With all the frequent rain showers we experienced lately in our area, my garden is in its glory, and thriving.

If you love gardening, as I do, you will agree that no matter how much, and how often, you water your garden, it does not measure up to one good rain fall, and the plants just seem to grow in front of your eyes soon afterward.

This season’s  harvest already began in my garden, and, with great pleasure, I was able to pick some baby red beets, dill, chives, summer squash, zucchini, green beans, and basil.

My raspberries produced about a pint of fruit this year, and today I was able to pick a few blueberries already.  I am very excited about having fresh berries and herbs from my garden, and to share them with my granddaughter.

Don’t you just love the freshness of these veggies and fruits…..and best of all….I know these have not been sprayed with any chemicals.

Tip: If  you wonder what can one  do with red beet leaves, I have a recipe coming up in my future posts.

If you think nobody cares whether you’re alive or dead,

try missing a couple of mortgage payments.

I have shared my April Blooms, and my May Blooms, now it’s time for June Blooms.

This is a transition period in my garden , since all the earlier blooms are passed their blooming time, and there are fewer perennial blooming plants as we get deeper into the summer season.   I have been busy planting summer annuals, to add a splash of color to the remaining foliage, but they will not be ready for pictures until later in the season.

Here is my South side flower patch:

These are my June Blooms:

Nigella (Love-in-the-Mist) plant and Nigella flower

Daylilies and Roses                    Daylily flower

Foxglove plant and Foxglove flowers

Ice Plant   and Ice Plant flower

White Daisy Chrysanthemum plant and Chrysanthemum flowers

Now you know how this Suburbangrandma relaxes in her free time….wait a minute…..what free time?

I hope you are enjoying my posts and the beauty of my flowers!

I always loved my mom’s  homemade pasta, especially in her homemade chicken or tomato soup.  I also started to make my own pasta for my  family, and they love it.  It is simple to make,  and out of 2 cups of flour, you get enough pasta for a family of four.  Talking about saving money and having great tasting food!

Of course I was doing it the hard way, until one day my daughter presented me with an Imperia Pasta Maker Machine, and making pasta has not been the same since.

I still make pasta, but now this job is a breeze with this little gadget.
It is quite simple to operate, yet produces wonderful results.
I even used it for flattening the dough rounds for making homemade perogies  (potato dumplings).
A small motor is also available to ease the operation of this pasta maker machine,  if you prefer not to use the crank, but I have not decided on that purchase yet.

It is also very easy to clean, since all you do is use a small brush to brush off the remaining flour and any bits of leftover dough, and wipe it clean with a paper towel.  It is not recommended to wash it with water.

Here are some samples of the final product:

Yummy…..home made pasta.  Doesn’t this make you hungry, and wanting to whip some up for tonight?

If you still do not have this wonderful little gadget in your kitchen, you are long overdue for one, and must add it to your wish list.  You will love it as much as I do!  I know it!  Your family will love your homemade pasta.

photo credit: torres21

The Man Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down

Now here are the rules from the male side.

These are our rules!

Please note.. these are all numbered “1 ”

ON PURPOSE!

1.. Men are NOT mind readers.

1…Sunday sports: It’s like the full moon or the changing of the tides.

Let it be.

1… Crying is blackmail.

1… Ask for what you want.

Let us be clear on this one:

• Subtle hints do not work!
• Strong hints do not work!
• Obvious hints do not work!

Just say it!

1… Learn to work the toilet seat.

• You’re a big girl. If it’s up, put it down.
• We need it up, you need it down.

You don’t hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1… Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1… Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That’s what we do.

Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1… Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument.

In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.

1… If you think you’re fat, you probably are.

Don’t ask us.

1… If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one

1… You can either ask us to do something ,Or tell us how you want it done. Not both.

If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1… Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials..

1…Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1… ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings.

• Peach, for example, is a fruit, not A color.
• Pumpkin is also a fruit.
• We have no idea what mauve is.

1… If we ask what is wrong and you say “nothing,” We will act like nothing’s wrong.

We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1… If you ask a question you don’t want an answer to, Expect an answer you don’t want to hear.

1… When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine… Really .

1… Don’t ask us what we’re thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball

or golf.

1… You have enough clothes.

1…You have too many shoes.

1…I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1…Thank you for reading this.

Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight;But did you know men really don’t mind that? It’s like camping.

A friend of mine sent the above text to me via email, so I thought it would be real fun, to post it for all the Fathers, and Fathers-to-be. I hope you enjoyed it, and it put a smile on your face on your special day!!

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!!!!!

Everyone has their favorite cake for special occasions.  One of my son’s favorite cakes is a carrot cake,  so I always make it for his birthday.  This recipe offers cream cheese frosting, which I normally use, but also a cream cheese glaze, for those who are not so fond of frosting.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 cups carrots, peeled and shredded (about 10 carrots)
• 4 eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 4 Tbs. butter, softened
• 2 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioner sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease and flour 2 cake pans.
3. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg, thoroughly in mixer bowl.
4. Add oil, carrots, and eggs.
5. Beat 3 minutes at medium speed.
6. Pour batter into pans.
7. Bake 1 hr.
8. Cool 10 minutes on a cake rack.
9. Remove from pan, and cool completely.
10. Spread frosting on top of the first cake, cover with the second cake (bottom part up).
11. Frost the top and sided of the cake.

If you prefer to glaze you cake rather than frosting it, here is a recipe for the glaze:

• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 2/3 cup confectioner sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients, and drizzle over the top of the cake,  so that it drips down the sides.
Refrigerate for  one hour before serving.

