leek & ramp quiche

With Spring comes many things: green grass, birds singing, flowers blossoming.
I will confess that over the Winter, I bought "Spring Mix" salad from the store. I couldn't help it. My body just craved the fresh food. And now, it only gets worse.

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I went foraging for ramps. Ramps are also known as wild leeks and the tend to grow in the woods near streams, or any wetland area. They are pretty powerful little buggers. The taste will outlast teeth brushing. (That is a tested fact.) Leeks are in the Allium family (as are onion and garlic).

Let's do a comparison.
 

My husband picked these [domestic] leeks from our garden that had over Wintered. Their stalk is a lot larger, which is the part that you use. A ramp can be used for it's stem and it's leaves. The leaves are tender and much more palatable.

Earlier this week, I made a quiche with both kinds of leeks. There was a strong smell coming from the oven while it baked, but the ramps' flavor did mellow out a lot. (I guess that didn't really matter because my husband and I were both eating it, so no one was going to be offended by bad breath.)

Making pie crusts used to frustrate me to no end. That was a problem because my husband loves pie. The only way to get better is to practice and in our almost six years of marriage, I have a lot of pie. A lot. I use my Mother-in-law's pie crust recipe and it will forever be implanted in my brain (along with her pizza sauce and her homemade pancakes).  If you are a pro at making pie crusts, than you can skip on ahead, but if you are looking for some improvement, I will give you my most helpful tip: use a spatula. I would have the hardest time mixing in the water. Did I add enough water? Why isn't the dough coming together? Using a [rubber] spatula helps to blend in and to press on the dough to bring together the ice water and flour-fat mixture.

 

 

 

 

 

Leek & Ramp Quiche

2 T olive oil or bacon fat (Whaaat? Yeah, it's really good.)
3-5 leeks, stalks only, thinly sliced into half moons
1 t salt
15-20 ramps, cleaned, stem and leaves, chopped
1 c cheese, grated (I used a mix of Swiss and sharp cheddar)
5 eggs
1 1/2 c whole milk
Fresh cracked pepper (Yes, I've become that person. It makes a big difference, people.)
Your favorite pie crust recipe, unbaked

Preheat oven to 350.
Sauté the leeks in the fat of your choice for 5 minutes with 1/2 t salt.
Spread cooked leeks in prepared pie crust. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese.
Evenly distribute ramps (stems and leaves) on top of cheese.
Whisk eggs, milk, 1/2 t salt and fresh pepper. Pour over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake for 1 hour.

(I originally wanted to make this quiche because when I was skimming through the directions I saw "30 minutes" somewhere towards the bottom and thought, "Nice! This won't take that long." It wasn't until I was following along and put it in the oven that "30 minutes" was prefaced by "Bake for 1 hour and allow to cool for..." This wasn't my first quiche, so you think I would've done a double take and questioned the short baking time. I'm notorious for not reading recipe directions completely.)

Disclaimer: If you or a loved one you are making this for does not like onion, please don't make this.  They will not be happy with you. I am not responsible for anyone, adult or child, who refuses to eat this. This is not intended for picky eaters.
However, I am not trying to dissuade you from making this. I think this quiche is delicious and light. If you want it to be a bit more rich, use 1 c milk and 1/2 c heavy cream in lieu of the 1 1/2 c whole milk.

I want to make some ramp pesto next.

Anyone else have a good recipe for ramps?

Please share in the comments below.

Take a walk in the woods and see all that there is to offer.

<3

to my main squeeze

Today, someone else joined the 30s club.

 

Happy Birthday to my handsome, hardworking, God fearing husband.

I pray that God will strengthen you and bless you abundantly this year.

with all my love

<3

the seeds of today

Here in western PA, the weather is a bit dramatic. One day it's 60s and sunny- the next we have snow flurries. Even though it snowed on my birthday, two days later, the snow has all melted. It is April and we are used to this craziness.

I continue to look forward to warmer temps and the day I can finally wear my Birks outside without the fear of getting frostbite. In preparation for such days, my husband and I have been seeding vegetables in the basement. (I would absolutely LOVE a greenhouse, but that's just a dream...)

Certain vegetables take longer to germinate and also require the soil to be at a warmer temperature. We have a small heat mat and a light for the little seedlings to grow properly.

It may seem a bit late, but we generally direct seed and transplant around Memorial Day weekend. Frosts can come later than you think around here. It's better to be safe than extremely sad and frustrated.

We've started peppers, celery, tomatoes, onions and snapdragons. This morning I started seeding cabbage, broccoli and kale.

