Isn't she funny?! She insisted on wearing this necklace for breakfast and then to work for the day...such a little girl. Estella also has a new love of climbing...my mom would say it's payback, but OMG all I do all day is remove her from the tops of tables and chairs - SCARY!
I was able to get in some crafting moments in the last two days and am very pleased! Such a better outcome than the Frumpy Fritter of my last post.
Well, gotta turn over the computer to the student...have a great week!
I won't carry on all about Estella, but let's just say she's amazing! I'm dreading the day she starts pushing me away when I smother her in hugs and kisses!
Today I thought it was going to be a cold, way-to-early-fall day, so I decided to spend the day cooking, baking, and making a mess in the kitchen. I made some yummy Raspberry Corn Muffins using agave nectar. I've never baked with it but it came highly recommended and the muffins were great! Not too sweet but not with the bitter taste that Rice Syrup sometimes leaves.
A friend from work gave me a recipe for a Veggie Burger, and they're so good that I have to pass it on:
Mash together:
12 oz tofu
2 cups (which is basically a can) black beans
3/4 cup oats
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion (I used less)
1/2 cup grated carrot (I used more)
1 tsp ginger (I used the Ginger Juice)
2 tsp soy
2 tsp brown sugar (I didn't use any sugar or replacement)
2 cloves crushed garlic
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
I mashed it all together with a potato masher. I used an egg ring to shape the burgers on plastic, so they would all be the same size...it made 8 burgers.
The original recipe recommended frying them on both sides and serving, but since I hate to make anything that requires lots of frying, I tried them a couple of ways. They came out fine either way, but my preference was just baking. I put the raw burger on an oiled cookie sheet and baked them for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, flipping them half way through.
They came out really well, and Estella even ate one for lunch, SUCCESS!
I also made some of Kristy's Spinach Nuggets. Hopefully she won't mind my sharing that recipe too! (I will note my variations in red)
2 - 10 oz packages of frozen spinach (fresh, cooked spinach is fine too) [I used about 15 oz spinach and 5 oz broccoli, that's what I had available]
2/3 cup bread crumbs [ I used 1/2 cup, and made my own b/c lots of store bought bread crumbs have high fructose corn syrup in them...SERIOUSLY]
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp butter or buttery spread, melted or softened
2 eggs beaten [I found that I needed another half an egg to make it stick]
Chop the spinach (while still frozen is easiest) and squeeze out the water, combine with the remaining ingredients. Make balls about the size of a golf ball [I made balls the size of a small bouncy ball, LIGHTLY coated them in a mixture of very fine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese], flatten them and put them on a well oiled cookie sheet.
Cook for about 12 minutes [mine took 15] at 375. The nuggets should be firm and browned on the bottom. 
I've made them the original way too, and they are equally as yummy, just a different texture and outside...mine are a bit more of a soft nugget. (And don't worry, the picture is pre-baking, they'll be more browned after cooking!) Making them the size that I did, made about 30 nuggets.
Well, that's my day so far and it's only 3:00! And, my hiding in the kitchen has resulted in a gorgeous day. As soon as Estella wakes up from her nap (Estella actually goes down for a nap now!!! Miracles happen!) I think we'll go enjoy the day. Besides, I've run out of recipes to try!
This past week, Chase (Walter's mom) was here visiting and we took a day trip to the Shelburne Museum. Of course, out of all of the exhibits, I liked the one modern exhibit the best!
Of course Estella loved the elephant parade in the circus exhibit. The rest of the pics are here.
Other than the museum, we mostly hung around and got in a couple of games of croquet (which further proved that I don't have an athletic bone in my body). It was really nice to have some company during my normally lonely days, and Estella certainly took advantage of the extra attention.I don't have any new craftiness to report, I'm in a slump in more ways than one and instead of being creative, I've opted for some blogging and wine drinking on the front porch...I may as well enjoy the weather and porch while I can...the wine's just an added bonus.
Maybe I'll have a creative, craft filled weekend, and my next post will be filled with all of my new, amazing work...
And some yummy blueberries! My Mom, Estella and I went (organic) blueberry picking at Blueberry Ridge in North Troy. This picture doesn't do justice to how blue and gorgeous the berries truly were. 
Estella treated the bushes like an all-you-can-eat blueberry buffet...she ended up in the Jogger so she wouldn't eat until she made herself sick...but not until we took some cute blueberry picking pics!
Estella and I also spent some time at my Dad and Carol's house, exploring their great gardens. They have so many gorgeous flowers, but my new fave is the Bee Balm. A very cool, almost Gothic looking flower, and it smells like an herb.
Estella had lots of fun smelling all of the flowers, and chasing the cats around.
It was a nice little getaway, and I'm happy to report that I picked up a happy and healthy Peanut on the way home...and she has much fresher breath too!
This is Corainne and her record player...I'm very pleased with her. I think it's the vintage material that I like so much about her and the fact that the record player came out well is also encouraging. Check out all the pics of her here. 
My little reader! I shouldn't complain, but she really is obsessed with reading! Luckily she'll spend a good portion of her time looking at books on her own and not just if some one's reading to her. 
I love that she loves to look at books, but if I read books to her all day long I'd never get anything done! Good thing for me I have most of them memorized and she'll sit next to me and look at the book while I recite the words. 
Estella has a new love.
She's very taken with this keyboard. The best part seems to be that it plays a demo and she gets to dance along. She really is after her daddy's heart with her new keyboard obsession. You can practically see the pride in his face over her love of music!
Which then moved on to the side table...
And just to prove I'm not a big liar...see, I have been working:
Not much else has been going on around here. Walter continues to work all of the time and Estella and I try to entertain ourselves with out spending any money or going anywhere. We (and by "we", I mean "me") are in panic mode over the upcoming heating season. Our estimated winter heating bill is more than twice as much as last year! I guess us three ladies will be loading on the sweaters this winter!! I hate stressing about money, but it just seems to be one of those things that begs you to stress over it...however, it's only July, so I'll try to put the stress aside for another month or so.
