A few things that make me smile

Calling Cards…

Right now, I’m slightly obsessed with calling cards… Sure business cards are good too, and I admittedly feel very grown up & professional handing out my business cards at networking events… that being said, not every situation calls for a business card. However, life does, in general, call for calling cards. They are so handy when you need to give out your phone number or e-mail to someone. Gone are the days of awkwardly scribbling your cell phone number on the back of your business card, and praying that the person doesn’t accidentally call you at your office.  I really love the personalized calling cards at Cambria Cove, they are so classy! I’ve been drooling over the green paisley bird calling cards for months now, but lets face it, a girl on my budget doesn’t need $200 calling cards. Which is when I discovered moo.com. So trendy & fun, and affordable! I was able to design & create mini-calling cards for $20, it was ridiculously easy, and they had hundreds of designs to choose from. You can even upload your own pictures and artwork. Frankly, I cannot say enough good things about my cards from moo.com, and I hope that I am starting a trend among my friends. 

 Calling Cards from Cambria Cove

Some of my  Mini-Calling Cards from Moo.com

Raw Asparagus...

I’ve been in love with vegetables my whole life, but it has taken me twenty-five years to discover the delights of raw asparagus. While searching for spring recipes this week I stumbled across and asparagus salad, that has quickly become my new seasonal staple (I’ve made it 3 times in the past week). It consists of raw asparagus, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and a light citrus & olive oil herbed dressing. The genius part is that you shave the asparagus with a vegetable peeler, so it comes off in long flat strips that almost resemble linguini. The flavor is so light and green, the texture is crisp, and it looks beautiful! Tasty, easy, and sure to impress your dinner guests. 

 Shaved Asparagus Salad

Aprons...

I got an apron for Christmas, and every time I put it on, I feel like I’m embracing my domestic goddess. Though I’m not sure if food actually tastes better when I wear my apron, it gives me an excuse to spend more time in the kitchen, and food is certainly more fun to make while wearing it. Lately I’ve been finding just about any excuse to put it on. I’ve been doing a lot of baking at work, and I’m pretty sure my boss thinks I’m a little nutty when I whip out my apron and start whisking up batter. I know it’s crazy, but I just feel so much more adventurous in the kitchen when I’m wearing it. I want to try new recipes, tackle new challenges, master the art of being gourmet. This week I made cornbread, which is quite possibly the easiest thing to make. But add a few sage leaves and some feta cheese (and of course a dash of confidence provided by the chic apron) and you suddenly have a dish worth talking about.

White bleeding hearts

Though I love pretty much all spring time flowers, I cannot get enough of the delicate blooms of the white bleeding heart. 

Sparkling cucumber water...

By far my most healthy obsession, but also arguably the most delicious.  Throw a few cucumber slices into a glass with water (I prefer sparkling, but this is also great in regular water), and perhaps a few basil or mint leaves, and you will be drinking water all day long. It’s remarkably yummy, and makes me feel a little bit fancy. It’s so simple, and so delicious.

My “Nephew” Oakley

Clearly no words are needed. He is precious.

Rosemary Thyme Sugar Cookies...

Yes I am realizing that a LOT of the things that make me smile are related to food… But when you work at an herb nursery, its really hard not to be excited about food, especially this time of year. when. I spend my lunch hour browsing the nursery, and dreaming about my summer vegetables, and different uses for culinary herbs… it could be worse, at least I’m not blogging about doughnuts.

A few weeks ago I had to do some baking for a class we were teaching, and I stumbled across a recipe for herbed sugar cookies. This immediately appealed to the savory part of my brain. I’m constantly putting lavender in things, and have had great success with rosemary and thyme tea breads and other savory delicacies, so why not cookies? A few tablespoons of fresh rosemary and thyme added to the dough, and voila, you have the perfect cookie. Again, something delightfully simple that makes you immediately feel fancy and gourmet. If I were the type to throw garden parties (which lets face it, I wish I was) there would be a never ending supply of these herbed cookies and cucumber infused water.