August Hummingbird Orders

Hi all! Post in the comments section below about your plans/thoughts for the August order. Thanks for including specific item info (ex: raw OG whole almonds) and a specific amount for each item (or range of amounts if you're hoping to split something).

Thanks!

What I have been doing with my berries...

Hi Mamas-

I found this recipe online and LOVED it!! Great for using some of my oats, cinnamon and the bounty of berries.....
not too sweet and a delicious breakfast!!!!

raspberry/blackberry oat breakfast bars
(recipe adapted from The Kitchen Sink)
2 c old-fashioned organic rolled oats
2 c whole-wheat organic pastry flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t ground cinnamon
6 T cold unsalted butter
1 c plain organic yogurt
1 T lemon juice
2 t pure vanilla extract
1/2 c white sugar
1 T cornstarch
3 c frozen organic raspberries/blackberries
2 T raspberry jam
2 T organic raw sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Butter a 9×13″ glass pan and line with 1 piece of parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the sides. Butter parchment and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, blend together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in the oats & the cinnamon. Chop the butter into small pieces and drop into the flour/oat mixture. Use your hands to blend until the dough resembles small peas.

3. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice and vanilla together. Pour this mixture into the flour/butter mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until it just comes together.

4. In another bowl, roughly chop up 2 cups of the berries and mix with cornstarch and white sugar. Toss in the remaining berries.

5. Press a bit more than half of the dough into the prepared 9×13″ pan and spread the berry mixture over top. Dollop the raspberry jam over top of the berries and crumble over the remaining dough over top. Sprinkle with raw sugar.

6. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the berries are bubbling and the oats are golden brown. Remove from oven to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Happy July Hummingbird Order

Hello, ladies.

To start my July Hummingbird list:

Filberts in shells (that would be N181, right?). I think they divide up nuts, so I could order as little as 5 lbs (anyone have any idea the volume that would be?) and I'd love to share and get less. Emily, do you know where I can get one of the wooden nut crackers with mallet or did your hubby make that?

More to come...

HUGS

June Hummingbird Order

Hi Mamas:

Please post about items you are planning to order this month below. It's helpful if you can indicate whether you are interested in sharing, as well. Thanks!

Hummingbird Order, Next Meeting?

Hi, Mamas:

Are we planning to get together on the 22nd? We could meet at my house, or mix things up.

If we're going to meet next week, we might want to think about Hummingbird orders. You can post about items you're interested in getting in the comments.

I hope all is well with you!

Busy Children in the Kitchen

I just got back from watching Babies -- what a lovely experience! It was fascinating to watch little ones being raised in such different cultural settings. And, of course, there were lots of little chubby bums and round faces!

Anyhow, the film reminded me that I've been meaning to ask you all for tips about keeping children happy and busy while dinner is being prepared. Most of us are probably involving children in the cooking. Are there any kitchen tasks that your children particularly relish that we may not have tried yet? And what else are they up to, aside from cooking and cleanup? I haven't tried letting my children make potions or doughs of their own design yet. Any ideas about how to make potions more manageable in terms of wasted food and big messes?

Here's a list of what has been helping me get the job done lately. Please, please post your own tips here, too!

• Washing windows with a spray bottle of vinegar and water
• Washing up the dishes, at the sink or (for variety) in a dish tub set out on a towel on the kitchen floor (I have to vary the scrubbing tools periodically to keep their interest up)
  
• Playing ice cube hockey with a tray of cubes for each boy and a couple of wooden spoons (they also love to scrub the floor with a big scrub brush and then dry it with towels at the end of the game...most of the time)
• Watering plants with a spray bottle on the mist setting
• Restaurant play (props include carbon copy receipt pad, boxes with tea towels over them for tables, and lots of onions and potatoes from an easily-reached basket)
• Paper route play inspired by Dav Pilkey's book Paperboy (rolling up sheets of newspaper and securing with rubber band, filling bag, deliveries on vehicle, etc.)
• Cracking nuts
  
• Simple independent outside chore for older child (feeding hens, picking herbs, borrowing something from or delivering something to next door neighbor, etc.)
  

Easy Spring Salad Dressing

My neighbor shared this super easy way to dress a salad. We have been using it lots with the lettuce, spinach and radishes from our garden.

Place your greens and other veggies in a bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and toss thoroughly. I think the salt wilts the greens just a bit. I let it sit salted while I do other dinner prep. Then pour some olive oil and lemon juice on the salad and toss thoroughly again. A little parmesan for a finishing touch and that's it. It is surprisingly caesar-esque with very little effort. Alder likes the radishes, turnips, cucumbers and avocados. Aaron and I like the whole raw leafiness of the salad!