In My Kitchen- November

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I haven’t done one of these in months and I’m not really sure I’m really prepared to do one now- but I do have an interest in sharing a little of my kitchen activities…. so here goes!

In my kitchen…

GARLIC!!!

GARLIC!!!

I have a fresh supply of

organically grown wonderful

garlic from my cousin’s farm.

http://www.charliesgourmetgarlic.com/

I went to the farm with my daughter in law and

grandsons, had a great visit

bought some garlic and my cousin, Marge,

gave me a bottle of dried garlic powder

to try in my mock boursin cheese mix.

In my kitchen…

Boursin cheese herbs

Boursin cheese herbs

I mix together marjoram,basil,dill,

white pepper, oregano,chives,parsley, and lots of garlic to make up an herb mixture to add to soft butter, cream cheese and a little Parmesan or goat cheese to make a cheese similar to Boursin cheese but is more to my personal taste.

 

 

Gourmet garlic- what a treat!

Gourmet garlic- what a treat!

 

 

 

So I’ve kind of got garlic on my mind!

What’s in your kitchen>

Go to Celia’s blog to find other kitchens across the world-

http://figjamandlimecordial.com/2014/11/01/in-my-kitchen-november-2014/

April 2014- In my kitchen

 

Normally, I would like to have at least 4 posts a month.  Last month my only post was an IMK post- so I’ve slipped up big time!  It has been a very cold and snowy month.

So I’m going to start over this month and hopefully it will be a more hopeful and postfull  type of month.

In my kitchen…Meyers Lemons

Meyer’s lemons.  They were the same price as regular lemons so I decided to buy them and make up some recipes I’d been thinking about!

So- in my kitchen…

Lemon and ricotta crepes.

Lemon and raspberry bars.

 

The first picture is of cardamom and lemon crinkle biscuits’cookies.

If you are interested in any of the recipes, let me know in the comments and I will write them up in the next post.

In my kitchen…

Italian yeasted bread and a sourdough loaf.

 

BREAD!  I made two loaves  and I think I prefer the sourdough.  It has way more flavor and a softer crumb.

In my kitchen…

A selection of my aluminum platters and bowls.

 

my aluminum serving pieces.

I didn’t pay more than $5 for any of these pieces- and I enjoy the hammered beauty of aluminum.

So- that is my kitchen this month- go to Celia’s blog, http://figjamandlimecordial.com/  and see a list of other IMK posts from around the world.

March 2014- In my Kitchen

 

 

March.  Coming in like a lion- dropping temperatures-

 

forecasts for up to 10+ inches of snow. BRR!

 

But in my kitchen- all is pretty warm and bright.

 

In my kitchen…

 

Lunch!  Ham sandwich with a couple of slices of cinnamon bread,

lettuce, prickly pear cactus jelly and black olive mustard and

 

 

 

minestrone soup.  Mmm- really delicious!  and comforting.

 

and WARM!

 

 

 

 

In my kitchen…

 

 

 

Bread with just cinnamon swirl- no sugar- it made the best flavor!

 

In my kitchen…

 

a cover for my Kindle Fire- specially made for me by my d-i-l Willow!

 

Notice the hand embroidered butterfly!

 

In my kitchen…

 

a hand blown glass ball!  A gift from Meredith- she got it for me

in Chincoteague but I hadn’t mounted it until now!  And LOOK-

 

 

at the glow!  It makes my kitchen shine with warm golden

light!

Spectacular!  Now I can watch the glow and ignore the snow!

Welcome March!

Go to http://figjamandlimecordial.com/ and see Celia’s other In my kitchen bloggers for March- it is a great way to welcome the month and see some fun posts!

In my Kitchen- February 2014

In February , I seem to drop into a depression that lasts until Spring and even later sometimes.  So I spend a lot of time reading and hiding out in other people’s thoughts and lives.  I used to buy stacks of books in the Autumn so I would be prepared- but since the advent of the Kindle in my life- or should I say that in the plural?- because I need two to keep up with my reading schedule and you have to plug them in to recharge once in a while.

So – in my kitchen and wherever else I go-

is a Kindle.

In my kitchen-

Are many baskets.

I love baskets- I fill them

with all kinds of supplies

and goodies and books.

And candles and napkin holders

and cookies, and stamping pads and

stamps and napkins and presents.

 

This basket holds pies!  Two full

size pies !  It is so great to use to

carry them to my niece’s house for

Thanksgiving dinner!

The last basket I’m showing is called

a market basket- but I use it for my most

recently used cookbooks.  These baskets

are all handmade here in Ohio at the Longaberger

Basket company.  They are very pricey- but they are solid and make for real

working baskets rather than for lightweight loads.

