Call Geraldo

This is the barn

(Seemingly untouched for decades...gross).

It's where I'm working these days.

(That's my "reclaimed lumber" stacked-up there.)

I'm taking apart all of those pallets and shipping crates.

Then, I'm going to build a few pieces of furniture for the Cottage.

Some of these crates are from World War II and the Korean War.

They are empty now, but were purchased as army surplus decades ago.

They used to contain engine parts.

Ranchers use the engines for their wells.

The wells draw the water (through-out the ranch) for the cattle.

It just so happens that the Waukesha engines that were used during wars can also be used to pump drinking water for the cows.

So that's why there are crates and crates of engine parts stacked in shops around the Ranch Headquarters.

They've been there for decades.

Now the empty crates are being disassembled by yours truly and will sit in my house in the form of an entryway bench, a bunk bed, shelves, and whatever else I decide I need to build to customize and organize The Cottage.

But, let me just tell you:

You should keep up with your Tetnus vaccination.

Or, at least watch your step.

Because if you step on a 70-year old rusty nail, you can expect to get a poke in the arm and terribly sore muscles for 5-7 days.

(...I'm just sayin'....)

(...this is me pretending to be scared of needles.)

* * *

Ben was feeling adventurous this morning and decided to find out what was in the shops behind the barn. (We have never looked inside those stalls.) The only access to these mysterious rooms is from the outside (and under the hive of Africanized Killer Bees living in the tree).

You see, we have adventures like this while Hayden is at school and Ella is napping.

Thankfully, it's still a LITTLE chilly in the morning,
Because I'm SURE there were snakes living somewhere in these creepy rooms we were walking around in. Remember, this is the same barn in which we killed our first Mohave shortly after moving here.


Crates of engine parts (purchased from the militiary 50 years ago)







Look at this cool door and antique door knob! This door is between two interior rooms. I'm not sure what I would ever do with this if I were going to make something out of it, but it's fun just to walk through a door that is who-knows-how-old (with a keyhole you can actually "peek" through).












This might look like a big pile of junk furniture, but not to me. This is actually the exact same dresser my mom painted pink (when I was 4-years old) and put in my room. Talk about Memory Lane! I can remember sitting next to my mom in the driveway as she painted inside those dark crevices.

I walked over to it, stroked the familiar knobs, and thought about how much I miss my mom.
(...and then remembered that Mother's Day is next week.)








Ben and Rich discovering a room full of old furniture:








It looks treacherous, but I feel as though I have uncovered a TREASURE!
Look at all that wood, just waiting to be "reclaimed" and made into something pretty for my home!




Stay-Tuned for MORE on how I'm going to do it!

(I've never done this before, so of course I'm going to take a bunch of pictures of the process and put it on the blog!)

Some Like It HOT!

February 9, 2010

Have you ever noticed that when the house is filled with the aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven, the world just seems to be a better place.

Maybe that's why I like baking bread so much.

...Or maybe it's the fact that I'm switching our family over to a more "organic" way of life and I'm realizing that there is a lot of STUFF in the bread on the shelves at the grocery store.

(By the way: I didn't know the first thing about how to bake bread before we moved to the farm, you know.)

Either way, I decided to make a special batch since I never took any pictures of the bread I made on Super Bowl Sunday.

I think that qualifies as "unfinished business," don't you think?

So, Ella and I made a special batch of Lion House Dinner Rolls (with cheese kneaded into the dough) and decided to take a break for some fun pictures while it was rising and baking....

...Hayden and Word Girl had to problem helping us eat it.

Sprinkled with a little bit of Shredded Cheddar and grated Parmesan Cheese, these turned out pretty irresistable!

I pinched that one in the corner a little too hard...but how can you NOT pinch fresh bread?

(I'm a sucker for "squeezing the charmin" too.)



TIP: When the nearest grocery store is about an hour away, you develop the habit of being more organized with your meal-planning and conservative with trips to town. It's not uncommon (and pretty much a part of the lifestyle) to naturally have about a three-month supply of basic food and necessities on your shelves. These are the 6-gallon food storage buckets that sit in the corner of my kitchen:

Right now, I have buckets of Organic Millet, Rice, Pinto Beans, Flour, Sugar and Whole Wheat Macaroni.

(About a 6-12 month supply of these items-for us-if we ONLY ate out of these buckets.)

These buckets are especially useful and handy since they have screw-on Gamma lids:

TA-DA!

