Did you know that the New Jersey Coastline spans over 127 miles.  While the official count of beaches hasn’t been done, I would put it somewhere in the hundreds! This weekend is Memorial Day, also known as the official kick off of summer! With that said, pack up the car, lather the kids with sunscreen, and hit the shore!

Some of my favorite local beaches are:

Asbury Park (732) 775‑2100

The daily fee is $5, except on weekends and holidays, when it is $6. Children 12 and under are free.  Metered Parking is available on neighboring streets.

Belmar (732) 681‑3700

The daily fee is $7.  Active duty military members and their families are welcome to enjoy Belmar Beach for free.  Metered parking is available along Ocean avenue; free on-street parking is available along side streets.  The boardwalk offers food stands, restaurants, small shops, and public restrooms.

Long Branch Seven Presidents Park (732) 229‑0924

The daily fee is $7 for anyone over the age of 13 on weekends and holidays. Anyone under 13 is free! The cost for a daily parking pass is $7.

Sea Girt (732) 449‑9335

The daily fee is $10 for anyone over the age of 12. Anyone younger is free!

Don’t forget that Hartshorn Portraiture shoots at the beach during the months of June, July and August! Call the studio at (201) 610‑1199 for more info.

To me a mason jar opens up a world of possibilities. Mason jars can be found at a variety of craft stores and are perfect for crafts/ recipes.  A recent recipe I have found showcases the mason jar by making a traditional jar cake inside of it.  Jar cakes are easy to store and even easier to ship to loved ones across the country!

One of my favorite jar cake recipes is called “Whiskey in a Jar Chocolate Cake”.  This cake is completely flour-less and simple to make.

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 stick of butter
• 8 oz small semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup Tennessee Whiskey, I prefer Jack Daniels
• nonstick spray

Frosting

• 4 oz shortening 
• 4 oz softened butter
• 1 lb  powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons whiskey

Instructions 

1. In the microwave, melt the butter and chocolate together. Stir well. Let cool. 
2. Add butter and chocolate to a large mixing bowl with both of the sugars.  Mix until combined.  Next add the whiskey and mix well.  Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add salt, baking soda, and baking powder.  Mix very well.
3. Pour into 4 pint mason jars that have been sprayed with the non-stick spray
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30–40 minutes.

Frosting

1. Cream softened butter and shortening in stand mixer with wire whisk attachment.
2. Add sugar. Mix on low combined. Turn Mixer to high. Add a little of the whiskey at a time, until icing is light and fluffy.

This cake is a perfect addition to a summer dinner party.  Guests will be impressed by both the taste and presentation!

Photo Credit: Babble

I think it is about time that I introduce you to a type of bread has changed my life.  Like most people who try to eat healthy, bread has been something I try to avoid.  This bread is simple to bake your self and doesn’t even need flour!

How does a bread stay together without flour? The answer is simple: Psyllium Seed Husks.  These husks are one of nature’s most absorbent fibers and has the ability to suck up over ten times their weight in water. The psyllium binds all the ingredients in the bread without having to resort to using flour.  You can pick up psyllium at any health food stores and most pharmacies. It is available in its natural seed state and as a powder.  Either way would work fine for the recipe.

Ingredients: 

Makes 1 loaf 

• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup flax seeds
• 1/2 hazelnuts or almonds
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks
• 1 tsp. fine grain sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions:

1. In a flexible, silicon loaf pan combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it it.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30–40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).
4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!

Serve with either jam, pesto, or your favorite spread!

Photo Credit:  My New Roots 

We are hosting our first annual “Meet us at the Vineyard”  would love you and your family to join us for a relaxing morning or afternoon at this beautiful location. Nestled in the lush green hills of Marlboro you will find Benmarl Winery. Overlooking the historic Hudson River Valley, it’s 37 acre estate lays claim to the oldest vineyard in America.

