The Kitchen Window

The Kitchen Window
Antique Milk Bottles with Herbs and Flowers

Welcome!

Welcome to the Frog Hollow Farm blog! I've been blogging since January 2010 and have switched from Blogger to Word Press, but I'm back to Blogger because, for me, it's easier to use. My husband and I live on a little farm in Northwest New Jersey. We have some chickens and a very large vegetable garden with asparagus and raspberries, and rows and rows of sunflowers, snapdragons and zinnias. Traveling, entertaining, gardening, spending time with family, studying Italian, blogging and reading keep us busy and happy. With all of this going on, moving towards a simpler life seems almost impossible but it's definitely a daily goal.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Thinking of Spring

I'm sitting here multi-tasking as usual; looking out my window at the melting snow and patches of field and grass that are beginning to peek out as the sun warms the ground, gazing at the bright yellow tulips in front of me and making some delicious aperitivo for dinner.

Tonight's aperitivo includes fresh organic strawberries, juicy orange wedges, cucumbers marinated in white balsamic and mustard dressing and risotto cakes with homemade marinara sauce


For dinner we're having Farfalle Medie ai Funghi (Bow Ties with Mushrooms) from Viana LaPlace's Pasta Fresca cookbook and Artichoke Ragout with Garlic, Saffron and Orange Zest from a new cookbook my wonderful husband surprised me with on Sunday morning - New Flavors for Vegetables from Williams Sonoma.   

Still gaga over my bedroom makeover.  Susan and Pam are miracle workers! 

Caio Bella!

17 comments:

  1. The artichoke ragu sounds really delightful. I'm sure this ws a lovely meal.

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  2. Wonderfully expressed through words and a photograph as expected from my friend Ann Marie.
    Carol

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  3. Oh me! Oh my! Oh Mercy! ,-) I'm so glad you found my blog and left a comment. [Betcha' you found me babbling on Dear Jenny's Blog.]

    But anyway, what a heavenly place you live in. With a precious name... Frog Hollow Farm. An old stone farmhouse, originally built in the 1860's! Be still my heart! With the pond and the woods and...... Heavenly! I've been having great fun skipping around in your blog and loving it. [You may be new at this Pretty Blog Land business, but you are already a pro!

    I'm so happy for you, that you are really enjoying your retirement. And can't wait to come back and visit and see more of your blogging.

    Gentle hugs,
    'Aunt Amelia'

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  4. And thank you so much, for not making us do that *dreaded* Word Verification, in order to comment here! If by chance, you do find *&%^^%$# SPAM trying to sneak into your comments, please consider simply putting Comment Verification setting on. No more SPAM!

    My feeling is that we all read our comments. With Comment Verification setting On, I just happen to read my comments, on my Dashboard, before I Publish them. This way, I can discard SPAM. It never gets in my comments. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnd... I don't make my Dear Readers do that *dreaded* Word Verification thing. :-)

    Just a thought... And a thank you!

    Gentle hugs,
    'Aunt Amelia'

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  5. A sweet, sunny hello to you Aunt Amelia, I so appreciated your comments. Thanks for the guidance on comment moderation - I used to have the 'dreaded' word verification but noticed that many established blogs don't use it, and I felt it was kind of obnoxious (please don't be angry with me all you word verification bloggers!) I did go back into my settings and put 'Comment Verification' to the on setting. Ciao Bella!

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  6. Hello. Thank you for stopping by Amuse-bouche for Two. So glad to have found your blog. Roosters, tulips, risotto cakes...we have much in common. :)

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  7. Bella darling I am coming over for supper, this looks too delicious to pass. I'll bring tea and cake.

    Love & Hugs
    Duchess

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  8. Hi Ann Marie, This menu looks and sounds absolutely wonderful. How fabulous is this New Jersey weather! We are planning on leaving soon for another week so I was happy to be able to get back to blogging while I'm home for a couple days.
    Have a great evening
    xoxo
    Marie is still away in France, I'll arrange something when she returns. We will also be away for a week in April.

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  9. Sounds wonderful - enjoy your trip, glad you could fit in some blogging while you were home. It's really kind of addicting, isn't it???

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  10. I just found your BEAUTIFUL blog. Any blog with Farm in the name draws me. Hope you can come by for a visit to my farm.

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  11. Your blog looks so wonderful


    thanks for leaving such kind words about my Buddy

    it means alot to me....

    as soon as i can get it together i look forward to looking through your blog...it is beautiful

    Fondly,
    Kary
    xxx

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  12. Ann Marie, I love your blog! It's fun catching glimpses of your house, it's so charming. And the food. . . . YUM!:) I'm glad we 'found' one another in Blogville (and FB, too).

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  13. So glad to find your blog. Look forward to visiting again. Very nice.

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  14. Hi! Well, as I was scrolling down to leave a comment, I learned a thing or two on comment moderation! I'm not all that computer savy so I typically ignore my settings BUT I did turn off my word verification AND made sure that comment moderation was ON! Very helpful! ; )

    Thank you so much for stopping by! I always love to meet fellow farmhouse dwellers. Your old stone farmhouse is just beautiful. And your property with its pond, gardens and woods sounds absolutely heavenly. Now I'm off to read more! Trina

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  15. This all looks so wonderful. Your risotto cakes look especially fabulous. There are so many opportunities with vegetables. I keep finding myself using more and more vegetables and less and less meat. I'm sure this ended up being a very happy evening.

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  16. Sweet greetings Denise, yes, I'm glad you noticed that I have been trying to use less meat in my meals. My husband's cholesterol numbers were out of the ballpark so I needed to begin thinking about alternative meals. I'm actually liking the change quite a bit! Thanks for stopping by.

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