Birthdays, Belly Bands, Bones, and Black Beans

Judging by the title of this post, you've probably already figured out that it's going to be one of those random, off the wall posts. And there are a lot of B's in the title. Don't be scared...

Birthdays.

I turned 27 about a week ago. It was the first year someone asked me how old I was going to be and I actually couldn't remember. I'm pretty sure the "I don't know" answer is only acceptable if you're under the age of two and can't really form words anyway or if you're over a (ahem) certain age. I remember my parents always answering that way when asked how old they were or were going to be, and I secretly thought they were either lying or trying to be funny. I mean, come on, who doesn't know how old they are?! Apparently you join this elite group on your 27th birthday...

This was also the first year where I didn't want to have a big to-do. Jordan and I had purchased a fabulous Groupon deal for a one-night stay at the Montvale Hotel downtown (I'm really not a secret spokesperson for Groupon -- swear!), so we decided my birthday was a good enough excuse to use it. We had a fabulous night out with a dinner at Catacombs, followed by lunch at The Elk with my family the next day. It was lovely and just what I needed. And I think the best part of doing birthdays this way is you get to extend the one-day celebration into a week-long string of lunches, drink dates, and dinners with close friends. Who said you don't get wiser by the time you're 27... or was it 26?

Belly Bands and Bones.

Life has thrown me a lot of circumstances lately where I'm left asking myself, "Why am I the least bit surprised by this??" You know, circumstances that most logical human beings would foresee in their future so the emotion of surprise is simply not warranted. Here is one, well actually two of those situations...



If you're still with me and haven't exited out of our blog, you're probably pondering a nice, little, three-letter acronym in your head right about now...

WTF? or WTH? Whatever floats your boat.

My thoughts exactly.

To put it bluntly, our youngest dog, Max, is kicking our ass. Plain and simple. I have never met a dog as smart as this guy is, but who would be giving us the finger about 75 percent of the time if he was physically capable of doing so. His latest phase of puppyhood (although I'm not sure you can call a dog who's 1.5 years old a puppy) has consisted of "marking" in our house. The dog is fully potty-trained, yet his instincts are telling him to mark what he thinks belongs to him. The last straw? Apparently he thinks I belong to him. Twice. Once in my Ugg boots. Okay, they're fake Uggs, but still... Something had to be done, and so a dog diaper (aka "Belly Band") actually appeared on our credit card statement a couple weeks ago. You can only imagine Jordan's excitement about that...

And the bone was purchased in the same trip to PetCo, and I simply couldn't resist showing you physical evidence of what Max can do in two months. TWO MONTHS, before and after. The picture of the bones is pretty much a direct correlation to our house, pre-Max and post-Max. Did I mention this dog is only about 23 pounds?

Oh, and as a side note, the Belly Band did not work. Max: 92. Jordan & Whitney: 0.

Black Beans (Pizza, That Is.)

Let me preface this by saying I am a big, fat copycat. My friend, Amy, posted this recipe for Black Bean Pizza on her blog about a month ago. Not only was it delicious, it also met all my requirements for sharing it with other people. Mostly, it was a recipe I could handle without sweating and swearing. Although, I have to admit, Jord helped. ;) And we both LOVED it.



Please take a stab at which picture is stolen from Amy's blog of her pizza and which one is mine...? I'll give you a hint: my pizza is ugly. Nevertheless, it still tasted good! By the way, do anyone else's cooking creations never turn out half as good-looking as the cookbook picture? Or is that just me? Okay, maybe don't answer that...

BLACK BEAN PIZZA RECIPE

Crust
Dissolve:
*2 teaspoons yeast in 1 c. warm water (let soften a few minutes)
Add:
*1 teaspoon sugar
*1 teaspoon salt
*2 Tablespoons oil
*2 cups white flour
*1/2 c. whole wheat flour
Knead a few minutes, then rest a short time (about 15 minutes). Roll out and bake @ 425 degrees for five minutes before adding the sauce & toppings.

Sauce
In food processor or blender combine:
*one can black beans, rinsed and drained
*3 Tablespoons olive oil
*2 Tablespoons chopped, fresh cilantro (or more!)
*1 teaspoon cumin
*1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
*1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Spread bean mixture on pre-baked pizza crust. Add the following toppings:
*small can sliced olives, drained
*1/2 c. or more diced red bell pepper
*1/4 c. sliced green onions
*8 oz. jack/cheddar blend cheese

Bake at 425 degrees for 7-12 more minutes. Serve with sour cream and salsa!


Thanks, Amy, for the great recipe! We are actually making it tonight for the second time. Yum. :)