Harvesting Oregano and Bow and Arrows

Hello all!
I am so happy . . . it is just beautiful outside these days!!
The skies are so blue, the sun is so warm, the Earth is waking up, and my herb garden is flourishing already! Here is my first harvest of the year for Oregano!
Can you believe it!

This is from 2 plants that actually never even died back during the winter because of how mild it was. While the plants did stay dormant, the leaves never shriveled and died. With the warm Spring weather and rain, my Oregano just took off and grew about 3 to 4 inches in a matter of a few weeks!

My son and I clipped all of it yesterday . . .washed it . . .drained it . . . and now it is drying. I can't believe I have this much Oregano as of April 6th! I am so happy that I will have plenty to share with friends, family and neighbors this year! I can't wait to make up cute little packages to give away. How fun! Half the fun of growing your own herbs is sharing!

So . . I actually made my son work along side me yesterday. He's 13 and was more interested in . . who knows . . probably wanting to get on his computer or go visit his cousin . . but, Mamma {that's me} wasn't having it. I told him, "You are spending today with me."  He said "errrrrrr" . . whatever that means . . that is his response sometimes "errrrrrr" . . I call it his caveman response. 

As we methodically clipped each sweet piece of Oregano . . him at one plant, me at the other . . each armed with a pair of scissors and a stainless steel mixing bowl for collecting . . I tried to prompt him into conversation . . it was like pulling teeth . . but I didn't give up!

attempt #1

Me:   So, what are you doing in school these days?
Everest:   nothing
Me:   Well, there's gotta be SOMETHING going on.
Everest:   no . . . not really
Me:  Sooo . . . you're not learning anything?
Everest:   No
Me:   Ok.

attempt #2

Me:  So, that book you're reading for school, Skeleton Key, is it?
Everest:   Ya
Me:   Is it good?
Everest:   Ya
Me:   What's it about?
Everest:   A boy who is a spy on an island
Me:   Oh ya, that's cool . . . so what's it all about?
Everest:   I just told you.
Me:   Nuh Uh, all you said was "it's about a boy who's a spy"
Everest:   Ya



attempt #3

Me:   So, who's your good friends at school these days?
Everest:   I don't know, I have a lot of friends.
Me:   Oh you do? That's great! Who are they, what are their names?
Everest:   I don't know, there's a lot of them.
Me:   Ok, so give me a name.
Everest: I don't know.
Me:   Ok, do you have a friend named David?
Everest:   No
Me:   Do you have a friend name Mike?
Everest: Yes
Me:   Aha! What class is he in? Is he nice? Is he funny?
Everest:   Science class, ya, he is.
Me:   Ok

attempt #4

Everest:   This is boring.
Me:   Well, everything doesn't have to be exciting, Everest. Not everything we do has to be as fun as a day at Kennywood. {awesome amusement park with rollercoasters in Pittsburgh}
Everest:   errrrrrr
Me:   Look, I'm really blowing you away . . look how much Oregano I have cut compared to you . . are you really gonna let your 41 year old mom beat you at cutting Oregano??
Everest:   You can beat me at cutting Oregano, I don't mind.
Me:   This may not be exciting but it is the process . . it is the fact that we actually grew our own herbs and we can make our own sauce and make it tasty by adding oregano . . an herb that is common in pizza sauce and pasta sauce . . if you are ever in a situation where you are asked about Oregano, you will know how to harvest it and what it is used for . . probably a lot of kids won't even know that, but YOU will.
Everest:   errrrrrrr

attempt #5

Me:   So, I was thinking . . .do you have any arrows right now?
Everest:   Ya.
Me:   Well, I was thinking that once you and I get all of the Oregano cut, we should go out to the field and you can show me how to shoot a bow and arrow. I have never shot one before and I want to learn how.
Everest:   OK!
Me:   Ok, let's get this done and then go get something to drink, and then go shoot some bow and arrows.
Everest:   Yessssssss!

attempt #6

Me:   So, now tell me about that book again . . . it's about a boy who is a spy? What does he do?
Everest:   Ok, well he lives on an island and he has to pretend to be the son of a man and a woman who are also spies and  . . . . . . . . . {he gives me a long, detailed explanation of the book . . . . yes! I have broken through!!!!}
Me:   That sounds like a very interesting and action filled book. Ok, we are done with the Oregano . . . I'll get this inside and you run and gather your bow and arrows.

Man, sometimes . . . . sometimes it's like pulling teeth! Everest did show me how to shoot arrows. To my surprise, it was more difficult than I imagined! It looks sooooo easy . . . but there is definitely some skill there! My left arm is bruised...which, Everest told me it would be. I told him I am going to make an arm guard . . . he said, no Mom, you just gotta get used to it and also bend your elbow out slightly so it doesn't get hit . . . I say, ya, well, I'm making an arm guard and you can't stop me. LOL!

