The River

Here are some more snapshots of our vacation in Guerneville. Located 2 minutes from a perfect river beach, 20 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, with a State Park redwood forest on the outskirts of town, we spent a lot of time in nature.  I even bought a pair of Keens (gasp!). Going on this trip I had a little epiphany. I really like feeling as though I'm in the middle of nowhere. Every morning I would go outside and drink my coffee on the deck of our beautiful cabin  and enjoy the quiet.  All I could see was trees and the water, and one time a naked lady walking across her deck at the house across river.  The Russian River is so peaceful and lazy. The public beaches are a little chaotic, though wonderful for kids, but once on river either floating away in a big black inner tube or paddling in a canoe to a private riverbank picnic you just slow down, and it feels so good...

Lucky Bend Lookout, Guernville, CA

WHOOPIE! pies

Today's post comes from Jasper my almost 2nd grader.  Yesterday we made this treat together and he shot all the pictures (I snapped a couple of him). We used the iPhone with various VSCO filters. We talked about the different kids of pictures he'd need to get to tell a story. This is a fun summertime collaboration, because he gets to see how to do a post project from start to finish, he practices his writing skills, and we get to do it together. He picks the projects and writes about them, and here's what he has to say today:  

Whoopie Pies are made with marshmallow and two cookies. They are delicious. We made oatmeal cookies for our whoopie pies. My favorite part was when I got to eat them. My mommy will give you the recipe at the end. Have a good day!

Oatmeal Cookie Whoopie Pies
makes 12 pies (24 cookies)

To make our whoopie pies, I used a whoopie pie pan (available at Michael's craft store or Williams-Sonoma for under $20).  You could make them without a pan, just keep the cookie size consistent.  

Oatmeal Cookies (from McCann's Irish Oatmeal Box)

1 1/4 cups of softened butter (or margarine)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups AP Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
3 cups quick oats
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large mixing bowl combine butter and sugar until creamy, add egg and vanilla.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, add to the butter mixture, mix well.  Stir in quick oats, and raisins and walnuts).  

For whoopie pies drop rounded tablespoons of dough into each form in the pan.  Press until flush with the sides.  Bake for 10 minutes until golden and slightly soft.  Cool on a rack.  Meanwhile, cut marshmallows in half, lay on a piece of foil sticky side up and broil until slightly toasted and very soft.  Place marshmallow on to cookie, top side up, sandwich gently with second cookie, top side down.  Allow to set for a few minutes and enjoy!

Summertime Rolls

I'm feeling really lucky to not know what day it is right now... I have the summer with Adam home to take day trips to Guernville, to travel the Bohemian Highway, to figure out the endless maze of short cuts and country roads in western Sonoma county.  We've visited a handful of regional farmer's markets and today in Santa Rosa I found my flower lady.  She sells huge bouquets of zinnias in coffee cans for $5.50 (you get to keep the can).  We also picked up this crazy heirloom cauliflower, so beautiful I think I'll have a hard time eating it. Wanting to grow a bounty of our own we've been busy in our backyard trying to get our summer garden established, and today we hung cage lights from the renovated barn for a little ambiance.  I guess you could say I'm embracing my inner farm girl...
 

I Scream, You Scream

I've owned an electric ice cream maker for about 7 years and I've never turned the thing on. The reason it sits idle is that when it comes to making ice cream, we prefer to get our hands dirty.  My always creative mother-in-law decided to have her guests make their own ice cream using coffee cans at a party she hosted and now it's a summer time staple for our family. 
Here's how we do it:

Kick the Can Ice Cream

You'll need two clean coffee cans with lids (one big enough to hold the other).


Ingredients:

1 pint of half and half  
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp pudding mix
1 1/2 cups rock salt
2 cups ice

1. Mix together the first three ingredients.
2. Place the ice cream mixture in the smaller coffee can and seal with the lid on tightly.
3. Place the smaller can in the center of the larger can. Pour the ice and salt around the smaller can in layers.
4. Seal the larger can with its lid tightly (we use duct tape) and roll it around on a the sidewalk for about a half hour. This seems like a long time, take turns, kids can roll on the ground between each other.
5. Enjoy! You earned it.