Can't believe last week went by and I only took one, ONLY one, photo of our meals last week.  Sorry to disappoint but I have a list of excuses people! Guess that shows you how busy I am. Going to have to tie that camera around my neck. I'll try to do better next time.

On the food front...

The figs are finally ripe so we devoured our first fig quesadilla of the season. I know, sounds odd but it's soooo delicious!

Harvested another 50 lbs of honey yesterday bringing the harvest honey totals to 130+lbs. There's probably one more honey harvest and then we'll leave the rest to the bees for winter.

In the kitchen, we are putting up peaches, apples, tomatoes, grapes, beans, carrots and more!

In the garden, time to get a jump on fall plantings.  Not too early to kick start the fall garden.

On the web front, Jordanne is working on a program that will allow us to publish our recipes online so stay tuned for that. Not only that but she is working on some other stuff, but for now that's under wraps!

Busy, busy, busy!

Summer's nearly over... my how time flies!

Finally, figs!

Fig quesadillas

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - cream of tomato soup with tabbouleh

MONDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - veggie patty with cucumber and tomato, basil salad
Dinner - leftover tomato soup with homemade bread

TUESDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - veggie patty sandwich with cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - summer veggie pasta - pickled peppers, tomatoes, peppers and basil

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -apple crumble
Lunch - veggie patty with rice and cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - fig quesadillas

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - summer veggie pasta - pickled peppers, tomatoes, peppers and basil
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - tomato, avocado sandwich with cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

What summer time treats/feasts are you enjoying in your neck of the woods? Are you "Eating Closer to Home?"  Then join our food challenge to reduce your FOOD PRINT

Growing Right Along

Though I know it really has nothing to do with the title of this post, there's so much news and projects in the works I don't even know where to start.

Some important things to mention so listen up and listen carefully!

Jordanne's working on a couple "top secret" projects. HINT: has to do with one of her favorite things.

I know ya'll have be clamoring for recipes so she's also working a a recipe sharing sort of thing that will feature recipes from LHITC.

Not only that but upgrades to our gardening social network, Freedom Gardens, is in order and so to with the popular photo gallery. The most hit page on our website is getting yet another face lift and even more photos!

Are you totally excited and impressed like I am?

Well then, here's where I am going to add a gentle reminder that LHITC is ad free. If you enjoy daily reads here, gleaning information and inspiration here's how you can go about supporting our growing outreach. Or send a big box chocolate to keep this girl going as she works into the wee hours of the night to tackle some of these projects.

After a cool start weather wise, the summer harvest is now just started to pour in and what a blessings. We are so thankful for the bounty that the earth provides.

Now for some incredibly yummy photos. Going to mix in a few shots of what we harvested (many of the seed varieties can be purchased from our seed store Freedom Seeds) along with what we have been eating.

Heirloom tomatoes

Basket of peaches

Apples

and more apples!

Part of the winter squash harvest Pumpkin, Baby Blue Hubbard and Burgess (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Chantenay Red Core Carrots (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Eggplant, tomato and basil bruschetta with tabouleh

Peacevine Cherry Tomatoes (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Veggie patty with beans and carrots

Double Yield Cucumber (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

A whooper! Cherokee Purple Tomato (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Tabbouleh with tomato and summer squash pasta

Homemade/handcranked peach ice cream

Homegrown toppings for pizza

Sun cooked pizza in sun oven (www.PeddlersWagon.com)

Provider Green Beans (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Homemade/handcranked strawberry ice cream

Vegetable pot pie with cucumber and tomato salad

Tomato, cucumber soup with herb croutons

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - avocado and tomato sandwich

MONDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - tomato and squash pasta with tabouleh
Dinner - tomato and squash pasta with green beans

TUESDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - veggie pot pie with cucumber and tomato salad
Dinner - leftovers

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -apple crumble
Lunch - tomato and cucumber salad with herb croutons
Dinner - leftovers

THURSDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - vegetable patty with carrots and green beans
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - roasted eggplant, tomato and basil bruschetta with tabouleh
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

What summer time treats/feasts are you enjoying in your neck of the woods?