Onion seedlings

My husband heard from a coworker that in 1816 and 1916 there was a frost every month of the year. What will it be like for the Summer of 2016? Hopefully not that. People are calling for a hot, dry Summer. That's good news if you're raising hay; for vegetable grower? Not so much.

Last year, we had a stretch of hot, dry weather and our cauliflower didn't head. That was a bummer. On the other hand, we had a great crop of tomatoes, beets, beans and broccoli. Something is going to grow in abundance and another will be a devastation.  You have to take the good with the bad.

 

For now I'll nurture these little guys

and think of warm sun and fresh veggies.

"All the flowers [and vegetables] of tomorrow
are in the seeds of today."
<3
 



the five year plan + one year extension

A couple Thanksgivings ago, my husband and I were at my parents' house in New York. I was blessed to have 2 out of 3 sisters there, which meant fun with our niece and nephews.
As I was cuddling with our nephew William, I picked him up, looking right at my husband, I said, "I want one just like this."

I have baby fever. I've had it for a while now.

Before my husband and I got married we signed up for the "five year plan." We wanted to wait five years before having any children. Some people want to start a family right away. We wanted to spend time as a couple for a bit and do things we wouldn't be able to do (easily) with children like, work on a vegetable farm and live in a '75 Shasta camper. (Yes, that totally happened.)

Last June, the five year plan ended, but my husband filed for an extension.

I reluctantly accepted.

People say you're never really ready to have kids. When you think you're ready something may happen that you weren't planning or some such thing. I don't think my husband was ready.

Whenever I would mention having a baby, he would quote the Faith Hill song, "A baby changes everything."
"That song is about Jesus!"
"I'm just saying-- a baby changes everything."

It's true. Everything changes. Taking on a new role as a parent means new responsibility.

I used to think, Oh, I can't wait to have a baby!... Everyone else is having babies... Our baby would be so cute! (I still think about that last one.)

I'm not going to deny that I love babies. (Let's be real- pretty much anything in baby form is adorable.) I love their chubby cheeks, tiny little noses, little dimples for knuckles... I will cuddle, tickle, play, and be silly with my nieces and nephews all day long. Did I mention I love babies?

In anticipation of someday having a baby, I've looked into cloth diapers. I have a "someday" board on pinterest with so many cute things to make...

But then there's the lingering thought in the back of my mind- what if I'm unable to have children? I remember telling my boss that my husband and I were in the pre-planning stages of starting a family.
The first thing she asked was, "Are you able to have children?"
"Oh. I've never tried, so I think so?"
I know that she was not trying to be discouraging. It was just a question; a question not everything thinks about. Who wants to think about the infertility? Of course, I follow vloggers on youtube and have heard some sad stories-- which I don't really recommend. (It's like going to WebMD and typing in your symptoms, which turns into you thinking you have a rare disease.) Maybe we won't have a problem trying to conceive. Maybe it will take years.


A couple weeks ago, after dinner I found myself sitting on the couch with my husband, with our cat, Alfie, on our lap, listening to a Peter, Paul and Mary record.


I looked around.


I have been blessed with a wonderful, hardworking, loving husband.

I have been blessed with this house.

I have been blessed with food and way too much clothing.

I have been blessed with so many things that I don't need- like a craft room full of yarn and fabric.


It's so easy to look at what others have. It's so easy to compare.
I have been blessed beyond measure. There is no way I could count all the blessings in my life.

It has taken me a while to get to this place, but I am content. I know that God is holding me in his hands. He has a plan for me- with or without children.

Next week is a big one. I'm going to be 30. It's a pretty big number; no longer a "twenty-something."

When I went in the first grade room for art this week, a student raised her hand to share something. She said, "Happy Birthday!" I told her it wasn't my birthday yet, but thank you. Another student said, "Are you excited to get pregnant?" With the whole class laughing she corrected herself, "I mean PRESENTS!"

Whatever this new year brings, I will hold tight to the truth that the joy of the Lord is my strength and I won't let anyone steal my joy.

<3

Lilianna's prairie dress

Today is my niece's birthday! Being the practical aunt that I am, I asked my sister-in-law if there was anything Lilianna needed.
(She's turning four. She loves Disney princesses, My Little Ponies, dancing like a ballerina, etc...)
"She could always use dresses" was her reply. Of course- we all need clothes! Plus little girls' clothes are always so cute.

I used a simple dress pattern: McCalls 3882. The pattern was for sizes 6-7-8, so I had to draw in for a size 5.

To change it up (and because I had just watched a Craftsy quilting class), I decided to make the front bodice a log cabin quilt block. I've always liked the log cabin pattern. The dress fabric was blue with yellow and red dots, so I used reds in my block.

