Travel: The first weekend of August

Alright, I know I've been slacking on my posts but I've been spending some quality time with the family. Every weekend our goal is to do something new. Since we are having such a great time, I would like to share some of the places we've been. This weekend we headed to the White Mountains. We went to Diana's Baths. It was beautiful and fun. The kids liked going into the pools of mountain water. I thought the water would be warmer than the Maine ocean water but I was wrong. My kids are true Mainers so they are immune to such coldness.

To get to Diana's Baths, we had to walk for slightly over half a mile. The walk is pretty easy. I saw people pushing strollers into the park. There is a wooden bridge the kids loved walking over. We told them to be careful of the trolls but it didn't make them any less quiet. When we were close, we could hear the rushing water. There are several levels which we had to climb up but each level had pools of water. We talked the kids into going near the falls. 

If you want to see some small water falls and bath in some pools of mountain water, this is the place to go. Just remember, the water is cold.

I guess it's time for a hair cut!

We didn't have to pay to enter Diana's Baths but we did pick to pay for the closer parking which
only cost $3.00. 

There are the giant granite boulders which are common in New England. The giant rocks are one of the best things I love about New England. My sister and I would climb them when we were young. As an adult, I tend to go around them most of the time. What a great day!

Did you already know..................
-Diana's Baths are located in the White Mountains National Forest.
-Lucy Brook is the water source for Diana's Baths.
-In the Spring, the water falls will be at their peak due to the melting snow from Big Attitash Mountain.

Ravioli with Roasted Vegetables

You would think I'm trying to torture my children by making a dish with a lot of vegetables but they liked it. My husband thought we were torturing him though. He did eat the ravioli and some of the chard but nothing else. No eggplant for him. I tried cooking the ravioli by boiling then in a skillet and baking. I think the baking way is easier since I just added the ravioli with the roasted vegetables. The skillet way tends to give a nice crispness but it sticks easier to the pan. I'm going to use the baking method since I like the easier method plus less cleanup after.

Ravioli with roasted vegetables
3 medium zucchini, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 cup swiss chard
1 package frozen ravioli
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil for the ravioli.  
3. Arrange the zucchini, eggplant, onion, and garlic onto a baking sheet.  
4. Toss the vegetables with the oregano and the olive oil.
5.  Season with salt and pepper.   
6. Roast the vegetables for 15 minutes.
7. Cook the swiss chard and ravioli in the boiling water for 8 minutes.
8. Drain the water from the swiss chard and ravioli.
9. Turn the vegetables.
10.  Add the swiss chard and ravioli to the baking sheet. 
11. Bake the ravioli and vegetable for 15 minutes.
12. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and melted butter.
13. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris.

One year ago............................I made Lots of Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Two years ago..........................I made Bangers and Mash.

Did you already know............
-The small and medium zucchini has more flavor than the larger ones.
-Zucchini has more potassium than a banana.
Other names for zucchini are courgette, summer squash, green squash, and Italian squash.

Tri-berry Pancakes

Oh, I love berries. I love them so much that my husband was willing to go with me to pick some raspberry and blueberries. The kids elected to head to camp since they were going to the beach. I'm not saying I blamed them but when they arrived home they thought I was going to share my berries. (I did tell my husband this was the first time I actually made it home with 3 containers still full of berries.) I did reluctantly shared my berries and I mean reluctantly. Then I was nice and made tri-berry pancakes for supper. I even shared with my Mom and sister. My Mom and I were unsure how the combination would go with cherries but I loved them.

Tri-berry Pancakes
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/2 cup chopped cherries
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Whisk together the eggs and buttermilk in a large bowl. 
2. Whisk in the baking soda until combined.
3. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk until incorporated.
4. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla.
5. Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
6. Add a little oil to the pan and wait about 30 seconds.
7. Pour 1/2 cup of the batter into the frying pan. 
8. Top the pancakes in the pan with some of each berry. 
9. When bubbles form on top of the pancake, flip the pancake over.
10. Cook the pancake until the bottom is golden brown.
11. Use any remaining berries for topping. 

Recipe adapted from here.

One year ago.........................I made Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies.
Two years ago.......................I made Raspberry Cream Cheese Scones.

He is trying to make his teeth blue!

Did you already know............
-It is believed red raspberries originated from Turkey.
-Black raspberries are native to America.
-Black raspberries are different from blackberries.

Dill Salad Dressing

When we were in Vermont, our Aunt told us how she made a dill dipping sauce for seafood. The recipe was originally a salad dressing but she liked the taste and used it for seafood. I really should make homemade dressings more since this dressing came out great and I'm not a great fan of dill. The original recipe was equal parts mayonnaise with sour cream and some dill. I didn't want such a thick dressing so I changed it up. 

Dill Salad Dressing
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp dill
1 Tbsp onion, grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream.
2. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, dill, and onion.
3. Add the salt and pepper to desired taste.
4. Mix well.

Recipe by Jen of Sweet Morris and inspired by Aunt Donna.

One year ago......................I made Raspberry Ginger Ale.
Two years ago....................I made Raspberry Phyllo Cups.

Did you already know..........
-Dill belongs to the carrot family.
-Dill seeds are stronger in flavor than the dill leaves.
-In the Middle Ages, dill was used to ward off witchcraft.

Campfire Cinnamon Rolls

I'm sorry I've been gone. I know there was no excuse. We have returned from vacation. We stayed on the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont. It was beautiful. The kids went swimming, canoeing, and tubing. They ate marshmallows and ice cream. What a great time! Since we had a fire, I decided to try making orange infused cinnamon rolls. I covered most of the rolls and the inside was gooey. The kids didn't want me to change them. The ones I left the top part of the orange off were fluffy. I had to make one of the rolls without the top since the kids ate my orange. If I'm camping, I would make this easy recipe again.

Orange Infused Cinnamon Rolls (makes 8 rolls)
8 oranges
1 can of unbaked cinnamon rolls tub with frosting

Directions:

1. Cut the oranges in half. 
2. Scope out the orange to create a shell. (Eat the scooped out filling.)
3. Place one of the unbaked cinnamon rolls inside half an orange shell.
4. Place the other half of the orange shell on top.
5. Wrap with tin foil.
6. Place the orange wrapped cinnamon rolls onto hot embers of the campfire.
7. Allow the cinnamon rolls to cook for at least 13 minutes or until desired doneness. 
8. Top with the frosting inside the tube of cinnamon rolls.

Recipe adapted from The Kitchen.

One year ago................................I made NB Chocolate PB Bars.
Two years ago..............................I made Berry Lemonade.

Did you already know..................
-Lake Champlain was formed by glaciers during the Ice Age.
-In 1609, Explorer Samuel de Champlain stumbled upon Lake Champlain.
-Samuel de Champlain was the first European to map the Great Lakes.