So Very Unmotivated

Actually, that's not true. I am very motivated to do any number of things, none of which involve work that I actually get paid for. I need to figure out how to get paid for all this other crap that I like to do.

Like knitting, for example. I finished my first, actual, honest-to-goodness knitted garment (pictures someday). I made my future-niece Noa a little red sweater, and even I had to admit it came out really, really well. It was so cute, once I sewed it together properly, and I am much less intimidated by the entire process. Of course, I was up until 3 in the goddamn morning, because the first sleeve I sewed on came almost all the way down the front of the garment, and wasn't really on the back at all - in other words, for some reason I thought it would be fun to make a wing instead of a sleeve. Thank God for the fact that a.) everyone else was sleeping so the didn't have to deal with me and b.) I have built up some impressivly filthy phrases to spew at moments like these, or I might have had an aneurysm.

It's too bad that I only seem to be able to make time to do the things I really like when I should be sleeping. I am pretty exhausted after last week's output - 2 nights in a row, after I got home from Allen's mum's house, visiting with screamy babies, I did ridiculous kitchen stuff. Saturday morning, I spent 2 hours running to four different stores to get things for dinner, because I wanted to make things special. Katherine, Allen's mom, retired (I'm SO jealous) and we were having a family get together. I made turkey burgers (full of roasted garlic, fresh sage from the garden, and provolone cheese) and a caprese salad from heirloom tomatoes. They looked SO beautiful, and though everyone was a little surprised at all the colors (purple, green, yellow, orange) they were AMAZING.

I also made the world's easiest, yet best, pie for dessert. It's a recipe from my favorite diner back home, Moody's. If you don't know Moody's, well, I feel sorry for you.

I will share the recipe, though, and hope I don't get sued. It's from What's Cooking at Moody's Diner, and I strongly suggest that you get it if you like to bake at all, because they make the best pies I have ever eaten. I used Pillsbury dough for the piecrust right out of the box, because it's so fast, it's good, and I've been making fucking jam and goddamn ice cream all week and I'm tired, goddamn it. Christ. Anyway:

Moody's Four-Berry Pie

1 cup strawberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp tapioca
dash of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp butter

Put berries in unbaked 9-inch pie shell. Mix sugar, tapioca, salt and cinnamon, and pour over berries. Dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Actually, the recipe says bake at 325, but if you buy the frozen pie at Moody's to bring home, they say 350 degrees, so that's what I did and it came out great. You may want to put some foil around the crust so it doesn't get too dark. Also, it's best to let this pie cool completely before you serve it up, but I've never been able to let it sit for that long before someone gets into it.

I'm going to try to make a few more of these and freeze them so we can have them in the winter and dream of summer.......