It's time to dig out the recipes for vegetables as we 'dig' out the harvest from this years garden!

From just 4 short little 8 foot rows of green beans we've harvested about 3 gallons of beans in just 1 1/2 weeks. The carrots are just now ready and the jalapeno's, green and red peppers along with the tomatoes are coming in wonderfully. The onions are on their way and the garlic will be ready to pick once the leaves are 50% brown, but with the scapes trimmed they are now just growing in size. My cucumbers are just getting started; a bit slow this year and last. I'm not quite sure why but I saw a tiny 3 inch long cucumber on the vine this morning so I know it won't be long!

Did you listen to my advice this past Spring? Did you put in your garden? Even just a tiny one? My garden is quite small and manageable but it's still enough to supplement our grocery budget and allow some 'me' time alone in the garden in the evenings to weed of course, but also to spend time with my own thoughts, prayers and some times even a song or two. Such a blessing gardens are.

Two weeks ago we invested in a Keurig coffee brewer. A large investment considering a typical, average 12 cup coffee machine runs between $19.99 - $39.99 and the cheapest Keurig starts at $90 and goes up to a few hundred dollars (I bought a happy medium) but I loved the taste of the fresh brewed coffee and knew it would work well for my husband and I.

I raved about it to my friends, I sent the link to their website to two of my coffee loving friends and posted about it on two of my websites. I decided that the bad reviews it was getting online about it not working was because the people who wrote them must not have primed it properly when they first bought it or they were not cleanly it properly or descaling it. I made up many excuses as to why this wonderful machine would not work for others.

Also in the back of my mind was the employee at the car dealership where I had my first Keurig coffee, who had to come fix the machine twice, both times I was there. She said their machines jam constantly and break down continuously but that Keurig knows this and that Keurig doesn't even 'fix' their own machines anymore. They just come out every 6 weeks or so and give them a new machine and take the broken one. The dealership gets the machines for free and they just buy the coffee so they continue the 'broken machine' cycle because they aren't really out any money by doing so.

I should have listened.

Today, just two weeks after purchasing and using our Keurig Coffee Brewer, it stopped working.

This morning I enjoyed two cups of coffee before my husband was up for the day. He brewed one cup and left for work. After he left I decided to have one more cup while I read the online news.

I got... nothing.

The machine said it was ready. The lights blinked, asking me which size to brew. But when I pressed the button? Nothing.

Soon I found none of the buttons were responding, not even the 'menu' button. I of course tried to turn the machine off, unplug it for a bit, cleaned the nozzle with a paperclip to be sure it wasn't plugged (it wasn't) and removed and returned the water reservoir to it's place. Nothing. Once in a great while it decides to spit out about a tablespoon of hot water (I'm not wasting coffee k-cups, I'm just trying to get straight water to come out) but a tablespoon of hot water is about all it gives, and only every 8th or 9th attempt.

The hot water it gives in that tablespoon is completely clear with no grounds and really, it can hardly be very dirty after only two weeks of use!

My husband said he will try to return it to the store as I've heard and read it's a major pain to deal with Keurig directly. Hopefully because it's a new purchase, the store will accept it as defective and let us return it.

The big question? Do we get another Keurig or do we admit that the reviews are right and they should be avoided?

Part two

Although my husband and I haven't made it to the point where we can say we are 'coastal living' - our hearts are there and although with traveling to the beach as much as possible I also love to lose myself in issues of Coastal Living and imagine I'm there. Warm sun, hot sand, probably living amongst people who can tell me all about the latest appetite suppressant reviews as they look svelte and tanned year round. While that wouldn't be me, I do look forward to living near the ocean 'one day' and until then I lose myself in the magazine articles, decoration idea's and of course... recipes.

This recipe is from this months edition of the 'email' newsletter from Coastal Living. Although I love to cook and bake, I do not enjoy receiving recipes by newsletter or email so I only receive the e-newsletters from two places. Instead I dream up what I want to make, I look for about 3-4 versions of it and read through them and then I 'play' with the recipes to make them my own. Tweaking them to my own families tastes, my craving or what we have on hand.

This recipe originally had a fruity sauce served with it that I knew my crew would turn up their noses at. I'm leaving that out and tweaking it with a light drizzle of caramel and melted white and dark chocolate drizzled over the top. 'Playing with the recipe' - I hope you do the same.

Chocolate Torte

10 T butter, softened
2/3 c powdered sugar
1 large egg white
2 c flour
2T cocoa powder
1 1/2 c heavy whipping cream, divided
16 oz. bittersweet or sweet dark chocolate, chopped and divided
2 extra-large eggs
1 c sugar

Combine butter, powdered sugar, and egg white in a medium bowl, stirring until well blended. Mix in flour and cocoa powder, stirring until a soft dough forms. Press dough into a 10-inch tart pan. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Line crust with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes. Remove parchment and weights; let crust cool.

Heat 1 1/4 cups cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until very hot. Remove from heat, and add 12 ounces chocolate, stirring until smooth. Stir in eggs and sugar, whisking until blended. Strain to remove lumps, if necessary.

Fill crust with chocolate mixture. Bake at 300° for 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Combine remaining 1/4 cup cream and remaining 4 ounces chocolate in a glass measuring cup. Microwave on high at 30-second intervals, stirring occasionally, until mixture is smooth. Spread over top of cooled tart. Let stand 30 minutes or until set. Slice and serve.

