Screens & A Simple Lunch

Last weekend, we visited Ellicott City to help our aunt hang new screens on her enclosed deck. What a project!

I don't think any of us realized how long it would take. We were climbing ladders, pulling out staples, screwing and unscrewing the frames, dodging bumblebees, and cutting & stapling screens.

We violated all the rules for ladder use. We had it leaning precariously against bushes and he was straddling the top. We joked about it because although the directions warn against many things, leaning against bushes wasn't one of them!

At least I wasn't the one climbing ladders and crawling through bushes. I was the designated ladder holder instead.

I was also busy taking pictures, enjoying the flowers and sneezing!!

Connie made a yummy lunch for us.

We had hummus, an orzo salad, and white wine. The orzo salad was fresh and cool, perfect with the creamy hummus and crisp wine.

She got the hummus platter from Trader Joe's. (My favorite store!!) It had Roasted Red Pepper, Regular, Garlic, and Basil flavors. We ate it paired with pita chips, which had the perfect amount of sea saltiness.

Connie's Simple Orzo Salad

Serves 8

Connie's Note: Definitely one of those recipes that is not an exact science – ingredients can be added and subtracted and quantities modified.

My Note: If you don't like mushrooms, leave them out. If you want garlic, add it. Hate dill? Substitute chives. The sky is the limit!

1 lb. orzo

2 small zucchinis

12 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

3/4 cup fresh dill, chopped

3/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup scallions, chopped

juice of 2 lemons

2 T olive oil

salt

black pepper

Optional Garnishes:

6 artichoke hearts, quartered lengthwise

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

Cook the orzo according to package directions and set aside to cool. Remove soft seeded center from zucchinis and chop into small pieces. If time allows, lightly salt and allow to drain for 20-30 minutes and then rinse.  Lightly saute the mushrooms in 1 tsp. olive oil, about 2 minutes. Toss everything together, mixing thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with artichoke hearts and mozzarella.

Orzo Salad

In Honor of Mom

Tomorrow is Mother's Day, so I'd like to take a moment to tell you about my mom and the things I admire about her and learned from her!

1. She has SO much energy! I can only hope that I have that much energy as I get older.

2. I inherited my love of ice cream from her.

3. Cooking is fun! I learned to appreciate all food from Mom.

4. Never limit yourself. She is always on the go, getting things done around the house and yard. It's inspiring to see so much creativity.

5. If you spill your margarita, it's ok to spoon it off the counter.

6. Almost everything is reusable. Baggies are washable and the best place to dry them is on your plants...it's like a mini greenhouse!

7. There's no end to the amount of plants you can grow on a small plot of land. Grass is totally optional. She's my own personal Master Gardener.

8. Budget, budget, budget. But still spend enough to enjoy life, just be wise about it.

9. Take as many vacations as possible. There's so much out there to see!

10. Walk everywhere. If you can't walk, bike. And take the steps.

11. Love your husband without fail, but don't be afraid to argue once in awhile.

Thank you, Mom, for being the best mother and friend in the world!

Picky Eater

If you just met me, you'd never believe that I used to be an extremely picky eater. Ok, maybe you would... 


As a child, my mom was very conscious of making sure our family ate healthy. I never had a hot dog until one of her friends found out and gave me one because "all children have to eat hot dogs." It was always a trial for my parents having a picky eater for a daughter because they both love everything.

They're are always telling stories about us eating out. Sometimes the only thing I would eat was broccoli. Once, when I was very young, I sat on my godfather's lap and ate all the onions from his plate.

When I got a little older, I started wanting everything plain. Bare noodles (which I do still love!) were my favorite. Traditionally, we had pasta on Thursday and Sunday nights. After Dad drained the noodles I would bring my plate to the kitchen and get my portion. Then he'd mix the rest in with the sauce for them.

Mom's rule for my eating was that I should try everything she and Dad were having. The only exception was when they had a very spicy meal. I couldn't even take black pepper! On those occasions she either separated out my portion before adding the spice or she made me something simple instead.

It was only after going to college and then moving out on my own that I really developed my taste buds. I started trying new foods and loving them. I started cooking with a healthy diet in mind.



Reading also opened up the world of food to me. Between books and blogs, I've learned so much about how food is grown/raised and its effects on the world and our bodies. In the past year, I've grown closer and closer to being a full vegetarian. At this point, the only meat that I will eat is the occasional seafood, and that only if it was sustainably raised.

So you could say that I'm still a picky eater, but now I'm picky because I want to provide my body with healthy foods and ingredients.