Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Farm-a-Ling-a-Ding-Dong

The farm was pretty low key yesterday. We brought home fragrant basil, five pounds of heirloom tomatoes and a t-shirt kangaroo pocket full of too-ripe, too-ugly or too-oops tomatoes that needed to be used right away. Which we did. Everyone got a 2 pound sweet potato or a few that added up to that. Zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, onions, garlic, beans, peppers, a few apples and a pear. Another week of heavy, heavy boxes and a time consuming pack. But, as always, satisfying on so many levels. 

On the home front, tomatoes. And those crazy tree pumpkins. The volunteer pumpkin vines have wound themselves through our 8 foot yew bushes in front of our house. One big guy holds firm at 4 feet off the ground and is oranging nicely. Others have not fared so well. One big one was lying in the ditch, still wrapped in her speckled green black immature robe. However, as she sits on the front porch she, too, is developing an orange glow. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ The Crew

Newbie Feral. Who knew?

Here's a story. It may contain facts that make you shudder or recoil or vow to never, never, never eat anywhere but your own safe home ever again. Whatever. 

This story is about a ritual that is important, foodwise, in our house. Clearly, it won't be involving animals, so you don't have to worry about that...or, wait, let me clarify, animal products. 

Lola, the protector of worker's rights, mostly her own.

Rob and I love PB&J sandwiches. It's the standard lunch. It's his always choice. I'll take leftovers, but it's hard to beat a PB&J.

So. Naturally I ran into a problem with peanut butter. It sticks like glue and hardens in the dishwasher. I don't know if you've ever experienced this or not. But, let's just say it was a real issue for us. 

Lily, uhhh did somebody say peanut butter?

Enter the household hint for the day. If you suffer from the same problem that kept me up at nights, here's the solution we found. 

 You just need to find yourself a worthy, and capable crew of peanut butter lickers. My trio began as a duo. And, really, they did a great job. Lily and Lola can de-peanut butter a table knife in mere seconds. And that was working well for us. I slept better at night, had more company than I knew what to do with at peanut butter sandwich making time, and they scored themselves a treat. And the knives came out of the dishwasher sparkling clean due to the pre-lick cycle.

Persistence pays off.

But then, we got a new applicant. Someone who didn't seem to fit the profile of a peanut butter licker. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't have given him the time of day except for his persistence. Feral was given a temporary job. He passed with flying colors and begins meowing for peanut butter time when I open the fridge every morning. Lola is a little slighted and they don't really work well together. But the work is accomplished in shifts. Win. Win. Win. 

My understanding is that they will take side jobs. And they work pretty cheap. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Muffaletta Stroganoff

Warning do not let the color put you off. It's tasty stuff, this, and if you use mushrooms you won't even have to suffer the scornful looks and furrowed brows like I did. Rob forewarned me that he couldn't eat it. I asked him to please try it. And then he did and he said that it was delicious.

Muffaletta Stroganoff

Serves 4-6

Zucchini noodles or pasta of choice. (if you are uninitiated in zucchini noodles here's the scoop. Use a spiralizer a julienne blade or veggie peeler and cut zucchini into pasta-ish strips. Sprinkle the zucchini with salt and let sit for several minutes if you plan to use it raw. If you want it heated pour boiling water over it, cover and steep for several minutes then drain.)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1/2 medium onion (small dice)

2 cups mushrooms or corn smut (mexican truffles) (chopped)

1 TBSP Earth Balance

3 TBSP flour

1 tsp powdered vegetable broth or bouillon

1/4 cup kalamata olives (diced)

1/4 cup green olives (diced)

2 cups non dairy unsweetened milk

1/2 TBSP lemon juice

1 tsp spicy mustard

1/2 tsp salt (heavy)

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Sauté onions and garlic in the Earth Balance. Add mushrooms when onions are translucent. When veggies soften and brown add flour and stir until veggies are pasty. Add milk stir until the sauce begins to thicken and bubble. Add the remaining ingredients . Serve over noodles when sauce reaches the consistency you want.

Scribbles and Scrambles . Farmerly Known As...

First things first.... I'm going to practice blogging from my phone. Why? Good reasons... one of which is my computer's current mood swing. And the thrill of adventure that surges within when I ponder what auto-correct might do in a blog post.

