It's getting to be summer, and aside from my baby blueberry bush, the one thing I must have in the garden is basil. Our favorite thing to do with fresh basil is make a quick salad of tomatoes, Mozzarella cheese, and Basil.

It's pretty simple, not even a formal recipe and you can scale it up or down to feed as many or as few people as you like.

1. Equal parts tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
- We like chopped roma tomatoes or whole cherry or grape tomatoes
- I usually use fresh mozzarella balls in brine (from costco!), chop to approx. the size of the tomato pieces. Cubed manchego or gouda is also a good treat if you're in the mood for a different cheese.

2. Several sprigs of fresh basil, chopped
-again, to your taste. We like a lot of basil

3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1.5 Tbsp/cup of tomatoes or so
-get a lightly flavored oil so it doesn't overpower the fresh ingredients

4. Balsamic Vinegar, 2 Tbsp/cup of tomatoes
-we use a Pomegranate flavored BV, but a good strong standard balsamic or another fruit flavor works well, too.

That's it.

Chop tomatoes and cheese to bite size pieces if necessary. Chop up basil leaves, removing stem pieces since they're not as nice to eat. Toss with oil and BV. Refrigerate before serving if desired or serve immediately.

If I have some on hand, I like to toss in a few small crostini just before serving for some crunch.

This is on the menu nearly every day in the summer, especially if the deer have avoided the tomato plants, and I have to fight my husband to even get any

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Random embarrassing thing about me: I love Kenny and Dolly's "Islands in the Stream", it was my favorite song when I was 5 or 6.

Why, God?. Why did Vonzell, Carrie, and Anthony have to sing it? Bo was ok.

Now the audition tapes. Oh Geez. This oughtta be good.
Vonzell first. Chain of Fools. Nice. In fact better than last night. Randy thinks she's learned to believe in herself.

Anthony- I remember this. He had balls to do Jon Secada for an audition. I was amazed at the power of his voice in that room. Again, better than last night. Still lookin' goofy. Still a Clay-ken like muppet.

Oooh Bo and Carrie and a surprise after the break....

Did I mention our local Fox affiliate has its own version of Idol called "Fox50's Gimme the Mike"? Good God. The prize is a audition for a record company.

BTW I wasn't going to live blog the commercials, but the combination of the "We don't have sex" PSA with the Nationwide commercial where the kid builds the robot with the laser eyes that blows up the parents' house is enough to make anyone celibate.

Here's Carrie: "I can't make you love me". No bitch you, can't. She looks better now, I guess the stylist was worth it. Simon was surprised she was that good, and any finalist could win after all.

Finally Bo. Nice shirt. Nice song. You can tell he was nervous. He should stick to rock and soul when he does his album. Heh. Harold. Hairold? Simon likes him.

ooh a free trip home to get rejuved before the final...

This better be the last damn commercial.

Results below the fold.....
more...

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Check out Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Brick here

(h/t Flap)

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Well, looks like we are close to a complete dissertation. I just need to go back through and add the references using Reference Manager so it builds a bibliography for me, and format the graphics and make a few text tweaks.... I hope....

But the majority of it is out there. 107 pages.

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(h/t Gir)

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I wish....

According to this, today is Eat What You Want Day!

Yay! You can celebrate one of two ways:
1. Buy Steve-O's book
or (substantially cheaper a.k.a. free)...
2. Share what you would eat if you could eat everything you wanted.

Here's my list:
Tommy's Chili Double Cheeseburger and chili cheese fries
Double Double Animal Style, and a Strawberry shake
Waffle Cone double scoop Peppermint over Cookies-N-Cream from Fosselman's
Trader Joe's Taquitos
Aunt Mary's Boereg (Armenian cheese turnovers)
Beef Stroganoff (my grandmother's)
Amante's Shepherds Pie Pizza with Pepperoni
Fried Dill Pickles
Big Stick Popsicles (the red, orange, and yellow ones, you can't get them here)
Homemade tamales
Salami and ritz crackers
Caramel Apples
Garlic Bread
A&W Root Beer Float

There's more, I just felt sick looking at that much food. BTW, anyone notice a theme here?

(h/t Michele)

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Bou posted this the other night about angels in her life, and I have a story I wanted to share too, although nowhere near as spooky cool as what she experienced.

You know how sometimes the answers are in front of you, but you can't see them? How sometimes you need a gentle prod in the right direction? Well, today I was feeling pretty wretched, and I got an email from a friend. Well, not really even a friend. She's the fiancee of one of my college roommates, a guy who I am pleased and proud to call a brother, though not blood. In fact, she and I didn't even know each other in college, I was acquainted with her through her sister and some mutual friends who were in my class. But I guess we're friends now, since if we weren't I wouldn't let her marry my boy

She's also a grad student in biology, and she emailed me for some advice. After answering her questions, I let her know we'll be missing the wedding because we'll be out in LA, hopefully finding a place to live. Instead of being put out that we would be missing the wedding (which is on the East Coast near her parents), she was just so happy we were finally coming back, and even told us to look into moving into their neighborhood. It just made my day.

I realized that's something I've missed. Having the people that mean the most to you nearby, so you can spend time with them without having to make a major production number out of it is something a lot of people take for granted.

I'd been pretty torn up about moving. We have friends here, and I love the small town and the trees and the animals. This is the only place we've lived together as husband and wife. But today I realized that I've been missing something that means so much to me, and it's changed me. I'm not the person I was 5 years ago, and not just because I'm not 22 anymore.

Going home is a good good thing for me and my husband and it doesn't matter whether I have a job lined up or not right now. What matters is that I'm not leaving somewhere, I'm going home, I just needed to be reminded of it. Thanks.

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First, Solomon has some interesting thoughts about marriage in general, based on Angela Winters' comments on marriage in the black community.

