music education | walk in love.

I’m feeling oh-so-zen today. The sun is finally back out, and we only have our students for two more school days before they begin their finals. Six days until the seniors graduate…and 10 days until teachers are done (not that I’m counting, or anything…). Actually, this school year has really flown by–probably because it was so busy! Summer is becoming more and more of a reality. I’m starting to think up some things I’d like to accomplish this summer, because I want to be sure it doesn’t go to waste! I’m a “to-do” list kind of girl, so making a list of the new & fun things I’d like to do will be a great motivator for me.

Oh, and guess what? Today I got a little somethin’ in the mail…

hmm. I wonder what’s in there….

woo hoo!

So now it’s 100% official! It feels good to have that piece of paper in my hands. I am one of those people who would be a life-long student if I could afford it. I love to learn. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that my mother drilled the importance of education on me at a young age. She always said that so many things in this world can be taken from you–your money, home, car, job, the people you love–but the one thing that no one can take away from you is your education. It really helped me understand how important taking your education seriously is. So this ones for you, Mom! :)

Anyway, moving on! Today I FINALLY got the chance to go to the Wethersfield Farmer’s Market (also, “like” them on Facebook!). I’ve been wanting to go since they opened, but I’ve had stuff to do for work every Thursday for the past few weeks. Today I finally got the chance. Apparently it is at a new location this year–220 Hartford Avenue in Wethersfield (technically Old Wethersfield). It’s basically in the Cove Park, which happens to be one of my favorite places in the world to begin with anyway. There was a good crowd there. I didn’t snap a photo because…well…

…okay. I have a confession to make, and it’s really embarassing…

…this was the first time I’ve ever been to a farmer’s market.

& I was super shy & didn’t want to draw attention to my awkward self by taking pictures of everything.

I know, right?! You’d think I would be living at places like that, but the truth is I was always either a) too busy or b) way too shy to go to one by myself. What am I, in high school?! Once you get to know me I’m not shy in the least, but when I try new things I often feel a little insecure. I’ve made huge strides in terms of that, so the past few years I have become so much more comfortable going to places by myself and chatting with people I don’t know. I guess finally going to a farmer’s market is just the next step in that process. :)

Anyway, personal stuff aside–it was awesome! There were a few different farms there, and tons of local vendors. I was so tempted to stop by the Rawuniverse tent–they had fresh fruit smoothies with no dairy…but I wanted to save my appetite for trying some of the goodies I knew I’d buy, as well as dinner. There were also several tents with jewelry and accessories–which I HAD to steer clear of, as I’m known to go nuts when it comes to buying jewelry–mostly earrings. :)

I stopped in my tracks when I saw the pints of strawberries at the Dondero Orchards tent. They are located in South Glastonbury and have a wide range of products. The strawberries were so bright and tasty-looking, I just had to buy them. Naturally, I tried some when I got home. They were wonderful! I liked that the strawberries were a little tart, giving them some bite!

yum!

As I was about to check out, I spied a tub of their basil pesto. Now, it is important to know that I am a pesto junkie. I actually avoid buying eat because I could eat a whole tub of the stuff. Alone. In one sitting. But I went for it, because, hey. It was my first farmer’s market, so I figured I could indulge.

Turns out I’ve done a bad, bad thing….

This. Pesto. Is. The. BEST. PESTO. I. HAVE. EVER. HAD.

PERIOD.

I had a smear on a piece of some of my leftover bread from The Hartford Baking Company. One word: divine.

I could eat about 10 of these. For a snack. :)

So kudos to Dondero Orchards for some wonderful products. Like them on Facebook!

I also just had to stop by Ginger’s Jams & Jellies. I not only love eating jam, but I like to make it, too! My few attempts at jam have NOTHING on her stuff–it was all wonderful! I tested many different kinds, but my favorite was the strawberry rhubarb. No surprise after the pie I just made. :)

such cute little mason jars! :)

I had some as soon as I got home–can’t wait to have it on toast! I’m honestly not very much of a bread-eater, but I’ve got to use up this loaf of bread, and I think this jam will be just the incentive to do so.

There were so many other vendors that looked wonderful too–I will definitely be buying from these in the future:

Sweetpea Cheese–fresh cheeses, and lots of varieties!

La Petite France–who I have seen in West Hartford Center many, many times, but have yet to stop in!

Sixpence Pie Company–they had my heart at “pulled pork pie”….

Yummy Hummy–they had fresh dips like hummus, guacamole, pico de gallo, etc.

The Cove Deli–I pass this place on my walks through Old Wethersfield quite frequently–they had coffee & sandwiches set up at the market!

And finally, Dragon’s Blood Exilir–hot sauces galore! I love to sweat when I eat. Both Dan & I love spicy foods, so I will definitely be buying some bottles next time!

