IN MY KITCHEN- JUNE 2026

What's in My Kitchen This June ? Ants!

ai drawing from chat

We returned to our Pennsylvania home about two weeks ago, and before we had even unpacked a single box, I spotted a few ants on the windowsill and kitchen counter. I was surprised because there wasn't any food in the house.

Within a few days, those few scouts turned into an invasion. Suddenly, there were armies of ants marching across my countertops and parading along the windowsills.

My first line of defense was cinnamon. 

I had heard that ants won't cross a line of cinnamon. I tries it and it seemed to work—at least temporarily. But eventually, the ants simply changed course and found a different route into the kitchen.

Next, we tried ant traps. They significantly reduced the number of ants, but they didn't eliminate the problem. We still have plenty of unwanted visitors daily.

I've transferred food into sealed jars and have become meticulous about wiping up every crumb and drop. Yet the ants remain.

What really surprised me was finding them swarming a wooden spoon that had no food residue on it. One morning, the spoon was literally covered with ants.

At this point, it's becoming frustrating to come downstairs each morning and find that I'm sharing my kitchen with them. They're not even staying near food sources anymore—I'm finding ants in drawers and other non-food areas as well.

If this keeps up, I may have to admit that the ants think they own the kitchen. No, I don't want to resort to pesticides/chemicals -at least not yet. Any ideas other than calling an exterminator? 

I do have a few other things to share IMK this month: 

Frozen peas and bok choy soup - a quick easy green soup

This is an antique vase that I filled with deep purple petunias from my garden and placed it on my kitchen counter. 

I'm growing herbs on my deck- this is my mint plant

Ripe Cherries from California have been exceptionally dark and sweet 

Local bok choy greens from the farmer's market 

I've started to prep my salads in advance in mason jars again. I love having my salads prepped ahead

I'm joining Sherry and other bloggers (It's open to everyone to join) at Sherri's IN MY KITCHEN JUNE 2026

Bok Choy and Green Pea Soup - Quick, Easy, and Delicioius.

The weather is starting to warm up a little, but I'm still making soup. The last few weeks I had made vegetarian black bean soup and vegetarian lentil soup but now I wanted something lighter. I made a delicious bok choy and frozen green peas soup that hit the spot.

It's farmers market season, and this week I came home with a bounty of fresh produce—a large bunch of parsley, fragrant cilantro, a large Bok choy and plenty of crisp lettuces and salad greens.

Normally, I think of these ingredients for salads and cold dishes. But this morning, I woke up to a surprising 51-degree temperature. The house felt chilly, and suddenly a salad didn't sound appealing at all.

Instead, I found myself craving something warm and comforting.

So despite my refrigerator being packed with fresh salad greens, I headed to the kitchen to make soup. I remembered in the past, I had made a soup using romaine lettuce. I decided to keep my romaine for salads and try the bok choy for soup. 

The soup turned out light and delicious. I enjoyed it topped with some tofu cubes for added protein, and I was a happy healthy camper. (yes, I ate the soup initially for breakfast)

One of the things I love about shopping at farmer's markets is that the ingredients are so fresh and flavorful that even a simple soup can taste special. A handful of freshly grown parsley can brighten an entire recipe. Those leafy greens that were destined for salad found themselves simmering in a soup pot.

I had a bag of frozen peas in the freezer, so some of them went in the soup too. The soup cooked quickly (about 10 minutes) and was soothing, warming, and delicious. I pureed it and it was better than I expected. (Always allow soup to sit for a minimum of an hour or more for the flavors to mingle and intensify. 

Ingredients

5-6 cups of chopped bok choy

1 cup of chopped parsley or cilantro 

2 cups of frozen peas, divided

1 teaspoon salt, cracked pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder 

8-10 cups of water (start with 8 - add if needed)

Optional: Tofu cubes for a topping or add the tofu to the soup pot when done.

Directions: 

Sauté the bok choy. parsley or fresh cilantro, and 1.5 cups of frozen peas in a wide saucepan/soup pan until the bok choy begins to wilt, stirring occasionally. Add seasoning and water bring to a boil and cook for about 8 minutes. Taste and add additional seasoning to your liking. Puree (leaving a little soup chunky) with an immersion blender. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of frozen peas after pureeing. Allow to sit for at least an hour before serving. 

My Notes: 

1. This soup is vegan, gluten-free, and plant-based

2. Fresh mint leaves well with peas- I might garnish with fresh mint. 

3. I like to sauté my vegetables in 1/2 cup of water, but you do you!!

4. Use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder- I just didn't have any. 

Doggy In The Window- Popular song from the 1950's

I was walking around South Philadelphia the other day. It is an old established city neighborhood made up of mostly congested row houses. 

One house had beautiful window flowers and a dog looking out the window. It reminded me of the old song from the 1950's, "How Much Is That Doggy In The Window".  Do you know it? 

Some Trivia About The Song: 

Purple Sweet Potato Magic - Foods That Help Protect Against Disease

I'm eating Purple Sweet Potatoes. Why are purple foods so magical for statistically helping to reduce the risk of disease.?  

A few days ago, I listened to a podcast episode of Mel Robbins featuring Dr. Dawn Mussallem — and I honestly haven’t stopped thinking about it since. If you like podcasts, Mel Robbins has incredible podcasts and I learn so much.