My apologies for missing last week's CV-- school had me more than inundated, but I have a brief reprieve.
This week's theme is Spring. For folks in the DC area, this often means cherry blossoms (the source of my blog moniker, in case you hadn't noticed :) The original 3,000 trees were a gift from Tokyo's mayor in the early 20th Century (and we gave them dogwoods in return two years later) to symbolize the friendship between our countries. The symbolism is interesting, especially as it continues to flourish in several ways. The trees are supposed to be in full bloom this coming weekend (the season lasts less than two weeks) and I hope to be able to get out and enjoy the scenery. Check back for more photos after Easter Sunday, April 4th!
To see what spring looks like in other parts of the world, check out:
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Corner View : Front Door
Happy St. Patrick's Day, Everyone! My favorite color is grass green, and they say that green is a color in which everyone has a shade, so one more excuse to feel lucky and wear my favorite color works for me :)
Boy... this is a tough topic for me for today's CV. My own personal front door is nothing special. The front doors I look at most are those of my school, classrooms, professors' offices. But something I have noticed in DC is that front doors are often colored with funky (and I do mean funky!) paints that match the trim or the color of the neighboring house.
For example, along my route to school there's a green house with a blue door. To the right of it is a blue house with a green door. And to the right of the blue house with the green door is yet another house with a door to match the first of the three. I don't know if these neighbors are just that good of friends, if there's only one owner, or if there was just enough leftover paint to spread around the 'hood, but it's definitely eye-catching.
Took this quickie photo along my drive in
To check out worldly front doors, go to:
Boy... this is a tough topic for me for today's CV. My own personal front door is nothing special. The front doors I look at most are those of my school, classrooms, professors' offices. But something I have noticed in DC is that front doors are often colored with funky (and I do mean funky!) paints that match the trim or the color of the neighboring house.
For example, along my route to school there's a green house with a blue door. To the right of it is a blue house with a green door. And to the right of the blue house with the green door is yet another house with a door to match the first of the three. I don't know if these neighbors are just that good of friends, if there's only one owner, or if there was just enough leftover paint to spread around the 'hood, but it's definitely eye-catching.
Took this quickie photo along my drive in
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Snow Day Scrumptiousness
Here are some recipes that kept our bellies full of warmth and happiness throughout the icky weather... and icky homework assignments ;)
White Cheese Chicken Lasagna
I definitely used half as much butter as this called for, and because I don't have a 9x13 pan, I put it in a larger pan, making fewer layers, and thus leaving me with extra lasagna noodles. I mixed the mozzarella, parmesan, and spinach and made that the top layer. I don't know why I fell in love with this recipe from first seeing the photo, but it looked and turned out delicious!
Beef and Mushroom Stew
You know, this one was pretty easy, but definitely made about half as much as I would've liked. My solution was to serve it over brown rice to make it go a little further. I used whatever random red wine we recently opened, and I used baby bella mushrooms.
Jerk Chicken
Dee-freakin-licious. These came out perfectly, they tasted good, and serving them with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli gave another thing or two to put additional sauce on. I didn't have thyme and I used a Cajun spice instead of the all-spice recommended. I was a huge fan of these and, though I doubled the recipe, wished I had made even more.
Potato and Bean Enchiladas
Easy squeasy. So easy, in fact, that my husband made them. Okay, maybe it wasn't that easy, because I changed up the recipe on him. I browned some ground meat and used some salsa and poured that over these. I didn't use anything to heat up the tortillas in.
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
I didn't cut my celery or carrots small enough. I also used goat cheese instead of blue. Very delicious! The rolls recommended weren't enough, but you can easily have it on crackers or even maybe as a topping for some other dish that needs more.
Thai Curry Chicken and Rice
This one was quite good. I didn't have green curry paste, so I just threw in about 2tbsp of curry powder. It was delicious, and then I realized I should've doubled the recipe. (It looked like plenty when I was planning it!) I would also probably add carrots and potatoes and celery, or other veggies. I served over brown rice... but only a few times, 'cause it was gone in a flash!
Curried Honey Mustard Chicken
Gah-lee this one smelled good! I could hardly wait for the marinade to finish so I could eat it. I wound up getting busy and letting it marinate for more than a day, but when we cooked it and put it over brown rice, it was still pretty yummy.