Tip:  I saved 3 Tbs. of frosting for decorations, and mixed 2 Tbs. with red and yellow food coloring to make orange frosting for the carrots, and 1 Tbs. of frosting mixed with green food coloring, for carrot tops.  I used a cake decorating bag,and plain tip, to form the carrots and tops.

If you like a lot of frosting (especially in the middle layer), you need to double the above recipe.

June is a very popular month for weddings, at least in the United States.   I  have attended many weddings with various traditions, but if you ever attended a Ukrainian wedding, you can attest to the fact that there is lots of food, myriad of  decadent desserts, special breads (Greeting Bread and Korovai) in addition to the Wedding Cake, and lots of dancing, to most likely very fast beats of a Ukrainian live band.

I would like to tell you about the special breads.

The Greeting Bread is basically the same recipe as the Easter Paska Bread, except that it has an indentation in the middle, for a small container of salt, accompanied by wine, which is used by the parents to greet the newlyweds, as they enter the reception hall.  The parents, and the bride and groom, partake of the Greeting Bread dipped in salt, which symbolizes the bitter moments of life, followed by a sip of wine, which symbolizes the sweet moments in their married life.  This also is a time when both families unite as one, and welcome the newlywed and their families into their family circle.

The Korovai is elaborately decorated multi-tier bread, which is not consumed, but rather a decoration and a gift from the parents  to the newlyweds.  This bread symbolizes community and the circle of life.  One of the most prominent embellishments on the Korovai are very intricately formed dough doves and other birds, which symbolize the married couple, their family and friends, and fertility.  Wishing the bride and groom future family growth, and healthy children.  The breads are surrounded by a wreath, or leaves, of fresh periwinkle, symbolizing love and purity.  (Periwinkle wreaths are also placed on the head of the Bride and Groom, during the blessing part of the matrimonial ceremony, at the church ).

Here are some pictures of other Korovais I have photographed at family and friend’s weddings:

Also the Wedding Cakes I was honored to taste at these weddings,  during the last few years:

Wow, I am reliving those moments once more…..can’t wait to attend another wedding.  I will make sure to take pictures of Korovai and Wedding Cakes, since I am totally fascinated be these creations.

I already showed you some of my flower patches, and I mentioned my small organic garden, which I started two years ago. All my plants are cultivated in a mix of mushroom soil and organic gardening soil. I do not use any additional fertilizers, and definitely no pesticides.

I grow perennial herbs and fruits, and annual vegetables.

This is my organic garden.

Here are some of the plants in my garden:

Parsley, Basil, Dill Weed, Oregano,Green Beans, Potato Plant, Red Beets

The fruit group includes:

Blueberry Bush Blueberry Flowers Green Blueberry Fruit

Raspberry Bushes Raspberry Flowers Raspberry Green Fruit

Blooming Strawberries Blushing Fruits First Harvest

My vegetables selection changes annually, but mostly consists of: Tomatoes, Zucchini, Summer Yellow Squash, Red Beets, Cucumbers, Green Beans, and this year I have added a couple of potato plants and Sorrel plants.

I will share some pictures of these as the “fruit of my labor” begins to show a little bit more.

My sister-in-law shared this recipe withe me,  and I prepared it for my daughter’s Memorial Day party.
It is somewhat similar to a Taco Dip, but much creamier, and with a little more kick to it.  There was lots of positive feedback from everyone who tried it.    I made this dip with only 6 layers, since I omitted the black olives (I am not a big fan of olives).

Ingredients:

• 1 can Refried Beans
• 16 oz Sour Cream
• 1/3 cup Ortega Taco Sauce
• 3 Avocados, ripe
• 2 Tbs. Lemon Juice
• 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 envelope Dry Taco Mix (low sodium if possible)
• 4 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 4 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Scallions, chopped
• 1/2   cup Plum Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 can Pitted Black Olives, sliced

Directions:

1. Combine Refried Beans and 2 Tbs. of Sour Cream, and ½ cup of Taco Sauce, until creamy.
2. Spread on the bottom of a large round platter (large pie pan).
3. Mash up 3 Avocados with 2 Tbs. of Lemon Juice, add salt, pepper, and 2 Tbs. Sour Cream.  (You can add a few dashes of Tabasco Sauce, for additional zest).
4. Mix it until creamy.
5. Spread mixture over beans, leaving ½ inch border of beans showing.
6. Mix 1 cup of Sour Cream with Mayonnaise, and Dry Taco Mix.
7. Spread over Avocado, leaving ½ inch border of Avocado showing).
8. Sprinkle with shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheese.
9. Sprinkle with chopped scallions.
10. Layer the chopped plum tomatoes.
11. Top off with sliced Olives.
12. Chill, until ready to serve.

Serve with bite size, or scoops, Tortilla chips.

Tip:  If you can’t find ripe avocados, you may use the ready made guacamole fresh paste (14 oz.), found in your supermarket, and the dip still tastes great!

photo credit: VirtualErn

Did you know this Friday, June 5th, is National Doughnut Day?

Better yet, to make this celebration a little bit sweeter, Krispy Kreme is giving away FREE doughnuts this FRIDAY!!!!

Too good to be true?   Well check this out:

“Krispy Kreme is making life just a little sweeter for everyone on National Doughnut Day,” says Ron Rupocinski, executive chef at Krispy Kreme. “So, on Friday, June 5, head to a participating store with your friends and family to share the sweet joy of a free Krispy Kreme doughnut.”

No purchase is necessary to receive a free doughnut on National Doughnut Day, June 5. The offer is good for one doughnut per customer. To find a participating store near you, visit www.krispykreme.com/storelocator.html.

SWEET  National Doughnut Day!

TIP:  Hmmmm……where are the other donuts guys when you need them!

Those of you who read my posts daily, will be rewarded with a free doughnut ….since I’ve given you heads up already tonight!