We start school this Thursday after a little break. We also have house guests, so this is another busy week here. Alexander and Dominic had a nice week away with their godparents to play and work and get to know each other some more now that they are older. It was bizarre having only five children here, and I still found myself making too much food.

We made several scores on fruit at the farmers' market, so we have loads of peaches, nectarines and a huge watermelon. We also still have some pears and bananas, so we'll be eating a lot of fruit this week. I made a pear banana quick bread that was more like a cake last week. I'm going to try it again, reducing the sugar, and see how we like it. It was actually dripping caramel from the cooling rack onto the counter. It had no caramel in the pan. That was just from the amount of sugar in the "bread." It did taste very good.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Hard Boiled Eggs, Peaches and Bananas, Milk
  Dinner: Potato Pepperoni Pizza Pie, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
• Monday
  Breakfast: Grain Free Berry Scones, made with Hazelnut Flour, Sliced Peaches, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Lamb and Rice with Veggies, Fruit
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Veggie Hash with Fried Eggs, Nectarines, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Taco Tuesday with some Friends
• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Dirty Eggs, Toast, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Eggplant and Garbanzo Bean Curry* with Brown Rice, Fruit
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Toad in the Hole, Sliced Peaches, Coffee
  Dinner: French Onion Soup, Fruit Plate
• Friday
  Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Diced Peaches, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Falafel, Laban bi Chiyar, Khoubz Araby (Pita Bread), Harissa, Kalamata Olives, Scallions, Tomatoes, Cucumbers
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Pear-Banana Bread, Hard Boiled Eggs, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Herb Roasted Turkey, Bourbon Gravy, Scalloped Cauliflower, Braised Cabbage, Sweet Potato Rolls, Apple Pie

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Bought:
Swiss Cheese
Mozzarella
Parmesan
Cilantro
Coconut Milk
Peaches
Nectarines
Watermelon


From the Garden:
Garlic
Scallions
Chives
Dill
Thyme
Parsley

Labels: Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen

We are back from a whirlwind couple of weeks. Two weeks ago, we had just come home from the funeral of a dear friend of ours. We got home with just enough time to finish packing for two other trips, back to back. We went to Salt Lake City with Rich on a business trip, via another couple stops, including one to get Mariam baptized, spent some time sight seeing and visiting with a college friend of mine and her family (who could use your prayers for their youngest daughter, who is improving after two surgeries and a four month NICU stay - she might be able to go home with them in a month or so). After four days there, we got ready for the rougher portion of our trip, which was a four day camping trip in Yellowstone. It was the first time for all of us. What a wonder!

We were in six different states over 10 days. We took our time coming home and visited with some friends along the way there and back. I have some photos to share, as well as a couple other posts to make. I finished one book, finished two knitting projects and started another. I'll have some things to say and show about that, too.

Our menu this week is fairly simple. We are just getting back into the groove at home. I'm thrilled to have electricity and a real oven again. While I was proud of my ability to make good meals on an open fire and a camp stove, it's nice to have modern conveniences again. Jerome had his birthday on our last day of travel, so we got home and had a birthday dinner for him and gave him his present. He is the first five year old in our family, anyway, to receive a car for his birthday. He has already run the battery down twice. We're doing the cake and party tonight. It's hard to believe, but Mariam will be a year this week. She will get to celebrate her birthday and her name day on the same day.

Our great deals of the week were on tomatoes and peaches, so you will see them on the menu a lot. I was able to pick up about 30 pounds of tomatoes for $15 and 45 pounds of peaches for $20. I love knowing our farmers. The peach deal was whispered to me, and happened before the other people could catch on to it.

• Sunday
  Breakfast: Yogurt with Peaches and Honey, Cinnamon Toast, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Blackbird Pie, Confetti Cake


• Monday
  Breakfast: Oatmeal with Brown Sugar and Diced Peaches, Coffee
  Dinner: Slow Cooked Chuck Roast, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Tomato Salad


• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Dirty Eggs, Toast, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Lamb, Tomato and White Bean Stew over Herbed Cous Cous, Fried Cauliflower, Sliced Peaches


• Wednesday
  Breakfast: Peach Stuffed French Toast, Coffee
  Dinner: Eggs in Purgatory, Garlic Scape Pasta, Cabbage Salad, Apricots


• Thursday
  Breakfast: Toad in the Hole, Sliced Peaches, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Braised Short Ribs and Cabbage with Mashed Potatoes, Apricots


• Friday
  Breakfast: Slow Cooker Rice Pudding with Diced Peaches, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Cream of Asparagus Soup, Whole Wheat Rolls, Fruit Plate


• Saturday
  Breakfast: Dutch Baby Pancake, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Ham and Cheese Quiche, Steamed Cauliflower, Peach Melba Hand Pies

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Bought:
Tomatoes
Cabbage
Peaches
Cauliflower
Sweet Potatoes
Carrots
Celery


From the Garden:
Apricots
Garlic
Scallions
Chives
Dill
Thyme
Parsley
Garlic Scapes
Turnips

Labels: Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen

I was going to try to post a menu plan for this page, even though it is a crazy week. However, I just don't even have the time to type it up. Rest assured. We will still eat. God bless you all and I'll be back when I can take the time to type something.

Labels: Blog Info

Sorry this is such a long time coming. Our life has been so hectic lately, and it looks to be so for at least the next couple weeks.

Tomato Eggplant Sauce

This is really delicious over ravioli or tortellini. It is also nice over polenta. If you bring your pot of salted water to boil while you prep the sauce and put your pasta in the water about when you add the tomatoes, you can make this meal in roughly 15 minutes.

1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
4 eggplant, diced
1/2 pound kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
10 large tomatoes, diced
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt, to taste
Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes, to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until they just begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or so. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring to coat with the oil and soften. Toss in the olives and tomatoes, with all their juices, oregano, thyme, salt and red pepper flakes. Stir and cook down about 5 minutes to draw out liquid and reduce. Taste and adjust salt and Aleppo pepper. Serve with pasta of your choice.

Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen