Photo Journal: On Vacation

 

Will be back (too) soon. 

Until then I leave you with what I see in Sunny San Diego.

Photo Journal: Mom-- Making Pierogi

My Mom, making pierogi

Ready to be boiled

 

Pan fried-- and Perfect!

Photo Journal: Focaccia from Friends

Made with love by Amy and Chris, A Couple in the Kitchen

(Tastes every bit as good as it looks!)

Big Mac and a Good Book

Last week school was really stressful. How stressful? Hmmm. Well, yesterday after school, after I finished running a couple of errands, I went to the McDonald's drive-thru and ordered a Big Mac and small fries. Yeah. But wait, there's more. I drove home, got in my pajamas (it was 4:30) and poured myself a giant vodka and ginger ale before I inhaled said Big Mac and fries. That stressful.

So this morning I was feeling pretty entitled to a day of doing nothing until it's time to get showered and boil the kielbasa for my first holiday party this evening. But when I stood at my kitchen counter grinding my Pike Place Roast, I made a deal with myself. I would NOT turn on my iPad and take my turns at all the Zynga games I play. I knew that would be a recipe for a day spent doing nothing other than that, and as much as I felt I had earned an unproductive Saturday, I knew there were other things  I could do that would make me feel better, like get back to the funny book I am reading but that I hadn't picked up in more than a week. Yes, I know, reading isn't exactly productive either, but it is better for me than playing games. Definitely more enriching. And reading often inspires me to write. Case in point.

So, yay, me for making a good choice this morning, but now it's time to get some housecleaning done before I need to get ready for the party (that I hope will put me in the holiday spirit) so that I can think about decorating for Christmas myself tomorrow.

Just as soon as I take my turns in Words with Friends...

[Heart] Note...to DePasquale's

Right on the edge of the North End of Boston, after you cross over from Quincy Market and onto Cross Street, while deciding whether to head down Hanover or Salem, stop in DePasquale's Pasta Shoppe. You won't regret it. You may even drop me a thank you note after you enjoy a North End dinner in the comfort of your own home. 

I can vouch for the shrimp and Grand Marnier ravioli, the lobster ravioli, the Maryland crab and shrimp ravioli, the mushroom ravioli, their sherry cream sauce (which works on all of the aforementioned seafood ravioli varieties), the bolognese sauce, and several of their fresh pastas. 

Lobster ravioli with sherry cream sauce

Now I love the North End of Boston. In general, I [heart] all things North End. (see previous post) And maybe that's why I love DePasqaule's as much as I do. On a night when I'd rather be dining in one of the North End restaurants that uses their pastas, but am a hundred miles away, my DePasquale pasta brings me there. When I'm not in the mood to cook, and the most I can manage is dropping ravioli in boiling water and heating up some to-die-for sauce, life is good, and oh-so-tasty. 

I [heart] DePasquale's Pasta Shoppe. Mangia bene!

Photo Journal: Holiday Spirits

Cirace's, North St., Boston's North End