Dandy's Mom, Krystal asked a question about basil cubes, so I thought maybe a short explanation post. If your not interested in herbs, feel free to skip.
I like to save herbs in several ways for my winter cooking. My house does not get enough light to continue to grow herbs indoors, so I grow them outdoors in the summer and save them multiple ways. Air drying, dehydrated, and freezing. In my earlier post today I commented that I was going to make basil cubes. This is the freezing method. There are multiple ways you can freeze herbs. My preferred ways of freezing them are by making ice cubes of each herb or herb mix with various liquids. For example. When I process the basil tonight I will make some cubes of basil in olive oil, some in white wine and some in red. I will freeze a few more cubes of basil that has been made into a paste with olive oil. I will freeze a few in some softened butter. I love this method as by doing them in the various liquids I can just toss a frozen cube into whatever i am cooking and the oil or liquid just adds more flavor to the pot.
Some herbs I will also wash and lay out on a paper towel very loosely, Then I roll this all up tightly, when I need some of that herb, I just unroll a section of towel and take some frozen herbs to throw in. This give you the herb flavor without the extra liquid, but I find that the herbs don't seem to retain as much flavor as long this way.
Enjoy!
PS Krystal How is my favorite sable boy?
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Fall Already?
Sure seems like fall is here in Minnesota. Last night the temps dropped down into the mid 30's. I don't like the heat and humidity of the summer, but it beats the cold snow and darkness of winter, but since I can't change that I have been preparing. Canning of course!
Tried several new recipes this year, onion jam and tomato jam for some savory, making more watermelon jam this weekend for some more sweet. Lots of tomatoes for winter, canned and frozen, and also some peppers dehydrated. Will be roasting and freezing some of those too, probably this weekend. Have gotten some of the herbs done, but definitely need to do some more. I am out of red wine for freezing basil cubes, but a quick run to the store tonight should solve that issue.
Honestly I have not been doing much of anything with the dogs. I must need another seminar to get me re-motivated. Good thing I have one coming soon!
I started working on a new quilt this weekend. This one is denim and is using up all the old jeans the family has collected. It should be cute when it's done, its like a denim version of an cathedral window, although not as complex with the folding and such. Although all the cutting is by hand, all the sewing is machine done and there is no binding so once all the parts are prepped, sewing will go quick. Well, that is assuming it retains my interest and I don't start training the dogs again.
What are your fall plans?
Tried several new recipes this year, onion jam and tomato jam for some savory, making more watermelon jam this weekend for some more sweet. Lots of tomatoes for winter, canned and frozen, and also some peppers dehydrated. Will be roasting and freezing some of those too, probably this weekend. Have gotten some of the herbs done, but definitely need to do some more. I am out of red wine for freezing basil cubes, but a quick run to the store tonight should solve that issue.
Honestly I have not been doing much of anything with the dogs. I must need another seminar to get me re-motivated. Good thing I have one coming soon!
I started working on a new quilt this weekend. This one is denim and is using up all the old jeans the family has collected. It should be cute when it's done, its like a denim version of an cathedral window, although not as complex with the folding and such. Although all the cutting is by hand, all the sewing is machine done and there is no binding so once all the parts are prepped, sewing will go quick. Well, that is assuming it retains my interest and I don't start training the dogs again.
What are your fall plans?
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Videos from Laura
Laura Waudby the wonderful person that she is took some video of the kids last night. Thanks Laura!
First up Magics Weavers run. I messed us up at obstacle 5, but you can see he did not hold his start line at all. We will work on that.
Magics Weavers run - bad handling Dawn
Here is Magics Hoopers run, It was really good until we failed! Oh well, NQ to run again right?
Magics Hoopers Run - Nice until we lost it
And here is Grace who is VERY happy, she was too happy for me not to smile at her. Love how she bounced right over though when I called her.
Grace Hoopers Run - with the Zoomies
First up Magics Weavers run. I messed us up at obstacle 5, but you can see he did not hold his start line at all. We will work on that.
Magics Weavers run - bad handling Dawn
Here is Magics Hoopers run, It was really good until we failed! Oh well, NQ to run again right?
Magics Hoopers Run - Nice until we lost it
And here is Grace who is VERY happy, she was too happy for me not to smile at her. Love how she bounced right over though when I called her.
Grace Hoopers Run - with the Zoomies
Friday, September 2, 2011
NADAC Agility
Tonight Magic Grace and I went and ran a little agility. The MN Mixed Breed Club holds a Friday night games trial, just Hoopers, Weavers and Tunnelers. Other than classes the corgis and I haven't been doing much agility, so I thought this might be fun. And it was.
We started out with Hoopers. Grace was up first. She was so excited she got the zoomies. She has never done that before at any type of trial - I know I shouldn't say it but it did make me laugh. It wasn't too long, and I got her back and we tried the class. We had a few issues, and we didn't qualify, but we finished the course, I created a plan and we tried it. Then it was Magic's turn. I had a different course planned for Magic, but I decided to try him on the one I did with Grace, and he nailed it pretty well, right up until the end when he took the start line hoop and earned an E. It was my fault, I should have run the course I had planned for him, a or I should have realized that he would see that hoop as in line. Oh well.
