Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Strawberry Swing by Coldplay
This song makes me think of skipping.  The intro begins with the handclaps which then melt into a lilting drumbeat.  I'm not sure what Coldplay wanted me to think about when listening to this song, but it takes me inside a 70s movie.  Have you ever noticed how sun-drenched those movies seem to be?  You can always see all the filaments in the air - cottonwood, pollen, dust.  I picture myself walking through a field, the sunlight is flared, I've got a long stalk of field grass to chew on, and I'm happy.  Almost skipping.  And it's a perfect day.  A perfect day can also look like this - playing around in the kitchen and coming up with a new cookie for the recipe box, and then sharing dinner (complete with said cookies for dessert) with my husband in front of a documentary about The Eagles, and then having the husband announce that my new cookie just might be his new all-time favorite.  Yeah - that's a pretty terrific day!

My small strawberry patch, which fits inside of a 4'x4' box, is starting to present me with strawberries!  Not enough to do anything with other than walk out there and eat them straight from the stem.  You know, before the birds or bugs get them.  But I'm hopeful.  I can already see that I'm going to have a killer raspberry harvest this year - and the grapes will be ridiculous!

But, back to the strawberries.

Lavender Lemonade

Garden Party by Ricky Nelson
It's time for garden parties.  I mean, parties in gardens or back yards or parks.  Not Madison Square "Gardens" about which Nelson wrote this song.  But the message holds up in all locations.  Pleasing everyone around you can be a hopeless task.  It's a horrible rat race that can consume your soul.  So you have to just sit back, sip some snazzy Lavender Lemonade in your own garden, and contemplate the best YOU you can be, and want to be, and set that as your goal.  Lavender Lemonade is a very good thought sifter!  Try it and see!

A few years ago I had to do an internship at the end of my class training in culinary school.  I really wanted to learn about baking as I had dreams of owning my own bakery some day. But, living in a relatively small town, I couldn't think of anywhere I was going to get the education I wanted.  My daughter, however, happened to live in a large city where there were several bakeries I could look to for this training.  Luckily, I was able to get a spot at my first choice.  I lived with my daughter and her family for 6 weeks while I worked the grueling schedule of a bakery/patisserie.

Lemon Cream Pie

When Life Gives Me Lemons I Make Lemonade by The Boy Least Likely To
I've never been one of those people who can just eat a lemon outright.  My mouth puckers with even the thought of trying.  But temper that sourness with some sweetness and even some creaminess and I am all smiles.  This song was on the soundtrack for the movie "Easy A."  I like it's simple message of not being overcome with the downers in life - figuring out a way to turn things positive again.  Or as I heard in a talk in church a few weeks ago - learning to be a cork - not a stone - in the Sea of Troubles and popping right back up to the surface.  That's kind of what this pie is all about.  Definitely turning those sour lemons into the happiest of goodies!

It was my birthday a couple days ago.  

Hence the Lemon Pie!  

I had been wanting to try something a little different than my usual Lemon Meringue Pie.  

I'm one of those people that gets a little giddy when I slice into something and find layers of surprises.  From the outside, everything looks basic and straightforward.  But when the cut is made and the insides are revealed, the appearance of little bands are like eye candy to my tongue.

Spaetzle with Arugula and Tomatoes

Any Way You Want It by Journey
This song is what was playing through my mind as I considered lunch one day last week - and this week - and will be what's playing next week and all the weeks after!  "Any way you want it, that's the way you need it!"  And I wanted Italian - and German.  And the song says, over and over again, that I can have both - over and over again!  Not that I needed Steve Perry's permission.  It's just kinda nice knowing I have it!

Hectic is the word.  

It describes what the inside of my head has been like the past couple weeks.  It's been one of those points in my life where I have so many different interests, concerns, projects, and commitments intersecting at exactly the same time.  You know those open-shutter nighttime photos of busy intersections with all the headlights and tail lights creating thousands of red and white streaks?  Pop the top off of my noggin and that's what you'll see.  I'm certain of it.

Happy May!

I will have to beg your forgiveness but I don't have a new post today.  My attention has been needed elsewhere - meaning family - and they are always numero uno!  

But while I'm speaking spanish, let me direct you to an old post that might have escaped your attention!  And just in time for Cinco de Mayo!  My Black Bean Salad!

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes and one I know you'll enjoy as well!  Pair it with my Ensenada Chicken and the Mexican Rice from last week and you're ready to party!

Hasta próxima semana!