Rice and veggies

Veggie patty

Mashed turnips and carrots with parsley

Squash, tomato, basil pasta with mashed turnips, carrots herbs

Strawberries for dessert

Peaches too

Cherokee purple tomato

Tomato, cucumber purple basil salad

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - apricot apple crumble
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - squash blossoms stuffed with herb cheese with tabbouleh (mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers)

MONDAY

Breakfast - apricot apple crumble
Lunch - veggie patty with green beans
Dinner - veggie patty with tomato, cucumber and purple basil salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - apricot apple crumble
Lunch - zucchini, tomato, basil pasta with mashed turnips, carrots and herbs
Dinner - zucchini, tomato, basil pasta with mashed turnips, carrots and herbs

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -apricot apple crumble
Lunch - avocado and tomato sandwich
Dinner - out

THURSDAY

Breakfast - apricot apple crumble
Lunch - green beans and herb rice pilaf
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - avocado sandwich with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

What summer time treats/feasts are you enjoying in your neck of the woods?

Tropical cherry upside down cake

Blueberry Muffins

Tabbouleh

Steamed green beans

More tabbouleh

Fried squash blossoms and tabbouleh

Homegrown toppings

Avocado sandwich and carrot salad

Spaghetti and salad

Spanish rice

Goodbye June, hello July!

Not really looking forward to the heat of the summer. Lucky for us we've been socked in with nice gray marine layer in the morning which keeps the weather quite pleasant.    Actually wearing sweaters in the morn and evening to ward of the chill!  Of course the gloomy mornings aren't particularly good for the tomatoes, leaving them more susceptible to blight.

Tabbouleh was what's for lunch/dinner most of the week. No "007" complaints on that one. Absolutely love this summer salad. It's so simple and tasty and uses a good handful of mint that's growing like gangbusters and needs to be "controlled." At our last food co-op delivery I order both quiona and bulghur. Only the bulghur came in so will have to wait another month! Yeah, I know could just run to the local Whole Paycheck store but then where would the fun go? Besides, got a huge bag of bulghur that's not going to be used up any time soon.

Last week we enjoyed a few fruity treats like the 'tropical cherry upside down cake' and blueberry muffins. Though I love using up the homegrown fruit on hand, I hate making these fruit treats. Yeah, I know sounds crazy! But the fruit desserts are so yummy and if I don't watch it, I could end up gaining 10 lbs (or more) by the end of the summer. Jordanne didn't help things by making apricot ice cream (pics to come) not once, but twice. Oh dear. Why does this stuff have to taste soooo good. In fact, we gals are thinking about having an old fashion 'Ice Cream Social' - that would certainly be fun and fattening.

Another load of apples came in. I am so tempted to make an apple pie or two. How about one with cheese? Sufferin succotash, someone help me! Maybe should step away from the kitchen - yeah, fat chance!

Speaking of kitchen, the latest article which featured us homestead gals, we created a buzz over our beauty routine (or rather lack there of) We received a bunch of questions about "kitchen cosmetics" so we hope to address a few in later posts so stay tuned.

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - summer mac & cheese (peppers, tomatoes)

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)
Dinner - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)

TUESDAY

Breakfast - french toast with honey
Lunch - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)
Dinner - tabbouleh (mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onions) with green beans

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - out
Dinner - squash blossoms stuffed with herb cheese with tabbouleh (mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers)

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - green beans and rice
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - avocado sandwich with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

Basketful of carrots

All washed up

Bowl of strawberries

Bowl of blueberries

Beets

Homegrown fruit bowl: peaches,strawberries and blueberries

Special Father's Day dessert, peanut butter chocolate pie

Tomato, lettuce, avocado sandwich with carrot, citrus salad

Vegetable patty mix (onions, herbs, squash, peppers)

Veggie patties with salad

Squash blossoms

Stuffed with herbal cheese

Frying in oil

Warm and ready to eat

Summer squash herb rice

Homegrown pizza toppings

Vegetarian pizza

Carrot, apple rice salad

Blueberry pancakes

Sauteed onions, peppers, fresh avocados, cilantro and tomatoes top spicy spanish rice

The wonderful food from the garden keeps coming.   What a tremendous blessings it is to enjoy such bounty that are grown just feet from our table!

As it happens a lot here on the urban homestead, this week we made up a new dish  (well, at least it's new to us!).  As matter of fact,  we "make up" quite a few dishes as we go along .  Using up what's growing in the garden is a fun food challenge.  This week ,there was a surplus of apples and carrots sitting on the kitchen counter.  Of course, lots are devoured fresh, much is "put up" but sometimes culinary inspiration strikes and you think "hey, why not try this mixed with that."     For this "instant inspiration" dish, we chopped up apples, grated carrots, added leftover brown rice and a bit of spices.   Not bad, actually, it was quite good!

