sharing a layout and some recipes

I finally finished up this layout and wanted to share it here. It felt so good to make a page again. I had lots of pictures I wanted to use but I didn't want my page too look to cluttered so I made most of the pictures small and made a little booklet of tags with the pictures on the front and back, punched a hole at the top and tied them together. I sewed the piece of patterned paper the bottom picture is on to make a pocket for the little tag book. The journaling is hidden under the first picture. It was a fun page to make. School starts Monday so you probably won't see another layout here for a while.

I made Split Pea and Ham Soup tonight and roasted garlic on focaccia bread the other night and wanted to share those recipes here since it's been so long since I've done that (I really need to update my recipe blog).


Split Pea and Ham Soup

2 C. split peas, rinsed
6 C. cold water
5 C. chicken or vegetable broth
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stock with leaves, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 bay leaf
salt & pepper to taste
dash each of parsley, thyme, marjoram and cayenne pepper
2 C. ham
1 potato

*Optional: 1 tsp. sugar, barley

(For the barley, while the peas are simmering, in another pot, cook 1/2 cup of barley with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until most of the water has been absorbed. Drain and rinse barley with cold water. Add to soup.)

Directions: In a large pot add peas with 6 cups of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for one hour until the split peas are tender (longer if needed).

Add chicken (or vegetable) broth, carrot, potato, celery, onion, garlic, sugar, lemon juice, ham, bay leaf and all spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for another 1/2 hour or until carrots are soft.

(Note: I didn't add the potato because I thought it was thick enough already. You can also puree the soup in a blender before adding the barley but I didn't.) Yum!



Roasted Garlic Focaccia Bread

(This one comes from our friends John and Christa and it's so good.)

Roasted Garlic

2 whole garlic heads (bulbs)
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel the outer skin of the garlic only but leave the garlic bulb whole. Slice 1/2 inch of the pointed end of the garlic bulbs. Put the garlic head in a small oven proof dish, garlic roaster, or pan. Pour 1/2 tsp. of olive oil over the top of each bulb and let it sink in between the cloves. Wait two minutes and then repeat with another 1/2 tsp. of olive oil over each bulb.

(Note: Remember the garlic roaster I gave and then took back at our white elephant party? I finally used it for this recipe and love it!)

Cover and bake one hour or until cloves are browned at the exposed end and soft throughout. Remove from oven.

Allow garlic to cool and remove cloves from head as needed. Garlic may be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for several days. To puree, crush garlic cloves with the flat of a knife.

For the bread I made, I didn't have any extra garlic. I bought crumbled gorgonzola cheese and poured it on top of the bread. Then I melted it in the oven on 250 degrees for a few minutes (not completely melted though). Then I put the roasted garlic on top.

You can also put in on flat bread, or on baguette bread with cream cheese.

Also, if you're looking for a good Picco de Gallo recipe, look here. I made this for New Year's Eve and it was really good.
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We moved to Washington one year ago from today. It's difficult to believe it has been that long. This past year has gone by so fast. Last year on this day, we flew into Seattle from Texas (we were there visiting family) and went straight from the airport to my Statistics class (glad that's over, btw). Then straight from there to the DMV to get our licenses (to get a jump-start on getting residency as soon as possible), then back to the airport to pick up the luggage that didn't make our flight with us, and then to our apartment in Seattle. Such an adventurous time. It has been such a great year.