Pick-Your-Own Berries

One of the activities I looked forward to each year, while living in Western Maine, was the opportunity to pick my own seasonal produce. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, pumpkins... sometimes I picked at a farm, other things, such as fiddle head ferns, I could just pick in the woods. Daily, I could drive by small farms that had stands at the end of their driveways with corn, potatoes, whatever was the current crop. Plus, one of my best friends would give me the eggs her chickens laid. At one point I even had vegetable garden and completed the Master Gardener course...

Our daughter has spent most of her three years in Banff where we are lucky to have two local farmers markets but what they sell is not terribly local, it mostly comes from British Columbia. Alberta is rancher country but in Banff there are not any local pick-your-own farms (what I wouldn't do for farm fresh eggs!) so aside from an annual stop at a farm that makes ice cream on the way to Kelowna, my child only knows what she reads in books, from playtime with her wooden barn, and what we tell her about farms. She thinks strawberries and the like come from the grocery store. So, while visiting my in laws in Ottawa, I was thrilled that it was strawberry season. I knew we just had to take her picking. We drive less than 10 minutes away to the Prouxl farm. We met a school bus coming down the drive which I imagined was full of children fresh from picking. Once we got there the stand was open but the fields were closed. My father in law explained that we had a little one who really wanted to pick strawberries and the generous family gave us baskets, had their son walk us to the field, and QQ was thrilled to spend a small part of a sunshiny afternoon filling her basket with berries. It is a lovely memory...


Walking through the patch with Grandma.


Look at what I have! Strawberries!!


Gobbling up the rewards of the pickings... Yum!


If you are lucky enough to pick some fresh berries I suggest you make these (you can make them with store bought berries, too).

Strawberry Corn Muffins
Recipe by Vegetarian Times

Ingredient List
Makes 12 muffins

* 1 cup cornmeal
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 Tbs. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 2 large eggs
* 1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
* 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
* 1 cup sliced strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk in separate bowl. Stir cornmeal mixture into egg mixture. Fold in melted butter and strawberries. Scoop batter into muffin pan.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until tops are brown. Cool 10 minutes in pan; cool completely on baking rack.

Nutritional Information

Per SERVING: Calories: 160, Protein: 4g, Total fat: 3g, Saturated fat: 1g, Carbs: 28g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 270mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 10g

All Photos by Tiffany Teske

Lovely Flowers

Since having Le Belle Emmanuelle 6 weeks ago, I have been so behind on posts, which bums me out, because there are even more wonderful things I could be posting about than before. Playing catch up, I better just get used to it. I have never been more excited about my life; 2 happy, healthy, amazing daughters, my completely made for me husband, living in a beautiful and inspiring place, incredible friends, life is good... I need to hit the bed, since my little one actually sleeps like an angel once she falls asleep around midnight. I will leave you with some pretty images of a monstrously large bouquet that was generously sent to us upon Elle's birth. Next to handmade gifts, flowers, and food are my favorite. What a treat! Merci beaucoup!

What's For Dinner?

Image by Vegetarian Times

Try this delicious dinner for two.

Edamame Rice Bowls
Recipe by Vegetarian Times

Ingredient List

Serves 2

* 1/2 cup brown rice
* 1 8-oz. bag frozen shelled edamame
* 1/4 cup dried cranberries
* 2 oz. crumbed feta
* 10 pitted kalamata olives, halved
* 3 Tbs. chopped cilantro
* 1 Tbs. olive oil
* 1 Tbs. lime juice
* 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil, stir in rice, and season with salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 45 minutes, or until rice is tender.
2. Bring 2 cups salted water to a boil, add edamame, and cook 2 minutes, or until tender; drain and set aside.
3. Toss together rice, edamame, cranberries, feta, olives, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, and red pepper flakes in large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Nutritional Information

Per SERVING: Calories: 540, Protein: 20g, Total fat: 24.5g, Saturated fat: 6g, Carbs: 63g, Cholesterol: 25mg, Sodium: 778mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugars: 14g

