Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Breakfast at Barbie's

Lexi with chocolate sprinkle donuts, and powdered donuts..mmmmm
My wonderful friend Ann sent us a box of books that she and her family were done using.  Inside were lots of interesting stories about historical characters...Daniel Boone, King Tut etc.  But, also included were all sorts of fun American Girl activity books.  My daughter immediately started perusing them the moment they came out of the box.  I love it when books override t.v.!  She especially liked one that was how to make fun little "food" treats for your dolls.



Not to my surprise this morning, she came down exclaiming that she was making donuts for Lexi...her Barbie doll.  Making these donuts are far easier than the real thing.  Less messy, I'm not sure.  Powdered sugar does get everywhere!




A few Cheerio type cereal, some powdered sugar, melted chocolate chips, and some sprinkles is all you need.  Miss M was so intent to have them look all fancy in a box.




So along with our scrambled eggs, and toast, we had micro donuts with Lexi, the Barbie doll.  A fun way to start off the morning!

Cheers!
~ Forestry Mama

Monday, February 16, 2015

Simple Sweetness

Valentines day was a bit of a bust in our house on Saturday.  My husband had plans to make awesome breakfast burritos with the green chile, and green chile sauce that I had brought back from my recent mama's holiday( I'll blog about that here soon...it's a fun story to share).  We even had plans for an afternoon babysitter.  Sounds like a pretty great day planned...right!

505Chile is amazing stuff!!  Thank you New Mexico!


Unfortunately, two of three kiddos were sick...so we cancelled the babysitter.  My husband had purchased some organic corn/wheat tortillas from Trader Joes.  When he went to pull them out of the package, they all stuck and tore.  Then when he tried to assemble the burritos, they cracked open.  I haven't seen him that frustrated, and disappointed in a long time!  Everything tasted great.  He makes a mean breakfast burrito!

He was so mad with Trader Joes and their lack of good tortillas that he asked if I would return all the tortillas including the partly used bag we had opened for breakfast.  Taking the littlest one with me, I returned to TJ's and explained what happened, and also how I had to listen to an extremely frustrated husband due to their lack of "good tortillas".  As usual TJ's gave me no problems and refunded us in full.  The manager also asked me to pick out any boquet of flowers for my troubles.  Thanks Trader Joes!

Orange...one my favorite colors these days!

What does a mama do on Valentines day when children are sick?  She cleans house like a mad woman!  We have been in downsizing mode, and more needed to be done.  Seriously, how have we collected all this stuff?  It turned into a cleaning weekend.  With more things picked up, gone through, put away, taken to resale shops, and donations made, I definitely feel better about our house.  I actually might like to invite some friends over.

Today was a little less busy, and with children being healthier, I made a good Valentines meal for all my sweethearts.  Flat iron steak (I love that cut of meat), roasted cauliflower, roasted asparagus, and a rice medley.  To end the meal with a sweet treat, we had chocolate dipped strawberries.  

On  a recent trip to Costco, the boys and I stood for a long time watching some employees dipping strawberries in chocolate.  Our middle boy was rather fascinated with this all, and wanted to get some.  I told him that we could make some at home that would be even better!

Chocolate dipped strawberries are truly so simple to make, but so elegant and delicious!  I was surprised at how sweet and large they were for early season berries.  My children were very smitten with them, and even had some fun dipping as well.  For my yellow food lover (our middle boy), I dipped bananas in chocolate.  

Strawberries dipped in semisweet chocolate


Watching them all enjoy this simple treat was truly pure sweetness.  

I hope you all had a lovely Valentines Day!

Cheers,
Forestry Mama

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Soup Time!

We've had a very mild Fall here.  The first frost just came the other day...4 weeks later than usual.  With the days shorter, and temperatures cooler now, there is that definite pull towards comfort foods.
Now, I've never been a great soup maker(in my mind), but I've decided that this is something I am going to work on.  Soups can be so easy, filling, and something you can make and freeze.  Not to mention, a way to get more vegetables into our diet!

