Good Poems for Hard Times

There is no more timely or apropos book title than this one, edited by Garrison Keillor. The poems included have been featured on his NPR segment, The Writer's Almanac, and are divided into sections such as "Kindness to Snails" and "The Lust of Tenderness." Poems are wondrous things; they convey an entire event, an emotion, even a solitary item in a few pages, and the good ones always leave us wanting more. Poets with whom we click take us out of ordinary life, and allow us to see the beauty surrounding us that we so frequently miss. I love this book, and am guaranteed to find something to turn my day around each time I crack open the binding, even it's just the introduction. Some of my favorites include "No Longer a Teenager" by Gerald Locklin, "The Discovery of Sex" by Debra Spencer, "The Love Cook" by Ron Padgett, and "In Praise of My Bed" by Meredith Holmes, which I'll leave you with for today.

At last I can be with you!
The grinding hours
since I left your side!
The labor of being fully human,
working my opposable thumb,
talking, and walking upright.
Now I have unclasped
unzipped, stepped out of.
Husked, soft, a be-er only,
I do nothing, but point
my bare feet into your
clean smoothness
feel your quiet strength
the whole length of my body.
I close my eyes, hear myself
moan, so grateful to be held this way.

P.S. Mommi sent in this picture of me getting my copy of the collection signed by Mr. Keillor himself in June 2007. Notice that his tie is about as tall as one of my legs. He has quite the compelling voice; please see him in person if you get a chance!

Summer Mix

It's that time again, folks. Summer is here in full force, and I've almost always got my iTunes or iPod on with some fun, upbeat music. What is it about the hot weather that makes us just want to sing and dance around? Although I'm not crazy picky about what to listen to, here are some of the tunes I just can't get out of my head. I can't guarantee that you'll love them all, but there's got to be something on this list to make you smile and hum along.

1. "Forever" Walter Meego
2. "Kiss with a Fist" Florence and the Machine
3. "Tune Into My Heart" Little Boots
4. "Borderline" Madonna
5. "Sovay" Andrew Bird
6. "Easy Girl" Coconut Records
7. "I Learned the Hard Way" Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
8. "Animals" Sara Lov
9. "Fresh" Kid Sister
10. "Hold on You" Jeff Bridges
11. "My Time" Minus the Bear
12. "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" Glee Cast
13. "Shampain" Marina and the Diamonds
14. "People Say" Portugal. The Man.
15. "Tightrope" Janelle Monae

What are some of your favorite songs for the summer?

Pizza crust

Is there anyone out there who doesn't enjoy pizza? Anyone who doesn't enjoy biting into a warm, thick crust topped with gooey cheese and tangy tomato sauce? If so, this is not the post for you.

I could eat pizza for dinner a week straight and not be sick of it. The possibilities are endless: breakfast pizza with eggs and bacon, white pizza without sauce but with three types of cheese, meat lovers' for all you carnivores. I love that you can put anything on top of a crust and just chow down. I love that it's totally acceptable to eat with your hands. I love that pizza can be eaten with a plate, even, just folded on itself and eaten on the run. I love...okay, a lot of things about pizza.
What I really love is this pizza dough. It's a whole wheat/white flour blend, hearty and perfectly delicious. The recipe makes enough for two pizza crusts, so you can go wild and make a veggie version and a white version. While Mommi was here we made a classic Margherita pizza, with pesto instead of basil, and thickly sliced pieces of mozzarella. The result was a refreshingly light dinner, with the slightly salty cheese blending perfectly with juicy tomato and zesty pesto. Serve with a green salad for a tasty dinner!

Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (from Allrecipes.com)
1 tsp. white sugar
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Stir the olive oil and salt in the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 c. of all-purpose until dough starts to come together. Tip dough into a surface sprinkled with remaining flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed and the dough becomes smooth, about 10 min. Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Tip dough onto floured surface and divide into 2 pieces. Form each into a tight ball in same bowl, and let rise until doubled again, about 45 min.
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Roll out dough with rolling pin to desired size and place on a well oiled pizza pan or baking sheet. Top with your favorite toppings and bake for 16-20 min.

Margherita Pizza Toppings
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tomatoes, thickly sliced
1 mozzarella log, thickly sliced
1 jar of basil pesto
1. Combine garlic and olive oil, and spread over pizza dough. Layer tomatoes, then cheese, then drizzle pesto on top. Bake and eat up!

Yet another gratuitous picture of John Paul preparing food. Today he gets back from his 12-day sojourn to Switzerland and Spain, where he got to celebrate the Spanish World Cup victory!

White, white and white...

