Roots & Leaves - My Lettuce Garden - Watch it grow!

Basically this is how my garden works! The lettuce seeds took about a week to sprout, during which I wondered if I'd over watered them, or if it was too cold on my balcony. But then *boing* they popped up! Some nice sunshine and rain (they see rain and go *whoop whoop!*) and my lettuce was growing! I have two kinds in my planters, "City Garden Mix" (the *fluffy* one) and "Paris Island" (which is very french). There are so many different varieties of lettuce to grow, you could have a whole bunch of different kinds for super good looking salads. I think I'll add a few next year. 

I used my homegrown lettuce in a simple salad of apple, blue cheese, lettuce and dressing. Delish! 

Feel free to share your fav salad recipes!!

~cheers! Crystal

We Love Food - Trail Mix Two Ways

I love trail mix. The best part is deciding what to put in. Sure you can buy a ready made mix, but why not mix and match all your favorite items? Here's two ways I like to enjoy trail mixes. 

The Dessert Mix is a nice treat for afternoons. Sometimes I love a little bit of sweet something mid afternoon so a small bag of this hits the spot. 

It's fairly simple and doesn't have a lot of ingredients. I put in peanut butter chocolate chips the other week and it was delicious. The right combo of sweet and salty!

The Energy Mix is wonderful for a pick me up if you're between meals or on the go. It's great for hikes or even to keep a small amount in your bag. Mix and match your favorite dried fruit for this one!

Love the raw nuts mixed with the dried fruit. Delicious. Who doesn't want to eat a bit of this?

What's your favorite thing to put in a trail mix?

We Love Food - Some Cheese Tasting!

Since I adore cheese, I picked up some of the small "sample" cuts from the grocery store to try new flavors. Personally I love a slice with apple, or with reduced balsamic vinegar.

The extra reserve Gouda was good enough to make my knees melt. Crunchy bits, fantastic full flavor. A bit salty, and a beautiful golden color. 

The Swiss Gruyere cave aged Kaltbach was interesting and new to me. Apparently it's aged for 12 months in the sandstone caves of Kaltbach (hence the name). I found that it had a bit of a seasoned smell, like herbs, and a fruity after taste. Delicious!

Vacherin Fribourgeois comes from Fribourgeois of course, and apparently the cows only graze on Alpine grass and wild flowers. It had a nutty taste and a soft texture, but the rind smelled not so good. Don't eat that part.

The Parrano was delicious, sort of like a Gouda and hard Asiago or Parmasan all mixed together. It was a swiss, so of course there were holes. A very good, sweet and soft cheese. 

We Love Food - Chicken Salad for Summer Two Different Ways - DoubleRecipe

Tangy Dill & Cajun Chicken Salad - by Crystal

My idea of a perfect chicken salad is a bit tangy, a bit of lemon juice, and salty spicy cajun seasoning. I don't measure exactly, but I add ingredients to taste. 

1. Chicken (legs cooked, cooled and cut)
2. Cucumber
3. Celery
4. Dill pickles
5. Red onion
6. Yogurt
7. Mayo
8. Lemon juice
9. Spices (I used lemon salt, paprika, cajun and pepper)

I spiced up the chicken legs, cooked 'em, cooled 'em and cut 'em up into pieces. (I prefer dark meat versus white) I used half yogurt, half mayo for a fresher taste and it works fantastic with the cucumber. Red onion is optional but I enjoy the taste. The rest of the ingredients I added to taste, seasoned and served it on bread and mixed greens. Lemonade is the best summer drink to pair with this salad! 

Midwestern Style Chicken Salad by Holly

My idea of a perfect chicken salad is one with a bit of kick, lots of vegetables and creamy dressing. 

1. Chicken (thighs, cooked and cooled)

2. Green onions 

3. Cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)

4. Avocado

5. Corn

6. Black beans

7. Lettuce to taste 

8. Spices (salt, pepper and Cajun)

9. Dressing - I mixed a bit of mayo, spices and some vinegrette salad dressing with a little

almond milk to thin 

Cut the chicken and veg/fruit and mix it all up. Honestly it's so easy I don't know why I haven't made this earlier. It made a ton so I know what I'm eating this week! I bought wraps to eat this on but after I made it I quickly devoured it on some corn thins. 

How do you like your chicken salad?

We Love Food - Host your own Craft Brunch!

Last Saturday Crystal and I held a Craft Brunch. What's a craft brunch you may ask and how can I host such an amazing event? Read on...

What: Craft brunches are the best! Friends and I are often getting together in the evenings to craft but we couldn't find a time to do it recently so we decided to do something on a Saturday morning and include breakfast. 

Craft brunches include: food, friends/family and the craft of your choice (for us it was crocheting). 

How: Gather friends and food. Ask everyone to bring something so one person doesn't have to do everything. Great foods for a brunch include muffins, fruit salad, bacon and eggs. Bring your favorite crafts - crochet, knitting, quilting, paper crafts, etc. 

Sit back and fill your stomachs. Laugh and catch up with friends while getting creative. And most of all - enjoy!!