Gnocchi With Veggies & Butter Sauce

1 package of gnocchi
1 package of frozen veggies, your choice (I think I used a stir fry variety)
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

Make the gnocchi according to package directions, while doing that toss the frozen veggies into a hot pan with the tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic. When the veggies are heated through, take them out and put the butter into the pan, brown it.

When the butter has been browned, toss back in the veggies and gnocchi along with salt and pepper to taste. Stir everything to combine and serve.

You can add in spices or not. I don't care. It's good either way - maybe some oregano or sage would be good too!

New LONNY Mag

Yup, you got it! I totally miss Domino and this is how I get my fix.

New Craigslist Find

Bench for the dining room table since all of our chairs have disappeared to different rooms. The color isn't great, but I'm planning on painting it this summer to either red or black. Not sure yet, still have to get artwork and I don't want it to be a garish color...
Square details. Whatever...
However, we do have a small problem. Rusty is afraid of it. See here? He's about to bark at it because he doesn't understand it. (This is when I almost dropped the camera because I was laughing so hard. Poor Rusty, he becomes the butt of lots of jokes)
Nigel was just hoping that it came with another dog friend.

And so, we can now have guests over again for dinner because there's now places to sit. Crazy, right? Eating dinner at the McTatty/Bimmer Hotel? What?

Oh, and BTW, I LOVE Craigslist. There's so many good finds on there...

Help Find Me A Pasta Sauce

With no tomatoes.

I mean, I have a six month supply of tomato sauce, but I'm craving something NOT tomato for this week. It can be alfredo or carbonara... or plain olive oil but I'm just not feeling the inspiration that I need for when I go grocery shopping (either in my pantry or at the store)...

So, what are some good recipes with no tomatoes?

Go ahead, leave a link! I'll give you some good stats! (I'm known for leaving a webpage open while I cook, so if you have Google Analytics and you notice someone looking at one page for like an hour, that's probably me... I give GREAT stats!).

Yep, or if you know it by heart, leave it in a comment. I just need some inspiration!

Thanks fantastic readers, friends and family!

A New Career For Barbie???

OMG. YES!!!

And you can even vote on it! I voted for the environmentalist, but I don't know what sorts of accessories she would have (maybe a recycling bin?).

If you want to vote, you can do it here.

Hmm... What Color For Upstairs???

Nigel? Any ideas??? No, ok. I thought dogs were color blind anyway.
Rusty? You like anything special?

Well, here's how I pick out the ones that I like. They get put on the table for a day. Or two. And then I slowly take out the ones that I don't like.
And then magically... a color appears to me! Now, I just have to go and get a few samples of this and tints and shades of it to try in our upstairs.

Why is it that it just takes so dang long and it's so hard to pick a color of paint? It's not like you can't repaint it...

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Sorry, everything is kind of approximate since I've been making homemade pizza for so long. So, here goes:

2 cups regular all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp oregano
3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for coating bowl for dough to rise
1 cup warm water
1 package instant yeast
1 tbsp honey or sugar (I prefer honey)

I proof the yeast in the water, then add all other ingredients except flour. Stir to combine.

Then, add flour 1/2 at a time, alternating with the whole wheat. Obviously the regular flour will be last. Stir with a wooden spoon until nice and sticky, then knead for 10 minutes.

If using a stand mixer, use level 2 for 10 minutes.

Put in a tall bowl to rise in a warm spot covered with a damp towel for one hour.

Cut dough in half, and either make two pizzas or put the half in the fridge for tomorrow.

Shape the dough with your fingers, don't use a rolling pin otherwise you won't be happy with the results, trust me, it took me awhile to figure that out!

Then, cover with damp dishtowel while you gather your pizza ingredients and let it sit for another 15 - 20 minutes, whatever. You can put away dishes in the dishwasher.

Pile on the ingredients and put it on your preheated pizza stone in a 425 degree oven for 12 - 18 minutes.

Voila! Pizza!

Ugh. Our Laundry Room.

Here's the daunting LAUNDRY ROOM. Seriously, it needs help. And that's just fine with me! I'd like a cheery place to do laundry, so if at any time you have suggestions, please comment.
Here's the monster furnace which is right behind the door. It's not like I can paint a mural on it or anything, but I do know how to change the filter (including the one for the humidifier and the hose for the humidifier so it doesn't spit out mold into the house).
And to the left when you walk in the room. Yuck. Immediate yuck. I've bleached the floors already and I pretty much dust for cobwebs weekly. Ew. Ew. Ew.
And look at that green trim. What a riot! Living in a house from 1949 is half funny and half not-so-funny, especially when you get down into the basement and see the hideous the colors! I'm hoping to seal the cement walls, put down peel & stick tile on the floor, and then paint the walls. Oh, and get an energy efficient tankless water heater.
And the other side by the furnace. More yuck.
Look at those mint green walls. By the way - that's the fresh air intake for the furnace if you're wondering what that ugly tubing is. Behind it is the electrical box.
See, this furnace is HUGE. HUGE.
Nigel won't even come in here. Poor guy, he's kinda scared.

Oh, well. In the future it won't be so scary.

To Do List:

1. Seal the cement walls.
2. Get a new washing machine
3. Get a tankless water heater
4. Peel and stick tile on the floor
5. Paint the walls a cheery color and um, get rid of the green trim.
6. Possibly invest in nice shelving.

And welcome to 1949. There's even rigid slats on the utility sink to wash clothes BEFORE there were washing machines.

Happy Tuesday!

BTW - wait until you see the first floor bathroom... IT'S PINK!!! AND MAROON!!!