Times Spent Going to the Beach

Here is what we saw these past few weeks going to the beach.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. Explore. Dream. Discover. -Mark Twain

Bubbles

Found a neat idea on this blog to make homemade bubble wands and bubbles. We loved the fun of it all.

Tie - Dye For . . . Kids

This is the second time I have done tie dying with the kids and they really love it. This year I was able to find everything for it at the dollar store. I used red, yellow and blue  Tintex fabric dye. Mix each color in an old bucket with water. I got the t-shirts at the dollar store as well. My and my childrens favorite design is taking the middle of the shirt and twist it and wrap elastics around the long point. Kinda like a fireworks design. So much fun. We even grabbed some socks and underwear to dye! The next time it would be really cool to try some natural dyes. 

Great - Easy Cucumber Relish

Another use for extra cucumbers, a Great Relish. I even made a convert out of my non relish liking husband! 
You take your washed cucumbers and peeled onions and grate them with a large hole grater. I used an old large ice cream container, and when that was done sprinkled on 2 tbs. of salt, put the lid on and let sit for a couple hours.
After that drain the liquid into a bowl from the cucumbers and onions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid and put into a pot with the vinegar. Discard the rest of the liquid. Set that on a med.-high heat on the stove top. Meanwhile mix the remainder ingredients, in a bowl. 

 Once the liquid is bubbling whisk in the sugar and spice mix, until it is dissolved  Then mix in the cucumbers and onions. Stir frequently for about 15 min. When it has thickened, remove from heat to cool off. 

Once it has cooled divide into containers to put into the freezer. Remember to leave a half inch space for the top of the jar, so it can expand when it freezes.

The Great Pumpkin

My First Pumpkin

What a great thing: a real homegrown pumpkin, in my bread and soon to be in a pie (this weekend)! I decided to cut it from the vine when I saw a recipe for pumpkin bread in my cookbook "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day" But to make my loaf more breakfasty I added 1/3 cup of raisins and 1/3 cup of chopped pecans to the flattened dough and folded it into thirds before I put it in the pan. 
In a large ice cream container I mixed all together:
1 cup of pumpkin puree
2 cups of warm water
1 1/2 tbl. yeast
1 tbl. salt 
5 tbl. melted butter
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup oats
5 1/2 cups flour
Fit the lid on and let rise. After it has doubled. Scoop out with a floured hand, about a third to make one loaf. You can save the rest in the fridge for about a week or make 3 loaves. Let rise until you have a good size loaf it could take an hour or more, but if you use the dough after it has been refrigerated give it a bit more time to rise). Bake in preheated oven of 350 degrees, for 25-30 min. Yummy. 

Super Slippery Fun

"Buttercup", our new addition is doing very well. She has grown and it is still hard to believe she even weighs about 3 lbs.! Holly is doing an awesome job being her mummy.

Another cucumber idea. Its something of a cold cucumber tea. I adapted it from the prevention's flat belly diet. To 8 cups of water add a large sliced cucumber, tsp of ground ginger (I would have used fresh if I had it, but this tasted fine) a couple tablespoons of dried peppermint (again with the woulda used fresh if I had it) And half a lemons juice. Toss the pieces in with the rest ( but of course I only had bottled juice) Let sit overnight or so and the water is so tasty and refreshing. Its ugh hum.....spa water. ;)

This is a great idea for kids (sorry I should not limit this to just childs play), or anyone, on a hot summer day. 

You stick the kids in the trampoline, and just add soap and water!!

Ever seen a soap angel before!?

Its handy too for when they are looking a little dull, and crusty. They clean up real well with this fun. :D

Super Slippery Fun

Cukes- Coming out of my ears!

I was looking on line for ideas to use up all my cucumbers, and I found the popular recipe for creamy cucumbers and altered it to my liking. Here is how it turned out: 1/2 cup of Light Miracle Whip, 1/2 cup light sour cream, 1/3 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion. Mix and add, 4 cups of peeled, sliced cucumbers, or however much you can. In my opinion it has just the right amount of sour and sweet, and so refreshingly tasty.