Blowin' in the Wind

This is what we had for dinner last night, and each time I make it I change it a little and like it a bit more...it's started to become one of my favorite dishes, I think! I stole the recipe from Alicia after her bridal shower & added a few tweaks, and YUM!

Also, Steak House cabernet was a perfect complement. I love the Magnificent Wine Co.!

Edit: Amanda requested the recipe, so here you go!

Ingredients:

1- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2- cloves garlic, minced
1- medium onion, diced
2- bell peppers, diced (Original recipe says 1 green & 1 red but green peppers bother me so I usually do 1 red, 1 yellow)
1- medium zucchini, chopped
4- cups water
2- cups vegetable stock
1- 6 oz. can tomato paste
1- 14 oz. package cheese ravioli
olive oil
oregano
parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

I usually also add a few mushrooms, and a dash of red pepper flakes.

1. Heat the oil (~1 1/2 Tbsp) in a large pot. Saute garlic & onions for 3 minutes, then add bell peppers and saute for another 5 or so minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and vegetable (or chicken, if you don't care about the vegetarian element) stock. At this point grate in some parmesan cheese, or throw in rinds if you have them to for some extra yummy. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.

3. Add the zucchini, oregano, & ravioli (and mushrooms). Bring to a light boil until ravioli is tender.

4. Add salt, pepper, & pepper flakes to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until zucchini reaches desired texture. I like mine with a little crunch left still, and 10-15 minutes usually gets it just right.

I serve with grated parmesan & a bit of basil over the top (fresh is always better, but I only had dried yesterday...waiting on my plants to grow big & strong).

Makes 4-6 servings

(Skip the parm & switch to spinach ravioli to make it vegan-friendly!)

Super easy, and I love it...especially on a rainy, dreary night like last night was! Enjoy!

What a busy weekend the last one was! Friday I got off work early & the fam and I hit up the Flaming Lips show... More specifically, we saw Deathstar & White Dwarfs, The Ettes, White Rabbits, Minus the Bear, The Dead Weather, and The Flaming Lips - it was a GREAT show! And my mom won 4 VIP tickets to 311 & The Offspring on July 3rd, so that will be fun too!


The Dead Weather


Wayne in a bubble



Then Saturday I woke up at the crack of dawn and went to Rolla with E Gill for PSR initiation...It was a great time, and I loved our new girls! Can't wait to get to know them better!

Sunday I got home around 3:00, and Andy surprised me by showing up just an hour after me. We had some delicious crab alfredo for dinner, and then mostly hung out. I imagine we'll do a lot of snuggly things between now & Thursday morning, since I will be leaving for Memphis Thursday afternoon...

As it turns out, my obsession with trees knows no limits. Today I have on a shirt with a tree on it, I'm currently planning my next tattoo, of - you guessed it - a tree...

I recently stumbled across this (sadly but understandably expensive!) bed:




I love it. I think part of its statement lies in the rest of the room being so stark, though, and I'm not sure I could pull that off. I'd have my spare room cramped with everything I wish I had in my bedroom... Or I could just make my bedroom bigger...

So I had the STRANGEST dreams last night! When I very first woke up, I remembered several of the scenarios, but there was one I specifically wanted to remember so I focused on it, and I've forgotten the rest. I know vaguely they had to do with my garden...or at least one did.

Anyway, here's the one: My sister & I had been eating dinner, and one of her friends, but we were walking back to "my house" (It wasn't really my house but was in the dream)...we're walking through this parking lot & my sister is reading this news story on her phone that's happening in town right now, and freaking out. Then we see someone in a car's passenger seat in the parking lot watching a TV with their door open, and we go over to watch this breaking news that Sister was freaking out about. Turns out Blues Traveler was in town, and they had played such an extended jam that 2 of the members got "retrograde confusion", which basically meant they had played for so long they had more or less gotten in a trance, and couldn't stop playing. It showed scenes of them playing, etc. on the news.

SO BIZARRE!!!

Okay, so maybe he isn't quite yet! But Andy gets back this evening, and I'm SO happy! It's only been since Tuesday morning, but it's been an eventful 2 days, and I will welcome him back with open arms!

Lately I've been reading a lot of blogs, and wishing I could come up with other peoples' witticisms...The most frustrating part of it all is that I think I used to be clever, and am less so now. Maybe I need drugs to be clever? ...or maybe it's a lack of social involvement. In high school and college, I did a lot and spend my time with a LOT of different types of folk. It probably also helped that (nearly) all of them were intelligent people. Well, I'm glad Andy is incredibly smart...maybe I'll make him have some sort of serious, engaging conversation this evening. I'm sure he'll love that.

I've also decided to start phasing in new things in my wardrobe. I keep vowing to do more with solid colors, but then I get to the store and gravitate towards print...I'm working on that.

It would seem I'm just craving change in general....spring fever?

...All the better to sit on, my dear.

So...since Andy & I have started dating (14 months ago, wow!), I have gained nearly 20 pounds. This is completely not okay, so Operation Not Such A Fatass starts....tomorrow. I'm so good about eating healthy, but not so good about eating in moderation or keeping a regular workout schedule. Hopefully since I have admitted these problems, I'm taking the first step toward solving them.

Anyway, I think I've decide to return to the land of the blog. I always start to give it up when I know people aren't reading it, but then I remember that I enjoy it. I'm doing this for ME, not for you!

An old friend committed suicide yesterday. I can't understand what he must have felt like, but I am very saddened by all of it. It seems that everyone I know is sort of in a darker-than-usual place lately...I've even felt that way. I haven't felt depressed, but I've been thinking a lot lately about things I would have done differently given the opportunity, and also how I need to get out & make some friends! I wish I wasn't quite so poor, so I could make the CS & Burner gatherings...well, someday!

To make myself feel better, I created a Google spreadsheet (I'm a whore for Google Docs!) of things I want to accomplish in 2010. I think it's helped to clear my mind some. Establishing goals is the only way to achieve them.(:

Get outside & enjoy that sunshine today! I can't wait to get off work & do just that!

You don't have a clue
What it is like to be next to you
I'm here to tell you
That it is good
That it is true

Birds singing a song
Old paint is peeling
This is that fresh
That fresh feeling

Words can't be that strong
My heart is reeling
This is that fresh
That fresh feeling

Try
Try to forget what's in the past
Tomorrow is here
Love,
Orange sky above lighting your way
There's nothing to fear

Birds singing a song
Old paint is peeling
This is that fresh
That fresh feeling

Words can't be that strong
My heart is reeling
This is that fresh
That fresh feeling

Some people are good
Babe in the 'hood
So pure and so free
I'd make a safe bet
You're gonna get whatever you need