Garlic Scape Pesto
Saturday, June 30, 2012
I have trouble using my garlic scapes. They are a speciality food, that is very seasonal. I just picked mine, and found this recipe on the Kitchen Gardeners International.
You don't have to wait for your basil to make pesto with this recipe. For the uninitiated, garlic scapes are the elegant flowers that emerge from hardneck garlic varieties. Scapes are usually removed as a way of sending more of the plant's vital energy into bulb formation, or so the conventional thinking goes. We also add arugula to this when the planets align. Adding arugual softens the garlic flavor and turns the pesto a darker green which, unlike basil pesto, doesn't oxidize.
Ingredients
1 cup of garlic scapes, top flowery part removed, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/3 cup of walnuts
3/4 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese
1/2 teaspoon of salt
black pepper to taste
2-3 cups of chopped arugual, if using
Preparation
Place scapes and walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until well combined and somewhat smooth. Slowly drizzle in oil and process until integrated. With a rubber spatula, scoop pesto out of the bowl and into a mixing bowl. Add parmigiano to taste; add salt and pepper. Makes about 6 ounces of pesto. Keeps for up to one week in an sir-tight container in the refrigerator.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
I made 3 blank books today, from some old book covers and recycled papers for the inside. These books above are inspirations that made me want to give the idea a try. Some of the books have lined pages and some have blank pages. I used a Cinch binding machine to make the books. I think that it works pretty well. I am planning to embellish the covers with chipart, stamps, ribbon, paint...whatever I think will be good. I am enjoying the process of creating these books.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Tonight we celebrate! The purchase of the home in Newberg Oregon is complete. The county has recorded the purchase. This has been a long....3 month process. The seller was difficult to work with, and we almost gave up. Someone convinced her to do the needed repairs to the home. She did not want to spend a dollar on the house to do the repairs. We would not purchase it otherwise. Then, at the last minute (last Thursday)....our lender became very difficult to please. We had to prove to them that our retirement pensions will last 3 years into the future...what I said, you have to be kidding...how do I do that? The title company person told me later that the lender are doing that to everyone. The lenders sometimes refuse to loan at the last moment. A big Thank You to our buyers agent Alex Clark!
Saturday, June 23, 2012
I love this mascara!!! Really, it seems a little weird... I have pitiful lashes. I refuse to consider using Latisse, and spend money on a Rx that has side affects. Normal mascara doesn't help much. I saw a magazine article recommending this mascara, and decided to purchase the product. I have used it for a few days now, and it works very well. My poor lashes are longer and thicker. I think that this is the best mascara I have ever used! I highly recommend this mascara! Do you think I am excited? You bet.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
I just love a beautiful sunset. Yesterday, the Summer Solstice gave us a purple, lavender, pink, and red sunset. There haven't been many sunsets around here recently, too much rain and bad weather. There has been no spring to speak of...then 80 degrees. I need time to become accustomed to heat, so I suffer for a few days. However...I love these long hours of daylight!!
Oh! I am celebrating too....the closing on a home is almost complete. Yes!!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
These posters are based on real quilts, so beautiful!
Sisters, Oregon is a fun place to visit. It really is a tourist town, the setting is spectacular and I like to go there on a day trip a couple times each year. There is a wonderful scenic drive that is only open during the summer. The quilt shop Stitchin Post is a fabric lovers delight.
Well, my Sis and I are going there tomorrow. A fun time to be sure. I have to get in a little fun before Haying Season starts! That is our farm crop, and when we are making hay things are crazy at home.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
I have not been posting to my blog as often recently. My excuse is that my friend Deana and I did Vintage Fair the last two days. This was very spur of the moment...she called me with the idea on Tuesday or was it Wednesday? She set up the location and most of the details. We pulled it off quite well if I say so myself. We had many people stop by, as we were in a prime highway lot..right next to two food places..with very good access and parking. This is our first outdoor adventure with this idea! We had fun and sold stuff too.
We are thinking of another Vintage Fair. This is high tourist season here. We should attract many folks (there were about 400-500 people each day this time).
We need to come with a good name for this venture. I am posed in her truck in this photo. That pink truck attracts attention! Tell me your ideas for a fun name...Pink Truck Girls/Sisters...we are just getting ideas about this. Anyone living near here interested? How about you, Gail?
Thursday, June 14, 2012
I love the movie "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger. I imagine the Revolutionary War to be a brutal event in our history. All wars are that. It is a miracle that our small population was able to oust the British. My family history (mother's side - Hawley) fought in this war, I understand they came to the colonies about 10 years after the Mayflower and early groups.
My father, Alfred L. Knoper Senior Master Sargent, deceased, served his county for 26 years, therefore I grew up an "Air Force Brat". Maybe it was the era, Baby Boomers and all...I am a Patriot. There is nowhere else on Earth that I want to call home. People from all over the world want to live here, in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.
I have two family members serving in the US Army at this time. A big thank you to nephew Micheal Bertsch, and my other daughter Trisha Sullivan Delgado. I am proud of them and their patriotism.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
via Pinterest |
Now, I must bring out my summer clothing and shoes (sandals). Yes!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
From Pinterest |
Thursday, June 7, 2012
I made soap yesterday. Soap is set after 24 hours in a box lined with plastic wrap. |
The plastic wrap makes removal from the box very easy. |
Score the soap before you cut it, with a stainless steel thin blade. |
Add a stamp if you want. |
Use a soap stamp, and a rubber mallet. |
Cure for about 8 weeks. |
I took these photos today. This soap is apple scented, and slightly pink. The photo shows that it looks a little irregular after cutting, I think that adds to the handmade - hand crafted look.
We love this soap very much! It is not harsh like the chemical detergent bar soaps sold for bath use. It leaves your skin nicely clean, but not dried out. The soap lathers very well, and it is nice to use. The soap only gets better with long curing times (several months), and it lasts in the shower for a long time.
Yes, I do sell the soap at shows, because I make 3-4 batches a year, and each batch makes about 24 bars. Too much soap for us to use. I price it at $5 per bar.
This is the website that I learned soap making from - Mullers Lane Farm.
A good place for supplies is Glorybee Foods.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
via Pinterest.com |
BTW, Hubby purchased a wireless driveway alarm. We are going to use it to let us know when the wildlife are out front...foraging and destroying the plants. The idea is that we will know when to go out and chase them off. I hope that it works. Or...I could get some of the horrible smelling Liquid Deer Fence, I know that it works. (If you can stand the odor.)
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Yesterday, 4 of us drove up Highway 58, to spend a night at Crescent Lake Resort. I selected this cabin on their website. There are only photos of the exteriors and short descriptions of the interior. Hum....no wonder! No one in their right mind would spend $200 a night to stay in this shack. No towels to boot. Let's just say I would never recommend the lodging unless it was very cheap, maybe $40 a night for 4 people. Very disappointed to say the least!
My other comment is that the Chef at the restaurant is very good. We had lunch and breakfast....the food was very good. I would recommend visiting the restaurant. crescentlakeresort.com
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