Deer Versus Garden

Here's the "Before" Photo...More Pics Coming Soon

Click Here For the Latest Installment of Adventures in the Garden

     The extent of my gardening experience can pretty much be summed up in a paltry little paragraph: 

     I used to plant seeds in styrofoam cups in elementary school to give to Mom for Mother's Day. (After I got that seed or two to sprout, it was all on her now, baby.)  I've cared for and maintained potted flowers given to me as gifts over the years with about a dismal 30 percent success rate.  And I never really had any kind of luck with those little plant kits that used to be in Sugar Smacks (the cereal with the frog on the box) back in the seventies.

     Does anyone remember those plastic little boxes with the green sponge and packet of seeds?  Maybe you didn't have much luck with them either then.

      Well, all these little historic failures growing and keeping flowers are not going to daunt my plan to build a garden at the cabin.  I am intent on adhering to the Michael Jordan school of thought on failure: "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." 

       I am also singing and sticking to that oh-so-true Beatles tune:  "I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends."

     Without the direction of the many people in my life who actually do know what they are doing when it comes to designing a garden of flowers without cursing them to inevitable doom, I would not have even begun this venture of planning a natural little haven of peace in the cabin yard.

      So, the first challenge has been to determine what plants will co-exist with the lovely deer who come to visit me regularly.  We've built a good, trusting relationship, and I don't want to blow it. 

     Many of you who actually know what you are doing got me on track with contributing to creating a list of flowers deer are likely to ignore ~ unless they have nothing else to eat.  (I ty to feed them well so that does not happen.)

     Anyway, I built my first raised flower bed using rock I collected around the cabin and planted purple salvia in it.  You can see from my video, Deer V. Garden, Part 1, that, no sooner had I planted the flowers, two deer came to inspect my work.  They looked it over and left.

     After a week, I went back to the cabin, where I found the salvia there, clearly untouched by the deer, but not really looking so hot.  They weren't looking so, well...purple.  As I said, I am no expert, but for a flower named purple salvia, that can't be right.

     I guess I will get a better sense of their well-being when I go back next week to have a look at them.  If they need some doctoring, I know just who to call ~ all you wonderful folk with years of growing beautiful gardens. 

     And hopefully a minor failure will turn out to be the beginning of a successful project.

     Have a wonderful week.

    

         

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Click Here For Video From the Cabin Kitchen

     With Memorial Day picnics in full swing across the country today, here's a cool little number for kids of all ages.  Break out the blenders ~ even the grownups will be back for seconds.

Frozen Hot Chocolate

Milk ~ 2 Cups
Hot Cocoa Mix ~ 2 Packets
Crushed Ice ~ 4 Cups
Whipped Cream
Favorite Candy (M & Ms, Reeses Cups, Hershey Bars, etc.)

     Mix milk, hot cocoa, and ice in a blender.  Pour mixture into 4 glasses.
Top with whipped cream and pieces of your favorite candy.  Serve with straw and enjoy!

    Have a wonderful Memorial Day & Summer 2012!

Click Here For Video From the Cabin Kitchen

Garden Pasta Salad with Chicken Apple Sausage

    
     Here's an easy pasta salad dish that is on the "lite" side for those looking to control their weight this Memorial Weekend:

Chicken Apple Sausage ~ At least 12 ounces (approximately 4 large links)
Garden Vegetable Pasta ~ 1 box of Ronzoni Garden Delight Penne Rigate (12 ounces)
Tomato ~ 1 large
Cucumber ~ 1/2 large
Reduced Fat Italian Dressing ~ 16 ounce bottle
Lowfat Shredded Cheese ~ 8 ounce bag
Pepper ~ 1/2 teaspoon

     Prepare the box of pasta according to instructions.  I cook the pasta so that it is tender (about 7 minutes), then drain, pour into a bowl, cover, and put in fridge to cool.

     As the pasta is cooling, fill the bottom of a skillet with about an inch of water.  As you are bringing it to a boil, slice the sausage links about a quarter of an inch thick each.  Add all to boiling water, then simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Add water if needed; you will always want a little bit simmering in the pan.)

     As the sausage is cooking, slice the tomato into chunks and drain.  Then run a fork along the cucumber to create ridges, cut in half, and cut into quarters.  Set aside.  Drain the sausage when complete.

     When the sausage and pasta are cooled to at least room temperature, mix them with the tomatoes and cucumbers in the bowl.  Shake the Italian dressing well, holding it upside down.  Add to the bowl according to taste.  (I generally like just to coat the pasta mixture, using about one-third of a 16-ounce bottle of dressing.)