Summer Fun - Making Bubbles - Homemade Bubble Solution

Everytime someone gives my daughter bubbles from the store, I think, "I should check out how to make refills for these. It can't be that hard." Finally, I have gotten around to it. My good friend, Hannah, recently visited us from Colorado. She is a artsy craftsy girl, whom I have had lots of fun with over the years. She has experience in bubble making so she gave me the following link to some good homemade bubble solution recipes. They are on a site called The Bubble Blowers Museum. Check it out, it is super fun! Everything you ever wanted to know about bubble blowing...


I decided to use the first recipe in the link. It is very simple to make bubble solution and my three year old had fun helping. We used Sunlight dish washing liquid, although Hannah insists that Joy is the best, I couldn't find any. The Sunlight works well. And my daughter loves that the bubble solution is colored instead of clear. I found 100% vegetable glycerin at my local health food store for about $6 for the bottle, which should make many many more batches of bubbles. I cut this recipe in half, since a gallon of bubble solution is A LOT. I need to find a gallon jug for the future. Bubble solution makes a nice small gift for the kids in your life. In a future post I will explore making homemade wands for blowing, as well as packaging for gift giving. These bubbles work great! My only complaint is that they are not completely non toxic. I want to explore bubbles made from natural soaps. That way if a little one gets some in their mouth or eyes all will be ok. If anyone has any experience with this please leave me a comment...

Exploratorium Bubble Formula
from the Exploratorium web site
2/3 cup Joy dishwashing soap
1 gallon water
2 to 3 tablespoons of glycerin (available in pharmacies or chemical supply houses)

The photos below were part of the inspiration for my finally making bubble solution. We just returned home from a visit to see good friends and family. While there, my daughter was taught by her little friend, E, some of the joys of making bubbles with increased wind power! E's daddy brought out a fan and they spent a ton o' time making jet propelled bubbles. So sweet!


Yesterday my husband actually pointed out a sale on "bubble making fans" in a store flyer. We will never look at a fan in the same way again...



Images by Tiffany Teske

Happy Canada Day!

Happy birthday, Canada! Once again, the weather in Banff was good (second time in three years) and we were able to spend a lovely day partaking in Canada Day celebration. We even took in two parades, the one in Canmore, and in Banff. The fireworks are going off outside our window as we speak, QQ didn't make it until the 11 PM kick off. We used to celebrate this fun day in Ottawa, Canada's capital, and next to there, Banff is the best place in Canada to soak in the spirit of the day.

Cinnamon Walnut Scones

My first activity, after one week of resting up and having a babymoon with my family, was to make these scones. Big sis helped me. They are very simple to make so even though it was the longest time I had spent standing in a week, it was very manageable.


Cinnamon Walnut Scones

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
4 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter
2 eggs 1/3 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup buttermilk


In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients; cut butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine eggs and cream; stir in dry ingredients just until moistened. Turn onto a floured surface; gently pat into a 7-inch circle, 3/4 inch thick. Cut into 8 wedges. Separate wedges; place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush tops with buttermilk. Let rest 15 minutes. Bake at 450 degrees for 14 - 16 minutes or until golden brown.



I suggest making whipped cream to put on these, although if I had had any mascarpone kicking around I would have made devonshire cream... my recipe for homemade whipped cream can be found in this post. In one of the generous food packages at friend dropped off was a jar of homemade strawberry jam which was JUST PERFECT on the scones. I need to make some jam, I had forgotten how amazing it is when it is homemade. These scones are delicious enough to eat plain but why?

Etsy Baby Shower Gifts - Part Two - BuggaLove

I have been blown away by the generous gifts I received for my new baby from the Etsy Baby Shower. To find out more about it you can read post Part One.

