Archive for April, 2011

Apr 27

Recipe : Zucchini in Tomato Sauce + Spaghetti

This recipe makes for a simple and delicious weeknight dinner.  Start with the most festively plump zucchini you can find.  Cut it up into rounds (saving the rest for zucchini bread), and sauté with salt, pepper, & olive oil.

Once the zucchini coins are brown, turn down the heat (so the tomato sauce won’t splatter when you add it) and pour in as much pasta sauce as you like.  I used a jar of already made tomato & basil pasta sauce.

Once the sauce is heated through, serve it over a tangle of cooked pasta noodles and top with parmesan cheese.  Easy peasy!  I think this would go great with a green salad or garlic bread.

Ingredient Round-up:
zucchini
salt + pepper
olive oil
pasta
a jar of pasta sauce
parmesan cheese



Posted in Food, Personal
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Apr 26

April Loves {& things that have made me happy this month}

At the end of the week we’ll be saying goodbye to April… but before that happens, I wanted to list a few things that have me smiling:

1.  Sunshine, a breeze, open windows, and the sound of the city beneath me
2. Couch naps near #1
3. Swappping out coffee for green tea (it just feels lighter)
4. Getting into a running routine & really feeling it (looking for new music, however)
5. Discovering the cutest coffee shop in Houston
6. Sleeping with the ceiling fan on
7. A giant zucchini (recipes coming soon!)
8. Lots of looking-forwardness, especially for our east coast trip next month, Schmeepsie’s graduation, & lots of family goodness
9. My wonderful neighbors 3 floors up who invite me to social gatherings!
10. A very handsome visitor
11. Getting magazines in the mail
12. Skyping with mumsy & dad
13. More time spent in the kitchen making food
14. Dreams of both being home and traveling with Zachary
15. The Awesome Note iPhone app

What have you loved about April?



Posted in Houston, Personal, Texas
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Apr 19

Puppy Weekend!

No, I did not get a puppy this weekend :o )  But I did help Celie celebrate her birthday!  She is the pretty one on the right, and she belongs to my wonderful neighbors!  The dog on the left is a Yorkiepoo named Benny!   I haven’t had a pet since I was in elementary school… I do, however, have fond memories of Friendy the turtle, Kittensnappy the kitten, and Birdie… the bird.  Yes, I was a wildly creative pet namer in my childhood!  Do you have any pets?

Edit : I didn’t want to forget to say thank you for the sweet comments and kind words you’ve left me these past couple of days!  You make me smile & it feels great to be blogging again :o )



Posted in Houston, Out & About, Personal, Texas
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Apr 18

Save this for Next Weekend!

I hope your Monday is off to a good start!  My normal go-to breakfast is oatmeal, but it is nice to spice it up on the weekends!  When I was a kid, we rotated between waffles, pancakes, and french toast on the weekends.  I remember thinking that there was no better smell than that of our tear-apart heart-shaped waffles!

Last Sunday, Zac’s breakfast request – crepes!  It’s nice, because they are made with staple ingredients, so no trip to the grocery store.  Win!

Our favorite fillings are lemon & sugar (any fresh fruit works inside, too!).  Sprinkle, squeeze, roll up, eat (knife & fork optional).

Crepes for 2 or 3 hungry people :

- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2/3 cup flour
- a pinch of salt
- 1.5 t vegetable oil

1. Mix everything together in a bowl with a wire whisk. It’s ok if it is a little lumpy.
2. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto a hot greased skillet (medium-low heat).
3. Quickly turn the pan around so the batter coats the whole circumference.
4. When the edges begin to turn golden & peel away from the pan, flip it!
5. Re-oil the pan & repeat!

Recipe adapted from : AllRecipes.



Posted in Food, Houston, Personal, Texas
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Apr 15

Ryan & Monique (Second Shooting with Christina!)

Last month I had the wonderful opportunity to second shoot for Christina Shippey at Ryan & Monique’s wedding in La Porte, Texas.  We met up before the wedding to have lunch and discuss the day ahead.  Christina had drawn up a little schedule for me with the names of family members, must-have shots, and a timeline (so very helpful!).

We got to the church early, scouted out locations for pictures, and tried to find our way inside the chapel!

My job during the formal pictures and wedding ceremony was to use the 70-200mm lens and get candid shots and closeups.  I had never used this lens before – it made my 35mm lens feel like a toy when I put it back on, it was so hefty in comparison!

I couldn’t have asked for a better experience second shooting (it was my first time!)  Here are a few things I learned/observed that I took note of:

- I love that Christina gave me a timeline at the beginning of the day. It helped me stay on top of the days events and anticipate what we were going to focus on next.
- It was inspiring for me to watch her give such confident direction.
- She really kept things rolling throughout the day – when she got her shot, she moved on!

After the wedding, I couldn’t wait to tell Zac and my parents about my day :o )  I was just so excited!  Christina – thank you for the great experience, for trusting me to be your second shooter, and for your friendship!  You can see more pictures of the day on Christina’s blog!



Posted in Houston, Texas, Wedding
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