No peeling your fingernails trying to open your buckets in THIS house!

If you would like your OWN buckets, click HERE.

For the Gamma Lids (in a variety of colors), click HERE.

Good Intentions

Baking Sourdough bread, on a rainy Super Bowl Sunday.

(The Bosch was my mom's. I think of her every time it mixes my bread and cookie dough.)

Today is Super Bowl Sunday.

I decided that I was going to make a batch of my homemade Sourdough rolls, take a few pictures of the process, and then share the recipe on the blog.

I started by mixing up the ingredients in the Bosch.

Then, the Bosch kneaded the concoction for 10 full minutes.

And while the dough was rising, I greased the stone baking pans I would be using for the rolls.....

(I was off to a good start)

But then, something happened.

I became so wrapped up in the fun of the process that I forgot to keep taking pictures.

The bread rose.

The bread baked.

The bread cooled.

...and before I knew it, the bread was GONE!

And what do I have to say for myself?

Just that....

It was GOOD!

* * *

Hayden wanted to take some pictures of his own, so I gave him my camera and told him to walk around the house. "Don't just snap silly pictures," I explained. "Go around and take special pictures of things that are interesting to you." Then, I showed him how to auto-focus and just let him go.

Just in case you're wondering, this is what is interesting in our house (to a six-year old):

A tiger puppet laying on the floor...

The control panel for the washing machine...




A close-up on my drinking glass of water...





Me, making sure the dough was rising...



Our aprons and reusable grocery bags...
(I remembered to actually TAKE them to the grocery store with me this week, by the way...Hooray!)


* * *

I guess I could still pass that easy recipe along (even without the pictures)....


Sourdough Rolls

Ingredients:
1 Cup Sourdough Start
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 tsp (or one packet) Yeast (dissolved in 1/4 Cup of warm water)
1/4 Cup Oil
2 Cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 egg (room temperature)

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in mixer (dough will be sticky) and let rise for 1 hour
2. Add small amount of flour and start to knead on medium speed.
3. Add flour until bread starts to clean the sides of the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes.
4. Shape into rolls and rise until doubled in size.
5. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes
6. Reduce heat to 350 and bake until browned.

The view from my kitchen window while doing dishes: Ben and Rich (and Maggie tagging along). Going for a walk on the Ranch.

We had an amazing wind storm on The Ranch last night.

...all night long, in fact.

So strong, actually that it blew the dog house an entire foot away from its original spot (with Maggie inside of it). This 90-year old cottage we live in is built with adobe brick and I have to say that "I'm a believer" when it comes to adobe brick. I felt so safe in our strong (seemingly immovable) little cottage with the flagstone floor.

It made me think of a few of the old farm and ranch houses we've cleaned up and lived in since we moved out of the city.

When I walked through this house for the first time (a year and a half ago) I felt like I was going to puke.

It was SO gross and dirty...and stinky.

When we started to clean it up to live in, we actually had to vacuum all the walls and ceilings before we could even paint. I felt like I was in a cave (straight off the set of an Indiana Jones movie) as I vacuumed away the canopies of spiderwebs and dirt surrounding me.

It's a far step from the giant 5,000 square-foot, brand new six bedroom basement house we left in the suburbs.

I loved that house....

...and I cried hard (alone in my car) as I pulled away from it for the very last time.

I'm a House Snob.

(I'll admit it.)

...and I always have been.

I would have always chosen the brand new cookie-cutter house with all the modern tricks and upgrades LONG before I would have chosen an old farm house in need of a little TLC.

...okay, a LOT of TLC.

But now (especially decorated inside and out with hundreds of white lights and dozens of strands of red Christmas berries) I look at our beloved little 900-square foot "Cottage" with love and appreciation.

Now, I sit here on our lovely couch and find myself drifting away in thought about what stories this house would have to tell if it could. Were babies born in this room? Did someone die in this room? Did someone come home from war in this room?

As I painted the cabinets in the hall, I took each drawer out individually to prep. Under the bottom cabinet drawer I noticed a signature of whomever handmade those cabinets and added them to the hall when the house was only 30 years old:

Well F.C.7 1952, I don't know who you are, but I would like you to know that your cabinets now hold linens and baskets of lightbulbs and flashlights. Also, your special "signature drawer" now holds much-loved stuffed animals for my kids. Thank you!

I can honestly say, "I LOVE this house."

