I love this and its so true!

This time of year I frequent the Farmers Markets. Any and every one I locate. I love them! A couple of months ago we spent our Saturday morning at a local market I had just discovered. As always, we made our way around as to not miss a booth. Thats when I made a life-changing discovery. The new addiction of everyone in my household. Soledad Goats. They are a small business smack in the heat of Mojave California. They make goat cheese. Now, Ive honestly never been a huge fan of goat cheese myself but apparently thats because I hadnt met these people. They make the most incredible flavors like Sweet Pepper, Garlic and Herb, Wildflower Honey, Jalapeno and my all time favorites, Port Wine and Lavender Lemon. They are incredible! My 1 year old twins eat it with a spoon for an afternoon snack. We cant get enough. Last week I was expecting company from out-of-town and really wanted to have some on hand for them during their visit. I looked up the phone number and gave them a call to find out where I could get some cheese at a moments notice. The man I spoke to on the phone was extremely accommodating. He explained that they were packing up to head to a market in LA but he would set aside some for me if I wanted to just run by and pick it up at the farm. Being that they are only about 20 minutes from me, I agreed. My daughter Hannah and I went over and ended up spending at least an hour. Just talking and being shown around. Soledad Goats makes incredible goat cheese but that is just the icing on the cake. They are also an animal rescue. There were goats, pigs, roosters, cows, dogs, sheep and even birds. Everwhere we looked there were more animals. We were told how animals are often dumped, starving and neglected, at the gate to their property. They never turn anything away. Their food bill alone there is almost $4000. The sale of the cheese basically came about as a way to feed all those animals. They are incredible people. And as much as I already loved their wonderful cheeses it makes me feel better to know that they are also doing good in the world. So if you are ever lucky enough to come across them at a market near you give them a try. If not for the sheer purpose of contributing, then maybe for the purpose of a new addiction.

 

This is the Jalapeno Goat Cheese on fresh baked Honey Flax Bread

 

Honey Flax Bread

 

Warm Water

Orange Blossom Honey

2 1/4 tsp yeast

3 cups unbleached flour

1 1/2 cups ground flax

3 tbsp chia seeds

1/4 cup flax seed

1/8 cup coconut oil

1/8 cup olive oil

 

Mix together the warm water and honey until disolved. Add the yeast and let stand 10 minutes. 

Add all the other ingredients. Mix thoroughly. I always use my hands for this. It is really the best way to get it done. Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover and let stand 45 minutes. I usually just throw a clean kitchen towel over the bowl. Basically you just dont want a draft to hit it. After the 45 minutes, punch and knead the dough. Place it in a greased and floured loaf pan. Let stand for 1 hour. I sit it covered on the stove and start preheating to 375 degrees. The heat will help the bread rise. Bake for 20-30 minutes. It is much more dense than your typical bread and slightly sweet and crunchy. And lets not overlook how good it is for you and your family. Even my babies love it! I use the Orange Blossom honey because I love the flavor and it is easy to get in my area but any honey would due. Try it out. Enjoy!





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I have been seeing this commercial for a few months now and it infuriates me every time! I feel like it is making ambiguous statements in the name of getting people 'up in arms' about any type of regulation on food and drinks we purchase for our families! The nice Latina mom is shopping around the store buying food for her family and informing me that there is already entirely too much information available to me already about the items I might be purchasing. Commenting that it is OUR responsibility to grocery shop for our families, not the government as she strolls through the fresh fruit. Not surprisingly, this ad is paid for by the American Beverage Association. The truth is, there is no proper education about the products on our grocery store shelves. Companies spend big money to make sure we DONT have all the information. They know that these days when people hear "We dont need the government......" in any context, many will immediately agree no matter what the cause. If you are someone that believes we know enough, you should read these articles. They are examples of big business putting profit over peoples lives.  http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-meat-you-should-never-eat.html?cid=email_na and http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-only-real-way-to-end-gmos.html?cid=email_na I know we cant always have everything perfect but we need to do better where we can and feeding our families is one thing we can always do a little better. We have to be informed though and thats the basis of why I feel this commercial infuriates me. When it comes to our food there is no such thing as too much information.

