Foodie Friday Garden Fresh Basil Pesto

Garden Fresh Basil Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 1/2 tsp of garlic that is already minced - 3 cloves if not

(I add more my family likes it real garlicky)

1/2 C olive oil - extra virgin

1/3 C walnuts - pine nuts are better but more costly
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
A food processor

Spatula

Wash picked basil and allow to air dry.

Pulse walnuts and basil in the food processor.

Add the garlic and continue pulsing.

Slowly add the olive oil - basically drizzling as the food processor is working.

As the mix runs up the side of the processor, scrape down the sides.

Add the cheese using the pulse method.

You are done! I serve it on pasta with chicken.

If I have more than I can use for a meal

I put it in small plastic containers
and freeze it for future use
*** make sure you drizzle a light layer on top
 of the pesto before freezing - it will keep it fresher
just mix it in after defrosting

Makes 1 cup. Most recipes call for 1/4-1/2 C pesto

Other serving ideas:

On grilled shrimp White Bean Pesto Dip
Added to a cream sauce or Alfredo sauce
Mixed with mayonnaise as a sandwich spread
or burger topping
Stirred into mashed potatoes
Stirred into rice
Mixed with cream cheese
and spread on a bagel
On pizza either in place
 or instead of red sauce
Even on corn!

Sen Edward Kennedy

I knew this day was coming......

I doesn't make me any less sad..........

"For all those whose cares have been our concern,

the work goes on,

the cause endures,

the hope still lives,

and

the dream shall never die."

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy 1932-2009

Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change. And I believe that in this generation those with the courage to enter the moral conflict will find themselves with companions in every corner of the globe.

For the fortunate among us, there is the temptation to follow the easy and familiar paths of personal ambition and financial success so grandly spread before those who enjoy the privilege of education. But that is not the road history has marked out for us. Like it or not, we live in times of danger and uncertainty. But they are also more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history. All of us will ultimately be judged, and as the years pass we will surely judge ourselves on the effort we have contributed to building a new world society and the extent to which our ideals and goals have shaped that event.

The future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellow man alike, timid and fearful in the face of new ideas and bold projects. Rather it will belong to those who can blend vision, reason and courage in a personal commitment to the ideals and great enterprises of American Society. Our future may lie beyond our vision, but it is not completely beyond our control. It is the shaping impulse of America that neither fate nor nature nor the irresistible tides of history, but the work of our own hands, matched to reason and principle, that will determine our destiny. There is pride in that, even arrogance, but there is also experience and truth.

In any event, it is the only way we can live."

Bats in the Belfry....

Well not exactly my belfry - in my dining room. We've lived here 5 yrs and we've had 4 bats - last yr we had 2. I didn't get a picture of the creature this time I was to busy hiding behind the door as my husband (yes he's the bat man - def my hero!) caught him and released him back to the wilds.


This is a picture of one of previous guests -no I didn't take the picture my son did - he even videoed it - thought it was cool - me not so much

Last nights guest decided to hide so he couldn't be caught until this am before my hsb went to work....needless to say it was a sleepless night at my house for me. I didn't use to mind them not any more.....I Don't like Bats in any shape or form! Not funny for Halloween - not any more especially after the night I was laying in bed minding my own business reading and one flew right over my head. Yes, matter of fact, I did scream like a little girl. Ever since I have been horrified by them. And yes I have been the brunt of every bat joke -don't care don't like them

They are just plain nasty, nasty and even more nasty. They may eat mosquitos, I don't care stay where you belong - not in my house! They all make fun of me because I"M SURE the bats in my house are ALL RABID.....no not really but its my story and I'm sticking to it.......beside how could you warm up to a bat - they look like flying rats????

Now its gone I'm gonna go catched some ZZZZZZZZZZZ.......Jo

Foodie Friday- Zucchini Salad

This salad is similar to one that is served at First Watch.

They serve it on a bed of romaine lettuce

Chop the following in small pieces:

1 lg Zucchini
1/2-1 Red Onion
1 lg Tomatoes
2 stalks Celery
Red Wine Vinagrette to moisten ( I used WishBone)

I hate to say but I didn't use exact measurements. I mixed and taste.

It's best if you let it sit for awhile. I make it up in the am for dinner.

Instead of chopping by hand I use this chopper (Vidalia Chop Wizard) to make my life easier:

Any chopper will work- I have not been asked to promote this by anyone - it purely is just something I bought and use

This is a great summer salad using up all the garden veggies!

Met Monday Roller Rock

Please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/08/welcome-to-31st-metamorphosis-monday.html

had hoped to have had the steps done for Met Monday but the weather has not helped gett his done! I decided to go ahead and post it as it it now and add on when it's finished.



Last year we decided wouldn't it be nice to tile the porch and step since it was looking bad- it orginally had carpet on the porch. We tore it up and Chuck tiled he also tiled the cement steps.weeeelllllll during the winter the tile decided to pop off the steps so our next dilemia was what do we do now? We kept hoping it would come to us, but no solution. We had to go to Cincy to get paint samples for the Ben Moore paint we wanted and low and behold there was this stuff called Roller Rock and it looked like our solution had arrived!

The steps before:

First it needs to be primed -Doesn't this look like a melted chocolate shake?

You have to let that sit for 24hrs before you can put the next step on.

It has more dark flecks that are gritty

Once we got the top steps done we realized we needed to do the lower ones .

So today Chuck primed them and will put the rock on tomorrow.

