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Late Harvest Tomato Spaghetti

Ingredients on a chopping board
As September rolled into the mountains and with it chillier evenings and brisk mornings, harvesting the rest of our summer veggies became a real priority. We didn’t want to lose anything in a frost so we rushed in and started plucking everything even remotely ready. I ended up with more tomatoes than I knew what to do with and had I been thinking I would have gotten out the canning instructions and preserved them that way. Instead we ate tomatoes for like four days straight! One evening I decided to try my hand at improvising a light tomato meat sauce for spaghetti. I think it turned out pretty great and the family seemed to really enjoy it as well. I thought I’d share what I did and what I’d change with you just in case you’ve got some tomatoes that need eating!Continue Reading

A Badlands Birthday!

Katherine Heigl, Nancy Heigl and Meg Heigl-Beltran
July is a month where I get to celebrate the two most important women in my life. My mother and my sister. With their birthdays just a week a part I kinda have my hands full planning parties, dinners or some type of celebration that honors them. This year my sister was able to make it up to the mountains to attend my mother’s party at the ranch and while she was here I managed to plan a fun pool day party to celebrate her birthday as well. Two parities in one week had us eating more than our share of cake but it was well worth it to get to show the women I love just how much they mean to me. Here’s a look at my mother’s party. I hope my ideas will help inspire your next fete!Continue Reading

DIY Baby Food

Adalaide feeding Joshua Jr.
I started making my own baby food with Adalaide and not only loved knowing exactly what was going in to the food that I was feeding my baby but kinda enjoyed experimenting with combinations of fruits, veggies and grains to see what she liked best. Adalaide has been a picky eater from the moment she started eating solids so she wasn’t really my best customer. To this day if I put a bowl of delicious homemade mac and cheese in front of her she’ll lean over and smell the bowl before taking a hesitant bite. As if she’s afraid I’ve slipped something unsavory in there! Maybe my baby food experimentation scarred her for life…or maybe she’s just a REALLY picky eater! Anyway, I’ve pulled my blender back out to start making Joshua Jr’s food now that he’s ready for solids and am so relieved with how much easier he is to please! I gotta say it really takes the pressure off!Continue Reading

Shrubalicious

Our ranch manager recently told me she and her husband love to use vinegar shrubs as a mixer in their cocktails. The subject came up because I had been telling her that I recently started drinking apple cider vinegar in water to help with the pregnancy indigestion I had been suffering from. When she mentioned the shrubs I looked at her blankly and asked “What the hell is a vinegar shrub?” Continue Reading