Pomegranate Cowgirl Icecream

I promised you Pomegranate recipes - here is Numero Uno:

A no frills ice cream recipe, no need for fancy schmanzy equipment. Nothing but homegrown, organic not genetically modified ingredients.

Warning: I grew up with the metric system so you need to convert my measurements into your cups, stones, bushels and pinches if you can't do metric. I apologize for the extra step.

If you do not have fresh pomegranates, you can also substitute with 175 ml POM juice.

Ingredients:

3 pomegranates

1 lime

175 grams icing sugar
 Shaved dark chocolate to taste

500 ml double cream

• Juice two of the pomegranates as well as the lime. Strain the juices into a bowl. Save the third pomegranate to use the kernels for decoration later.
• Add icing sugar and whisk until it dissolves
• Whisk in the double cream until soft peaks form in the pale pink cream 
• Shave some dark chocolate into the ice cream and fold the deco seeds in
• Spoon and smooth the ice cream into an airtight container
• Freeze 5 hrs, overnight is even better                                                                                                                                                           Bon Appetite!    

Pony Up For Dreams - Bluegrass, Horses, Country Store, BBQ and Family Fun

 

Tours on a wagon, horse parade, a country store, and great food and bluegrass music, what more can you ask for? This fundraiser is not only fun, it will also benefit all the wonderful DreamPower programs such as therapeutic riding for special needs kids, our free veterans program, preschoolers, and so many more. Hurry up to buy your tickets in advance via Pay Pal or at the DreamPower Ranch on Wood Myst Farm, Crews Road! There will be no ticket sale at the door so giddy up!

 More info here

The homemade, handmade, and homegrown items sold at the country store should be a special attraction. I can't wait to see Garry Stauber's newest knife to be sold there and I donated my homemade jams, made with blue agave syrup instead of sugar - a healthier choice in my opinion.

Hello Gorgeous Fashion Show - Latest Hair Trends For A Good Cause

Don't miss this opportunity to check out the latest hair trends while helping a good cause: Coming Sunday, October 5th, at 2PM at Hello Gorgeous Hair Specialists on 8060 Santa Teresa Blvd., in Gilroy.

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Personal invitation from the owner of Hello Gorgeous:

Hello beautiful people! It's one of my favorite times of the year and the annual fashion/hair show is back! I absolutely LOVE this event. Not only is it loads of fun with a silent auction, fashion/hair show, Dj, food and drinks, but it's also to benefit abused children through ChildHelp USA!

Absolutely everything from the ticket sales, clothing, hair artwork, makeup, auction items and so on is donated. Pre-sale tickets are $25 and at the door it's $35!

Everyone is welcome! This is an important event to me. I know people have busy lives, but if you can find the time to make it, it would mean the absolute world to me!

If anyone wants to donate to the event, please let me know or call the salon directly (408) 846-0000!

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For my upcoming 55th birthday and trip to Hollywood, I got my make-over last weekend at Hello Gorgeous from my favorite stylist, my daughter Sarah Bichler: Hi lights, low lights, and make-up - check out yourself the before and after pictures. I am ready for the walk of fame!

Leaving Leaves in the Gutter Means Leaving Dollars In Escrow

It usually costs me one homemade apple pie to get my husband cleaning the leaves out of the gutters in fall but it's worth it!

One of those items that always appears on home inspection reports is indeed "Gutter needs to be cleaned."
You would be surprised at the added expense to the seller for this very easy to do task.

Pommegranate Harvest

The Fruit of the Gods as it is called, is hanging red and heavy from my tree. It's time to harvest the pomegranates and use them in salads, cheescakes, smoothies, cookies and even stews.

I will post different recipes in the upcoming fall season to promote this super fruit a little bit. It is one of my favorite.

Today I will mix the kernels into a salad of mixed spring greens together with candied walnuts, feta cheese, and pears tossed in a vinaigrette made of olive oil, lemon juice, a tiny bit balsamico for the taste (not too much as we have lemon as main acidic ingredient), salt, pepper and a little bit garlic. Not of this world!

