food art

Carl Warner has created these breathtaking landscapes using nothing but food! Click on the each image for a higher resolution version...

mini mac

Here it is! Who needs a Big Mac when you can have the real Mini Mac!

garden check

The garden has been planted for a few weeks and already, some of the lettuce and greens have made their way into a salad. I forgot how fast the radishes grow as well - we should start eating them in a few weeks. The sugar snap peas and the tomatoes will start to produce soon too. The scarecrow did a great job keeping the birds away but I still had a problem with some seeds disappearing. I think it might be ants so I sprayed a mixture of pureed jalapeno and water to ward off the bugs and keep the garden organic.

I had to replant about 4 squares and fill in some of the beets and carrots that were on the thin side. No big deal. I'll take some pictures this week. I'm placing an order with John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds this week to back fill the radishes and some of the greens that will be harvested in the next month. They have an amazing selection - everything from edible flowers to hard to find varietals. Here is the latest garden layout.

(click image for full size view)

Here is a great shot of Lillie with last years spring garden after about 8 weeks.

candy for dinner

Hey Kids! Here is what your smile will look like if you eat candy for dinner! Brush those teeth!

blueberry honeycakes

At some point you realize as a parent that the challenge isn't just feeding your children, but feeding them food that not only tastes good but is also good for them. Blueberries are high in antioxidants - a super food if you will!

This uphill battle seems all but impossible at times. Here is a variation of the classic blueberry pancake that ups the flavor and nutritional value in one fell swoop. No maple syrup needed....although a splash never hurt!


ingredients:
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp light brown sugar
2 tbsp Tupelo honey
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 omega 3 egg
2 cups whole milk
3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp spray canola or grape seed oil
1 cup fresh Maine blueberries


Whisk together graham cracker crumbs, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together egg, butter, milk, honey and lime juice.

Create well inside dry ingredients and pour wet mixture into center of the bowl. Whisk slowly for 10 to 20 seconds. Don't overmix - make sure you leave a few lumps to ensure a light and fluffy pancake.


Heat large non-stick skillet over medium heat and spray with a 2 second blast of oil. After letting the skillet heat up for a few minutes, add one to three 1/4 cup scoops of honeycake batter depending on the size of your pan - each honeycake will end up about 6 inches in diameter.

Sprinkle each honeycake with blueberries. Don't be shy!


Cook until edges start to stiffen up and bubbles start to form (about 2 minutes.) Flip honeycakes and cook the other side until golden brown (maybe 1 to 2 minutes.)


Use your spatula to check! Once you get the timing down, it will all fall into place.
Place cooked honeycakes in warm 200 degree oven until ready to serve. Repeat with the remaining batter. Cooking times will shorten because the heat of the pan will increase. Rest pan if honeycakes start to sear or burn too quickly.


Once that stack is ready, feed immediately to ravenous children.

breakfast recommendation

This morning we were getting ready to leave the house and I opened up the fridge to grab some milk for the kids....

Lillie: Are you hungry, Daddy?

Me: I am a little hungry, kiddo.

Lillie: I'm not kiddo, I'm Lillie!

Me: I see.

Lillie: You should eat a hot dog or somethin'!

Me: A hotdog? For breakfast?

Lillie: Yeah! I love hotdogs.