Although my family thinks me a nut, I'm a 'plain vanilla' kind of girl when it comes to ice cream, a 'double helping of vegetables' instead of chocolate cake and a 'plain cake donut with white frosting and colored sprinkles' kind of girl when it comes to pastries.

As a child growing up in a tiny town in the Midwest I remember being about 10 years old and walking to the corner gas station/convenience store early on Sunday mornings. Although I'm sure they wouldn't do it now, the employee working used to let me go into the back kitchen area where they made their donuts fresh every day and I actually would make the donuts - hot grease and all. I then got to frosting and sprinkle or sugar them and after 'working' for a half hour or so would be rewarded with a box of a dozen fresh donuts to take home.

I adore cake donuts (and crullers) and consider them one of my top 10 comfort foods.


Cake Donuts

4 c all-purpose flour
1 c sugar
3 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t nutmeg
1 c buttermilk
1/4 c butter, melted, or 1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, slightly beaten
Oil for deep frying

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt and nutmeg. Whisk to blend. Stir in the buttermilk, melted butter or oil, vanilla and eggs. Don't over beat. Mix just until moist.

Chill dough for about 30 minutes for easier handling. Heat your oil to 375°. On a well floured surface, knead dough for 2 minutes just until it is no longer sticky and is easy to work with. Using half of the dough, roll out to 1/2" thickness; cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Slip doughnuts into the hot oil and fry for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side, or until deep golden brown.

Drain on paper towels. Dip in powdered sugar or a cinnamon sugar mixture or wait for them to cool a bit before frosting.

In 2002 I started to make this summer chicken salad and about once every summer I continue to make it when the craving becomes overwhelming. My kids aren't big fans of salads that combine fruit and chicken - probably because I'm not either (!) but this is one that caught my eye and my taste buds years ago and I just adore it. My hint is to not skimp on the chicken in this one... nor the pecans. Add more if you like, but not less!



Chicken Salad

2-3 lbs. boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3/4 c pecan pieces, toasted
2 c red seedless grapes
1 c mayonnaise
4 t apple cider vinegar
5 t honey
2 t poppy seeds
2-3 stalks celery, diced
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey and poppy seeds. Cook the chicken and dice or if your chicken is partially frozen, it is the perfect texture to chop or dice before cooking. Cool. Combine the chicken, dressing, grapes and pecans with the celery.

While readings the news online I stumbled across this news release that has quietly been spread but not loud enough! So many people use these little instant oatmeal packs for their babies and toddlers (we won't discuss the sugar content of these foods in todays article...) but it's something you'll want to check your cupboards for. Here is a snippet of the recall notice;


Malt-O-Meal Co. is voluntarily recalling oatmeal that contains instant nonfat dry milk that may be contaminated with salmonella.

The instant nonfat dry milk came from Plainview Milk Products Cooperative of Minnesota which is recalling products made over the past two years due to the possible contamination. Many of Plainview's products were sold to other food makers.

Minneapolis-based Malt-O-Meal is recalling "Maple & Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal" sold in cartons and variety packs with best-if-used-by dates of June 30, 2009 to Oct. 28, 2010.

The oatmeal is sold nationally under brands including Cub Foods, Diamond Crystal, Fastco, Flavorite, Foodland, Good 'n Hearty, Hearty Traditions, Hy-Top, IGA, Mom's Best Natural, Megaroons, Millville, Our Family, Richfood, Shop 'n Save and Smart Menu.

My husband and I are misplaced Midwesterners. We live where his job takes us but our heart is way down south, somewhere near the ocean. We travel to the beach every year and the rest of the year, dream of it.

When I saw this frozen beer margarita recipe in Southern Living about 2 years ago (?) I copied it down but not being a beer person I never made them. The little umbrella and the pastel colors make me think of Florida... the ocean... and blue sparkling waters. Mean while I'll sit and sip my morning coffee while I look at miles of corn fields!

I'm bringing it out of my files and into my collection in the hopes that some of my readers are looking for just this type of drink to serve to their guests this holiday weekend in the USA. Enjoy!



Beer Margarita's

1 cup frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange liqueur (like Triple Sec)
Crushed ice
1/2 to 1 cup cold beer

Stir together first 3 ingredients until well blended. Fill 4 medium glasses with crushed ice. Pour limeade mixture evenly into glasses. Add beer to taste.

I love pomegranate juice. I love margarita's (only the slushy frozen kind!) and I love making color-coordinating drinks for the holidays. So this Fourth of July weekend I'm a on a roll to bring my readers some red, white & blue to add to their festivities!

This RED drink goes well with the patriotic theme and the frozen goodness is refreshing on a hot summer night. The quality of pomegranate juice you use in this will make all the difference. If you can afford it and aren't serving too many, the fresh juices you'll find in the veggie and fruit department are the best. If it's for a crowd I'd go to the juice aisle and get a more affordable bottle. *wink*

Pomegranate Margarita's

4 c crushed ice
1 c pomegranate juice
1/2 c orange liqueur (triple sec)
1/2 cup tequila
1 tablespoon lime juice
Optional: If you have a fresh pomegranate, add 1/2 of it (or about 4 T pomegranate seeds
Lime wedges
Coarse salt
Garnish: lime slices

Process first 5 ingredients, and, if desired, pomegranate seeds in a blender 30 seconds or until frothy. Rub rims of 6 glasses with lime wedges; dip in salt to coat. Pour margarita evenly into prepared glasses. Garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.