When Perfect and New Wear Off ...

I'm guesting today over at Sue's (Praise and Coffee), talking about the glitz and glamor of a new kitchen, and when the newness wears off.

" ... then life became ... reality. The kitchen, that once was sparkling new, didn't seem that new any more. The glitter of it all started to fade as I still had to do dishes, my stacks of "stuff" piled up on the counters, the kids made huge messes, the cupboards needed wiping down, my busy life left it looking not so pretty anymore. 

Read the rest of the story, here."

On Sunday, when we harvested tomatoes and potatoes, how could I forget these?

My favorite - beets.

Made into a beautiful salad for dinner that night. Okay, I'll admit it. It takes maturity for a kid to like beets. My kids weren't too thrilled, as they picked through the salad and pulled out most of the beets.  How could they?

And then parsnips.

Yes, they smell like dirt and the ground.

But they are delicious, and my husband and I love them!  He is Irish, but I've learned to really appreciate them (that is a kind word.)

I used parsnips in dinner last night, only to find when my daughter got home from soccer, these were on the cutting board.

Again, she picked these out of the soup.

Does your family eat parsnips and beets? 

Or what do they pick out?

New Counters & Harvested Tomatoes!

I'm so happy. Friday my countertops arrived. We've worked with the greatest people during this kitchen remodel, and we feel very blessed.

We've had a few glitches along the way, but that's okay. As my Dad told us, he's never seen a kitchen remodel without a few things gone wrong!

Yesterday was so beautiful, and I harvested more of our tomatoes. There's still quite a few more beauties on a the vines, just waiting to be picked.

We're happy with our Corian (Staron) counters, and the color that we chose really enriches the kitchen.

And a long center island, (and I'm telling you, it's long!) designed by my Dad.

The house was so quiet yesterday, everyone away playing soccer, so it was just me, the animals, classical music, and my new kitchen - working away on organizing. My pantry is next, and my double oven installed tomorrow. Yes, I get an oven back tomorrow! Everyone asks me what will be the first thing I will bake? Possibly a cake or cobbler?

As I reflect back to the last 4 months, as our family ate dinners together sitting in the living room, it doesn't really matter what surrounded us, or the mess we were in. What matters is that we mark these days as a gift from our Gracious God: that we have everything we need and we have each other. 

Back to tomatoes, if you have a garden, what's left to harvest?

(Potatoes and sweet potatoes, quite a few tomatoes and butternut squash are left in ours!)

Rhoda from Southern Hospitality is my 3-year Anniversary winner! I couldn't be happier to send her my care package full of hostess gifts, to one great lady!  Congrats, Rhoda! And thank you to all who entered and your very thoughtful comments and ideas that you shared!

End of Summer Garden and Oilcloth Tablecloth!

As summer winds down, we're still enjoying a few outdoor dinners in our backyard, but not many with school and soccer season in full-swing, and then the ... Shhh ... (remodel! I'm trying to be patient!)

(Elliot & new courtyard front entrance)

(new back door to right, walk-in pantry to left)

I've taken a very simple approach to entertaining (yes, plastic cups!)

And one of my favorite tablecloths, made from oilcloth, is perfect for outside dinners. You can make a mess and it wipes right up. It also doesn't fade in the sun, and it's bright and cheery!

End of summer garden - the best hot off the grill!

Veggies

Potatoes

Parsnips

Simple tomatoes and basil

I can't wait to dig these out of the ground. 

Can you guess what tasty treats we'll be enjoying from our garden before long?

What kind of veggies or unusual foods do you barbeque?

Past gardening post, here.

Hooked on Roasting Tomatoes!

Erin, have you cut a tomato before?

Nope!

Well, grab a knife, girl, I'm gonna show you how!

If you're saying you have too many tomatoes, then let me share with you a fast, easy way to use them up!

It's easy. And I just got my daughter and her friend to do it for me (as I guided them).

I love working with kids in the kitchen, especially if they have a good attitude and they want to learn.

Cut up any kind of tomato into pieces. (We have 5 different kinds this year - cherry work great, too!)

Chop fresh basil.

Press fresh garlic.

Add salt, pepper, sugar, and drizzle with olive oil.  Roast at 450 for 45 minutes, or longer, depending on how dry you like them.

Then you can do several things. 

Eat right away.

Freeze in Ziplocs as is.

Puree' and freeze.

Once you try this method, you'll be hooked!

What's your favorite way to eat tomatoes?

Head on over to Julia's at Hooked on Houses and see what she has going on today with her Friday blog party!

My Own Grower's Market!

I've been limited to time and space, in using all the veggies from our garden this year.

I'm still roasting my tomatoes and freezing, and I actually came up with a new idea for using our plentiful crop of tomatoes, but I just can't let anything go to waste!

So last month I started doing this: Instead of letting any of these beauties go to waste, I decided to put them out on my front porch, fill the basket daily, put a bucket of plastic sacks out too - and tell my friends and neighbors to help themselves!

It's what my Grandma used to do on her farm, except on a much smaller scale.

I guess you'd say it's my own little Grower's Market, right outside my front door!

Do you buy summer produce from a Grower's Market or the grocery store? Do you grow them yourselves, or do your friends share them with you?