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Morning Walks: New Destinations

Scout and I have gotten into a rut since we lost Bixby, so I decided with the cooler (ha!) weather, we’d expand our explorations.

As long as the weather holds out, we are going to explore a different open space each week. I was thinking we would find a different one each day, but this morning’s destination proved to have an abundance of trails we can explore over several days. So we’ll play it by ear with each location.

Can’t wait for tomorrow morning to see where the next trail will take us.

Until then…

x-posted at What’s 4 Dinner Solutions

Sully Setting In

Sully has been here a month and has settled right in. He’s still finding his way with all the animals, but he knows he’s home.

Zander misses Gabe terribly, they were best buds, but he’s been kind to the new guy. I suspect they will be friends because Sully is both respectful and playful, two things Zander cannot resist.

Look at that profile. It is nice to have a house panther again.

He spends his nights getting into trouble – he’s learned how to open the kitchen trash drawer – how I’m not sure! He knocks down the cabinet facing every night. Since I’ve been meaning to secure it since I bought the house, I suppose now would be a good time. And sits in the windows and gazes out on his midnight landscape.

He now realizes that Emma and Zander have outside privileges and while he’s curious about it, he hasn’t attempted to bolt out the patio door or anything. He’s got a long way to go before he gets the same. He’ll have to come when called and understand he cannot jump the fence. I suspect come Nov-Dec we’ll spend some cold mornings on the patio with coffee and supervise him to get him started on the rules.

Speaking of the queen:

Here is Emma, annoyed that the paparazzi is snapping away.

x-posted at What’s 4 Dinner Solutions

Life Is Short…Eat Ice Cream!

Ice Cream or Gelato? Why not both?!

Yummy Vanilla Nut Crunch can be found here.

And two Strawberry Ice Cream recipes here.

I have also made plenty of gelatos. It is definitely one of my favorite styles of ice cream. Smooth, creamy and not as heavy as many full cream styles.

Pictured above, Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato – one of my favorites. Recipe here.

Gelato starts with a good base that you can then add any number of flavors to:

Gelato di Crema (Gelato Plain Base)

  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 large egg yolk
  • 2/3 cup sugar

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine the milk and cream. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally so a skin doesn’t form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and the mixture reaches a temperature of 170°F.

Meanwhile, in a medium heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in the sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Temper* the egg yolks by very slowly pouring in the hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. Return the custard to the saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185°F. Do not bring to a boil.

*The best way to temper is to add a tablespoon at a time until you’ve added about 1/4 cup. Then you can add a full ladle at a time, slowly.

For Vanilla Gelato:  Just before freezing the gelato,  mix in the vanilla and then add to the ice cream freezer.  Use 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla extract depending on how intense you like your vanilla flavor.

More flavor treats: Dutch Chocolate Gelato (here)

Key Lime Gelato (so refreshing) here

So before summer slips away, time to make some ice cream treats.

x-posted at What’s 4 Dinner Solutions

Gardening Is Good For The Soul

Saturday I set out to do some early morning gardening and think through the next scene in Duxbridge that’s giving me trouble. Gardening is good for that

A few minutes into pulling bindweed and trying not to swear with every vine, my now 11-year old (how does that keep happening – wasn’t she just 4 and her dad would park his car across the driveway so she could ride her bike without worrying she’d land in the street?) neighbor stops by.

As usual, she wants to talk about plants and the household menagerie. We chat amiably for quite a while and then she disappears, as kids are wont to do. I figured she’d grown bored of watching me weed. Understandable, I was bored with weeding myself.

But no, she reappears with her mom’s gardening basket filled with gloves, tools, and a knee-pad. She slips on gloves and grabs her clippers, kneels on the pad and begins to help me trim down the iris leaves.

She also brought cilantro seeds for me to plant for the ducks.

I did figure out that scene, btw, it just didn’t happen while gardening.