cute, happy and yummy!

here's just a few things that i've really appreciated lately :)

meet gidget.  but be careful!  she only likes me.  she would slash anyone else to pieces if they got too close!  story behind gidget:  my 8th grade graduation present.  she had 4 litters of kitties before we fixed her.  out of those litters came mr. binks and gigi - who are still around.  but, gidget hates their guts.  she snarls and swats them if they go near her.  like i said, she only really will tolerate my company.  when i left for college in my 18th year, gidget disappeared.  everyone thought that she died.  until, i came home for thanksgiving, and so did gidget!  this pattern happens everytime i leave home - she is gone to the world until my return!  when i went on a mission, so did gidget.  she was gone!  my dad said that there would be rare gidget sightings - but she never came home, until i did!  isn't she weird?  so, this is gidget, gardening with me.  :)  whenever i'm outside gardening, she finds a place in the area where i'm working and just watches me.  she's been here every single day since i've been back.  some days she'll spend a while in my closet or on my bed.  but, mostly she just sleeps on the front porch, just waiting for me.  :)  what loyalty!!!

these are some of my babies!!!  last year i planted a ton of shasta daisy seeds.  they waited until this year to bloom - and now they are just going mad!  our front yard is beautiful with the abundance of these happy little flowers.  daisies are my favorites.  :)  

this beautiful pasta salad was a hit at the latest family gathering!!!  it really did turn out so good, and i wanted to share the secret.  the dressing!!!  i am so into dressings lately.  they make or break a dish.  and this one was a winner.  i have to share it with you!  well, first of all, i'll tell you what's in the actual salad:  cooked bowtie pasta, diced tomatoes, grilled bell peppers, grilled fresh corn, black beans, avocado, and it's all drenched in this dressing and covered with fresh cilantro!  

the dressing *HONEY-LIME-CUMIN VINAIGRETTE:

1 small clove of garlic

kosher salt

3 Tbs. fresh lime juice

3 Tbs. fresh orange juice

2 tsp. finely chopped shallot

1 Tbs. honey to taste

3/4 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and finely ground

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

mince and mash the garlic to a paste with 1/4 tsp salt.

in a medium bowl, whisk the garlic paste with the lime 

and orange juices, shallot, honey, and toasted ground

cumin.  Slowly add the oil in a thin stream, whisking until

well blended.  Season to taste with black pepper and more

salt and honey, if you like.

*the most important part is to toast and ground the 

cumin yourself, and to squeeze fresh limes and oranges.  

it's so fresh and tasty!  a perfect dish for the summer!!!  (i

actually made 4x's what the recipe called for so i could use

it in green salads, etc.  so yummy)!!!