Joournal-Blog (Family, Cooking from Scratch, Gardening)

Hi All, I sure have missed writing, but I'm back. I will be tweaking the layout here so it is more reader friendly, and more importantly... focusing on JUST THREE TOPICS which are important to me and I believe go together nicely. These topics encompass many aspects of our lives.

1. Cooking From Scratch  (inclusive of all foods we prepare) with RECIPES
2. Old- Fashioned Family Life... in the Ever Evolving 21st Century
3. Kitchen Gardening

I'd like this web-blog to be for everyone and anyone who wishes to read it. It's mostly my compilation of thoughts on today's family life; recipes already tested and tweaked for you  with photos and perhaps quotes (I'm a big fan)

 Though I also I hope it will someday be a written and visual journey of family life and authentic cook-book for my children to pass onto their own.

However,  I am writing it to 'all readers'. It is my hope you may find it enticing enough to follow along. Together we will journey thru this incredible life... always giving thanks for the blessings bestowed upon us, looking for the good in the world, the good in people, and our everyday living.

I was a journalism , then communications major in college; so you wouldn't think I would have stopped reading newspapers years ago! I follow along via internet on important stories but I try to block out the negative and sensationalized stories. The stories 'so-called' newspeople write 'to sell papers'... no matter how negative and disturbing the story might be.  I plan for this web journal t be a complete contradiction to the newspapers of today. If you considered life to be what you see on the news; it would be a depressing sight indeed. However, the truth is this world we live in is the complete opposite, if you take each day and look at it in a positive light. You must look around and find the good; it is there... every day, everywhere. You just have to slow down a bit, open your eyes and heart; and then, only then, will you clearly see the world the way we are supposed to. A world that is filled with goodness, kindness & love. The world the way it is supposed be viewed. 

My children may never be interested in ready this, I know but I write with pleasure hoping to inspire someone, some where. Whether it be stories of kindness; helping others in small ways (it does make a difference); or cooking from scratch; baking breads, gardening (then sharing). This not only gives you joy but you are passing on this goodness to so many others as well. Anything to make the world a friendlier place.
                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All  that being said, you might as well ignore posts prior to today Many, though not all, pertain to my Vintage Collectibles shop. I closed Footbridge Cove last March, after six wonderful years, but now is the time in my life to focus on other priorities. I won't delete those posts though, in case someone is interested in something that was written before the renewing of this journal-blog.

Wishing you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving filled with love.
Warmly
~ garden chef   (Cathy)

Offers Accepted

Spring cleaning at FOOTBRIDGE COVE. We are in the process of logging in terrific new inventory to be listed and would like to clean house, if you will, with pieces currently in our shop.

Feel free to stop by and make us an offer...no offer is off the table. We want to clean house; and we will do our best for you. Stop by today. Everything in our shop was reduced before the holidays so there are incredible buys to be had.

We'll call it our 'barn sale'. No we don't have a barn; but always wanted one so what the heck...our 'barn sale' is in progress, all offers welcome!

We'll post some photos of items currently listed you may want to make an offer on...

Gardening in Boston

Aaaaahhhhhhhh! The sun is shining, it's 51 DEGREES in Boston at 10:30am! I am starting my seed pods now, music blasting...going to till the soil later today. I CAN'T STOP SMILING

Favorite Flours, Distributers and Flour Sharing

What types of flours do you all use in your breads? So far I've been using King Arthur's Flour (KAF) and Bob's Red Mill, also Hodgson Mill. Prices vary depending on where you go. And I'm trying to determine most cost efficient way to keep up my flour supply. I'd like to buy locally, KAF is in VT, their shipping prices are reasonable.


I'm aiming to bake daily (LOVE LOVE LOVE my new Viking Stand Mixer). My LAST NEW purchase- it was a Chrismtas gift from my hubby and children!
 
I plan to focus this entire year... and thes rest of my life on better health, buying locally, recycling, composting, I'll continue my gardening and hope for a better tomato crop this year. Last year in rained the entire month of June! On the bright side I had a never ending supply of lettuces and herbs...really bugged me to have to buy tomatoes though.
 
You see, I've done bits and pieces of GREEN LIVING for years but never wholeheartedly.
 
It's a funny psychologically seaonal feeling with me. The holidays end and I put the ornaments and decorations away, then at the same time...take my gardenig books out. My mind drifts to seedlings. Last year was my first year successfully starting from seed! :) All it took was a couple of flourescent lights from home depot!
 
ok going off on tangents, bursting with excitement about the days, months years to come.
 
Focus on appreciating every moment and your daily life wll be filled to the bring with love. My dad taught me that without even realizing it.
 
Finally, does anyone know if there are any food co-ops in (or around) the Boston, South Shore area? My freind in NH buys everthing from her local food co-op, she's so fortunate. You don't pay for fancy packaging, marketing, etc.

And BREAD BAKERS check out this incredible forum on all types of bread baking http://www.thefreshloaf.com/ . My username on there is garden chef.
have a green day

BREAD BAKING

Hi All
Gardening Season in New England is just about over (a few herb plants left that I can use) and now onto Baking! We'll be focusing on breads for the next few weeks. Always happy to post recipes if anyone is interested, just let us know.

You'll see the profile photo of myself with my sweet apprentice! I'm thrilled she has expressed interest in good old fashioned home baking. There is NOTHING like baking from scratch. The aroma fills the house, everyone walks thru the door and can't help but smile and express interest in what that great smell is..and the loaves are magically gone!

