Friday's Feisty Feast: Garden Veggie Pizza

For a healthy luncheon at work, I dug out an enticing recipe I had squirreled away for just such an occasion. After discovering the recipe in Taste of Home's "The Market Fresh Cookbook" edited by Jennifer Olski, I knew this fresh veggie pizza would make a great contribution to a potluck or provide the perfect finger food for a summer picnic or camping trip. This simple recipe was such a hit, I'll be making it every chance I get! Plus, the ingredient list is so versatile, I'll be busy developing new combinations and flavors to try! Look for a Greek-style Veggie Pizza soon!

Garden Veggie Pizza

Ingredients:

8 oz. tube seamless Crescent Rolls
8 oz. reduced-fat or fat-free Cream Cheese (Tip: Support local businesses by checking labels to see where your products were produced!)
1 packet of Ranch salad dressing mix
2 Tablespoons fat-free Milk
1/2 cup chopped fresh Broccoli
1/2 cup chopped fresh Cauliflower
1/2 cup chopped fresh Carrots
1/2 cup chopped fresh Green Pepper
1 small package Grape Tomatoes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll crescent dough into 13x9x2 inch baking pan, coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Check for air bubbles during the baking processing and pierce any with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Meanwhile, wash and chop all of your veggies. Grape tomatoes should remain whole. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, beat cheese, dressing mix, and milk until a smooth consistency is reached. Spread over cooled crust. (Tip: Extra ranch cream cheese spread makes for an indulgent dip for any leftover veggies you may have!)

Sprinkle cheese-coated crust with chopped veggies. Cover and refrigerate before serving. Slice with a pizza cutter and enjoy!

After a manic match of mayhem on the roller derby track, it's nice to come home to some awesome pain and stress relief. As a gift, I made these therapeutic rice bags for my boyfriend's sister, Mistress Miter Saw, a sassy and spunky member of the Fox Cityz Foxz and reigning British World Champion of Pillow Fights. When she's not kicking butt, she's kicking back and using these punkified rice bags to relax those derby-inspired aches and pains away.

Using the same modified pattern I borrowed from Sew, Mama, Sew for the October 2nd, 2009 post Crafting for a Cause: Cool Rice Therapy Bags, I opted rocker chic fabric for this rocker chick and incorporated punk princess pink accents. (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Alert: Notice the scraps from the quilt I made last summer!) I also made a matching soothing eye mask using a soft pink fleece liner whip-stitched with pink embroidery floss. You can find a template pattern for such an eye mask here.

Whether you're recovering from a day of body slams and elbow jabs on the fierce derby track, or you're just struggling with the everyday aches and pains of a life on the go, these therapeutic rice bags offer soothing comfort and make a great gift for the roller derby princess in your life!

Check out the Women's Flat Track Derby Association on how you can locate, join, or support a local derby in your area!

Design Medley: Retro Teal & Olive

Nothing shouts retro 70's mod design louder than the color scheme of teal blue and olive green. (Well, maybe vivid orange and bold brown do, but we'll save that for another design medley post!) Just picture the 1970's wallpaper in your parents' kitchen, or the old avocado green Frigidaire rattling along in your basement. Now anchored by a supporting cast of creamy white and recycled brown, these vintage colors take on a bold new meaning. Check out some of the whimsical cards inspired by this design medley!

Up top, an edgy yet simple thank-you card uses mixed textures to showcase the versatility of these colors. The raggedness of the distressed olive background is balanced by the delicate smoothness of the woven teal ribbon on the left. Yet the raggedness and distressed-look of this card is reestablished by the unraveling fringed fabric of the center teal blue "thank you" motif. A satin ribbon flower continues the unconventionality of this card in an unexpected color.

The card at the right uses an awkward pre-fab card as it's base. Blue argyle paper and unique green ribbon architecturally divide the bubbly space of this card. A floral medallion of paper, felt, and mesh in browns, golds, and greens is fused together with a retro, square blue brad. Separate, these design elements would strain the eye and be considered unattractive. But together they form an alluring montage that draws the eye in and encourages the eye to explore and appreciate the colors, shapes, and textures as a whole. (Am I starting to sound like a freakin' art critic or what?!?!) Bottom line: DON'T be scared of making something ugly. The results just might surprise you!

This final card is my favorite from the group. It is pure whimsy. Designed to celebrate an engagement, a wedding, or an anniversary, this card ignores conventional elegance and drastically re-writes the rules on "pretty". Teal blue and olive green elements explode all over this card. Buttons, embroidery floss, fabric, ink, ribbon, and bejeweled charms scatter across the page in a billowing display of retro opulence and distressed home-made enchantment. Delightful!

P.S. I practiced some of my photo editing and image design on GIMP for this post. That's where all the overlaid flourishes and graphic embellishments came from. Hope you like it!

Friday's Feisty Feast: Spring Asparagus Medley

Spring has arrived with its sudden rain showers, blooming daffodils, and tasty asparagus! Here's my asparagus-inspired adaptation of a recipe from the book "The Little Guides: Pasta" copyright 1999. The crisp, green of the fresh asparagus in my version makes for a grand splash of color next to the vibrant red tomatoes and pimento. The original recipe uses scallops and Penne, but Gemelli pasta and asparagus gives this dish a nice twist. Enjoy!

Spring Asparagus Medley with Pasta


Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh Asparagus
8 oz. Gemelli or other dried pasta
4 tsp. minced Garlic (We love Christopher Ranch!)
2 T Olive Oil
½ c. Red Cooking Wine
2 tsp. Cornstarch
2 lb. Roma Tomatoes, finely chopped
4 oz. diced Pimento (Check your grocer’s condiment aisle!)
3 T dried Italian Seasoning
½ tsp Salt
¼ tsp crushed Red Pepper flakes
Topping: grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Cook to al dente. Drain.

Prepare asparagus. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Meanwhile, snap off woody base of asparagus and discard. Slice into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Add asparagus to boiling water for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and drain.

In a large frying pan or stove top wok, mix together red cooking wine and cornstarch. Add in asparagus, minced garlic, chopped tomatoes, diced pimento, Italian seasoning, salt, and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium heat until bubbles start to form and mixture has thickened in texture. Reduce heat to low for 5 minutes. Toss in cooked pasta until well mixed. Serve immediately and top with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4.