Next on the homegrown food front, we are (right now) vegetarian and have been for nearly 20 years.  But, when it comes to meat-less products, there's a lot more to choose from these days.   However, these so called health/organic foods are not always what they seem.  This recent article warns of the hidden toxin found in the  "fake meat" products that are on the market  -- Which Veggie Burgers Were Made With a Neurotoxin?

The food and agriculture nonprofit found that most non-organic veggie burgers currently on the market are made with the chemical hexane, an EPA-registered air pollutant and neurotoxin.

In order to meet the demands of health-conscious consumers, manufacturers of soy-based fake meat like to make their products have as little fat as possible. The cheapest way to do this is by submerging soybeans in a bath of hexane to separate the oil from the protein. Says Cornucopia Institute senior researcher Charlotte Vallaeys, “If a non-organic product contains a soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, or texturized vegetable protein, you can be pretty sure it was made using soy beans that were made with hexane.”

BLECH,  if that's the case - give me a free range MEAT burger.  At least I know it came from a cow!   Well, you can tell the cows not to worry because we actually do a pretty good job making our own.  With the summer cornucopia of vegetables, we like making our own "meat-less" patties that contain brown rice and veggies - no gasoline byproduct included!    Once again, we really don't follow a recipe, just using up what we have on hand.  But you could also use mushrooms or dried beans to make your own veggie patties.    There are tons of recipes on the internet  - Three Easy Ways to Make Your Own Veggie Burgers

Time saving tip: make up more and put into freezer!

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved  unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - special Father's Day eats (vegetarian "hamburgers with organic french fries)
Dinner - fruit bowl (apricots, peaches, strawberries, blueberries) with cereal and yogurt

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - avocado, lettuce, tomato sandwich with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - french toast with honey
Lunch - veggie patty (onions, herbs, squash, peppers) with salad
Dinner - veggie patty (onions, herbs, squash, peppers) with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - avocado, lettuce, tomato sandwich with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with roasted beet and apple salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - stuffed squash blossoms (herb cheese) with summer squash herb rice
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - carrot, apple rice medley with salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

Care to share what you've been enjoying, eating recently? Are you making more meals from scratch or homegrown ingredients. What new dishes have you tried and liked?

]]> http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/06/27/real-food-real-simple-urban-homestead-weekly-eats/feed/ 28 http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/06/20/real-food-real-simple-weekly-meal-wrap-up-3/ http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/2010/06/20/real-food-real-simple-weekly-meal-wrap-up-3/#comments Mon, 21 Jun 2010 02:31:31 +0000 Anais Dervaes http://urbanhomestead.org/journal/?p=21124

Veggie pot pie filling

Veggie pot pie warm out of the oven

Pasta cooked in the solar oven

Slice of veggie pot pie and salad

Vegetable casserole version one

Version one casserole with salad

Veggie soup

Vegetable casserole version two

Version two with salad

Whew doggie!  It's been a busy week here at the urban homestead   Busy with bees (getting ready to harvest some honey!), battling bad bugs, moving the tender greens to cooler spot in the yard and getting things ready for a major can-a-thon.  I might as well admit to the fact that it'll be awhile before we come up for breath!

The summer produce has been, for the last few weeks, lapping at the dam.  This week it finally topped and now the fun begins.

When the trickle becomes a tidal wave.  you gotta be prepared for the onslaught.  It can come at you fast and, if you aren't prepared, can bowl you over, leaving you buried under a load of veggies and fruit.   For me, this time of year,  there are just too many darn veggies to choose from!  Should I make this dish, or that, or how about this one?   Heck, there are only three meals in a day; but, with the baskets of fruits and veggies, I feel like a kid in a candy store!  I want to eat them all.

This week with so much work, we opted to "keep it simple" and stick with "one pot" meal for lunch which we then can re-heat in the solar oven for dinner.   Saves time and uses a LOT of veggies at once - not to mention it's filling!

The trusted ol' casserole ruled the week as we tried out two versions.

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved  unless otherwise specified

and ...

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit from Farmer Sergio
Lunch - garden tea party!