We'll post photos along the way. Making Country White Bread at the moment. The family fav from way back when my oldest, now in college, was a toddler. I had gotten away from baking for some years with all the activities and fun family adventures that kept us very busy, I'm thrilled to be baking again..it's is almost meditative.

I have so many stories to tell in future blogs. My mom-in-law has been a wealth of knowledge regarding the baking that her older sister and mother did back in the day. Will tell, promise.

God Bless and Merry Christmas...just around the corner now. I want to appreciate every moment of every day.

Pizza Night To Satisfy All Tastebuds ~ Economical

Prepping food in advance can make your busy life so much easier, which in turn, I believe makes the cooking more fun, food tastes better and you have more time together as a family. Not many of us can spend hours in the kichen every day. I like to spend no more than 20-40 mins on any dinner we make.

The kids are home from school early, the sun is shining, it's a splendid 69 degrees in Boston! Always trying to think of new ideas for dinner, or a twist on a regular meal. Today would be a great day for grilling but the grill has to be cleaned for the season, a little behind schedule in the grilling department.

So, what's for dinner tonite? Something to please ever pallete in the house and that is no easy feat here! But not tonite..healthy homemade personal pizza's, breadsticks, and gooey iced cinnamon bread for dessert. Sounds like a lot of carbs I know. But, not to worry the tomato sauce is ALWAYS homemade, the herbs & veggies are fresh!

I have a fantastic ~ authentic ~ recipe from Italy that is so simple, ask us for recipe! You will NEVER buy sauce again! Email: shop@footbridgecove.com for this recipe

The first pizza we'll make is pretty traditional, then I get gourmet for my tastes! In addition to the pizza's, I always make a separate cookie sheet of bread sticks: the kids like to dip into the red sauce (I sneak pureed veggies into sauce on occassion!) I'll use both white and wheat dough, I'm trying to convert my family to wheat, but haven't convinced them all yet....you can get creative with both white and wheat dough though. It is the freshness of the ingredients...dough and toppings that is key to a yummy healthy pizza

Ingredients I like to always have on hand...
~ Frozen 1 pound bags of white, and also wheat dough (I buy... or make.. and freeze a dozen at a time). $1.59/bag (each bag makes 2 large or 3 medium personal pizza's...less expensive if you make dough at home.
~ Mozzerella Cheese, I like PollyO Mozzerella in a 2lb block...freezes well (and slices so easily with a serrated edge knife when partially frozen). THE BEST PART...only $5.00 for 2lb block at BJ's (similar to Costco). I prefer the block because you can slice the cheese to your specification and It always seems fresher than the shredded! JMHO
~Homemade Red Sauce (I always have some in snadwich baggies in the freezer)
~ FRESH, always fresh, BASIL
~Vine Ripened Tomatoes
~Additional toppings: sliced sweet onions or caramelized onions (a little butter in satue pan with sliced onions on low/medium heat for 20 minutes), crispy sauted proscuitto (TIP: ALWAYS buy IMPORTED Proscuitto not domestic there is a significant differance in quality of taste. I buy 1 pound, chop before cooking, and saute. I then divide the sauted proscuitto into little ziplock baggies, you get about 20 baggies per pound... and freeze them as well. (you don't need a lot on a pizza, b/c it is salty but ooooh so tasy!

***With Proscuitto the price of the IMPORTED is up to $20/lb in a specialty store...though remember this pound will make 20 portions that freeze for months..therefore this adds $1 to each pizza. Though in this case it is worth the extra expensive compared to domestic.



I grill pizza dough on stovetop (both sides) before I top with personal choices for toppings. Using a long handled, oven safe, saute pan I place it in the oven to  broil the topping for a few minutes...voila....homemmade pizza.

Sorry to rush, more to follow on homemade pizza's in future blogs

Food that tastes better and is better for you...

I'd love to use this blog to share RECIPES, GARDENING TIPS AND STORIES (gardening zone 6)...would really appreciate your feedback and tips too!

I look forward to SHARING RECIPES. Maybe some of you.. have found a way to de-carb (not really a word I guess) your family. I live with multi-generational, carbo-loading, lovers! White bread, white pasta and white pizza dough to be exact. I'm working toward changing that slowly and inconspicuously.

Anything to set us all on a healthier road to a longer life.

First up next time I write; I'll share a scrumptious recipe, I'll try to post photos of completed dishes, nothing fancy just to give you the general idea... today's photos (above) were my first attempt at cinnamon buns made from pizza dough, the best part is not just the simplicity but they taste great and even better... I have since switched over the wheat dough... and the kids still love them! YAHOO! Even grandma does and she is a adamant about not liking wheat anything.

I've determined thru experience wheat pastas and doughs can very easily be assimilated into the diet... but they need a lot more flavor, that is the key! Be it sugar, garlic, cheese, etc. Give it a try, we'd love your comments as well.

I also love to WRITE ESSAYS, used to have more time to do so but I'll never lose the passion. As you see from previous posts I will share them on occasion. Comments & followers always welcome

God Bless and HAPPY SPRING!

Check out our shop at http://www.footbridgecove.com/ for a wonderful selection of unique, quality vintage collectibles. Follow us on twitter as well. http://www.twitter.com/footbridgecove