Yet again...the garden produces another tasty venture.

On my way home from work yesterday, I had thoughts of what to do with all my dill that is feverishly growing in my garden. It's getting rather large and thick...and like it's name (dill weed) it's getting a little wild and weedy. I needed something for my breakfast and happened to be craving Tim Hortons...and I had a vision! Baking Powder Biscuit with dill and cheddar. So once I got home I immediately went out and picked some dill. I was very generous with my picking too I might add. Inside I went and started my expirement.

2 Cups of Flour

4 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp seasoning salt

Sift together twice. Makes it extra light and fluffy.

1/3 Cup of Margarine or butter (I am anti-butter so I used margarine)

Cut into flour mixture until fine and grainy looking.

6-8 Sprigs of dill weed leaves chopped finely

1 Cup shredded Old Cheddar

Mix into Flour mixture.

3/4 c of Milk plus 2 tbsp.

Add to the flour mixture. Stir well. If it seems a little runny you can just a flour.

Make into balls about the size of a lemon. Plop down onto your baking sheet and lightly flatten out.

Bake in the oven at 375 F for 20 mins.

Viola...delish...mouthwatering...they only lasted about 10 mins in our house last night!!

Hail Ceasar!!

The romaine is ready, the romaine is ready!!! Yummy Ceasar salad tonight for dinner. Nothing like homegrown goodness. And Mr. Gardener was beaming this morning when he picked it! The first ingredient of his masterpiece for dinner tonight. I could just see it oozing with Vitamin D. Made me salivate at its leafy presence...so this is how Rome was built...Hail Ceasar!!!!

The Potatoes have BEETLES!

Oh dear...Mr. Gardener is beside himself! There are beetles in his beloved potato patch...the patch that he painstakenly planted (while I watched of course ~ it had be overseen) and he is fretting. Not just your normal fret either folks...I mean he is downright fretting, losing sleep over these dang beetles. Yes they are doing damage, but it's a beetle. Squish it firmly and rejoice!

It's actually a Colorado Potato Beetle and these darn things are tough to get rid of. So I caved and allowed him to buy some insecticide...there goes our organic potato patch ~ not that it was ever intended to be. So please Mother Nature, rid our garden of these pesky beetles, so Mr. Gardener can sleep at night!!

How does your garden grow?

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary...how does your garden grow...

Well how does it grow? Well it grows lush, green, and full food! And good food. My childhood is full of vivid memories of my grandparents garden. I would spend some of summer vacation with them every year ~ deep in the trenches of their garden. Pulling weeds, picking berries, and the occasional gopher homicide would occur. But that's the life of the "gardener". My green thumb was found at a young age and even know at 33 it's still going strong as ever. And now I have passed it onto Barry who has actually become a bit of a garden hoarder...garden obsessive complusive disorder...garden stalker....all seem quite fitting.

So into the jungle of our garden...we have 25 tomatoes plants, 10 peppers (which are 85 days until maturity I am forever reminded of by Mr. Gardener), three rows of wax and green beans, romaine, carrots, potatoes, leaf lettuce, and the wonderful two rows of plentiful raspberries. Just the word raspberry makes my mouth water. YUMMMMMMMMY.

And to think that all winter while everyone is eating tasteless cans of supermarket tomatoes, beans, and carrots...Mr. Gardener and I will be living the dream at our kitchen table which will reek of plentiful flavour. Mmmmmmm....the thought just makes me want to salivate.

Just think my budget of $15.00 for seeds will feed us for a year. Amazing to think that such a small amount of money can reap such huge benefits! Our ancestors lived this way so why can't society adapt backwards again...Mr. Gardener sure did...easy transition folks...

Stayed tuned for more Gardening news....

Junebooger

Well we haven't hit the topic of Junebooger yet...well his real name is Junebug, but deep down inside those 1100 lbs - he's a Junebooger! He's huge and he has the hairest legs you have ever seen...and feet that stink too...he's your typical guy. But he's a gem. He's the biggest softie you will ever meet.

He came from Northern BC - a little town called Farmingtown which is between Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. He was born and raised in the north...he can handle the cold like a champ, ask his ears...they have the slightest scarring of frostbite on the tips. He was started by Curt who lives at the Hutterite Colony. He was given an unbelievable education. Curt really put alot of heart and effort into this big guy. He was then purchased by my MOTHER - who doesn't even ride anymore...and he was immediately transported to my doorstep. Which of course I didn't mind at all. He's handsome - why would I say no. Off to more school he went to learn to barrel race with my a dear friend of mine, Sarah Gerard.

And I guess we'll keep him, he's a great horse. Quiet, obedient, kind hearted - except to Skeeter who he has a love hate relationship with...I wish the two of them could just figure it out...their drama makes me crazy!

It's Hump Day!!!

I wonder where this saying really stemmed from??? Funny little saying isn't it though. It's been around forever and I am sure we have all heard it from time to time.

Now what to plan to cook on Sunday...maybe something a little lighter this weekend...for all of you that are being good and sticking to your New Year's resolutions...nah...lets eat REAL FOOD!! Real food is full of flavour, tastes, sauces, and tonnes of calories. You don't feel hungry after you eat real food...you feel satisfied and ready to "Assume the position" in your living room recliner...NOW THAT'S LIVING!!

Maybe a nice Chicken Leek Alfredo...I've been wanting to try this - I dreamt it up last week. And because I have a slight CHEESE fetish, I am going to say let's bake it with loads of Parmesean on top! Mmmmm....I can taste it already....gotta run and wipe the drool away...only 3 more sleeps until it's time for Chicken Leek Alfredo!

