zucchini bread

The garden here is producing zucchini on overdrive.  I have more squash blossoms than I know what to do with.  We have summer squash and zucchini both.  What do you do when you still have 2 that are left from the store?  Make zucchini bread of course and hey let's dig in the fridge and throw in those blueberries that are about to go bad.  This is a super easy and moist bread.  You can also substitute your favorite GF Flour Blend.  I us Pamela's Artisan Blend when I am making GF.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups white sugar
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups frozen wild blueberries (you can also use a pint of fresh blueberries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease loaf pan or muffin tins.

Shred zucchini. Set aside. Once shredded, squeeze zucchini to remove excess water. Discard water.  I cheat and put mine through the food processor.

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar. Fold in the zucchini. Beat in the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.  If adding frozen fruit remember to coat lightly in flour.  I just tossed the fresh blueberries in.

Pour into greased tins or loaf pan.  Bake bread for 50 minutes or until knife comes out clean. I baked the muffins for 17-20 minutes based on my oven.

Let cool 20 minutes and enjoy.

garden gifts

Just before the rain rolled in this morning I walked through one of my happy places, the Green Acres Garden.  The place where we have for the past 4 summers toiled, planted, picked pesky bugs, slapped mosquitoes and for me, ruined many a manicure.  I love this little patch of heaven.

From our Inaugural Garden in 2009 to today.




Oh, how I love our Garden so.  This morning to my delight we found lots of Bell Peppers, jalapeno peppers and finally my tomatoes are coming around.  We have had a crazy tomato year.  Lots of vine, not many fruit and the fruit that was showing up was a salad bar for our new puppy and the tree rats.


So the question was raised ~ what to make today?  It looks like Tuna Pasta Salad, Jambalaya for dinner and possibly going to make a batch of pickled jalapenos for my Mr. Miller.

Yummy Crockpot Jambalaya

• The Cast of Characters
• 5 c. chicken broth 
• 1 can black beans*
• 4 peppers – any color you want, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large can of organic diced tomatoes (leave the juice) or 2 small cans
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 bay leafs
• 1 lb. large shrimp, raw and de-veined
• 1 pkg kielbasa or Andouille sausage
• 2 c. okra (optional)
• 3 tbsp. Cajun Seasoning or a little less if you want
• 1/4 c. Frank’s Red Hot (or hot sauce of your choice) 

1. Put the Peppers, Tomatoes, onions, Frank’s, Broth,black beans,  garlic, bay leaves and Cajun seasoning in crockpot.  Set on low for 6 hours.
2. About 30 minutes till end of time add cut up sausage and shrimp. Remember to take tails off and devein.
3. While shrimp and sausage are cooking make up some rice or crazy some quinoa to change it up a bit.
4. Serve over rice.
5. Your mouth, tummy and family will thank you.

*My family loves black beans.  I know it is not a regular ingredient found in jambalaya.  The beauty of cooking is that it is your canvas, make it how you want. You could use chicken instead.

garden woes...

Remember this guy?  Well he has stayed around.  He has decided that I am his new "Sweet Tomatoes" salad bar.  He has helped himself to the apples that fell from tree, which I was fine with, and now he has removed the very top greens of my carrot bed and he and Bambi have partnered up on the green beans.  He is ceasing to lose his cuteness credits here.  Bambi and her posse have also made my hosta bed out front another fine dining establishment.

It looks as if I am going to be hitting the Farmer's Market and City Market in order to have anything to can for the winter months.  This drought has not been helpful in the Green Acres garden.  I am going to cross my fingers and still put in my fall crops of Broccoli, Beets, Brussel Sprouts, Cauliflower and Spinach.  Let's see what happens.

pickled carrots and jalapenos

This year our garden is carrot and hot pepper heavy.  Not complaining but just trying to find new ways to use these wonderful veggies together. 

We have a favorite Mexican restaurant here in Kansas City, Dos de Oros (I have shared our love for this place before.), they have a carryout Taqueria with some of the most amazing sauces and relishes.  Mr. Miller loves their carrot and hot pepper one so I figured why can’t I make this myself to have at home for everyday use.  “University of Google here I come!”

Up came a recipe from Guy Fieri.  It was super simple and is wonderful!

Cast of Characters

Look at these wonderful “friends of the garden” that we grew!  I didn’t have enough jalapenos so I used a variety of Anaheim peppers too.

The aroma was enticing.