I LOVE this house!

It is cozy and strong and safe and warm when the wind is pounding outside...

I can also say that I've learned something that has changed my life:

Having the new house with all its bells and whistles and "energy efficient" amenities is wonderful!

But loving and caring for the old house and discovering its personality and charm is wonderful also. Despite the absence of the dishwasher, I can stand at my kitchen window and quietly listen to the stories it wants to tell me while I play in the soapy water.

And at the end of the day, I'm the one responsible for making it comfortable for my family.

Because it doesn't matter where I live. If my family is there, then it's our home.

Our front door (Maggie wanted to be in the picture.)

PS: Everyone told me I was crazy for painting the front door red (until they saw it, that is). But, I'm sorry....it was powder blue before and I just couldn't walk through a powder blue front door every day.

I just couldn't.

(...and I couldn't find anyone around here who did vinyl lettering, so the Welcome lettering was painted by moi. I printed it off of the computer and then sketched it.)

Stepping Stones: They sit under the tree by the front door.

The Family Room

Dining Area

Looking at the Front Door (standing in the doorway to the kitchen/laundry)

Ella, enjoying her sling in the sunshine.

Okay....

I have to share this.

I'm feeling mighty domestic these days.  Living on a Farm/Ranch really brings that out in you....

I decided to make a sling for Ella soon after she was born, so of course I referred to the trusty internet.  Most of you know that I learn how to do EVERYTHING from the net: from making school house bookshelves and Christmas candy to stitching vintage patchwork quilts.  From refinishing wood furniture to learning how to knit.  Between Google and You Tube I have a testimony that you can learn how to do ANYTHING.  I've even found a web page that teaches one how to play a didgeridoo like the native aborigines of Australia.  Why did I find something so random?  Because Ben has a didgeridoo.

I'm not kidding.

So, ANYWAY I found a pattern for the baby sling HERE.  I made mine double-sided: soft polyester on the outside (with a pocket that I never use) and cuddly flannel on the inside.

These are the reasons why this is my new favorite thing:

• Ella loves it and snuggles up for hours (I sat at a restaurant with her last week for three hours)
  
• I can carry her and still have my hands free (multi-tasking is a snap!)
  
• I can feed her and vacuum at the same time....okay, I don't really do that, but I could.
  
• I can hold her and still cut my own steak...I DO really do that.
  
• I am stopped by strangers in the store all the time who want to tell me how cool my sling is (which is a real boost to the self-esteem and, in my opinion, yet another good reason to use a sling)
  
• I made it for under 10 bucks, which beats the silk one I was eye-balling for $80.  (Okay, so this one isn't silk, but I have to admit that polyester and flannel is surprisingly snuggly.)
  

A friend of ours jokingly pointed out that I could use the sling to carry Ella on my back as I work in the garden, much like the moms in Africa and Asia do when they work in the fields.  I personally thought it was a great idea, which sort of deflated his joke.

"Strip It.....Strip It GOOD!"

Okay, okay, I can't help myself I just HAVE to tell you something.....

First of all, NO BABY YET.

I DID have a sonogram a week ago, at which point the tech estimated the baby's weight at 8 1/2 pounds (last week).  She followed it up (quickly) with "But we're always off; sometimes as much as 10%."  I'm sure this was to try to help me feel better.  And it WOULD have made me feel better if they were always off on the high side.  Unfortunately, they can also be 10% off the other direction; in which case my baby was already 9 pounds last week.

This is the point where I panicked and decided I needed to start a project in order to keep my sanity....I needed a distraction.

*Cue Project Story:

My sister, Barb, went to an Estate Sale in the late 70's or early 80's (soon after I was born) and found an interesting (but rough) antique vanity.  "I'm not sure how old it is," she always said, "but I just KNOW it has to be an antique!"  (You know, a real one...not just a junkie cheap piece that happens to be old.)  The intricate details interested her so she bought it.

I fell in LOVE with that vanity when I was about 5 years old.  I, and my niece (who is two years younger than me) used to sit at it every time we were together.  We spent hours putting on Barbara's make-up and playing dress-up.  It was the perfect place for the creative pretend play of little girls.

When I was 15 years old, I started wearing my own REAL make-up.  My mom bought the vanity from Barb and gave it to me as a birthday present.  Oh, how I loved sitting at it while I got ready for school!  It was even more ragged by then:  The varnish continued to wear, the legs became loose and the spots of past nail polish remover spills became lighter and lighter.  "Someday I'm going to refinish you," I always promised.

