I’m in love.
*
I’m in love with the dark-haired man upstairs
whose plane landed moments ago in our city
returning him from a whirlwind trip to Washington state.
I was so excited to see him, I babbled incoherently the whole way home
telling him of minute details he’d missed in his absence.
Shopping excursions and church gaffe’s and funny phone messages.
*
At one point I looked over at the poor dear
and saw him shake a glazey-distant look from his tired eyes.
Still, I kept spilling my beans.
His presence was delectable. His listening ear divine.
I realized how much I’d missed him
How very ravishingly I love him.
And so I talked one ear off then started on the other.
Soon I shall kiss those ears in the very same order.
I don’t know.
Perhaps this final week of February has gotten the better of me.
One last blow by Cupid’s bow, or something of the sort.
I’ve fallen in love with so many things these past seven days.
A fat, holiday baby with a sheath of arrows is the only clear explanation.
*
After all, there are the three empty notebooks–one green, one blue, one purple–upon my nightstand. They make me smile like a schoolgirl everytime I imagine the wonders I will write within thier crisp, lined pages.
*
Then, there are the clean sheets which I sprinkled heavily with baby powder before laying them tightly upon my children’s beds. Have you ever tucked four people you love into lilac-smelling bedsheets? You have not lived until you do.
*
You’d think a broken dishwasher would be cause for disdain. Not so! I’ve taken up talking to it, thanking it nightly in dulcet tones for allowing me a kitchen sink full dishes waiting to be done. Dishes mean soap. Soap means bubbles. I love a kitchen sink full of bubbles. Love it, I say!
*
I loved every minute of a lengthy chat with one blonde-haired sister. To buy us some talk time, she’d hoisted her toddlers up for fingerpainting on the bathroom mirror. Their tiny voices burbled in the background and, boy! did I fall in love. With them. With their good, sweet mama. Gracious, hooey. I love my sisters.
*
I loved the sad, sweet silence that filled our home when dear friends Diana Barry & The Englishman left for the airport after a weekend stay. I loved it, because it reminded me of the moments before when glorious laughter and ever-so-slightly irreverent joy had abundantly knit itself around walls and ceiling and souls.
*
And, then there is this pizza.
I’m in love with this pizza.
I’m trying to control how much I love this pizza.
But, it’s very, very difficult, mind you.
Very difficult, indeed.
*
Which, I figure is just about perfect timing.
Now that cupid’s monthly employment has ended, I’m willing to step in as Miss March.
Plump, in love, and full of a daily dose of crackerbread pizza.
I think I’d make a very fine post-Valentine mascot.
Though, I’m gonna need a bigger set of wings.
*
A much, much bigger set of wings.
Homemade Crackerbread
(or Perfect Thin Pizza Crust)
If you’ve ever shied away from homebaking yeast breads, now is the time to take the plunge and try your hand at it. This recipe is tremendously simple, entirely foolhardy, and wildly, wildly delicious. Once you’ve cooked up a batch of crackerbread, the possibilities are endless, really. Top them with cream cheese and a bit of pepper jelly for a beautiful appetizer. Smear them with a dollop of butter and cinnamon-sugar for a divinely quick dessert. Or, make pizza. Oh! Please do make pizza. I promise you will fall in love. Madly, wondrously, entirely in love. Pull out those leftover Valentines cards. You might want to write your pizza and bespeak your utter admiration for it’s simple, crunchy crust and fresh, flavor-packed toppings. X.O.X.O.X.O
1 1/2 c. very warm water
1 Tbsp. yeast
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
3-4 c. white flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
In a large bowl, dissolve yeat into water. Stir in whole wheat flour. Begin adding in white flour, stirring to mix. When dough begins to form itself into a ball, add flour a sprinkle at a time just until it’s soft and no longer sticky (but not stiff!). Knead until it makes a nice, elastic ball. Pour oil atop. Cover bowl with a dishrag and allow dough to rise for 1 hour.
Separate dough into 2-3 inch balls. Press onto an ungreased cookie sheet until very, very thin (almost translucent). Pierce with a fork. Bake in an oven preheated to 500 degrees for about three minutes, or just until the crackerbread begins to brown.
Serve warm, top immediately with pizza ingredients and bake, or store in a ziploc bag for up to one week. No matter how you decide to serve it, this crackerbread will delight you to pieces!
Crackerbread Pizza
Once you’ve baked your crackerbread to a light crisp, you are ready to top it with this simple melange of flavors. Like a kitchen sink and soap bubbles, these simple ingredients are simply meant to be together. The crack of the crust, the warm, pungent cheese, the juicy tomatoes, the fresh sprinkled basil. Truly. This is a match made in heaven.
1 c. asagio cheese, shredded
1 c. fresh mozzarella, diced
1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, diced
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle cheese, mozzarella and tomatoes over baked crackerbread. Salt and pepper lightly. Bake on a cookie sheet for 5-7 minutes, or until cheese has just begun to bubble around the edges. Remove from oven, top with fresh basil.
Serve immediately.
Biggest thanks to the 120 of you who shared INCREDIBLE brown-bag lunch ideas last week.
I was absolutely blown away by your comments and your creativity. Thank you so much for sharing.
I’m pleased to announce that the winner of the Let’s Do Lunch Bag drawing is
Hurrah!! Please drop me a line with your contact info and your prize will be on it’s way!
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