Kaki, your last post… so many things:

• It reminded me of the song from My Fair Lady, that starts, “Words, words, words!  I’m so sick of words!”  (Yes, you should watch it, and the Julie Andrews version, naturally.)
• You made a shaped cake.  You iced it in more than one color.  That is commitment.  I told Cooper I’d make this adorable monkey-shaped cake for her daughter’s first birthday, but I’ve never done this “Make a ridiculously cute cake” thing, so, um, tips would be much appreciated.
• Yogurt raisins for teeth.  Inspired.
• I didn’t know you were a Shark Week fan!  I can’t say I am.  Something about, um, fear?  But Rob Lowe’s commercial for it this year was a hoot.

Here’s what I’ve been cooking up these days myself:

Breakfast Pizza

I’m a huge cold-pizza-for-breakfast fan, but sometimes pizza dough is on sale at the store and you have some extra sausage and eggs to use up and breakfast pizza is the most logical use for all of these things.  This recipe, though I only used it as a jumping off point (mostly for temperature and baking times), worked great.

Rosemary Nuts

I bought that huge container of almonds you guys had purchased in San Antonio.  You inspired me.  But then I also had some fresh rosemary and decided to make these nuts.  They were super tasty just out of the oven.  However, once they’d cooled they suffered that all too common fate of nuts: all of the seasonings just fell off.  Sigh.  Do you have any tips for keeping flavorful tastiness on roasted nuts?

Smoky Spicy Sesame Coconut Nuts

These, however, kept their seasoning just great.  Only problem was (as it continues to be) my oven, which didn’t really crisp up the coconut in the baking time indicated.  Should I go longer and cooler next time, or hotter and quicker?  That coconut can burn in an instant.

Nectarine Pistachio Bars

Not that we need further proof that Deb is a genius, but, um, here is further proof.  These were inhaled at book club, even with the substitution of over-ripe nectarines for the suggested apricots.  Kaki, I adore apricots, but have never used fresh, only dried and in jam form.  But I swear there were fresh apricots in my grocery store for a week, tops.  Do they have just a crazy short season?  Well, next year I’ll be prepared.

Roasted Cabbage

I really like this recipe.  It uses up any leftover cabbage one may have laying around, it’s super flavorful, and it’s a vegetable, so, obviously it’s healthy*.  And I used up the last of a vinaigrette I’d mixed up a while ago that was languishing in my fridge for this recipe, so it used both leftover cabbage and leftover vinaigrette.  Make sure to just coat the cabbage in dressing, though; any dressing that pools on the bottom of the cookie sheet will cause the cabbage to braise instead of crisp up and roast.  Then you’ll be trying to gently pour 425* liquid down your sink with the oven door open and cabbage sliding almost off of your cookie sheet one afternoon.  It’s not a cute scene.

Manhattan

I have to look this recipe up every time I make one, but man, this is such a tasty cocktail.  In fact, I may or may not be writing this blog post after having consumed just such a beverage.

I’m missing you these days, my dear!  I hope there are fabulous late-summer vegetable dishes in your weekend plans.

–Caitlin

*Yes, yes, we all know it’s not actually obvious.  And that vegetables can be cooked in unhealthy ways.  But still, go with  me on this, it’s cabbage with dressing.

P.S.  I finally picked up House of Cards: Season 2.  And have been promptly obsessed all over again.  It has meant I’ve been up very late and been very sleepy at work this week.