Nothing like cucumbers and onions in the summertime…

I talked to Deanna a few days ago, and she was telling me about her garden.  She and John planted their first one this year, and she has cucumbers.  She was so excited. 

My oldest son is so much like his father.  He always is figuring out a better way.  He installed a sprinkler system in his back yard, then he figured out how to constantly give it a dose of fertilizer every time he waters, and now they have put drips on all of their pots so they are totally self watered.  As a result, their garden is growing like crazy,  looks like they are going to have a bounty of fresh veggies.

I’m thinking that hubby and I need to do that next year.  It would sure change our routine, every morning we’re out with the hose.  The weather is so hot in Heavensville that we have to water really often.  It sure would be nice for it to all happen automatically.

So this morning I got up, fixed these cucumbers and onions, put great northern and pinto beans in the pressure cooker and made a pitcher of tea.  Just a country summer morning.  And how do I make the cucumbers and onions?

I slice them thinly with the mandoline, add equal parts of vinegar and water, I had a big english cucumber, it made quite a bit, so I used 2 cups of white vinegar and 2 cups of water.  I added six packs of Splenda, a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper and sprinkled them with hot pepper flakes.

How am I supposed to eat healthy with this on the counter?

Hubby wanted a strawberry pie, I baked off the crust, he fixed the berries and added the glaze, Cool Whip wasn’t thawed yet, but this was just calling my name.

I love my red pie plate, it’s Rose’s Perfect Pie Plate.  It comes in a great gift box, similar to a hat box, and you can get it on Amazon.  It’s a bit spendy, but it’s wonderful, definitely worth the money.  Makes a pretty pie, flutes with no effort, too. 

Here’s the click if you’re interested>>>

Hayden and Abby, new best friends, forever…

Ryan’s first Father’s Day…

Well, if this isn’t the damndest thing….

You have to watch this video Carlene sent me the link to.  It’s in French, but that’s okay, it’s a visual.  It’s how to open a wine bottle with a man’s shoe.  How fascinating, really it is!

Here’s the link…

Cuppycake’s first Father’s Day…

I had such a good day….

Do any of you ever talk to a long ago friend that you haven’t been in touch with for years?  If you haven’t, I highly recommend it.  It’s a wonderful thing.

I had lunch today with a childhood friend, Roxie, who I’ve been in touch with on FaceBook.

She was absolutely adorable when she was young, and she still is!  Smart, savvy, sophisticated, an absolute knockout, but still the same sweet girl I knew as a child.  We had a three hour lunch, laughed until we cried, reminisced about old friends, and caught up on our lives, oh, what a good time we had.  It was so much fun, we’re going to do it again soon.

Maybe I’ve got your wheels turning this afternoon. Perhaps there is someone from your past that you’ve lost contact with.  There is no time like the present to get in touch with them.  Girlfriends are the best, aren’t they?  Just the best!!!

Garden Labels from Wooden Spoons

How clever is this?  I found it over at the kitchn site…

Your Daily Dose of Cuteness…

Abby Leigh, eight months old now…

Coconut Banana Bread with Lime Glaze

If you love banana, pineapple, coconut and lime, this is the recipe for you.

Carlene told me about this last week and how good it was, I made it on Saturday and it was absolutely to-die-for!

If you only make one new dessert this summer, this is the one to try.

It’s absolutely decadent tasting, but only has four tablespoons of butter.

What a great find this is.  It’s posted on Jan CAN Cook.  If you can possibly just cover it in an airtight container and not eat it the first day, it’s much better the second, and by the third, it’s pure ambrosia.  But good luck with that, just letting it age for a day or so…

Check it out, you won’t be sorry, pinky swear. ~ jan

Your daily dose of cuteness..

My Sunday morning…

Today I made Carlene’s Ginger Beer.  I made it just like her recipe, right down to the wheel of lime and the spearmint.  I filled my glass 1/4 full of the Ginger Beer, then topped it off with ice and Crystal Light Peach Tea.  And the result – to die for!!! OMG, is this ever good.

Yes, I put it in a Coke glass.  And yes, I have much cuter glasses than this, but I wasn’t trying to stage it, just drink it.  And I know the glass isn’t full, I drank some of it already.  And no, that’s not really vodka sitting next to it, that’s just a bottle I found on a shelf in the garage, I filled it with the Ginger Beer Concentrate.  However, C does love a jigger or two in her glass.  And yes, that’s The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder you see in the background, and yes, it’s a hysterically good read.  Geezy Pete, now that I have that all cleared up, the recipe is on Jan Can Cook – it’s a goodie, ladies.  Really refreshing on a hot day, too.

I also made her Tropical Banana bread, more about that later…

Jennifer Aniston ate a Cobb Salad every day for 10 years…

I just read  this week, that on the set of Friends, she, Lisa Kudrow and Courtney Cox would eat a healthy version of Cobb Salad every single day.

So today I made this version of one.  It was good, but no way I could eat it every day for a month, let alone ten years.  I could eat it every day for the rest of my life and still would bear no resemblance to Jennifer Aniston.

Holy Crap, I just realized that in ten years I’ll be seventy years old.  SEVENTY YEARS OLD!!!!!!  I might as well just hustle on over to the Dairy Queen for a Buster Bar, Blizzard or a Chocolate Dipped Cone every  single day for the next ten years and be done with it.  That makes a lot more sense. 
Don’t you just love the working of the the mature mind???

Yorkie baths…

This video is just so funny, especially so since the M&M’s had baths and haircuts this morning.  Unlike these two yorkies, mine actually enjoy the process.  And, my girls are much cuter than these two…  Well, they are!!!

 

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes from Big Red Kitchen

Does this fascinate you as much as it does me?  No, it’s not a cinnamon roll, it’s a pancake!  Our family is wild about both of these, so this is a must try at our house.

It’s from Robin, at Big Red Kitchen, and I’ve posted the recipe on Jan CAN Cook, click thru and take a look.

Wowza, what a great idea!

~ jan

Abby Sunderland

What kind of parents would let their sixteen year old daughter sail around the world by herself?  I’ve been watching coverage of this, and I’m just appalled.  I don’t care how “experienced” of a sailor this girl is, she’s sixteen years old.

These parents should be investigated.  Shame on them for encouraging their child to do such a dangerous thing…