Sunday morning is crazy busy every week. No exception. Cooking extra for the week lunches and making a Sunday dinner helps weekdays go by smoother. Fitting everything else that I would like to get done before going back to work is what makes the day feel crazy. The local farmer's market Saturday was a hit. Variegated bamboo plants around 4 feet tall, bushy Rose of Sharon shrubs with lavender flower buds, and ground covering wild red roses were among my great discoveries now sitting next to my greenhouse, ready to be planted. A grower, supplying nearby nurseries, sells at the farmer's market near my home in Port Orchard, WA. The plants were being sold at really low prices compared to what I have seen at the local nurseries and this gentleman's plants were beautiful, healthy, and full. I have been looking for plants to create a privacy wall with a variety of texture and colors. The bamboo may be a little worrisome because this variegated variety likes to spread. Building a strong root border in the ground will be a must.The picture above is dinner for Sunday night: Hawaiian chili. The ingredients include fresh pineapple, chunks of pork loin, red bell peppers, carrots, celery, white kidney beans, a couple of hot peppers, cumin seasoning, different pepper spice seasonings, and fresh ginger. I will post the recipe and more pictures later this week. The flavors have a little kick to begin with but mellow the next day. I add shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and sour cream to the top when serving. The chili may sound unusual but the flavor combination is delicious and filling. The recipe makes enough to set aside extra to freeze for another evening.
The Sweet Melissa Sunday pick of Mom's Apple Banana bread by Joy of Hot oven, Warm Heart
was such a nice choice to be baking first thing in the morning. What a great accompaniment to breakfast! Sauteing apples in butter, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla immediately set the mood for the morning. The aroma was soothing and everyone waited with anticipation for the oven to open and the apple banana bread to be declared ready for slicing. I think this is the first recipe in a long time that I did not fiddle with the ingredients in some way.
I was busy slicing up fruit for breakfast along with ingredients for the Hawaiian chili so including a few apples for cubing was nothing at all. The dark brown sugar was a nice added touch and I added a bit more cinnamon then Melissa called for in the recipe.
Fresh oranges are essential in my kitchen because I take orange slices and add them on top of ice cubes in a pitcher, let the ice cubes melt, and everyone enjoys fresh orange water with breakfast.
I had to add a picture of my fun egg selection. I think I
have mentioned before how I get eggs from my sister's neighbor. She has an assortment of hens so the eggs are different colors and sizes. You never know if a double yolked egg will pop out from the next egg cracked open. Kind of like an egg lottery =D.If you would like to get the recipe and do not have Sweet Melissa's cookbook, Joy from Hot Oven, Warm Heart will have the recipe posted on her blog this week. Thank you Joy for such a wonderful and warming selection for the week!