DIY Playdough

Mix:

2 cups flour

1 cup kosher salt

1 tbsp. cream of tartar

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Add:

2 cups hot water (boil then cool until touchable)

To finish:

split up the dough into whatever size you’d like and color with food coloring.  Store covered at room temp.

Journal: Thursday June 15th 2023

We had a wonderful experience at the Visser Farms Strawberry Patch yesterday evening. Strawberry picking was the perfect activity for an active toddler.  Finley loved being outdoors, and he was eager to help carry the basket.  He caught on very quickly, and it was a fun way to learn about colors in a setting where finding the reddest strawberries mattered.  Here’s their website if you’d like to see for yourself: https://www.visser-farms.com/u-pick-strawberries

Journal: Tuesday June 13th, 2023

Tuesday evening pickleball was canceled due to rain, but Finley and I still managed to have some fun before it got too wet.  Aunt Judy sent me a recipe for Bouncing Bubbles, which are a bit thicker than the type you would buy at a supermarket.  The best part is that they don’t pop as easily and they were a hit.  Finley had fun popping his bubbles, and I poured our concoction into his lawn mower to have even more fun.  

Bouncing Bubbles:

1 part dish soap

2 parts sugar

4 parts water.         

  

Ginger Smoothie

 I make a smoothie every single day.  Ginger is a great addition to my usual blend to help with digestion.  Here's what's in my blender today:

GINGER SMOOTHIE

2 cups frozen fruit (pineapple, strawberry, mango, and peach)

6 ice cubes

1 banana

1 cup almond milk

1/4 cup Greek yogurt (honey vanilla)

1 handful of kale

1 1/2 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 nub of minced ginger

Homemade Baby Puree

 I make all of Finley's meals in my own kitchen.  We've mastered sweet potatoes, peas, boniato, and bananas.  Today I made an apple puree and a butternut squash puree. 

Portioned apple and squash puree ready for the freezer.

Apple Puree

1. Select 4 large (preferably local, organic) apples
2. Peel the apples
3. Slice into one-inch cubes
4. Steam for 7 minutes
5. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid for blender
6. Puree
7. Freeze and label (3 months frozen, 2 days refrigerated)

Butternut Squash Puree

1. Peel the squash 
2. Dice into one-inch cubes
3. Steam for 10-15 minutes
4. Puree
5. Freeze and label (3 months frozen, 2 days refrigerated)

Fennel and Vegetable Pot Pie

 I am a lifelong vegetarian and I absolutely love this pot pie.  It's healthy, yummy, and not at all boring!  

Fennel and Vegetable Pot Pie

Ready for puff pastry

chopped carrots, onion, and fennel

after adding mushrooms and potatoes

carrots, onion, and fennel

baking

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter

1 head fennel, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

2/3 cup carrot chopped

12 oz. mushrooms, sliced 

1 potato diced

1/4 cup flour

1 cup mushroom broth

1 cup whole milk

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup chives sliced

1/4 cup parsley chopped

1 tbsp. white vinegar

puff pastry

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400

2) Chop and prepare all ingredients as listed.

3) Melt butter over medium heat, then add fennel, onions, and carrots.  Cook about 2 minutes.

4) Add mushrooms and potato, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Stir rarely until the mushrooms have let out water, about 6 minutes.

5) Add flour, stirring to coat, and cook another 2 minutes.

6) Mix in mushroom broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 6 minutes.

7) Remove from heat and stir adding peas, chives, parsley, and vinegar.  Turn into an 8x8 baking dish.

8) Place puff pastry over baking dish and brush dough with egg wash, cutting slits to vent.

9) Place on a baking sheet and bake about 25-30 minutes. 

Simple Spanakopita

 This is one of my favorite comfort food dishes because it is simple to prep, healthy, and the phyllo is flaky and delicious 🤤

Spanakopita

filling

filling spread evenly inside dough

sides tucked in and brushed with olive oil

Ingredients:

1 16oz package phyllo dough thawed

1 cup (approximately) extra virgin olive oil

16 oz chopped spinach drained

2 bunches flat-leaf parsley chopped

2 or more cloves of garlic minced

4 eggs

10.5 oz feta cheese (go for quality)

2 tsp dried dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 325.

2) Chop and prepare ingredients as listed, being careful to drain spinach thoroughly.

3) Mix ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

4) Lightly coat a 9 1/2" x 13" baking dish with olive oil.

5) Line the dish with two sheets of phyllo at a time allowing them to cover the bottom and sides of the dish, then lightly brushing them with olive oil.  Repeat two sheets at a time, brushing the tops with oil, until you have used two thirds of the dough.

6) Spread the spinach mixture evenly on top of the dough.

7) Layer the remaining dough two sheets at a time, lightly coating with oil, until there is no phyllo remaining.  Fold in the sides and brush with olive oil.  Brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with water.

8) Bake for one hour at 325.