Simple Girl

Summer is half over.  Can I whine just a little?  Okay.  Here it is.... WAAH!!!!  I'm not whining out of regret.  I'm whining because I love it so much.  I love sleeping in, walking barefoot and shopping at the Farmer's Market. I love grilling dinner (i.e. watching the hubby grill dinner), eating on the patio and growing tomatoes. I love picking rhubarb, concerts on the lawn and watching the sunset. Here's some of the things I loved this week: Strawberry Picking With the Cousins .  It's one of my favorite things to do during the summer: driving out into the middle of nowhere on curvy roads, passing tall silos and red barns. Fresh picked strawberries present unlimited possibilities:  Strawberry Jam, Strawberry Pie, Strawberry Scones and, of course, Fresh Strawberries!  Just the smell of fresh strawberries makes me believe that I could have been happy as a farmer.  The girls agree. Another Anniversary. Nineteen Years. Wowsers. I think I was 18.  O

It just wouldn't be The Fourth of July without some Red, White and Blue Food!  My kids were so excited to see these, I think they ate them all in about 8 minutes.  It's amazing what a few marshmallows will do! To make your flag kabobs you will need sixteen skewers. Skewers 1-7: 7 Blueberries Marshmallow Raspberry Marshmallow Raspberry Marshmallow Raspberry Skewers 8 - 16: Alternate 7 Raspberries and six marshmallows, beginning and ending with a raspberry. The result will be an almost anatomically correct flag. Happy Independence Day!

I'm back in the land of 3G. I've watched my adorable niece star as Violet in a community theater production of Willie Wonka.  I've hosted a dinner party for 20. I've driven the girls to tennis. I'm on my 47th load of laundry. Ahhhh.....  Summer is so relaxing! If you are enjoying summer as much as I am, this is the perfect summer meal. I knew I had to try it the minute I saw it in last month's Martha Stewart Living Magazine. It's the stuff of which dreams are made.  Throw some fresh ingredients in a pot, boil for  12 minutes and Voila! Dinner is ready! And when I say dinner, I mean that the fresh flavors really come to life. A glug of  EVOO combined with the starchy pasta water makes a delightful sauce. You won't be disappointed.  I promise! Can you hear it?  The Farmer's Market is calling! One-Pot Pasta Adapted from Martha Stewart's Living, June 2013 1 14.5 ounce package Barilla Multi-Grain Noodles 2 pints c