Tonight, I need a "little pick me up"

But, tomorrow, I will be VICTORIOUS!!!!!!!

Herb Ladder update!!!

Wanted to share a new "modification" to my herb ladder.  My husband made two shelves to extend space between the first and second top steps on the ladder, increasing space to add some more herbs to the project.

Now I have two cilantro plants, parsley, lemon thyme, german thyme, thai basil. mexican tarragon, basil x 2, sage, fennel, oregano, and rosemary.  Located just a hand's reach from the back door.

Just keeps growing and growing.  I wish I had a bigger ladder!!!!

Oops, I forgot. Mint at the very top.

EarthBox and pesto

ARUGALA!!!!!!!.  

I have an earth box, in addition to my garden and this allows me to start somethings way, way early.  I keep it close to the house which makes it somewhat warmer and easier to start things in February.  Thus said, I usually try to just limit it to cold weather hardy things.  Arugula seems to like the earth box well.  

But, what to do with Arugala?

Well, it is basically a "peppery" kind of green.  Can be used in combination or in place of spinach.  I like the rocket arugala in a pest.  Very, very good and this is what I recently made with the surplus.

I have added my recipe below.  It is slightly modified from one recipe I found on For me, for you blog.

arugala pesto

I like to add a few basil leaves for "robust flavor, but it is up to you.

Arugala Pesto
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups arugula, packed 
1/4 cups basil leaves
1/2 cup shelled walnuts 
1/2 cup grated parmesan 
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 
6 garlic cloves, broken up but not peeled! 
salt to taste 

Directions:

Heat a pan with a small bit of olive oil and add the un-peeled garlic. You want to cook them until the garlic inside is soft – the skins will turn a golden brown and start to absorb the oil. It takes roughly 8-10 minutes. Remove the garlic, but not the oil,d let the garlic cool down. Add the walnuts and toast for a few minutes. When the garlic is cool enough, peel the skins off.

In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Once well combined, slowly add the olive oil until smooth. Add salt to taste.  Add the olive oil until you achieve the consistency you want.  Some want a more paste like pesto, while others want a clearer, runnier version that they can use as a dipping sauce for bread.  

******  Cooking the garlic with the skins still partially on gives a "roasted" flavor to the sautéed garlic.  

******The original recipe was slightly modified from For me, for you blog.  I added the basil leaves for a "fuller" pesto flavor, but you can simply leave it with the arugula.

Source: http://forme-foryou.com/2012/10/recipe-arugula-walnut-pesto.html

Sent from Paprika Recipe Manager. http://www.paprikaapp.com

Let me know what you think.........................

Fried Rice Recipe

In keeping with the Japanese theme, I made my favorite rice recipe from Life in a Lofthouse blog.

Fried Rice Recipe

I modified it slightly this time because I had some leftover Easter ham and a few shrimp.  Definitely a keeper recipe.  I strongly recommend it.


 Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe
★★★★★
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 4-6 servings | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

3 cups leftover cooked rice (any kind--your preference)
3 TBSP sesame oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 small onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
3 eggs, slightly beaten
4 tbsp soy sauce
Shrimp, however many you want to add
2 TBSP olive
1 cup cooked ham, diced into small squares


Directions:

In a separate frying pan, add olive oil and place on medium setting, add fresh or frozen (thawed shrimp) and salute 3-5 minutes until cooked.

In a wok, on medium high heat, heat the sesame oil. Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender.

Add the cooked shrimp

Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour eggs on the other side of skillet. Stir fry until scrambled.

Now add the rice, cooked, diced ham, and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!

Source: http://life-in-the-lofthouse.com/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken-with-fried-rice/

Sent from Paprika Recipe Manager. http://www.paprikaapp.com

I love fried rice.  Spent many years finding this recipe.  This is as close to take out fried rice as it gets.  Also, I like that you can modify the ingredients for a different twist without ruining the taste.  It is very basic, really.  I was surprised at how little the ingredient list is, but the flavors really come together.  It is one of those recipes that even tastes better the next day, or even COLD!!!!!  How good is that??????

My pics don’t do it justice.  Currently my seedlings have taken over my “Photo Booth” in the mud room, but I am planning on planting my tomatoes this weekend, so should have the space and (more importantly) the lighting to take decent photos next week.  

Speaking of gardens, mine is really coming along.  The potatoes are coming up.  Onions are getting bigger.  Kale and mesclun are growing.  Radish tops are bid.  Radicchio looks like it might live.  My carrots are doing nothing.  Shallots are shooting up.  The herb ladder is really taking off.  I am going to have to add two shelves to make room for all the new herbs I have been adding.  Will take some pics this weekend and post in my blog.  

More Cherry Blossoms.

The weather this week has been off and on.  Alternating between sunny, cloudy, misting, and rain.  Yuck!!  Hard to make any plans.  So, so glad the weather was nice for the Cherry Blossom Festival.  

It was quite crowded, but we found a place to sit (or stand) when needed.  I was amazed at how many people from all walks of life came to the festival.  

We reserved our parking spot in advance, so the pressure was off to find a spot to park in when we got to the city.  I would recommend this to anyone who wants to go to the festival.  The National Cherry Blossom App/website  has a link to the parking resources.  Definitely a good idea.  

So long for now………..

Celebrate the Cherry Blossoms

This weekend, I celebrated the National Cherry Blossom Festival 2015 in Washington D.C.  What a wonderful event.  We have lived in NoVa for 15 years and  had yet to attend the festival.  Peak bloom was the very day we attended, April 11, 2015.

Spent the entire day walking the capital area--the mall, the National Gallery of Art, the Tidal Basin, Pennsylvania Ave. for the Street Festival.

If you are interested in some of the history behind this annual event, click the following link
Cherry Blossoms


I took around 300 pics and will post them all week to honor the day and the beauty of the trees.

 

Sick Day Soup

I just got a great recipe from my supervisor at work.  The crud is going around and this is a sure fire recipe to make you feel better.