I don’t know about you, but I am not the biggest fan of Valentine’s Day. I’d like to be, really, I would. There’s SO much pressure, and frankly, why only celebrate love one day a year?! Don’t even get me started on all the chintzy crap that comes along with the day. Sound jaded? You bet your sweet patootie I am. I don’t want to settle for mass-produced junk, and you dear reader, shouldn’t have to either.

I can hear you now, asking what the alternatives are!

Don’t you worry, I have you covered!  All this week, I’ll be setting you up with recipes, crafts, and cocktails that will make your sweetie swoon, but won’t break the bank. Sounds good, right?? Read on!

Here you have it, a week of love with Make, Mend, Grow!

Monday: Sugar Scrub (see below!)
Tuesday: Slow Cooker Meatballs with Balsamic Reduction
Wednesday: Modern French 75
Thursday: The Gifts that keep giving-good gifts you’d actually like to get (you know, in case you really need a hail-Mary!)
Friday: Up-cycled Cards!
Saturday: Kids craft-sun catchers
Sunday: A sweet adventure!

Phew, that’s quite the line-up, isn’t it? Sounds pretty awesome, right? Let’s get started with that sugar scrub.

Do you need a quick gift that comes together quickly and doesn’t cost much? This is it. Seriously, this scrub comes together in less than 5 minutes, and costs less than $10. Plus, if you can make it in large quantities for holiday gifts! How could you not feel lovely with this!

This one is a bit of a cheat post, and I am pulling on a post that I wrote a few months back, and darnit, I am all about recycling here at Make, Mend Grow! Check out my post for that scrub here, and let me know what you think!

Come back tomorrow for another post to woo your love!
Raina

Well, hello dear reader! Welcome to 2016!

We’re already part way through February and it’s been a busy 2016 already. I’m excited for the year ahead and all that comes with a new year! How about you? Before I get to all of the new year activities, let’s look at all that 2015 brought!

My biggest goal for 2015 was to eat more, and explore the world through food. I accomplished that goal (weight be damned). We traveled as well, to Kansas and we also hit the road to camp, and to explore. Kiddo aced her feeding issues, and we prepped for her last surgery. 2015 fed my soul and challenged my mind with new garden beds, becoming a certified Master Composter and Soil Builder (what, what!), and taking courses on herbalism, and teaching gardening and composting to children. It brought another year as President with South Park Arts, and all the fun events that came with that organization. I celebrated another year at my company, went through the transition of being bought out by a new company, and was even able to take back a program I used to manage. It was a year of growth professionally and personally and I am happy with all I accomplished.

2015 wasn’t all about me; oh no!  It was a big year for Izzy too! When the year started, we had specialists coming to the house weekly and then monthly to help us wean her off of the g-tube and to teach her how to eat on her own. 2015 also included numerous trips to Seattle Children’s, to make sure she stayed in great health and that she stayed well above her developmental targets (and boy, did she). We accomplished our huge goal of getting her to eat on her own thanks to the hard work of so many specialists and the support of her daddy and our family. She moved out of my bed, and into her own room and we mastered potty training. When I look back on all that she accomplished, I am blown away by how strong and resilient she is, and how willing she is to learn and change. This child is truly amazing, and I am so, so lucky to have her. I am happy to say that she rocked her g-tube removal and the surgery this past month went very well! It’s been so lovely to have that chapter of our lives closed.

On to the new year!  I love a new year; the excitement, the potential, the new goals! 2016 is about taking care of things; that old to do list, the myriad of home improvement projects, myself. I have a list of things a mile long, but I am slowly ticking them off, one by one. The year started out with braces (which are SO much more expensive for adults!), and bids on a new roof and chimney repair (for $32K-ouch). We’ll be rebuilding the chicken coop, and building up the garden beds. I want 2016 to be the year that the old projects are handled, to make room for the new (new studio in the back yard would be lovely for 2017!). I continue to map out road and camping trips and am exciting to bring Izzy to Yellowstone and on her first backpacking trip as well.

I won’t lie, 2015 felt like the year of just keeping up. I did great at work, but at home…it felt like there just wasn’t enough time to get to the crafts and the adventures that I wanted to. While I accomplished some pretty amazing things, I definitely took on too much and didn’t take the time to plan it all out. I’ll be glad to see that change as I minimize what all I take on, continue to map out goals, and actually taking the time to write-up the steps involved, so it’s attainable. To help support that, I’ll be hiring out quite a few projects, instead of attempting to do it myself.