In the past week, I've made several soups that have been pretty darn tasty...even our wee one has been enjoying them.  The first was a soup, I made from the leftovers of 2 different slow cooker recipes.  It was basically a mixture of leftover root vegetables, and homemade chicken broth that I blended to a smooth consistency, and added some chopped up pork and apple sausages.  Yummy!

Ever since I spent some time in New Mexico, Posole has been a household favorite.  I use to make it with dried posole (hominy), but as I have difficulty finding that here, I have resorted to canned hominy.  Which come to find out, it much easier, and cooking time is far quicker!  Posole is just a mixture of pork, onion, broth, hominy, some canned tomatoes, and I usually put in some salsa verde. Serve with slices of avocado, and shredded cheese.  That's my down and dirty version.

Earlier this Fall, we purchased quite a few Sugar Pie pumpkins.  We had planned to roast or steam, then freeze the pumpkin.  This weekend, my husband so patiently steamed all but 2 (left for decorating the Thanksgiving table) while I was sick in bed.  He even roasted the seeds! Roasting seeds was something he had never done before,  But, he found a recipe, and made them because he knows how much I like them.  I love this man!

A storm is headed our way, and something warm seemed appropriate for tonights dinner.  I was looking for a dairy free version of pumpkin soup.  I'm taking a little break from dairy right now, to see if I might feel better.  I decided to try this recipe - Pumpkin Coconut Milk Soup.  So super easy and super tasty.  We garnished with some of the roasted pumpkin seeds, and dipped with a boule of sourdough bread.  I wish I could say that I am a bread maker, but sadly I am not.  Maybe I should make that my next kitchen mission...once I feel like I've mastered soups.


Please feel free to send me the link to your favorite soup recipe.  I would love to try them!!

Cheers!
Forestry Mama


Below - Recipe for Pumpkin Coconut Milk Soup

Ingredients (See Link Above- All Recipes)

Original recipe makes 5 servingsChange Servings



  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir the onion and garlic in the melted butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir the water and chicken bouillon cubes into the mixture; cook and stir until the bouillon cubes have dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, ginger, orange juice, pumpkin pie spice, and chili powder into the liquid. Bring the soup to a simmer, and cook until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Pour the soup into a blender pitcher to no more than half full. Hold down the lid of the blender firmly in place. Start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth, and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup in the pot.
  3. Return the pureed soup to medium heat; bring to a simmer and cook another 10 minutes.


Monday, October 6, 2014

Time To Make The Donuts!

I am beyond giddy tonight.  Who knew I would think making donuts was so fun!!  I suppose thousands of donuts later, it might not be?

Recently, I was looking through recipes, and found one for a pumpkin donut (baked).  Not having a donut pan, I sort of dimissed it, but did mention it to my husband.  He spoke up and said, "why don't you order one?"

I really like the products at Chefs catalog, so I ordered the USA Pan 6 hole donut pan. (Link to pan)  The other day, that wonderful man in the big brown truck UPS) came and dropped off my new pan.

For my first time making these donuts, I followed the recipe that came with the pan.

SPICED CAKE DONUTS WITH ALMOND GLAZE AND COCONUT
Pan: Donut Pan 

Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    3/4 cup white sugar
    2 tsp. baking powder
    1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
    1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
    1 tsp. salt
    3/4 cup milk
    2 eggs, beaten
    1 tsp. vanilla extract
    1 Tbs. shortening
Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a Donut pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Stir in milk, eggs, vanilla and shortening. Beat together until well blended.
3. Fill each donut cup approximately 3/4 full. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until doughnuts spring back when touched. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.

For Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs. hot water
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Flaked coconut (for topping)

To make glaze, blend powdered sugar, hot water and almond extract in a small bowl. Dip doughnuts in the glaze and top with coconut.
Makes 6 donuts

The "Dry Team" as Alton Brown would call it.

Ready for baking.

Baked 

Icing and Sprinkles



They were super easy to make!  My husband was smiling tonight as he saw how proud I was of my donuts.  Some days it's the simple things!  Honestly, get yourself a donut pan.  

