Stopping to enjoy the colors
What a week! Packing. Moving. Unpacking. Getting a new bank account. Unpacking. Squaring away our renter’s and car insurance. Unpacking. Getting an Ohio license. Have I mentioned unpacking? While unpacking in the dining room one day, I looked up and saw some spectacular colors going on outside. I was moved to stop and go outside with my camera. I took a few minutes and played with the settings to make sure the colors were right. Or at least pretty darned close. I’m still learning!
Berries
There weren’t many of those moments where I felt compelled to stop and take pictures. I did take as short walk in our complex and took some pictures on Friday. The colors around town are mesmerizing. We planned on going to the park over the weekend so I could take pictures, but plans changed and it looks like I’ll be going myself this week before all the leaves fall.
My lack of stopping to enjoy what was around me is due to what I call my OCD tendencies. I want things done. Especially taming that chaos in my kitchen. Ai ya! It finally paid off on Friday when I managed to stop unpacking boxes and just deal with putting things away and organizing. I got the stove cleared off and a tiny bit of counter space. This meant I could cook in my new kitchen for the first time!
I didn’t go crazy and pull out the cutting board, knives, and spices. I had pulled out some leftover pot roast and turnips from the freezer several days before to defrost. Then I took out the spaghetti squash I pre-roasted before the move. It turned into an exercise of what can I use up? Namely, what did my husband have in his fridge that I can get rid of fast? I found a jar of Sun-Dried Tomato pesto. Interesting. I pulled out the tomato paste and a jar of minced garlic, too. I honestly wasn’t sure if it would be good or a total flop. I never tried sun-dried tomato pesto before. Once I took pictures and we were eating I realized the spaghetti squash was missing something. It had great flavor, but there was a layer that needed to be there that wasn’t. I immediately thought of kalamata olives. I spooned some onto my dish and took a taste. Much better! My husband even agreed.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Spaghetti Squash
Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Spaghetti Squash – serves 2
1 spaghetti squash, roasted
1 teaspoon minced garlic
olive oil
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/4 cup sun-dried tomato pesto
1/2 – 1 cup water
kalamata olives
Heat a pan on medium. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, pesto, and 1/2 cup water. Mix well. Add the roasted spaghetti squash and mix well. Add more water if needed. Simmer for 10 minutes. The olives can be chopped or added whole and mixed in to the spaghetti squash or added to the side of the squash.
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