whirlwind life

{random flower pic, lupine ?}

Do you ever feel like your life is moving too fast for comfort?

That has been this summer for me. But I am ok with it.

I have been working super long (read: exhausting) days lately to bank some time for this weekend, and I am soooooo freaking excited it's finally here! I'm flying to Austin for a friend's wedding. I am prepared for heat. Oh, and I get to see Ben for the first time since I moved here in early June. Like I said, so freaking excited! He's been finishing up his life in Pennsylvania but has begun the long cross-country process of moving out here to be with me. This isn't the first time we have been long distance, and isn't the longest we've gone without seeing each other, but it still sucks after a while no matter how busy you are. Maybe someday I will write an entire post about what I've learned about LDR coping ;) But I don't really want to depress myself now, haha. I should finish packing and get to bed so my 4 am airport wake up call is as bearable as possible. 

Instead, I am eating ice cream and painting my nails. 

caprese pizza for one

My love affair with fresh basil began in the late summer of 2009, when I had just moved into my little apartment in Pennsylvania below my crazy-gardening landlords. They had a basil surplus that year and gifted me a few bushes, which turned into so much pesto that I found some still lurking in the depths of my freezer when I moved out this summer. 

The point of this story is that I bought a little basil plant at a roadside market on my way home from Jacksonville this weekend, and was inspired to make this little caprese pizza. Truthfully, the real star of the pizza is not the basil but the AMAZING pita bread that I used for a crust, made from this recipe. Seriously. Make the pita bread. And make sure you let the dough rise the full amount of time, it is key for the airy squishiness factor. 

Caprese Pizza for one

-one pita bread, preferably that of Annie's Eats (prebaked) but you don't have to be an overachiever. use pre-bought; it just won't be as delicious...

-cherry tomatoes

-fresh basil

-dried (or fresh!) oregano

-fresh mozarella

-shredded Asiago

-olive oil

Brush or spray the pita with a little bit of olive oil (I got a Misto at TJMaxx for five dollars and it is so useful).

Sprinkle with oregano, layer with sliced tomato, cheeses, and basil.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Honestly, this MAYBE would have been even better unbaked, with the pita warmed up beforehand. So if you are too hot to think about turning on your oven or even toaster oven, feel free to skip the baking altogether!

Happy August!

blog updates!

Hi friends!

As you can see I am finally getting my bloggy up to speed with the times, and making it a bit user friendly and useful for you and me both! Hope you enjoy the new pages and find it easier to navigate through my recipes and reviews.