Awesome Time Waster

You have to try this game. You are Jimmy Olson and your goal is to get a camera shot of Superman... Just try it :-)

Food Porn Tuesday: Asparugus Crunchies

Asparagus is lovely this time of year and over the last few weeks we have enjoyed it in Quiche, plain and my new favorite, Asparagus crunchies (okay this is strictly what I am calling them). I found this recipe at my local grocery store and it tastes as good as it looks!

1. Take the freshest asparagus you can find. Wash and then snap it, fresh asparagus will naturally snap at the point where it is toughest, so no need to chop off the ends. Pat it dry.
2. Whip up 2 to 3 egg whites, enough to dip the asparagus spears. Dip the spears
3. Take Japanese bread crumbs (Panko). The finer the better, if they are too big, just pound them a little with a mallet. The recipe said to add sesame seeds which would be great, but I had none and the recipe came out fine.
4. Dredge dipped spears in the fine bread crumbs and lay them out on a cookie sheet that you have lightly covered with olive oil.
5. Set your oven to a high broil. Place cookie sheet with spears in the oven for 2-4 minutes. Roll them over to the other side and do another 2-4 minutes until they are lightly browned.
6. Serve with a dipping sauce; I used a store bought sauce of Vidalia onions and figs.
7. Enjoy!

So many choices and just one weekend

I am practically giddy about the coming weekend.

Seattle Area Yarn Store Tour
http://www.lystour.com/
20 shops 3 days and all the yarn you can knit... did I mention the free patterns... Last year I only was able to make it to 2 stores.. This year I am shooting for 7.

Seattle Cheese Festival
http://www.seattlecheesefestival.com/
This time all the cheese you can eat... I used to hate cheese until I really tasted the good stuff.

A Wonderful Mother's Day Gift

Mother's day is a little hard for me… My mother passed away several years ago and I feel resentful of the people callously complaining about spending time with their mothers... something I would give anything to have just one more time.

I will be 38 next month and still find myself struggling with whether to have a child adopt or continue on my current path with a loving family made up of a partner and 5 wonderful pets. We are child friendly people with lives very compatible for children; to top it off my partner would love to have children. So what is the problem? Not a problem exactly, more like a hundred little questions, a thousand what ifs.

So mother’s day has become this weird anxious, bitter, sad day… where I question my choices and miss my mom. I was just trying to get through it and then I received a wonderful gift from my partner.

I haven’t started reading it yet, but it is comforting to know that others struggle with these questions as I do…

Red Shafted Flicker

I think birds are totally amazing and I am constantly surprised by what flies by the window. This is a Red Shafted Flicker and he is a woodpecker. I have named him Piglet, although I am sure his real name is much more regal sounding.

Food Porn Tuesday

In honor of this wonderful post by my dear friend suttonhoo and this killer recipe from Anali, today is Food Porn Tuesday.

This recipe was created for my sweetie who wanted pancakes without the hangover. She dubbed them Pan Khakis and we have them at least once a week. The pictures are all mine, I think food porn may be my gift. :-)



Pan Khakis or Cloud Cakes
(The Light Fluffy Almost Flour Free Pancake)
This is a recipe I adapted when we were trying to find a light healthy alternative to carb laden pancakes. They can be eaten savory or sweet and don’t weigh you down or tire you out like normal pancakes.

Ingredients
1 cup cottage cheese (Any curd size- I prefer small)
4 eggs
1/2 cup flour ( this can be any kind of flour I use organic wheat)
6 tbsps butter (melted)

Extra
For sweet ½ to 1 teaspoon of Vanilla
For savory 1 teaspoon fresh chopped herbs or chives

Directions
1. Melt butter
2. In a blender combine cottage cheese, eggs, flour and butter. Add extra ingredient for savory or sweet and then blend until smooth.
3. Heat griddle (I use butter or light olive oil)
4. Pour out small amounts and cook pancakes

Makes 12-15 pancakes depending on size ( I like them small 3 inches across)

To Serve

For Sweet
1½ cups mixed berries sweetened with 2 tablespoons of Real Maple Syrup
Chocolate shavings and whip cream
Fresh fruit

For Savory
A dollop of cream cheese with smoked salmon ,
or fresh salsa

Note: These reheat nicely and will last 5 days in the fridge, I store in container in wax paper.

Blink and it's May

Not sure where the time has gone,but I am still here. Knee deep in dirt and loving every minute. I am searching for ways to reclaim my time, so I have what I need for my favorite activities including Blogging and gardening. Speaking of which, here is one of my favorite plants in the garden, Euphorbia.