So there you are-2016 is the year of getting things done, but not all the things this time, and with help. I feel good about that 🙂

Speaking of getting things done, I never posted my winter/Christmas pictures with you all, so please keep scrolling and see how much fun we had! Bam-two things accomplished with one post!! As always, thank you for sticking with me another year, keeping up with all things crafty, food-related and Izzy-ful. I am so grateful for each of you. What will 2016 bring you?

Yours in happiness,

Raina

I love wild game, and any chance I can get to cook with it, I take! I was excited to work with Marx Foods and come up with some fun recipes using their New Zealand venison.

A little on Marx Foods-you know how I love working with local businesses; Marx Foods is based here in Seattle, and supplies top rated foods that they test before offering. You’re not going to get stuck with something that isn’t amazing. There’s a brick and mortar shop just over in Queen Anne, but there’s a world of delicious items to be found on their site. I also love the idea of choosing foods that are sustainable, well-raised, and do not contain added hormones, or antibiotics. The Cervena venison from Silver Fern Farms fits that bill and is lean, delicious, and easy to work with. It’s a great alternative to beef, and has a lovely game flavor, that isn’t overwhelming. My belly? Happy.

I tried the 8-Rib Frenched Rack and the venison leg medallions– one pack was enough for a dinner party and a Sea Hawks party. Are you ready to see how to put together two easy meals? Read on!

First up was my dinner party meal, Grilled Venison Medallions with Gin Sauce.

Most people don’t automatically think gin when cooking game, but when you think about it, it makes sense. It’s earthy, warm, and the juniper berries pair well with the gaminess, but also cuts through it, making an excellent pairing. There’s not a ton of it in this recipe, so it just adds a little something tasty in the background. When grilling your medallions, each pack is about 2 lbs.

To start, make your Gin Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp onion, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 c gin, I used Hendricks (use 1/8 tsp juniper berries and a small sprig of rosemary, if you don’t want to use gin)
16 ounces stock, we used a combination of duck and turkey stock that we made from leftover bones. If you use store-bought, please cook longer and make a roux, as ours had a high gelatin content.
Pinch each, salt and pepper

Saute your garlic and onions until starting to brown, which should take approximately 5 minutes. Deglaze with the gin and simmer, 2-3 minutes. Add your stock and reduce by 3/4, or until you have a thickened version of your original liquid.

For the medallions:
I went simple here. I sprinkled on salt and pepper and grilled quickly for 2-3 minutes on each side. A note: Venison is super lean, so it can dry out quickly. You don’t need to cook it long, so a good sear will go a long way. Game meat is really best served rare, or a light medium rare to retain the texture and keep it from getting dry. One you remove from the grill, let that meat rest! The juices will redistribute through the meat, making it even more lovely. You can wait 10 minutes, right? I know, I know…that sauce is smelling amazing.

Drizzle the sauce over your medallions and serve. It’s really that easy and comes together in less than an hour. The sauce cooks itself, too, which makes this an easy to make weeknight recipe! I love these paired up with shredded Brussels sprouts, sauteed with bacon and garlic until tender, another simple recipe.

I should also note, that my daughter, who is a toddler with a g-tube and who thinks all meat (except for bacon) is gross, LOVED the medallions. Seriously guys. This dish was a winner to a toddler. If that isn’t an endorsement, I don’t know what is!

Next up was my football favorite, Venison Ribs with Whiskey Stout Barbecue Sauce!

A lot of people think about treating this like a roast, I wanted bigger,juicy and a little saucy. I saw the ribs and didn’t want to separate them, I wanted big, juicy, tender ribs.  The secret to this one was to brine the rack overnight to help retain moisture, so that I’d be left with a tender, meaty rib that would fall off of the bone. The sauce is smokey and rich, and adds a little heft to this lean meat. You won’t miss your normal ribs one bit! Messy? Yes. Amazing? So, so yes!

Let’s start with a simple brine:
Pour 3/4 c salt and 3/4 c honey in a heavy bottom pot and add 1/2 gallon of water, over medium heat until all ingredients dissolve. Let the mixture cool completely.  Once cooled, submerge your ribs for 12 hours, or overnight in the fridge. The next morning, pull them out of the brine, and give a quick rinse and pat them dry. Set them aside to come to room temperature. The nice thing about the brine is that it gives you time to make your barbecue sauce in advance! I love meals that you can do in pieces.

