Easy and Cheesy (Oh So Cheesy)

Here is a super-easy, and surprisingly yummy way to get rid of that 5 lb. bag of mozzarella cheese you bought at Sam's the other week.  Oh, you didn't buy 5 lbs. of cheese at once because you're not that silly?  Right, well, I am.  And I've been making individual pizzas for a couple of days.  I'm also using the gyro bread that my son threw in our grocery cart, because he thinks he loves pita bread, only it wasn't pita, it was gyro.

What was I talking about? 

Pizza.  Yes, I put the gyro slice (slice?  Not really, more like a piece) on a plate.  Very easy first step, right?  I took a can of tomato sauce (the little ones) and spooned a small amount into a little bowl.  I added some garlic (smashed in a press), a little oregano, a little basil, and a little garlic salt to that sauce and then spread it on my bread.  I took some spinach (and for my oldest daughter, no spinach on hers this time) and broke it into little pieces and sprinkled it all around.  Then I covered it up with mozzarella and popped it into my oven at 400 degrees (how do I make a degrees symbol?  Anyone...anyone?) for about 12 minutes.  It was great!  And so simple!  Those two things together make me so happy.  I wish I had a picture of my pretty pizza, with a little red sauce around the edges and the green spinach sticking out here and there and the melty, golden mozzarella.  Yum! 

I'm happy to take suggestions about what to do with that mozzarella.  Seriously, I have about three lbs. left.  And that's a lot of cheese.

I just realized how much I've written on cheese lately.  I really don't have a problem.  It's just occupying my thoughts the last couple of days.  I wonder what that does mean.  I don't think I have a problem.  Maybe I should talk to someone about it. 

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Cheese.

Cheese who?

Cheese finally lost her mind!   

Another Poem

Cheese

Sometimes white and sometimes yellow,

Sometimes mild and mellow,

Other times it can be strong,

I cannot go for long

Without this tasty stuff.

Enchiladas, pizza, soups-enough, enough, enough!

It's sure to please,

Go have some cheese,

Except for those

For whom lactose

Causes indigestion,

Please ignore above suggestion.

Things I Learned Today

I love learning.  Writing academic papers, not so much.  But reading about history, and studying the Bible, and literature, science, and philosophy-it's all so interesting and I wish I had paid more attention when I was actually in school studying those things.  Fortunately, we never stop learning in life.  There are always opportunities to read or study, to grow in our knowledge.  I'm so grateful for that.

And my education extends far beyond the classroom.  I'm acquiring knowledge all the time that is directly related to what I studied/am studying in a classroom, and these things affect my everyday living.  Take this lesson...this is related to science.  Did you know that when you plug an appliance into an electrical outlet, the electricity is then able to flow into the appliance and make it go?  Well, I learned that my KitchenAid mixer works much better when I plug it in than if I don't.  In fact, it will only work if I plug it in.  These lessons are so helpful, and so practical, aren't they?

Here's another.  And I think this would also fall into the science category.  Something about moisture and evaporation and heat and moisture transfer.  I learned that rinsing off your pizza stone right before you cook a pizza on it will result in, not a "crisp, golden and evenly browned crust," but a doughy, uncooked, evenly unbrowned crust.  Indeed, a baking stone functions properly by "pulling the moisture from the outer surface of the dough as it rests on the stone," unless its ability to do so is sabotoged by its owner's foolish notion to coat the surface of the stone with moisture, which it then puts into the dough as it rests on the stone.   I will say, the top of the pizza looked great, and my homemade turkey sausage topping was pretty good.  Can I put a positive spin on things, or what?

Some folks reading this may be a little concerned that I'm homeschooling, but you should definitely not worry.  The kids are much smarter than I am, so they realize very quickly when I'm headed in the wrong direction and point me back to the correct path.  Then I say,"I knew that, I was just seeing if you were paying attention!"  And they are never fooled. 

Here's to being smart...

The Apples and the Tree

Where do they get this from?! 

On second thought...

P.S.  For those of you who do not know me, I'm sorry for this introduction.  For those of you who do know me, thank you for your unconditional love.  You do love me, right?

A Poem

There is to me a wonderful

Sweet and special thing.

It's name is music to my ears

And makes me want to sing.

Oh, chocolate, oh, chocolate,

I love to eat some chocolate.

I want to eat it every day,

I love to eat a lot of it.

This passion that I have will sound

Unnatural to some,

But really chocolate's by far

The best of nature's balms.

I say once more that I so love

That silky remedy,

Sweet or bittersweet and rich-

A chocolate kind of treat.