And yes, you read correctly, it is the juicy kernels you use from this fruit.The best way to separate the kernels from the fruit is to break the pomegranate into pieces in a big bowl of water. Then pull the kernels out with your fingers UNDER water to prevent the kernels from bursing.

Once you are done, you will notice that the kernels remain on the bottom of the bowl while fibers from the fruit swim on top. Pour the water and the fibers out and voila, you have the kernels ready to use.   Here is a video showing you the process.

Storytelling Quilts

 Our Academic overlords not always recognize quilting as an art form. In my opinion, and if it is done right, it is one of the most extraordinary art forms we have combined with craftsmanship to perfection and a history lesson one square at a time. There is a quilt made by a migrant worker telling the story of her family, a Celtic wedding tree quilt from a Scottish immigrant, a Chinese dragon quilt, and Native American motives telling stories of great nations not to be forgotten, and there are the new themes of the younger generation such as a quilt showing comic book hero Superman and buddies. Every quilt has something to tell, a personal point of view stitched into fabric. Go check it out today, free admission and free parking. This is the largest quilt show here in the South County and part of the A Taste of Morgan Hill event currently taking place.

The above two examples are only two of many. The Frozen quilt was definitely the favorite one of my little granddaughter and I promptly got an order from her to make her one for her birthday. The patriotic quilt is part of a fundraiser benefiting veterans.

PorchFest Gilroy - Free Music Festival in Your Neighborhood

Welcome to the first annual PorchFest Gilroy. A gathering of local Gilroy musicians performing from the quaint porches of Hanna Street residents' homes. PorchFest Gilroy is a roaming neighborhood festivity for neighbors and community of all ages. The Saturday afternoon celebration brings the community together enjoying the tree lines of Hanna Street highlighting Gilroy as a welcoming place to live. Come join the fun, all Gilroy neighbors are invited!

Saturday, September 20th, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

HANNA Street, between 3rd and 6th Streets, Gilroy, CA

Porchfest Gilroy 2014 Musician Line-up
Please Note: Addresses go from North ( at 3rd St.) to South at 6th St.)


1:00 - 1:45

7691 Hanna St. Mariah Silva and The Usuals Rock
7550 Hanna St. Gilbert (cowboygil) Guerrerro Country Western & Pop
391 5th St. Herman Schmaltzried Austrian and German Folk Music
7451 Hanna St. Alvaro Juarez

1:45 - 2:30

7631 Hanna St. Janet Thompson Acoustic Blues
7551 Hanna St. Brandon Guevara Latin Percussion
366 5th St. Melissa Blas String Band
7430 Hanna St. Richard Simunic Bluer than Blue, Blues

2:30 - 3:15

7691 Hanna St. Liver and Onions Acoustic Classic Rock
7631 Hanna St. Bodfish Folk/Americana
7580 Hanna St. Adriel Berger Acoustic Alternative
391 5th St. Kendra Denson Cellist
7451 Hanna St. Patti Lemon Jazz, Vocalist

3:15 - 4:00

7631 Hanna St. Eric, Janet, and friends Folk/Americana
7571 Hanna St. Sam Woolsey Guitar and Harmonica
7540 Hanna St. Sufani Garza Contemporary and Alternative Rock
366 5th St. Bill Lowrey Jazz from 20's and 30's
7430 Hanna St. Headstrong Classic and Alternative Rock

4:00 - 4:45

7691 Hanna St. Salt the Bone Alternative Rock and Blues
7580 Hanna St. A Good Buzz Classic Rock and Blues
7460 Hanna St. Mariachi Estrelar Mariachi Music

This is a FREE Family-Oriented Musical Walkabout
Local Musicians Play on Residents' Porches as Neighbours Walk
or Ride Bikes from Porch to Porch