Monday, June 29, 2009

Cuban Food





















A few months ago, we tried the new Cuban restaurant in town. (The food was pretty good, but it was really slow.) When I saw plantains for 45 cents each at Walsmart, I thought it would be fun to have cuban food at home. Ours is more tex-mexi-cubano but everyone still thought it was good. I made mashed plantains with mojo (lime juice, salt, pepper, and garlic), chicken thighs marinated in lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and chipotle chili, re-fried beans, tortillas, fried peppers and onions, and veggies. YUM!! The mojo in the plantains is supposed to have O.J. in it also but I had none, I think it needed it. They were really limey, but that went well with the spicy chicken. They were also very thick. After more research online I think they should have some olive oil mixed in. I will be trying them again, with some changes. (I should note, the kiddos didn't like the plantains...Liam ate a little with his chicken, but Abbie had a tiny taste. At least they will always try things, better luck next time with a new recipe.) I will definitely be making the chicken again. My family loves chicken and I am always looking for new ways to cook it.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Peep, peep



The Robin eggs have hatched on the wheel of the plow truck. The mama Robin has been fairly tolerant of our peeking at her nest. She flies away as we approach, but doesn't try to peck our eyes out for taking a quick look. The baby is not so cute but very fascinating! The only down side is, I don't want to move the nest, so we can't drive the truck! Good thing we have family willing to haul trash for us. (Anybody know how long we will have to wait?)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Pasta night


Lily and I decided we weren't done with celebrating our birthdays so, we had fresh pasta night! Mom made two kinds of sauce and pasta, I made some too along with bread and trifle. We also cut up the leftover lamb and re-grilled it for people who needed more protein. Everything was really good (was there ever any doubt?) Kyle also made me a new drying rack for pasta. (It needs to dry a little before boiling.) It works really well and looks cool, but the best part is, it comes all apart for storage!

Birthday Pizza

Besides a fabulous coconut cake, we had pizza for my birthday! Some good pictures taken by Liam:


I try to remember to thaw out some sort of meat to roast in the oven after pizza. This time was a lamb roast. It smelled sooooooooo good, but due to lack of thermometer, it was a little underdone. We still ate the done-er bits from the outside and cut the rest up for steaks on pasta night.







Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Birthday cake


Had to post one picture from my birthday baking. I got my coconut cake! We had a big pizza party too, thank you so much to all my family and friends who came and made this a very happy birthday to me!!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Elliott, the rest of the story


Running from the mosquitoes!

Old cabin hiding it the woods at Livengood

Junction with the Dalton, traffic was so light, we sat here for about 10 minutes and didn't see anybody.

Pretty sun on a hill taken by Liam on our way home.

After leaving Tatalina, we drove up to the Tolovana River for lunch then on to the abandoned town of Livengood. Not much to see there. I think we should have driven further up the hill from the highway, but the road was rough and unknown. After making our bumpy way back to the Elliott, we drove up to the turn off for the Dalton Highway. Beyond that the road is unpaved, so I think we will leave that trip for another day. We decided to head back toward town and camp at the Tolovana. The camping spot is right off the road, unmaintained, but fairly clean. We were able to pull up not too far from the river and spent a long time fishing (see Liam's post) Kyle did a little panning, but had no luck. This being our last night we wandered back to town, stopping at the lower Chatanika for dinner.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Up the Elliott


For this trip we drove up the Elliott Highway. It was surprisingly quiet, for a haul road. We took a look at the lower Chatanika campground (11 mi) but the were full of people, so we kept going up the road to the Tatalina River (45 mi). There is a small spot beside the river with two camping places. We stayed at the dryer one closer to the highway. We went for a little walk, fished, Kyle prospected and we saw a beaver. Overall, not our favorite spot. The campsites are not maintained and very trashy. The fishing and prospecting were both a bust. So we decided to head off down the road...

Gone fishing

Guest post by Liam:


I caught a bunch of fish but none of them we actually kept. They were way too small. The biggest one I caught was a Grayling. For me that was the best spot for fishing. (Tolovana River) I liked catching fish but it was hard getting the hook out of its mouth. In getting the hook out of one fishes mouth, I had to get Dad to come and help me, but he almost ripped the fishes face off.

Riding With River

Guest post by Abigail:

I was holding River by the collar because I really love her. It was a very long drive, then we stopped to look at cabins (in Livengood).

