it.   

I'm about halfway through the book The Finnish Way by Katja Pantzar.  "Discover the simple, nature-inspired ways that Finns stay happy, healthy and strong, no matter what life has in store."  

This post ended up being pretty photo heavy, but I have to share these two pictures of Binx.  The first one is of him sitting on his perch watching rabbits running around the yard. The second one cracked me up.  I hadn't seen him for a while, and I asked TBG if he was in his tunnel.  Just when I looked at the back of it, his eyes popped open so I could see him.

Happy July!

 

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.

Things That Make Me Smile

 

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:

1 cup warm water

1/3 cup sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons or one packet of yeast

3 cups of all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons of oil 

1 1/2 Tablespoon melted butter to brush on as soon as it comes out of the oven

Directions:

Stir together the water, sugar and yeast and set aside for 5-10 minutes until it bubbles

In a large bowl add the flour, salt and oil, then pour in the yeast mixture.  Mix together until the dough no longer sticks to the side of the bowl, about 10 minutes. I used my Kitchen Aide with the dough hook but she said it easily comes together by hand as well.

Roll into a tight ball and place in a greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to double in size.  About 60-90 minutes.

Deflate the dough and shape into a log to fit a 9x5 loaf pan.  Cover with plastic wrap again and set aside for another 60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

Brush the crust with melted butter and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then remove and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Slice to your desired thickness and enjoy.

 

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.

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.

When I have to go to our sister hospital which is about 25 minutes away, I've passed this place called Farm Market. It's a building by the roadside of the owner's property.  I decided to stop and see what they had and I'm SO glad I did. It's a cute little building with fresh veggies, baked goods, and tons of other goods. I was starving so I ordered a bite to get me through the rest of the day.  They served me the best turkey sandwich I think I've ever had on the best Amish bread I've ever eaten.  When I told her the bread was amazing, she gave me the recipe and now it is my go-to sandwich bread. (I've already made it twice) TBG loves it as much as I do. The inside is just so soft.

Carrot Cake made by TBG for my Birthday.

A delicious chicken fajita nacho plate at Los Azteca in Louisville Kentucky.  One of my favorite places to go to.  Talk about an amazing downtown area!

I hope everyone is well and has been enjoying Spring. 

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 I'm eating:

Beef, veggie and cheese quesadillas with rice

Blackened chicken, mashed potatoes and asparagus

BIG salad

Indian chili with cornbread  Culinary Adventures with Lori: 52 Recipes in 52 Weeks #5 Indian Spiced Chili  It was a rainy, slightly chilly day and this hit the spot.

Roasted chicken legs, mac and cheese, coleslaw

Salmon, rice and salad 

I tried a new salmon recipe from the latest cookbook I picked up that I can't wait to post about this week.  It was amazing.

Who needs a good slap: People that never have anything good to say and spread their toxicity to everyone around them.  I just don't understand it. The constant complaining, and grumbling is just exhausting.

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!!