Community garden

There's a community garden not too far from where I live.  I paid a visit last week since they were having an event.  I even signed up on the waiting list for a plot--we'll see if I get one!

Excuse to post dog picture

I hope I didn't sound whiney in my last post . . . I'm grateful for a job since many of you know that it took me a long time to find one, and I'm trying to embrace the cool experiences coming my way even though they feel out of my comfort zone.

Anyhoo, on another note, I got to spend some time with a friend from church last night.  Her dog, Shanae, is the sweetest.  God bless all creatures great and small.

These days

This is the view from a home in the Hollywood Hills.  I was here for a work party last week with directors, producers, and Hollywood people.  My work is taking me to glamorous places I never thought I'd go and connecting me to people I never thought I'd be in the same room with--but it's also been the source of some of the hardest experiences and relationships I've ever faced in my life.  You can definitely ask me more about it if you'd like, but let's just say it's been trial by fire. 

To quote Radiohead, "for a minute there I lost myself" but thank the Lord
for rest . . . for nature, for art, for wholesome and simple food, for quiet, for growth, for hope.  

Pasta with Tuna and Tomato Sauce

I made this tonight and it turned out well so I thought I'd share it here.  The first time I tried this dish was when a work colleague brought this sauce with rice to an office potluck.  I like that the majority of ingredients come out of the pantry. 

I tend to cook by intuition and taste so my directions are not exact.

Ingredients:
-1 pound of pasta (corkscrew would work nicely since it holds thick sauces well but I had linguine--it turned out fine.  Rice is also good with this sauce).

For the sauce
-1 large can of crushed tomatoes
-2 T of tomato paste
-2 shallots minced
-1 tin of anchovies (in olive oil)
-2 T of capers
-1 large can of tuna (in water--or olive oil)
-pepper
-oregano
-brown sugar to taste if sauce is too acidic

I drained some of the oil from the anchovies to cook the shallots first.  Then I added tomato paste, anchovies, and capers.  Then came the crushed tomatoes, and then the tuna (drained).  You can add a bit of pepper, oregano, and sugar (if it tastes too acidic).  I didn't add salt because of the capers and anchovies but then again it's up to your taste.  Another method is to use store-bought marinara and add the tuna, capers, and anchovies (I think I will cook the shallots with carrots and celery next time to give the tomato sauce more depth).

Cook the pasta according to the package.

Add a few tablespoons of the pasta liquid to the sauce, toss, and serve immediately. 

I had ingredients for a simple salad (and I made croutons with leftover bread) but I think this dish would go nicely with roasted brussel sprouts or perhaps a green salad with red onion, white beans, and artichoke hearts.

Schindler House

I paid a visit here tonight with my friend from church who is in architecture school.  It was a cool place to visit.

Untitled

 

Untitled

The light and plant were so pretty outside our balcony today. 
The recipe for oatcakes is shared here!  They are really good with jam and yogurt.