Not the ordinary college food

My daughter was home from college for spring break this past week and made this banana bread recipe from a blog that she reads. She said it will be great for those busy mornings at school and stays fresh for a while due to the moisture in the bread from Greek yogurt. She really loves to bake when she's home so we were also the recipients of chewy oatmeal raisin cookies as well!

Jane Austen moment at the Flower Show

My daughters and I loved this Jane Austen tribute...we can only imagine since she was so fond of natural settings that she would have kept such a garden when she wasn't writing. 

Recycled Art at the Flower Show

This was so cool... a sculpture made from recycled tires sitting in the midst of a reflecting pool.

Philadelphia Flower Show

We made the annual trek to the Flower Show which featured an array of English gardens. The British themed show was well attended and offered some interesting takes on the traditional garden.

Man Booker Prize

I recently finished Alison Moore's book The Lighthouse which was shortlisted for The Man Booker Prize for 2012. I don't only seek out prize winning books but if one interests me, I read. This was an interesting discovery because of the descriptive use of language which reminded me of reading Edith Wharton or the Bronte Sisters. Verbs fill the pages allowing the scenes to feel rather than be. For example the rhythmic opening of the story begins, "Futh stands on the ferry deck, holding on to the cold railings with his soft hands. The wind pummels his body through his new anorak, deranges his thinning hair and brings tears to his eyes."  The characters are well developed yet so simple in their thinking that you might miss the underlying tow that the novel has planned for you.  This is a story of those who give in and give up on life, sort of, with the exception of one and he makes it to the end, almost. You might be tempted to re-read the ending thinking that you missed something, but the verb tells all.

Simple dishes to accompany the mustard roasted potatoes

The local Whole Foods had some gorgeous asparagus that I normally would not buy this time of year but instinct told me to go ahead and glad I did. The flavors along with some sweet cherry tomatoes add a bit of interest to the bright green asparagus. The chicken adds some nice texture but I kept it fairly simple (lemon, olive oil and red pepper flakes) so that the other foods had a chance to shine.  I also noticed that organic strawberries are slowly making their way into the markets. The only way I'll eat strawberries is if they are organic. Looks like spring is around the corner.

Comfort Food

Mustard Roasted Potatoes from barefoot contessa at home...easy, savory and really great on a chilly March night.