We have to wait until it isn't hot and when there isn't any

direct sun on the steps to seal them so who knows when that will get done.

I really like how well they came out.

The product is expensive, a lot of wait time but very easy to use !

Yard Sale

Day 1 of the yard sale went a lot better than I expected. I did find it surprising how many men stopped - more than women! I was surprised at what sold and what didn't sell.

Day 2 so far isn't going as well as Day 1 Something we did do different today is we put up a covering since we face west the afternoon sun was brutal yesterday. We did put out more "man stuff" and it all sold. I did sell some of my crafted items. We have had quite a few drive bys. What I have found interesting is that on items priced for .25 ppl will want to haggle down the price. I knew ppl would want to on the big items and I priced them accordingly but not the .25 ones!

All in all it went well and we made abt 1/3 of what we did yesterday. I was surprised that little junk items like door knob kits, plaster patch sold better than the things from Pier 1, Target or handmade craft items. It was mostly baby boomers and I have to say at least as many men as women if not more. I'm glad its over I might do it again but if I do I think I'd try Thurs/Fri. I know I'm going to sleep well tonight!

Traditions Party

Please join Marie at Emma Calls me Momma for the 1st Traditions Party!

http://emmacallsmemama.com/2009/08/celebrating-day-to-day/

I can't wait to see the other participants posts!

Birthdays

The kids always got to pick how their cake was to be decorated . We’ve had baseball cakes, aliens, kite cakes, bowling cakes, flower cakes and even bobsled cakes (Olympic inspired), Now they are all grown they have settled in to their favorite flavors. Round and square cakes are always served on the white anchor hocking cake stand my grandmother gave me. When I was antique hunting, I found 2 of exact same cake stands, so now each child can have their own plate for their family traditions.

Andrew 10

Andrew 20

Andrew Chocolate – any kind- he goes btwn black forest and mega mint chocolate chip

Grace 8

Grace 17

Grace – Vanilla cake/vanilla frosting

(no one else likes vanilla so there is always chocolate ice cream lol)

Devon 4

Devon 18
Devon mega mint chocolate chip

Even Elmo likes Birthday cake....

Chuck – black forest bundt cake

Me - any cake I don't have to make

Sundays Mornings

When the kids were little my hsb would make pancakes and once they were finished in the pan the kids would stand behind him and he would flip the pancake over his shoulder and they would chase it with/ their plates. Sometimes they would catch it and sometimes they didn’t. His mother did that with him. About once a month he would made cream cheese crepes and special syrup with whatever fruit we had

Bedtime Routine

When the kids were little up thru elementary school we had a night routine. After dinner it was bath time. After bathing they would all gather in one of the beds to be read to, even the ones who could read would snuggle around Dad while he read a book- they took turns on what book – sometimes they would have to wake him up to finish the story! When my hsb was deployed I would carry on the tradition but it was not the same as when Dad did it. Their bedtime was dependant on their age, we were pretty strict that they all were in bed by 8pm. If they didn’t go to sleep that was ok but they had to be in bed and quiet

Girl's Spa Night

Devon 5 Grace 7

When the girls were little and the"boys" went on their big adventures with Boy Scouts we would have "spa night" They would get facials, mani and pedicures. We had a lot of fun on those nights, laughing eating pizza and just doing girlie things......

Hope you enjoyed a few of our family traditions. When I sat down to write this I realized we had so many things we did/do with the family that it was hard to pick just a few and unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of pictures because we were enjoying the moment not thinking we should document it..................................Jo

Mega Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

Can only eat a small slice b/4 diabetic overload
Chocolate cake mix
Andes Mint chips
Chocolate Frosting – Sometimes you can find mint chocolate chip frosting
Pepperidge Farms Pirouette Cookes – mint chocolatehttp://www.pepperidgefarm.com/ProductDetail.aspx?catID=734&prdID=120612

Make the cake according to the recipe, adding the Andes chips to how much you like mint frost with frosting – if it isn’t mint cc then sprinkle Andes chips btwn the layers. Don’t put the chip in the frosting on the sides because the cookies won’t stick
Cut the cookies to the height of the cake and set them on the sides into the frosting After I get the piourettes in the side I sprinkle leftover chips on top of the cake
It really is overload/kill
Ashley I know you have egg allergies, you can make the eggless chocolate cake recipe I sent you

DIY Pin cushion/Sewing Kits

Canning Jar Pin Cushions and Sewing kits

canning jar - jelly size with metal band and lids

hot glue gun

fabric scraps

fiberfill

pins

sewing kit

If you plan on making more than one I would make a template out of card stock first:

Measure the inside lid and add an inch around it:

If you look closely you can see the pencil marks

Using the cardstock cut out a piece using the lid


Place the canning ring on your fabric to center the design:

Using the template draw on the wrong side of the fabric and cut it out

Using a small amount if fiberfill on top of the canning lid:

Adjust the fabric pattern:

Glue the fabric to the lid:

Apply hot glue to the cardstock piece that you cut using the lid earlier

You can apply the glue to the lid instead

Apply to cover over the edges:

Screw the lid on the jar, add pins and your done

The skull one below is a sewing kit

It is done the same way except you use a larger jar

buy a sewing kit at either the Dollar store or Walmart

Place the items in the bottom and you are done

Depending on the fabric, jars, pins and sewing kit you can make these very inexpensively They would make great gifts for newlyweds and college students