Second, Blog-God and Gracious Host Pixy Misa tears the MSM a new one for ridiculing the notion that bloggers are journalists. It's a good piece and well worth reading, even if it is a familiar topic.

Third, Paul has some really cool vintage video of some familair technology... from 1968!

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Umm, dudes, did AI suck for everyone or was it just me?

Here's my rundown:
Carrie #1-- That was the single WORST version of Sin Wagon I ever heard. Politics aside, I love the Dixie Chicks, and that song is driving and rowdy. She was neither. She was pitchy and the performance seemed to lack energy.

Bo#1- Hell yeah. Looked sweet, sounded great. Not as good as #2, but made everyone else look like amateurs...

Vonzell #1- Looked great. Song was scoopy and pitchy. Sounded more like LeeAnn Rimes' version than Trisha Yearwood's, but, hey, Trisha's was in the movie, LeeAnn's sold more records. Go Fig. Anyway, she was clearly off her game, and the tears afterward indicated that she was pretty rattled. Not great.

Anthony #1- How in the heck did I KNOW he would pick a song like that. But he was pitchy and too breathy (as usual). Big Suck, especially going last.

Carrie #2- I thought it was a better performance than #1, but was still off. A big stretch, and she looked terrible in that outfit.

Bo #2-- Damn. He was awesome except for the questionable bling-bling, lack of shirt and FLIP-FLOPS. Barefoot would have been cool. Pimp shoes cooler. But FLIP-FLOPS???

Vonzell #2 -- Damn that girl can sing. I thought she'd do that song on 70's night. It was nice to see. Nice look, nice energy. Good recovery from the tears.

Anthony #2- WTF??? The same song as Carrie? Didn't those 2 dudes write another song?? Damn. Made him look like a moron. He was better than her, but still bad, and the fact that she did it earlier made it worse.

Bottom 2: Anthony and Carrie

See Ya: Carrie.

Not because she was bad, but because I suspect Anthony'll get sympathy/vote for the worst votes and some Carrie voters will switch after that dismal performance....

Hell, I've been wrong for 6 weeks. As long as it isn't the cute cokehead

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1 Can't believe I missed the flip flops!!!! I'm so rooting for Bo right now... I don't know who will be eliminated this week. They all really had some low points! I'm thinking it might be Vonzell, but I'm generally wrong too!

Posted by: Marie at May 11, 2005 07:27 AM (cRiTs)

2 I thought the whole show was a little weird but hey, I'm just part of the audience. I think Anthony may go before Carrie (but I feel it should be Carrie). Amy Adams from AI Year 3 sung a much better "Sin Wagon". By the way caltechgirl, you've been LINKED! Don't know why it took me this long.

Posted by: Solomon at May 11, 2005 08:55 AM (Zpfgu)

3 I thought the Travis Tritt song was perfect for Bo. I feel so much better now that I'm not the only one I know who liked it.

Posted by: Deb at May 11, 2005 10:40 AM (hAPdw)

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Ok, so I admit. I didn't watch ALL of it. Too grossed out by the whole date thing.

And what happened to Cameron? When did she stop being a mouse? Put the freaking lab coat back on and do your damn job, girl!!!!

The pus thing was just NASTY!!!!!!

Comments? Questions? Thoughts about Stacy???

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I just want to say thanks for stopping in. You all made his day.

BTW, I just installed haloscan comments and trackbacks, so feel free to be as verbose as you like if you couldn't leave a comment earlier!

And for the record, it's just a set of bloggy training wheels!

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with setting up a blog for your husband is that all of a freakin' sudden, he wants to use the computer. Thank goodness that power cord arrived.

Do me a favor. Drop by, say hi, and make him feel special, ok?

Just go here... Did I mention he likes Star Wars?

More content and fun stuff to come in the next few days. After all, he's just getting started....

Posted by: caltechgirl at 10:21 PM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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The always interesting Steve of VodkaPundit has a good reason for being distracted. He and the lovely Melissa are expecting a little stranger in December.

Drop in and offer him your congratulations!

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My old-as-the-hills-but-still-plugging-along fujitsu laptop was resurrected today with the arrival of a replacement power cord. Turns out that the silly computer left itself plugged directly into a wall socket (where it was attached temporarily in a different room than its normal home) overnight during a particularly foul thunderstorm.. and well, you can guess the rest.

Yay for a new power cord!

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(15 minute brain break....)

Why is is that whenever I see the Rancor scene in ROTJ, specifically the part where Luke chokes the Rancor with the bone before crushing it with the door, I always think of Beldar Conehead "narfling" the Garthok at the end of the movie?

Like I said. Blasphemy. Sheer Blasphemy.....

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Happy Mothers Day to my Mom and all of the rest of you who are worth so much more than you receive for all of the things you do, especially some of my favorite bloggy moms:

Deb
Bou
VW
Amanda
Anita
Marie
Michele
Michelle
Christina
Bobo
Kate
Kelley
Key
AWTM
Rose
Da Goddess
Margi
Beth
Daisy Girl
Pam
Justine
Kathleen
And anybody else I missed....Have a wonderful day!

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Must keep writing....Open thread for the rest of you.

What's up?

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Ok, so I was remiss in putting up my Survivor reactions last night. OK here goes.

Below the fold for US Tivo'ers who haven't seen it yet and you Aussies who'll get it next week... more...

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But if you care about the British elections, live coverage from the BBC just started on C-SPAN 2. Or you can watch it here

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Rusty Shackelford has done a good deed for humanity.

On a related note, why do we always say "F*cking-A"?? Isn't F*ck WAY higher up than a$s on the scale of naughty words? Shouldn't it be "F'ing A$s"???

Just a thought....

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