Monday, August 24, 2009

I haven't posted in a while, and here's why. I've been searching for full time work, then the fair hit. Normally that wouldn't affect my time so much except that this year my daughter was in 4-H and had a lamb entered. I had no idea how much of my life this project would take up! And I have to say I enjoyed nearly every second of it and I'm so proud of the effort she put in and the job she did so well. I'm looking forward to next year.

Tomorrow we are off to visit family. First my husband's, to help out a bit while suffering from illness, then to Medicine Lake to visit my side of the family. Then it's back home and back into the school routine. I hope to have some good 4-H pictures to share when we get back.

Enjoy the last bits of summer everyone!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Love Your Farmers Market

I just voted in the "Love Your Farmers Market" contest sponsored by Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org to help my favorite market, Ferndale Farmers' Market, win a grand prize of $5,000. I care about promoting fresh, local and healthy foods, and I need your help to get enough votes to help Ferndale Farmers' Market win. Please vote here: http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/17312?refer=21496.01.1249686504.164956.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Humboldt County Fair Livestock Auction

Cordelia is showing her first sheep at the fair. Be there at 1 pm for the auction to cheer her on or put in your bid.

Cordelia is showing her first sheep at the fair. Be there at 1 pm for the auction to cheer her on or put in your bid.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Peasant Soup

Minestrone soup was sounding good to me the other day. I started to explore the many different versions of this soup there are out there and also ran onto some Portuguese soups that were similar, but all involved sausage of some kind. Well, I had a fridge full of various things, including sausage, that needed to be used up, so I came up with this recipe.

6 cups of water ( I added about a tbsp of Superior Touch Better than Bouillon Chicken Base - but I think the soup would have been just as good with plain water.)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 sweet potato peeled and cubed

1 yellow potato cubed

1 chopped carrot

1 chopped red onion

3 cloves of chopped garlic

3 cups of chopped curly kale

1 15 oz can cannellini beans

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (I used one flavored with roasted garlic and onions)

1 cup cooked and chopped smoked sausage

2 ribs of chopped celery

2 sliced zucchini

1/2 cup dried orzo pasta

1 tsp salt

1tsp fresh oregano

2 tbsp fresh basil

1 tsp fresh thyme

parmesan cheese for topping.


Heat oil in a large stock pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, sweet potato, potato, and garlic and saute for until lightly browned. Add water (or broth), canned tomatoes, kale and seasonings. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add beans, sausage, zucchini and pasta and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until pasta is cooked and vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper and top with parmesan cheese.