Top: Gap
Jeans: 7 for All Mankind
Wedges: Mia
Belt: Gap
Earrings: April Daze (gift from Haley!)
Ring: Dominican Republic

Last Sunday was my first Independence Day in our nation's capitol! The whole day I watched a mass migration of people to the National Mall, where the fireworks go off and a concert with Reba McEntyre, Darius Rucker and Gladys Knight performed. It was sweltering outside, though, and you could not have paid me to sit outside in the sun for twelve hours claiming a 4x4 square to lay on.
Lucky for me, I didn't have to travel far to see the fireworks this year. A friend invited me to her friend's apartment for the festivities, which just happened to be five floors above mine in a penhthouse with wraparound views of the city. She truly had to twist my arm to get there, but I finally relented. Who am I to argue with 180 degree views of the center of the city?
Even though dress was casual, I still wanted to look put together and crisp. This top is perfectly lightweight, and I love the cool white with the warm brown. The earrings and ring add little pops of color to round things out. I hadn't tried the white on white combo before (not brave or crazy enough, I suppose, with a black dog who sheds like a banshee), but how great does it look for the summer? Let this be a lesson to us all; don't be afraid to go monochromatic!
P.S. A happy birthday to Grandma in North Carolina! You're just an amazing woman, and I'm so very glad you were born. Hope to see you in Wilmington soon! xo

Chili

I love eating and cooking with John Paul, but we don't always have the same taste at the same time. He really likes meat; I'm okay eating it once or twice a week. I love stews; he's more into creamy, blended soups. Compromise abounds in the kitchen when we plan our weekly menu together.
Lucky, this chili satisfies both of us! Yes, there is ground beef, but not an obscene amount, and a wide variety of vegetables makes the nutritious side of me happy. I baked this cornbread to go with it, and the whole meal felt like a Southwestern feast! Feel free to top with sour cream, guacamole or sliced avocado, cheddar cheese, or just some tortilla strips. You could even cut down on the water added in step two and use it as a chili dip. Go wild! There's no judgment in the kitchen!
Oh, and I omitted the scallions only because we didn't have any in the fridge. If you're a fan, use two or three.

Compromise Chili (from Real Simple)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1/2 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed
1 Tbsp. chili powder OR 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot, hot. Add carrots, onion and pepper, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 3 minutes. Add beef and cook, breaking up with spoon, until no longer pink.
2. Add tomato paste and cook, while stirring, until slightly darkened. Stir in beans, chili powder or flakes, and 3 c. water. Simmer over medium until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn and, once heated through, turn off burner.
3. Divide among bowls and top with cheese. This reheats well, so don't toss any leftovers!John Paul loves me so much he chops onions for me! What a guy...This is Mia's favorite place to be while cooking. Especially if there's meat involved.

Portrait of an Addict as a Young Man

It's incredible to think that Bill Clegg was a crack addict from looking at his book jacket photo. He appears to be a golden boy: dirty blond hair, handsome, successful literary agent. This book shows the dark side to being wealthy but insecure in a city where nothing seems impossible to obtain.
Clegg's memoir details his years as an addict, discussing events that led to his disease and the relationships he ruined on his path of destruction. He ran through his $70,000 checking account in a two-month binge, lost his almost obnoxiously patient boyfriend, threw away his boutique literary agency, and lost more than 40 pounds during the years he smoked crack and guzzled vodka. Throughout the memoir, Clegg sprinkles in recollections of his frustrating childhood, with mental/physical issues, and a verbally abusive father.
The book is broken up into chapters, and each paragraph stands on its own, no indentation and a lot of white space, making the reading go by quickly and easily.
To be honest, that's kind of a good thing. There doesn't seem to be a real reason for Clegg to have written this book; he's since recovered, picked up his literary career, and nothing special happens in this piece of nonfiction that hasn't already been recounted in other recollections of addiction. There is not one major event that centers the narrative, but rather little bits of his life, meaning you don't have a lot of self-reflection or explanation. I couldn't help but feel frustrated by the way Clegg threw away every opportunity-at love, at redemption, at happiness- simply because his dad didn't love him enough as a child. While the prose is simple and understated, I was glad when the 222 pages were up so I could pick up something more upbeat and perhaps inventive. I hesitate to recommend this wholeheartedly, but it's been written up in several magazines and newspapers, making it very of-the-moment. At least it's got a lot of people talking, so you would have other sources to compare your opinion with. Hey, and the cover's pretty great.

Polka Dots and Bright Green

Skirt: F21
Tank Top: Old Navy
Shoes: Nine West
Belt: Banana Republic Outlet
Earrings: Anthropologie
Ring: Gift from Mom!

