Melon, Melon and more Melon

Over Labor Day weekend of 2015, my friend Lori took me to a Growers Produce Auction.

 Growers Produce Auction
2347 Dell Road
Cashton, Wisconsin

Just off County Hwy D

Click here for more information 

  

This was my first time attending a Growers Auction. Oh my, it was fun!

We purchased watermelon and muskmelon.

 

 I am in the crowd.

 Parking!

Now back to the taste of summer in the middle of winter!

With the 12 muskmelon we purchased, we decided to freeze the melon.

Using a scoop, we made melon balls. It was easy. The reward is opening a bag of fresh melon in January.

 

 Taking a scoop, scoop your melon out.

Place your melon balls on a pan and place the pan in the freezer.

 Freeze the melon balls over night.

Bag your melon balls into freezer bags or freezer containers of your choice.

On a cold winter day...enjoy!

 

Peaches, Beans and Mars

Peaches, Beans and Mars

What is the big deal about peaches, beans and Mars.

That is just what I have been busy doing.

 I order peaches from our local grocery store. 

4 Lugs of fresh Georgia peaches!

And in the start of a Wisconsin heat wave, I was busy canning peaches!

 After sweating away in the kitchen, the next day I took a trip to Mars.

Journey To Space

at the 

Science Museum of Minnesota

I will have more on this journey in a future On the Road Friday post.

Space an Out of Gravity Experience

And the beans are ready!

Wishing you all a great weekend.

  ♥

Carla

  

Banana Strawberry Tortilla

Banana Strawberry Tortilla

 Would you like to try something new for breakfast?

How about a Banana Strawberry Tortilla.

Easy and yummy. You can not go wrong.

Heat your oven to 250 degrees

Butter your tortilla and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon and sugar on.

Bake just a bit or little longer, depending on if you want it warm or crispy.

  

Spread strawberry jam on to the tortilla and add some bananas.

Roll up and sprinkle some more cinnamon and sugar on.

Enjoy!

 

What to do with Frozen Grapefruit

 Our friend Marv travels to Texas for the winter. For the past three years he comes back the first week of March. He always has his truck full of goodies. He stays in Rockport, Texas and likes to travel to the Citrus Farms during is stay. He usually calls us while he is sitting on the beach, enjoying a fresh grapefruit and 80 degrees.

On his way home this year, he got stranded in Cameron, Missouri. 

He has a enclosed truck topper and even brought along an electric heater to keep the fruit warm. Sadly, it got so cold all of the grapefruit he brought back to Cameron, Wisconsin froze.

He called while stranded in Cameron, Missouri. We had a little chuckle about that. He said "I am in Cameron." I said " You are home, YAY!" 

"Nope, I am in Cameron, Missouri."

I told him never fear, I have an idea on how to save the grapefruit. I juiced it. I juiced 2 huge bags of grapefruit. 

YUMMY!

I placed the juice in wide mouth quart canning jars and froze it. 

Just the other day I pulled one out to thaw to serve for breakfast.

DELICIOUS!

Marv was so happy I was able to use the grapefruit.

For more stories about Marv, click here 

Have you ever saved a food that you thought you would have to toss?

Do you like grapefruit?

 

Watermelon

Yummy! We tried dehydrating watermelon a couple years ago. We were heading to Montana and wanted some healthy snacks for the road trip. YUM! It did not last long. My boys asked if we would make it again this summer.

Slice melon 1/2 inch thick...place on your drying racks. Set your temperature at 130 degrees to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. It will take 8 to 20 hours to dry. I sample a few as the drying time goes on. If the texture is good and the crunch is right...I call it good. I store my dehydrated melon in a air tight zip lock bag. It does not last long....I have two hungry boys!

Dehydrated melon makes a perfect snack for road trips, camping and for any ol' time.

 

Blackberries

I am back.

We had a very nice time with family. I had a great time going blackberry picking with my mom. My mom is recovering from a very bad injury...so she did the driving and talking (to keep the bear away). I did the picking.

Blackberries

Stains on the fingers from picking.

Blackberry Jam...I made yesterday. Yum!

Peaches

Peaches!!

I have been busy canning green beans and peaches. God blessed us with a wonderful garden!

No, the peaches are not from the garden. :) We were blessed with wonderful peaches from our local market! 

How about you? Are you canning this week?

Raspberry Vinaigrette

Raspberry Vinaigrette

You will need:

Olive Oil

Red Wine Vinegar

Sugar

Onion

Raspberries

Chop onion in blender - add raspberries pulse 2 times - add sugar

Add oil and vinegar blend

For the amounts of oil and vinegar, I used 9oz olive oil and 3 oz of red wine vinegar

Enjoy!

We use this for salad and for marinating our kabobs.

Facts

The most neutral flavored vinegar is white vinegar, but we would not likely use this in a vinaigrette. At the very least, use a white wine vinegar. But the flavors and types of specialty vinegars, like balsamic, sherry or raspberry, are as varied and diverse as can be. Cider vinegar is made from apples and is a good choice for fruity vinaigrette's. Balsamic vinegar, sweet, dark and aged in specially treated wooden casks, is one of the most sublime vinegars you can find. Another interesting choice, especially for Asian-flavored vinaigrette's, is rice vinegar, which is made from fermented rice. 

Baked Oatmeal

Do you need a new idea for breakfast?

We tried Baked Oatmeal, and it was a hit. Let us know what you think.

Baked Oatmeal

Gather the following

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 cups dry oatmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

cinnamon

In a large bowl, stir together oil, sugar, eggs, oatmeal, baking powder and salt. Add milk to mixture and mix well. Pour mixture into greased 9x9 inch glass pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until brown.

Dish up and add fruit. Yummy! We added blueberries and peaches.

Enjoy! 

Grapes

Grapes!

We picked grapes at Cain's Apple Orchard. It was fun and delicious at the same time. We loved the flavor of this grape, Van Buren grapes.

Jelly and Grape Juice

Yummy!

Fruit in the Garden

It is that time.

Yum!

We were blessed by receiving raspberry plants from my parents when we moved to Cameron. They have done very well. I make jam, fresh pie and raspberry shakes!

Taste of Summer

Do have a special raspberry treat you like?