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - vegetable soup (onions, green peppers, turnips, carrots, winter squash and greens)
Dinner - leftover veggie soup that was warmed up in the sun oven

TUESDAY

Breakfast - french toast with honey
Lunch - veggie pot pie (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter squash, herbs) with salad
Dinner - leftover veggie pot pie that was warmed up in the sun oven with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - veggie medley "Casserole I"  (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter & summer squash and greens) with shredded carrot and lettuce salad
Dinner - leftover veggie soup that was warmed up in the sun oven with sun cooked pasta

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - veggie medley "Casserole II"  (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter & summer squash and greens) with salad
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - leftover veggie "Casserole II" with salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce over spaghetti

Care to share what you've been enjoying, eating recently? Are you making more meals from scratch or homegrown ingredients. What new dishes have you tried and liked?

Here's last week eats on the urban homestead for you to savor with your eyes!

Whoops! Half eaten blueberry pancakes-- Honestly, they looked better than this before SOMEONE starting eating them.

Herbs n flowers

Farmer Sergio's citrus, lemon verbena and pineapple sage

Kale and sorrel

Beet and apple salad

Herbal, rose citrus punch with lemon juice ice cubes

Yellow squash ready for roasting

Squash blossoms

Fried squash blossoms stuffed with herbal cheese

Squash blossoms with herb cheese and green bean salad

Oven roasted beets

Meal preparations

Guests at the Urban Homestead. Dinner is served

WEEK ONE

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved / from Farmer Sergio unless otherwise specified

and ...

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Lunch - picnic at Sergio's farm
Dinner - leftovers

SUNDAY

Breakfast - at hotel in Encinitas
Lunch - tabling at eco fair Cottonwood Creek Park Encinitas
Dinner - too tired to cook!

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - green beans over (organic) rice with salad (homemade honey mustard dressing)
Dinner - leftovers

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - kale, sorrel pesto with roasted beet and apple salad
Dinner - squash blossoms stuffed with herb cheese, green bean salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - green beans, lemon herb butter, bread and salad
Dinner - avocado, lettuce sandwich with beets, strawberry and carrot salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - summer veggies with rice, salad with carrots
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with roasted yellow squash, peppers, garlic with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - grilled cheese sandwich with jalepeno jelly
Dinner - no knead bread,kale, sorrel pesto with roasted beet and apple salad

Care to share what you've been enjoying, eating recently? Are you making more meals from scratch or homegrown ingredients. What new dishes have you tried and liked?

Ok, I am going to have to do a better job of taking photos of the meals.    Funny how you get out of routine for just a bit and, well, it's a struggle to get back!

So one of these days, I will tie the camera around my neck and take some food pics!

Oh, and we are also going to try to get together some recipes that ya'll can download.   Certainly a plate full of "to do's"

WEEK ONE

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

SATURDAY

Breakfast - out
Dinner -potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - coleslaw (red cabbage, carrots, fennel) bread and butter radish sandwich

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - vegetable soup (winter squash, cabbage, green onions)
Dinner - leftovers

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftover soup from Monday
Dinner - baked winter squash, with salad (greens, radishes, strawberries)

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - vegetable soup (winter squash, cabbage, green onions)
Dinner - rice pilaf (celery, herbs, green onions) roasted beet salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - veggies with pasta (chard, kale, carrots, daikon, cilantro) with peanut butter sauce
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - vegetable soup (winter squash, cabbage, green onions)
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

WEEK TWO

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - avocado, arugula and cucumber relish sandwich

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - veggie pot pie (assorted greens, potatoes)
Dinner - veggie pot pie (assorted greens, potatoes)

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - coleslaw (red cabbage, carrots, fennel) bread and butter radish sandwich
Dinner - avocado, arugula and cucumber relish sandwich

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner - kale pesto with salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - avocado, arugula and cucumber relish sandwich
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - kale pesto with salad
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

Come and listen to my story ’bout a man named Jed a simple pioneer, who kept his family fed

And then one day he was growin’ some food

When up from the ground come a mountin’ of doo…soil, that is. Black gold. Earthy.

Well, the next thing you know, ol’ J’s a ‘farmer extraordinaire

His kinfolks said, ‘Jed, please give us a share!’ They said ‘Californey is the place we oughtta be’, so he and his family stayed near Beverly…Hills, that is.

Swimmin’ pools…movie stars.

