Fish Tacos - not just for Lent!

From the "too-good-not-to-share" category! We adapted this most amazing recipe from allrecipes.com. Since we are too lazy to batter and fry our own fish, we pick up some fillets from the fish place and break them into taco-sized pieces. We also prefer flour tortillas to corn (most of us, anyway.) To save even more time, a bag of slaw mix from the grocery store is ideal for the topping, and is more colorful as well. Word to the wise: a full teaspoon of cayenne makes the sauce very, very spicy! For the more timid, a 1/4 teaspoon is plenty. Here's our amended recipe, with a link to the original below: 

Fish Tacos

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 lime, juiced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 teaspoon minced capers

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste

Fried Fish

Flour or corn tortillas

½ head of cabbage, chopped, or slaw mix

Chopped cilantro

Pico de Gallo, optional

In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise. Gradually stir in fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny. Season with jalapeno, capers, oregano, cumin, dill, and cayenne.

To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla and top with shredded cabbage and white sauce.

Top with cilantro and pico if desired.

Enjoy, friends!

Original recipe here.

Photo: courtesy allrecipes.com

Spring at Bernheim Forest

We pulled together a little family outing to nearby Bernheim Forest last week. It's one of our favorite places to visit and, considering that it's free during the week, we don't get there nearly often enough. Spring is just gorgeous there with all the blooming dogwoods, redbuds, pears and lilacs. Everything is blooming right now! We only had Jeff's phone for a camera, but it does a pretty decent job.

First we stopped at the Visitor's Center. Such a beautiful building to welcome visitors - look at the cafe area (with sunflower)! The kids put together some insect puzzles. Benjamin checked out the 3-D map of the forest, while Daddy inspected the "creek bed" aquarium.

 

Well, we came to hike, so we collected some maps and headed out to an "easy" trail. Ahem. Not sure who was classifying these, but they failed to take into account my fear of heights!! Aaaggh! Any of us could have fallen to our deaths in several places along the trail, but apparently moms are the only ones who think of these things... The kids had a blast and defied danger without a worry. The forest was so beautiful as we wound around, up and down, along the mostly-dry creek. Climbing down the rocks, we came into the creek itself and Jeff showed the kids how to find "critters". We found a salamander ("sammalander" as Molly says), a tiny snake, and a crayfish. Molly wasn't the slightest bit afraid of the snake. She's got her daddy's love for wildlife!

In between panicking on the trail and trying to catch my breath from all the climbing, I still managed to get a few pictures from the hike.

We could have spent the rest of the day turning over rocks and exploring the creek bed, but we had an appointment at the playground with some of the cousins.

Bernhein is building an enchanting children's garden in the play area, but most of it is still under construction. I can't wait to see how it will look when it's finished!

 

 

Everyone got so much exercise and good fresh air! There is much more to explore here, so we plan to return several times before the summer heat arrives to stay. For now, we're basking in the afterglow of pure springtime bliss...

 

Must-have For Science Study

I'm excited to have run across this cute, affordable microscope which would be perfect for the kids! It's less than $10 on amazon.com. Plus it has good reviews! Carson Microbrite Pocket Microsope

I've been thinking about a microscope for a long time but but didn't think we could afford a good one. Someday I might still like to invest in a bigger one. For now, I think this would meet our needs very well. I'm excited to have found a way to open up the tiny microscopic world to the kids (and me... science geek, anyone?) Hat tip to Jen who mentioned it here as part of a really great science post.

Bear With Me?

I am sorry that I've been out of the groove here for so long. My camera refuses to upload pictures and I am so depressed about it that I can't blog!

OK, kidding, sort of. We are moving, starting a business, and sorting out a host of other life challenges right now, so I am not as "present" anywhere as I'd like to be.

But I'm popping in here to dust off the cobwebs and do some housekeeping, so I can get back in business. Hope you are all having a lovely Fall!! See you all soon.

Summer Doin's

Dog days are getting nearer - what a scorcher this week! I have to say my camera has been on vacation lately, but I have a few shots from June that I can share. I so dislike posting without pictures!

In early June we traveled to Lexington to meet the newest cousins - twins Peter and Ethan. Oh, what rejoicing on their arrival! They are just beyond precious. Molly in particular was so taken with "the babies" that we have had to play "Peter and Ethan" with dolls and bears ever since. 

We are anxious to see them again for their baptism this month.

Naturally, outdoor activities are most popular lately. We are blessed with an amazing park system in Louisville, and have enjoyed visiting as many as possible. 

 

One of our favorites, Cherokee Park, is home to the wonderful Beargrass Creek, perfect for wading and exploring. The kids can watch minnows, gather shells, skip rocks, and whatever fun adventures come to mind. It's breathtakingly beautiful, and what a treat in the middle of the city...

 

 

 

 

Up the path, water cascades from limestone cliffs. It feels like an alternate world when you're here, a little bit of heaven! We had a gorgeous, breezy day - this was long before the heat wave hit.

 

 

Closer to home, bikes, balls and frisbees are favorites. The kids have a neighborhood friend now, so it's easy to get them outside to play. However, they have outgrown the kiddie pool and always want to go somewhere to swim! We have visited some of the "splash parks" in the city park system, but haven't found a pool to frequent, so far.

 

At the end of June, Brendan turned 9 years old! We had a little celebration at home, with a clown fish cake.

A few days later, Grandma took the kids (and Daddy) to the amazing Holiday World water park for the day. I had the whole day at home to myself... I may have had almost as much fun as the kids! It was the highlight of the summer for them - unfortunately, no pictures were taken. No matter. They still talk about it every day and look forward to visiting again someday (tomorrow, if they had their way!) 

Now we are looking forward to spending more time with family and friends in the coming weeks. We finally traded in our disintegrating van for a nice, reliable vehicle, so it's been a pleasure to get out and around more. After 4 years with no AC in our car, we are positively in heaven as we beat the heat on the road. It's truthfully at the top of my gratitude list right now! We'll be reuniting with our old playgroup this week, celebrating my brother's birthday with my family, and attending the twins' baptism next week. August will bring Molly's birthday and State Fair. Just the current events of a pleasant, busy summer, with lots of everyday life in between. More to come as the weeks unfold...

Star Struck!

Just got a comment from a blogging super-hero in my book! I have been reading Flower Patch Farmgirl for the longest time, and she never, ever fails to uplift and make me laugh, while being deeply inspiring at the same time. I know she will be a famous author one day. She came here and left a comment on my silly little space. Swoon...

Just for that I'm gonna send all my friends over to see her now! Really, go. You won't be sorry!

(photo credit)

I want one of these!

OK, two, if I'm being honest. What could be better than your own little fig tree in the back yard? Sounds like they're hardy, fast-growing and a good source of calcium. Yummy!