ps i love the farmer's market!

Gloria, Jarrod, and I went to the Iowa City Farmer's Market this morning. It was Gloria and my second time and Jarrod's first and I am just in love with the Farmer's Market. Farmer's Markets make me so happy that Jared (not the same person as Jarrod but their names are pronounced the same—not confusing at all) said to me two weeks ago, "Is this your first time at a Farmer's Market?" No. It was not. I just love them so much they make me happy and I can't stop smiling, that's all.

Today at the market I bought some green beans and apples for dinner tomorrow (I'm hosting our dinner group and making pork chops baked in apples with green beans and rice on the side—so excited!), some beeswax for bookbinding, apricot goats cheese, fresh mozzarella, dried apple chips, and, perhaps most importantly, some cockscomb flowers (see pictures).  I saw them at the market and instantly fell in love. These pictures don't really do them justice. They are fluffy and coral-y and red-magenta-y and amazing. Jarrod went out into the yard and cut the greens and other flowers and helped me arrange them and do they or do they not look amazing?! MUCH better than the pure hosta arrangements I'd tried earlier.

I bought 3 stems of cockscomb and they were so thick that only 2 fit in my milk glass vase, so I pulled out this little square vase I had left over from an arrangement my mom sent me for my birthday a few years ago and it was puh-fect! I just trimmed the stem way down, wrapped the inside with leaves and filled it with water. Now I have a big arrangement for the dining room table (and dinner tomorrow) and a tiny one for my breakfast table to enjoy every day. Flowers make everything happier.

So do Farmer's Markets.

PPS Jarrod and I made Lemon Soufflé Pancakes with homemade blueberry sauce after we couldn't find the ward football pancake breakfast and it was AMAZING!

Fun fact: it is possible to whip egg whites with just a whisk, but it does take a long time and a lot of arm power: it helps if you have more than one person and one of you is named Jarrod. Here are the recipes for your culinary enjoyment (thanks Aunt Taunya!):

Lemon Soufflé Pancakes  

Combine following ingredients and set aside:
1 Cup Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
¼  tsp Salt
2 teaspoons of lemon rind

Mix following ingredients and fold into dry ingredients:
¾ C milk
3 Tbs melted butter
1 egg yolk

Whip until peaks form and fold into combined mixture above:
3 egg whites

Adding Blueberries is also AMAZING or just serve with the Blue Berry Sauce!

Blueberry Sauce
 2Tbs. Butter
1/4 C. sugar
1 pint blueberries

Melt butter, mix in sugar then stir in blueberries.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring.  The sauce is ready when the juice has thickened some but the blueberries still retain their shape.