Five Good Things: Midsummer Edition
1. This amazing goat cheese spread from I Heart Kale. Possibly the easiest, most delicious dip I’ve ever made. And I, uh, really like dip. Leslie and I had a roof deck party last night, and I may have eaten an untoward amount of it.
2. The Stone Diaries, by Carol Shields. The Pulitzer Book List is getting me to read some stuff I’d never ordinarily pick up otherwise, and it’s kind of awesome. Next up: The Road. Don’t I look smarter already?
3. Three long walks to Castle Island this weekend, accompanied by WBUR and the newest JoBros cd. My muscles are kind of sore, but in the good way. I might try to make this a not-just-weekend thing.
4. Tom reading the Sunday Globe out loud over iced coffee
5. Putting off the shopping. It’s too nice to hit the Stop and Shop. We can eat from the freezer for a couple more days. That’s what hot dogs are for.
How was everybody’s weekend?
Dirty Girl
So I accidentally on purpose got rip-roaring drunk last night (there was an Amstel promotion at the Purple Shamrock, and what were we going to do, turn down free beer?), then came home and wolfed down a giant plate of Tom’s leftover Chinese food. Not my finest hour. I was passed out by eleven and wide awake by four-thirty this morning, though, (OH MAN, I KNOW) only slightly headachey and feeling very much like I needed to repent.
It’s ten o’clock now, and so far today I’ve picked up the bedroom, scrubbed the tub, downloaded the AWESOMEST public radio app for my phone, walked to Castle Island and back, sucked down a large iced coffee, read a couple of chapters of my book, and made a ghetto-fabulous version of Ina’s French Country omelet (with fresh sage from the garden, what what) for Tom and his sister in the hope that K won’t report back to her mom about what a degenerate bastard I am.
The verdict?
I should get totally bughouse every night.
Massachusetts Power and Light
What a strange summer this is turning out to be. Days on days on days of rain have kept us inside for the most part, which is a little disheartening a week into July. My herbs are languishing. My legs are pale. It’s a different kind of season, for sure–lots of reading, tube-watching, scribbling in notebooks. I’m on a quest to read at least a few Pulitzer winners, and The Shipping News just rocked my world. Most days it’s not quite iced-coffee weather, but I like hot just fine.
Whenever the sun comes out–even if it’s only for a few minutes–I’m out the back door like I’ve been fired from a cannon. Mondays are for grilling: last night we did steak and pork loin, pasta salad with tomato, basil, and fresh mozzarella, veggie kabobs, and magic bars. Tonight will be an indoor night–Abbey and Forrest are coming over to help us eat whatever’s in the CSA–but I’m hoping for a trip to the drive-in before the week is out. Crappy weather or not, I like the easy rhythm of summer, the sense of time wandering on. I’m a flip-flop kind of girl.
How are you all? Come say hello to me.
Yum.
Ina’s Peach and Blueberry Crumble, minus the peaches and before the oven.
CSA, Weeks 3 and 4!
Lettuce
Mesclun
Collards
Kale
Stawberries
Snap Peas
Zucchini
Summer Squash
Cucumber
Cilantro
Mint
Tomorrow: Mojitos!
Cinnamon Raisin Muffins
I made these muffins for a brunch with H&J a couple of weeks ago, and then again to send to my dad. They taste a LOT like cinnamon-raisin bagels, and are thus especially tasty toasted with butter or cream cheese. I’m also on this kick where I’m replacing cream cheese with goat cheese as my go-to spread, so I bet you could do that, too, if it doesn’t gross you out. It grosses Tom out.
Anyway! Here goes.
You need:
- 2 C flour
- 1/3 C sugar
- 1/3 C brown sugar
- 1 T baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 C canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 C skim milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 C raisins
Sift together the dry ingredients (flour through salt), then combine the wet ingredients and mix in. Add the cinnamon and raisins, then pour into greased muffins tins and bake at 400 for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar while still warm.
Eat.
Summer Night
Dance Party in Central Square!
