I made dinner with a recipe. I almost never do that. When it comes to dinner, my family is just lucky to get a cooked, warm meal. I am a baker, what can I say!
So, I happened upon a sausage recipe on the same day I was thawing sausage (without a direction to go in). It was kismet, meant to be.
I had all the ingredients too (which almost never happens)…or so I thought.
Here’s the recipe I found:
http://willowbirdbaking.com/2013/09/19/quick-weeknight-dinners-hot-sausage-tomatoes-fried-polenta/
The only changes I made was the type of sausage (not spicy) and that I added a whole chopped red bell pepper. Oh, and oops, I didn’t add fresh basil (had dried) and no sun dried tomatoes (those aren’t my thing). Okay, so LOTS of changes, but it was pretty much the same. It was DELICOUS! I could drink that red-wine infused sauce all day long.
I went to go make my polenta and ran into a bit of a problem (as oft I do). What I thought was polenta in my cupboard was really ground white maize (cornmeal).
Whatever.
Luckily, I had quick cooking brown rice on hand.
Doesn’t even matter. That sausage and sauce would have been good on an old shoe.
Try it.
In addition to that semi-successful meal, I also made something else that worked out! A few weeks ago, we went to a park birthday playdate. At that playdate, the Birthday Boy’s Mom, also my friend, brought the most delicious black bean and corn dip I’d ever had. I tried my best to recreate it.
I knew it had black beans, corn, cilantro, lime juice, and avocado. I mixed all that together and also added tomatoes.
It was really good!
1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kernel corn drained and rinsed
small handful of grape tomatoes,
1 ripe avocado
1 lime, squeezed
1 bunch of cilantro (or cilantro from that tube in the refrigerated section in produce)
Yummo.
I put mine over lettuce that my big brother grew in his garden.
This one is a winner of a recipe and feels so summery. I know a lot of this country is not particularly enjoying their snowy weather, but WE have been experiencing (and mostly enjoying) what feels like summer weather, where we live. We spend a lot of time outside, usually at the parks. But in between parks, we spend time in our own yard, where the boys like to pretend mow.
And blow bubbles, we do a LOT of bubbles.
Bigs was pretending to be a goat yesterday.
Baaaa
It’s going to be a great summer. I can feel it.
Smalls running and playing while waiting for Bigs to get out of class
Last night, we went to Bigs’ school’s Spring Fling, where they showcased the kids’ renditions of classical art. I was very impressed with my little artist’s talent!
Mondrian, Monet, Eric Carle…and Bigs!
And today was Rainforest Animal day in Bigs’ class. I went with a gorilla theme.
I made a gorilla shaped PB&J made the crusts (aka branches) green. I also made a little fruit salad of grapes, strawberries, and pineapple. And for dessert, he got some animal crackers and some chocolate covered bananas (that’s what gorillas eat for dessert, you know). For snack, I gave him a spinach and banana muffin with a string cheese.
And naturally, he had to wear I had to put him in his gorilla shirt.
Me Tarzan.
Oh! I almost forgot, have you seen these?
Apple fries? We went on a field trip this week with Bigs’ class and got these as a treat – gluten free to boot! They were awesome. Cinnamon-sugar coated apple “fries”. SO GOOD.
Hope you have a day that is just top banana!
Kristin