cathyboettner

Vegetarian Dinner Salad

We often have a hearty vegetarian salad for dinner. That’s what we did the other night. With the beans and the cheese, this salad has enough heft for a light dinner or lunch. You can substitute cannellini beans, navy beans, or garbanzo beans for the great northern beans–I just really like the texture of theContinue reading “Vegetarian Dinner Salad”

Steak, Arugula, and Asparagus Salad

I have a TON of arugula right now because it was starting to bolt so I had to pick it all. I sliced an onion into about 1/8″ thick slices and then broke them into rings and put about a tablespoon of oil on them and broiled them on a foil lined cookie sheet untilContinue reading “Steak, Arugula, and Asparagus Salad”

Smoked Chicken Salad

I made some cherry wood smoked chicken to go with all the salads we made this week. I used the same techniques as are used in this YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd1rM3CsoN0&t=23s&ab_channel=Tasty This technique may look intimidating, but it really isn’t. I had to watch the video several times the first time I made turkey this way,Continue reading “Smoked Chicken Salad”

Getting Ready for Weekend Guests

We do a LOT of hosting around here, and I especially love having houseguests because everything feels less rushed and more homey. This weekend, we are hosting college friends and since I’ve done it a lot, I am going to share my tips on how to do it without running yourself ragged, and minimizing yourContinue reading “Getting Ready for Weekend Guests”

The BEST Potato Salad

This is my version of the potato salad that my mom used to make. I have been making it since I have lived on my own. Even people who don’t usually like potato salad, love this one. If you already love potato salad, you will love this one. I like it because it isn’t tooContinue reading “The BEST Potato Salad”

Garden Update–All this rain has been good for something…

We have had a relatively coolish spring, and May has been record tying/breaking rainy. I have struggled to keep up with the yardwork between raindrops–our yard has looked like a hayfield at times. BUT, the rain has also been good for the gardens. We’ll start out by the garden shed. This is the asparagus thatContinue reading “Garden Update–All this rain has been good for something…”

Spring Gardening–Shitakes

So in the EARLY spring of 2023, my husband innoculated some sweet gum logs with shitake spores. We forced them to fruit last fall by soaking them in our big wagon filled with water. We did the same thing again this spring, and were aided by TONS of rain this spring. Here are some photosContinue reading “Spring Gardening–Shitakes”

The Ancient Basement–The Ceiling

We were SO optimistic when my husband took a couple of weeks off in March that we’d get the ceiling up in the basement during that time, but I only got some of the Hardie board painted (the wrong color as it turns out). This past weekend was Memorial Day weekend and the weather wasContinue reading “The Ancient Basement–The Ceiling”

Now is the PERFECT time to make Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam

My rhubarb produced enough harvestable stalks for me to put some in the freezer, and to make some jam. I love strawberry and rhubarb together and it tastes like summer to me and reminds me of my grandmother. Here’s how I made it: Ingredients: 4 cups of crushed strawberries 2 cups of rhubarb cut intoContinue reading “Now is the PERFECT time to make Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam”

The Ancient Basement–New (Old) Cabinets

We bought the sink and cabinet and the bath tub for the basement from Hudson Valley Houseparts–which is a salvage company that goes to houses that are going to be torn down and pulls out all the great architectural salvage that they can. I received an email from them about a kitchen and a butlersContinue reading “The Ancient Basement–New (Old) Cabinets”