Wander and Ponder on Friday, April 7, 2017

Sometimes it's a good thing to be so busy you have no time to "wander and ponder," but then again it gives you limited things to write about. 

My Yard: It looks like hell - - not that I know what hell looks like, but let's use this term for its creativity - figuratively. It was a tough winter. So in the wee-early morning hours at sunlight, I have been trimming a rose bush here and there while the dogs are out doing their morning thing. 2.5 rose bushes down with 15.5 more to go. 

This photo is from the past during my better days of gardening. 

Puff Pastry: Yes, I am obsessed. This is my latest. The recipe is from one of my favorite's, Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa. It's filled with salami and cheese. I prepared it yesterday to take to a friend's house. We meet almost quarterly with two or three other like-minded friends - we share an alma mater. We catch up on local gossip, the world's current events, and "philosophize."  We eat good food and drink great wines. We may not solve any problems, but we sure feel better. 

Note: Regarding Ina's recipe. She is so perfect in her skills that she even brings out the rolling pin and measures the top and bottom dough to match up. Don't bother. Stretch the bottom a tad, and when it is time to layer the top dough, do the same - - stretch it out a bit by hand to meet the ends of the bottom dough. Also, Ina used grated cheese. I had some slices of Munster cheese and layered the slices on top of salami. Seriously, can anyone taste the difference? No. Ina didn't score marks for slicing. I did. It was easier to cut when ready to serve. 

Adding the layer of salami

Looks good enough to eat

I also brought something "green" and paired it with a curry-mayo dipping sauce. The prep on the asparagus is simple. A quick blanch, a quick ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain well. Sprinkle with a bit of fleur de sel, fresh ground black pepper, and Herbs de Provence. 

Shopping: If you check out my index of pages, you will see I have one marked, "Shop." Believe it or not, I have implemented a shopping program on this blog. As soon as possible, I will be adding one of a kind "pretties" on it for your shopping pleasure. As always, stay tuned. 

Over or Under: It's over, not under. How else are you going to fold that perfect point? Every child should know this before they graduate high school and leave for college.

Have a wonderful weekend.