 

The finished product.  Once it cooled I simply put in an airtight container in fridge.  The true test that is has passed the Mr. Miller seal of approval, the jar is now half empty.

our new foodie

Mr. Miller and I were visiting in the dining room before dinner last night and he noticed we had a new friend in the back yard.  He decided that he was going to enjoy our apples that the squirrels have knocked out of the tree.   Apparently this “foodie” beaver groundhog (thanks for the correction to my pal Anni) approves because Cameron just informed me that he was back at the apple bar this morning.  As I researched these little critters they are referred to as land beavers too, so I wasn't far off.

parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme…

 

My little herb garden is finally done. We have Parsley, Cilantro, Rosemary, Oregano, Sweet Basil, Sage and Lavender.   I have yet to have a truly successful year with an herb garden.  I am trying smaller pots and a partially shaded area since they call for sun and partial shade.

I found the cute marker idea on etsy and Pinterest.  I made a few changes.  I went to the DAV on an Urban Treasure Hunt and picked up 10 random soup spoons for $.29 each and used a sharpie.  I made cute and reusable garden markers for under $3.  Plus I up cycled.  A win win in this house.  I might head back down there to make markers for the rest of the garden too.  As for the herbs we used Rosemary the other night in the chicken and it was amazing.

what’s in your garden?

We started the Green Acres Garden last weekend.  I am so excited.  Mr. Miller and the boys worked very hard all day Sunday preparing and planting seeds.


Of course I had to pull out my trusty “Carrots love Tomatoes” book, use the University of Missouri extension website and then put the plans to paper.  Sorry Deacon I had to use a tablet I seem to be out of graph paper.
We used the organic seeds from Seeds of Change.  We haven’t used these before so I am excited to see what will happen.  While I was out watering this morning I noticed radishes, carrots and spinach are already peeking through.  We have put in Garlic, Sweet Onions, Spinach, Sugar Snap Peas, Peas, Radish and Carrots so far.  Junior Mint picked out Sunflowers to plant by our cucumber and radish bed.  The flowers provide a little shade from that hot afternoon sun.  My boy loves those yellow ladies as much as his Mama.  I am getting my compost this weekend for the potatoes that are “scabbing” over right now.  Our potato bin will be made from recycled pallets.  Oh how I love my Mr. Miller.  He can repurpose pallets into just about anything.






I can’t wait till its time to put the tomatoes, peppers and cukes in.  Cameron’s strawberries are off to a promising start.  I think there could be some great jam this year.  What’s in your garden?

garden dreaming

I am trying to get my garden plans together.  We have had such a dry and mild winter I wonder how it will affect the harvest?

 

We will be putting in our potatoes soon.  We are going to try the vertical method again this year.  We realized what we did wrong 2 years ago and are willing to give it a try again.  Pinterest has become my latest obsession and I have a board dedicated to my gardening dreams.  I found this website and it answered my questions quite well about potatoes.

We will be making good use of pallets this year from Mr. Miller’s back lot.  We made a trellis last year for the green beans and it worked great.  We had beans well into October.  I found this very cool idea for my cucumbers and lettuce.  I already have the framed chicken wire from last year. 

There are so many things I would love to plant this years.  I can’t wait to get my hands in the dirt.  Henry and Cameron have been “digging for worms” already in the beds.  Secretly I love that they are already turning the soil for Mama.  They are having fun and making my life, at least for my back, a little easier.    What are you planning on growing this year?

it just keeps giving

Henry and I went into the garden yesterday to start our clean up for the winter season.  Just when you think your harvest is done…

Look what we found.

It was a lovely surprise.  Henry was eating the tomatoes almost as fast as we could pick them.  We found the renegade onions in the beetle ravaged brussel sprouts.  The peppers were not so much a surprise as all the green beans we found.  I cooked them with one of the onions and some bacon last night.  They went perfect with the meatloaf and mashed potatoes. 

I think today I will clear out the green tomatoes and make relish with them.

canning novice

When I started this blog it was with the intent to journal our journey toward a simpler life.  As we have gone down that path we have added a few detours but it definitely has journeyed our crazy little life. 

One aspect I wanted to do in order to make it simpler was to become more self sustaining.  We started by planting a garden, hence the name Green Acres, with the pie in the sky dream of being able to preserve and feed my family for the coming winter.  Well we know that didn’t happen.  Each year we have learned a little more.  I was hoping for a boomer tomato crop this year, started great but the “drought” conditions didn’t help.  I have lots of green still out there.  What do I do with all of them?