Whiskey Stout Barbecue Sauce
1/2 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
16 ounces dark beer-I would use a stout or a smokey porter
5 Tbsp tomato paste
1 hearty pinch of salt
2 pinches pepper
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 shot whiskey, I used Woodford Reserve bourbon
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/4 Tbsp smoked paprika
1/8 c honey
1/2 Tbsp molasses

Saute your onions and garlic until lightly brown, and deglaze with the beer and stir, bringing to a boil. Add the rest of your ingredients, until you get to the honey and molasses. Simmer until reduced by half, about 20-25 minutes, and add your molasses and add your honey and molasses, continue to stir, to allow these last two ingredients to combine. Continue to simmer until your sauce is a consistency you like-I like a good, thick sauce, so I cooked the sauce for another 15 minutes.

Line a glass pan with enough tinfoil to make a pouch for those lovely ribs. I put some sliced onions down as a first layer to add moisture, flavor, and to keep my ribs from cooking too much. Lay the rack of ribs down on top of the onions and slather your sauce on the top. Flip over and repeat. Save some of the sauce for drizzling over your ribs when you serve. From here, close your tin foil, and place in a 250 degree oven for 2 hours. You want slow cooking on this to really let the sauce and the venison to cook together. Two hours later, pull them out and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice into sections and enjoy! These ribs pair well with my crock pot apple sauce, made with cinnamon, brown sugar and a little apple brandy. To make this, take 4 large apples, core, and chop into chunks. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup of apple brandy (I used Calvados). Add all the ingredients to your crock pot, and cook on low overnight.

Again, I really enjoyed working with the venison from Marx Foods and can’t wait to eat my way through the rest of their online store!  What would you make with venison? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear about what you’re making!!

To great food,
Raina
**Standard disclaimer, blogging helps to pay the bills. I promise to only showcase foods and goods that I trust!**

Hello, there!

Lately, we’re squeezing every ounce of sunlight and fun out of every day, and have been so lucky to get on the road again. October and early November brought cooler weather and cabin camping with friends in North and Southern Washington. First was Battleground State Park, for a (mostly) girls camp trip with my mom, Izzy, my best friend and her family. It was three cabins, 4 adults and 3 kids and (happily) enough beer to make the fall chill go away. The trip wrapped up with antiquing, and finding an awesome embroidered quilt. I think this is one of my favorite ways to wrap up a trip: bringing home a little something to decorate the house, but remind me of my adventure.

The most recent trip was at Rasar State Park with Izzy, Nick and another couple and their kiddo. We played cards, games, watched movies and relaxed on both trips, and it felt so good to get out into nature.

On both trips, the girls hunted down fairies and played as much as their energy and the rain would allow. Us adults hung out by the fire, playing games, or at the table talking well into the night. It was good for all of us for relaxation.

This time of year makes me so happy-it’s cool, but not too cold and the constant rain hasn’t set in fully, allowing us to adventure as much as possible. As winter approaches, I am so glad that we took the time to get away and recharge.

Where will fall and winter bring you?

Yours in travel,
Raina

One of my favorite parts of summer is getting together with friends and making fun, easy food to enjoy.  The downside is that in summer, it’s so hot, and I need something that comes together quickly, tastes like I have been cooking it for hours, but doesn’t heat up my house.  Enter Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken turned into my delicious Basque Chicken recipe. It’s one of those recipes that with a little prep, a little optional marinating, and some easy to find spices, you have a great meal that is a people pleaser!
Please note, this is a sponsored post from Foster Farms, but all of the opinions and the recipe are all mine.Let’s talk more about Foster Farms and why I chose to use their products. They are family owned since 1939 and are local to Washington, Oregon and California. A company that has been around this long is doing something right, guys. I also like that my food comes from the same region I am in: the closer your food, the less impact on the environment.  Importantly, they are American Humane Certified. I buy this chicken because they do not add hormones, steroids, preservatives, antibiotics, or sodium. I don’t want those things in the food I eat, and I bet you don’t either! They also have organic options that are more than affordable, and they are easily found at most big grocers and Costco (and who doesn’t love Costco!?).

Now that you know which chicken to pick up, let’s get down to this recipe!

Like I said earlier, I love to cook and I love to make a meal that tastes like I was cooking for hours, but I want to avoid heating up my house. The secret to doing that is using big flavors, prepping everything in advance and cooking it all together quickly! What I love about this dish is that I can do most of the cooking in the morning, and then finish it in 20 minutes before dinner. Most of the cooking can also be done on the grill in my backyard then finished inside. It’s a versatile dish that comes together so easily!

