koala cookies

well, really just the funny valentine and yummy cookies i made for david yesterday... 

the reds

red is not my favorite color, but i do like these shiny peppers.  (hot pepper flakes, anyone?)

strawberry weekend

we were in michigan for the weekend.  went to a wonderful wedding on saturday (more on that soon).  sunday gave us more celebrations, a trip to the beach and spicy falafel sandwiches.  arrived home on monday to find out that handsoap appeared on yahoo! shopping on saturday.  crazy!

strawberries from our neighborhood garden.  enjoyed all weekend long.

lunch break

today we had leftover pasta with homemade sauce and started another jigsaw puzzle.  the shapes and colors of the pieces are fantastic.

food architecture

remember when all foods were made in jello molds?  i don't.  but foods presented this way both fascinate me and gross me out.  these images are from a book published in 1970 called 'happy living:  a guidebook for brides.  it is full of all sorts of useful tips, but my favorite part is definitely the recipe section.  i mean, who doesn't love a good old fashioned apple-beef ring?

apple beef ring.

creamed eggs in a corned beef crust.

lamb kidneys with rosemary on a parsley rice ring:

brussel sprouts in a cranberry rice ring:

and, of course, the seafood loaf.

just let me know if you'd like any of these recipes.

slow roasted

glad to have discovered this recipe last year.  now i don't have to worry about what to do with all the extra cherry tomatoes.  i love these slow roasted guys mixed with pesto pasta or in place of sun-dried tomatoes in other recipes. 

happy pepper

we are back from vacation.  had two beautiful days on the beach.  one where the water was completely still and flat and the next day with big waves for diving through (and being clobbered by). 

this little guy was was patiently awaiting our return.  i really shouldn't do this (or this)  to my vegetables.  it makes chopping time rather somber.  but how can i resist?

pepper and his pal, j. strauss.

 

squasha

my brother came to visit over thanksgiving.  he drove down here from school, stopping at our parents on the way.  they sent along a bag of produce which included this huge squash.  of course, in our hands, it quickly became "squasha" the perma-disgusted peanut-shaped lady. 

we brought her to thanksgiving dinner as a possible centerpiece, but that foul expression didn't mix well with the happy holiday mood.  so she was removed, and sat sulking in the next room, while we stuffed our faces.

(i'm just not sure i can cut her up, even though she'd keep us in squash soup for half the winter).