The Green Apron

03/19/2024

Do I know anyone with a Field and Company OR a Smithey cast iron pan?

I want these things in a pan: non-stick, even heat distribution, can use metal utensils, NO TEFLON. I think cast iron is the only thing that can come close to having all these properties at once.

As far as cast iron, I want a SUPER smooth surface and I would prefer it to be on the lighter end of the spectrum. Also, I want it to be AT LEAST 12 inches, 14 would be better. And it has to have a regular long handle AND a helper handle opposite the long handle. Also, it would be nice if it was made in America.

Does anyone out there have a suggestion? I was going to get a Butter Pat Industries pan, but YETI bought them out last summer and 1)I hate YETI as a company, 2)they discontinued the Butter Pat pans (which makes me hate them more).

11/23/2023

Today, if all you can really think about or feel is grief and loss, that's OK.

If thankfulness is drowned out by the pain of searing loss, and you'd rather hide in bed than face the day, that's OK.

If you stand at the counter, stirring the filling of a pumpkin pie as big, fat tears roll down your cheeks and splash into the bowl, that's OK.

If that football game and turkey leg just isn't as good anymore, and you wonder what the point of it all is, that's OK.

Grief is OK, even on holidays. Maybe even THE MOST OK on holidays.

Take the time to grieve, Love. It's OK.

10/26/2023

Until the countertops and appliances come in, this is my make-shift kitchen. Today we had Chicken Ceasar Salads and applesauce for lunch, and for dinner I made a pork roast with carrots and potatoes in the pressure cooker. We also had grapes and pumpkin cookies from Aldi.

It was SUCH a relief to cook REAL food after roughly a week of eating out or cold sandwiches. Everyone was really happy to be eating home cooked meals again.

09/18/2023

The best fluffy pancake recipe I have ever tried. Just don't overmix the batter.

Look no further because a steaming stack of perfectly soft, Best Fluffy Pancakes are right here! Weekends will never be the same again!

09/12/2023

One of the really painful things about a mold infestation in your home is that it is recommended to leave EVRRYTHING behind, as if you had a house fire.

We cannot financially afford this, but we are getting rid of a great number of things in the areas affected the most by the mold. One of the areas is under my cookbook shelf in the corner of the kitchen. All my cookbooks have to go. I use a number of these regularly, and will slowly replace them. But it feels very wrong to throw away books. I am having a really hard time with it.

09/02/2023

And for tomorrow's torture. Lol About 6 bushels... but they were FREE!! Our city has an urban orchard that is open to the public to pick. This will be enough to feed our family applesauce, apple butter, apple pie, stewed apples, and many more apple dishes for the entire next year. Plus I'll be able to give some as gifts. What a blessing! Thank you, New Castle, Indiana.

08/08/2023

1 bushel of nectarines processed into jars this morning. I have one batch of cherry amaretto preserves to do up, then all the produce I have to put up for winter will be done for today.

07/17/2023

I've been keeping a little bit of a secret.... but this plate of Chimichuri Steak Bites with sautéed local yellow summer squash and roasted garlic and cheddar mashed potatoes is worth giving you all a sneak peak.

Everything on this plate is DELICIOUS. BUT that squash transported me right to my childhood summers. Almost made me cry, it was so good. It tasted like peace and sunshine and laughter and hot, prickly skin from pulling weeds. Like the way the ground smells after a good summer storm. Like the joy of throwing dirt clods at your annoying siblings and seeing them cry when it hits them in the eye.... then feeling bad. 😅

I wish you guys could taste it. And when the time is right, I'll tell you what I've been up to so you can experience this amazing food!

06/19/2023

Today I am cooking something that scares me. Lol I've eaten my fair share of fried calamari, but I've never made it myself. No one ever showed me how to shop for the right squid. I had to guess. No one showed me how to slice it correctly. I had to look that up with the google. No one told me what recipe to use. I just had to do my best!

Ive never done this before, but today that will change. I don't know if I'm doing it correctly, but I've done my research and now it's time to just do it! My dad always says, "Around here we learn by DOING."

I am a researcher. I am careful. I don't like walking through situations where I don't know what to expect. But it seems I am in a season of doing things that scare me. Lol Last week I was told I have stage 3 neuropathy due to toxic mold poisioning. It is still reversible, but will take at least a year to heal. the home we live in is the source of the mold, so Nolan and I decided to make the jump and BUY A HOUSE. For the first 24 hours after getting pre-approved I vassilated between thinking I was going to 🤢 hurl.... or cry😭😭. Oy! Nolan assured me we would be ok. 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Today I went and looked at houses all morning without Nolan because he had to work. Another new thing! Ack! Nolan was like, "I trust you to know if it's the right house." Umm, well. Ok, if you say so. I prayed all morning for discernment and wisdom from God.

Some of the houses were near my parent's house, so I called my dad to see if he wanted to come look with me. He said, "No, that's for you to do. You'll know. The house will give you a vibe." What a HIPPY!!! But Nolan's and my dad's confidence in me gave me a boost of confidence in myself.

There you have it folks. Do things that scare you. Dream big. Crave wonderful things for your life (and your stomach). Seek help when you don't have answers. Ask for supernatural wisdom for the unknown.

Learn by doing.

06/10/2023

I was talking to my 15 year old daughter today. I asked her if she felt like her summer was being wasted because we didn't go anywhere or do anything on this perfect Indiana day.

She said something pretty profound.

"Next week we will be busy. Next week is the beginning of a lot of busy weeks. So, right now we're charging."

We're charging. How simple and obvious.

You're not doing nothing. You. Are. Charging.