This year I actually was able to preserve food.  Not a lot but at least it was a start especially for my boys who love strawberry jam.  I was able to use some of Cameron’s berries and had to supplement from the Market also.  Being a “Canning Novice” I enlisted the best teachers I know, Mimi and Ball  I was able to make jam on a Sunday afternoon.  I loved it. I mean I felt like Ma Ingalls out on the prairie.  The sweet smell of the berries and the “pop” of the jars was so therapeutic.  I am hooked and will continue enjoying this pleasure. 

Later in the week I made Zesty Bread and Butter pickles, those are almost gone.  Mr. Miller likes him some pickles.  I need to make more.  This week I am going to make Cowboy Candy or Candied Jalapenos.  I am still harvesting jalapenos, which is a good thing since Mr. Miller and I can eat them all the time.

Next ambition is to have a root cellar like Olivia Walton.  Are you listening Mr. Miller?  Yes I think I am defiantly and old soul in a present day body.  I would love some day to be on the farm in Newton with a big garden, goats and chickens.  Of course that root cellar full with the bounty of our Harvest.

the little garden that could

Yesterday we celebrated 2 years here at Green Acres. I can’t believe I have had this little writing corner for 2 years now and it all started with this. In the last 2 years I have learned much ado about many things such as gardening, homemaking, parenting and most importantly myself. Thank you all so much for your support in the last 2 years, here’s to many more.

I thought I would share some updates on the garden here. Mr. Miller totally reworked the beds into 8 5x5 raised beds. We used the pavers we already had. We also added a fence so my lovely little beagle, Peanut, wouldn’t take out my green beans with her sun bathing. We used a crate from Mr. Millers work. The posts are limbs that we cut from the apple tree and the big gate was from a friend. Cost: nothing. I love free and recycled projects.

Mr. Miller is teaching Junior Mint the art of watering this year. We are going to add a drip system with items that we already have around here soon. My dream would be to finally get a rain barrel and connect the two. A girl can dream right?

I just got a new book on preserving food. It has been very informative so far. I am looking forward to putting some of the bounty away this year.

putting the beds to rest

A couple of weeks ago my Miller Men put our flower and garden beds to rest for the Winter in preparation for “Clark” to make his annual visit to the front of Green Acres.  This year Henry was able to help and Cameron took great pride in giving direction, OK dictating to his little brother on how this job was going to be completed.

The eager participant who didn’t like his mittens by the way.

The “bossy” big brother.

 

We finally rid ourselves of one mitten.

Cameron really thought moving hay was fun.  Who was I to step in the way of his fun.

The beds are sleeping and all is calm.  Clark did come and the front is beautiful.  Pictures to come.

the great project of 2010

Well I know I talk about Mr. Miller and his projects, well the 2010 project is finished!  I must say just in the nick of time, Mr. Miller, Pops and The Deacon finished laying the mulch in the back corner at around 1pm on Saturday while Grampie was filling the tiki torches.  Guests started to arrive at 5.  Nothing like cutting it down to the wire!  I will say the Mother Nature was not on our side with all the rain we had in the 3 weeks leading up to the grand event.  None the less it is done, beautiful and I must say I am married to a very talented and good looking 40 year old!

The view from the patio, remember the Great Project from last year?  Well we are finally getting a backyard that we can feel proud of.

I just love the outdoor kitchen area!

 

We even used the scraps from the blocks.  Mr. Miller is so full of ideas.  Just don’t pay attention to the retro air conditioner, it works and that is all that matters!

So Mendi Sue and Jen there you go!  I posted pics of the yard as for the haircut as soon and Julie (the worlds greatest photographer) gets me the disc you will see the pics from the party and my new hairdo!

the renegade

Last year I talk about my love for these lovely ladies.  I have a renegade lady this year.  We didn’t plant any seeds this year, and I am not sure why,  but look what has made her way into our garden.  I am referring to her as the renegade lady.

Look how tall she is.

I might just have 1 but I will cherish my time with her.

garden bounty

We have started to harvest from the Garden this year.  We picked tomatoes and fresh basil one night last week and made pizza.  See those beautiful zucchini and onions?  I got them in my veggie delivery last week from Fresh Connect KC.  I have not been a big basil fan in the past but this was amazing.  I would love someone to share recipes that they use basil in, I am curious now and want to start experimenting.

My boys love Pizza, but in our search of a simpler life it meant giving up a few things such as eating out.  Lately though I have decided that instead of using the phrase “giving up” I prefer new lifestyle change.  I found a GF pizza crust that works for us and is easy to make and easy on the wallet

Bob’s Red Mill GF crust is easy to make and makes 2 pizzas out of one package.  The boys like pepperoni or hamburger and me and Mr. Miller love a veggie pizza.

My assistant, Cameroni, had a great time helping me and boy they had no problem eating the results.