Dead dog. River was sleeping or laying in the sun or being a dead dog.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

MasterCard commercial

Food for 4 days of camping: 85$
Gas for a 120 mile trip: 35$
New tires to end annoying vibration: 400$
The coach battery catching fire ten miles from our destination: Priceless


All of us are OK thanks to some very observant kids and good teamwork. We set out yesterday to go to Ophir campground on U.S. Creek Rd in the White mountains. We made it 57 miles up the Steese Hwy to the rough and winding road to the campground. As we were slowly motoring up the hill for about 3 miles, Kyle and I noticed a hot smell we attributed to the engine that was working hard to pull us up the long hill. It was raining and misty outside and the kids were noticing the clouds on the nearby hills, but when Abbie said "Why is it cloudy inside?" we stopped in a hurry! We had the kids stand outside and kenneled the dog and began tearing everything apart to look for the source of the smoke. Kyle made a circuit of the outside to look at the exhaust system while I started unloading cabinets to look at the power panels. Meanwhile the kids are looking around outside and notice smoke and the flicker of flames coming from the battery door (under the small window on the passenger side of the coach). After getting the keys and getting the door open, the fire extinguisher was found and used to put out the side of the battery and the bungee securing it. After the smoke was cleared out and the now holey battery tied down, we started back home. Kyle says the bungee used to secure the battery in to its compartment, wore a hole through the side causing a short which in turn lit the side of the battery and the rubber of the bungee on fire. Just a small fire, but not how you want your camping trip to go!
Now after some wine, sleep and a shower, we are gonna try this again! First to town for a new battery, extinguisher and some more gas, then on to the Chatinika campground on the Elliot Hwy. Hopefully nothing else will catch fire, but at least we will know we can handle it!

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Apples?


Pretty blossoms on the Crab Apple tree outside our bedroom. A few apples to do something fun with would be nice!


These pictures were taken by Liam, we love to watch the robins being busy in our backyard. Liam found this nest in the fender of the plow truck with some pretty blue egg shell on the ground near it.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Camping Season Begins!






We took our first camping trip of the season for the past four days. The weather was wonderful, sunny and hot. It is raining a little now, but we are back home for restocking so I am just hoping it will water my plants for me and taper off by tomorrow afternoon when we go back out. Next up on our list, Ophir campground in the White mountains (link here)
These pictures were all taken at our favorite close to home camping spot. In the Chena River State Rec. Area, across from the Granite Tors trail head (Link). The rock beach means less mosquitoes and there is a nice shallow part of the river to camp beside so you don't have to worry about the kids floating downriver every single second! There is also some very good fishing close by, we all caught some nice Grayling (even Abbie, helped by Mom!) Good times!!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Timber!


Kyle had to drop another dead tree from the backyard. It broke up when it hit because it was so rotten, a good tree to have down in a semi-controlled manner. This one narrowly missed my swing and did hit the burn barrel.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Recycling


The kiddos and I went yard sale-ing today! The Pioneers Home (retirement home where my Grandma lives) has a monster yard sale once a year as a fundraiser. Lots of good deals to be had! Our list of treasures included: 3 sweaters, a wool blanket, a Pedelton woolen mills shirt for Kyle, baking pans, 2 purses, a stuffed dogie and kennel, a runner sled, a sewing chair, divided plate, butter dish, RC cars, coin building set, and a robot project, it was a good day!! Surely we will save the planet soon with all this recycling? We also had to stop by the Farmers Market to get some local milled wheat flour (now being used to make bread) and kettle corn. Now time for all the washing!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Sweet


The Pinn Cherry Tree blooming in the back yard. The crab apple has lots of buds too, but no flowers yet. I wonder if we will see fruit this year?

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Spruce tip jelly


I have fond memories of eating spruce tip jelly at my Grandparents house as a girl. It has a memorable flavor...minty-ish, sweet, pine-ish. Kind of like walking through a spruce forest on a hot spring day. That might be why I associate the flavor with their house, lots of big pine trees all around it. I decided I had to try making some:

These are spruce tips, thanks to Stan and Lorna for letting me pick theirs. You want to pick the new growth while still soft.

Pick six cups...rinse and cover with water in a large pot. Simmer ten minutes and allow to steep overnight.

Strain the juice and boil with lemon juice, sugar, and pectin until set. Can in a water bath. I used this recipe. One batch is about five and a half pints.

It is good, but not exactly like I remembered. I think the next time I try, I will not boil the tips so long. The smell about half way through was closer to what I remembered. Still, it is good and also the first time I have made jelly! I have made jams and preserves before but never a clear jelly...success! I am already planning to have some with roasted duck next time we fire the big oven. I should also note, Kyle says his throat itches a little after tasting a big blop. So it may not be a good idea for people with spruce/pine allergies! Liam tried the syrup while I was boiling it and I can't convince him to try it again, he very politely told me it was not his favorite. Abbie will not try it at all, so maybe it is an acquired taste!