Testing The Green Thumb - Meet the Garden

After reading an article on sustainability……I thought to myself I want chickens and a garden….with my big back yard I knew both would be well suited. But it was convincing Bill that I wanted chickens that has been the hard part.  We started working on a garden..I did the seed starts and Bill did all the hard labor.  (Gulp) 

Here is the project we have been working on since April and we are starting to reap the benefits.  Even if your cost of water, supplies, dirt and building materials will not outweigh our cost of vegetables…it has been a lot of fun and a huge learning experience.  Chickens are still in the works. I hunt Craigslist every day looking for a cheap coop.  (Don’t tell Mr. Live-In)

The Selected "Pea-Patch"Spot:

 What better place right next to a garden shed....

The Ground Breaking

Bill cleaned out the grass and rocks to be able to lay down the weed barrier cloth and the frames for the wood boxes.
 
Seed Starts ( tomatoes, broccoli, jalapenos,peppers, cucumbers, squash, white pumpkins, radishes, basil )
 

one week

2 1/2 weeks.

May 1st we got the dirt and filled the beds and put the seed starts into the ground:

The first harvest:

 

Cats and Cards Don't Mix!

Okay….I’ll put it out there. I love crafting, stamping, card making, painting, paper designing. The list goes on but I will stop there. I don’t just love crafting but I think about it all the time……what type of cards will I make next or what project is next on my list. I don’t think Mr. Live-In shares in my love but he will make a card every once in awhile or make an attempt to stamp here and there and color in the stamps with markers…… (unfortunately, I have yet to picture one of Mr. Live-Ins cards).

"I love making cards" -Ginger

"If I fit into the box, I can show up the
ladies at the card party"-Ginger

One issue I have with making cards is that Ginger (or Ginger Balls..as Mr. Live-In calls him) never leaves me alone. 


To feed my addiction I started attending “card parties” with some crafting experts. These ladies are extreme…and I mean extreme, a whole new level above me on crafting ability. I craft…….. they live to craft….they have a special tool for everything and I think were horrified when I brought a glue-stick to the first craft card party I attended. ( I learned now to bring double stick tape is the way to go)!

Here are the results......Even with Ginger in the picture I think they still turned out pretty good!

Mini-Valentines



My Prized Valentine Creation!



All Recipes Hit the Spot Again with Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers!

For the past 2 years I have subscribed to the All Recipes (allrecipes.com) daily e-mails that show up on your phone. I will usually look at them at 6am in the morning and think about how that will fit into my weekly dinner plans. Last week I got a recipe that haunted me with hunger all day “ Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers”. I even e-mailed Mr. Live-In the recipe I was so excited to try it. (I believe he shared my excitement)

Ingredients

Burger:
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 shredded mozzarella cheese

Sauce:  (mix)

1/3 c Mayo
remains of the adobo sauce and chilis all

Buns: 4 hamburger buns, split and toasted or

8 dinner rolls (I used dinner rolls for mini burgers)

1.Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil grate/Or use indoor grill or press. Place the ground turkey, onion, cilantro, chipotle chili pepper, cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl; mix well. Form into 4 patties or 8 small patties. 


Prior to the grill......8 mini turkey balls.





2.Cook the hamburgers on the preheated grill until the turkey is no longer pink in the center, about 4 minutes per side. Place fixing on buns (onions lettuce tomato) . Serve on the toasted buns with chipolte mayo.



Don't forget the fan..and the Pam!




Ready to assemble the mini burgers!

I told Mr. Live-In that this might be the meal that changing the “live-in” status to engaged!



Here it is…With the pictures to prove! Plus my additions and modifications to the recipe!

This meal was utterly amazing and easy to make. The whole things start to finish maybe took me 30 mins. The mini- patties cooked really quickly on the inside grill. The extra chipotle and the chipotle mayo really added to the completion of this meal! Sadly, Mr.Live-In didn’t propose with this meal….but did concur that it needs to be added to the monthly repertoire of dinners.

Enjoy with Love,

Miss. Live-In