     Mix in about a half cup of the shredded cheese, as well as about a half teaspoon of pepper.  (These, too, can be adjusted according to preference.)  Top the entire pasta salad with a sprinkling of shredded cheese and cover.  Keep in the fridge for about 4 hours before serving.

     As always, have a wonderful Saturday and a great Memorial Weekend :)

Oreo Cream Balls ... aka "Skunk Balls"

    

Check out the video tutorial for Oreo (or "Skunk") Balls

      I love all kinds of animals.  Besides my beautiful dog Harley, I have a thing for black bear, deer, and almost anything that roams around the cabin or other natural settings. 

     

      I have never, however, been a big fan of skunks.  Even before one sprayed Harley just a few years ago in broad daylight as I was curled on the couch for the day ready for some Sunday NFL football...I just never saw the appeal of this bizarre little jumble of black and white fur.

    

     So, when I purchased the Saint Stanislaus Family Cookbook not too long ago, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Amy's contribution of "Skunk Balls", a sweet little concoction of Oreo Cookies, cream cheese, and white morsels.  Turns out, they've been a hit.

     

     Now, since Christmas, I have tried to post only recipes with the fitness-focused in mind (including myself); but I do believe that there comes a time to indulge here and there...and this little recipe is an easy, no-bake, satisfying way to do it.  With Memorial Day picnics everywhere this weekend, this might be a simple and delightful treat to make for (or even with) the kiddies.

     

     Here you go:

     Oreo Cookies ~ One package

     Cream Cheese ~ Eight ounces, softened

     White Morsels ~ One twelve-ounce bag

     

     Begin by crunching up all the cookies.  The best way to do this is to put them all in a large ziplock bag, close it up, and crunch away.  Once all the cookies are broken into pieces, mix with the softened cream cheese.  Roll into balls.  At this point, I put them into the fridge for about an hour just to let the cream cheese solidy so the balls will hold their shape.

    

     When the balls are ready to be dipped in white, take half a bag of morsels, pour into a glass bowl, and place in the microwave.  At medium-level power, heat the chips for about a minute. Stir.  If they need more melting, place back in microwave at 10-second intervals until done. 

      

     Now dip each ball at a time into the melted white coating, placing them on a cookie sheet afterwards. After about twelve or so balls, you will need to repeat the above step to complete the remaining ones.  This recipe will give you at least two dozen balls.

    

     When all the "Skunk Balls" have been dipped, put them in the fridge for one more hour so the coating can harden, then serve up this unique little number to family and friends.

    

     Whatever we are serving up this weekend, may God bless and keep all those who sacrificed on our behalf; they died, so we might live and enjoy the freedoms and simple joys of this life.

    

     May we always remember them and their families with honor.

    

     Have a wonderful Memorial Weekend :)

Click Here To Follow

The Cabin Chat YouTube Channel

with more Adventures in the Kitchen,

in the Garden, & in Fitness.

Here's a great variation on this recipe sent from a childhood friend now living out West. She used chocolate instead of vanilla chips and renamed her creation, "Oreo Truffles".  Love it!

Southwestern Morning Pita

     After a series of long weekends full of commitments, I am thankful for the blessing of my home in the mountains. The fresh air, the plush green, the peaceful setting all help to refresh me.

      Last Friday, I grabbed my dog, my laundry, and a cooler of ingredients ~ veggies, cheese, chicken breast, black beans, green tea, Greek yogurt, and, of course, whole wheat pitas ~ and set out for the cabin to begin work on my garden project. (which didn't get too far since I ended up on the couch with a sore throat, chills, and aches for most of the time.)

     I'm a big fan of these pitas.  They are a healthy carb option, taste great, are satisfying, and are the perfect food with which to create a variety of filling meals.

     So over the weekend,, I whipped up an easy and hearty breakfast with the following ingredients:

Whole Wheat Pita ~ One
Egg ~ One (Egg white, if preferred)
Tomato ~ About 1/6 of one, diced
Red Pepper ~ About 1/8, chopped
Green Pepper ~ About 1/8, chopped
Mexican Cheese Mix ~ Low-fat, about 1/4 cup
Pepper ~ To taste
Cayenne Pepper ~ To taste
Avocado spread

      (I generally keep a baggie of fresh and washed vegetables in the fridge for meals like these, to add to salads, etc.  I also keep avocado spread in a small container to have on hand for moments in the kitchen like these. Just cut and clean out an avocado or two, and mix well with some pepper or garlic. Makes a great spread or dip.)

      As you toast the pita, sautee the tomato and peppers using medium heat for about 10 minutes in some olive oil in a small skillet.  Once ready, I crack and egg right on top of the vegetables, mix it in along with the black and cayenne peppers, and let it cook about 3 minutes or until done.  I pour the cheese on top of the egg & veggie mix, turn off the stove, and cover the skillet to allow the cheese to melt.

