Thursday, August 29, 2013

Paleo Breakfast Cookies from PJ


Paleo Breakfast Cookies                                                                        Makes One Dozen Cookies

Place in food processor and stir together:   1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/4 t salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 Tbls cinnamon.

Add in:  1/2 cup almond butter, unsweetened, 6 pitted dates, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes.
Process mixture in food processor til well combined and dates are fine.

Add in and process til wet dough forms: 3/4 cup shredded coconut, 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, 2 medium eggs, 1 tsp vanilla.

Add in and pulse til all incorporated: 2 Tbls dried unsweetened cherries, 2 Tbls walnuts, 3 Tbls currants.

Use cookie scoop to drop cookies onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly as the cookies will not spread. (I've been flattening them with  the bottom of a glass dipped in coconut sugar.)  Bake 15 to 20 minutes.  Store in freezer.

 They have been mistaken for sausage patties a couple of times, but they really are delicious. Thanks to my sissy PJ for the recipe.  I think of her everytime I make them :) love love

Monday, August 26, 2013

Lilies of the Garden

Mark and I did quite a bit of clean-up in the garden this weekend.  Lots of branches to cut back, lots of spent plants & flowers, lots of weeds.  These white lilies had fallen over and were almost touching the ground so I whacked them all back.  Which resulted in a great pitcher of white lilies for the back porch.  These are a cross between asiatic and oriental, so they don't have the overpowering smell of the orientals.  But still,  fifty blooms or so  would be a little much inside.
Planting bulbs in the fall isn't one of my favorite garden chores.  But this pitcher had me wondering where I put the bulb catalog.  Maybe digging just a few holes wouldn't be too much trouble. . .

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Dinner at V's

V went with us last night to look at the house on the lake again.  She said there's a lot of steps.  There are.  She said there are a lot of sticks in the yard.  There are.  She said it's a nice house.  It is. 

Then today, V called and invited us to dinner for salmon patties, green beans, corn, slaw, and cornbread.  With lots of butter :)  It was a great supper and reminded me of  mama and grandma's cooking.  We loved it.

Still no definite decision on the house.  In the meantime, Mark is painting the basement walls and floors.  And I'm responsible for cleaning out the flower area--something that should have been done a while ago! 

Monday, August 19, 2013

Sunday Bouquet

Saturday before last, we tromped up and down the steps and over and around six lake homes.  Just looking.  Five of the six weren't it.  The sixth one wasn't exactly it either.  So the next morning, Sunday morning, I went out into the garden and collected gorgeous flowers and made a bouquet.  What else do you do when you've been thinking too much and are indecisive about a life choice?  
 It turned out beautifully.  The bouquet, not the decision.  I posted this picture on facebook and thanked some of the floral designers who have taught me so much and enabled me to put something together that looked this good.  Judi Borah wrote back and said "a garden is a joy to have".  She's so right.  
If we buy the lake house, I will have to give up this garden and move on to another kind of garden.  Maybe we better not. 
I am thankful thankful thankful for all the blessings in my life that I can even think for a second about a house on the lake.  Even if I am going back and forth talking myself into it and out of it every waking minute.  And probably in my sleep too!    In the meantime, it was a glorious Sunday in the garden. 

Sunday, August 18, 2013

No, It's Not Paleo

Judson made this fabulous spinach and mushroom risotto when he was here a couple of weeks ago.   It was awesome.  And even more so because he made it for me :)

Debating on buying a house on Lake Springfield. We've been back and forth at least a hundred times. Yes, let's do it. . .   No, we'd better not. . .   But I want to sit on the dock and drink coffee every morning  . . .   Okay, let's do it. . .  But wait, we'll be paying it off in our 80's. . . . Okay, we'd better not. . . . Go for it.  You work hard.  Do it!     (That's Warren's voice.)  . . . Be careful what you wish for, you're sure to get it. (That's from Mammy.)   No, definitely not.  Yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no. . . . Sheesh!  I need a glass of wine and some  more of Judson's risotto :)

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Listen to Your Mother. . .

. . . when she tells you to grow Magellan zinnias in addition to the Benarys you always plant every year.  She's right.

. . . and when she tells you to watch all the past seasons of Downton Abbey because you will love it and you will want to be ready for Season 4 in January.  She's right about that too :)


Monday, August 05, 2013

August Sunday




We had a grand time on this beautiful Sunday afternoon.