On the way home, I decided to swing by a farm stand right down the street. It’s owned by Anderson Farms. I’ve been meaning to stop by for a while (ain’t that how it always goes?), and finally decided to do so today. I grabbed a head of romaine lettuce and a few potatoes for dinner.

As soon as I saw these cherries, I had to get them. They are the perfect ratio of sweet to tart. I can’t believe they grow within walking distance of where I live! I’m a lucky gal. :)

Wethersfield isn’t just pretty–it’s really tasty, too! :) I’m very much looking forward to enjoying more goodies from the farmers market & Anderson Farms this summer!

It’s been a while–same old story of finals and papers, except this time, there’s a different ending: I. AM. DONE!!! :)

I graduated yesterday with my Masters in Music Education Research. Grad school was like a whirlwind–I did classes both during the year and in the summers, so it has been an incredibly hectic past two years between school and work (which keeps me busy enough as it is!). I couldn’t be more excited to get to relax and enjoy the summer and all the free time I now have! :)

Dan & I <3

I am looking forward to getting to spend a lot more time blogging. I have so much to share–sewing alterations to a couple of goodwill finds, some great photographs I snagged of the beautiful flowers in Old Wethersfield, and of course, an update on my garden (which is exploding with growth–in a good way!).

For now, I figured I’d keep it simple and share one of my very favorite recipes: Indian pizza.

I absolutely adore Indian food. It amazes me how they manage to pack so much flavor into their dishes, and the wide variety with which they can prepare simple things like rice and veggies. So when Food Network selected Aarti Sequeira as their Next Food Network Star in 2010, I was super excited to get more exposure to Indian cooking. I also adore her as a person–she may be shy and sometimes has shaky confidence, but that makes her human and approachable.

The first recipe of hers that I ever tried was her Mango Chutney, Prosciutto and Paneer “Pizza.” It was a big hit with Dan and I. We made some modifications to it because we couldn’t find all the ingredients. Over time, we have adapted that recipe and made into our own version, which will simply call, “Indian Pizza.” Ours has much more kick, and ingredients that are a bit easier to find(and cheaper for those who are strapped for cash).

Indian Pizza (serves 4…depending on how much you eat!)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons hot mango chutney (recommended: Patak’s Hot Mango Chutney)
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (or desired amount, to taste)
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup water
Salt & pepper (to taste)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 green onions (scallions), chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala (if you have it–if not, simply omit)
A glug extra-virgin olive oil
4 pieces of naan bread
meat of your choice (original calls for prosciutto, I use chopped grilled chicken, which you can find pre-cooked by Perdue if you are crunched for time)

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. In a saucepan, combine the tomato paste, water, garlic, mango chutney, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt & pepper (to taste). Cook on medium heat until ingredients are blended and warm. Set aside(note: if you have extra sauce left over, you can always jar it and use it for something else–it gives a nice twist to traditional pasta dishes!).

A note about the chutney–you can find it in your grocery store’s “ethinc foods” aisle. Often it is by the asian foods. We use the recommended brand, Patak’s Hot Mango Chutney. It looks like this (hard to miss the purple lid):

To prepare the cheese, combine the mozzarella, oregano, red pepper flakes, cumin, garam masala, green onion, cilantro, and olive oil. Mix it up!

mmm mmm. love those greens!

cheese, pre-deliciousifying :)

…and made into a delicious combo of flavor!

Finally, get your naan on a pan. I use Stonefire naan because, quite honestly, it is the only brand I can find. Granted, I shop at Stop & Shop so I’m sure there are other varieties out there, but I’m a sucker for convenience. :) Also, I haven’t found a good naan recipe to make some at home, so untill then…it’s Stonefire. It’s pretty good, but no comparison to REAL, fresh-baked naan…excuse me while I go drool at the thought.

Prepare it in traditional pizza fashion! Put whatever amount of sauce & cheese you like, and toss on your meats. It is FANTASTIC with prosciutto, but if you are trying to save money chicken is much cheaper, and still delicious. Put it in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Let it cool a bit and voila! You have delicious, spicy, hearty Indian pizza.

I’m hungry just looking at this!

This is such an easy, delicious dinner to make. I think the best part is that you can easily prepare the sauce and cheese ahead of time, and then just throw it all together in minutes. Perfect for a weeknight meal! One of these babies fills me up plenty, but for Dan it’s usually one and a half or two. :)

Blogger note: I just learned about the “white balance” feature on my camera, so those last few photos are…blegh! But one thing I love about blogging is it increases my motivation to learn more about how to use my camera well!

I hope everyone has had a great weekend and got to enjoy this GORGEOUS weather we’re having…because I hear it’s back to rain all of this week. :(