a Labor Day treat: yellow watermelon granita

Happy Labor Day, friends! Today we're celebrating the steamy end of summer with a cool, refreshing treat.

My parent's garden is overflowing with yellow watermelons. I love watermelons. The kind of love that's showcased by shoveling a half of a melon down in one sitting. Sadly, the rainy summer has made the watermelons more juicy then sweet. Delicious? Yes. But not quite as alluring as in year's past. So I've been finding other creative uses for the constant supply...watermelon smoothies, watermelon lemonade, watermelon ice cubes, watermelon popsicles.

And our new favorite: watermelon granita! Watermelon chunks pureed in a blender with a little lime juice and sugar. Just three ingredients. It's the perfect way to end a summer dinner. Or enjoy as a mid-afternoon refresher. Kind of a cross between refreshing water ice and a naturally flavored snow cone. If that makes no sense, then just believe me - it's gooood!

Click on over to the Pioneer Woman's Watermelon Granita recipe for the step-by-step details. And if you're looking to use your own yellow watermelon - I followed PW's recipe except I used a whole yellow watermelon (they tend to be a bit smaller than the standard gigantor melons you find in the store). I then strained the seeds out before I froze the mixture.

Savor the last day of summer, friends! Enjoy!

news from the book nook: classic summer reads

We're back from a perfect, unplugged vacation in the Green Mountains! Reading, exploring, eating, relaxing...all my favorite things on repeat for ten gorgeous days! Pictures to come soon!

Meanwhile, are you trying to squeeze in a few last minute summer reads before the craziness of fall begins? Looking for a breezy, light read for your upcoming Labor Day getaway? Although my vacation reading tote bag is usually filled with the latest in adult fiction, every summer I try to re-read at least one of my childhood favorites. Some years I choose to be swept away to Prince Edward Island with "Anne with an e" and her kindred spirits in L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. [Note: book links are affiliated links. Full disclosure here.] Last year my classic of choice was Gene Stratton-Porter's A Girl of the Limberlost (the perfect eco-read for a Vermont getaway), Or if I'm in the mood for old English and a little romance I pick up Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice .

This year I chose a modern classic, The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall. Truly an incredible example of children's lit at its finest. Bonus: there are two follow up books that are filled with even more hilarious and heartwarming summer adventures from the lovable Penderwick crew. Read it! 

Here's a few other children's "classics" I suggest you put on your end-of-summer reading list: 

The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord
Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner

The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! by Mo Willems

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald 

Hoot by Carl Hiasson
Hoot by Kate DiCamillo
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett (re-reading this one now!)

Pull up a deck chair, a cozy nook, or hammock and get reading! 

summer lovin'

Woah! July has slipped away and August has floated in on a wave of perfect weather! I've decided blogging in the summer is definitely not my gift. There's just too many other distractions..."sunny with a high of 75" summer days, evening walks, blackberry picking, jam making, shore trips, birthday celebrating, etc. etc. etc.

Let's play a little catch up! Here's a glimpse of some of the summery activities that have been occupying my days...

birthday lunch/appetizer/dinner dessert based on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate: wood-fired thin crust margarita pizza at Osteria in Philly. YUM! Followed up with lobster mac and cheese and coconut cream pie here. Watch the shows - prepare to drool.

 old barn love

 birthday part II: a hike at French Creek

 reflections in the beaver pond

 Mom's salmon cakes: this photo/the hubster's presentation does not do the delicious and flavorful cakes justice!

beauty

crazy clouds after a massive thunderstorm

easy summer meal: greek salad inspired wraps with a side of fruit

free Chick-fil-a milkshakes!! (thanks Janet!)

 crabbing at the shore with the fam

 somebody spooked the birds...

I'm a sucker for reflections...

hubster :)

precious sisters who took me out for a yummy brunch along the Delaware

mid laugh and loving it!

Hope your summer days have been as beautiful and blessed as mine! 

news from the book nook: new favorites

There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of a well-written children's book. I admit I judge heavily when it comes to picture books. When you've spent years of your life surrounded by piles of books, you know when an author is trying to hard or when a book just misses greatness. In my humble opinion, children must be able to relate to the book's events and characters. If relatability (spell check tells me that's not a word...I disagree) is absent, then it's not a children's book. End of story. Of course, engaging plots, gorgeous illustrations, funny dialog should also be present.  Here's a few newbies that meet my criteria - check them out and let me know what you think! [Note: book links are affiliated links. Full disclosure here.]

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
The story begins with a collection of letters left on Duncan's desk. Letters from his box of crayons. A funny, imaginative read complimented by simple, yet hilarious pictures of Duncan's crayons. The perfect book to ignite children's imaginations about what their crayons would tell them if they came alive. A wonderful springboard for early grade writing topics and letter writing activities (I've already dreamed up a handful of lessons...proof that my teacher brain is still alive and well!)

Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos, illustrated by Joy Ang
What happens when a baby is born with a mustache? More importantly, will that mustache be a good 'stache or an evil 'stache? Simple, silly, and filled with word puns. Great gift for those trendy mustache baby showers!

The Dark by Lemony Snickett, illustrated by Jon Klassen (Side note: if you haven't read Klassen's I Want My Hat Back, please RUN to the nearest library and check it out!)

If you read any of Lemony Snickett's books, then you'll know what I mean when I say this book is written in "true Lemony Snickett style." Quirky and a little dark (hehehe), but nothing over the top scary. And in the end, "the dark" was just trying to be a helpful friend to Laszlo.

Exclamation Mark by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Litchenheld
Another new favorite for teachers! A lovely picture book with a fun spin on grammar from the view of the punctuation. Read this book. Read it! Will you read it? (oh the joys of grammar... :)

Take advantage of these ridiculous hot days - curl up with a book in the AC. Happy reading!

squirreling away summer's bounty

It's been a busy little squirrel weekend in our abode. We've spent yesterday chopping strawberries for freezer jam, making watermelon and strawberry popsicles, and freezing blueberries and strawberries for smoothies, muffins, yogurts, or anything else that strikes my fancy in the dead of winter. No berry or fruit is safe from my freezer stocking spree! Even now, I'm impatiently waiting for the peaches on our counter to ripen.

It may be hot and steamy now, but in a few months fall will come and we will all be wishing for a taste of summer. There's nothing quite like defrosting a jar of white peach freezer jam to cure those wintertime blues. Learn from the squirrels and take advantage of the low in-season fruit and vegetable prices and start stocking your freezer!

Here's a few freezer tips:
- Wash and freeze berries whole on a rimmed cookie sheet then transfer into air tight containers
- Puree watermelon in the blender, strain through fine mesh strainer, then freezer in ice cube trays for use in lemonades
- Bake fruity muffins then transfer to freezer bags or air tight containers when cooled
- Double blueberry or strawberry pancake recipes and store in freezer bags separated by wax or parchment paper
- Make your own popsicles!
- Make pie or cobbler fillings then freeze in air tight containers. Defrost overnight, pop it in a ready made crust (or your own :) and you have a quick summery dessert for a chilly winter evening
- Triple (or if you're my mom make 18 loaves...) zucchini, blueberry or other sweet bread recipes and save the other two loaves for later

I could keep going, but I think you get my frugalish point. Buy and freeze more now, then when stores hike blueberry prices up to $4 a pint you can calmly stroll by, go home, and open up your freezer and dig out your perfect sun-ripen local berries that you bought for $1.24 a pint!

Happy squirreling friends!