Peachy Paints

Last night I while I was working on a few painting projects, Peachy was as well.

As you can see, she takes her art pretty seriously.

It is all work and no play . . .

until Momma tells her to smile.

Foodie Friday: Jane's Pulled Pork

Image from: This Week for Dinner

We had this yummy pulled pork for dinner last night. It is super easy and has a great flavor. I didn't top it with coleslaw this time, but that is always a tasty way to have a pulled pork sandwich. I found this recipe at This Week for Dinner.

Jane's Pulled Pork

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 C bottled bbq sauce (I look for ones that are “sweet” – like “sweet & tangy”, etc)
- 1/2 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 can (4.5 oz) diced green chiles
- 1 T chili powder
- 1 t ground cumin
- 1 t dried oregano
- 1/4 t ground cinnamon
- 3 T brown sugar
- 2 shakes of cayenne pepper
- 2-1/2 lb well-trimmed boneless pork loin roast
- Coleslaw

DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix sauce ingredients in a slow cooker. Add pork then spoon sauce over pork just to cover.

2. cover cooker and cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 8-10 hours until pork is fork tender. Shred pork in the sauce with two forks.  Serve topped with coleslaw on sandwich roll of your choice (kaiser is always a sure bet).

If you’re running short on time, Costco sells a pre-cooked smoked pulled pork(sans sauce) that is very good. Just sauté the onions in a large pot over medium heat until soft, add the rest of the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Heat the meat as indicated on the package, then add to the sauce and simmer 10-15 minutes.

Our Garden . . . Year Two

In case you missed it, last year we decided to add a raised bed garden to our backyard. You can read all about it here, here, here, and here. (Wow. I wrote a lot of posts about the garden last year.) Since it was such a success, we decided to not only plant again, but we also added a second raised bed. While we didn't get out there all that early, our plants are coming in strong. (The second bed got an even late start since we needed to wait until my parents could come with their trailer to help us haul the dirt.)

While we planted the herbs in the garden last year, we decided to have them on the deck this year for ease of harvest and to conserve real estate. We talked about hanging planters off the deck rails but didn't like the fact that we would have to put holes in the deck to do so. Then we found some cedar planters at our local Menards one day that we figured would work out perfectly. Being as much of a DIYer as myself, Mr. Cherry decided that he could make some for us instead of purchasing them. While they were just planted, I have no doubt that the herbs will come in nice and strong.

Let the Nesting Begin

And so it begins. When a new baby is on the way, the parents go through many stages. The first is the pure joy of knowing that a new little life is growing and that new little life is going to be a part of your family. That is closely followed by the fun of sharing your surprise with those near and dear. And then comes the waiting period. That 40 week countdown can sometimes stretch on and on seemingly so far into the future that it may never come. And then one day it hits you. There is a baby that is coming to live in your house whether you are ready or not. All of a sudden that countdown doesn't seem all that long. In fact, it starts to feel as if it is coming faster than ever.
And that, my friends, is where I am right now. It hit me last Friday that I have many things that I would like to get done before the arrival of our little one. Some items relate to Little Cream and some are just a matter of getting them done before my time is consumed again by a newborn. Some are quite attainable and some just won't get crossed off of the list in the next 7 weeks.
And so this morning I found myself cleaning the kitchen and Peachy's room. Ironing the bedskirt for Peachy's bed. Thinking about what items we need to round up before Cream's arrival. All the while mentally adding and crossing off from the to-do list.
Yes, we have reached the nesting stage.

Foodie Friday: Egg Pickle Potato Salad

From Food Network

I just love it when I open my mailbox to find a new magazine. One of the magazines that you can find in my mailbox is Food Network Magazine. The latest issue featured a pull out of 50 potato salad recipes. Mmm. Nothing says good old summer time like potato salad. One night this past week I decided to make the Egg Pickle Potato Salad that they featured and it didn't disappoint.

Egg Pickle Potato Salad

Ingredients:

-2 pounds small red potatoes; cubed and boiled 

-3 hard boiled eggs;  chopped

-1 bunch green onion; chopped

-1/2 c bell peppers; chopped

-1/4 c pickles; chopped

-1 stalk celery chopped

-2 T pickle juice

-2 c mayonnaise

-1/2 t salt

-1 T dijon mustard

-1/2 t sugar

Directions:

1. Place first 6 ingredients in large bowl.

2. Mix remaining ingredients for dressing.

3. Toss dressing in bowl with first six ingredients.