In my kitchen…

(wait for it…)

Is this great glorious loaf of bread!

Even in the doldrums, in the midst of reading, I make bread.

It is almost as lifting to my spirits as reading!

 

And ,

In my kitchen…

are tea cozies and pots of tea.

Also very good for the lifting of low spirits.

So- there you have it- books, bread, baskets and tea with cozies to keep it warm.

Take a look at Celia’s blog, http://figjamandlimecordial.com/2014/02/01/in-my-kitchen-february-2014/  to see other in my kitchen posts.

Have a great February- or just find a good book to read and a great bread to eat!

In My Kitchen- January 2014

Not such a lot going on in my kitchen this month, yet.

 

I had my grandsons for a week while their parents went to

 

a coffee plantation in Nicaragua for a much needed break.

 

So – I spent a lot of time playing video games (mostly watching )

 

working on science observations with microscope and magnifying

 

glass- reading a large number of books, putting on boots, taking off

 

boots, keeping track of mittens, making lots of bacon dishes, and

 

basically trying to keep them happy to be with grandma while

 

Mommy and Daddy were gone.  Did I mention they were 3 and 5 years

 

old?    So the first item on my list is outside my kitchen-

 

on the deck…

 

These two did a great job cleaning off the deck- and they didn’t stop until it was done- pretty good for a 3 and 5 year old

 

 

 

where these two little sweeties were shoveling the snow off of for Grandpa!

 

 

In my kitchen…

MY kitchen chair!

 

Is this chair that I bought at a thrift store many years ago.  I love it- it is the right height

 

for a kitchen chair for me- it is perfect to sit at the counter and chop vegetables.  It is also

 

perfect for little boys to sit at the table.

 

 

So I haven’t been able to use it the last week or so.  My youngest grandson thinks this

 

is HIS chair!

 

In my kitchen…

 

A wooden spoon and flat spatula- made of ash and walnut!

 

is this lovely set of wooden utensils.  I love treen ware- my niece bought these from

 

a man who makes them in his state of West Virginia.  I love them!

 

 

In my kitchen…

 

is this picture of a bird on a coffee bush and…

 

 

 

a bag of coffee from the plantation where my son and his wife stayed!

 

 

 

 

And in my kitchen…

Sourdough marbled rye bread with caraway seeds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beef stew- one of my husband’s favorite

winter meals!

 

That is what is in my kitchen- what is in your kitchen this January 2014?

This is part of an on going series hosted by my friend Celia at Fig jam and lime cordial.   Take a look

at all the posts there this year!

In My Kitchen-November 2013

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A dwindling box of saffron.

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A small gathering of bread bears.

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A remnant of a delicious Cobb salad.

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A slice from our caramel apple BIG cake- spice cake, chocolate-gluten-free frangipane,

French apple cake, and caramel cake topped with cake pop enhancement and covered with

a caramel coating!

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It was great!

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And on the deck outside my kitchen- pumpkin tin cans being crafted.

 

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And wreaths being made.

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So- that is my kitchen this November- what is in your kitchen?

See more offerings at Celia’s blog – It’s a great month to share what you have going in your kitchen !

In my Kitchen- October 2013

Today is my son’s 35th birthday.  If he lived closer

there would be a cake in his honor.  But since he

lives several states away- and always celebrates

his birthday with a trip to an apple orchard for some

fresh picked apples…

In my kitchen…

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there are apples!  Golden delicious, Jonagold and Jonathan.  I was going to make

a pie or sauce – but in my kitchen are also apple lovers- and the basket is getting

emptier!  Isn’t this a lovely basket?  It is an egg basket- so constructed to keep the

eggs from breaking when gathered- and it keeps the apples from bruising as well!

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And it is also just a lovely basket!

In my kitchen…

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are some lovely teas Meredith brought home.  The Turkish apple and cinnamon is

my favorite- along with a deep plum tea that I made into an iced beverage!  And

aren’t the mugs beautiful?  They are in my son, Jordan’s kitchen now- she brought

them home from Canberra in her backpack and they made it without even a chip!

In my kitchen…

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my latest harvest of Swiss chard- which I put into a sausage, bean,and potato soup-

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that is so good and savory!   I love Autumn- soups and stews are perfect for dinner!

In my kitchen…

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are basil and tomatoes from the garden.

In my kitchen…

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is this ceramic knife- perfect for chopping basil so it won’t turn black on the edges.

In my kitchen…

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is this salad with fresh tomatoes, onions, basil and sourdough bread – add a little olive oil and

balsamic vinegar and we are talking delicious!

And in my kitchen…

in the oven right now…

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is a stew of butternut squash, candy onions and pork loin doused with olive oil and dusted

with thyme, oregano, basil, roasted garlic and smoky paprika.