Come experience a customized portrait session only Hartshorn Portraiture can provide:

• A private tour of the cellar, meet the resident sheep then off to tasting room to sip award winning handcrafted Benmarl wine.
• Enjoy the view while Mac captures your family among the vines and the lush green hills, an idyllic setting.
• Relax with snacks and refreshments at our farm table.
• Take home a bottle of Baco Noir made from grapes harvested from the vines surrounding you.

Saturday, June 1st & Sunday, 2nd, 2013

Reservations are $750 and we have only three sessions still available.

Book your custom session with us today by calling the studio at 201–610-1199.

Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic crushed

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 1/2 to 2 pounds of skirt steak

**(you can use flank steak if you prefer but it is less tasty than skirt steak. If you do use flank steak don’t forget to score the surface of the steak up to a 1/4 inch deep about an inch apart, across the grain, to allow the marinade to soak in.)**

1. Score the surface of the steak with 1/4 inch deep knife cuts, about an inch apart, across the grain of the meat. Combine the marinade ingredients. Place steak and marinade ingredients in a large freezer bag. Coat the steak well with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl. Chill and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

2. Using olive oil soaked onto a paper towel, coat the grill rack of your grill with olive oil. Preheat the grill with high, direct heat. The grill is hot enough when you hold your hand about an inch over it and you can only hold it there for about a second.

3. Take the steak out of the marinade bag and sprinkle generously on all sides with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. The salt and pepper will help form a savory crust on the steak. Place steak on the hot grill. If you are using a gas grill, cover the grill. Grill for 3–5 minutes on each side. Half way through grilling on each side, turn the steak 90° so that you get more grill marks.

How do you know if the steak is done? The best way to tell is to poke it with your finger tips. While the steak is still raw, test it with your fingers; it will be quite squishy. That’s what a very rare steak feels like. As the steak cooks the muscles contract and firm up. Touch the tip of your nose and that’s what a very well done steak feels like. Here’s a visual guide, the finger test to check the doneness of steak.

4. Skirt steak is best eaten medium rare; well done will make it too tough. When the steak has cooked to your preferred level of doneness, remove from the grill and place on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat and to keep the steak from drying out, and let rest for 10 minutes.

5. Make very thin slices, against the grain, and at a slight diagonal so that the slices are wide.

Enjoy!

*Chris is the newest addition to the Hartshorn team as the Studio Manager. 

I hope that you all enjoyed your Mother’s Day. I hosted a brunch with family and friends at my home catered by AD Catering- delicious!

In the afternoon, we were invited to a friend’s house for drinks. With that I decided to make a hostess’ gift. Mac loves tequila and I love the bottles! I painted a rectangle on the front with chalk board paint, wrote Happy Mother’s Day in chalk on the front and filled it with some flowers and herbs from garden.

Do you enjoy locally-grown foods and day trips as much as I do? If the answer is yes, grab your little ones, pack up the car, and take them strawberry picking! It’s the perfect outdoor adventure that has a healthy sweet reward.  New Jersey may be known for its cranberries and blueberries, but there are some awesome pick-your-own strawberry farms, that start up in late-May.

Some local farms are: 

Lee Turkey Farm, Easy Windsor.

This 54-acre family-owned and operated farm dates back to 1802. There is even a playground for the kids!

Stults Farm, Cranbury

Stults Farm sits on 200 acres, and has been family owned since 1905.  They also have other pick-your-own fruits and vegetables, such as raspberries, blueberries, and summer squash.

Tips: 

• Always remember to call ahead! Sometimes farm get “picked out” or ripen ahead of schedule.
  
• Have a Plan B! Look at the farm’s website before you go and familiarize yourself with the local area.
• Don’t overbuy! Plan ahead and figure out how much of each fruit you will use.  Remember some fresh fruits and vegetables can be frozen for later use.

Photo Credit: Chiot’s Run 

Isn’t springtime lovely?  The flowers are blooming and the produce is ripening  This morning I stumbled upon a perfect spring craft.  Bouquets today are not just for flowers, they can be made with produce as well!

