Author Archives: katherine

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{Recipe} Garden Spaghetti Sauce

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I posted this photo a few days ago and I received a few requests to share the recipe.

I found the original recipe online 3 or 4 years ago…the summer of my very first garden harvest. You see, Andy’s best friend (who loves tomatoes) simply didn’t think the 3 tomato plants I planted would be enough for sharing, so he showed up at our house with 6 {SIX!} more tomato plants. 9 total. Come around September, that’s a whole lotta tomatoes, friends. He had taken all that he wanted and I was still left with more tomatoes than I knew what to do with. I quickly did a mad search online for “spaghetti sauce from scratch” {or something like that, I’m sure}. I found one. And over the years I’ve tweaked it.

The great thing about this recipe? It’s easy to mix-and-match the ingredients to make it just right for you. Don’t like that much garlic? Leave some out! Want to add in a little extra garden flare? Toss in some chopped mushrooms and zucchini! Think some banana peppers would spice it up nicely? Feel free to add them in!

Another, equally awesome thing? You can either hot-water bath can the sauce, or freeze it! Easy.

So, here you go.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 Cups green bell peppers, chopped
  • 6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 16 cups tomatoes, cored and peeled ***see step one***
  • 3 12 oz. cans of tomato paste {or 6 6oz cans if you’re like me and it’s cheaper to buy them that way.}
  • 3 Tbl brown sugar
  • 1 Tbl dried oregano
  • 4 tsp Canning salt
  • 2 Tbl fresh basil, chopped
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbl Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
Directions:

Step 1: Get your tomatoes ready. I have found the easiest way to peel them is this: wash and core them. Bring a shallow pot of water to boil. Using a slotted spoon, place a few tomatoes at a time in the boiling water. After 30-60 seconds, remove the tomatoes and set onto a dish or cutting board w/ a trough. Allow a few minutes to cool, then peel the skin off. Repeat with all the tomatoes. {your tomatoes will break down over the cooking process, but if you think they may be too big, you can cut them in halves or quarters after you’ve peeled them}
Step 2: Add all ingredients to a large stock pot.
Step 3: Bring to a boil, stirring often. Then reducing to simmer. Let simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Step 4 A: If freezing, let cool then ladle into freezer bags, or food save.
Step 4 B: If canning, get your canning pot ready (about 1/2 way through the simmering process, more or less depending on how long it normally takes your pot to come to a boil). Get your 6 quart jars, lids and rings ready. Ladle sauce into jars, leaving 1/2″ head room. Wipe rim and place lids/rings on. Process in hot-water bath for 35 minutes. Remove from water and let set until cool.
Viola! Garden fresh spaghetti sauce all year round!

One-Zero

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Ten.

Ten years, to be exact.

One decade.

More than a third of my life.

On this day, ten years ago, Andy and I decided to “make it official”.

And we’ve never looked back.

Who knew what started as nothing more than a family friend showing me around our local community college campus would grow  into the life we have built today.

I remember him back when I thought boys were gross…playing laser tag & eating pizza with him when my uncle would come into town. And, I’ll be honest, at 14 years old when he would come over to do Bio101 projects with my sister, I had a huge crush on him, but never imagined us married.

Words cannot begin to describe the love and admiration I have for this man and just how blessed I am to call him my husband, father of my child, best friend and partner in life.

3 years of dating. 1 year of engagement. 6 years of marriage.

These ten years have given us many blessings as well as many trials. Sometimes a roller coaster. But with one thing remaining constant. Him by my side.

And so, with that…

Here’s to ten  more decades.

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{Recipe} Tandoori Chicken with Mango Salsa

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Friends, yesterday left me defeated. Mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted. I had this whole big woe-is-me post written in my head, then realized… nobody probably gives a crap. So, instead, I decided…hell yea! It’s Friday. And pay day. And I have a pedicure with a girlfriend calling my name at 5:30 tonight, followed by a high school football game with my little family. Screw yesterday.

Remember earlier in the week I told y’all about the awesome dinner I cooked on Sunday night? I promised I’d share the recipe, so here we are!

I remember the first time I had this…it was at my sister’s house, probably  8 years ago. That was before I was really “adventurous” when it came to trying new food. I was skeptical, at best. But, my sister assured me I would love it so I took a piece of chicken, and a tiny little scoop of the mango salsa. Before I knew it, I was back in the kitchen for another helping of the salsa. Yumm doesn’t begin to describe it! She copied down the recipe for me and I’ve been making it ever since.

People…I don’t think you understand just how good this recipe is…while Andy & I were engaged, I made it for a BBQ that his best friend was also at. Upon trying it, his best friend turned to me and said “Can I marry you too?”. I now make it whenever his friend is in town…

Anyway…on to the recipe!

