10 on 10

I found this idea on another blog:...thought it sounded like fun, and would give it a try.

Here are 10 things happening around here on the 10th of June:

My basil is finally starting to grow

The new hummingbird feeder I put up today...can't wait to see the birds

Honey from a local beekeeper (if you want to buy some, go to:  http://www.alwayssummerherbs.com/)

Tomatoes ripening on the counter...from the farmers market

Riley relaxing after a hard day of play

Yummy Air-popped Popcorn

Ethan after making mud soup

The oh-so delicious mud soup the kids made for me

Bandz that now cover the house

Spencer showing off all of his teeth

Hope you had a great 10th of June!

As the Wiggles say....

Fruit Salad....

Yummy Yummy!!

My wonderful hubby made this fruit salad for us...complete with:

strawberries, red grapes, blueberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, and kiwi.

Make sure you are getting a variety of fruits each day...they are packed full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Gazpacho Salad

I got this recipe from a friend...well actually her blog (http://www.4littlemenandgirlytwins.com/).  She has inspired me to cook more organically, and become more green in our lives.

The gazpacho salad is quite amazing, and even more so with fresh home grown tomatoes. 

Chop and combine:

3 large tomatoes

1 cucumber

1 green bell pepper

1/2 onion

1 handful cilantro

1 jalapeno (remove ribs and seeds)

Whisk together:

3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

salt

pepper

juice from 1 lime

1 garlic clove, minced

toss all together to combine...

Enjoy!

Pea-Cilantro-Rice

So I needed a change to my rice...I have tried brown rice, white rice, wild rice, rice pilaf....etc.  I found this recipe in Martha Stewart Living (I love this magazine...there are always so many great recipes...I will probably share them all).  Just smelling the cilantro makes me think of summer...add in some peas and you are set.  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (save the stems)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, mined

1/4 tsp chili powder

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup long-grain rice

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)

Directions:

tie together reserved cilantro stems with kitchen twine (I didn't have the twine, so I used on of the stems to tie it together)

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat

Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes

Add chili powder and season with salt and pepper, cook for 1 minute

Add rice, stir to coat

Add cilantro-stem bundle and water.

Bring to a boil

Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, until water is absorbed...about 15 minutes

Remove from heat, add peas (do not mix)

Cover and let stand for 10 minutes

Remove cilantro-stem bundle

Stir in cilantro leaves

Serve warm

Mango-Radish-Cucumber Salad

Flipping though my Martha Stewart Living magazine I found this different, but awesome sounding salad.  Vibrant in color and flavor, this salad is a must have for the summer.  Make sure your mangoes are ripe (you can speed up ripening time by putting it in a paper bag at room temperature)

Ingredients:

1 mango, peeled and sliced

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

8 radishes, quartered

1 tbsp finely grated lime zest

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp honey

coarse salt

directions:

whisk together lime zest, juice, oil and honey.  Season with salt.

combine mangoes, cucumbers and radishes in bowl

drizzle dressing over the salad

serve cold

DISHES

No matter how hard I try...

there are always dishes piled up in the sink!!

Coupons!!!

They are everywhere.  You can find them in magazines, the Sunday paper, weekly flyers, on-line....

and

all over my kitchen

I have done my best to cut coupons, in hopes that one day I will be able to use them before they expire (which almost never happens).  But I usually forget to take them to the store, only remembering I had coupons as I am paying.  *sigh*

I sat down the other day to go through my coupons book...get rid of those that have expired (which was most of them) and try to organize the ones I just cut.  What an ordeal!!!  As I was sorting...making more piles that necessary...I realized, I will most likely never use most of these.  Why have I been stressing over coupons??  I know I am trying to save money...but really buying 3 boxes of cereal (when I only want one) to save $0.30...is it worth it??  Most of the coupons I have are not healthy (cakes, ready-to-bake cookies, crackers, etc). 

And, in going through my grocery list, I buy mostly fruits and veggies...unfortunately I cannot find coupons for those.  I do buy eggs, milk, cheese, beans (the store brand organic...yes they have that at Giant Eagle...YAY)...but usually no coupons for these.

So I made a new pile, coupons I will actually use.  Diapers, Wipes, laundry soap, etc...

I headed off to the store with coupons in hand, and was able to save $12...not bad.