      As the cheese is melting, I take the pita from the toaster, spread some avocado on it, and, when ready, pour the contents of the skillet onto the pita and fold it. (I don't use the pocket, just the whole pita.)

    So in one little happy morning meal with a kick, you have all your essentials: a balance of protein, carbs, and fat ~ all of which your body needs.

     Have a wonderful week :).

For Keeps: Great Little Find for Moms Day

     Once a week, I pass by a quaint little store called Seraphim Gifts on Route 313 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
    
     I have always wanted to stop in and check out the country & garden store, and, yesterday afternoon ~ being unusually ahead of schedule ~ I took twenty minutes to duck into the place and enjoy the candles, soaps, signs, decor that could easily help beautify a home or garden.  It also had several different kinds of gifts that a girl like me ~ with one mother, five sisters, and many friends who are all wonderful mothers ~ could buy for the upcoming weekend celebrating the blessing of a mother's love.
  
      One great little find for the budget-challenged shopper with a long list of maternal goddesses to remember was a section of the store featuring the lovely decorative bookmarks by Wisconsin artist, Lori Voskuil-Dutter of Creative Design Studios.(http://creativedesignstudioinc.com)
   
      I picked up a handful of these nice little gifts, sure to come in handy inside all those books about to lugged around to beaches and poolsides these next few months ~ at least for those of us not yet toting around Kindles and e-readers.  In any event, the bookmarks, which are 4 by 9 inches each, packaged in plastic and on white linen, are designed not only to hold a page of a good book; they look nice just scattered around the home. (You can bet they will be found in the nooks and crannies of the cabin.) At $2.95 apiece (or within the ballpark) these decorative bookmarks go a long way for the many fabulous women whose missions as mothers cannot be measured.
    
     So, if you have a large group of magnificent moms you want to share gifts with this Sunday, keep these keepsakes in mind.  A display of samples is below.

     Thinking of and thankful for all mothers this weekend...have a wonderful Thursday :)

    
   

Healthy Week-long Chicken Vegetable Pitas

     One of my favorite of movies of yesterday was The Superman series of the seventies and eighties.  Christopher Reeve was the quintessential Superman, and Margot Kidder gave cinema history a very memorable Lois Lane.

     I always remember her squeezing oranges to make juice to get her Vitamin C. Meanwhile, an overloaded ashtray of cigarette butts sat next to her juicer.

     Lois didn't get the idea of getting everything in harmony ~ eating, workouts, healthy habits...but most of us do!

     So, one week into the glorious month of May, and most of us are looking to eat healthier (along with our regular workouts) so we can enjoy the summer months of June, July, and August.
    
     If you are one of them, here's an easy and healthy option for lunch every day of the week ~ and you do all the preparation on Sunday.

      What you'll need:

     Whole Pitas ~ One package of six
     Chicken breasts ~ Three to four boneless
     Grated low-fat cheese ~ Variety of your choice
     Avocado ~ One
     Red Pepper ~ One, chopped
     Green Pepper ~ One, chopped
     Tomato ~ One, diced
     Mushrooms ~ One package
     Cucumber ~ One, chopped
    
     Put the chicken breasts in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 45 to 50 minutes (grilling or cooking in crock pot is also an option if desired.)

     While chicken is cooking, cut up all vegetables (except avocado) and sautee them in olive oil in a large skillet o low to medium for 10 to 15 minutes.  Drain and place on plate with paper towel.

     Take the avocado, slice it, remove pit, and scoop out inside.  Place in a small container, add a half teaspoon of cilantro and a half teaspoon of pepper and mix well.  Cover.

       In a large container, pour the vegetables and, when cooled and cut into chunks, the cooked chicken. (Vegetarians can leave out the chicken; the vegetable pita is a great meal all by itself!)

     You now have the daily makings for Chicken Vegetable Pitas for at least one week.

      When it comes time to create your dish, toast one pita and, while doing so, put a small portion of the chicken & vegetable mix (just enough for the pita) in the micowave for about a minute (or until warm.)

      Once the pita is toasted, place on a plate and spread a teaspoon of avocado on it.  Pour the heated chicken and vegetable mix on one half side of the pita, then sprinkle with a tablespoon of cheese.  Dash some pepper on top if desired.

     Slip into the microwave to melt the cheese (about 15 seconds), and, upon removing, fold the pita in half.

      The chicken & vegetable pita filling should more than enough to last one week. (Of course, if you have the option to sautee the vegetables each day, you can simply chop them up for the week.) Should you have extra mixture come Saturday, cook up some whole wheat pasta, mix it all together, sprinkle with some cheese and pepper, and enjoy.

     Have a wonderful Tuesday and rest of the week. :)