Now farm report. Everyone and I mean every single CSA recipient is the proud owner of a 25 + pound watermelon. 

Note pictorial proof.

I especially love Rob snapping a picture of Big Bertha with visuals and a tape measure. And check out the entire ear of corn smut!!! Guess who that went home with? Yep.

Recipe tomorrow, using corn smut. For reals. Now let's see how phone posting went shall we...Okay. Now on the real blogger. I can't change the font or move pictures on my phone. I can't change the size of pictures or change the post time or date.  Auto correct let THREE screw-ups pass, it didn't even bother to embarrassingly correct the words I thumb-tripped over. But, it also didn't make me say something really weird. (I guess I don't need help in that department.) I also can't type horizontally on my phone so I'm more likely to trip over my stupid thumbs. BUT. I must say, phone blogging could be great when I can't post from my computer for some reason. I can always edit later.

Oooooh Pretty!

Scraps and Snippets ~ What's for Dinner? Zucchini Potato Burgers

Zucchini Potato Burgers

1 Potato (Shredded)

1/2 Zucchini (Shredded) 

1/2 Carrot (Shredded)

(I used the shredder blade on my food processor) 

Dump the veggies in another bowl. 

Put the blade in the processor. 

Toss in 1/4 cups olives

1 clove garlic

1/2 an onion

1/2 Cup mushrooms

1/2 Cup nuts of choice

1/2 TBSP ketchup

1/2 TBSP lemon juice

1/2 TBSP soy sauce

1 Cup gluten flour

Use the shredder blade and shred the potato, zucchini and carrot. Dump in another bowl. 

Blend the remaining items with the blade. (Except for the gluten flour.). 

Dump the blended mixture into the shredded vegetables. Mix well. Add the flour and stir well. 

Form into patties and place in frying pan. (Lightly sprayed) Heat until browned on one side. Flip and brown other side. Serve.  Makes approx 8-10 burgers. Great reheated.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Peanut Butter Melt in Your Mouth Cookies...

Why on earth would I fire up the oven on a hot Monday afternoon.....at the peak of the heat curve? Why? 

Maybe because I saw a cookie recipe on a website. And that cookie recipe was NOTHING even CLOSE to what I ended up making. But somehow it inspired the need to heat up the kitchen. 

It was worth the sweat. 

These totally melt in your mouth. Crispy, delicate, crumbly they need to sit on the cookie pan while they cool a bit and will store best in the fridge. I can't quite place the taste. Maybe a cookie version of the inside of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, or a soft chewy version of a Butterfinger. A little hint of those chewy butterscotch Rice Krispie bars that are covered in chocolate and make you sick because they are so stinking sweet. How about I just call these darn tasty. 

Peanut Butter Melt In Your Mouth Cookies

1/2 Cup peanut butter

1/2 Cup coconut oil

1 1/3 Cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Cup flour

1 1/2 Cup oatmeal

1 Cup chocolate chips

Mix coconut oil, peanut butter and brown sugar together until blended. Add vanilla, stir, salt and baking powder and mix well. Stir in flour until incorporated. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips. 

The dough is grainy and crumbly. Roll into small balls and press into disks and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Let sit until cool then store in the fridge. Makes 24ish cookies.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Weekend Goodies and Happenings...

My weekend included a wedding, some baking practice, and a missing spider.

We attended a wedding of a young woman who called our home her second one during her teen years. It was a simply beautiful wedding. Burlap and hand-made fabric flower corsages, ball jars filled with lavender sprigs and sunflowers. The bridesmaids' dresses were monochromatic dusty rose, short and floaty, and the groomsmen wore dress pants, white shirts and suspenders. The ceremony was very God focused and encouraging.

I sliced another batch of pears that have ripened since we picked them and dehydrated them. Highly recommended thing to do with pears should you have an abundance.

Since we've got the pear bounty I tried out another recipe for October's MOFO dessert blitz.

Here is a picture, the recipe will debut in October.

Bounty from our garden.

And, my truck-surfing spider buddy has found a new home. Rob parked near the bushes, so I'm hoping the little guy has decided to settle down and make his new home there.