Grow Baby Grow

This past weekend, I finally planted my garden.  It was hot, humid, and a typical New England summer day.  I bought some tomato and zucchini plants a few weeks ago, after the seeds I started earlier in the spring got scorched the first day I put them outside. (whomp whomp...#gardenerfail)  

In truth, I had been a bit aggressive in my gardening plans earlier this spring. I started tomatoes (2 varieties), heirloom carrots, fennel, broccoli, green beans, pickling cucumbers, zucchini, lavender... yeah, a bit much given my 20' x 8' plot.

I have always loved gardening. When I look at the talents of the older generations of women in my family - my mom is an exceptional seamstress, my grandmother is an equally gifted knitter - I felt like I was letting the family down. I can sew a hem and a button, and knit in a straight line, that's about it.  And then I fondly remember my great grandmother, whom we all referred to as "Gram" or "Sadie" (short for her given name, Sarah).  I was lucky enough to know Gram in my young life, as she passed away when I was 17 and a senior in high school.  I grew up in her former home, where everyone in our family knew about the gardens at Berkeley St.  So, although I can't knit or sew amazing creations, I'm pretty darn good at growing things in the dirt. I'd like to think I inherited that from Gram.

As I was turning my plot of dirt yesterday, I was gleeful to discover earthworms nearly a dozen times in shovelfuls of dirt.  This is huge, since when we moved in and I started working this plot, I realized it was mainly gravel and clay, rocks, weeds, mulch, and random junk that filled this 20' x 8' box next to our patio.  When I'm out in the garden, digging, weeding, and getting dirty, I think of Gram and hope I'm making her proud. 

This time, I couldn't help but think about where I was last year, doing the same digging, weeding, and getting dirty. I remember tears streaming down, as I struggled with why I could grow vegetables, yet my body couldn't function enough to grow a baby. Wishing all the hormones I was taking would work, and by some miracle we could cultivate and grow our family tree without significant medical intervention.  (As you know from a previous post, such was not the case.)

This year, although it will certainly become more challenging as the summer wears on (as I type I'm already nearing 19 weeks pregnant), I am determined to dig and weed and get dirty; determined to grow my vegetables.  Even though it will be a smaller crop than I originally planned. Even though it may take me longer to weed, and I need more breaks to rest.  And you know what, that's ok.  

The funny thing about life is that while we try our best to cultivate the gardens we have always dreamed of, nature has a way of showing us ways to appreciate what we have, even though it may not be the way we had planned. 

Fridge Dills!

Hey party people!  This year, I decided to purchase a CSA share from a local farm through a program at work.  For a set price paid in advance, I get a bucket of local fruits/veggies every week for 20 weeks (June thru October)!!! How cool is that?!?!  It worked out to be about $15 a week for hubs-to-be and I to get a bin of fresh veggies, locally-grown at Nourse Farm.  That's a win in my book!  

Anyway, for a couple weeks I got some pickling cucumbers in my bin. Being that I (and hubs-to-be) LOVE pickles, I figured "Why not try to make my own??"  I found a plethora of recipes for refrigerator dill pickles on Pinterest and the interwebs.  I decided to modify a couple recipes and create my own blend of perfectly "dill-ified" cold and crunchy cukes!

The finished product!

The process was super easy - as in, I was surprised it didn't take more work - but I'm not complaining!  The hardest part was waiting 3 DAYS to try these dilly, crunchy snacks.  

Here are some photos of the process, and the recipe that I used. 

The goods!

Boiling and waiting for it to cool was the loooonngest part!

Sliced the cukes and packed the jar while I was waiting for the liquid to cool.

All packed up and ready for the pickling liquid

Refrigerator Dills

3 ½ cups water
1 ¼ cups white vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp sea salt
4 cups cucumber spears or slices
3-4 cloves garlic, whole and peeled
3-4 sprigs of fresh dill
1 Tbsp black pepper corns

Mix water, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it cool completely. Put all the cucumbers and spices into a mason jar or jar with tight-fitting lid. You might need to divide the cukes and liquid between two jars, depending on the size of the jar.  Pour liquid into the jar(s). Refrigerate for 3 days.  

Caution - once opened, the pickles are irresistible.  They will not last long. You have been warned. ;) 

Mangia!

Trial and Error

This week I *finally* had a few good runs!  Last week, I struggled through each and every run. As I slogged through the streets of town I said I hated running.  To which my CRB replied, "No, you don't. You're doing great!" (Then I might have reverted to my 5 year old self and initiated a "yeah I do!" "No, you don't" back and forth with CRB for the next half mile. Hey, we all have our moments...)  

