Tomato Pie

CV friend, Marge posted this photo of her culinary skills on Sunday.

I am a visual cook. I love to look at pictures of recipes. This tomato pie looks scrumptious. Marge gladly passed along the recipe and since I have an abundance of Roma tomatoes right now, I made tomato pie for dinner last night. Needless to say, my pie did not look as beautiful as Marge's pie. So I'm using her photo.

We ate the pie warm and agreed it tasted like an entree from our favorite Italian restaurant. But by today the crust was soggy, so I decided on a Tomato Pie remake.

I used about half of the other roll of pie dough and lined two single serving bakeware dishes and baked the dough. Then I scooped out the leftover tomato pie filling from last night's pie and filled the two new pie shells. I grilled one chicken breast sprinkled with Italian seasonings; divided it in half and cubed it. I put the warm chicken pieces on top of the tomato filling and sprinkled a bit of Parmesan cheese on top. I popped the dishes back into the warm oven, just long enough to melt the cheese while I finished putting together our lunch.

Tomato Pie remake was even better the second day! We liked it at 'room temperature' rather than hot out of the oven. We liked that it had the chicken as it provided another dimension and became the main dish, rather than a side. The spices and topping from the original recipe were perfect.

Thanks Marge & Susan for providing a tasty, new dish to add to our more conscious healthy cooking & eating list of culinary delights!

Interesting Fact About August

Since this month is almost over, did you notice:

This August has 5 Sundays, 5 Mondays, 5 Tuesdays, all in one month. 

It happens once in 823 years.

Kari's New Place

We also got to spend a little time at Kari's new apartment this weekend. We helped her move into this larger apartment the end of April. So it was very nice to come visit and not have to 'work'. We also got to have lunch with her and she helped cooked.

She has a south facing patio that has become a garden this summer. She has tomatoes, peppers, a variety of herbs and flowers in the small space.

Her yellow hibiscus bloomed this morning. A quick shower came through after we arrived. It made for a great photo.

Even Callie came out to play and check us out. She usually hides under the bed when we stop by.

It didn't take long for Callie to climb onto Grandma's lap. Of course, Grandma was sitting in the chair where Kari always sits, so Callie was just checking it all out.

This is just one-third or maybe one-fourth of her books and book shelves. It was really nice to see the the photos and souvenirs displayed from her 'worldly' travels. Thanks for sharing your place with us!

The Twins Game

We attended a Twins baseball game at the 

new outdoor Target Field Thursday night.

We saw one of our favorite players, Joe Mauer.

Unfortunately it wasn't his best night at bat.

It was awesome to be outdoors on a beautiful

evening along with the other 40,000 baseball 

fans in downtown Minneapolis.

Our seats were excellent! 

The Twins didn't get on base very often and when they did,

they could not score a run. That was the only disappointment

to the entire event. Parking was easy and close. Coming & going 

in downtown traffic was easy. 11-0 was not a pleasant ending.

Willa Shares Her Thoughts

Now, I remember. The lady with the camera 

in front of her face all the time!

You bought this just for me? Yippee!

 The stroller ride wasn't too bad, but I'm kind of tired.

I'm looking at my hand grandpa!

I'm looking at my feet grandpa!

Okay, Grandma...I'll look at you and the camera. 

Then will you leave me alone for awhile?

Visitors

Dan & Patty, AZ winter friends are passing through SD on their way east. They called us this morning from NE. We picked them up at the campground and went out for dinner and then back to our place for dessert.

Jerry & Linda, more winter AZ friends from Sioux Falls, just happened to be in the area today and surprised Dan & Patty and joined us for dinner and dessert. We helped make travel plans for our CO friends heading east and north.

Thanks for giving us a call!

More Willa Pictures from Last Week

Yes, we are missing the little peanut. So we check the blog often. Thanks for posting this week, Crystal. And I found some pictures I hadn't posted.

You want me to what, Grandma?

A plastic rattle that she isn't bopping on her head anymore.

That is a focused look.

I want to get up and look a little closer.

Okay, I'm done playing, Grandma.

My Flowers & a Willa photo

I looked out the front door this morning and saw FOUR flowers on the hibiscus. Somewhere, somehow in the last two weeks, it decided to become a real plant and produce more than one bloom at a time.

Thanks, Kari. It made it through the summer. Now if I can just keep it going until we leave for the winter and safely get it to AZ...

The candy corn vine has also really bushed out and filled the trellis. The secret to this one was putting four plants in the pot and carefully 'training' the vines early in the summer.

I enjoy the itty, bitty orange flowers peaking from the dense foliage. This has become one of my favorite summer flowers.

And finally a Willa picture from last week. You can see her 'wet' chin, moving hands and feet. We miss her!

Curt Update

Curt had a follow-up checkup with his physician this afternoon. The teeny, tiny metal staples, all 200 hundred or so, have been removed from his chest and left leg. All is going well. He continues to walk six minutes, six times a day and can walk around the block in that time, even in this heat & humidity. Rehab will start next week.

We had a bit of an outing today after his appointment. We went to Walgreens to fill another prescription, stopped at the drive-in for grape sherbet and visited some friends. Nothing too exciting.

We are one-third of the way through the six-weeks of limited freedom. Patience. Patience.

The Last Day of Willa Week

It is our last day with Willa. We have enjoyed being able to spend so much time with her. We see changes each day and love how she responds to our voices. She was in a great mood this morning, so I dressed her in one of my favorite Willa outfits and had the camera ready. Here are some Friday morning pictures:

This is just part  of our routine...

that and blowing bubbles and spitting.

This morning was the first time I noticed that she noticed her feet and watched them move and maybe moved them intentionally. In the past, if I lifted her foot, she focused on it, but as far as I have noticed, this was the first time she really looked down and 'played' with her feet.

And of course, the best part is the smile that just melts our hearts.

Curt Update

Curt is recovery very nicely this week at Willa's house. He is following the doctor's orders of not lifting anything over 10 pounds, walking six minutes 6 times a day, taking his medications on schedule, resting for an hour in the morning and afternoon, and spending quality time with is grand daughter. Here are some pictures from Wednesday afternoon.

Grandma didn't get too many smiles when she had the camera today. Maybe tomorrow...

Tuesday Evening with Willa

Grandpa and Grandma Hanson came to see Willa (and Curt) last night and to have dinner with their daughter and family. They had not seen Willa for almost 3 weeks.

Willa went to sleep while Grandma H was holding her. It didn't last long, though.

She was happy to lay on the floor without her drool wet onesie and just jabber.

Tuesday with Willa

Grandpa at home with Willa last night after he was discharged from the Heart Hospital. 

Yesterday afternoon I placed Willa in the Baby Einstein which was a shower gift from her grandmas and grandpas. I have been anxiously waiting for Willa to be big enough to sit in it.

She enjoyed looking at the attached toys.

Her feet don't touch the floor, yet. If she leans just so, the one foot does touch the carpet. Yes, it is in the lowest position.

Rocco got in the act yesterday. He still pretty much ignores her, but when I put one of his toys on the tray, he would come and get it.

The big face on the yellow flower kept her attention this afternoon.

Monday with Willa

Willa is now 14 weeks old. This is our third week of Willa daycare. Next week she will be going to a neighborhood daycare. Here are photos from this morning:

The cute smile turned to the side

One blue-eyed look at grandma, but I missed the smile

A big yawn; time for a cat nap

She loves playing with her tongue

And spitting bubbles

and following the puppy rattle.