spt: spring fever

In Search of Spring.
Initially, my picture had to be orange blossoms. Arizona spring. The smell of orange blossoms does me in. Absolute love. Absolute turning back time...a smell of growing up in Mesa.
But then, I was attacked by a giant tumbleweed. Seriously. The spring winds have been frantic, the dust has been flying, and a tumbleweed taller than my Expedition lurched in front of me as I drove home one night last week. Surely I could hunt that monster down...the ugly side of the earth's spring cleaning.
But then, came the wedding. And the flowers screamed Spring. Not hard to snap myself with my mini bouquet bundle.
But then, spring fever turned literal. I had double fever boys Sunday and Monday. And they were very cute lying very still in my bed. I could definitely cozy myself in the middle of these two.
yes, that is orange crayon on my wall behind the bed..filling every single space..
has been there for months now..I like to call it art.
Yes, strawberries. The kind that are red through & through. The kind that are juicy and sweet. The kind that don't cost a fortune and end in disappointment. Yes, the wait is over, the fruit is at the ripe & ready. A definite harbinger of spring and nearly summer in my kitchen. If you are at all a fan of this fruit, you must try these two recipes with me this week. Delicious.
Strawberry Pie
Crust: 1 c. flour 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 c. butter
Filling: 1 c. sugar 1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. water 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 Tbsp. corn syrup 3 Tbsp. strawberry jello
Strawberries
Whipping Cream
Grease and flour pie pan. In a bowl, combine flour & powdered sugar. Cut in butter. Chill 30 minutes. Press into pie pan. Bake at 425 for 8-10 minutes. Combine all ingredients but jello in saucepan. Cook & stir until thickened & clear. Add jello. Stir until dissolved. Place strawberries in cooled pie crust. Pour sauce over top. Refrigerate. Top with whipped cream when ready to serve.
10 oz. bag baby spinach leaves crumbled Feta cheese
sliced red onion sliced strawberries
3/4 c. slivered almonds sliced or diced avocado
Dressing: 1/2 c. (or less) sugar 1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 T. minced red onion 1 tsp. worcestshire sauce
1/2 c. vegetable oil
Blend dressing ingredients in blender. Toss salad together. Just before serving, toss with almonds (the friend who gave me the recipe candies her almonds; I prefer plain pecans), avocado and dressing. It will get soggy, so keep the dressing separate if you plan on having leftovers.
Reader Comments (22)
That's too bad that the boys have literal spring fevers, but they look cute together in bed.
I actually bought strawberries the other day but had forgotten about them, I'll have to excavate them from the fridge.
I love strawberries but love them right out of the ground. Yum!
The wind sounds crazy. It is one thing I can't stand about the spring!!
I'm so glad I found your blog. The artwork on the wall, the gorgeous cake . . . I can't believe I've been missing out on all of this.
we have a u-pick strawberry farm several miles from here, and a bunch of us take our kids every year to fill up our bellies and our freezers. these two new recipes will do nicely, thank you!
I love strawberries and your picture is very cute! I still want your hair.
cute photo
pix are great! Love the art work -been there! Actually, it's STILL there!haha (on a desk/hutch)
Cute of you with the strawberries! Should be an Ad for the luscious fruit!! -ciao
Hope the boys feel better soon.
I was chased down by a mini tumbleweed while on my bike last week. Although not big, it did scare me thinking I was going to get all tangled up in it and fall.
And there is a scent from Gold Canyon Candles that is called orange blossoms, it smells exactly like the blossoms from the orange groves in the valley. It's my favorite scent and I burn it whenever I'm feeling homesick.
Your hair is seriously cute -- I love it!
And the art work -- just today I discovered that Avery (the SEVEN year old) wrote each of our initials on the drawers of her dresser. It makes me insane. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is a friend to moms.
And Megs, that will definitely be my next order. Will have to ask the Jim if he could handle that one. I'm hoping yes.
And Annalisa, it would hugely freak me out to be chased down on a bike by a tumbleweed, giant or not. So glad you lived to tell the tale!
And Mandy, if Josh can rope you & Ryley into an AZ visit, you are definitely welcome in my home!