Last night our internet was down so I couldn’t post. I’m making up for it today with a catch-up on the week’s food. I could just say I’m thankful for food, but I am especially grateful for good food: food that has been grown organically, or prepared with care, or is extra tasty or nutritious, or comes from my own garden. This popcorn doesn’t come from the garden, but is organic, and was extra tasty. I craved kettle corn, a delicacy which I was introduced to late in life so haven’t had much of. And where am I gonna get it after dark around here except my own kitchen?

I’ve tried it just a few times, popping as usual on the stovetop, tossing with melted butter, salt and brown sugar, but the salt and sugar always fall to the bottom. A few nights ago, I made it and thought to melt the brown sugar in with the butter in ‘the right tool for the job,’ this beautiful and functional Dansk butter melter. It worked great! I just had to make sure to take it off the heat before it caramelized, and have the popcorn ready shortly after. So simple, so delicious!

The next day, something a little more healthy, red beans without the rice. I used these wonderful heirloom beans from Rancho Gordo, and modified a vegetarian red bean recipe from the same site with a little bit of smoked paprika, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard.

And tonight’s snack, fresh snow peas from the garden, sweet potato noodles, with a Thai peanut sauce from Mike Hultquist at Chili Pepper Madness. Making great use of that last quarter cup of peanut butter in the jar, and cleaning out the jar at the same time. I’m grateful for good food.

I’m not the only one eating well around here! The phoebes continue to spill out of their nest with all the growing they’re doing, from all the bugs that the garden provides. There are still four chicks, as far as I can tell. I’m trying not to pester them too much so only taking a few shots each day. Below, mama delivers a fat grasshopper…

… and then she cleans up! What an amazing system they have: not every time, but often enough after she feeds a chick it turns around and pops out a clean white pellet for her to catch and carry away.