Summerfest 2011…

is coming.

Yep, the signs are positively everywhere…

Roustabouts putting up there rides…

then testing them out.

Bleachers being set up to get a better view of the parade…

or watching those who are perfectly happy to watch everything from the ground level set up “camp.”

One the best signs that our favorite event–Summerfest– is coming soon is..

the official “claiming of a half city block” in the name of two sisters, 1 brother and all their kids.

I know, I know…it starts on Saturday and we have our blankets down on Thursday morning. It may seem early to you, but we do what we must to make sure nobody…I mean nobody–takes our special spot.

So if you go out on Saturday, and you see us, be sure to say hi. I promise, rain, sleet, snow or sunshine…

we’ll be there–so stay tuned!

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Nature’s Bounty

One of the most amazing things—for me–about summer,  is that around just about every corner, we are blessed with fruit and vegetable stands. So on the off chance that the gardens don’t do so well, we can always run down the street and grab a bushel of tomatoes to can…or pears, or peaches, or apples. This one is about a block away from our house.

But if you want a slightly different experience, you pack up the kids and head on over to the local Farmer’s Market. This one at our Thanksgiving Point often has more things than produce–but it’s always an adventure. Jewelry, wood work, furniture and even clothing were all over the place–mixed in with the fruits and veggies.

The little gal chose a hand carved wooden spoon for her treasure.

I was drawn to the peaches, apples and real, live local honey butter. Yum is just not a big enough word.

We gobbled up a loaf of banana bread from this gal and then went back for more. I tried to pretend we weren’t the same people who had just been there…I thought maybe a foreign accent would help…but she totally caught on. So we bought two more loaves.

Hey, they were small, ok?

While we nibbled on the banana bread the sky started looking a bit strange…

and dark…

and rainy…

and cold.

As it started pelting down, we hightailed it to the car asap with our bounty so we didn’t get soaked. I mean seriously, who wants to drive all the way home in sopping wet, sticky clothes? Nobody–that’s who!

Ummm…wait.

Oh, never mind.

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Baby Peach Love

We found this treasure, smuggled from the big box from Farmer’s Market. Some little soul had hidden it away with the toys, before nap time.


One would think that there just isn’t anything more scrumptious than a juicy, tree-ripened peach…

and dang…

they’d be right.

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Fresh Peach Popsicles Recipe

Can’t think of much that beats a fresh, juicy peach. We have, however, come up with a close second with this lovely little Peach Smoothie on a stick. Cold, crisp, and slow to drip–as if it would ever have the chance!

Ingredients:

8 fresh peaches–peeled, pitted and cut up

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup Peach Jello powder

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Dissolve Jello powder in hot water–completely. Place all ingredients in the blender and whirl until smooth.

Pour into popsicle molds.

Freeze for at least 4 hours–overnight works great.

Feed to the popsicle wolves.

Or share with someone you love.

Either way–we know you’ll love them!

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*Because you asked…

Click HERE for Shooting Star Popsicle Mold info!

Click HERE for Rocket Pop Popsicle Mold info!

Click HERE for Norepro Ice Pop Maker info!

 

Fresh Peach Popsicles Recipe
 
:
Ingredients
  • 8 fresh peaches--peeled, pitted and cut up
  • 1 cup hot water
  • ½ cup Peach Jello powder
  • ½ cup milk
Instructions
  1. Dissolve Jello powder in hot water--completely. Place all ingredients in the blender and whirl until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze 4 hours or overninght.

Trippy Food–Prairie Style

Remember last year’s Trippy Food–NYC Style? Well, this is the travel food prairie version.

Seemed like after driving on the lone highway, dry and dusty for miles and miles–we couldn’t help ourselves.  Whenever we saw an ice cream place the car automatically just swerved in…

all by it’s self.

Ok, I found a picture of one piece of the Asiago Bread from the Farmer’s Market…

and one teensy weensy corner of the Streusel Cake to show you. Neither of them lasted very long.

Of course the Peanut Spread and the Blueberry jam are like some kind of food of the Gods.

Yeah, so I checked and they DO eat them on Mt. Olympus. So there.

Ever heard of Taco Joe’s? Wunderbar. The thing on the right is a crunchy taco wrapped in a cheesy flour tortilla and then grilled like a burrito. I know–kind of a brain twist. But it was so good. And the crunchy taters came with everything. I’m all about crunch.

Wasn’t kidding about the ice cream stuff. I don’t even know where this was, but heck, it’s ice cream–how could you go wrong?

This was actually complimentary breakfast at the Holiday Inn where we stayed–cheese omelets and biscuits. Lovely.

Dairy Queen should really be in some hall of fame somewhere because it’s the absolute best ice cream in the kingdom. {sigh}

Very, yummy…very cinnamony cinnamon roll also from the hotel breakfast.

Twist cone…no words are needed.

Chicken Alfredo from a Roadside Steakhouse in South Dakota. Look at all that cheese. Dang.

Nothing beats the homemade roast beef and potatoes we whipped up on Sunday from our own little hotel room.

I heard that.

Oh, yes we did.

When you need the comfort and the taste of home doesn’t everyone call Pizza Hut? Hmmmm?  I’d like to just pluck that little piece on the left right through the computer screen.

I think I’ve figured out why they need all the trains around there. It’s for the busloads of ice cream that my family can eat in 5 days. It’s a disorder…

probably won’t be fixing it.

Roadside Steakhouse, SD. Three cheers for any joint that will whip up a grilled cheese for a two-year-old at a moment’s notice…

and bring out ribs like these on the same tray. One fell out of my slippery fingers and I swear I nearly cracked my head on the table trying to get it back.

No, I didn’t eat it…but I cried about it.

At the tail end McDonald’s really hit the spot. Really. Hey, I sincerely like McDonalds…nearly everyone can find something they love.

Thank Heavens somebody figured out the idea of food for us humans to eat.

It’s such a good idea.