Chocolate Cherry Smoothie.

Delicious and also a lovely color.

Lemon Spinach Pasta

With Bacon, Parmesan and Almonds

A truly ad-lib meal. But one bursting with flavor.

Simply cook your Pasta of choice* according to package directions.  Make sure to leave your noodles a bit on the al dente side. And reserve about 1 cup of the Pasta cooking water before you drain.

In a large saute pan cook 4 to 5 slices of diced Bacon. Preferably thick cut. Remove from pan when crispy. But do not drain the fat.

Add 3 cloves of Garlic, minced or sliced, to the Bacon fat. Cook until just golden.

Add in al dente Pasta and some of it's cooking water. Just enough to create a loose sauce with the Bacon fat and to help finish cooking the Pasta. But not so much you have a soup. 

Stir in about 2 Tbs butter, 3 generous handfuls of washed and dried baby Spinach, the zest and juice of 1 small lemon and 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese.

Toss over very low heat until most of the liquid has been cooked out, the cheese is melted and the Spinach, wilted and tender.

Top with cracked black pepper, toasted blanched almonds, salt to taste, a few more uncooked Spinach leaves and a squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice for extra brightness.

* For our family I used the Jovial brand brown rice spaghetti. Which was a hit.

Beautiful Vignettes.

Courtesy of

http://www.monchesfarm.com

Elli's water density science experiment.

One of our favorite times of year.

Strawberry Season!

We ended up picking about 17 pounds. And making about 12 pints of jam that night.

Look at those rosy cheeks! She was working hard. And it was HOT!

Our gluten free, dairy free version of strawberry shortcake. Eaten outside at dusk. Before we went firefly hunting.

Earlier in the day, E and I made this picnic blanket. Out of a canvas drop cloth, some paint and a few DIY stencils.

Lately.

Our cat escaped. And decided to climb the newly trimmed front tree. When she started eyeing the roof it was almost, almost a moment for calling the Fire Department.

May surprised us all with one last 35 degree hurrah.

I found Poison Ivy in my backyard. And dug it out. And got a rash.

I spent Memorial day weekend in Door County with my sister-in-laws.

My transplanted pink Peonies FINALLY bloomed.

And after a good prune last fall our Mock Orange also bloomed.

I tried my hand at poaching Quince.

The last of the Peonies.

My darkest Delphiniums. Braving the torrential rain showers we've had recently.

Vanilla Cardamom shortbread.

Paleo and Gluten free.

Made using the below recipe.

With several modifications, of course.

Namely adding real Vanilla bean and Cardamom, and leaving out the Pecans. 

http://www.theroastedroot.net/maple-pecan-gluten-free-shortbread-paleo/?crlt.pid=camp.gfeARif11cVp