Tag: pizza

Weekend Things

Lauren4 Comments

We were finishing up our ice cream at Cold Stone today when Hannah whined that she “didn’t want to go to work tomorrow!” and I could not agree more.  How is the weekend already over?

It’s funny, I was thinking back to last year around this time when I hated my job and the weekend was A) the only thing that got me through the work week and B) my chance to make up for all the fun I wasn’t having at work.  Nowadays, I have a job I like much more and there’s always fun things going on throughout the week too, but I still prefer the weekend.  Hey, who doesn’t?

IMG_4153Also, when this song comes on at 3 PM on a Friday, you just know it’s about to be a good weekend.  I left work a few minutes early to meet Hannah, Josh, and both their mothers at the first of four wedding venues we toured this weekend.  This first one set a pretty high standard.  It was beautiful, affordable and included a lot of details that might be a little stressful to put together by yourself.  But I think my favorite part was when our tour guide’s husband popped out from behind a bush (where he was fixing some audio wires) and yelled “Hi honey!”  Priceless.

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IMG_4158Afterwards, the bride, groom, Joey and I went out for dinner and beer at Udi’s.  Apparently they’ve downsized their menu since we’d last been there and we were all slightly disappointed.  Luckily, that downsized menu still included about 10 different pizzas (I guess they have their priorities straight) and this basil, olive, roasted garlic, arugula pizza hit.the.spot.  Also, I didn’t even notice that cheese wasn’t listed in the ingredients and am so grateful the waitress pointed it out and asked if I wanted to add it.  YES PLEASE!

IMG_4162Saturday involved a hike up Mt. Sanitas, which Joey and I had never been to before.  We drove through the “Historic District” of Boulder to get there and can I just say “HOLY HUGE BEAUTIFUL HOUSES!”  I know Boulder has this reputation for being full of “dirty hippies” and homeless people, but there are some well off people in that city.

IMG_4160It certainly wasn’t the most difficult hike I’d ever been on, but it definitely got my heart rate going.  As much as I love hanging out in Denver and visiting all the awesome neighborhoods and restaurants there, the views in Boulder just can’t be matched.  I swear the sky is bluer, the air is fresher and the trees are greener.  I do wish the other trail-goers could have been a little friendlier though.  Joey and I said “hello” to everyone we passed and a lot of not-even-half-hearted responses were given.  What gives, Boulderites?

IMG_4163I treated myself to Rush once we got back down the mountain.  I know that place is calling these smoothies, topped with granola and honey (or PB&J in my case), a “meal bowl,” but I’m pretty sure blending some fruit into frozen yogurt and topping it with peanut butter makes this dessert.  I ate it for lunch anyways.

IMG_4166Saturday also involved the cracking open of our 5th homebrew: an IPA.  I’m more of a wheat beer drinker, but I definitely know an IPA when I taste one and this was an IPA.  Joey thought it was kind of mellow for an IPA and I kind of agree but it still has that super hoppy taste and overall, I would call this a definite success.

IMG_4171Sunday was an all-day wedding venue search.  We headed up to Fort Collins this time (Fun Fact: I actually went to CSU for my freshman year of college so I’m familiar with the town and it was kind of cool being up there again) for 3 more tours.  I thought it was interesting that all of the venues we’ve seen thus far have been completely different from each other.  This one in particular had beautiful flowers everywhere and how cute is that Victorian house in the background?

IMG_4173As a thank you for tagging along on the venue search, Hannah bought us all ice cream at the end of the day.  Plus, did you know it’s National Ice Cream Day?  That basically meant we had to get our fix, right?

Hoping you all had a wonderful weekend too!

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What was the highlight of your weekend?

Did you celebrate National Ice Cream Day?

What’s the best wedding venue you’ve ever been to?

CSA Things: Faaava Beans

Lauren2 Comments

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t feeling as excited about this week’s pick up.  I mean there’s only so much excitement you can feel about spinach and arugula — and I have a feeling we’ll be seeing much more of those two things — and the “OH MY GOD, GARLIC SCAPES” ship I was on two weeks ago has apparently sailed.  There’s really only so much pesto a person can eat.  But I think we made the best of it anyways.

CSA Pick-Up #3 Included:

  • Spinach
  • Arugula
  • Fava beans
  • Garlic scapes
  • Swiss chard

What We Cooked:

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How crazy-huge are fava beans?!

We served them up plain and simple as a side dish for a summery pasta salad (below).  Joey and I were really surprised by the taste/texture of the beans.  They’re pretty soft and have this flavor that’s pea-like but potato-y at the same time?  Upon first taste, Joey declared it “his new favorite bean!” — do people have favorite beans? — then decided they smelt weird, ha!  I would certainly try them again, but we’ll have to wait till next year as fava bean season is super short and this will probably be the only time they’ll be offered to us.

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As for that arugula I was so excited about, we tossed it in this salad.  We swapped millet for orzo, and arugula for spinach because that’s what we had on hand (and I had other plans for the spinach :P) and it turned out fabulously.  There’s something about fresh corn and a light lemony dressing that just screams summer.  And look, I know it isn’t quite corn season yet and what we bought at the grocery store probably wasn’t local, but CORN IS SO GOOD!  No lie, after we boiled this corn and cut off the kernels, Joey and I stood over the sink and ate anything that was left on those cobs.  It was very classy in our kitchen that night.

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Okay, stay with me on this one.  I was at a serious loss for what to do with the Swiss chard.  It was actually Joey who suggested I use the leaves as a wrap.  I just smeared some hummus and pesto on the leaves then tossed in some cheese and cherry tomatoes.  Plus a good sprinkle of salt and pepper, of course, it wasn’t half bad and I’ll admit I repeated this meal a few times.  Still, I think I could do with any more chard in our CSA bundle.

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The spinach went to good use in a homemade pizza.  We just sautéed some onion and spinach and tossed it on some pizza dough — homemade, mind you! — then topped it all off with some fresh mozzarella.  I can’t remember the first time I ate fresh mozzarella, but I imagine it being a very strange taste if you’ve never tried it before.  And I mean plain, not inside a fried breading!

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My plan was to use the garlic scapes in place of anything that called for garlic this week, but it after making my favoritest summer pasta dish with them, I realized scapes and regular garlic maybe aren’t so interchangeable.  They’re kind of crunchy!  That being said, nothing could ruin this pasta dish, especially when paired with some butter roasted carrots and a glass of white wine.

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Also, this is what garlic scapes look like, for any of you who’ve never come across this weird looking produce.  They’re usually even more weird looking, but it’s the end of garlic scape season, so this happens to be a smaller bunch.

And thus ends this weeks edition of “the weird (and probably extremely unappetizing-looking) things I did with a bunch of produce I wasn’t all that jazzed about.”  I’m sure it was crazy exciting to read, huh?

Anyways, I hope you all have a wonderfully fun and exciting 4th of July!

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Is there a certain vegetable (or vegetables!) you just really don’t care for?

Have you ever seen a fava bean?

Favorite kind of pizza?