- The original ditty courtesy The Beverly Hillbillies

Having a close kinship with Laura Ingalls and the Little House on the Prairie serie, a common joke around our household is that we are akin to another TV counterpart The Beverly Hillbillies :  Justin (Jethro) is big, strong and kind;  Jordanne, like Elly May, is a lover, caretaker of animals, bringing in all sorts of strays and hurt animals; Jules, as the head of the clan, got the notion to start off on this journey; Me, well, I am Granny who’s always brewing or whipping up vittles in the kitchen (not to mention  I got the granny boots and gumption to prove it.).

Heck, we did feel like some dang hillbillies when we first moved to Pasadena from our 10 acre plot in the South. Why? Cuz we took our countrified ways along with us to the city and we sure did get a few stares -- for the longest while.

Well, times are a changing and there're not many stares anymore; heck, there're even tv folks that are interested.  Can you gander that!

A few months back, we got a call out of the blue from the Food Network - they wanted to drop off two chefs on the urban homestead to make a meal from what was growing out in our "back forty (feet)" and prepare the vittles (no possums were harmed) without all the modern new fangled gizmos and gadgets.  Instead harvesting what they needed and using the limited and home canned ingredients we had in the kitchen and preparing and cooking using little or no appliances, hybrid solar oven, bike blender and more.

We didn't have much of part in the filming - just basically a location for a foodie challenge for these here chefs from the big city.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

They wanted us to throw a dinner party and of course we were like "no, problem we will invite our friends over for a homegrown shindig"  Ah, but the producers had different ideas - this was supposed to be a challenge and they asked if we could do better than that.   Ok.  So we had to find foodies that we'd like to impress so we called up and contacted LA area foodies and invited them to dinner.

The chefs were good sports and commented after that is was certainly a challenge but they loved every minute of it and were just so inspired to be transported back in time for the few hours that they were here.

Episode "It Ain't Easy Being Green" airs Friday night (May 7) on the Food Network and features many a local foodie!   Thanks to all who participated at the dinner.

Check out more photos from the FOOD Network filmathon.

Oh and we don't have cable so will have to hear how it went from ya'll who do!

Lights, camera, action! The urban homestead's kitchen gets taken over by cast and crew

The chefs are sent out back to picking their own veggies

Food preparation on the back porch

Chef Brian in action

Blending the tromboncino squash (sold on our online seed store) on the bike blender (sold on our online urban homestead shoppe)

Jordanne & I sit in the living room (which transformed into "Mission Control") and watch all the happenings going on in the kitchen

Lemon muffins bake in the hybrid solar oven- sold on our urban homestead shoppe

In goes the vegetable lasagna into the earthen oven

Dinner ready yet? Local foodies get ready for dinner

Showing off the food (trombonicno squash sold on our online seed store) and digging in

Sampling "home preserves" from the pantry

Tromboncino squash soup

Once again the episode It Ain't Easy Being Green airs Friday night (May 7) on the Food Network airs - check local listings for time.

But, wait - there's more! Check out more photos from the Food Network's filmathon.

Actually this blog is not only our attempt in sharing our journey but it's a way for us to keep track and document ours.   Like a public diary, our online book of sorts.  It's a good source of reference for us as we look back on our journey.

These days I am always thinking, telling myself, that I will catch up.  I do hope so before being swept away by the tidal wave of "to dos."

For you web savvy folks you can keep tabs with us on Facebook and Twitter where we are more apt to give you tidbits of urban homestead happenings

Cooking in the sun oven (sold on our online store)

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WEEK ONE

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner -potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - nettle pesto with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - radish, broccoli, pea stir fry
Dinner - avocado, squash pickle, raw cheese sandwich with coleslaw

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - green onion, peas, broccoli casserole with rice
Dinner - avocado, cucumber relish, raw cheese sandwich with coleslaw

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

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WEEK TWO

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - leftovers

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - vegetable lasagna with salad
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - steamed potatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas
Dinner -peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce
Dinner -  tomato sauce and pasta with salad

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WEEK THREE

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

SATURDAY

Breakfast - crepes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - vegetable lasagna and salad

MONDAY

Breakfast - crepes with strawberry sauce
Lunch - vegetable lasagna and salad
Dinner - vegetable lasagna with salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, carrots, peas casserole
Dinner - peas, pasta with lemon butter, herb sauce

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - out

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - out
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad