California Love

I feel loved when people feed me; the love that arrived yesterday was in the form of California citrus!

My mother in law sent us a box of lemons and tangerines that she picked from her backyard in California, and it was waiting on our snowy doorstep yesterday when I arrived home. The tangerines have a tang and sweetness that only tree-ripened fruit has, and the peel almost falls off. I’m about to start zesting lemons for a lemon cake, but first I had to share these photos with you.

Happy Friday!

-Mary Hope

Copyright 2018

P.S. Thank you for stopping by! I insert affiliate links, such as  Amazon, into my posts to share interesting books and products. If you buy something or start a registry, I receive income (at no extra cost to you!), for which I am thankful. So…

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Thank you again, and peace to you and your family!

~Mary Hope

Getting Your Creative Juices Flowing //// Orange Trees

 

Especially in the culture United States, it seems that if an artist would want to produce more paintings or poems, she would speed up and work faster. In reality, the creative process needs space, like making bread needs honey with the yeast and time to have the bread rise, so creativity needs air to breathe and grow.

The Juicy California Smell

When I want to buy nectarines in Illinois, Stephen says, “Those nectarines are like cardboard! You cannot beat the nectarines my parents grow.” We planned our visit to California this summer partly because to be here when the nectarines are ripe. We succeeded!!
The dusty smell of nectarines fills the beck yard of my in-laws–I love how California smells. My husband was right when he said, “These California nectarines are the BEST….you have to eat them over the sink because the juice just runs down your hand.” Today my husband found one of those nectarines, and he shared it with me over the kitchen sink. We might have to come back every summer from here on out!
-Mary Hope
Copyright 2017

Rhubarb Time

Rhubarb’s tang makes me feel like it is fully spring. I whipped up this pie last week and have been enjoying it ever since! I used strawberry jam in place of fresh strawberries, and that worked out just fine.

Happy Monday!

-Mary Hope

Copyright 2017

Happy 2016!!

2016 bursts with a new horizons and beautiful people to connect with and enjoy! Happy New Year, Wonderful Blog Friends. Here’s some more shots of California:

Fresh Fig, Lime, and Tomato Salsa

Last week a friend house-sat for me, and when I returned she left fresh figs in my fridge! She said they make great ice cream….but I decided to make them into the fresh salsa I had been hankering for.

Speeding in a Car Full of Lemons (Or Two Bags Worth!)

“If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”
This works literally and figuratively: Making lemonade from my cousin’s Lisbon lemons is marvelous, and choosing to learn from the challenges of our road trip instead of get mad about them is a productive way to live.

In Nevada, with hours to drive on the open road, I thought I could use the “drive ten over” miles per hour rule. So with a little thought, I set cruise control at 85 mph and just sailed.

California Patterns

My cousin, Kim, knows how to grow cacti and lemons!

Midwest Citrus (with the help of a Conservatory!)

By M. H. Campbell Copyright 2014

Mom’s Chicken and Orange Sauce

2 lb. chicken (5 chicken legs or thighs)
2-3 Tblsp. coconut oil
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt (and more to taste)

4 1/2 cup orange juice

Mix together the dry ingredients on a plate.
Heat the coconut oil in a 3-4 quart Dutch oven or pot with a lid.
Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture until coated (keep the leftover flour and put in a measuring cup for later); then brown on all sides of the chicken in the Dutch oven.

Add in 4 cups of the orange juice; cook at a medium heat (it can be boiling) with the lid on until the meat is tender (35-45 minutes).

Mix the leftover flour with the 1/2 cup of orange juice and stir into the chicken mixture. Simmer until thickened, and it’s ready to serve.
Serve with rice.

Serves 3-4. You can add more chicken and orange juice to make a bigger batch of this tasty main dish!

My Mom made this while I was growing up and taught me how to make it. If you desire, you may add orange segments and raisins. Enjoy!