Evren officially learned how to ride his bike only one week ago and he is already so confident he was super-excited to participate in his first ever bike rodeo! They had a bike and helmet safety check, an obstacle course, two fun bike games, snacks, water and he got a free water bottle for participating. Not only that, but he was so super speedy that he was the first one to finish! (I am so proud.)
The English Major by Jim Harrison
Oh my. Book of the year? Seriously. The byline should read The sexual misadventures of a 60-year old retiree on the road trip of his life. What is the demographic for that kind of story? If you see this one a a used book sale, take a pass.
Sour Cream-Poppy Seed Cake by Kraft Foods
To glaze or not to glaze, that is the question. Either way, this is the perfect lemon poppy seed cake! Yum!
1 pkg. (2-layer size) lemon cake mix
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup poppy seeds
HEAT oven to 350ºF.
BEAT all ingredients except poppy seed in large bowl with mixer on low speed just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape side of bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Stir in poppy seed.
POUR into greased and floured 12-cup fluted tube pan or 10-inch tube pan.
BAKE 50 to 55 min. or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 min.; loosen cake from side of pan. Gently remove cake from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
The Help (2011)
Everyone loved the book, it was difficult to put down. But regardless of whether or not you have read it, please see this movie – it is great! One of the very best book to movie adaptations I have ever seen. (And I am super critical and snobby about novels turned into movies.) Love!!
The Hunger Games (2012)
Ayla and I have both read the books and were very excited to see the movie. The book has a lot more details and is much more descriptive, but we both agree they did a great job with the movie. Can’t wait for the next one!
Death Du Jour by Kathy Reichs
After my obsession with Bones (which is over, I’m all caught up) I was visiting a friend’s house (Hi Cathy!) and spied this book in her bookcase. This is the series that the tv show is loosely based on… intrigued! She graciously let me borrow her copy so I could see what the books were like. Fun read if you like mysteries!
The Easter Bunny not only dropped off super cool Easter baskets but also had the time to hide eggs all over the house for an early morning Easter Egg Hunt. Gotta love the Easter Bunny for planning ahead to let me sleep in. Sweet.
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Last week Evren had fun at the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. This weekend we went strawberry picking, watched The Help, ate lots of candy, had a nice dinner, and made a cake. It was stormy today and it was nice to just hang out at home. Happy Easter!!
Bright and early on Good Friday and we were some of the first at the strawberry fields this year. We brought home 6.5 pounds of bright red strawberries. Delicious!
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Last year we remembered that it was very windy and the sand kept getting in our faces. It must’ve been hotter because I remember being all sticky and sweaty when we left. But this year… it was perfect. The weather was lovely, it wasn’t windy, there were plenty of strawberries… Ayla said, “I didn’t even have anything to complain about this time.“
Ayla had a weekend of sleepovers and trips to the movies so I decided to treat Evren to a different kind of museum…
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All the photos and some more detailed descriptions are posted to flickr.
Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli from The Barefoot Contessa
(via The Amateur Gourmet)
Ingredients
4 to 5 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.
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