Fresh Cut Friday

I'm back from my little blogging break. Blogger was acting up, so that made posting difficult, and then I just got a little lazy/busy. It happens.

It's been a few weeks since I had a proper Fresh Cut Friday . This week's arrangement is my favorite kind - the free kind. Last night, I noticed my knockout rose bush was in full bloom, and the rain had made it all dewey and gorgeous. So I just had to clip a few and bring them in. Knockout rose bushes don't produce the most beautiful or impressive blooms, but they are blooms all the same!

I put them in my new favorite pitcher. Picked it up at a little antique store a couple of weeks ago. I clipped some holly branches and fern leaves, too. Gotta love quick (and did I mention free?) arrangements from the yard!

Homemade Hummus

I love hummus. There are lots of varieties in the grocery store these days, but I really like to make my own when I have time. I always start with the same basic ingredients and add whatever I feel like or whatever I have on hand to kick up the flavor.

For this batch of hummus, I kept it pretty simple:

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained and rinsed

2 cloves garlic

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1-2 tablespoons fresh parsley

juice of 1 lemon

salt - 1/2 tsp, or to taste

pepper - 1/2 tsp, or to taste

red pepper flakes - tiny pinch (if you like a little kick, like I do)

Toss the garlic and parsley in the food processor, chop into tiny bits.

Add everything else and pulse until it all comes together into a smooth mixture. You may need to add more olive oil if it's too dry.

Spoon into a pretty bowl and serve with veggies, pita chips...whatever strikes your fancy.

The possibilities are endless when making your own hummus - add in roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, or chipotle peppers. Switch up the herbs, too - basil, cilantro, oregano. So many tasty combos.

Fresh Cut Mother's Day {aka: 2 posts in 1}

I had my family over for a Mother's Day brunch yesterday, and these fresh cut flowers served as the centerpieces...

Set up on the patio...
{Side note: scored those aqua stackable vinyl chairs at an estate sale last summer for $4 each!}

We had the same simple quiche I made for Wreathfest 2010. One of them was filled with asparagus, prosciutto, mushrooms, basil, and a blend of fontina/mozzarella/parm. The other had bacon, red + yellow peppers, mushrooms, green onion, and swiss. They got a little brown on top, but they were still delish.

We also had mixed berries, and banana muffins. For the muffins, I used this recipe, but added walnuts and chocolate chips.

We had mimosas, too. Because it just isn't brunch without them!

My sister Mallorie, and my lovely momma.

The guys - The Mr., my brother Mike, and my dad.

My mom and her three kiddos. We're lucky to have her as our mother. She's done so much for all of us, and she's a great friend. Pretty darn funny, too. Which is one of the best qualities a person can have, in my book. Love you, Mom!

Girls' Night Out + Lilacs for ME!

Last Saturday, my friends and I had a little girls' night out. Not the "go to dinner, have some wine, be home in bed by 11" kind of girls' night out. We had an all out "let's pretend we're still 23, act obnoxious on the dance floor, close the bar down, cab it home, end the night at 3 a.m. with Totinos pizzas" girls' night out. Back in our prime, we had nights like those pretty often. Boy were they fun. And this one was no exception. I will say one thing though, what comes out of our mouths sure has changed over the last few years.

Then...
"Oh my gosh. What's that guy's name over there? Didn't we see him at Big Daddy's last weekend? He's soooo hot." ~ "We should totally have 'after bars' tonight!" ~ "We should totally hit Jack 'n the Box drive-thru on the way home tonight!!!"

Now...
"So what did you decide to plant in your garden this year? Asparagus?!? I am SO jealous!" ~ "OK, so here's my basic pesto recipe..." ~ "Gosh, those flashing strobe lights are hurting my eyes. And why is it so dark in here?"

Times have changed. But we still know how to have a good time. Dare I say, "We still freakin' have it!" (borrowed from one of my friends and slightly altered ;)

Anyway, what does any of that have to do with lilacs? Well...as I strolled into the house the next morning, I was hit with the most amazing smell.

The Mr. was at my parents' house for a little golf outing Saturday afternoon, and my mom sent some of their lilacs home with him. I can't think of anything better to come home to. Other than maybe a big hangover-killing breakfast. Maybe next time. When we're ready for a next time.

Fresh Cut Friday

Time's been tight this week. In fact, I didn't even get around to picking up fresh flowers for this week's FCF. Luckily, my parents came to the rescue and sent me a picture of their lilacs, fresh from their backyard.

I'm envious of anyone who has flowering bushes & trees in their yard. I'm hoping to get some of my own planted this spring. After two springs/summers in our house, we have yet to landscape the backyard. It seems there was always something above it on our "to do" list. But I think we're finally ready to get some roots in the ground, and better yet, some homegrown bouquets on the table. Can't wait. In the mean time...thanks, Mom & Dad! And feel free to bring some of those lilacs on over.

Fresh Cut Friday

This week's arrangement is a mix of pink alstroemeria, cream roses, yellow freesia, and a few sprigs of mint from my little herb garden. Which, by the way, is already off to a great start thanks to all of the rain we've been getting. I arranged it all in a pretty blue & white bowl with floral foam.

Between the roses, freesia, and mint...this is probably the best smelling bouquet ever. Have a great weekend and a very happy Easter!

Orzo with Salmon, Asparagus, & Tomatoes

Have you seen Giada's line of pasta, sauces, etc. at Target?

I'm a big fan of GDL. She puts a fresh modern twist on traditional Italian. Her recipes are always so good. I didn't use a recipe of hers for this dish, but I did use her orzo.

Ingredients:
Orzo
2 salmon filets - cooked & flaked
(I used "season grill salmon" from Schnucks seafood counter-it's delicious! Baked it at 400 for 15 minutes)
1 bunch asparagus, diced
1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup white wine
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp capers
chopped basil + parsley, or any fresh herbs you like
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp olive oil
parmesan
salt + pepper {missing from this pic is the salmon, capers, olive oil, s+p - oops!}

Cook the orzo according to the directions on the box. I found that it really stuck to the pan, so I recommend adding a little olive oil to keep the sticking to a minimum. When the orzo is just a few minutes shy of being done, add the asparagus in.

Can you tell how starchy the orzo is? I'm not going to lie - it was kind of messy. Not an "easy clean up" kind of dish.

Drain the orzo and asparagus. In a large pan, saute the chopped garlic in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, then add the cooked orzo and asparagus. Add the wine, 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice, tomatoes, chopped herbs, capers, and s+p to taste.

Stir it all together, remove from heat, and add the flaked salmon and as much freshly grated parm as you want.

It was a nice, light meal. And pretty easy...if you have someone else do the dishes.