I discovered one of my new favorite flowers while on a walk with our dog the other day. According to Dr. Google, its called Lily of the Nile and just about the prettiest thing I've seen in a while.
There were a few white blooms as well!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Lily of the Nile
This week I'm participating in Snapshot Saturday hosted by At Home With Books for the first time!
I discovered one of my new favorite flowers while on a walk with our dog the other day. According to Dr. Google, its called Lily of the Nile and just about the prettiest thing I've seen in a while.
There were a few white blooms as well!
I discovered one of my new favorite flowers while on a walk with our dog the other day. According to Dr. Google, its called Lily of the Nile and just about the prettiest thing I've seen in a while.
There were a few white blooms as well!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Herb Garden Hodgepodge: Pasta Primavera!
School's out for summer forever! I'm officially a college graduate (who let that happen?), and since I have no idea what to do with my life while I jobhunt, I'll cook. Every summer I wish I had a vegetable garden, but I've missed the Florida planting season for most fruits and veggies I love by the time May rolls around and I'm back at home.
However, herb gardens are still fun. My basil and parsley plants have been doing surprisingly well considering how often I forget to water them (terrible plant mother). I added an oregano plant to my garden on Monday, and decided to make a little pasta primavera and throw in a little bit of everything from my herb garden!
It was surprisingly easy, and went great with pork chops. Just a yellow pepper, tomatoes, herbs and linguine made for a deliciously light summer meal.
Ingredient list:
In a large sauce pan, saute the pepper in olive oil at medium heat, and add tomatoes once the pepper begins to soften. Add broth and garlic powder and allow sauce to simmer until it reaches the consistency you desire. Turn off heat and add pasta, coating it in the sauce. Plate the pasta on a large platter and toss in most of the herbs, leaving some to sprinkle on top as a garnish. It was pretty fantastic, honestly.
For this go around, I went a little light on the oregano because I was afraid it would overpower the basil and parsley. I think I'd throw in a little more next time around. Honestly, this dish is all over the place and all about personal preference, so you don't have to stick to the measurements listed. You could even add some other veggies you have lying around if you prefer. Happy experimenting!
However, herb gardens are still fun. My basil and parsley plants have been doing surprisingly well considering how often I forget to water them (terrible plant mother). I added an oregano plant to my garden on Monday, and decided to make a little pasta primavera and throw in a little bit of everything from my herb garden!
It was surprisingly easy, and went great with pork chops. Just a yellow pepper, tomatoes, herbs and linguine made for a deliciously light summer meal.
Ingredient list:
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1/4-1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (I used less than 1/2 cup but you could use more for a thinner sauce)
- 5-6 grape tomatoes, quartered
- 1/2 large yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped
- Fresh parsley, oregano, and basil (to taste, I used around 2 tsp of each at first, a little more for garnish), roughly chopped
- Garlic powder (optional, to taste)
- 1/2 9 oz package of Buitoni fresh linguine, or any pasta you prefer
In a large sauce pan, saute the pepper in olive oil at medium heat, and add tomatoes once the pepper begins to soften. Add broth and garlic powder and allow sauce to simmer until it reaches the consistency you desire. Turn off heat and add pasta, coating it in the sauce. Plate the pasta on a large platter and toss in most of the herbs, leaving some to sprinkle on top as a garnish. It was pretty fantastic, honestly.
For this go around, I went a little light on the oregano because I was afraid it would overpower the basil and parsley. I think I'd throw in a little more next time around. Honestly, this dish is all over the place and all about personal preference, so you don't have to stick to the measurements listed. You could even add some other veggies you have lying around if you prefer. Happy experimenting!
Monday, April 30, 2012
I'm Still Blogging! Quick Post
First off, I graduate on Saturday. What? It still hasn't hit me that I don't have to go back to school until...well, I never have to go back if I don't want to! I'm guessing grad school is in my future, but not for a good bit. So...this is it for now. I suppose. Weird. End of the year activities and finals have kept me super busy, but I did have a great weekend that ended in some time spent at Lake Wauburg, aka the university's very own lake where students and families can go and hang out. I love this school.
I'm not sure I'm ready to leave.
I'm not sure I'm ready to leave.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
How Many Blog Posts Can I Make About Spring? Oh, Thousands.
I was walking through campus the other day when I saw this beautiful flowering plant! At first I thought it was a daylily plant, but now I'm not so sure. Google tells me its a red amaryllis? I'm such a disgrace to my mother the gardener.
I took this with my janky, old phone camera but it still captured the gorgeous colors of the flower's petals!
I wish I had an entire garden filled with various types of amaryllis and lily plants.
I took this with my janky, old phone camera but it still captured the gorgeous colors of the flower's petals!