Next up was Weavers, where Magic and I just were not connected. I sent him off course on obstacle 5 and then we lost it in the 2nd set of weaves. These were the off side weaves and well he is not as strong on the right. We need to work that. We finished the course and his last set of weaves were very nice, so I was happy with that. No weavers for Grace because she doesnt weave.YET
Last was tunnelers. Grace was up first and although she broker her start line, the rest went pretty darn good. It started with 2 straight tunnels to a curved tunnel, and not only did Grace run those tunnels, she RAN them. Lots of speed-more than I get in class. She handled the turns really well, had no issue with my doing a blind cross, and when I asked her to turn away from me and go she did, really cleanly. That turn led to the final 2 tunnels heading out and she booked, she ran ahead of me and kept going! It really felt like a nice run and I was smiling and so was she .
Last up was Magic's tunnelers run, and it too was very nice, faster than Graces, but not by a huge amount. Both qualified and Magic took first and Grace second. Made my night. I have always loved playing with Magic, but overall I havent felt as connected to him as I did with Grace in her run. It just felt really good.
We started out with Hoopers. Grace was up first. She was so excited she got the zoomies. She has never done that before at any type of trial - I know I shouldn't say it but it did make me laugh. It wasn't too long, and I got her back and we tried the class. We had a few issues, and we didn't qualify, but we finished the course, I created a plan and we tried it. Then it was Magic's turn. I had a different course planned for Magic, but I decided to try him on the one I did with Grace, and he nailed it pretty well, right up until the end when he took the start line hoop and earned an E. It was my fault, I should have run the course I had planned for him, a or I should have realized that he would see that hoop as in line. Oh well.
Next up was Weavers, where Magic and I just were not connected. I sent him off course on obstacle 5 and then we lost it in the 2nd set of weaves. These were the off side weaves and well he is not as strong on the right. We need to work that. We finished the course and his last set of weaves were very nice, so I was happy with that. No weavers for Grace because she doesnt weave.YET
Last was tunnelers. Grace was up first and although she broker her start line, the rest went pretty darn good. It started with 2 straight tunnels to a curved tunnel, and not only did Grace run those tunnels, she RAN them. Lots of speed-more than I get in class. She handled the turns really well, had no issue with my doing a blind cross, and when I asked her to turn away from me and go she did, really cleanly. That turn led to the final 2 tunnels heading out and she booked, she ran ahead of me and kept going! It really felt like a nice run and I was smiling and so was she .
Last up was Magic's tunnelers run, and it too was very nice, faster than Graces, but not by a huge amount. Both qualified and Magic took first and Grace second. Made my night. I have always loved playing with Magic, but overall I havent felt as connected to him as I did with Grace in her run. It just felt really good.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Memories
I was canning tomatoes the other night and my thoughts were wandering. I was thinking back to when I first learned how to can. When I was young, my parents moved to a small hobby farm, just enough acreage for me to have horses. Our neighbor had horses too, and one day somehow the fence got knocked down and the horses went visiting, so I walked over to collect mine. And I met the old farm couple.
Come the first summer I discovered some bushes covered with berries and not knowing what they were or if they were horse safe, Mom sent me over to ask. Mrs was so surprised that I didn't know that these were chokecherries, and that they were for "jellying" that she offered to teach me how. So the next day I picked a bunch of berries and she taught me how to make jelly. I was hooked. To this day chokecherry jelly is my favorite. I wish I could get my hands on some berries.
Then she taught me how to can tomatoes. Being an older lady she was very frugal and she taught me the right way-next to nothing wasted. I learned how to can whole tomatoes and stewed tomatoes, but I also learned how to can "fancy" tomatoes. Fancy tomatoes were seeded. Its funny, all these years later and I still can almost all my tomatoes as fancy. It's more work to seed them all, but its so nice. But remember when I said frugal. Well, when the tomatoes are peeled, all the peels are saved along with all the seeds. These all go in the pot with the not so perfect tomatoes to make sauce. And I still do that too.
I also learned how to pickle, how to make bread and how to milk and collect eggs. I dont know if I could still milk, but I know I can still do the rest. I was 12 and even then I knew I wanted to be a farm wife. I still do but life didnt take me in that direction. But even in the city I can have a small garden and enough tomatoes to can. Well almost enough.
Come the first summer I discovered some bushes covered with berries and not knowing what they were or if they were horse safe, Mom sent me over to ask. Mrs was so surprised that I didn't know that these were chokecherries, and that they were for "jellying" that she offered to teach me how. So the next day I picked a bunch of berries and she taught me how to make jelly. I was hooked. To this day chokecherry jelly is my favorite. I wish I could get my hands on some berries.