Well, that didn't happen for quite a while.

After my mom died in 2000, my dad sold our house of 20 years and it was time to move.  I have lugged that (very heavy) piece of sentimental furniture around ever since.  Limited on space and always promising I would "get-around" to giving it some attention, I am embarrassed to say that during the past 3 years it has sat in storage.  In the last year, it has sat in a (very dirty and leaky) farm shop.  The pack rats moved in and almost destroyed the inside.

What was my problem?

I know: I've never refinished a piece of antique furniture; much less one with such sentimental value.  Also, I was haunted and scared by other people's opinions:

"Don't sand it!  It's an antique!"

"Don't paint it!  You'll cover the natural wood!"

"Don't replace the hardware!  Cup pulls will be way too heavy!"

"It's an antique...don't ruin it!"

I'm sure that if I took it to the Antiques Road Show NOW, they would form a mob and try to hang me from the nearest tree.  Oh Well!

After being stripped and sanded down to bare wood.

The drawers were repaired and primed first.

Finally, I decided to just do what I wanted.  After all, am I just going to let it get destroyed by elements and rodents in a dirty old farm shop?

I am sharing this story, so that (maybe) it can help someone else not be afraid to just GO FOR IT when it comes to a project of their own.  Of course do your homework, think about it and come up with a plan, BUT, don't be afraid to create.  That's my point.

This beautiful "diamond in the rough" will now have a NEW purpose as a reward for patiently being ignored all those years:  I am going to use it as a changing table in the Baby's nursery.  After the diapers are gone and she is a few years older, it will be a place where SHE can sit in her room, look in the mirror and play dress-up with HER little friends.

Oh, and by the way:

As I was taking it apart to strip and sand I wondered (just like my sister has all these years) where it came from and how old it was.  We have tried to figure that out for 20 years as we commented on different styles and eras.  As I removed the back of the mirror part, however I uncovered a stamp:  Jamestown, New York 1947.  I immediately called my sister and told her.  "I knew it!  I knew it!  I just KNEW it was something special!"  she roared out on the other end.

The mirror will go back into the frame and the frame will be attached to the stand.  The stand is then connected to the vanity base.

Beautiful details of the top of the mirror frame.

(I think the painted swirly top looks like a Dairy Queen vanilla ice cream cone!)

Intricate details of the mirror stand (that the mirror connects to).

This was before big fancy-pants computer-programmed machines; somebody carved this!

I still have to put the mirror back on and put it together before it goes into the nursery.  I still have a leg to fix (which I have the piece for) and a few small repairs (just to make sure it is fixed correctly), but here are a few pictures I took while refinishing it.  I also have a "before" picture, but it's on the computer that is in storage....you'll have to wait for that picture, too.  After it is in the nursery, I will post more pictures.

*NOTE*:

I set-up shop in the Guest House at the Ranch Headquarters.  This 60-year-old, two bedroom one bath house is soon going to be refurbished and renovated into a place where guests can stay when they visit the Ranch.  It's a little rough itself right now (as you can see in the pictures), but I think it has the potential of being a very sweet retreat.

Restoring the vanity at 9 3/4 months pregnant!

(Feeling quite "large and in-charge!")

Do you like my surgical gown?  It makes a great painting smock!

Measuring and drilling holes for the drawer hardware.

I found the knobs and pulls on ebay (about 4 years ago).

Notice the details of the corners!  I liked this picture because the vanity almost looks like it's glowing!

(I don't think the hardware is too over-powering at ALL!)

"Take THAT, antique connoisseurs!"

*A Special thanks to Shanda: for helping me strip this down to bare wood again.  I wouldn't have been able to get through THAT critical part without you.

Hayden: On the way to Homer, Alaska.

I feel as though I have accomplished something grand.....
Despite the fact that I have STARTED many-a-knitting-project, I am happy to announce that I have actually FINISHED the largest project of all:

A 36" x 48" Baby blanket!

Oh, yes!
You see, I haven't found any blankets in the store that compliment my nursery decor the way I had hoped. This is quite a task when the main baby room decorating rule this time is:

NO pink allowed!

(in the DECOR, anyway...clothes and blankets are okay.)

Picture it, though: Soft butter yellow, rich chocolate brown, crisp pure white and textured green gingham.....doesn't that sound like a dreamy nursery?

