I have moments when I just cannot think of anything that sounds good. I mean…nothing. You know when you get in the mood for something bad for you but logic rules and you think better of it? This has been happening often to me as of late. The other day we were rushed, rushed, rushed and stressed beyond belief and all I could think of was spaghettios. Yes, you heard me right, spaghettios. I LOATHE spaghettios!!! So why was I craving them!??!?!

Making good for you spaghettios is quite simple, so I was able to save me from myself. All you need is your meat of choice, some crushed tomatoes, garlic, vegetable stock and ring pasta. I had venison and some homemade sauce so I made it with what I had and it came out delicious. Just make sure that you cook your pasta right in the sauce, adding stock as the pasta cooks. It’s a bit like making risotto…just peek on it every few minutes and add the stock as the pasta absorbs the sauce…yummy.

The day is finally here folks! Miss Katie Scarlett from Sunkissed Acres in GA will be here thanks to a wonderful shipper who stepped in to save us from the other fiasco.  Her traveling companion, Mr Paco, will be the new addition at Stable Movements. We are so thrilled to have them on their way…it’s been a long, long wait and I am so grateful to Lori at Sunkissed for the care she gave them and for allowing them to come to the Great White North to live. They will both be so very, very happy here.

I will be doing some photos of these two tonight when they arrive, and more tomorrow so be on the lookout.

And since it is the start of the long Memorial Day weekend and a semi-vacation for me (until the 8th! woo hoo!) I thought it would be nice to share a couple favorite salad recipes that have been pretty popular here and that are FAST, FAST, FAST to make.

Couscous Zucchini Salad

1 1/2 cups Chicken stock (remove excess fat)
1 cup couscous
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped fine
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium zucchini or yellow squash, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, chopped fine
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped fine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

1.Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add couscous, red pepper and cover. Remove from heat and let set for 5 minutes.

2.Heat a medium sauté pan. Add olive oil and cook zucchini until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for a few more minutes.

3.Mound couscous in center of a large platter. Arrange zucchini slices around. Serve warm or cold.

Simple Couscous Salad

6 ounces couscous

1 red bell pepper, medium dice
1 green bell pepper, medium dice
1 bunch green onions, sliced on the bias
6 ounces cucumbers, peeled, seeded, medium dice
4 ounces black olives, pitted
6 ounces red onion, julienne

DRESSING:
3 ounces orange juice concentrate
2 ounces water
2 ounces rice vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
3 ounces salad oil
1 ounce honey
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1. Steam the couscous until tender; set aside to cool.
2. Combine the couscous with the vegetables.
3. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
4. Combine the salad ingredients with the dressing. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Simple Salad with Orzo and Herbs

yes, you must use fresh herbs in this salad This is one of my favorite salads.

1 pound orzo
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 ounces fresh or frozen green peas
4 ounces celery, small dice
12 ounces plum tomatoes, medium dice
1/2 ounce fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 ounce fresh chives, chopped
1/2 ounce fresh parsley, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and white pepper, to taste

1. Cook the orzo in lightly salted boiling water until al dente. Drain in a colander and rise well with cold water. Remove the orzo to a large bowl and drizzle 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of olive oil around the orzo and toss well.
2. Cook the peas in slightly salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, drain, and rinse with cold water. Toss the peas, celery, tomatoes and orzo together.
3. Combine the remaining olive oil with the herbs, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and white pepper. Pour over the salad and toss gently to combine. Serve chilled.
Colleen Cheechalk is a FoodBuzz Featured Publisher

Another snowy, cold morning….just like it should be in late November! I’m still sick so I’ll probably stay glues to the couch for another day, planning T-day dinner and pouring over the Seeds of change and Seed Savers website.

I have a couple of holiday fundraisers to share, a portion of the proceeds from each will be going to Stable Movements, the Hippotherapy program my daughter and I volunteer with.

First are the Holiday wreaths. These are fresh wreaths, handmade here with mixed greens. They need to be pre-ordered, that way I know how much I need to gather. We use no pesticides here and our property is organically managed. The price is $25 for each wreath and you can order your wreath here, pickup begins 11/30 and can be scheduled throughout December.  I would be happy to ship your wreath as well. Additional charges for shipping apply and they will be sent USPS Priority Mail.

I will be doing the soap sale this year too…the 10th year! The soap is handcrafted of certified organic ingredients and infused with organic herbs and organic/wild crafted essential oils. Each 8 ounce bottle is made to order and is $11.95 or three for $32.95

Here are the varieties:

Plain- great for babies, puppies, kittens and other sensitive folks

Plain with Calendula & Chamomile - just like plain, but infused with Calendula & Chamomile blossoms for gentle soothing

Soothing Skin- Infused with soothing herbs and therapeutic grade, organic/wild crafted essential oils. Wonderful for itchy skinned people and adult dogs and horses. This is soap that I started with nearly 10 years ago.

Kitchen blend  – Perfect to keep near the kitchen skin for hand washing. Infused with Ginger, Rosemary and Lemon essential oils to remove odors and sanitize the hands.

Cold Season – When used in a warm shower, this blend helps ease stuffy noses and soothe achy muscles.

Soap is made to order and discounts are available for larger purchases.  I can ship soap as a gift, please email with your info.  To order, pop me over an email with the following:

The type(s) you want
the quantity
your name and a valid email
If you are planning to ship this as a gift, please include the city and zip so I can calculate your postage.

I will send you a paypal invoice to your email address you provide. You do not need a paypal account, and you can pay securely using your credit card or bank account.

On the art/design front…

I’ll be loading some card templates for photographers and crafty folks later today. I’ll also be loading some of my favorite black and white photoshop actions.

The Duck Diary…

Our adorable Cayuga Ducks only gave us one egg today, but they have had such a productive week! They continue to become more affectionate each day. I have one who is pretty close to be considered for therapy work, we’ll see. Puddles still might be in the running but he is so enjoying his job as keeper of his ladies that I think I’ll just let him enjoy himself and be a greeter here at the farm for the kids.

A recipe to share…

Magwrit1 who is friend and also a regular on the Pressconnects.com website, shared her recipe for Penne Rigate with Tuna Sauce.

If I could only tell you how many memories Suga al Tonno brings back. I was just learning how to cook while living in Rochester and a friend shared his families recipe with me. Being a young, starving girl on her own for the first time anything that could be made with budget friendly ingredients was a plus! But it was unexpectedly delicious that I fast became one of my very favorites. I will probably make this for Ally and I tomorrow. Todd and Tuna do not get a long!

Suga al Tonno

1 12 oz can of plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 4 oz can Italian tuna in Olive oil, drained
2 T Olive Oil
1 Anchovy fillet, soaked and finely chopped or 1/8 t Anchovy paste (I use the paste these days)
salt and pepper to taste

Add the garlic and tomatoes with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until reduced a bit, about 10 minutes. Mash the Tomatoes and continue to cook until it reduces a bit more.

At this point you are supposed to remove the garlic, however my family prefers a smoother sauce so I leave the garlic and use a stick blender to bring it all together.

Stir the drained tuna into the sauce, add the olive oil and the anchovy. Serve immediately over hot pasta.

Enjoy!