Favorites of the Week

Once again it is time to celebrate all the wonderful, creative ideas we find all over blogland.  Here are just afew of my favorites this week.

Mojito Jelly at Robbing Peter- How can you NOT love something that celebrates this wonderful summer beverage?  I made a batch of this jelly earlier in the week and it is fantastic.  I can't wait to use it as a glaze on fruit this winter to bring a touch of summer to the cold days of February.  I also think it will be delicious on pound cake with a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Patriotic Pinwheels at Organize and Decorate Everything - These were the inspiration for my pinwheel bouquets I made to decorate my back porch for our 4th of July festivities. 


Summer 2010 Menu at Once a Month Mom - I truly believe the only way my family eats home cooked food on a regular basis is because I take the time a couple of times a year and cook up lots of our favorite recipes and store them in the freezer.  Once a Month Mom puts together a full month's work of recipes together every month!  What a treasure.  The one I am adding to my Summer Cooking Session next week is Frozen Fruit Cups.  Not only will these be great by themselves, but Bubba can drop one in the blender with some yogurt and a T of protein powder for his daily protein shake. 

For more treasures from blogland, visit It's a Blog Party. 

Oh, Say Can You See....July 4th Inspiration

It's been a long time since I have had the chance to get in my craft room and be creative.  For the first time in our married life, I am hosting not one, but two 4th of July celebrations at our house.  We typically spend the day at my inlaw's pool, patiently waiting for DH and FIL to get home from the restaurant so we can have our own celebration.  This year the pool had to be totally redone and is not open yet and we are in the process of relocating our restaurant, so we get the chance to do something a bit different this year.  There is sooooo much inspiration for 4th of July decorations online that it was difficult to choose my projects, but I finally narrowed it down. 

This wreath was inspired by Homemade Mamas.  I made two of them, one for each set of windows on our back porch. 

Side tablescape on the back porch.

These pinwheels were inspired by Leanne at Organized and Decorate Everything.  Her step by step directions made this a very easy to do project. 

Linking up to the following parties:

Censational Girl - Stars and Stripes Party

It's A Blog Party - Fourth of July Party
New Nostalgia - Fourth of July

My First Blog Award!

April of Angel Foods Kitchen awarded me the "Blogs With Substance" award.  This is the first award for this blog, so I just a little bit excited about it. 

When this award is given to you, there are a couple of things you are supposed to do:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award:
Thanks so much April!

 2. Sum up my blogging philosophy, motivation and experience in 5 words:
Good food, gardening and sharing

3. The final step is for me to choose 10 other blogs whom I think are"Blogs With Substance".
Each of these blogs has influenced my journey to be a better wife, mother and homemaker.  In no particular order...
1.  Life As Mom
2.  $5 Dinners
3.  Tatertots and Jello
4.  I'm an Organizing Junkie
5.  New Nostalgia
6.  Food in Jars
7.  An Oregon Cottage
8.  Hoosier Homemade
9.  Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Take some time to go check out these inspiring blogs. 

Tuesday Garden Party #6

Harvest Time

My Roma tomatoes are looking fantastic.  There are about 10 more on the vine in varying stages of ripeness.  I hope to dry these in my dehydrator and make sun-dried tomatoes this week.

The pitiful onions are the only ones I could rescue from the chipmunks.  They had eaten all the others. 

I found potato beetles on my potato vines this morning, so I sprayed them and then dug up a couple of potatoes to see if they were healthy underground.  Luckily, so far so good. 

Dinner tonight consisted of the potatoes and onions roasted with zucchini, yellow squash and baby portabella mushrooms.  I had to buy the squash and zucchini because mine keep getting infested with the squash vine borer.  UGGGHHHH!!!  I just can't get rid of those things.

10 Things in 10 Days

Shabby Chic Cottage is hosting 10 Tasks in 10 Days at her lovely, inspiring blog, while

I am a bit late to this party, I love making lists and the accountability they provide.  I am going to take this challenge on my own, beginning today and ending on July 8th.  We will see just how much I can accomplish!

