It's the Measle Birthday Cake!

We've been a bit neglectful on the blog. But, it's because we've been doing FUN stuff. We celebrated two birthdays this week -- one for our niece, Lily, and one for Lo's mom!

You'll appreciate the cake we made for Lily. Peef was very excited about licking the measles on this one.



Look at that chocolate butter cake with cookies & cream filling. YUM.





Now that our sugar high has passed, we might be able to sit still for long enough to blog again...

Just for Fun: One Word Meme

One Word Meme
(Lo/Peef)

You're feeling: chipper overwhelmed
To your left: phone apple
On your mind: dinner Lo
Last meal included: strawberries cumin
You sometimes find it hard to: relax stop
The weather: lovely overcast
Something you have a collection of: books papers
A smell that cheers you up: lilacs grill
A smell that can ruin your mood: sewer foot
How long since you last shaved: days hours
The current state of your hair: blonde proper
The largest item on your desk/workspace (not computer): scanner sculpture
Your skill with chopsticks: intermediate adequate
Which section you head for first in a bookstore: bargain entertainment
Something you're craving: vacation attention
Your general thoughts on the presidential race: unsettled typical
How many times have you been hospitalized this year: zero none
Favorite place to go for a quiet moment: outside head
You've always secretly thought you'd be a good: decorator pet
Something that freaks you out a little: cicadas punctuation
Something you've eaten too much of lately: barley apples
You have never: karaokeed reproduced
You never want to: fail regret

Provincial Thoughts

Something fantastic happened to me this weekend. It seems so silly, and yet I think it's going to change the way I approach my cooking in the future.

I discovered Herbes de Provence.
My new favorite herb combination is comprised of rosemary, cracked fennel, thyme, savory, basil, tarragon, dill weed, oregano, lavender, chervil and marjoram.

No, it's not the first time that I've come across the blend. In fact, I've had a bit of "the south of France" in my cupboard for most of the time I've had my own kitchen. And yet, it eluded me. I think that the thought of using lavendar for savory cooking was just a bit beyond my mental palate's reach. Until now.

It all started with a trip to Penzey's on Friday afternoon. I conducted my usual "round" of the store to pick up the things on my list -- and then I lingered a bit, as I usually do, to contemplate some new possibilities. As I rounded the corner and glimpsed the dried rosemary and bouquet garni, my eyes fell on the jar of herbs de provence. And something moved me to pick up the jar and take a whiff.

I'd never been affected by the odor before. But, just then -- Sheer Heaven.

I don't know what flipped the switch in my head. But, I bought that jar of hdp before Peef could even argue with me about it. We happened to be grilling up some chicken on Sunday evening, and I was hunting through the spice cupboard to find the usual suspects. Somehow, my fingers grazed the brand new bottle of Herbs de Provence. I pulled it out of the cupboard, and crushed a liberal dose between my fingertips. The smell was positively intoxicating.

Imagine my absolute delight when the grilled chicken came back into the house. Those simple thighs were more aromatic, more flavorful... than just about anything I could imagine. And I think I'm hooked.

I've heard it's fantastic on roasted asparagus...

Just for fun: Our Personal Slogans for Today

Your Slogan Should Be

Lo; What You'd Eat if You Lived on Mars Peef; It's What's for Dinner

The Slogan Generator

"Did they die?"

If this is the question you've been asking yourself, we're here to provide an answer.

No, we're not dead. But it seems that the cleanse that we did last weekend has extended into the week. Both of us have had quite the catching up to do -- both at work and at home -- and we've simply had no time to post. Until now.

Here is a quick glance at what we ate and drank this past Friday - Monday...

No, not green beer...but a delicious green food tincture with hint of unsweetened cranberry juice. We got to indulge in this treat twice a day (along with our daily dose of cod liver oil). YUM!

Slightly steamed asparagus with a squeeze of lemon.

Tea, supplements, and freshly carved pineapple.

(That pesky lemon appears to really enjoy getting her picture taken...)

A delicious salad of baby arugula and mache with red peppers, cucumbers, and avacado chunks. We dressed this with a little apple cider vinegar and flax oil.

Overall, we feel about the same as before the cleanse -- except we seem to have more energy, stamina, and a renewed sense of commitment to good eating. Our recipe binders and pot racks also benefited remarkably from the cleanse, as we took some time to do some much-needed organizing. It's nice to know that both our home and innards are a little bit cleaner.

Life is good!

Jason Castro is a Good Thing

I'm never really sure if I should admit to watching American Idol or not.
But, when I glimpse lovely performances like this, I'm pretty sure it's OK.

Quote of the Day: Peef

This morning, in his usual effort to declare a sick day, Peef announced that he had the measles.

"The measles?" I asked, "Now how did you get those?"

"I licked a measle," he replied, without even the slightest hint of a smirk.