White Cheese Chicken Lasagna
I definitely used half as much butter as this called for, and because I don't have a 9x13 pan, I put it in a larger pan, making fewer layers, and thus leaving me with extra lasagna noodles. I mixed the mozzarella, parmesan, and spinach and made that the top layer. I don't know why I fell in love with this recipe from first seeing the photo, but it looked and turned out delicious!
Beef and Mushroom Stew
You know, this one was pretty easy, but definitely made about half as much as I would've liked. My solution was to serve it over brown rice to make it go a little further. I used whatever random red wine we recently opened, and I used baby bella mushrooms.
Jerk Chicken
Dee-freakin-licious. These came out perfectly, they tasted good, and serving them with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli gave another thing or two to put additional sauce on. I didn't have thyme and I used a Cajun spice instead of the all-spice recommended. I was a huge fan of these and, though I doubled the recipe, wished I had made even more.
Potato and Bean Enchiladas
Easy squeasy. So easy, in fact, that my husband made them. Okay, maybe it wasn't that easy, because I changed up the recipe on him. I browned some ground meat and used some salsa and poured that over these. I didn't use anything to heat up the tortillas in.
Buffalo Chicken Sliders
I didn't cut my celery or carrots small enough. I also used goat cheese instead of blue. Very delicious! The rolls recommended weren't enough, but you can easily have it on crackers or even maybe as a topping for some other dish that needs more.
Thai Curry Chicken and Rice
This one was quite good. I didn't have green curry paste, so I just threw in about 2tbsp of curry powder. It was delicious, and then I realized I should've doubled the recipe. (It looked like plenty when I was planning it!) I would also probably add carrots and potatoes and celery, or other veggies. I served over brown rice... but only a few times, 'cause it was gone in a flash!
Curried Honey Mustard Chicken
Gah-lee this one smelled good! I could hardly wait for the marinade to finish so I could eat it. I wound up getting busy and letting it marinate for more than a day, but when we cooked it and put it over brown rice, it was still pretty yummy.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Corner View : Miniature Worlds
The first thing I thought of when I read Cate's suggestion for this week's topic was the little people I know. This past weekend we traveled several hours south for the 6th birthday of my sweet niece, Mollie, and our first time to meet her brother Liam; it's always entertaining to be around the middle child, Lucy. Mollie's birthday party included decorating bags to hold all the treasures she and a friend would find in their fairy treasure hunt, painting and gluing wings on little wooden fairies, princess cake and ice cream, and an Italian dinner. Observing the thought processes and enjoyments of small people is really like being in a miniature world... not quite the land of Lilliputians, but you get the idea ;)
To check out miniature worlds around the globe, click:
Liam, Mollie, Lucy
To check out miniature worlds around the globe, click:
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Corner View : Coffee Companion
Mmmm... I hardly even know where to start. I love blended coffee (Starbucks' peppermint mocha frap, double blended so you don't get ice chunks at the bottom of your $4 drink) and lattes (especially vanilla ones! And if they make it right, you don't need to add sugar or anything!) and especially French Pressed (though I don't always have the time to make it) and just good ole regular coffee with cream and sugar. Lately, though, I've been making coffee at home and putting it in my "go cup" with a bit of cream and a bit of powdered chai mix I have. It's sort of like a chai latte and it's a delicious way to start the day!
My coffee companion is often what I put in it, as it's usually a beverage on the go. If I had time to stop and share it with a friend, though, my companion would either be a classmate I cross the quad with to get a cheap jolt with (only once this semester), or better yet, a good ole girlfriend with whom I was enjoying catching up (last time for that must've been Christmas)!
I wrote more about the Properties of Perks shortly after I started school last year.
To see what, or whom, others take with their coffee, check out:
My coffee companion is often what I put in it, as it's usually a beverage on the go. If I had time to stop and share it with a friend, though, my companion would either be a classmate I cross the quad with to get a cheap jolt with (only once this semester), or better yet, a good ole girlfriend with whom I was enjoying catching up (last time for that must've been Christmas)!
I wrote more about the Properties of Perks shortly after I started school last year.
To see what, or whom, others take with their coffee, check out:
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