10 Tasks in 10 Days

1.  Clean out Boo Boo's room - if I showed her room right now, my mother would disown me!

2.  Make 4 different types of jam - Hopefully with my dear friend Beth

     Strawberry Jam, Strawberry-Jalapeno Jam, Spiced Cherry Jam and Mojito Jelly

3.  Inventory both garage freezers - I need to save some grocery money this month, so       knowing what is in the freezer will help.

4.  Put together garage organizers for shoes, bags, etc - I have had the organizer for over a year....

5.  Find a home for the plastic bins in the corner of my bedroom - just where I don't know, but I will find them a home somewhere

6.  Wash porch furniture and porch - to get ready for a little 4th of July bash we are hosting on Saturday

7.  Clean out Boo Boo's playhouse - this might be more than I can handle.....

8.  Stain bookcases for office - I have put this off far too long

9.  Make 4th of July decorations - 2 wreaths and paper flowers - for our party on Saturday
10.  Write and post 3 book reviews for my much neglected Book Blog - I am embarassed how long it has been since I have posted on this blog!

Bonus -

11.  Sew table runner for kitchen table - it is cut, pressed and ready to go, just need to sew it together

12.  Pedicure! - much needed!  I am thinking red for the 4th. 

Favorites of the Week

These are just a few of the gems I found while perusing the internet.  Check them out!

How to Dehydrate Fruits from Kitchen Stewardship - I received a dehydrator for Christmas just so I could make dried tomatoes, but after reading this post, I believe I will be trying my own fruit as well.

Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken from Allrecipes - I made and reviewed this recipe this week.  We loved it, especially on top of a salad.

Garden Notebook from Penny Pinching Momma - this post reminded me of all the things I need to put in my much neglected garden journal!

Summer To Dos at eighteen25 - eventhough our summer is half over, I still want to to this. It is on MY to do list today!

M and M Cookies from Jamie Cooks It Up - I am sooooo making these this weekend.  I think my kids will LOVE them. 

 Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker - I REALLY want this!  I am hoping for a 20% off coupon in the paper this Sunday. 

What were some of your favorite finds this week?  Share them at It's a Blog Party!

Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken Salad with Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

One of the many email lists I subscribe to is the Daily Recipe from Allrecipes. Usually I skim and delete, but every now and then a real gem finds its way into my in box. Today's recipe is one such fantastic recipe.  Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken was the answer to "What's for dinner when it is 98* outside?"   I had planned on roasted vegetables to go with this, but it was just too hot to turn on the oven, so I served the chicken on top of a salad with a Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing I found at Our Best Bites.  

Lemon Pepper Grilled Chicken

1/4 c lemon pepper ( I used Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper)
1 T dry mustard ( I used 3/4 t - it was all I had )
1 t dried rosemary ( I used 2 T fresh from my herb garden)
5 bonless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 T lemon juice
3 dry white wine ( I used a Pinot Grigio- about 1 1/2 c )
 
1. Combine all ingredients in a gallon ziploc bag or container.  Let marinate at least 4 hours. 
2.  Grill until meat is no longer pink.
3.  Let rest for at least 20 minutes.
 

Creamy Lime-Cilantro Dressing

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (I used my homemade mix)
1 C mayo
1/2 c milk (or buttermilk if using Buttermilk Ranch Dressing)
1 lime
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 c cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 c green salsa (did not have, so did not use)
hot sauce

Place milk, mayo and ranch mix in a blender.  Juice the lime into the blender.  Toss in garlic, cilantro and green salsa.  Blend.  Sample and add hot sauce to taste.  Make several hours ahead to allow it to thicken. 

I liked the bones of this recipe, but it needs tweaking to suit my tastes.  I think I used too much of my Ranch dressing mix to start with.  I had to add 1/2 c sour cream to balance out too much spice.  I also wanted a more cilantro taste, so I think I will use an entire bunch next time instead of 1/2.  I will probably 1/2 the garlic too, especially if serving it with this chicken again as it has alot of garlic as well.  Not a green salsa fan, so we did not miss it, but it probably adds another layer of flavor to this really flavorful dressing.  I think it would make a great dip for chips as well. 

Linking up to
Life As Mom Ultimate Recipe Swap