I don’t know about you, but most days, it’s really hard to put together all of the ingredients for a healthy well-rounded homemade meal after a long day at work. I simply want to come home and water my bright orange potted zinnias, pick the latest arrivals in Willow Hill’s garden, and then sit on the patio to watch for hummingbirds while breathing in the sunshine that I have so lacked for the past eight hours. Want to….yes….but DO, no……why not?
Do you suffer from Hurry-osis too? You would think that once the chicks have flown the nest and entered into Adult Land, life would become simpler, slower, and easier. But then again………..some of us could find a way to be BUSY even if stranded on a remote island in the outer Pacific. Me? Yes.
- Rake zen patterns into beach sand.
- Develop recipes for my next cookbook, 1,000 Raw Fish Recipes.
- Trim palm tree fronds frayed by the latest tropical storm.
- Study the life cycle and communication patterns of yeti crabs…….
So today, dear readers and fellow Fast Laners, after a three week break from the blogging world, I’m coming back to you with a new point of view. After my annual Autumn Crash, it’s time to take action…..I mean….NOT take action. Time to slow down. Relax. Breathe. Won’t you join me?
Like any recovering person, as I contemplated slowing my life down this week, I realized that I would need a strategy in order to avoid falling back into the pit. As if sent by a Word Press angel, a simple little phrase caught my eye once the world stopped spinning from my inner ear imbalance and I could read once again. Forgive me for not giving you credit Word Press Angel, but sinus pressure and vertigo left me a bit daft this week. The phrase?……Half…as…Fast.
Now, I know this is not rocket science to some of you, but I guess I’ve always equated, Half-as-Fast with Half-Assed. Just add an extra “s” and say it quickly. You’ll see how similar they are. But some of you understand. If you can do more and do it faster then you must be (fill in the blank…..better, smarter, more hard working, more worthy, capable of being loved/admired/noticed????).
You know what? It turns out that doing things Half-as-Fast doesn’t really mean doing half as much. I don’t really understand this new space-time-continuum yet, but I can already feel the effects. Less stress. More motivation to do what my heart tells me to do (refer to paragraph #1 zinnias, hummingbirds, garden) because I have practiced it all day long. My brain is being reconditioned with each task I perform. I don’t have to tell you about the studies about stress. Believe me, your body will thank you for slowing down.
Pizza Pomodoro Pizzette is an Autumn Crash of an altogether different kind. I love when two seasons collide in the world of vegetable harvests. While the last of my summer tomatoes basque in blazing September rays, sunny autumn squash slide furtively beneath trellised vines, sheepishly admitting to coming to the party too soon. Just as when guests arrive too soon and find that they are now a part of the kitchen crew, I put my acorn squash to work with a simple task. Roasted at 400 degrees for 1 1/4 hours (I always do these a day ahead of time……who has time for roasting after a long day of work?)
The next day, I rewarded my tomatoes for their etiquette in not crashing the party. Longing for a complimentary roasted dish for our barbecued chicken and spiced acorn squash, I whipped out my secret dry roasting pan (ok….ok…..it’s just a large iron skillet) for a quick additional side. Shhhh…….don’t tell my gluten-eating husband that Pizza Pomodoro Pizzettes were my way of avoiding the carbohydrates and grains that he so dearly loves but gets very little of since I can’t tolerate them. The way he raved over these little cylinders of sassy seasoning for days makes me think I got away with it!
Similar in taste to the freshest marguerite pizza you’ve ever set your teeth into, with the pizzaz and subtlety of slow roasted tomatoes (shhh…), add the cheese of your choice to create this quick vegetarian dish.
Pesto Pomodoro Pizzettes
- four large fresh ripe tomatoes
- pesto
- shredded mozzarella or cheese of your choice
Preheat skillet to medium high heat. Cut tomatoes into half-inch thick slices. Drain or pat off excess liquid. Lay in hot pan to sear. Try not to peek too soon since this will probably result in the juice leaking underneath and causing tomatoes to stick to the pan. Turn when they are a bit black. Cook at medium high for a few more minutes then reduce pan to low. Slather on pesto and continue to cook, allowing steam to escape. Add shredded cheese and cook until melted (it may help to put a cover on the pan). PS If your tomatoes fall apart, your pan wasn’t hot enough. The blackened searing helps hold the rounds together.
From the heart of a gardener, to the souls of local food lovers. When food is this simple, you can work at half speed and still enjoy the evening. Cheers.