Disappointed with this season's selection, I set-out to create my own masterpiece. Oh boy, what an ordeal. I've realized that knitting stresses me out, when I've been TOLD it's supposed to be therapeutic.

Whatever.

I struggled and strained. I stayed up until the wee-hours of the morning. I disappeared from off the face of the earth. BUT, I am now able to say that "I have finished it!"

There was one loss, though (as expected with most of my crafty projects):
I lost the little rubber thingie that goes on the tip of my knitting needle. Do you know what I'm talking about? The tiny piece that is supposed to keep your project on the needle when it isn't in your hands. That way if smaller hands find the project you've been slaving over, then they won't be able to slip the needle out and drag the yarn all over the room.

Of course, Hayden has always been fascinated with this little green piece of rubber: He thinks it looks like a rocket ship. In fact, he has become more interested in playing with the rocket ship than the light-saber-esque kitting needle. (*sigh of relief*) Since I have finished the blanket, though, the rocket ship has been M.I.A.

...Until yesterday.
When Hayden ran to me as I was folding laundry.


Hayden: Mommy, mommy! I found your green rocket ship! It was under the couch!

Me: Oh good! (Enthusiastic AND relieved)

Hayden: Well...you know me mom...when you're missing something, I'LL find it for you! (Pointing to himself with one hand and confidently perching his other hand on his hip.)



Question: Does Hayden already realize that not being able to find what I'm looking for is one of my biggest pet-peeves? Oh well, at least now (once again) I can sleep better tonight, knowing that Hayden is watching-out for me.

"I call it....'Cascading Legos'"

Be Impressed....be VERY impressed!

I am, anyway...with myself.

While going through an old memory card, I came across these pictures and realized that I had forgotten to publish a post about this birthday cake I made for Hayden in July!

For the love!

Isn't this just the PERFECT birthday cake for a little boy?

It would be a shame NOT to tell the world!

It's pretty easy, but takes time and patience.

...and let me emphasize that again before you tackle this project yourself:

1.) Give yourself a lot of time

2.) Give yourself permission to walk away from it once in a while

3.)Remember to breathe.

(I actually started concentrating so hard that I stopped breathing.)

It was worth it, though!

SO! If you would like to make this cake, here are some pointers...

*I baked the cake mix in bread pans. I THINK I used two mixes for all the pieces...maybe. (???) I used Pillsbury Funfetti (confetti) cake mix.

*After baking, allow to cool completely. I shaved off the sides (with a bread knife) to make the legos more square.

*Wrap the pieces in foil and freeze for at LEAST a few hours.

*The round nubby pieces are JUMBO MARSHMALLOWS, cut in half. (I also trimmed the edges with kitchen shears so they had a little bit of space between.)

*I skewered the marshmallows onto toothpicks and frosted them. Then, attached them to the lego squares after they were taken from the freezer and frosted. (Freezing the cake makes it easier to frost and less crumbly. Make sure the frosting is at room temperature, though.)

*Keep the finished cake in the fridge until you're ready to bring it out.

Voila!

And there you go!

Taste the Seasons!

Fall is coming....can you feel it?

I can!

(and so can everyone, in one way or another.)

I often think back to living in the Phoenix area this time of year. With such an INTENSE personal adoration for changing seasons, I was always disappointed not to feel a natural chill in the air SOMETIME in September. Our air conditioner usually stayed on until early November, and there was one year in particular that Hayden couldn't wear his Halloween costume because it was just too hot! (For the love!)

After spending so much of my life in places like the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, the Tetons of Idaho, the Wasatch of Utah (lots of snowboarding), and the French-Canadian countryside (hello....changing maple leaves), I was devastated not to be able to bring out the sweaters for a chilly evening walk...even if we WERE in Arizona.


Tired of waiting for something I knew wouldn't come, I took it upon myself every year to bring the changing seasons to my home (since the WEATHER wasn't helping at ALL)! I quickly got to work every September, religiously bringing out the pumpkins and fall garland. I filled the house with the aroma of buring candles, meant to mimick the smells of apple cider, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie. I even turned the air down extra low, just for a little chill. If someone got too cold, I told them to either wear a sweater or open the door and step out into the sunshine for a minute. I was DETERMINED to have a chill!


Little did I know NOT ALL of Arizona is like that!


And so, here we are, in an area of the Desert Southwest that gets chilly in September and is loaded with water (hence all the farming)! Who knew?


