WEEKENDiNG

"I've been thinking Hobbes--"

"On a weekend?"-

"Well, it wasn't on purpose..."

~Calvin and Hobbes

This weekend marked a milestone for our little family. Kalin, my husband turned 30. We dropped Violet off at Gammer and Gaffer's house and snuck away for the night to one of our favorite spots, Bull Shoals. It is always so energizing to get some alone time away from home, and this spot is a special one for us. We will be returning in September for our anniversary. We definitely agreed that while overnight was nice it just did not feel long enough. I think we will sneak away for the whole weekend next time.

It was a great way to celebrate his 30th. We are so lucky to have Kalin. He is such a wonderful husband and father, and brings such vibrant energy to our life.

We were able to fit some weeding and harvesting into the weekend as well. It is so rewarding eating vegetables out of the garden. I highly recommend royal burgundy bush beans. They are very prolific and have a great flavor, not to mention their deep purple hue adds a splash of color in the garden.

One of my favorite recipes this summer has been hobo packets. These used to be a hit growing up. They are so easy and a great way to use the variety of veggies that we have been harvesting out of our garden. These particular packets include ground venison (that Kalin harvested last fall), royal burgundy bush beans, tomatoes, zucchini, elephant garlic, and basil. It was very satisfying as all of the contents were things that we grew or hunted over this past year. I have to say that they were very tasty.

If you want to make some of your own just use what ever you have on hand.

HoBo Packets

Tear off a section of foil big enough to hold your contents plus some to pull up around the packet.

For the meat ground meat, chicken, or turkey works great. You can shape them into patties or meatballs. Chicken breasts are great too. You could even use fish.

Add veggies: squash, potatoes, onions, green beans, sweet potatoes, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, what ever you have.

Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs. Pull up four corners of the foil and twist the top to close. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 until veggies are tender and meat is cooked through. About 30 minutes. Kick back, sip some wine, cool off, and wait for the delicious smells to drift from your oven. Enjoy!