Dinner!!!!026

And last- but not least- in my kitchen…

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is my new oven/range!  All the burners work- and the oven keeps an even temperature!

So that’s it for this month- lots of food and good times!  I didn’t show you any bread pictures

but there is plenty of that in my kitchen, too!

Go to Celia’s blog for a whole list of In my kitchen posts- it is great fun to see all the stuff

and foods and recipes people share from their kitchens!

In My Kitchen- September 2013

I am not presently in my kitchen-

I’m in Virginia at my niece’s kitchen- but I am

prepared with some pictures from home and adding

some pictures from here.

Here goes- if you’d like to join us- go to Celia’s blog-

Fig jam and Lime cordial  and check out all of the posts!

In my kitchen…

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is my favorite cookie jar- I filled it with cookies before I

left for Frank’s lunch desserts.

I love this jar because it has been loved for a long time.

It is old and the lid broke, but someone fixed another one

to fit.

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And then they added a cork handle and painted it to match the

roses.  I get good vibes from this jar- it makes me happy!

In my kitchen…

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rice pudding!  Another old thing that makes me happy.

My brother, Bruce used to make a 9×13 pan of this when

I was a young girl and if I was lucky and he wasn’t too hungry

he’d share some.  I think this is one of my most favorite comfort

foods.

In my kitchen…

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canary melon- from one of the shops in town.

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Tastes like a honeydew- and delicious with fresh figs!

In my kitchen…

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fresh figs.

In my kitchen…

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grilled chicken from the farmer’s market- slow grilled after

we rubbed it with spices and herbs and let it marinate for hours.

In my kitchen…    

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lavender cookies.

In my kitchen…

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Thing one and…

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BREAD!!! Yes- I travel with my sourdough!

In my kitchen…

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Fresh local butter.

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That is it for this month- thanks for stopping by!

Leave a comment if you are so inclined- I love to hear from you.

In My Kitchen- August 2013

August- all ready?

It is- and that means that this summer is flying by!

A summer like none other I can remember- with temperatures

and rain out of control and my garden washed out

countless times.

But in my kitchen?

Things are always happening.

And by things, I mean mostly bread.

Surprise!  I love to bake and I love to eat BREAD!

So, In my kitchen, there is…

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Bread, glorious, Bread!  A sourdough loaf, flat bread with green olives,

and a twisted pesto loaf.  All delicious and all- almost gone!  I need to bake

some more!

In my kitchen…

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Cookies!

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Jars filled with cookies- wrapped and ready for lunches and snacks.

In my kitchen…

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caramel corn- and again, almost all gone- I need to make some more.

In my kitchen…

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fresh garden vegetables- the tomatoes and cukes are from my garden- the

rest is from the farmers market.  Okra, corn,candy onions, and potatoes- YUM!

In my kitchen…

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a rose from from bush- a Peace rose that is so old it only gives me a couple of

blossoms each year- but one is ALWAYS on my birthday- so I consider it a miracle.

In my kitchen…

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are giant blueberries.  The biggest and sweetest I’ve ever tasted!

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And  Blueberry Almond Bars-recipe here.

In my kitchen…

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are corks from many  happy bottles of wine.  We didn’t drink them all but I

want to make a cork wreath and so I get lots of donations from family and friends.

In my kitchen…

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Chicken Gumbo (without tomatoes- Frank doesn’t like cooked tomatoes.

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and my list of things to do…

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and a messy table for someone else to clean up.  (see note above!)

Well- that is my kitchen this month- productive, yummy and messy as it

is often.

Go to Celia’s blog Fig jam and Lime cordial  and see all the other entries.

And add an entry yourself if you have an blog and want to join in!

Happy August!

My favorite book in the kitchen

I know- this is a little early for an IMK post, but I’ve

been searching high and low for this book and finally found it!

It was in my kitchen- hidden between two cookbooks in the pantry

closet.

I collect cookbooks- or I used to collect them.  Then I got hooked on

the internet and all the recipes on blogs and websites and well, my

collecting days seem to be over.

BUT-

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THIS book remains my favorite book for perusing in the kitchen!

It is an Australian book, published in 2000- and I just love it.

I spent 2 hours yesterday poring over photos and reading about the ingredients

of cooking, baking,drinking, FOOD, glorious,FOOD!

 

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from fruit…

 

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to fish.

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And of course,

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cheese- this book has it all!  I can look up cuts of meat, unfamiliar spices, types of breads

and grains!  And I lose myself in all of these wondrous ingredients.

I am so happy I found it again.  I find it an essential part of reading blogs- otherwise, I’m

scratching my head and wondering WHAT they are suggesting I roast for dinner?