Our stove saga.

So we all remember the time our oven filled our house with carbon monoxide and tried to kill us.

No? 

Just me? 

Well. It wasn't that long ago. And it really wasn't THAT dramatic. Just loud. When both detectors went off. And late. After midnight by the time our house was cleared and all 3 of us, plus the cat, could go back into our house and fall into bed.

You know, and it was a bit sobering. Thank God for CO detectors. And husbands being home. 

But it was also a game changer. Because we had always said when the first of the kitchen appliances, all of which range from 15 to 33 years old, went we would start the kitchen remodel.

So.

Here we are. 

Old, dangerous stove done and gone. New one ordered.

And are we re-doing the kitchen? Or was our bluff called?

Well. Yes. And kinda yes.

Obviously we got a new stove. After a seemingly long and really, like, boring 2 weeks of cold salads, grilled meat and waffles on repeat, it arrived.

And we love it. 

You never realize how long you have been limping along, your cooking and baking and even water boiling skills seriously compromised until, bam, suddenly they aren't.

I celebrated a return to my kitchen functioning on it's full, if not seriously improved, capacity with a true test of any oven.

Paleo chocolate souffle cupcakes.

Obviously. They turned out. 

(That frosting though? That's another story. Eventually I got it. But I had to draw deeply on my 5 years of paleo baking experience. Not for the faint of heart, in other words...)

Josh, in turn, celebrated with something he has been desperately missing. Homemade granola; on, bonus, newly ordered cookie sheets. Ordered because new-stove, why-not, the-others-were-11-years-old-and-warped.

 And I think, truly and honestly, this was the first batch, ever, that did not end up burned.

Successes all around.

So.

Back to the whole kitchen remodel thing.

Is it happening? 

Yes. It is. In fact, a new, smaller, taller, more streamline fridge is on order and should be arriving next week. But. That might be the extent of it. For awhile. 

Not a long while. (We hope?)

But for now.

Unless, of course, a revolt is staged and our giant microwave bites the dust.

Lately.

Mochi donuts. 

Much needed fortification 

while we cleaned out my 

grandpa's house.

There was a lot of this. 

Our yearly fair pilgrimage.

We stayed here...

...with her...

...for their wedding.

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.