The last couple of days I have really been craving salsa. My only dilemma has been that I have yet to find a jarred one that I love. Yes, there are some that are 'edible' but not good. Sooooo that leaves the work to me. This season I planted a few tomatillo plants, something I havent done before. If you arent familiar with the tomatillo, its a small fruit, in the gooseberry family, physically similar to a green tomato but surrounded by a husk that dries as it matures. I planted 3 plants in different areas of my garden. They have a beutifully delicate yellow flower that points downward and opens fully in the morning. In fact, in my 1st blog post with garden pics, the tomatillo is the flower on the left in the middle. I just read though that they need other tomatillo plants to pollinate properly so I will have to get more I guess so they can be closer together. And that will be fine because I really enjoy the tomatillo. When you buy them at the store you should peel back the husk and check for a good looking fruit. All the obvious, not mushy, no brown spots, and should be plump and smooth. WARNING: They have a sticky residue on them that I can only assume is to hold that protective husk on, IT SMELLS LIKE FEET. It will be all over your hands and will smell horrible but it washes off and you wont even notice it in a recipe. With all my thoughts about the tomatillo lately and checking on my plant every day, I decided to do a tomatillo salsa. Of course I dont have any yet so I hit the store to find some. What they had were mostly small and in a bag that I couldnt inspect very well but it would be fine. I was just experimenting. I got home and immediately began peeling and washing tomatillo. After a few additions here and there and lots of taste testers, this is what I came up with. A WONDERFUL green salsa. It is very different from a tomato salsa. It tastes super fresh and not at all sweet like some tomatoes. I made a huge jar yesterday and most of it was gone by last night. Definitelely give this one a try if you want something different to snack on.

                           GREEN  TOMATILLO  SALSA  

Ingredients:

Tomatillos- Peeled and rinsed

1 Serrano or Habanero pepper

2 Jalapenos or Fresno peppers

Fresh Lime Juice- 1/2 of a large squeezed 

1 ripe avocado

1/2 bunch of Cilantro

Cumin

Salt

Cut the tomatillos into halves. I used a Serrano pepper from my garden, 2 jalapenos ( I core and seed them ) and 1 fresno pepper. I give all the options for people to make their own decisions based on how spicy they want it. I love the flavor of the Serrano and Jalapeno together. Habanero is a great choice instead of the Serrano if you want extra heat. Put the tomatillos and peppers in a food processor or blender. Add the entire avocado seeded and scooped out of the peel. Add the Cilantro, squeeze the lime in and sprinkle cumin and salt to taste. If you arent familiar with the flavor of cumin, start with a 1/2 teaspoon. Mix or blend until smooth. Of course, always taste test for final seasoning. And remember, you can always add more so start on the lighter side. Get your favorite tortilla chips and enjoy!

                      

When I was posting this it made me want to have some for breakfast so I made myself a breakfast burrito just so I could use it :)

Ive come to a decision this week. Im not going to obsess over how I eat. Like alot of people, women especially, I would often have feelings of guilt for indulging in something that wasnt low-fat, fat-free or grilled. I have a note on my fridge door that serves as a reminder for me, it reads as follows:

NO
coffee
alcohol
dairy
eggs
sugar
wheat
soy
processed food

This morning I had eggs and coffee for breakfast. Ive realized that I love food. I love cooking and growing and experimenting and trying something new any chance I get. I love REAL food though. I will avoid processed foods and I rarely drink alcohol, but I am a firm believer that REAL sugar is better than articial sweetener any day ( in moderation of course). I dont think a couple of sodas a month are going to do me in and I enjoy the occasional indulgence of ice cream or chocolate sheet cake. I will, however, be scheduling my trips to the gym into my week. It has to be a trade off. If I want to be happy and not starving I have to do it. And make myself. I planned all day to go tonight after dinner. We ate, then I had to let my food settle so I wouldnt upset my stomach while working out, then I had to check my garden for slugs, then I had to gather some info for my brother, then I had to load the dishwasher, then it was 10:30. I have a key to the gym so I can go anytime Id like but I have to be up early with the boys so I really need to sleep. Now its 11:17pm and Im on my computer. Excuses excuses. Im planning on going after lunch tommorow. :)

Ok, Im adding a rant today! (Not that I wont be doing that often, I have a blog for a reason) As everyday, I switched between CNN and the Today show while I did my morning chores. All the talk was about Paula Deen. I watched the interview in its entirety and then proceeded to listen to the opinions of anyone and everyone that could get a platform. Im tired of it! Really? This is ridiculous! As a southern girl, transplanted to California but raised by the South, I have an opinion. Let me begin by saying, I have never been a 'supporter' of Paula Deen. Frankly, I think shes made alot of money from just doing things the way alot of southerns do. It just so happens she was discovered. Sunday dinners at my Grandmothers would have cooked her under the table. I also bought one of her 'cast iron' pans once. I think I used it 3 times before it cracked and made its way to trash. I have heard alot of people condemning her when she tries to make people understand the way she was raised. Her grandfather commited suicide because the slaves were freed and he didnt know how to survive without them. That sounds completely ridiculous but you have to put yourself in that time period. I grew up with grandparents that used that work like they used 'Hello'. I would never say it. Paula Deen is a 66 year old woman from Georgia, why in the world is this surprising to anyone? Im sure her use of the word didnt come up in her initial interview with Food Network but then again Im sure $$$ was the only important thing they were thinking about. Now, here we are, an old Southern woman has used the infamous 'N' word! (Gasp) Lets let everyone get on their high horse and vilify her. How about we just sit back and let the consumers make the decision. I do agree with her biblical reference to 'cast the first stone'. Lucky for most of us the daily conversations of our entire lives havent been fodder for the world, if so Id bet there would be alot less criticism right now. Let the chips fall where they may. It will work itself out. Everything comes out in the wash.........And as an homage to all my Southerners out there, heres one of my oldie but goodies that is quite befitting of this situation.

