We Will Always Have Paris

Photo Of The Week: Milking

Our local pumpkin patch has a plywood cow that the kids can "milk".  Both of my kids will run right past the live animals (pigs, goats, a ginormous turkey and a llama! -- who doesn't love a llama?) to get to the fake animal.  Fantastic.

Photos of the Week: Flower Fields

I meant to share these from a month or so ago:

Photos by Three Turtles Photography

 

Photo of the Week: Catcher

Fall Ball has started around here.  Baby G. has changed so much since opening day last Spring.  She's pretty bad-ass, isn't she?

Photo Of The Week: Summertime

Photos by Three Turtles Photography

Photos Of The Week: Before and After

Last week, before the storm:

I'm obsessed with Pinterest and a couple of months ago I stumbled across the idea of building a raised garden using discarded pallets.  I asked a friend with a hubby in construction for a couple of pallets (thanks Amy!) and had my hubby whip me up this beauty.  I've been planting lettuce seeds in a new row each week and I was absolutely thrilled with the results.  We had fresh lettuce from the garden on Thursday night.  I was feeling completely Mother Earthy and very proud of myself.

The following night, a derecho destroyed our area and this is what I was left with:

Yep.  Big tree.  Once we finish removing all of the debri (which also took out the rest of our garden), I will rebuild!!  There's still a couple months of summer left, right?

Photo Of The Week: Happy Birthday Mr. Geisel!

I am a few days late to the party, but...

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Photos of the Week: LOVE

Happy Valentine's Day (a day early, but I can't help myself -- these pics are too cute to not post right away)!

 

 

 

photos by Melanie Zajicek

Photo of the Week: Meow

I was sorting through pictures this week, getting ready to upload to MPIX for my upcoming crop, when I stumbled upon this shot.  This is my Scottish Fold "Magpie", the older of my two cats.  She is hands-down the prettiest cat I've ever seen.  She has the personality of a bitter 70 year-old chain smoking waitress with a Brooklyn accent, but she's gorgeous to look at.

Photo Of The Week: Pink Lemonade

Now, if that isn't the face of Summer, I don't know what is... 

Photos of the Week: Scenes From A Summer - 2011

Our summer "to do" list.  I took this picture at the beginning of summer.  We've managed to check off about half of the items so far.

Our official summertime drink is Pimms.  We make our Pimms cup with 1 part Pimms No. 1, 3 parts 7-Up, cucumber peel and fresh mint.  Delicious.

My hubby has perfected an amazing recipe for samosas.  Baby G. has taken great pride in making her own and they are becoming a favorite family meal:

Samosa filling
3 whole boiled potatoes.  Peeled and coarsely mashed.  Lumpy is good here.  
1 T chopped cilantro
1 t salt
1 green chili seeded and finely chopped
1/2 t Garam Masala
1/2 t Chili powder
1 T lemon juice
1/2 c cooked green peas NOT CANNED. Frozen works fine.

Combine all, set aside.  Note, you may want to make the filling while your dough - below - is resting.  Filling should be warm when used.

Samosa dough
(This recipe will make enough dough for 24 samosas. More or less depending on how big you make your Samosas.  This is a no rise dough.  It should be the consistency of playdough or firm pastry dough when done.)
2 c flour
2 t salt
2 T vegetable oil
1 c warm water

Mix flour and salt into a bowl. Make a well into the center and add the oil and enough water to make a firm dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and roll into a ball. Cover in plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Divide into 24 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and roll out into a 3 inch circle on a lightly floured work surface.

Place a tablespoon or so of the filling near the center of the circle.  Fold over and seal the edge with the tines of a fork -pressing all the way around the sealing edge to ensure a good seal.

Deep fry the samosas in hot oil until crisp and light brown.  Hubby cooks them in a sauce pan with a few inches of oil.  No need to fire up the deep fryer here.  Drain on a paper towel.

Absolutely amazing!!

 
Pool parties with your best friends.  Good times.  I'll be back with more summer pics next week!