Baked Parmesan Kale Chips

Preheat Oven 300F. Wash the leaves well.

Dry them with towels.  

Or those who have the Salad spinner can use it.

Then tear the leaves from the hard stem and place in bowl. 

ohhhh.... look at me

drizzle olive oil

add sea salt

give it a few tosses to make sure the leaves are coated

place on backing sheet and add fresh parm

make sure not to overlap

pop in the preheated oven

Bake them for around 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Cool them for few minutes before enjoying these crunchy health bites.

That's it. simple and healthy. 

Kale seeds used to grow this beauty comes from Southern Seed Exposure

Lacinato Rainbow Mix KALE

http://www.southernexposure.com/lacinato-rainbow-mix-kale-2-g-p-1361.html

3 hour Ciabatta Bread?

 

I didn't wait the 18 or so hours I was supposed to. :/ Look at this bread. It came out fantastic.

a little flat but I was in a pinch for time. Overall not bad. 

Here's the video 

How to Make No-Knead Ciabatta Bread - Amazing Italian Bread

Juice Day

let's look inside our compost bin. 

oooooo....colorful 

g a z p a c h o... my first time

g a z p a c h o... my first time. 

Okay... So it's someone's birthday. Your thinking of what you can bring to the event. What do you cook for someone who is an amazing cook themselves and really knows his way around the kitchen? Think about it because it has to be good... really good. I've got it!!! Only the best, that's what! From one food lover to another this is some great gazpacho.

I used a recipe I found online and followed it exactly being that I was a 33 year old woman who never had gazpacho in her life. Just saying it g a z p a c h o..... fun!

This photo was taken about a week after I made it. 

It had just come out of the fridge and I thought I'd grab a quick photo before lunch. 

Still delicious! 

I'd love to share the recipe as if the contessa needed any more publicity. Well, what do they say? Give credit where credit is due? Bravo!!! 

Copyright 1999 The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Surprise Beach Party

Ingredients

• 1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
• 4 plum tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop. 

This summer, try this recipe and share with loved ones. Also if you are growing your vegetables this year good for you. even better. 

updates from the garden

The garden is growing. There are beautiful green plants where seeds were planted. Some sown directly like corn and all the greens and some we started indoors. 

We have 4 large pots of corn

Here's cantaloup grown from saved seeds. 

our heirloom tomatoes

raised bed Lance built by collecting stray rocks from around the property

parsnip

carrots 

oooohhhh... there's a lady bug hanging out

salad greens, carrots, parsnips

Wild mushrooms I found out here. Since I don't know what kind or if they are edible 

I think we will leave them alone. 

there are 3 distinctly different shapes. 

more tomatoes 

• Arkansas Traveler
• Yellow pear
• Mountain Princess 
• Cherokee Purple 

neat DOF photo in the raised bed

Since May is our blogs first year anniversary month I was hoping to celebrate in a big way with great photos of all our success. As I looked back through the images from this time last year I realized we're actually growing slower now than before.  

We've had plenty of rain and since we're out in the tress we're realizing we don't get nearly enough sun so the process is slow and I'm practicing having more patience than I think I do.

There's also a gang of teenage chipmunks that have destroyed my herb garden I have growing out front.  

I can hear them all day along with the birds. They are all just laughing at me. 

Okay... I'm not sure how to end this. 

Presents from a local garden

Look at this KALE

click image to see in full size

Kale and Spinach Juice

salad with the spotted lettuce and some things that we in the house.

I just wanted to share some photos from these beautiful greens we recieved as a gift from some very special people. The top image is of kale, spinach, and a spotted lettuce wich went into making the 2nd image. Courtney & Landon live in Pine Mountain GA. and we went out to celebrate Landon's birthday this past Sunday. (Oh, on a side note let me thank Kim for taking on the phones that day.) They have been growing their own veggies and herbs for some time now and know when to start their lettuce beds. ;)
Since ours isn't even close to being ready to eat we came home like rockstars arms full of these delicious gems. We have been enjoying our daily salads and juices all week.
Next on the menu.... Baked kale chips ;)
There is always something wonderful about eating greens grown locally and buy wonderful people. I suggest that everyone try to grow some greens this summer and see just how sweet it is.

Take a look back at how easy it was while living in a loft in downtown Atlanta. Click HERE

Here's a simple recipe on baked kale chips. HERE

another pizza obsession

Is this getting creepy?  Is it just me? 
I know I have a bit of an obsession for pizza but really just one in particular. . . 
The simple Margarita Pizza.... When you get down to the real thing watch out!! 
What do I mean? I can't tell you how many Sunday night's we've enjoyed that melted, cheesy & saucy mix on perfect dough this spring already. The warmer months provide a nice variety of fresh herbs and tomatoes that send my salivary glads into a bliss you either know or don't and should try very very hard to get to.
Now, PLEASE don't even think about your typical American delivery pizza okay... that would be an insult. I'm talking just a few ingredients, and a nice glass of wine. 


Dough: 

• water
• yeast
• flour
• salt
• olive oil

Sauce: 


1 - 8 oz. can pure tomato sauce (no additives, no flavor) *
salt
pepper
olive oil


Use fresh WHOLE milk mozzarella. I use a proper amount because I'm a bit crazy in love.  Drizzle with olive oil, and top with fresh basil. Don't be afraid to add the olive oil. It's fun. 
I also sometimes add oregano but that's optional.
The simpler the better. God food comes from simple whole ingredients.
Normally, I don't have my camera around for this. It's rare because by the time I've gone through the entire process I'm ready to eat and not take photos. This was taken one afternoon recently when on a whim I wanted pizza for lunch. That's why they are so small - they are individual pizza. (click on photo to see in full size)  So that's it. Thanks for stopping by.

*Why tomato in a can? Because ours from the garden aren't ready yet!
Note: chefs prefer San Marzano tomatoes.

So... This is how I like to get into the mood. This guy has some fancy moves. 

It's all in the wrist my dear. Enjoy, and till next time. 

Our Version of Take Out

There's something nice about a rainy day, 66º weather and your man bringing home some much craved lunch. Here's our version of take out.

Amy's French Country veg Soup, and whole grain nan bread. 

one happy lady

Okay... so why did I post? 

I'm happy that we care about the food we eat, I'm just really proud of the people that care enough to make a great product in the world.