We're bloated and the kitchen is a wreck...but hot damn them cabbage rolls were delicious! Grandma's soul was definately present today...the dishes really piled up nicely...she'd be so proud of ME! Even Barry Josey commented on Grandma making a visit...

So here it is (in all it's glory):

1 Head of Green cabbage - steamed to loosen off the leaves. I like to cut the core of mine and then steam it with the core up in the pot. Then I pour the water over the core and it drips downwards into the cabbage leaves. Also look for a short squatty cabbage - these ones are not tightly leafed ( is that a word?). They pull apart easier.

Meat filling:

1 package of Pork sausage (375g tube)
1 lb of Beef Hamburger (approx)
1 med onion chopped
2 cloves of fresh garlic chopped finely
2 eggs
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp black pepper - coarse grind
1 tbsp dried parsley

Mix everything into a bowl

I box of Stuff N Such Turkey flavoured - here is the tricky part...shake the package down. You want the spices and fines to go to the bottom and the bread chunks to go to the top. Now open the package. Carefully dump the bread chunks into the bowl leaving the spices and fines in the bottom - you will need about 1/4 cup for later.

Mix your bowl together really well. Get your hands in there and get them dirty. They mix the best...better than any spoon! You will use this as your filling in the cabbage leaves. So go ahead and stuff some leaves. Lay a leaf flat. Put a nice round blob of meat mixture in the bottom half, tuck the sides of the leaf inwards and then roll up. You will lay this into a casserole dish - I usually use a deep glass dish.

Carry on until all the meat is used up.

Now for the sauce.....yummy sauce...you will want to taste test this for sure...at least 5-6 times..it's got to perfect right?
Here's what you need:

1/4 c of margarine or butter
1/4 c of flour
1 can of cream of celery soup
2.5 c of water.
leftover Stuff n Such from meat mixture.

Melt marg or butter in pot over med heat. Once all melted and bubbling, whisk in flour until it makes a sticky mess...now add in 2 cups of water to make it saucy. Now add 1 can of Cream of Celery Soup. Whisk this in until smooth. It should start to get really creamy and thick. Now remember that leftover Stuff N Such...now it gets to make it's grand appearance...add it in the pot!! Keep stirring this until it comes to a low boil. Taste test. Taste test again. You might want to add salt or pepper at this point, but it's optional. I find the soup is salty enough. Now add 1/2 c more water just to thin it out because it gets really thick once you add the Stuff n Such.

Voila, you have you're sauce...now pour it over your neatly arranged cabbage rolls. Cover the dish with tin foil and pop into the oven for 1 hour and 15 mins. To golden it all up pull the tin foil off and cook for 15 more minutes...BON APPETIT! Enjoy.

My other passion...cooking!

Now that we've talked about horses, dogs, and barrel racing...there is one more passion of mine...COOKING! I love to cook, make a mess of my kitchen, and then EAT. I've always been passionate about cooking - never liked recipes much, more of the freestyle cooking wizard-ess.

Now, my family loves to eat what I cook, but there's always the mess I leave...and I will finally admit that, yes, it can be rather large. But when you making a masterpiece it doesn't really cross your mind that you are using every dish in the house. I come by this naturally...it's hereditary I've been told. So there, I can't help it. I love to use all the dishes in the house! My grandma taught me well didn't she...there's the lady I got the DNA from. It's all her fault...she loved to cook too...and maybe dirty the odd dish from time to time.

So I was thinking that maybe Grandma and I would blog on Sunday's as we cook Sunday dinnner - which is my favorite night to cook! Nothing like great leftovers at work on a Monday. So for the MENU...dearest Grandma let's make Cabbage Rolls...they dirty the most dishes!!! LOL.

So stayed tuned for Country Cabbage Rolls on Sunday January 24th. These aren't your ordinary Cabbage Rolls either - they have a thick, creamy, hearty sauce...none of that dreadful tomato sauce. Just thick, creamy, hearty sauce...did I mention that already...you won't be disappointed with this recipe!

Jagged Lil Lena ~ aka Lily

Here she is - my pride and joy...my first home grown! Out of my dear mare Foxy and a nice grey stud named Jag. They met in a lush clover one day and the fireworks went off...11 months later the stork dropped off Lily. A beautiful filly with a sparkle in her eye and some major spring in her step.

We waited and waited and waited for the day to come when she would venture out to the "Big Girl" world and become a saddle horse. Off to Auntie Sarah she went on October 1, 2009 for her formal education. She had a lovely visit, got her nails down, hair done daily...okay she didn't, she got worked and she sweat like a man! None of this "glowing" business - she sweated. She was a very good student, but with a mentor like Auntie Sarah who wouldn't want to learn? She's a top notch lady, a real hand with a horse, and classy. Why would you want anyone else...well there also the other hitch, she's a great friend.

So here is my video of my second ride on Lily. First one was the day before when I picked her up. But this is her first indoor ride. I am very proud of this filly....may Foxy be watching down with a big smile on her face, beaming with pride of her beautiful filly.

http://www.youtube.com/user/wentersdesertsage#p/a/u/0/oPqUAOYKsjc

Barry Josey explodes onto the Barrel Racing Scene!

Well he did it. Not saying it was beautiful, but it was entertaining!

My wonderful hubby tasted Barrel Racing. He got a good taste too. Thank goodness for Skeeter...our wonderful Skeeter. He's steady as a rock when it comes to barrel racing - well, pretty much to anything. He's just a good old boy with a soul that draws you inwards and poisons you with his love. I ain't going to lie...he's my kinda guy. How can you not love this face.

Now to see if the famous Barry Josey carries on with his "new" sport. He really did good considering that he wants to be just like me when he grows up...so enough already eh...onto the video...get the popcorn out and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/user/wentersdesertsage#p/a/u/1/f03PV_lIkTU