so much to do, so little time …

August 3, 2011

howdy!

can you believe it’s august?  seriously, this summer is flying by, and it makes me sad to see it go so fast.

as you can imagine, life with three kiddos has been busy, busy.  this little blog definitely gets put on the back burner, but i promise to share some fun things when i get the chance, and summer isn’t calling.

we recently went camping over pioneer day weekend.  and, we had not one, not two, but three rattlesnakes make their way into our camp.  scary stuff.  one slithered right under our picnic table where my little norah and her cousins were hanging out.  you bet my heart just about quit on me, and i had to grab her, while i was holding thomas.   it was intense.  but, luckily no one got bit.   and, our little cold blooded friends didn’t have a chance against the men who were determined to hunt them down.

anyhow, we have been having a great summer around here!

i was also happy to see my etsy shop, armelle jewelry get picked as a top 50 etsy moms 2011 from babble!
i love babble, so it was quite the honor.

check out the others in the top 50, here, and a brief write up on me and my jewelry, here.

also, be sure to check back aug 7th for a great one day sale in the armelle jewelry shop!  why?  well, someone is turning 30, and feels like sharing the love on the first day of her 30’s… maybe it will make her feel better about getting older, wink, wink.

{top image: via pinterest, by chris piascik}

peach salsa …

July 28, 2011

I love fresh peaches, and I have started seeing peaches pop up here and there!  Peach season is one I definitely look forward to!
We have been taking full advantage of nice summer nights, and we have been preparing our dinners on the grill.  Salmon is a staple in our household, and last night I made some yummy peach salsa to dress up our salmon and couscous dinner.   This salsa would also go great with chicken, or some tortilla chips!
{Peach Salsa}
1 large peach, peel and diced small (or 2 medium peaches)
1 large avocado, diced small (or 2 small avocados)
1/2 red onion, diced small
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
juice of 1 lime
1 pinch of salt
1 pinch of fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 of a yellow pepper, chopped (can do a red pepper instead)
place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir.  (*add the avocados last so they won’t get mushy.  this would also be good with an addition of cherry tomatoes chopped in half)
serve with tortilla chips, fish, meat, on a salad, or tacos.
enjoy!

strawberry raspberry sorbet …

July 21, 2011

With the temperatures being so hot in most of the country, a nice cool treat is what we have been wanting in our house.
I love sorbet’s because they are filled with fresh fruit, and little healthier for you than ice cream.  Plus, making sorbet is a great way to use up all the lovely berries that are in season right now.
This recipe is great, plus you don’t even have to have an ice cream maker to make it.
{Berry Sorbet}
(adapted from the cuisinart recipe booklet)
makes 1 1/2 quarts
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 quart fresh berries, (I used part strawberry, part raspberry) 1 quart = 32 oz
4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice  (about 1-2 lemons)
1/4 cup corn syrup
Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce the heat and simmer without stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Transfer to a bowl and let it cool completely.
Combine the berries and lemon juice in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.   Pulse to chop the berries about 15 to 20 times, then process the berries until they are completely pureed, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Press the mixture through a fins mesh strainer to remove the seeds.  Combine the mixture with the cooled sugar syrup and corn syrup.
To process with an ice cream maker/machine:
Chill mixture in fridge for at least one hour.
Then, process in your ice cream maker according to the instructions.
Without an ice cream maker:
Place mixture in an airtight container that can be put in the freezer.  Place mixture in the freezer, and every half an hour for the next few hours take a fork and “fluff” and mix the sorbet  breaking up any hard ice parts until it is frozen to the consistency you like.
Enjoy!