updating old posts!

i just figured out how to add images to my blog so i went back and added some pictures and now the blog is no longer in chronological order, sorry folks if you thought it was a bunch of new posts!

pasta salad

[shown is a double recipe]

1 package 'wacky mac' or bowtie pasta, tri-color
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
3 green onions
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup green olives [pimento stuffed]
1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette [i use the bottled dressing type]

cook pasta according to directions, i add salt and olive oil to the water for favor and to avoid having the pasta stick together
as soon as you drain the pasta, put it into an ice bath [water with ice in it, enough to completely cover the pasta] this will stop the cooking process, drain after a few minutes

dice up all the veggies except the cherry tomatoes
slice the olives into thirds
mix it all in a bowl and toss with salt, pepper and the vinaigrette
sprinkle with dried parsley, cover and refrigerate immediately
pictured with fresh mint for garnish

mary's meatballs

1/2 lb italian sausage (or 3 links)
1/2 lb ground buffalo (or any lean ground meat of your choice)
place in bowl with garlic powder, paprika, dried oregano, sage, basil - approx 2 teaspoons of each
add 1/4 bread crumbs - i like to use crushed croutons but crackers work well also
and a dash of dried red pepper flakes
add one to two tablespoons of spaghetti sauce (or you can use an egg to bind it)

mix well, very thoroughly, with your hands - yes, its very messy but i've never been able to properly mix this up using anything else; i tried to use a fork, spoon, etc

form into small balls, slightly smaller than a golf balls (smaller balls will cook faster and i think they're cuter:)

heat a little bit of olive oil in skillet to prevent sticking and place balls into hot oil, stir constantly to brown on all sides being careful not to overload your pan; i usually cook these in two 'shifts'

remove from pan and drain on paper towels to get rid of excess grease then place in your sauce and cook an additional 20 minutes on low with lid on to prevent splatter

meatballs - part deux
since i was unable to open my jar of sauce AND found that my supply of dried herbs was basically non-existent, i finished cooking my meatballs in the oven, placing them in my glass pie pan, pouring a little red wine over them and then adding fresh sage, thyme and rosemary. i covered them with foil and baked them for 20 minutes in a 350degree oven.

serve over your favorite pasta (we use whole wheat spaghetti cooked slightly al dente)
nice side dishes include a green salad, steamed broccoli, and of course garlic toast

mary's easy and quick garlic toast
i start with a fresh loaf of pan frances from our local HEB grocery store
slice thickly and place on cookie sheet
pre-heat your oven to 350 or 400 for extra crispy bread (i like mine to be soft in the midde)
melt just under a 1/4 of margarine in the microwave and add paprika, basil, garlic powder, oregano and dried parsley, mix well and spread on your bread before baking in the oven til it reaches your preferred level of "toasted-ness"
enjoy!

Happy 4th of July

enjoyed the annual fireworks here in little ol' san marcos texas last night....we got a really cool spot - about 150 yards from ground zero. nice patch of grass behind the HEB, had our sleeping bag spread out with a cooler full of refreshing beverages [thanks ken!] iced down real cold......we could see the fireworks perfectly including the persons lighting them! the 'boom, boom BOOMs echoing off the back of the store only added to the effect. it was though we had our very own show! why do we love fireworks so much? is it the colors in the night sky, the celebratory mood of the crowds, the sparks and light and smoke adding to the 'OOOOHHH" and 'AAAHHH' factor? probably all of the above. i know where i'm sitting next year; the grass was soft but not too long or wet, there was even a slight breeze, enough to keep us comfortable and keep the mosquitoes away. it was almost perfect except our daughter was not with us - she choose to spend the day with a friend and her family....sigh, teenagers - when anyone else' family is cooler than your own. til next year!

waiting, waiting, waiting for some inspiration

sorry its been sooo long since i contributed to my blog.....my apologies IF there's anyone out there who was actually looking forward to my rantings and ravings....maybe this weekend will give me something to write about! until then, HAPPY 4TH of JULY!!! and as all the good ol' boys says, "God Bless America"

you've been warned

that this blog may contain a bit of bad poetry, so here it is - read on only if you dare!

red, the sun on a hazy morning
red, the color of anger flowing through my veins
red, the hue of valentine's and lovers' quotes
hearts and roses and sexy dress
red, the opposite of black in a banker's notes

red, the traffic stops and its light alerts me the car needs gas
red, the blood reminding me that i'm just a woman after all
weak and vulnerable yet the sign that i'm a source of life
red, the apple skin, the sunburn, the sauce that stains the tablecloth

red lets everyone know i spent all night crying
gives away my secret cold, all that blowing colors my nose

photo credit:
shannonwing.com
Red Sun
12"x12"
acrylics on canvas

our wonderful, wild field is GONE!

mowed down with large green tractors - the thistle, the wild flowers, the tall prairre like grass - all GONE! i think of all the creatures, both animal and insect, that lived in the field; the birds, the field mice, the lizards and toads, the caterpillars and the ants, the crickets too. the armadillo and the feral cats, all the nesting creatures now without a home. i'm sure there were snakes and slugs and snails too. last night max and i wondered into the field - we usually stayed near the sidewalk as the grass and such was almost as tall as me [okay, at 4' 11 3/4 inches that may not be saying a lot] so walked, the dried freshly cut grass crunching under my shoes, the strong smell of 'green' almost too much to bear.....in the distance i saw two figures moving, they disappeared! then i realized that in the middle of our field was a great big 'dip', a crater that was invisible before the cut; two deer were running away as they sensed max and i getting closer. deer, that one always surprises me even though i have been in san marcos for 20 years, this city girl is always amazed to see the deer. they too have lost the cover for the their fawns in the field - the land lays nearly naked; the brush that sheltered so many, murdered with the passing of a tractor.