week 4 : pumpkin seeds

large vines replaced the seedlings.
summer is moving in quickly.
the pumpkin seeds are requiring more water.

hope you had a great memorial day weekend.
thank you to all those who are fighting for freedom
& to those who have protected freedom in the past.

jersey girl.

see i try and tell myself i'm different.
that since i lived in virginia for four years,
and i live in south jersey..
that i'm nothing like those girls.

you know those girls.
jerseylicious,
housewives
jersey shore.

i'm a jersey girl.
but i'm different.

today i cleaned out my closet,
and i found this:

and i think to myself..

'oh, no i didn't'

totally in my jersey slur.

& no it didn't go into the goodwill bag.

because you never know..

tomorrow i may need the perfect mix,

of animal print and glitter.

fist pump.

3 weeks: pumpkin seeds

the garden is blooming.
i am finally done my masters classes,
and will graduate july 31.

so now..
i relax,
enjoy,
& love.

time to use that heart.
the brain needs a rest.
courage will be needed later.

2 weeks: pumpkin seeds

after two weeks,
i had six seedlings.
i trimmed them down to the four strongest.
not sure if i should trim it down to three.

being my own darwin.
survival of the fittest pumpkin seedlings.

how bout them flyers?
my grandfather's name is stanley.
but everyone knows him as sonny.
i use to think it was sunny when i was a kid.

i'm hoping the flyers win the lord sonny cup.
aka the stanley cup!

Attempt One: Ricotta Cookies

i am biased
but i truly believe anyone who marries an italian has it a bit harder
italians love their food
and marrying an italian who went to culinary school
i am screwed

i love italian food
i use to eat spaghetti sauce from a jar
and think it was good
now i can only eat homemade gravy

i have been dyng to try some italian cookies
when i found a recipe for ricotta cookies in family circle
i had to try

i am still looking for more italian cookies
please send me links
& family recipes

i'd love to try another variation of the ricotta cookie
but here is the ricotta cookie i used today:

2 1/4cups flour
1tsp baking powder
1/4tsp baking powder
1/8tsp baking soda
(mix four dry ingredients)

1/2cup butter
1cup granulated sugar
(cream butter & sugar)

1egg
1cup ricotta
1teaspoon vanilla
(add to butter & sugar)

slowly add dry mix to butter & sugar
drop in rounded teaspons
on greased baking sheets
bake for 14min at 350

cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes
transfer to wire racks

mix two cups confectioners sugar with 3 tablespoons milk
dip cooled cookies into glaze

1 week: pumpkin

i must say i'm pretty impressed by pumkin seeds.
planted five in a mound.
one week later i have three seedlings.
my cantelope,watermelon
& buttercup squash also matured in one week.

can you imagine four weeks?
i'll keep you updated.

you should plant your own pumpkins too.
then you can make pumkin pie,
pumkin chocoate chip cookies,
pumpkin bread,
pumpkin lattes,
& pumpkin martinis.

have i convinced you yet?
let me know if you plant some pumkins.
we can track their growth together!

how does your garden grow?

last weekend j constructed my wonderful garden.
thanks to a co-worker i have a ton of plants.
zucchini
beefsteak tomatoes
cherry tomatoes
jalopeno peppers
green bell peppers
buttercup squash
pumpkin
eggplant
watermelon
cantelope

oh the things that i will be making this summer.
my mouth is already watering.

in other news.
two weeks of my masters program left.
i promise regular blogging will resume.
& yes j,
regular cooking
& cleaning as well.
& yes minion,
regular walks.

& yes self,
you might have a life.