an odd experiment that turned out fabulous!

I was looking through pinterest recently and came across an entry for taco pizza.  I thought how odd but I figured why not.  I put together a bit of taco meat, mango salsa, and cheese on a sourdough crust.  Baked for a bit.  Added a bit of sour cream and lettuce on top after.  My Beloved and I could not believe how good this was!  One of those so good that we both considered having another piece, which would made our tummies feel MUCH too full.  I know what my Beloved is having for lunch tomorrow!  

taco pizza

1/2 a pizza dough recipe (enough for 1 pizza)

1/4 a recipe of taco meat (use 1/2 pound meat)

1 cup of mango salso with a bit of heat or a salsa to your taste

4 ounces of a nice medium cheddar like Tillamook

sour cream for topping

lettuce for topping

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Press the dough out into a circle shape.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Pull out the crust.  Top with the taco meat.  Top next with the salsa.  Sprinkle cheese on top.  Bake for another 8 minutes or until cheese is very bubbly but not browned.

Slice into 8 pieces. 

Top with a bit of sour cream (if you like) and a bit of shredded lettuce.

It is really lovely, especially with everything made from scratch.  It was very hard for me to stop just at two pieces.  But I did.  More for my Beloved's lunch tomorrow.

quiet weekend

It has been a quiet weekend.  There have been a few errands to run but I really wanted to work on Miss J's quilt.  I have other sewing projects I want to work on as well and am excited about but I would really like to be able to mail this off.  

I got the back finished and the pinning/basting done.  All the time, I was listening to an audiobook from the library.

At this point, it is over half quilted.  I may get some more time at the sewing machine today.  I may not.  Sweet Small Mister is back from his Dad's and his Mom is working so we have him.  I also have a skating lesson and there is the possibility of a movie in our evening.  

Quiet weekends are always quite full.

more letterpress - steps back

Saturday, I spent a good amount of time working with my letterpress.  I did pull some nice prints but there was a lot that I was not happy with.  It felt like a day that I went backwards.  The heat did not help either.  The ink was getting tacky.  It was really hard to clean up it was so tacky.

At the end of the month, I am taking my press and working with a gentleman in New Jersey.  I am excited by both the time to learn but also getting out of the town.  It has not been the hottest summer in Houston but I could do with a change of scenery.  We drove a bit out of town for dinner the other night mostly to see hills.  A change of scenery.  

boxes

I have been thinking that I needed some wooden boxes for a while now.  Growing up, my Dad always built them so I was used to having them around.  Especially with Small Mister so much in our home, the boxes kept sounding like a good idea.  My Dad suggested that we use 1/4" plywood with 1" x 12" x 16" ends.  No supports down the seems.

We have five boxes made now.  I cut the tops today so the three we have with the chairs have tops.  I am actually going to retrofit 1"x 1" supports on the bottoms.  I pull out the hand tools.  My Beloved pulls out the power tools.  I guess that tells you a lot, yes?

I am also going to pick up some 1/2" plywood and build some more boxes.  There is going to be a kitchen camping box and a clothes box.  Two boxes to throw in the back of the Suburban.  With a cooler, we would be almost ready to go except for bedding.  

I have been enjoying working with wood lately.  There is a table I want but I do not have the need.  But I may build all my own kitchen counters and storage underneath.  I really like the old European kitchens I see where everything is wood and open shelving.  It gives me thoughts.  And the need for my hand tools.

turtle dark chocolate brownie torte

I have a tendency to read books where there is a lot of stress baking and tea drinking.  I do not know why but that is what seems to happen.  My Beloved and I have been listening to a lot of audiobooks lately.  It is easy to do with the library.   We occasionally buy and audiobook but the library really is where we find most of them.

We were listening to an audiobook and brownie baking came up.  My Beloved looked at me and said, "Brownies?"  This is what came from that.  A dark chocolate torte made with almond flour and a put sliced homemade turtles on top.  These did not last 24 hours.  Yes, that good.

turtle dark chocolate brownie torte

3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

2 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 large egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

A pinch of salt

2 tablespoons almond flour

10 small turtle candies (carmel, pecan, and milk chocolate) cut into thin slices

Preheat 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Butter and "flour" an 8 inch pan.

Melt 3/4 cup chocolate and butter in a saucepan until chocolate is melted.  Mix in the sugar, vanilla, egg, and flour.  Pour into the prepared pan.  Put the sliced turtles on top.  Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until a knife poked in comes out clean.

These are lovely with tea.