Please note…I am giving you the recipe as I make it, not in the original form. When I make it, I pretty much make a marinade more so than a paste. (It’s WAY better this way…trust)

Ingredients for the Tandori Spice:

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tsp salt
  • 2 Serrano Chiles (seeds make it spicier!)
  • 1 quart  plain yogurt
  • Juice from 1 whole lime
  • 2 Tbl peeled, grated fresh ginger root
  • 1 Tbl ground coriander
  • 3 Tsp Turmeric
  • 1 Tbl ground cumin
  • 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Make 3 cuts, about 1/4″ deep in the chicken. Place in marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or over night. Grill on medium heat, for 25-30 minutes, turning once. Serve with mango salsa.
Ingredients for Mango Salsa:
  • 4 large mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4″ pieces
  • 1 small red onion, chopped fine
  • 1/2 – 1 serrano chile, minced
  • juice from 1/2 lime
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • pinch of sugar
Directions: 
Combine all ingredients. Mix. Serve with the chicken.

If you make it, I’d love to know! And if you have any questions at all about it, feel free to track me down and ask away!

Enjoy!

I’m not ready to give anatomy lessons

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Have you noticed that facebook has this really “neat” new-ish feature where it tells you what your status update was exactly one year ago. Kinda scary if you ask me, but whatever, I blog, therefore I have no shame.

Anyway, my point is…one year ago today I posted this on facebook: Don’t want to jinx it, but I’m pretty sure I just potty trained my kid over the weekend. She’s at daycare in undies today!!

That means it’s been one whole year since my kid been in diapers {not counting bedtime and that one awkward road trip where we had to stop on the side of the highway in the pouring down rain because she refused to pee ind said diaper}.

Anyway (again), it wasn’t long after this initial potty training that she started to notice that Daddy doesn’t sit down to pee. And one day, as she faced the toilet and grabbed her belly button, she declared that she was going to stand up to go potty just like daddy! Thankfully, I got to her in time, explained how we have to go pee differently than daddy and other boys and that was that. She never spoke about it again…

Until a few of weeks ago…

I was in the kitchen making dinner, or doing dished, or something when all I heard was Andy say {loud enough for me to hear} “go ask your mom”. Ry came running in to the kitchen and asked me…the dreaded question…

“Mommy, what’s that thing on the front of Daddy’s bum? You know…that he pees with?”

So I did what any mom would do…I lied and changed the subject.

Kidding! I told her what the “thing on Daddy’s bum was” making sure not to use any slang terms, etc. She seemed ok with my answer and went on with her evening.

About a week later, after Andy had babysat a friend’s two little boys, Rylee asked what that little thing was on the front of the baby’s bum…because she saw it when Daddy was changing his diaper. Again, I gave her a little anatomy lesson and that was that.

Then, while we were camping, we were coloring near the campfire one morning. She drew some marks on the paper that she declared as SNOW!, so I drew a couple of snowmen.

When I was done, she took the paper, made another little scribble and said ALL DONE!

Andy and I both looked at the paper. And then each other.

{and then I grabbed my camera}

Yep…she drew a penis. On Frosty the Snowman.

So clearly, she knows her anatomy. Now we just need to work on appropriate usage!

{let’s just hope the appropriateness talk sinks in before her she’s back to her school routine! Heh.}

A picture perfect weekend

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As Ry squeezed my shoulder, requesting “1 more minute” last night at bedtime, I settled back in and reflected on our weekend.

A slight smile came across my face and a relaxed, happy sigh escaped.

The weekend started out with Rylee and I heading into town to pick up my brother and hit up the Farmer’s Market, a park and the grocery store. Andy helped his dad with a shelving project in his garage. Later that night, we met Andy in town and headed over to my aunt’s house for a family dinner. Sunday, Andy mowed down the weeds the lawn. We spent some great time with family, laughing a lot and eating really good food {don’t worry, the recipe will be here later in the week!}. We picked a lot of blackberries. We played donkey balls ladder ball. On Monday, after everyone left, Andy, Rylee and I went for one last Summer ride in the Cruiser.

It was relaxed.

It really was picture perfect.

But, instead of rushing for the camera to capture that moment at “just the right time” I didn’t even break out the camera. I found myself leaving my phone in the house. I just enjoyed our last days of Summer. As a family. And it was perfect.

What about you? How was your holiday weekend?

*******


While you’re here…you should click on over to an awesome new blog called “Liberating Working Moms” and check out my guest post! It’s about that dreaded “mom guilt” so many moms feel when going to work…or should I say, my lack of guilt. It felt good to get it out in the open!