Saturday Looking For Fall

Good thing Gourmet went out of business...cause I'm not in the mood for fancy food.I want farmy and old fashioned right about now. It is windy and cool out here this late august afternoon...it's back to school and gopher glen is selling apple cider . i got my first seek-no-further apple off my tree last night. well, it fell off and i can hear my brown corn rustling in the wind. summer has slipped away. good-bye my friend.

tomorrow night we are "pretending" we are tailgating. i think football is on.

haven't opened it yet...but how could i pass it by.....

just look at that bag of candy corn. usually the bag isn't very cute... but this was darling. i don't think i am going to be able to open it.

pumpkin spice cupcake kit...bought it cause the tin was cute....

bought this cause the tin was cute too...it is filled with those really thin gingersnap cookies...the ones that i tip toe downstairs for in the middle of the night. i hope i don't regret this purchase
...it a big tin of cookies

look at that..i mean...come on...how could you NOT get this...i get one every year...

candles...the one i really like is the cupcake one..why did i just get one..you really need more than one...

this is my kitchen window...the screen and lighting makes it look bad...the sun is too bright right now as it is just starting to sink over san luis mountain...but i had to show you anyway....

i just can't help myself in the window clinger department...at least it's windy and cool today...if it was hot...these would be melting...tomorrow is the last sunday in august...farewell summer...it's been nice.

Hay Day Country Market Cookbook

I REALLY felt Fall today and felt like baking some cookies...so I got out one of my favorite cookbooks...HAY DAY COUNTRY MARKET COOKBOOK.

I baked their Crispy Oatmeal and Raisin cookies. They have cinnamon in them. The kitchen smelled so good and spicey.

I cheated a little and added in some dried cranberries and walnuts.

Can you see him there in the background? There is Teddy. Mommy's little helper ! Happy last weekend of August....

Kindness

I don't even know why I started blogging. And when you mention blogging to "non-bloggers" you are usually met with a blank stare. But I have to tell you...I have been amazed by all of the KINDNESS that is in this blogworld. Today was another LUCKY DAY for me. Look what a pleasant surprise I received in the mail. Rachel from Mozart's Girl sent me this sweet little book from the other side of the world. All of you know about Buddy and now Teddy.

Rachel took the time to find this little book, wrap it up, write a treasured note, go to the post office, stand in line, mail this off...all for a person she has never even seen. But even though we have never met in person..we have a bond...a friendship..we understand each other...I feel this way about all of you...you have brought unexpected happiness and love into my world. And it means the world to me. Thank you Rachel....my heart is filled with gratitude and love. Another treasured friend I have been lucky enough to meet....in blogland.

Chicken Pie

I made this for Sunday night's supper...

I just made a white sauce..added some chicken I had cooked and cut into tiny pieces, some cubed boiled new potatoes and a few mixed vegetables...made a crust, rolled it out and topped off the pie....

I have a set of these circle cutters I just love...this was the smallest one to make an air vent...

We aren't baking a CHICKEN PIE in the oven tonight...i have the radio on and he just said we reached 110 degrees...did I hear that right? 110 degrees. I remember 105 here in San Luis Obispo in the Summer of 2007...the year we moved here...but 110. Come on. That is just TOO HOT !!!! It has been a really cool summer up until now. I guess my luck ran out. I gave Teddy a cool bath...he loved it. Oh, we're bbqing tonight. After the sun sinks down. And are we all watching the FULL MOON tonight together..and thinking of each other all over this world...I am thinking of you.....

Any Ideas Out There?

I got these baby artichokes at Farmer's Market yesterday. How could I pass them up? Other than frying them in a batter...I can't think of what to do with them.... Can You?

The Tomato Show

I wasn't going to leave the house today, but my brother Mark called and said I better get in the car and go over to the tomato festival...

I was glad I did....they had seminars on tomtoes

Tomato Tastings

You got to vote for your favorite tomato

Baskets and baskets of tomatoes for sale....the last thing I need.....

Apple trees for sale...I have a BIG THING for apple trees..I am out of room here on the farm

they were so small though

now that sounded pretty good...

this little lady was so cute...in her tomato and avocado apron...she was demonstrating how to make tomato rosettes...and she was good....

there was a booth that showed you all the foods that bees are responsible for

i just loved this basket of goodies...especially that jar of canned peaches there in the back...

i have never heard of" bread and salt" tomatoes.... i am going to have to try and grow these...if it ever gets hot....not complaining

they had a beautiful zinnia garden...sure put mine to shame
...those are zinnia's, aren't they?

a california poppy..our native flower...growing between two booths out of dirt as hard as brick

this was growing out of the parking lot....see those brown California mountains

i am regretting that i didn't get a bat house...

some man made both the bat houses and the bluebird houses...i don't know why that makes me kinda sad...i can just see him in his garage..all alone...making bat and bird houses...but you know he likes it...

tomato parking..there's one I've never seen before....

i'm glad i went....it was old fashion and farmy....

off to make a Chicken Pie for supper tonight.....

I Just Couldn't Wait

I have this old camp sign that came from Maine. On the back are signatures and dates from 1947 to about 1957. Must be the names of the people that stayed at the camp. I just hung it up by the back door. I just can't wait any longer. You can't see it, but right next to the sign is a huge old pine tree...

Bounty

See all those tomatoes. I'll be honest with you. I didn't grow 'em. The kids next door did. We have Cal Poly University here in San Luis Obispo and the house next door has "the boys" living there as we call them. They are great kids...very quiet...but they are all gone for the summer...and before they left they said "Help yourself to the tomatoes!". So this morning I took a walk over there..wow....what a bonanza...I filled this whole bowl with Early Girls.

Just before I walked over there I was looking over my Julia searching for something to do with chicken breasts...and after I hit the jackpot I knew it had to be something with tomatoes.

I found this recipe for Supremes de volaille sautees, andalouse. Whole supremes sauteed, white wine sauce with tomato fondue and tarragon. So this is supper tonight here at Farmhouse. With some pasta and a cucumber and avocado salad.... we have plenty if you'd like to come by.

Supremes de volaille sautees, andalouse

Chicken breasts, boned and skinned and pounded slightly

Salt

1/2 cup flour

Olive oil

Butter

Cognac

1 Tablespoon shallots, minced

2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 teaspoon tarragon

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

Parsley

Salt the chicken and dredge in flour

Add some oilve oil and butter to a skillet and heat

Brown the chicken and cook till just about done

Remove the chicken and add the cognac shaking the pan for several seconds

Pour contents of pan into a side dish

Add butter to the pan and saute the shallots for a minute

Add tomatoes and tarragon and cook 2 to 3 minutes

Pour in wine, stock and the cream

Boil hard for several minutes until liquids have reduced and sauce has thickened lightly.

Taste and correct for seasoning

Return chicken to the pan and baste with the sauce

Arrange chicken on a plate with sauce and sprinkle with parsley

Serve

Celebrations

There he is...Teddy's first summer...and have we been busy around here

We have had a first day of school

A Birthday to celebrate

Family suppers together

Dance recitals...this one was Cowgirl themed...and they danced to My Blue Heaven....so cute it makes me cry.....

We have done some biscuit baking

Old fashion baking powder biscuits..tiny sized

And even got in some blueberry pickin'. Getting into late August and we're still here..it's just been so busy. Hope this finds all of you well and getting ready for Fall.