Wicked Cool Wednesday - The grass can be greener

I'm from New Hampsha so "wicked" is a way of life and since my photography skills are actually wicked bad, I don't feel bold enough to declare this post "Wordless".

Meatless Monday - Dining Out Can Be Divine

Ideally, I would make a grand and glorious meal breakfast, lunch and dinner from lovely, local, wholesome ingredients, but we all know that life is hardly ever ideal and if I didn't live in the land of reality pre kids, I sure the hell do now. Although it kills me to spend the money, there are times when it becomes necessary to grab something to eat while we are out and about. Times like when you are heading to the grocery store after picking up kids #2 & 3 from preschool and realizing that if you don't get them something to eat beforehand things are going to get very, very ugly. So what to do?
Shamefully, we occasionally have headed through the drive thru under the golden arches and being American children, they would love it if I did this in every pinch. But I can't bare it and I am compelled to seek alternatives. I am rarely impressed by dining out experiences so it is rare for me to frequent a restaurant but I am totally in love with a little spot about ten minutes from my house and Meatless Monday seemed like to perfect time to shout about it!

Growth Spurt

A very exciting day indeed! Today I...

...got my seed order in the mail. I didn't get off my butt to start seedlings this year so this is all my direct sow stuff. I will have a list up of everything I am going to grow, or at least planning to.

...along with the seed order came my Bioset sprout grower. I have converted the children to sprouts and got them off cold cuts for sandwiches. I have always wanted to try this.

...ordered new chicks which will arrive in May. Our current flock of New Hampshire's is near and dear to my heart, but is driving me clucky with the way they peck each other. We selected them for their status as a Heritage breed as well as their cold hardiness, egg production and because they are considered to be "dual purpose". Yes, we will be dining on these when their egg days are over. OK, maybe not Bertha. We have since found out that they are a fairly aggressive breed and we have tried everything to get them to quick eating each others feather, with no progress. It's all very high school.

From Soap To Nuts

Yes, I realize yesterday was Monday and I am, once again, a total bloser (my new name for Blog Loser) and missed Meatless Monday. I might not have even redeemed myself today with a post, but I was catching up on some of my favorite blogs when a post about laundry caught my attention and wouldn't let go.

Everyone knows that the L-Word is my least favorite household chore. I curse it on a daily basis. David likes to ask if I am going to charge the baskets rent when they have lingered in the hall a bit too long. Last weekend, I did gain some momentum when spring sprang into action and I was able to hang all the laundry out on the line without it freezing solid. I am definitely more apt to stay on top of it when I can do part of it out in the sunshine and also feel the satisfaction that comes with doing something the old fashioned way.
So when I came across Easy Eco To Go's post about a SoapNuts review and giveaway, I knew I was in for a new adventure.

Just Gotta Poke Around

I know it's Monday, well technically Tuesday since it's after midnight, and I should be throwing out a veggie wonder, but I am pooped and the foodie in me really wants to discuss the amazing egg pizza I made this weekend. I can't get it out of my mind and therefore, I don't want to talk about other recipes until I have time for that one. So there.

I do want to get some yummy thoughts out there though, and so, I decided to glean my title from "Shakedown Street" and to encourage you to keep hunting for local goodness as you go about your food shopping. March is tough times. Most of the storage items and preserved harvest from last year has run out (we are down to our last jam) and spring is taunting us with inklings of garden goodness. There is, of course, the amazing culture of the winter farmers market that seems to have exploded this year. I have been loving the apples I have been getting there. My kids were so excited to have this fresh fruit a month or so back and now when I serve them yet another apple they are like "Seriously? We want a banana woman!" and I just give them my standard reply "When you can grow a banana in NH you can have one." Is it any wonder they call me the "meanestest mother in the whole worlds!"?

But I have been pleasantly surprised to find some fairly local stuff at Hannaford as well. Potatoes and butternut squash from Maine were huge hits on our menu last week and I found them very reasonable. It takes me a bit more time, but I have now trained the kids to look for signs indicating where the produce was grown. Even in the big chains I find that most of it is labeled as "Product of Wherever". So first we rule out anything other than USA and then start to get as geographically close as possible, although I am sure there is some extra mileage in there when we take into account the crazy distribution system. For some insight into this you should take a listen to this episode of This American Life, my favorite NPR program and current addiction. And if, in your audio wanderings, you happen to catch some good Dead tunes, you'll be that much better off.

Meatless Monday - Youth Gone Wild

As a child with a myriad of food allergies and a poncho wearing, draft counseling mother, I grew up eating some pretty funky stuff compared to my peers. I was completely fructose and lactose intolerant well into elementary school. I was the kid bringing sugar free jello to birthday parties having no clue why the b-day boy or girl didn't want to forgo the cake for the jiggling delight I had brought for them. The ice cream truck was never my friend and even once my stomach grew todigest the dairy and treats that the universe had to offer, I never became a sweet lovah.

I have, however, held onto many of the favorites that my mother made part of my diet including...(drum roll please)...Chick Peas!