I did not plan it, but the middle turned out looking like an American flag. I went with it. I made that be the middle, so the log cabin block itself is slightly off center.

My block wasn't perfect. It was my first try.
I'm not perfect; I'm rustic.

Another added step: I used all French seams. For those who don't know, per usual sewing construction, sew right sides together. Using French seams, sew wrong sides together, press seam and then sew right sides together. This added step encases the raw or cut edge of the fabric, creating a more finished seam.

I text my mother-in-law, "I am a crazy lady. I am trying to use only French seams on Lilianna's dress!"
"Oh Colleen! That is so much work!"

It did take some rethinking, but it was something I wanted to do.
Just call me "Crazy Aunt Colleen."

If I do this again, I will cut my log cabin strips thinner, so you can see more of the block.

When I finished, my husband and I both thought it looked like a prairie dress. Does anyone have a bonnet pattern?

You used to be small and quite content sitting in one place.

Now you are tall, can't sit still and are learning to ride your first bike!

Don't grow up too fast.

 

Happy Birthday, Lilianna!

<3

new Easter tradition

I said I would make dinner rolls for Easter dinner tomorrow. We're going to my husband's aunt's house. Since I wasn't scheduled to work today at the thrift store, I would have plenty of time to bake. This morning I was called in, but my very wonderful husband said he'd help me.

I needed to make the dinner rolls, but I also wanted to make hot cross buns. I'd never made them before. My Mom would buy them from Wegmans growing up. The rich dough, flecked with candied fruits, drizzled with icing sounded so good to me.

The dinner roll dough just needed punched down a couple times before I came back home, but the buns needed baked.
I quickly shaped the buns and snipped the tops to make a cross. They required an egg wash, too. I set everything up for my husband to mix up the wash. I even put the pastry brush on the counter for the sake of ease.

While I was at work, my husband sent me a picture of the buns fresh out of the oven. He wrote, "Turned out great. They smell good!"

As I opened the door, a heavenly smell filled the house.

I also noticed a hot cross bun missing...

 

He couldn't wait until I put on the icing. I'm sure he'll be happy to do a comparison. I'll call it payment for his labor.

 

 

 

I think this is the start of a new tradition.

 

Have a blessed Easter.

 

<3

 

 

 



Your Grampie was a dairy farmer

I just walked over to the barn to fill up our milk pail. I didn't think I'd be this upset that it would be the last time. The cows will be gone soon. Tomorrow maybe. My eyes are filling up with tears.

Why am I getting so worked up about it?

Maybe because our children will never know the smell of fresh manure spread in the fields. That was the first smell I remember when I came to visit my future husband and his family.

Maybe it's because soon the hay loft will be empty and the sweet smell will vanish.

I'll tell our future children: "Your Grampie was a dairy farmer. No matter the weather, no matter the day, he would get up before the sun would rise. Christmas presents were opened after morning chores. For over forty years, he milked the cows twice a day. Countless times he would drive back up to the barn to see if a cow had freshened, check to see if the agitator in the bulk tank was working properly or some such thing.

 

The pasture fences needed to be mended every Spring and the pipeline cleaned every Summer. Stalls and feed boxes would break, water bowls froze. The silo unloader would quit. The baler would break down. One could count on something going wrong. The cows would cross the road twice a day, sometimes holding up traffic.

The weather report was always checked. Would the fields be dry enough to mow? Would there be enough dry, sunny days to ted and rake hay? Would there be enough help to get it all done? Memories of the hot Summer afternoons trying to toss hay bales from the wagon and Grampie thought that I might die because of how red my face would be and how much I sweat. Summer dinners were always unpredictable. Trying to hay as much as possible pushed back milking; dinner was kept warm until all chores were done.

 

Hard work was the name of the game. Maybe he'd take a vacation once a year, but no sick days. Your Grampie is a quiet man and he rarely complained. He just plugged along, doing the best with what he had.

Your cousins loved to go to the barn. They would visit the cows and feed them hay. They would get help to climb up on the tractors and pretend to steer. Barn kitties would be toted around the farm, being held by their middles with paws hanging down.

Your Dad and I got married at noon because we wanted to work around Grampie's schedule. We didn't want him to miss it. A handful of cows were due that weekend, which made it even busier. Some were in the background of our wedding photos.

Being near the farm, I really wanted to help out. I would sweep feed into the trough or scrape manure into the gutter. After much pestering, I was allowed to milk a cow named Lolly. I wasn't very good, but it was something I wanted to experience.

There's a picture of your Dad when he was little and Grampie and your Dad wrote, "I feel love when I'm at the barn." Maybe the cows won't be there, but there will still be the memories and love."