This skirt is one of the best items in my closet. I love its high waist, retro print, and how flowy it is; the way it can be worn with almost anything helps, too! The night of this photo I paired it with a lightweight cotton top, tucked in, and accented with a little white belt that's just thin enough to fit in the loopholes around the waist. The shoes are really fun, with gold and silver paisley print, and little black rhinestones around the outside. Supercute, and a very slight kitten heel to add some glamour. Love them!
We went out to dinner at Casa Oaxaca, a wonderful Mexican restaurant specializing in mole. Not only is the food tasty, tasty, but their margaritas come in several great flavors, like blood orange, pomegranate, and blackberry. It's quickly becoming one of my favorite places to eat in the city!

BlueberryCrumble Bars

Oh. My. Goodness.
I'm going to level with you here. I ran my first 5k on Friday evening (27:47!), and it felt absolutely amazing. It's really incredible what our bodies are capable of, isn't it?
Because of that burst of physical activity, it seemed okay to go completely overboard with a dessert for Fourth of July. I've been waiting for an excuse to bake these blueberry crumb bars from The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, because there is no other way to justify using the amount of butter in this recipe. The recipe itself is incredibly easy, and there aren't many ingredients called for, just a large amount of each one. The finished product is finger-lickin' good, though, with just enough sweetness from the topping and preserves to balance out the butter of the crust. Feel free to substitute your favorite preserves; this is a customizable recipe!


Blueberry Crunch Squares (adapted from The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook, 2009)
The original recipe is slated for a 12x18 baking pan. I decreased the amounts for my 9x13 baking pan, but you can cut out butter and flour as desired if you'd like a thinner crust or less topping. Just be sure to keep the ratios equal!

Crust:
3 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour

Filling:
1 1/4 c. blueberry preserves, beaten smooth with whisk

Topping:
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. light brown sugar
2 sticks softened butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 35o degrees.
2. Make crust: in a large bowl, combine the butter with flours until it forms a doughlike consistency. Spread evenly into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan. Firmly and evenly press down crust and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely, 20-30 minutes.
3. Prepare topping: Mix flours and brown sugar. Using pastry blender, or fork, or food processor, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. After crust is cooled, spread preserves evenly on top, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Crumble topping on top of preserves (it will seem like more than you think you need, but it's sooo necessary!).
5. Bake 20 minutes, until top is golden brown. Let cool completely before cutting into desired size and serve to yourself. Maybe let some other people have one or two.

Eagle!

Shirt and earrings: H&M
Skirt: Gap
Shoes: Steve Madden
Purse: from my mom, thrifted
Big blue ring: Dominican Republic

I'm so in love with this new shirt! Obviously, it's a bit massive, but the way it drapes is somehow flattering (hopefully not just to me), and I love the huge proportion of it. I've worn it with this short skirt, a pair of short-shorts, and skinny jeans, all of which looked great! It's wonderful to find a top so versatile, while still sticking to a budget. I feel compelled to add that my mom liked this top so much she snagged one (in the same size even) on her trip here. Hey, it bridges generations!
While John Paul was taking these pictures, they looked a little darker than they're coming up on the computer. I just got a new camera, and will fiddle around with the settings so the next batch of photos aren't quite so overexposed. There's always a learning curve!
Happy Independence Day to everyone! I'm going to a penthouse of my condo building to see fireworks over the Nat'l Mall; what do you guys have planned?

Skillet Cornbread

Do y'all like southern food? Delicious carbs? Authentic recipes? This is the cornbread for you!
I like my cornbread kind of moist, with kernels of corn within and mildly sweet.
Enter Katie Lee. It's as if she was reading my mind when she came up with this recipe with buttermilk (to keep the bread from drying out), a bit of sugar, and some flour to keep it from being gritty (as cornmeal is easily able to do). It's even baked in a cast iron skillet, completing the ranchy, down home feel. It's perfect with some chili, or even just heated up with some butter for a snack. Because I love corn deeply, I threw in some frozen kernels, which Katie does not include, but really probably should have.
Trust me, y'all can't go wrong with this.

Tasty, tasty Cornbread (adapted from Katie Lee's Comfort Table, 2008)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
2 c. yellow cornmeal
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
2 c. buttermilk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3/4 c. frozen corn kernels, thawed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pour oil into 10-inch cast iron skillet and place in oven while preheating.
2. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, butter and corn kernels. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
4. Carefully remove hot skillet from oven (Use potholders; it's REALLY hot!). Pour batter into skillet, and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
5. Cut into slices and eat up!