A Simple, Practical Dinner Gift Basket

Some friends of ours are in the middle of a stressful move, and to add a little support, we made a simple dinner basket up for them. I think this would be a great gift for a new mom, if someone has family in the hospital or just needs a bit of lovin'.

I just layered spinach salad (heaviest ingredients at the bottom!) in a large mason jar, added a pretty loaf of bread and some poppy seed dressing on the side and popped it into a basket. Simple, beautiful and helpful. I'll definitely do this again!

Ingredients, in order from bottom up:
Mushrooms, sliced
Grape Tomatoes, whole
Grated Cheddar
Hard boiled Egg (one and a half), sliced
Bacon, diced
Lots of baby spinach

Will keep in the refrigerator for 2-5 days depending on how fresh the ingredients are.

Easy Wholesome Dinner for a Busy Day!

Time to share my go-to simple, healthy dinner with you. I make it on a hot day or when I'm super tired. Brie, crackers, fruit and nuts. Wholesome, pretty and delish!

 I slice my Brie in half and fill it with jam/jelly or pesto, then heat it in the toaster oven or microwave until it's warm and melty. Before Daniel liked Brie, I would add in whatever other cheese we had in fridge so he'd have some protein.

Yummy cracker assortment with dried fruit (raisins this time) and nuts in shot glasses. And mixed berries to round it out. Once in a while I'll scrap the dried fruit and nuts and make berries with yogurt and granola instead.

Enjoy a night off from cooking while your family scarfs nutritious food!

Wishful Gardener

I have been mourning the loss of my rhubarb plant at the end of this terrible growing season. Well...it's not dead, but it didn't produce anything either! I am still waiting until the soil is dry-ish to harvest my tiny carrot crop *sigh*.

But....I have been inspired! I stumbled along Cubit's, a lovely Etsy shop, just full of the most gorgeous seeds.  As soon as I live in a home with real sun and a real garden, I am going to place a big order! This coming Spring I will definitely try one new thing as well. She even has Purple Dragon Carrots! What kid could resist those???? This makes me think it's time to conquer my shady garden and almost black thumb.

I was drooling over her Rainbow Chard when I saw white squash, purple tomatillos, chocolate peppers and watermelon radishes. And most everything is organic.

I am thinking of putting a few seeds in my own stocking and thought someone else might want to do the same!