Basque Chicken
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinating time (if you choose): 1 hour to overnight
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients:
2 lbs Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken thighs
2 lbs Foster Farms Simply Raised chicken breasts with bones removed and set aside for stock, or just use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, and chop into large chunks.
2 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow onion, sliced
4-5 cloves of garlic sliced
5 ounces green olives, pits removed
5 ounces Spanish chorizo (Spanish chorizo is the harder version, versus the soft Mexican chorizo), sliced up into half moons, or bite sized pieces
1 pint container grape tomatoes
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Dry Sherry wine
2 Tbsp Sherry vinegar
3 sprigs Oregano
2 tsp salt, separated
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp fresh ground pepper

The Method:
By prepping all of your ingredients, you can cut down the amount of time in the kitchen. I used a heavy bottomed Dutch oven, with can be used on the grill’s side burner.

Heat the oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high, until the oil is shimmering, and then add your chorizo. The goal is to get out some of the fat and flavor for your other parts of your dish. Sauté it until the chorizo is a little crispy, about 2 minutes. Then remove the chorizo and set aside.

Use the oil left in the pan, now flavored by the chorizo, to sauté your onions and cook until they just start to turn brown. Then add your bell peppers, garlic, oregano sprigs, pepper and 1 tsp salt. Cook until the peppers start to get a little soft. Remove the veggies and set aside with the chorizo.

Let your pan heat back up. If there’s no oil left in the pan add enough olive oil to lightly coat the pan. Season the chicken with the smoked paprika and 1 tsp of salt. Place the chicken in the pan, starting with the skin side down.  Sear until the chicken is browned on both sides. You just want to sear the chicken. You’ll be doing more of the cooking later. Once the chicken is all browned, remove and add the Sherry wine to deglaze, scraping all of the tasty goodness off of the bottom of your pot. If you don’t have Sherry wine, any dry Spanish white wine will work. If you want to use your grill, just throw the chicken on the grill and then add to everything in the Dutch oven when you’re ready to reheat.

Add your veggies and your chicken back to the pot, along with the tomatoes, olives and vinegar. At this point you can keep everything in the pot, in your refrigerator for later, or just finish and eat. When you are getting ready to think about heading to the dinner table, put a lid on your pot and cook on medium for 20 minutes (it could take longer if it’s cold) or until the thickest piece of chicken registers 165 degrees. If you want, you can also set this aside with the lid on for 20 minutes (up to overnight) and let the flavors meld before serving.

To serve, ladle over brown rice, or a nice crusty bread to sop up some of the sauce from the chicken!

Are you ready to try this dish now?

For more information on Foster Farms, their products or their practices, check them out here. Again, this post is sponsored by Foster Farms®, the opinions expressed are my own.

Yours in great food,
Raina

Kansas Love…My heart is never happier than when I am on the road and this last trip was no different. We flew out to see family and to rest and I fell madly in love with the Midwest and Kansas.

I learned about family, the land, and the house; it was built by Izzy’s Great Grandparents and Great-Great Grandfather, just as the house next door had been. The garden took up most of the side property, and everything was used, or put up and canned or pickled. We listened to stories about working on phone lines, and one room school houses, and how the family had worked as guards and wardens at Leavenworth. Everyone in the family worked hard, and did right by their family and friends.

For a week, we just sat and listened to stories, and chatted. The air was thick and warm, the beer was cold and plentiful, and the love; the love was true and kind. I don’t remember a time I felt so welcomed, so comfortable, and relaxed right away. Late nights were spent sitting on the porch, listening to cicadas, chasing lightning bugs and watching storms roll in. Each day was full of peace, happiness and adventure for all of us. I drove farm equipment down a street, watched cows, ate mulberries right off of the tree, and tried my darndest to get a picture of a hummingbird. I limited social media exposure and just sat and listened. It was perfect.I explored this new place through Izzy’s eyes and watched as she happily met new family, picked up new bugs and excitedly took in her new surroundings.

I can’t say enough how amazing the whole trip was, and how much we can’t wait to get back there. This trip helped us see how much we want a life like this for Izzy and how much I want for her to be able to run around and explore, safely. It really solidified how much I want a farm and more critters of my own. It was really like we found just what we wanted from life.

I hope you enjoyed this post and the pictures and that they convey even a tiny bit of the adventure we had, and happiness we found.

Yours in travel, and in happiness,

Raina