Kale and Kayola...:)

OK, so you all know of my love for my local Farmer's Market. It takes place here in Mesa on Friday mornings, and it's one of my favorite things. I know, I need to get out more:) I just love the idea of supporting our local farmers and eating fresh and local. My daughter LOVES her some Kale chips, so last Friday I bought some bunches of Kale and made her some:)

Seriously folks, it's embarrassingly easy to make these! You'll need 3 items- kale, olive oil and sea salt.

Cut the leaves off the hard stems into bite size pieces. Drizzle with olive oil,

Sprinkle with sea salt,

and spread on a parchment lined sheet pan.

Put into the oven at 350 for about 15-20 min or until the edges are golden. I do not however recommend you sit down and watch your dvr'd episodes of Kitchen Nightmares while waiting. This will result in a little over browned kale chips:( Ugh Gordon!!

If your really feeling your inner Martha (or just need a cute blog pic) you can serve it up in a brown bag with a sweet little stamped saying on it:) And there you go. Kale chips. Super tasty and super good for you:) You can eat em up guilt free!!

Orrrrr- If you're like me and you love a little guilty pleasure, you could dive into these AMAZING cinnamon rolls made by a sweet blog follower of mine:)

Meet Kayola Skinner. She showed up at my doorstep one evening with these lovelies. Still WARM!! It was the sweetest thing! Literally. I had never met her before, she just reads my silly little blog and thought she'd stop by with her gift of handmade yumminess for me. We chatted about a lot of things and found we had so much in common. I loved how she came to my door a stranger and left a friend:) What a sweet woman that Kayola!

So if you're local, and have a hankering for the yummiest in sweet, buttery, cinnamon goodness- you have to give Kayola a jingle. Yep, she hand makes these scrumptious delights and sells them for $20 a dozen, or $25 a dozen with nuts. Order up!!

Trust me, you'll be glad you did :)

Kayola's Fat and Sassy Buns 480-643-0089 email: pkfamdmly@aol.com

Or check out her blog:)

Summer's a comin.....:(

So this was the lovely sight I took in this morning as I was having my cup of coffee. Why do I insist on believing I can keep a hydrangea alive here in AZ?? UGH!! I adore these flowers. But sadly, the Arizona heat is on my doorstep:( and looking at these sad flowers is just another reminder. **ooh and I just remembered that I need to start growing out my fingernails, you know- so I can drive with them this summer:( anyway....
After work I stopped by my local Trader Joe's for a few things for din. OF COURSE the flowers are the first things you see when you step in the door. Genius move TJ's!! Fresh flowers are one of my many weaknesses. I mean leaving TJ's without flowers is like shopping at Target without eating popcorn, or going to Costco without spending $100!

Hello lovelies!!

And welcome to my kitchen. Where you will be enjoying the next week or so before the AZ inferno takes you oh so prematurely from me:( and at which time I will most likely (sniff sniff) be replacing you with a succulent:(

My blog b**tch.... :)

Yep, that's what my hubby told me he was. To my face. Wha? What? Really?? Ok, so it's partly true. It's just that this guy can make ANYTHING out of ANYTHING !!! And besides being completely amazing for our house, it just so happens to make fantastic blog material:) Case in point....
A few Saturday's back, he decided to tackle this arbor that we had been talking about. So I'm thinking, cool- a couple 2x4's, some nails and...done! Au contraire mon frere!! There was even concrete involved! Who knew?

You seriously have no idea how exhausting watching him work can be!! Juuuust Kidding!!! Someone had to take advantage of this photo op, you know- for the blog!! :)

Yeah, little bully kinda watched the backs of his eyelids the entire time:)

The result? True craftsmanship. I mean seriously. He's a wonder that man 'o mine!!

So hubby? I thank you, and this little bloggy thanks you. For without you.....geez, that's a lot of responsibility for a little bully!!

Mama...:)

We have a winner!! The winner of the most fantastic of all cutting boards is......

Twiggy&goose! Email me your address and I'll spend my life savings shipping you your sweet treat!!










This is my mama. Zoraida, or Ida, or Grandma Sweets or just Sweets. My brother started calling her that in college and it just sorta stuck. She is the mother of 6 beautiful (as I've heard her say all my life) kids. I love so many things about my mom, but one thing in particular stands out for me. This woman can cook like no other, and will. For anyone. Anytime. She calls all us kids and offers to either cook us dinner at our house or at hers, all the time. Yes, she still spoils her babies!

This is what her house looked like this past Sunday. It was just a couple of her friends, my brothers family, and the hubby and I. I LOVE how she always sets her table. She has my whole life. Tablecloth and all. I don't know that she owns any paper plates!

She uses her silver:)

Just some of her many dishes:) Seeee, THAT'S where my dish disease came from!!

