Spring Gardening and Strawberry Oatmeal

    We've had a couple of sunny days, and have been able to get out into the garden.  I've planted some perennials that have been kicking around since fall.  I randomly pulled weeds here and there, and cut back a lot of last year's winter killed growth.  I love to see the new leaves bunching up at the base of the shasta daisies, asters, hollyhocks and lupines.  The plum tree is blooming, the raspberries are showing green buds.  The kiddo and I seeded lettuce, tomatoes - campari and cherries, four kinds of kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, romanesco, purple kolrabi (Or cold-rabi and the kiddo says), ground cherries and collards, and set them up under lights on the heat pads, in the greenhouse.  Soon we'll be able to direct sow some things out in the garden, I've been watching for the sign, the blooming forsythia, so I can seed the peas, beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes, spinach, lettuce, corn salad, and bok choi.  There still is some clean up left, I need to finish the new garden plots, trim the pear tree, clean up the strawberry plants, build a fence so the Booger can't get in and eat the bounty like she did last summer. 

     My kiddo cannot get enough of strawberries.  I unearthed another 1 lb bag of frozen strawberries from last year's garden in the deep freeze and set to work the other morning.  The extracts really take it to another level and make it special.  The strawberries turn the oatmeal a lovely pink color.  The Kiddo had seconds.

Took the photo before I added the yogurt. 

Strawberry Oatmeal
3c water
1 lb frozen strawberries (or could use fresh in season)
1 1/2 c old fashioned oats
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp orange extract
2 T honey or to taste
3 T ground flax seed
Walnuts and plain yogurt for topping

Bring the water and strawberries to a boil in a saucepan.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the strawberries are cooked and tender.  Stir in the oats, simmer another 5 minutes, until oats are cooked and starting to become thicker.  Stir in extracts, honey and ground flax seed.  Serve topped with walnuts and yogurt.  Yum! Serves 4 or more.

Bacon Cheese Oatmeal with Fried Eggs for Dinner

    You heard me correctly.  This is what the Kiddo and I ate for dinner.  I read about it in my local Kroger owned Grocery Store magazine in the Health Food section.  We have eaten it before and it was an instant hit and now I know we will eat it regularly for dinner, or maybe breakfast.  Who knows.  This was delicious with scallions from the garden and fresh eggs from my ladies (hens).

I remembered to take a photo this time.

Bacon Cheese Oatmeal with Fried Eggs
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3 cups water
6 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
1 cup medium cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
1 -2 green onions, sliced
eggs - 1-2 per person, fried in butter to desired doneness (the kiddo likes over-hard, I like over-easy)
optional - Avocado, sliced; salsa

Boil water and add oats, reduce to simmer and cook about 5 minutes until done.  Stir in 3/4 of the bacon, 3/4 of the cheese, all the scallions.  Serve and top with eggs, garnish with reserved bacon and cheese, and avocado and salsa if you wish.  Serves 4. 

I forgot to reserve bacon for the garnish, much to the Kiddo's dismay.  I made a side salad too.  By the time I piled the salad on the plate, you couldn't see the oatmeal clearly so I didn't snap a photo of that.  It was spinach and kale with some carrot curls, mushrooms and scallions.  Tasty.  I ended up with salsa on my portion too.