Its 10:40am and I finally have a second to breathe! Ive been up since 6:00am and have accomplished my usual by this time. I was just sitting down to write out our schedule of activities for the next month and had an epiphany. Since my guys have been born my life has been a very precise schedule. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are at the same time every day. I water my garden at the same time every day. I feed my animals at the same time every day. I wash my clothes at the same time every day. My husband calls me at the same time every day. Get the picture? Wow, it almost makes me feel organized. Now I have a list of things to add to our new summer schedule. That could be a problem. First we have to decide what fun things we are going to do this summer. I kind of miss the days when we could just get up and say, 'Hey, you guys want to go to the waterpark today'? Now I have too many kiddos to do anything last minute without a game plan. Poor planning would equate to a horrible day! Theres nothing worse than planning a fun day for the kids only to have a pint sized meltdown early in the day because someones last meal or sleep wasnt timed out properly. Being the CEO of a family is never easy. Welcome to motherhood!

The garden is coming along ever so nicely! We grow organic, pesticide free and mostly non-GMO. Although I admit I need to make that 100% non-GMO. We have a compost bin that I built out of a trash can, its not fancy but it is sufficient to do the job without the huge expense. We also have a worm composter. We release ladybugs and praying mantis into our garden every year and its great because the kids get to see how insects help our enviroment. Every day with children is an opportunity to teach and we, as parents, should take advantage of that. Someone once said something to me that I will never forget:




* The word PARENT is a verb, not a noun *



This is the great metal peacock statue that my man got me for my birthday! We named him Liberace. Now I just need to find the perfect spot for him in my garden.  <3  <3  <3  <3

 These are my sweet little guys and the most wonderful surprise Ive ever received! <3  <3  <3  <3  <3

Today is Tuesday May 28th 2013. I attempted to start this blog 2 years ago, and just when I thought I would be able to, my life took a dramatic change. My boyfriend was transferred to California for work and because I was still back and forth to court with the custody of my, now 9 year old, daughter, I stayed behind in Texas. I had to put my daughter first and let him follow his dream. He always assumed I would eventually be there but deep down I never really thought I would. I figured we would just go back and forth for awhile and eventually he would find a job closer to me or the long distance would take its toll and that would be the end of us. Honestly, the priority was my daughter and I wasnt going to jeopardize that situation by leaving the state. My daughter Hannah and I were living alone with my 9 year old there every other weekend and my daughter Alexis, who is 21 now, was living in a town not far from us and she was pregnant with our 1st grandchild. I began to have alot of unexplained cramping and generally just not feeling well. I immediately made myself an appointment with my Gynecologist. I come from a substantial history of cancers in my family so I dont take things like that lightly. I went into my appointment dreading what I was going to be told and left in tears. Not because I was sick, because I was pregnant! That was the LAST thing I was expecting or ready to deal with at that moment. I had my hands full with a nasty divorce and custody fight, I just told the man I was seeing to go to California without me and I was working full-time to support my daughters and myself in a small 3 bedroom apartment. And the biggest kicker of all?......I was pregnant with twins. It has been a crazy ride for the last few years but Im at a place now that I would never change if I could! I currently live in Tehachapi California with my daughter Hannah, my boyfriend, our 1 year-old twin boys and lots of furry friends. My life has been a roller coaster of figuring things out as I go, doing great at times and horrible at others, but now at 40 Im pretty sure Ive got this handled! Im starting this blog mainly because I have alot to say about how people parent these days. Its my opinion of course, but its my blog so thats Ok ;) . I am blessed to be able to stay at home and raise my kiddos so I intend on posting mostly about family or home stuff. I invite any questions or comments related to.........just about anything! I cant always promise Ill get to it immediately, but eventually. I started this paragraph on May 28th and Im ending it on June 8th. (I did say I have 1 year-old twins) :)