{Not} Living Vicariously

Exciting Friday Nights

I have entered a whole new world - we are pickling okra this evening. Aaron did this last year, using Emeril's recipe. We found it very frustrating considering how quickly we ran out. So he hit the Nashville Farmer's Market on his lunch hour today and bought 20 pounds of okra. Yes, that is not a typo. Twenty pounds! He cleaned one of the vendors out completely. And while he is patiently capping his okra for the ice water bath, I'm kicked out of the kitchen (there isn't enough room for both of us) so I'm typing instead. Once the ice bath is done, I will be allowed to help put the okra in jars and then make the brine solution in order to actually pickle. After that is done . . . wonder what time we'll actually get to bed tonight . . . we only have to wait FOUR WHOLE WEEKS before we actually get to eat any of those pickles. Sigh.

Anyhow, tonight is okra and Sunday will be corn salsa - yum! We're also hoping to make some hot pepper jelly as well. We recently acquired "Put 'em up!" by Sherri Brooks Vinton (9781603425469) and have high aspirations this season for increasing our canning knowledge. Especially as we have 40 or 50 pounds worth of tomatoes ripening on the vine. Who would have ever guessed this California City Girl could learn how to preserve food like this??

Chocolate helps . . .

Remember this post? Well, I haven't been doing such a good job this year of celebrating the little things in life. I'm not going to go into all the "woe is me" (or I) pieces of the last several months. I'll just say that things definitely do not always go according to plan. However, Aaron brought me a piece of chocolate and I am being sent a message!

 

And since we still can't find the camera, so this picture has been shot using an iPhone, plus (hello!) it is on a piece of foil - let me spell it out for you and me:

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. Love, Dove"

I think I needed that reminder. I'm off to go find some things to celebrate . . . be back soon.

For rent - unofficial

Officially . . . the house has not sold. So . . . we have just finished a refinance on the loan in order to legally turn it into a rental. Not what we wanted, not what we hoped for, however, maybe what we needed to do. We shall see what happens next.

Clingmans Dome on the AT

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, we did not get to hike any of the AT while over in the Smokies. However, it was cool enough early in the morning that we were able to drive to the Clingmans Dome parking lot and leave the dogs in the car while we walked up the (very steep) 1/2 mile paved road to Clingmans Dome Observation Tower. This spot, highest in TN, provides quite a view when the air is clear and we had pretty good viewing.

 
The Appalachian Trail crosses Clingmans Dome and we had hoped to hike some of it from there. While we are not ambitious enough to hike much of it (yet!), it would be fun to do some day hikes along it. However, this is the closest we got this trip.

 

Maybe we will get the opportunity to go back in the Autumn, we have some plans potentially in the works . . .

Conversion Van RVs

My parents got a new toy last Thanksgiving - a Sportsmobile RV. They took the standard size Ford 16 passenger van and, after Sportsmobile was done, it had the following:

• two front seats (driver and navigator or pilot and co-pilot)
• couch that turns into a double bed
• fridge, microwave, sink
• plenty of closets and cabinet space
• even a Porta Potti

While my parents were visiting last month, they borrowed our Honda and left the RV with us for a long weekend. Aaron and I (plus two dogs - our dog Lindy, their dog Shiloh) headed East. We did have a plan, yet were willing to be open to options. Which turned out to be a good thing as our plan was not a viable one (we forgot dogs aren't allowed to hike trails inside National Parks so there went our plan to hike part of the AT by Clingman's Dome). Instead, we camped the first night in Townsend and had so much fun cooking out and meeting other campers at the KOA we headed off to Asheville, NC the next day and camped at a KOA there. Again, people were very friendly and we had a great time.

Unfortunately I realized we did not take any good pictures of the inside of the RV which is one reason I linked to the website above. If you are curious you can take a look at some of the options they offer. Some pictures we do have of the dogs are below.

 
Two dogs eagerly waiting Aaron's return to the campsite. Is it dinner time yet?

 
 Lindy terrified and hiding under the car. Campfires scare her - no s'mores for you!

 
I can't even remember what Lindy is hiding from this time, possibly the campfire again. However, she wedged herself under the steering wheel and stayed there for quite a while.

 
Shiloh enjoyed hanging out on the bed while we were traveling, while the couch was not quite large enough for her. So we left it as a bed pretty much the entire trip. She is quite content with herself here.

The best part about this RV is that future conversions can still be done. We discussed some options such as the tankless water heater so we can have hot water as well. Also under discussion was changing out the roof of the van to allow for a second bed and/or more storage. Having now taken a trip in it, I understand why my parents are excited about their toy. We look forward to borrowing it again.

 

 

Tasty Strawberry Icy Goodness

Back at Memorial Day, Aaron's sister was telling us about this strawberry gelato they had made from a recipe in the local newspaper. It called for buttermilk of all things and we wondered, but didn't do much with the information. Then, over 4th of July weekend, we were with the family in Memphis and she made it again using peaches. It was fabulous! When we got home, we found the recipe on the Lexington Herald-Leader website and last night we made it.

 
Strawberry Buttermilk Gelato

• 2 C. sugar
• 2 C. water
• 5 C. quartered strawberries (about 4 pints)
• 2 C. low-fat buttermilk

Combine sugar and water in large saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Pour into large bowl; cool completely. Place strawberries in blender and process until smooth. Add strawberry purée and buttermilk to sugar syrup; stir to combine. Pour strawberry mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

According to the newspaper, this recipe comes from Cooking Light. I don't remember seeing it in there, and I am a subscriber. However, the buttermilk might have thrown me off. I don't think I would have ever tried this on my own yet it was delicious! I will make two comments on it:

1. We ran the freezer for 90 minutes and it still whirred away so we ended up eating some "soft-serve" last night and froze it overnight to have solid consistency tonight.
2. I would not call this gelato - maybe sorbet? or ice? - definitely call it tasty!

I think you should give it a try. Well worth the time and effort.