Broccoli & Garlic Mini White Pizzas

My six year old's favorite lunch for me to pack him is an English Muffin pizza. Its just a whole grain muffin, pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese and he absolutely loves it. Then one day while staring into the fridge pondering what to have for lunch myself, I had an epiphany! I could make a gourmet mini pizza just for me. While I do love a pizza loaded with sauce, cheese and maybe some eggplant, I also have become a fan of a white pizza topped with broccoli and garlic. Oh so yummy. So I threw one together myself for a quick and healthy lunch and it was quite yummy.

Broccoli & Garlic Mini White Pizza Recipe

Ingredients
whole grain English Muffin
shredded mozzarella cheese
fresh garlic, finely chopped
leftover, cooked broccoli, chopped

Directions
1. Split and lightly toast your English Muffin.
2. Finely chop some fresh garlic.
3. Sprinkle a thin layer of mozzarella over the English Muffin. Add broccoli, a generous amount of chhese and top with garlic.
Place in toaster oven or regular oven and broil until cheese is completely melted.

Gather your four ingredients: English Muffin, mozzarella cheese, broccoli and garlic. I am not a fan of frozen broccoli but you certainly can use that (thawed) if you prefer.

Lightly toast the English Muffin. This will help to give it a nice crunch.

While that is toasting, finely chop your garlic. I started with the slice of garlic on the left and chopped till I got to the size on the right. Don't ask for a measurement, I don't have one.

Add a thin layer of cheese to the English Muffin.

Place the desired amount of broccoli on top of the cheese. I packed mine with as much broccoli as I could fit.

Pile on some more cheese. Add more than you think you should because when it melts down it seems like it is less.

The last thing I add is the garlic. I like for it to be on top so its get a little toasted by the broiler.

Place the mini pizzas in the oven or toaster oven on broil until the cheese is completely melted. Let cool for a few minutes before biting into this healthy and yummy snack or lunch!

Wordless Wednesday: Halloween Jack-O-Lanterns

This was my first time ever carving pumpkins, and I think I did a pretty darn good job. Of course the snowstorm messed everything up and I didn't finish the last two. I did get Wolverine all carved but never got to take any pictures. The fourth was probably going to be the Hulk, but that pumpkin still sits completely intact in my frigid house.

Iron Man Jack-O-Lantern

 

Yoda Jack-O-Lantern

 

October 2011 Snowstorm Hits Connecticut

As I am sure every one has seen, the Northeast was crippled by a huge snowstorm over the weekend. Over in our part of Connecticut, it started around 12:30 pm on Saturday, October 29 and we quickly realized that the snow was piling up fast. My husband had taken my son to a birthday party just 15 minutes away. When they left the party to return home, it took them an hour to get back. The roads were a mess and since we live on top of a mountain, that made it even more difficult.

We lost power Saturday night just after 8:00 pm. When we woke up Sunday morning, the beautiful blue sky gave no indication of what happened the day before. There was about 18 inches of snow covering the ground. Our road was still not plowed which we later learned was because there were trees down at the entrance blocking it. A man that lived on the main road was nice enough to come out and cut the tree up himself, so people on our street could try to get out and plows could get in. One of our neighbors had a tree land on their house and come crashing in through their kitchen window.

We were fortunate that our house wasn't damaged. But with no alternative heat source, I packed up the kids and headed out to my mother-in-law's while hubby stayed behind to keep an eye on the house. We turned off our street and were greeted with downed trees and power lines one after another.

Here are some pictures from about maybe 3 or 4 hours into the storm. I should have taken pictures of the aftermath, but I was freaking out trying to get clothes and food packed to leave.

My two favorite trees in our yard. A Dogwood on the left and a Japanese Maple on the right. The next morning all the branches were touching the ground from the weight of the snow. A big section snapped off of the Japanese Maple. Hubby shook the snow off to relieve the weight but I don't know if they will recover.

Snow covered trees in our backyard. One did lose a huge branch in the storm, but luckily it fell in the grass and not on the house.

Just a few hours in, about 3 inches of snow covers our back deck.

Our front yard during the storm. At this point the snowflakes were huge. The tree that is slightly leaning to the left had 3 huge branches snap, but they didn't fall off. They are just dangling from the tree, so we'll need to find a way to get them down. I worry about them falling on someone.

As soon as the first snowflake felt, the boys were asking to go out and play in the snow. This was at about 4:00pm on Saturday. This was the little man's first time playing in the snow and he went crazy for it.

It looks so pretty, but to me snow is is pure evil. What started out pretty ended in disaster for so many people. As I sit here and write this on Tuesday morning, the power is still out and Connecticut Light & Power is not giving anyone an estimate of when their power will be back. I would just like to know when thy think it will be back so I know how long I will be away from home. Schools were closed in our town for Monday and Tuesday. I am willing to bet that with 48% of town still without power, that they will be closed on Wednesday as well. Between this storm and Irene, the kids are going to already have extra days added onto the school year. And it isn't even Winter yet.

I am thankful for wonderful family who took us in on short notice. It is not like I come with just one or two kids. There are four of them and we quickly take over any house we are at. And despite it all, they had a wonderful time trick-or-treating with all of their cousins last night. Which is at least one bright spot in this pretty crummy week.

Were you in this storm's path? How did you make out? Did you lose power?