And . . . that's my Oregano harvesting, bow and arrow shooting story!
It was an awesome day.
The sun was shining.
The sky was blue.

P.S. Funny side note:
We only had 2 arrows to use.
I told him that we could go to the sporting goods store later that evening to purchase more arrows.
He asked if we could also get some Mt. Dew. {soda pop}
I said, sure.
We laughed . . . well, we need arrows and Mt. Dew . . . sounds like we are up to no good.
Later when my husband came home from work he asked if we could also pick up some gas for the tractor while we were out.
Great . . . our shopping list now . . . arrows, Mt. Dew and gasoline . . . that REALLY sounds like we are up to no good!

Laughter!
:)

How to clean a French coffee press

Well, there's just no way to avoid a little mess when cleaning your coffee press. Reason being: no coffee filter that neatly holds the grounds. No doubt you're going to get coffee grounds on your hands, but that's just the nature of the beast. I assure you, making coffee in a French press is sooooo worth the little bit of mess for clean up. It's just the best cup of coffee you can make at home!

So here's the deal . . . the wet coffee grounds are stuck way down at the bottom of this 9 inch glass carafe. You DO NOT want to rinse the coffee grounds down your sink. I have read that this can eventually clog your drain! Coffee grounds should be disposed of in trash or added to your garden, flowering bushes or compost bin. I usually try to whip, flick and shake the grounds out of the press into the trash, but I always end up getting coffee spatters on the wall behind the trash can. Of course, who wants to clean up that mess!  

Here's my new way of doing it!

small colander in sink

place coffee filter in colander

remove plunger from press and set aside

find wet messy coffee grinds at bottom of carafe

dump and shake wet grounds into filter

wa-lah!

ok, still some left . . . no problem

pour small amount of water into carafe to capture grounds

swish and swoosh water around 

pour out into coffee filter

disassemble plunger, scrape or tap off extra grounds into coffee filter and rinse well

wash all parts in warm soapy water or put in dishwasher

tilt colander to dump liquid otherwise it will take forever to drain

throw away filter full of grounds

All done! And your drain in your sink is safe!

Enjoy your coffee!

Well . . . drink your coffee first, then clean your press! 

LOL!

How to use a French coffee press

Ah yes! 

The French coffee press, a thing of beauty! 

I've wanted a French press for quite some time now, and I finally broke down and bought one. I think I am becoming a real coffee snob...but, I just love GOOD coffee done right! 

If you've never used a French press, it may seem a bit intimidating, but really, there's nothing to it!

Let me show you!

First, take the top and plunger out of the glass canister and set aside.

You will need a course ground coffee. I like to grind whole coffee beans so I can control the grind. However, I have used ground coffee straight from the bag...it still works and tastes delicious...it's just not the optimum grind you should use.

Heat water in a kettle to just shy of boiling. For approximately 2 servings of coffee, I heat  approximately 2 1/2 cups of water.

Pour your coffee grounds right into the bottom of the glass canister. I use 2 TBSP. of ground coffee per serving. In this photo here I used 4 TBSP. of ground coffee, because I was making 2 servings. I do not have a formula for how many beans to use....I just know from experience exactly how far to fill the beans in my coffee grinder that yields me 4 TBSP. of coffee grounds. If you are not sure, just ground up some beans, dump out the grounds and measure.

Just like this...no coffee filter is needed.

Pour heated water directly into glass canister slowly, covering all of the coffee grounds.

Stir coffee grounds with wood or plastic. You can use a wooden chopstick or a bamboo skewer. You can also use a handle to a plastic rubber spatula. Do not use a metal utensil such as a spoon or a knife. You run the risk of cracking the glass canister.

Fit the plunger down inside the canister.

Put the lid and plunger on and down into the glass canister. Notice the strainer on the lid of the press is turned away from the spout. 

Leave the plunger in the up position. 

Let your coffee steep for 4 minutes.

This is what the coffee and grounds will look like. That's normal.

After 4 minutes, start to gently push down on the plunger.

Here's the plunger half way down.

Almost down to the bottom...push til it completely stops. The fine screen in the plunger traps all of the grounds in the bottom of the glass canister.

Allow the coffee to sit for a few seconds. Get your mug, cream and sugar all ready! Oh here's a tip: run some hot water in your coffee mug to warm the mug, then dump it out. This just helps to keep the coffee hot...especially after you add the cold cream.

Turn the strainer towards the spout and it is ready to pour.

Pour yourself the most delicious, smooth, aromatic, flavorful coffee ever!

Oh yes, it is a very good cup of Joe indeed! 

I love it!

By the way, the brand of this press is called Bodum. 

