Resolution - to be a better blogger

Ok so I am going to try to be a better blogger this year.  I always have good intentions and think everything has to be styled and perfect.  Well guess what.....You just have to do it and it's not going to be perfect and look like the magazines but this is my own personal journal.  So hopefully I can at least post weekly.

Happy New Year....gotta go now...I am working on two posts.  I have them done except for getting some decent pics of the finished products.

Source: dearmusketeer.blogspot.com via Julie on Pinterest

Veggie Garden Update - June

Remember what we started with?

Now we have this!

My pretty tomato structure was falling over...so after much research are now trying the stakes.  I had to stake the structure to keep the heavy tomato vines from toppling it over.  The squash are producing like crazy.  Ready for some tomato's.  I planted all heirloom this year and am going to try to save seeds to plant next year.

Squash...zucchini in the back and yellow in front...along with a stray tomato plant that I put in this pot.

See the little tomato's!

A yellow squash..almost ready to be picked.

So while I am waiting on more veggies besides zucchini I headed to the local Farmers Market this morning.
These are some of the goodies I came home with.

And made a get well farmers basket for a friend.

I took the shot of the basket before I added some basil, parsely, and rosemary from my garden...Oh well.

The Zucchini are here!

The zucchini are coming in!  I planted 6 plants and it's more than I can eat.  I am desperately searching for how many ways to prepare zucchini.  Did you ever notice that one day zucchini are small and the next day they look like a baseball bat?

So far we have had:
Zucchini Squash Cakes with marinara sauce (recipe from my friend Karen D)
6 medium/large squash (grated and squeeze ALL the water out)
1 sweet onion minced
1 1/2 c breadcrumbs
1 1/2 c Parmesan cheese (grated)
2 eggs (beaten)
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste


Make the cakes into patties that are kind of flat for more crispy cakes
Bake in oven at 350 for 30 minutes (flip after 15 min) on parchment paper. 


Next we had the Traditional fried way
Slice zucchini - dip in buttermilk - dip in flour - then fry.

Today I baked Zucchini Bread using a recipe I have had for ages from a friend Vicki E.
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking powder
2 cups zucchini (or more)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup walnuts

Bake at 350 for 55 minutes for a loaf.
If making small loaves cook for 30 minutes


Combine and cream eggs, sugar, and oil
Then combine and add alternately with zucchini, - flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, baking powder
Add Vanilla and walnuts last.


I wonder what zucchini salsa would taste like?  Anybody in blogger land have a good zucchini salsa recipe?

Charleston Garden Inspiration

Quick trip to Charleston, SC = more garden inspiration and camera practice:

But found this great hotel downtown.  So charming and wonderful staff.  We were able to walk everywhere.  

 Love all the iron work.

Window boxes....gotta find a DIY so I can build some of these!

Camera practice....

Loved this door.

 Loved the house colors:

Don't have any hydrangea but want to try this and gardenias.  Where can I plant these?

And for my patio one day....a joggling board....because it makes me happy!

Coffee Pot Saga

The coffee pot we had has died (Monday). While I liked the coffee pot I really don't want the same kind again.

For the last couple of days we drug out an old one for a temporary solution.(Very bad coffee)...got to find something soon

While I am not a coffee snob I do appreciate good coffee.
I don't like Starbucks...tastes burnt to me.

I prefer to brew my own.

So I started doing some research...since all I new was pour water in buy good coffee and voila!

What makes a good cup of coffee?

• Water temperature is key here - you want it between 195F-204F for optimal extraction.
• Good Coffee - order online ~the stuff in the store is a couple of weeks old
• Use filtered water

 

What does Consumer Research Recommend?
Consumer Research Top 4 Coffee Maker Recommendations

Cuisinart Brew Central 

Mr. Coffee

Technivorm

Zojirushi

What does Facebook friends recommend?
Bunn
Keurig

What am I looking for?
I don't want one of those make a cup at a time.
I don't want a ginormous machine to take up the whole counter.

I want simple.

So after doing my research I had decided to become a coffee geek and go with a french coffee press. 
For me this involved buying a coffee press and an electric water kettle.

The more I thought about it this would not work with my morning schedule of coming down stairs and have coffee waiting.  I don't know that I could deal with all the steps to make the coffee in a press....but I do want to try it some day.

SO
Took my Facebook friends recommendation and headed to the Target this morning and purchased a Bunn.

Since it has a water tank in the back the water comes out at 200 degrees (optimum temp for brewing).
Also the way the Bunn sprays water over the grounds is for optimum flavor.

Time for a picnic !

So these....

need to be put to use.

But before they can be put to use the must be properly equipped?

Some inspiration

source

And then you must have quilt....

Love this one.

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2011/03/diy-patchwork-picnic-blanket/

or maybe make one with these

from Riley and Blake

OK where to go?

I think we will stay close by and head over to the picnic tables by the river (in our neighborhood...how convenient)

What to pack?

The food:

From Biscuits and Such...these sandwich's look good!

Pasta Salad

Fruit (watermelon)

fun drinks

source

or make my own Masonades

source and how to

and these are too cute

source

Supplies

table cloth (or use picnic blanket)

napkins

forks

flowers for the table

Ok ready to go?