I wish I had an entire garden filled with various types of amaryllis and lily plants.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
It's Spring!
It's officially spring and it feels so good...for the next week or so. It's already reaching 86F in the afternoons here, which I actually kind of love. I like when its hot out, but once the temperature gets past 90F, I'm not here for that. I am a total Floridian though, I'd much rather be sweaty than freezing.
In honor of the first day of spring on Tuesday, I made a light dinner that featured my favorite spring veggie, asparagus! I could probably eat them with every meal. Must be the German side of me.
This seriously took five minutes to make. I already had the rice cooked, so I just heated it up, sauteed the tomatoes and chicken sausage, then sauteed the asparagus in a little butter and garlic. Voila! A one skillet dinner.
In honor of the first day of spring on Tuesday, I made a light dinner that featured my favorite spring veggie, asparagus! I could probably eat them with every meal. Must be the German side of me.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Sun, Sun, Sun: Here it Comes
Spring break is such a tease. I'm officially ready for summer (but not graduation...eek) and I have to somehow make it through 6 more weeks of school. I know that's not much, and once its over I'll wish I was back in school most likely, but right now it feels like I have a soggy Panera bread bowl in my head where my brain should be.
Tomorrow I may need to have a library date like I've been saying I'll do all week. But this time I need to actually go to the library instead of taking a 2 hour nap.
Switching gears a bit, last weekend I spent a day in Sarasota and it was beyond gorgeous! I'll be going back this weekend for a little family reunion and I can't wait!
What a chic shot. It totally doesn't look like I took it through the porch screen because I was too lazy to go downstairs and go outside...
I've been going to Siesta Key every winter/spring for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, my grandparents used to come down from Niagara Falls every winter and stay there, and now my aunt and uncle spend a little winter time in the same complex. It's still as beautiful as I remember it being when I was 8 years old.
Tomorrow I may need to have a library date like I've been saying I'll do all week. But this time I need to actually go to the library instead of taking a 2 hour nap.
Switching gears a bit, last weekend I spent a day in Sarasota and it was beyond gorgeous! I'll be going back this weekend for a little family reunion and I can't wait!
What a chic shot. It totally doesn't look like I took it through the porch screen because I was too lazy to go downstairs and go outside...
I've been going to Siesta Key every winter/spring for as long as I can remember. When I was younger, my grandparents used to come down from Niagara Falls every winter and stay there, and now my aunt and uncle spend a little winter time in the same complex. It's still as beautiful as I remember it being when I was 8 years old.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Spring Breaking
Next week is Spring Break! I can't wait. My friends and I have plans to go to the beach and go to a spring training game between the Yankees and the Rays! The Rays go to Port Charlotte for Spring Break (about 3 hours away from here), but Tampa has been the spring training home to the Yankees for years, so we made plans to see the Rays play when they come back to Tampa. I'm excited! I've missed baseball so much.
I've also missed home. Specifically, I've missed living with cute animals. My apartment at college feels too still without pets. One of our cats, Marshmallow, is my girl. She loves to sit in the bathroom and wait for some unsuspecting soul to walk in and then she'll cry for water until someone turns the faucet on.
She won't drink from a water bowl. She's weird.
This month, the rescue where we adopted Marshmallow from is holding a contest on Facebook. The cat's photo that receives the most "likes" wins two tickets to the local big cat rescue sanctuary (I've always wanted to visit there). I entered Marshmallow mostly because I think she's the cutest cat ever, but I'm pretty biased.
If you'd like to, you could go vote for Marsha here! God, I feel like a mom on Toddlers and Tiaras. Someone stop me.
In the mean time, I am so ready for a week of relaxation. And by relaxation I mean filling out job and internship applications with a never ending supply of tea. This graduation deal needs to slow its roll a little bit.
I've also missed home. Specifically, I've missed living with cute animals. My apartment at college feels too still without pets. One of our cats, Marshmallow, is my girl. She loves to sit in the bathroom and wait for some unsuspecting soul to walk in and then she'll cry for water until someone turns the faucet on.
She won't drink from a water bowl. She's weird.
This month, the rescue where we adopted Marshmallow from is holding a contest on Facebook. The cat's photo that receives the most "likes" wins two tickets to the local big cat rescue sanctuary (I've always wanted to visit there). I entered Marshmallow mostly because I think she's the cutest cat ever, but I'm pretty biased.
If you'd like to, you could go vote for Marsha here! God, I feel like a mom on Toddlers and Tiaras. Someone stop me.
In the mean time, I am so ready for a week of relaxation. And by relaxation I mean filling out job and internship applications with a never ending supply of tea. This graduation deal needs to slow its roll a little bit.
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