Hot Pink Surprise

Spring is going by way too quickly.  Our little yard is covered in honeysuckle bushes everywhere and smells syrupy sweet, but to be honest, I don’t really like the way honeysuckle bushes look–even when they are flowering.  A bit too scrappy for me.  Last week, things improved considerably when a smattering of hot pink roses opened up right in the middle of the large honeysuckle. A couple days later, the beauties were taking over the entire bush and are so incredibly and brazenly PINK, it just doesn’t seem natural.  All this time, I thought that color was invented by the ’80’s, but really, it had been there all along.  I cut some and put them in a vase on the table and everyone who came through the house commented on their loveliness.  I’m going to cut new ones today. 

 And, yes, the re-introduction of pictures in this blog does, in fact mean that my phone magically came back to life after 3 days of submersion in a bowl of dry rice (thanks MIL!) I will now call it iLazarus.

CSA #1

Our first CSA box came yesterday and I, for one, was super excited about it.  We got a huge bag of spinach, a bunch of asparagus, some parsnips and a big chunk of horseradish!  Horseradish!! Can y0u believe that?  Well, I’m going to grate it up, I guess.  David and I don’t eat much beef, which I hear is often served with horseradish sauce, but I am a huge fan of horseradish with potatoes–mashed, twice baked, latkes…yum.  And there’s always bloody mary’s and shrimp cocktails, neither of which I have ANY PROBLEM WITH WHATSOEVER. 

When I got home from work yesterday, I didn’t know what veggies we received yet, so I figured I’d make some pizza dough and whatever we got could top it.  I made a herbed pizza dough and we topped it with leftover spaghetti sauce, tons of grated parm, goat cheese rounds and the CSA cut up asparagus.  It was insanely good.  Here’s how I did it:

I used the herbed pizza dough recipe from this book, or you could use one of the thousands of pizza crust recipes on the internet and add 1/2 tsp each of dried oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary and marjoram. 

• One cup of freshly grated hard, sharp cheese (provolone, parmeggiano-reggiano, romano)
• 6 rounds of plain or herbed goat cheese (about 1/4-1/2 inch thick)
• 1 cup of asparagus, cut into bitesize pieces
• 3/4 cup of marinara sauce
• Olive oil
• garlic powder
• salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 and put your pizza pan or stone or whatever inside to preheat along with the oven.  Coat the bottom of a pan in olive oil on the stove.  Sautee your asparagus over medium heat with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste until it turns bright green, but still has some bite to it.

Brush the top of your pizza crust with olive oil and pierce the center with a fork to keep it from bubbling up.  Put it in the oven to pre-bake for about 5-7 minutes or until it is stiff, but not yet brown. 

Remove pizza from oven, top with sauce, grated cheese, asparagus and goat cheese and bake until crust is golden and cheese is melted. 

Lick your fingers, because you know you just used them to smush around that goat cheese.

Spread melty goat cheese around pizza and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Eat.

 

You may be interested in the lack of pictures in this post.  That is because last night, I dropped my iphone into the toilet and peed on it.  For some reason, it’s not working anymore.  Go figure.

One Finished Project AND Things I want III: Etsy Edition

I finished this!

and gave it to my coworker for her wedding.  Blurry picture, I know, but hey, it was finished AND BLOCKED on time!  Be impressed with my time management skills, everyone.

I’ve been spending some time on Etsy lately and have compiled another list of needs/wants that I would give to others if I had any money at all, because I am sometimes philanthropic.  Isn’t it awesome that this comes out directly AFTER Mother’s Day, when all other gift guides came out like two weeks ago?  I thought so, too.  My mom would tell you that sounds about right for me, since she probably received her card today and has yet to get the tomato plants I sent her for the garden.  Now that my sister has a baby, she and mom can share in the head shaking and eye rolling when I call on Mother’s Day to tell them about the gifts that will eventually be delivered to their doorstep.  I guess I could say I’m philanthropic, but in a late sort of way. 

Anyway, On to the MERCHANDISE!!

To start this list, this particular item is one I’ve been wanting to get for my niece for a long time.  This one is a no sew diy pattern and has just the right amount of fluffiness–meaning a whole freaking lot of fluffiness.  It is the only way.  And to those of you who feel that this boxes the baby into a gender stereotype, I would argue that ALL babies should wear tutu’s, regardless of gender.  ALL BABIES.  Because, look:

Secondly,  There needs to be more comfy long skirtage in the lives of me and my close girlfriends.  Elastic waistbands ensure shareability between a wide spectrum of sizes, so nobody ever has to have that moment of realizing that it’s just not gonna make it past the hips, not that I know what that feels like…ahem.

Over the weekend, David had a brief flicker of an urge to have an old fashioned clock.  While I’m sure that particular want is now hanging out with other outdated desires in some cobwebby area of his consciousness (with the fleeting Merrell obsession of 2005, no doubt), I found these and thought of him.  So charming:

And, well, maybe this one would be for me.  I may or may not have an unhealthy level of fascination with under sea weirdness and have often watched the oceanic discovery channel specials with open-mouthed wonder.  Thanks to these deep sea freakshows, I REALLY feel for the octopus, with her big giant brain, but not enough time to use it to take over the world because she’s mercilessly quartered (or eighthed?) by evil, spinning barracudas.  Also I’m unable to avoid panic attacks while snorkeling and have actually vomited into the ocean out of utter terror.  I guess that’s where it tips into unhealthy-land, no?

Barracudas would not mess with this octopus, though.  She is not to be trifled with. 

And, finally, because David and the neighbor have been splitting wood lately for the winter months that seem so far away, this:

 

So there you have it.  Things I want.  To give.