My Husband in a Tux

One day, I'll be your plus one.

When we're a little more important.

You swanky man, you.

It's Mushroom Season!

Last year Nick and I dabbled in a bit of mushroom hunting, but without the knowledge we were too scared to eat anything, and identifications seemed complicated and dangerous!  We usually identified everything as poisonous or "no idea what that is" but yesterday we had a major break through!  We identified this bad boy as a Bay Bolete.

And we're convinced enough to eat it.  But we haven't yet.  I will let you know how that goes.  Unless of course I'm dead.  Knock on wood.  

Also this nifty website, Wild About Britain, has a forum where you can post your mushroom pictures and people can help you identify them.  So you have to be a little trusting, but it seems like a great learning tool when you just can't find the right pictures in the books or you want a second opinion.

Speaking of books, the one that is our favorite is Mushrooms : River Cottage Handbook.

Have you been mushroom hunting?  I highly recommend it, it's like a treasure hunt for epicureans.... which Lord knows most of you blogstars are!

The Taste of Tomatillo Success

Guess what......

My hard work has finally paid off because last weekend I made the most delicious enchiladas with tomatillo salsa ever.  Like seriously, I got mad at Nick because he pretty much inhaled them, and I wanted him to savor them since I have been growing the damn things since the beginning of the year!  How delicious do they look though... 

Ok a little messy I'll admit but I think I could eat homemade enchiladas every day of my life.

Here's the recipe I concocted for the Enchilada Sauce : 

Ingredients

• 1 can of crushed tomatoes.
• Diced fresh tomatoes, (equal to about a cans worth)
• I'm sure you could use two cans instead, but I had fresh on hand.
• 1/4 cup of diced onion
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil 
• Chipotle powder
• onion and garlic spice blend

Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, and oil to a wide skillet, and simmer until the water has boiled off and it's begun to thicken, about a half hour.  Let it cool a bit and pour into a blender, puree until smooth and season with Chipotle powder, salt, pepper, and extra onion and garlic spice blends.  The chipotle powder really adds an amazing smokiness to the sauce.  I highly recommend not skipping that step!

Meanwhile while my enchilada sauce was simmering away, I made this simple tomatillo salsa:

Ingredients : 

• 1 pound of tomatillos
• 1 onion diced
• salt

I boiled my tomatillos for about 10 minutes, then popped them in the blender to puree with the onion and salt to taste.  This recipe was definitely simple and effective, which I think is good for tasting your produce, but I think with my next harvest (which is currently waiting for me in the fridge) I will roast the tomatillos rather than boiling.  But either way the salsa was still delicious!

Next I sauteed a bunch of mushrooms and peppers to fill my generic Old El Paso corn tortillas with (hey I can't make everything from scratch!).  I smothered these with my smokey enchilada sauce and grated a heart attack inducing amount of cheddar cheese on the top, and popped in a hot oven to melt and get nice and crusty while I made a simple guacamole.  (2 ripe avacados, some lime juice and salt.).  And before I knew it I had this in front of me...

It was absolute perfection.  

Best meal of the year.  

Go make these for yourself.  

You'll thank me later.  

I love gardening.

Do you love gardening?

Are my garden posts the most boring ever?

Actually I love gardening so much I have been thinking a lot about screwing vet school and starting an Organic Farm / Vegetarian cooking school.  

Where fabulous people could come and cook for a week at a time.  

Like a relaxing cooking vacation.  We could do yoga and ride horses in the morning and then pick our food and then cook.  Would you come?

Dear Friends,

I would just like you to know that we're having fun exploring the Peak District.

Especially with all the heather in full bloom.

It looks like a purple blanket is covering the hills.

And sometimes I wonder why I'd ever want to leave this place.

But then it usually rains so I remember.

Dear August, (Yes the entire month.)


Could you please be over already?  You totally suck.  I really have not appreciated what you have thrown at me this month AT ALL... Including but not limited to...

• Studying for a Life in the UK citizenship test
• Taking a Life in the UK citizenship test.
• Dealing with massive amounts of Visa drama.
• Paying £1,500 pounds to swiftly end visa drama... but then having financial drama as a result.
• Spending the whole day at the immigration offices (I've never been to the ER but I imagine it was a similiar vibe.)
• My childhood dog dying
• Knowing that that means it is time to grow up a little.
• Getting two job interviews....and not getting either of the jobs.
• Note:  When can I be grown up enough to consider feedback "constructive criticism" and not negative/you suck at life and are a complete failure criticism?

Sincerely,

Kelly Leigh who is insanely busy

ps.  Yes, I am throwing myself a pity party. You're invited.

pss. I know it is ironic that the busier I get the less I post on Kelly Leigh Gets Busy.