The Creature Fear

I'm horrible, I know. I haven't posted anything in over a month. Its been so busy, with trips and end of year things. I feel like I've been eating a bland palate of chickpea salads, boxed indian meals, and the occasional pizza.

But, with 90+ degree heat, I've started to change. I pulled out my blender a week ago and started on some concoctions. I loose my appetite every summer. Its a dangerous thing - I'll go all day on a bowl of granola and realize at 7:30 PM I haven't had food in 12 hours. Last night the thought of an actual meal disgusted me, so I settled for some snacks. I made a quick hummus and started to make a black bean salad, but decided that black bean dip sounded waaayyy better.

Also, since it was a Saturday night, I went a little crazy and made a blended drink. I found a recipe using white wine and melon, both of which I had, and I sipped on that for the majority of the evening.

Just now on NPR's website, I found a new cookbook that I could die for. I'm sure I'll get back into the cooking mood when the days are long and I am free. But for now, I'll snack on dips.

Blender Bean Dip

• 2 cans of black beans
• 1 small onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tomato
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 2 tsp vinager
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp cumin
• salt and pepper, to taste

Drain the two cans of beans. Place them in the blender, until the beans are mushy, but not runny. Dice the onion and garlic. Place in a bowl with vinager, to mellow out the onion. Add the tomato, cilantro, and lime juice. Stir until mixed. Add blended black beans, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix. Place in fridge to chill for 30 minutes - 1 hour. Serve with carrots or blue corn chips.

I'm Just Sitting on the Shelf

Around here, I like my pizza. Pizza is almost always composed of my three favorite things: cheese, bread, and garlic. When I was a kid, crazy hectic nights were sometimes (not that often in the grand scheme of things) accompanied by Papa John's. In college there was Pointer's. Pizza delivery until 2:00 AM - they knew it was me on the caller id. And probably suffered a profit loss after I moved.

Then came Trader Joe's Herb Pizza dough. I hate making dough, except for pies. You're never starving when you make a pie, but you are when it comes to dinner - and a quick one at that. Nothing saves me like my TJ pizza dough. (I've tried the whole wheat. Herb is the way to go.)

It takes 20 minutes to come to room temperature, but I microwave it for 10 seconds. It takes 6 minutes to bake. Toppings are endless.

Rather than write a recipe, let's just bask in the glory of the pizza dough while I conjure up a list of former toppings:

• Cheeses: Goat, Parm, Feta, Blue Cheese, Gorgonzola, Mozz, and Gouda.

• Vegetables: Broccoli, Green Beans, Edemame, Sweet Corn, Red Peppers, Roasted Red Peppers, Tomatoes, Onions, Shallots, Green Onions, Spinach

• ETC: Pesto, Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant spread, Hummus, Veggie Bacon, Tempeh, Meatless Meatballs

I love you, pizza.

Spring break came and went. I did not spend it how I had intended to (visiting family, old friends, cooking a lot, taking a lot of walks, etc). Instead, I was hacking my lungs out with bronchitis (thank you students) and dodging my roommate's entire family.

Something about 6 people, one bathroom, and the in-advancement of modern day plumbing to accommodate that many showers made life in my home a bit less enjoyable.

There was very little cooking. Evan made these amazing Greek Hand Pies with Greens, Mint, and Feta. I made some hummus. I failed to make these pavlovas. Twice. There was a huge strawberry sale in Charlotte, so I ate probably 4 qts over one week. Alex and I grilled romaine, and added goat cheese, almonds, and strawberries for a cook-out salad. We won't mention the bag of cheetos I polished off over the past week.

So in light of that, I have no recipe.

So sorry. Maybe next time?