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Mountains on Fire

As of today September 17th, 2014 the King Fire is at 18,000 plus acres.  This fire is located on the Eldorado National Forest.  This fire is situated in the lower elevations, of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

I knew this fire was inevitable.  I know fire is an integral and very important part of an ecosystem.   At this point, structures have been saved, no lives lost.

But...my heart aches to see pictures and know that my mountains are on fire.  This area, the place of my birth, the place of my ancestors - those coming for a sense of adventure and to find that ever elusive "Gold".  For me there is a bond deep in my soul for this place.  No matter where I live, it will always be home to me.


 This is the place where I "cut my teeth" as a young forestry student doing summer work.  I have many fond memories of hiking those hills day after day.  Helping to reforest after the Cleveland Burn ('92), marking trees for removal within thinning projects, laying out areas for prescribed burns, dripping fire onto the ground myself, staring at rock scarred by wagons from many days gone by, breathing in the pungent smell of Bear Clover (a smell I love), listening to the American River, standing at the end of a long ridge staring out into the deep, densely forested canyons of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and foothills.

 I know these forest will return some day. Those portions that don't burn "too hot" will be better/healthier for what is happening.  These pine forests need fire.   But today it hurts.


Borrowed from www.news10.net





Borrowed from www.fox40.com




Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Adventure Trees

We've been very busy the past few weeks visiting family.  Hope you didn't miss our adventures too much!

We are trying out a few new things for our family this Fall.  One being what I call our Adventure Tree.  The idea came from an unschooling friend of mine's blog Giant Robots Invade the Rancheroo.  When I feel like I need to loosen up on our learning, I peek at what she has going on.  Sarah is a super neat lady!

Anyway, I wanted a visual reminder of all the adventures we would like to have over September, October, and November.  I'm pretty sure we made our tree too small.  We came up with lots of ideas, and have many more, I am sure! The best thing is that we can just keep adding!

I just used large peices of construction paper cut in the shape of the tree trunk and branches.   Then, I asked the children to paint with Fall colors (mostly) on good watercolor paper.  Using a leaf template I found on Enchanted Learning, we made leaf cutouts from the watercolor paper.  I have a love of metallic sharpie markers, which we used to write up all our ideas.  It is very interesting to see what is important to each person in the family.  I think it will be fun to pull off each leaf as we go adventuring.  Come the end of November, I'll post an after season picture.  I am hoping we will have huge leaf pile next to the base of the tree!




Some of our fun ideas include:

make a peach crostata
make a scarecrow
carve pumpkins
go apple picking
go for a hike in the fall leaves
go ice skating with Dad
go to the rock climbing gym with Mom
celebrate birthdays
go camping at the ocean

Just to name a few.
I think we are going to have a busy Fall!

Cheers!
~Forestry Mama

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Thoughtful Thursday - August 14th 2014

Welcome to Thoughtful Thursday!

Sharing those things that I am most appreciative for during this past week.  For me, I think it will be a good reminder, and a way to focus on the positive.


  1. Savoring the chubby little "Michelin Man" legs of our baby boy.  Soon those little rolls will be replaced with the lanky legs of a busy toddler.
  2. Enjoying a bag of trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, and dark chocolate chunks) that was left in a hot car.  A gooey mess of sweet and salty goodness!
  3. Having fun observing Handy H gain some independence at a gymnastics camp where he gets to attend with "the big boys".
  4. Grateful for the Summer rainstorm that helped get a handle on some of our local wildfires, and give us a break from the heat.
  5. Appreciative of a positive comment in a restaurant regarding the behavior of our children.  
  6. So thankful for a day trip with some friends for swimming, sand play, kayaking, ice cream, conversation, and a can of hard cider at a nearby mountain lake.  Thank you ladies!!


I'll leave it there for now.  Please feel free to share some of your own happy/thankful thoughts with us in the comments as well.  We would love to hear from you!

Cheers!
Forestry Mama