As I sit here in a sweatshirt enjoying the daily 50-degree morning temps, I've decided to pass along a tasty, fall-inviting recipe in celebration of the impending holidays. I'd like to especially dedicate this to my friends still living in the Phoenix area (or any of you living anywhere else that still reaches 90-degrees or above during the day). My message to you is crank down the air, make this drink, sit back and think of pumpkin patches, dry corn fields and changing leaves.



Everyone else can just drink it and savor the sweet, simple things of life!

This recipe might LOOK complicated at first glance (because it mentions cheesecloth) but it's REALLY okay AND, it tastes AMAZING! I will add some simpler (non-cheesecloth) variations at the end, too. (Of course, you can just BUY a ready-mix package of spiced cider, but isn't it fun to just try making it yourself at least once? Plus, if nothing else, your family and friends will be impressed...and don't we all secretly want to be impressive once in a while?) Go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back...you deserve it!

*(For more recipes, click on the recipe link at the end of this post OR the link on the left of the page, under "shortcuts".)

* * *

HOT SPICED APPLE CIDER

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

6 Cups APPLE CIDER

1/4 Cup REAL MAPLE SYRUP (a little more is okay)

2 CINNAMIN STICKS* (plus 6-see directions)

6 whole CLOVES

6 whole ALLSPICE BERRIES* (see notes below)

1 ORANGE PEEL, cut into strips

1 LEMON PEEL, cut into strips

Directions:

1. Pour the APPLE CIDER and MAPLE SYRUP into a large saucepan.


2. Place the CINNAMON STICKS, CLOVES, ALLSPICE, ORANGE PEEL and LEMON PEEL in the center of a washed square of cheesecloth; fold up the sides of the cloth to enclose the bundle, then tie it up with string. (You just made a little spiced cider tea bag.) Drop the spice bundle into the cider mixture.


3. Place the saucepan over moderate heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cider is very hot but not boiling.


4. Remove the cider from the heat. Discard the spice bundle. Ladle the cider into big cups or mugs, adding a fresh CINNAMON STICK to each serving (if desired).

NOTES:

*Allspice is found in the grocery store. It comes as whole berries or ground. If you can't find the berries, just use about a 1/2 tsp of GROUND ALLSPICE (it's okay if it's a little more) and add it to the drink when heating.

*If you don't want to play around with the cheesecloth, just slice up the fruit and let it float in the cider; It's a pretty thing to do anyway. (Just scoop it out before it sits for an hour, though, or it will make it bitter!)

*If you opt NOT to make the "tea bag" then use 1 tsp GROUND CINNAMON, 1/2 tsp GROUND ALLSPICE and 1/4 tsp CLOVES.

Great for not only your family and home, but also parties and gatherings!

It will also make your house smell delicious!

*Photo: www.dkimages.com

A Fish Tale - Part III

"JUST FOR THE HALIBUT!"

Did you know that Halibut have both eyes on one side of their head?

When they hatch, they have an eye on each side, but as they grow they start swimming on the bottom of the ocean, "laying down" on one side. As they get bigger, the one eye on the bottom moves to the top!

(Creepy!)

My first Halibut!

Hayden's first fish!

(Ben has already done this a-hundred times!)

"Kissy, Kissy!" (I WAS going to kiss him, but he slapped me with his tail....serious.)

These Halibuts are referred to as "Chickens" because they are SO small.

I like them though, because the bigger they are, the mushier they taste!

I'll take the Chickens ANY day!

* * * * *

Recipe: POOR MAN'S LOBSTER

Ben grew up on the Homer Spit and used to make this (every summer) with his family (over a campfire on the seashore) after a long day of Halibut fishing. YOU can make it at home!

Ingredients:

*HALIBUT STEAKS cut into 1-inch cubes

*A big pot (approx. 4 QT) of SALT WATER

(either ocean water or really salty water you make yourself)

*MELTED BUTTER

Directions:

1.) Bring pot of SALTY WATER to a boil.

2.) Drop chunks of HALIBUT into boiling water.

3.) Boil for 5 minutes, or until fish chunks rise to the top (whatever happens first). *Note: if the chunks are frozen, boil for 15 minutes.

4.) Drain and serve with MELTED BUTTER.

(We think it tastes just like lobster!)

*You can also serve with lemon

* Some people like to add vinegar to the water, but we've never done that.