Her napkin drawer'S!

As you notice in the table pic, my mom doesn't have a centerpiece. She never does. I guess because there needs to be room for all the FOOD! My mom NEVER runs a short ship!!

Paella!

The yummiest carrots:)

Cabbage salad:) and her yummy iced tea:)

Thank you mom for so many things. Like-

Thank you for not freaking out when I didn't brush my hair my entire 4th grade year! (STILL hate brushing my hair)

Thank you for laughing hysterically and telling me I was "so dumb" after I got busted for shoplifting in Dillard's in 8th grade!(seriously the stupidist thing I did ever!)

Thank you for rolling your eyes when I got a C in Spanish:( Ay! Que horror!!

Mostly? Thank you for just letting me....be me:)

A Very Happy Mother's Day:)

My baby chickies...:)

Thank God for dirty dishes,
they have a tale to tell;
while others may go hungry,
we're eating very well.
~Unknown




Easter was fabulous. We had a delicious brunch of asparagus tart, mango avocado salad, baked french toast, fresh fruit, honey ham, scrambled eggs, coffee cake, and of course- mimosas!

Yes, it was delish. But why so delish you ask? Because it was all eaten off these ridiculously adorable (or aDORIEable) plates!!! The sweet yellow color of baby chicks:) My heart still skips a beat every time I look at them!!!!

One Saturday about 4 months ago, the hubby and I were walking thru this Antique store in East Mesa, when I came across these beauts. 12 of them. I was immediately smitten. The hubby was not:( I have a thing for dishes. I do! An addiction, a sickness, whatever. I wanted those stinkin plates!! But I left without them. I think I might have driven home in total silence, looking out the window tearing up. Not really, but you get the jist:(

Fast forward to last Friday. I was headed to Trader Joe's for the last of my brunch items, when I found my car totally driving itself back to that antique store! Weird how that happens! I hadn't quit dreaming about those darn plates since. I parked and did a crazy power walk right past the sweet old lady at the counter, she was like "hello, welcome too......" . I had no time for greetings. Were they still there?? Were my baby chicks still there???

Yessss!! All 12!!! I walked straight up, cradled them in my arms and said "hello sweet babies! mommy's back and it's time to go home!!!"

And here's the deal. Pretty food DESERVES pretty plates. Food tastes better on pretty plates:) And if you have them, for heaven sakes- use them!! :)

***Last week for the giveaway! I'll announce the winner next week!!

Who are the people in your neighborhood?

....they're the people that you meet, when you're walking down the street, they're the people that you meet each day!!!!!!! When the hubby and I decided to sell our house (aka-"the beast") and move downtown, people thought we boarded the crazy train. We had lived so long in the land of gated communities, it was a normal thing to need a "code" to visit your neighbor. Ridiculous I tell ya! I longed so much for a real sense of community. You know, where you KNOW your neighbors?? And my wish has been granted:) Meet Jen. She's my sweet neighbor who also moved from the land 0' gates not long after we did. We share a love for our "hood" and everyone who lives in it. We decided to host a little meet and greet this last Sunday on our boulevard, it's this fabulous patch of grass that goes all the way down the middle of our street:)

We passed out flyers, and nervously waited for everyone (or anyone) to show up:). And they did!!

Here is my next door neighbor. He's a psychiatrist and has the most captivating stories! Sitting on the porch with him and a bottle of wine is always entertaining. It's comforting to know I'm just steps away from a man who can make me feel better about my addiction to addiction television :)

Here's Jen again. Yeah, check those guns. Nope, not a personal trainer. She imports and exports fishing lures:) Rico to be exact. My hubby was dying when he heard this:) And because I think she's awesome I'll mention that she has a fab building for sale:)

Behind her, our neighborhood Rocket Scientist. Okay, Aerospace Engineer. What? Doesn't every neighborhood have one? Well you should. He's fabulously intelligent and equally hilarious:)

And here's my new little friend Tori. She thinks it's great that her name rhymes with Dorie:)

Her little sis Addie. I know! Adorable:)

This little guy entertained himself with straws and ice:) cause what else do you need?

Sweet girl in white? 8TH GRADE!! What?? I seriously did not look like that in 8th grade. I think they're talking about "the guy with the handlebar mustache?" JK! I really don't know what they were talking about:)

And here's Gretchen. She works at the zoo and is my fellow co-dependant Pisces. She's reeally funny and has the biggest heart for animals.

These are just a few of the peeps that showed up to our little party. Jen and I were actually surprised how many did come! It just goes to show ya- neighbors reeeally do want to get to know each other, and I think that's fantastic:)

Enjoy you're Easter weekend and hey, get to know the people around you. It really is what life should be about right? :)

**Don't forget about the Giveaway!! Just two weeks left!!