Summer 2013 Update

It's been so long since my last post, I forgot my password. Since, let's see... May 21st... Summer happened. Summer included our 7th (omigosh 7th!) annual Creekhouse Reunion...

I love these people.

Loved 'em back in 2007, too.

There was also a road trip to Texas, including giant catfish...

And of course a bountiful garden, complete with busy bees.

2 new beds! But for whatever reason *cough*neglect*cough the squash and cukes planted there did not really thrive.

Just before we put the second tier of frames on. June?

The bees have been fun. They're mostly sweet, docile ladies -- no stings except those two when we deserved them. No honey yet... we ought to have checked on them by now to see what they've done up top, but we haven't. I figure they've capped enough honey to make it through the winter on the bottom box. We probably won't harvest all of the top this first year b/c I really want to make sure they survive the colder months, but we may get in there and explore this weekend. I'll let you know. Maybe :). If I post again before next spring.

Cauliflower Pasta "Sauce"

Meant to post for "Meatless Monday," which I haven't done in months... Oh well!

We go through phases where we'll eat this dish almost every week. I like to use Trader Joe's brown rice pasta. The cauliflower "sauce" would go well on a number of dishes, though... like on rice or quinoa, or even to top a pizza.

Ingredients

1 med. sized head cauliflower

1 head of garlic

olive oil

1 small onion, sliced thin

maple syrup

1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

kosher salt

pepper

1/4 c. half & half (to thin, if desired)

Lunchbox Brownies

This is my mom's "Fudge Brownies" recipe. She'd whip it up on movie nights or anytime we needed a quick and tasty treat. She does not make brownies from a box, and thankfully this recipe is easy enough, that I  don't either!

Lately, I've been making them to pack in the kids' lunches for dessert (and doing my darnedest not to snack on them all day long). They are addictive... You can halve the recipe and bake it in an 8 or 9" pan if you must -- just lower your cooking time by 10 minutes or so.

It also helps if, after they've cooled, I go ahead and cut them up and wrap the kids' lunchbox portions up individually in plastic wrap. Then I keep them in the fridge, ready to grab. Makes the morning routine just a bit easier when I'm not scrounging around for lunch items, and makes my day a bit less fattening when there's not an entire pan of brownies lying about.