#sneakerlove #solemates

Alas, I broke through. This week, I had a few GREAT runs, including one workout on the track.  My goal for the Smuttynose half marathon in October is to PR.  Really, I not only want to PR, but I want to shave almost 10 minutes off my best time to break 2 hours.  To do this, as my more seasoned runner friends and bloggers have attested, I must do speed work.  Not my favorite activity, since at one point in recent memory, just running a couple miles was enough of a challenge.  Well, since I have run a couple dozen 5ks, 5 half marathons, and a (almost) marathon, I guess I can consider myself a "real" runner.  I need to suck it up and do what I know (and hope!) will work - running 5x400s, tempo runs, and the like. 

I learned a few things this week...

• I feel like a hamster on a wheel when I run around a track (probably explains why, in my VERY short stint in high school track, I never ran more than the 100 or 200 meter events!)
• Running around said track is much more tolerable when I have company (Thanks, CRB!)
• Although I LOVE my shoe collection, I must not wear my cute heels to work too often (high heels = leg pain while running = no bueno!)
• and foam rolling is SO much better when accompanied with a glass (or 3) of wine. ;)

SO much of running is trial and error.  What works for one, may not work for all.  While I am clearly not an expert, that's what I have learned.  You can take suggestions and ideas from other runners, but you have to figure out what works for you. 

Like foam rolling + wine....works for me! ;) 

Happy Running!

Summer in a Bowl

So, I haven't posted much about my forays in the kitchen lately.  And in truth, I haven't had many!  CRB (Chief Running Buddy) and I recently moved into a new place, and between running, work, packing, unpacking, etc, I hadn't much time. 

Now, I don't think I mentioned this to y'all, but I volunteer for Habitat for Humanity on the Family Selection Committee in my local affiliate.  They are a wonderful group of ladies with whom I have the pleasure of spending a few hours a month.  We haven't had a social activity in a while, so our co-chairwoman, Rosemary, invited us all to her gorgeous house for dinner last Friday night.  At the request of a few, I made a lemon raspberry trifle (aka, summer in a bowl).  It is so light, the perfect mix of sweet and tart.....just delicious!  Many thanks to my friend Laura P. who originally shared this recipe with me. Share the sunshine - pass it on!

 

 

The beauty of this dessert (besides the luscious layers) is that it comes together SO quickly.  My CRB even wandered into the kitchen while I was constructing this and commented on how fast I made it.  It is easy - angel food cake, raspberries (fresh and frozen), and a lemon cream mixture that makes it very tempting to lick the bowl....just sayin'...

 

 

Alrighty - without further ado, the recipe!

 

 

Lemon Raspberry Trifle

 



1 tsp lemon extract

1 - 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

1 - 8 oz. lemon yogurt

2 tsp grated lemon peel

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 cups whipped topping (Cool Whip, or if you are like me, store brand!)

 

1 angel food cake

1 package frozen raspberries

2 pints fresh raspberries

 

Combine the first six ingredients (extract through whipped topping) in a medium-sized bowl.

Thaw frozen raspberries and combine with one pint of fresh raspberries.  Sweeten to taste, if desired (I usually don't add any sugar, since I like the tart/sweet mix).

Cut the angel cake into 1" cubes and arrange one layer on the bottom of a trifle bowl.

Spoon half of the lemon cream mixture on top of the cake.  Spread evenly.

Spoon fresh/thawed raspberries for the next layer.

Repeat layer of angel cake and lemon cream.

Top with pint of fresh raspberries, and toasted coconut or powdered sugar, if desired.

 

TIP: If you are assembling this the day before serving, do a layer of cake, thin layer of lemon cream, raspberries, another thin layer of lemon cream, then angel cake, remaining lemon cream, and raspberries. This way the angel cake doesn't soak up all the juice from the raspberries.

 

 

 

I made this before raspberries were *really* in season, and if you live in the northeast like I do, fresh raspberries are SO expensive. So I bought 3 - 6 oz. packages of fresh raspberries and two packages of frozen.  Two fresh went in with the frozen, and the last package of fresh went on the top.  I also use low fat yogurt and whipped topping, but feel free to do whatever suits your taste! 

 

I hope you enjoy this bowl of summer....I know it was a hit over here!

 

Mangia!