through storms of red roses

i am homed once again. after couch surfing across the country for seven months i am thrilled to have landed. and i am absolutely smitten with the space. it is a bright open character suite with a delightful garden in the backyard. apparently the area was originally upper chinatown. there is a goji berry bush growing next to the driveway.

at the moment i am thrilled by the idea of cooking. it may be because i've been living off no-prep food for far too long, or it may be a new kitchen equipped with my new roomie's fabulous kitchen supplies. or i may just be hungry. whatever it is, i've got the bug.

i've been scanning epicurious for recipes and ideas. i love their setup! you can search by what you have on hand or prep type or cuisine type... and the pictures are mouth watering. then, once you find something you want to try, save it to your recipe box. from there select the recipes you want to make this week and it will compile a shopping list for you! even organized by aisle. o technology. how i heart you.

today i made granola. we met a woman in winnipeg who kept a large glass jar of homemade granola on hand at all times and i've wanted to try it ever since. i didn't follow the recipe exactly. i'm terrible for measuring. too lazy and impatient. plus i hate dirtying all those extra dishes. i skipped the pecans and raisins and dried blueberries since payday is not until friday but i made up for it with extra almonds and dates, then added some pumpkin and flax seeds. before i mixed it all together i sprinkled cinnamon on the roasted seeds and almonds. mmmm i guarantee this is not going to last long.