Part Two brings us to BuggaLove. Jessica makes a fun line of baby onesies as well as custom nursery decor including wall letters and butterfly and bird mobiles. She has participated in the Etsy Baby Shower for two years. She sent me not one but THREE amazing onesies, in varying sizes, so my babe will be in style for the next year!


At almost three weeks old, Emmanuelle can now wear my favorite of the three onesies, the one that says "I am new here." It makes me smile every time I see it. I have washed it twice and it looks brand new. I look forward to seeing each onesie on my babe.


Jessica and I have exchanged some nice convos and I will be sure to keep her, and all the sellers who sent me their handmade items, in mind when I need to give baby gifts. She is currently having a sale in her shop so go and check her out. Thanks so much, Jessica!

Nutella Cookies, Yes, NUTELLA Cookies...

Finally, I made them! I have been wanting to make these ever since I read a post about them on the awesome cooking blog, Ginger Rose. I have been back to her blog a few times to read through the mouth watering recipe, and I have now tasted these cookies in all of their wonderfulness. I changed up the recipe a bit, mostly because I could not find hazelnuts anywhere in my grocery store. I decided to use macadamia nuts, since they are so darn yummy in white chocolate macadamia nut cookies...


Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt (if unavailable, regular salt is fine)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts (mine were salted and so was my butter, so I didn't need the kosher salt)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, sugar, and brown sugar. Cream the ingredients together, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 1 minute.

5. Hand stir in the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until JUST combined. Add the macadamia nuts and chocolate chips until JUST combined.

6. Using a teaspoon measure, spoon out cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, spacing the mounds evenly apart so they will not spread into each other when baked. Bake until lightly golden around edges, about 10-12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cook.

Make these, ASAP!

Etsy Baby Shower Gifts - Part One - Lynn's Lovelies

This spring I was fortunate enough to participate in a very special baby shower. A large group event, it included people from all over the WORLD, and it was actually "virtual". Etsy sellers who make items for babies, got together to throw a baby shower for Esty Sellers who were having babies. My Etsy friend, HeavensEarth, told me about the opportunity. I was assigned to four lovely Etsians, and each one sent me a LOVELY gift for my babe-to-be. I had originally thought to showcase each seller, and the images I had taken of their gifts, right away, but then life got in the way, and well, now my baby-to-be is here! She is about two and half weeks old, which means that some of the items already fit. I figured it would be more fun to show my images AND the images of my baby, Emmanuelle, wearing the items that were made with such care and generosity.

Let's start with LynnsLovelies.


Lynn emailed me to introduce herself and to ask me what colors I like. I told her orange and pink, and that I like bold colors. She specifically crocheted a custom gift for Emmanuelle. I enjoyed communicating with Lynn. She has since sent me a lovely email. And she packaged her gift in bright colors with a nice handwritten note, and dried rose petals. She has gone above and beyond in her kindness.


Lynn's attention to the details really shows. Both in her packaging and in her handiwork. Many of the items in Lynn's shop are in sweet pastel colors, but I love that she created an amazing set of hat and booties that is so flashy, fresh, and fun. I am sure if you like something in Lynn's shop, but you would like it to be changed to suit your tastes, that she would be happy to oblige.

And now for La Belle Emmanuelle modeling Lynn's creations...


(Don't you just LOVE the scalloped edge on this sweet little hat?)


(And the super cute milk tongue on Emmanuelle?)


(And the sweet little buttons in the middle of the adorable flowers on these booties?)


(I even love the little hole in the top of the hat, which I am told is common for crocheted work, which goes out from the middle).

Thank you so much, Lynn! It means so much to me that my little one, who is the second girl in our family, has some handmade items that she can call her very own. We will cherish them!!

Wedding Cake - Maine

Ok, so do any of you have more than one blog? Do you sometimes post to the wrong one? That is what just happened here. This was supposed to go on my other bloh, http://iheartpolaroid.blogspot.com. Whoops! But it is such a lovely image I am just going to leave it here... Another lovely image from my friend, Kiki's wedding, in Maine.
Image by Tiffany Teske