Tuesday Takehome + a Recipe

I haven't picked up my CSA share this week yet, but I DID shop at the Farmers' Market, of course.

I came home with:
2 quarts cherries
1 quarts blueberries
1 pint sungold cherry tomatoes
8 oz mozzarella cheese

Nom nom nom nom! I need to get out there and do some serious fruit picking for my canning plans. In the mean time, this amazing stuff will definitely do.










I've also been harvesting a good deal out of the garden lately. Here's a photo of yesterday's harvest- 3 leeks, and handful of Provider green beans, 7 Yukon Gold potatoes, 2 giant kale leaves, some sprigs of thyme, rosemary, and oregano, and a pinch of the first dried cilantro seeds of the summer (called corriander)!!

I'm patting myself on the back- I've been doing a good job of picking what I need for dinner each night, rather than harvesting a whole bunch just because I'm excited to see it all laid out. It's helped me get more time out of each crop I've grow.
I'm starting to have post-harvest holes in the garden- I'll need to fill those in with fall veggies! I've already planted some acorn squash as well as several cucumber plants and a watermelon, but it'll be time to seed carrots and spinach and fall greens before we know it.






I'm too inspired by fresh fruits and veggies to share a recipe today. My recipe for today is simply this-

• Go find some locally grown veggies and fruits
• Cut them up and prepare as minimally as possible
• Eat :)

Here's a photo of my plans for dinner on the right.

What have you been harvesting out of your garden lately or enjoying most from your local Farmers' Market?

Friday Favorites

Colorful potatoes from the garden make a great potato salad.

 Cherry pitters are kind of amazing. I pitted 2 quarts of cherries yesterday and it was a breeze!

How did I not have one of these before now?

Dinners at home this week have been straight from the garden- here's one from last night. 

Veggies, and sometimes tofu, cooked up in a bit of oil. Simple and delicious.

Ha- look at this cat. What a cute one.

What are you favorite things this Friday?

Trip to the Dunes

Empire Bluff scenic overlook

We are heading to Sleeping Bear Dunes in a few days, and I can't wait!! Ever since I was little, my family has considered the Dunes and Leelanau County to be a definite vacation destination and one of our favorite spot for relaxation. I've probably been there about 18-20 times, and a summer just seems less complete if we don't make it up there. We always laugh because since I'm from Ohio, my family would always call our trip, "Going to Michigan", as if the entire state was Glen Arbor, city of 4,000. Now that I live in Michigan, I know that there a few other places to live and to visit besides the north-western edge of the lower peninsula, but I still find myself referring to our trip this year as, "the michigan trip".

My goofy dad leaping down the Dunes Climb while my aunts flee 

This will be our first year going by ourselves as a couple, minus my parents, my brother, and lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, and family friends over the years. It's a fun tradition we have- we camp at the same campground every time- I don't even want to mention it here because then you will go there and it'll be more busy! But since most of you are nice, nature-respecting people who would treat it with the same appreciation, love and affection that I would :), I'll reveal- its DH Day campground. It's state-run as far as I can tell, and they don't take reservations. It's right on Lake Michigan, it's clean and well-kept, and it's a 2 minute walk to the beach! Great semi-rustic sites, no showers, pit toilets- it'll be several days of nature and I'm so anxious to get there!

It's so beautiful!

Since DH Day doesn't allow us to book ahead of time, we always leave at midnight the night before our trip is to start, and drive up overnight, hopped up on caffine. We get to the campground, and we get in the already-forming line of cars as dawn begins, just to assure we'll get a spot! It's worth it. Mike usually sleeps in the car while we wait for the ranger station to open and buy our pass for the weekend. I can't fully relax and sleep after our midnight drive yet! While he snoozes, I walk the path past the sleeping campers in their sites to the beach. Looking out at the lake is my first official vacation action; I run down the boardwalk, take my shoes off, and dig my toes in to the cool sand, maybe walk out to the water. I need to reassure myself that I'm really there before I sleep.

Looking forward to a few slow, relaxing days; biking, playing on the beach, cooking over the campfire. Maybe some kayaking if we get ambitious. I'd really like to go to some of the local farmers' markets (surprise!), tour a winery, and pick some sweet cherries. Traverse City is supposed to be a great "foodie" place to eat, and the region produces a lot of great wine!