Step 1: Go to your local grocery store/ outdoor market to find fresh produce and a few cut flowers (if desired).

The sample bouquet picture above included:

• three potted echeverias
• a handful of radishes. raspberries. blackberries
• two tomatillos
• three habanero peppers
• bunch of mustard greens
• one red cabbage — just a few of the outer leaves
• some red tulips
• a head of red leaf lettuce

Step 2:  Prep everything! Insert a wire stick into the bottom of both the fruits and vegetables to create a “stem”. Prepare the echeverias by removing them from the soil, cleaning the stems, and adding a wire loop around them. 

Step 3: It is much easier if you gather the larger pieces first, then add in the smaller wire-stemmed pieces by simply sticking them in through the top.

Step 4: Trim the plant stems with gardening shears, and the wire stems with wire cutters to your desired length. To avoid having wires showing cut the wires shorter then the stems.

Step 5: Use a large leafy vegetable to wrap up the stems to keep everything tied together.  Hold the bouquet in one hand, wrap ribbon around the “stems” until they are completely covered!

This is a simple way to spice up your table setting, or a unique gift to give instead of the traditional flowers.

Photo Credit: Green Wedding Shoes 

It’s finally that time of the year! The sun is shining and the fresh produce is a plenty.  Living in Hoboken, it is easy to sometimes forget that New Jersey is known as “The Garden State”.  New Jersey is home to more than 9,800 farms and leads the country in blueberry, cranberry, spinach, peaches, and lettuce production! Our state also produces an abundance of tomatoes, corn, apples, strawberries, potatoes, and soybeans.

Jersey Fresh, is an excellent source for all of your farmer’s markets needs.  You are able to search what is available in your county.  Here is a list of markets in our area:

Bayonne Farmers Market 
23rd and DelMonte Drive, Bayonne
Phone: (201) 240‑9112
Website: www.facebook.com/BayonneFarmersMarket
Open: May 7th — Oct. 26th, 2013. Tuesdays, 2 pm — 7pm
Features a variety of fruits and vegetables including selections from Iona Hills, Ort Farms, Hoboken Farms, Dr. Pickle, Lizzmonade, Stella’s, Baker’s Bounty, Univille Vineyards, and Angela’s Mums.

Hamilton Park Farmer’s Market 
The Hamilton Park Gazebo, Jersey City
Phone: (201) 403‑7956
Open: April 17th — Dec. 18th, 2013. Wednesdays, 3pm — 7:30pm
Features a variety of fruits and vegetables, including pickles & olives, nuts & dried fruit, breads, and knife & scissor sharpening.

Hoboken Family Farmers Market
1425 Garden St., Hoboken
Phone: (201) 222– 2580
Website: www.hobokenfamilymarket.com
Open: June 2nd– Oct. 20th. 2012. Saturdays, 9am — 2 pm
Features a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, including Iced Coffee, Fresh Lemonade, Soaps, Pickles, Honey, Eggs, and local art.

Photo Credit: Serious Eats 

Last week I posted about container gardens.  Part of the fun after you’ve planted your garden is the labeling!  This is such a fun activity that allows endless amounts of creativity.  Children love to draw and color.  Why not put those skills to good use by creating customized garden markers for your plants?  There are so many creative DIY ideas online.  Here are a few that caught my eye:

Reuse old flatware

Have old silverware you’re not using?  This one is simple, just add a label and then it is good to go!

Don’t feel like crafting? Check these out for sale on Etsy.

Rainbow Rocks

Scout out some rocks in your garden, and have your kids help draw/ paint the vegetables that are growing in your garden.

Finally a use for all those corks

This craft is simple. Gather up some leftover corks. Next, mark with a permanent marker.  It seems that the color black works the best. Finally, attach to a wooden skewer (which can be picked up at your local supermarket)!

I would love to see the ideas you come up with!

Photo Credits: No Ordinary Homestead , Beach House Living, Shine Your Light.