Then she taught me how to can tomatoes. Being an older lady she was very frugal and she taught me the right way-next to nothing wasted. I learned how to can whole tomatoes and stewed tomatoes, but I also learned how to can "fancy" tomatoes. Fancy tomatoes were seeded. Its funny, all these years later and I still can almost all my tomatoes as fancy. It's more work to seed them all, but its so nice. But remember when I said frugal. Well, when the tomatoes are peeled, all the peels are saved along with all the seeds. These all go in the pot with the not so perfect tomatoes to make sauce. And I still do that too.
I also learned how to pickle, how to make bread and how to milk and collect eggs. I dont know if I could still milk, but I know I can still do the rest. I was 12 and even then I knew I wanted to be a farm wife. I still do but life didnt take me in that direction. But even in the city I can have a small garden and enough tomatoes to can. Well almost enough.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Peace-now a Grand!
Today Peace earned her AKC Grand Champion title! I am so proud of my little girl.
So many firsts with her-my first time in bred by, my first bred by champion and now grand champion. She won her first BOB from the classes, and although she hasn't many of them she has some. This year although we haven't shown many times, she was in the ribbons every time.
In UKC she gave me many group placings and a Best in Show. She was the number 3 dog in the UKC top ten last year, and this year at the UKC Premier top ten invitational she won best of breed. She has also earned several UKC total dog awards including one at Premier. The total dog award is given to dogs who win their conformation class and earn a qualifying score in a performance event at the same show. She has earned all her total dog awards for qualifying in weight pull, which is her first performance title.
Although neither of us are perfect, I couldnt be happier with my little noodle. Now we will start to work on some more titles for the end of her name, although even if she never does anything else, she is the best snuggler I have. Love my noodle girl.
So many firsts with her-my first time in bred by, my first bred by champion and now grand champion. She won her first BOB from the classes, and although she hasn't many of them she has some. This year although we haven't shown many times, she was in the ribbons every time.
In UKC she gave me many group placings and a Best in Show. She was the number 3 dog in the UKC top ten last year, and this year at the UKC Premier top ten invitational she won best of breed. She has also earned several UKC total dog awards including one at Premier. The total dog award is given to dogs who win their conformation class and earn a qualifying score in a performance event at the same show. She has earned all her total dog awards for qualifying in weight pull, which is her first performance title.
Although neither of us are perfect, I couldnt be happier with my little noodle. Now we will start to work on some more titles for the end of her name, although even if she never does anything else, she is the best snuggler I have. Love my noodle girl.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Ah much better
Sometimes in life you just need a little break. I spent the last couple of weeks pretty much as normal, although a little laid back. Did a little less dog stuff, only ran 6 times at the APDT trial, instead of the normal 10 or more weekend. Spent some time playing with the birds,(Dilly is sitting on my shoulder now kissing my cheek and saying kissy kissy) and did a little training with the dogs. I did spend a lot of time canning and preserving, which I really do enjoy.
Stayed home this weekend and really was a homebody. Had a doggy visitor which is always fun. Listened to the rest of the audiobook A Discovery of Witches and loved it. Normally I only listen to them at work, but I was so into this one I had to bring it home on Friday to finish it. Now I want to get a copy to read, since when I listen at work or when I am working around the house I think I miss stuff.
We have been training a dumbell retrieve, with all 3 girls, but I am not good with a clicker, not coordinated enough or something and I am not making progress. Also trying to teach Magic scent discrimination but not sureif we are progressing or not. Sometimes I think I expect too much too soon. But thats OK no real hurry! He needs to get his CDX first. Oh wait he has his UCDX so maybe there is some pressure there. Grace and I are practicing weaves every day, and with gates, she has it, but with them even slightly pulled away from the poles, she skips. On the plus side, at least she is working with me at home, that took some time. In the past she was just too focused on keeping birds out of the yard, or scanning for cats or anything other than working. So I guess its progress.
Yesterday I did play around a bit with some yarn doing a kool aid dye on it. I think this skein will eventually be agility socks.
Stayed home this weekend and really was a homebody. Had a doggy visitor which is always fun. Listened to the rest of the audiobook A Discovery of Witches and loved it. Normally I only listen to them at work, but I was so into this one I had to bring it home on Friday to finish it. Now I want to get a copy to read, since when I listen at work or when I am working around the house I think I miss stuff.
We have been training a dumbell retrieve, with all 3 girls, but I am not good with a clicker, not coordinated enough or something and I am not making progress. Also trying to teach Magic scent discrimination but not sureif we are progressing or not. Sometimes I think I expect too much too soon. But thats OK no real hurry! He needs to get his CDX first. Oh wait he has his UCDX so maybe there is some pressure there. Grace and I are practicing weaves every day, and with gates, she has it, but with them even slightly pulled away from the poles, she skips. On the plus side, at least she is working with me at home, that took some time. In the past she was just too focused on keeping birds out of the yard, or scanning for cats or anything other than working. So I guess its progress.
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