Delightful somethings...

This is just like me. I said I would quickly post about filo. I never posted about filo. The left-over unused filo still sits in my fridge. While I have abandoned the blog world, I have had a delightful real life full of good food, ridiculous students, a glorious husband, and great news.

COOKING ADVENTURES SINCE MY LAST POST:
- Curried Squash Soup with Mushrooms (Moosewood)- Honestly, I'm not too crazy about this. I love Mollie K, but this taste combination just isn't for me.
- Roasted vegetables - My new favorite thing! Take some fresh brussel sprouts, chunks of potato, and chopped carrots. Toss them with a little olive oil and roast at 450 degrees for about 35 minutes. It takes no effort at all and the result is perfect. Roasting really brings out the flavor, the texture is great, and it makes wonderful packed lunch left-overs.
- Pesto with organic fusilli pasta- Again, easy. (You're probably noticing a theme here.) Jarred pesto isn't any more expensive than fresh basil, and it's ultra convenient.
- Oatmeal peanut butter cookies- classic.

NEWEST ADDITION TO MY COOKBOOK COLLECTION
The weather in Houston is crazy. Today was 70 degrees and sunny. It feels like summer all the time. I was out for a walk and decided to stop in at Half Priced Books. Of course, I immediately went to the cookbook section and scouted out the vegetarian label. At first glance, I saw the word "Moosewood" and grabbed it! Unfortunately, it was a Moosewood book about having your own kitchen garden. That would be nice, but I know I won't follow through with it any time this year. I looked through a few lack luster books before I found my hidden gem, The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook: Whole foods to nourish pregnant and breastfeeding women- and their families. Now THIS is exciting! I am not pregnant, or a mother, but I still love reading about nutrition needs and this book is a well organized dietetic guide. It gives all kinds of information and recipes for various phases of pregnancy and motherhood. Obviously, the recipes are still healthy for people who are not pregnant. I'll let you know when I try a few out. I'm excited to try Better Than Ginger Ale, Applesauce Cake, Garbanzo Crunchies, and Shepherd's Pie.

Maybe I will actually write about a recipe sometime this week. We shall see!

Side note: My husband got accepted into a grad program! Woohoo! We're very excited... VERY excited. It's a huge relief. Looks like we'll be moving back to the midwest in the fall. :)

Bet You Can't Eat Just One

(AFTERWORD: After writing all of this, I realize that I just filled my best friend's blogging request! Consider this a part of Spreading the Love February. Check out Our Little Apartment for the details about this challenge to support local businesses and handmade goods. Mmmm. Local is delicious.)

OK. Guilt trip.

This is like the times when I said I would give up sweets for Lent... and then ate a brown on Ash Wednesday. For those of you who may be less familiar with Lent, that means I couldn't even make it one day without my sugar rush. I am ridiculous. Now that four people have shown virtual interest in my claim to be blogging again, I need to actually continue! (Elizabeth, I feel loved. Many thanks.) Later this week I'm going to post about my adventures with filo dough. For now, let's celebrate tired Tuesdays where too many calories are consumed and you are left happily satiated.

Today, we went to Star Pizza. If you live in Houston, you must check this place out.

It felt totally acceptable to go for a date on a Tuesday after a hard day's work, especially because we seem to be managing to save money lately! I worry about money just because it seems like such a big thing to worry about. The world is ending! I'm a yuppie living downtown in the fourth largest city in the world. I must be poor! Right? Right? ... I just always thought I'd be relatively low income. Then, I got married right out of college and thought that sealed the financial deal. Luckily, I'm just paranoid and our world is not going to end. No more worrying. Eat pizza!

This pizza is wonderful. We get the deep dish veggie pizza on whole wheat crust every time... and it's amazing, every time. I am very proud of my homemade pizza and I think it is wonderfully delicious. However, there is something magical about Star Pizza. Everything is fresh in both my homemade version and the restaurant pizza, but Star has some special pizazz that makes me smile. In addition, I get to sit peacefully in an adorable independent local restaurant and talk with my husband while waiting to be served. Some days, a girl just doesn't want to cook

So today, I celebrate the luxury of a healthy, luxurious, local pizza date.

Next post, filo. Filo and I have a love/hate relationship. You'll see.