kale chips

I have to credit JP and Meghan for introducing us to this simple yummy treat. 

Kale Chips 
some kale, washed and de-ribbed, torn to same-size pieces
olive oil
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, convection.  Pour a little olive oil in a bowl with some salt and pepper.  Place kale pieces on a cookie sheet making sure they don't touch each other.  Brush each kale piece, both sides with oil/salt/pepper mix.  Turn oven down to 300 degrees.  Pop in the oven for about 15 minutes.  (They taught me to broil, but this has ensured no burnt kale, which is bitter!)  So incredible.

This year, to encourage more eating of kale chips and less buying of kale, I planted some in the front yard.  Portland loves greens.  The varieties I tested were Chinese Kale and Tuscan Kale.  The Tuscan was by far the heartiest, and it grows in perfect sizes that don't need to be torn or de-ribbed!  Perfect!  Plus, it's a cut-and-come-again variety, so the plant just keeps giving.  We can't get enough...

snap peas

Although we had a tough spring (i.e., no sun), we have enjoyed a nice harvest of snap peas. 

Here are the snap peas, from humble beginnings to this weekend:

Weeks after Dean helped me plant the seeds into the ground, they were up and running.  The little row in the center left is an attempt of mine to pack a stir fry mix of greens in between the rows of snap peas.  There is also a spring mix to the right that never took - which didn't really matter, as the entire space was to be consumed by snap peas and weeds, so it was impossible to pick out any of the stir fry mix. 

Snap peas have arrived!  They didn't seem at all disturbed by the lack of sun.  A good Portland crop.

Overflowing with bounty.  Next year, I'll make sure my favorite architect designs the structural system.  Bamboo and fishing line was kind of weak.  But, it worked.

We all love to pick them and eat them!

Tulips!

This year, we are enjoying 200 tulips in the front yard. 
Yay, spring!
    

good day sunshine

I hardly write when I'm not pensive, so I thought it was time for a snapshot of happy.  Though my heart is still a little heavy from this week, today was a rare beautiful sunny day with the promise of spring - summer, even - an anomaly for March in Portland.  It was so pleasant and warm, and the kids had fun playing in the dirt as we worked in our garden. 

Matthew and I finally tackled what we call "the mound" - a large planting bed out front - with river rock, boulders, and more plants.  The yard is alive: our cherry blossoms resemble popped corn, and the daffodils and candy tufts reach toward the sun, stretching and growing and multiplying, with 200(!) tulips on the verge of painting the entire front a deep crimson.  The celebration of spring is a welcome and much needed distraction.