I bought this particular model at Starbucks for $20.

P.S. Just a side note: here is what the French press looks like disassembled.

It is very easy to take apart to wash and reassemble. 

Stay tuned for tips on how to clean your French press.

You don't want to rinse those coffee grounds down the drain.

Welcome Spring

We've been having perfectly beautiful Spring weather, and I am loving it! I cannot believe how quickly winter has left us! The weather here in SW Pennsylvania feels more like June than March, bringing yesterday to a high of 80 degrees!

The gorgeous sunlight put me in a good mood and got me motivated to mop my kitchen floor, do my dishes and tidy up! I felt like baking, which I haven't been motivated to do so in a while. It's that sunshine I tell ya! I was in the mood for something sweet, pretty and uplifting...and what could be more uplifting than a birthday cake?! . . . so I went with that! No . . .  it's no one's birthday . . .  but there's nothing like the taste of  REALLY GOOD birthday cake!

While perusing Pinterest, I came across a beautiful cake from  Sweetapolita  and fell in love with her photo and her recipe! I was definitely making this cake! I knew it would hit the spot . . . and it did!  It turned out wonderfully! I love the texture, the density and the flavor . . . it's just perfect! The frosting is killer! So sweet and light!

What a great way to welcome in Spring with this beautiful, perfect cake!

CLASSIC VANILLA BUTTER BIRTHDAY CAKE
recipe slightly adapted from Sweetapolita.

4 eggs, separated, room temperature
3 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup milk, room temperature
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three, 8 inch round cake pans. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In bowl of electric mixer, using paddle attachment, beat butter for 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and beat 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at time. Add vanilla. With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and the milk, in 3 additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

In separate clean bowl, using whisk attachment, beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar and beat until egg whites have soft peaks. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat until egg whites form stiff peaks.

With a rubber spatula, gradually fold egg whites into cake batter being careful not to over mix.

Divide batter evenly between the 3 cake pans and level each with an offset spatula. Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cakes, remove from pans and frost cakes with Buttercream frosting.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
5 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon water
pinch of salt

Using electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the whipping cream, vanilla, water and salt. Beat for 3 minutes. If consistency is too thick, add 1/2 tsp. of water at a time to thin.

Just a little of this and that

Yesterday I was busy putting away STUFF. There's just STUFF everywhere. Jackets, pencils, mail, coupons, quilting thread, tweezers, scrapbooks, notebooks, cookbooks, candles, baby toys, tennis shoes, snow boots, clothes, earrings, atlas maps, Boy Scout stuff, old homework papers, old report cards, video games.....STUFF.

I kinda feel like I want to clean like I'm moving to another house. When you prepare to move, you pack away all of the extra, unnecessary stuff . . . . and you're left with clutter-free furniture, counter tops and living space! I love it! I wonder if I'm getting that Spring cleaning feeling.

When I looked at my bookcase yesterday, the sun was shining through the window and highlighting the magazines and printed recipes tucked here and there . . . and I was perturbed. It looked so dusty and disheveled. Then, I put away all of the snow boots and extra shoes gathered by the front door and found a few dried leaves and lots of crumbly little pieces of dried mud and dirt that had been stuck in the thick treads . . . and I was like it. . . . errrrrrr!

Yep! I think I'm getting that itch for Spring cleaning. It will be nice to get that first warm day of the season when I can open a couple of windows and let some fresh air in!

Amidst cleaning, I did find time to take a little walk and enjoy that sunshine. I noticed white feathers peppered the landscape everywhere I walked. Chicken feathers. Not sure if they're from the Leghorn named Crystal Gale, or the Americauna named Sleepy. They were so pretty and fluffy, dancing softly in the breeze . . . glad I took a few photos because it is really raining out there this morning! No fluffy, puffy, pretty white feathers floating on a breeze today...everything is washing downstream today! Our creek is up sooooo high it will probably crest by afternoon. Our basement will undoubtedly flood {minimally} and that is quite normal for us...especially in Spring!

Boo!

This is Sleepy. 

She wants to know why I'm poking around in her business!

I realize she looks a little scary up close...but really, I love her the most! She is the only chicken that willingly lets us pick her up.

Today I will continue with a little cleaning. I've planned to use Mr. Clean Magic Eraser on the finger prints left at the edges of walls, openings and door frames. I'd also like to take a little time to do some quilting, drink some coffee and watch the rain from my living room window.

We are having dinner guests this evening . . .family . . .I'm making spaghetti with homemade meatballs and sauce, garlic bread and salad. Dessert is chocolate pudding pie with whipped cream! Yum! Well, I've got my day planned so I am off!

Aw, come on Sleepy! 

Don't go away mad.

Let's talk about this.

I need material for my blog!

Until next time!