 

<3

new beginnings

I heard my husband's alarm go off and him push snooze.
It was then that I forgot to patch his work jeans. Shoot. He had asked me a couple days ago and it completely escaped me. I laid there thinking about it. He got up. I lingered a little longer, then went to the craft room. I made the patch to span half of the right pant leg. I quickly stitched along, and my cat, Alfie, came in to inspect my work and the birds outside. (The bay window in the craft room is one of his favorite spots.)
The jeans were patched in time for my husband to leave for work. One thing checked off the list.

Our laundry basket was overflowing, as in a second pile of dirty clothes heaped up beside it on the floor because it was so full. I knew that today was going to be a nice day, so I strung up our clothesline for the first time this year. It would take several loads to get all the laundry washed, so that meant I needed to make more soap. [In December, I bought a bag of soap nuts and have been using them to clean our clothes. Just a few soap nuts go in a muslin bag, along with the clothes in a warm wash cycle. When I want to use cold water, I use soap nut liquid. I simmer 5-6 soap nuts in a quart of water for 10 minutes and then strain the liquid. I label a quart jar and store the soap in the 'frige.]

The crocuses have come again. The hill behind our house is covered in light purple. Every time I go up to clothesline, I try my best not to step on any. I want them to last as long as possible.

 

It's only March, so this beautiful Spring weather may not stay long, but I will savor it. The earth is waking up from hibernation and I'm looking forward to new beginnings. <3

baby hat

 

 

Earlier this week, I brought a meal over to some friends that just had a baby.

I included this hat, too.

Hats are a quick and easy gift to make. This hat is a newborn size and the flower is a free download from ravelry.com. The flower is called Flower (14 petals) #3 by Sharon Cox. [Side note: if you crochet and/or knit and are not signed up on ravelry.com, you need stop reading this and do it right now. It's amazing.] The hat and flower take me less than an hour to make.

 

{I also love this font called, "Lovefern" from angiemakes.com, which then makes me think of How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days. I always love a good font.}

 

Have a good weekend & stay warm!

<3

days of frivolity

Wednesdays are best.
Well, one of the best days.

Wednesdays are my day off.

What do I do on my days off? I'm glad you asked because I do a lot.  As in, devote several hours to preparing dinner. [Let me preface, I don't have any children, so I have A LOT of time to do such things. Maybe someday-- if we are blessed with children-- I will look back and reminisce on these days of frivolity.]

Yesterday, on my off, I finished painting the ceiling in our living room. I hope to go to the hardware store and get some paint samples to see what color we'd like to paint the walls.

Last Wednesday, I was a little crazy... allow me to elaborate...

First I baked some delicious peanut butter cookies via rachelschultz.com

 

They are so chewy and soft. The typical peanut butter cookies I've made in the past would get flat and get hard in just a couple days. Surprisingly, we have some cookies from last week and they are still soft and chewy. Check out the recipe; it's a keeper. Also, my batch made 40 cookies... I didn't use my cookie scoop, so I must've made my cookies a titch smaller.

On the dinner menu, I planned for spaghetti and meatballs.
I used up the herb bread crumbs from the crispy crab stuffed mushrooms in the venison meatballs.

 

I carefully mixed and shaped the venison meatballs. They looked perfect in my 9 x 13" pan. As I was putting them in the 'frige to cook up just before dinner, I looked back at the counter. I had forgotten to put in the 2 eggs that my recipe called for. I used my hands, scooped up the meatballs, threw them back in my mixing bowl and added the missing ingredient. Because of my frustration, I didn't take as much care in shaping them, and made them slightly bigger than before to hurry up the matter.

 

 

Next up: fresh spaghetti.

 

 

Really, this is all it takes: flour and eggs. If you have the time, you should make homemade pasta.

 

 

Don't you love my Wonder Woman apron?

I thought it was fitting.

 

A pasta machine isn't necessary, but it does make things easier and your pasta more uniform. (We registered for it when we were getting married and my friend's Mom, Anne, bought it for us. I always think of her when I use it.)

 



 

Half of the pasta dough was made into fettuccini,



 

and half of the dough for the night's dinner.

 

 



 

My book recommendation for this meal is Make the Bread, Buy the Butter by Jennifer Reese. I used her marinara sauce and fresh pasta recipes. 

I'm not going to give you all my recipes. Go buy her book or request it from your local library. She is hysterical!

 

Do you know what's in your food?

Take some time to make meals from scratch.

<3

 



candies & a card

 

My husband's favorite candies & a homemade card.

[Oh, and a Burt's so he doesn't steal mine.]

Nothing beets that.

Happy Valentine's Day.

<3