Ode To Autumn

by John Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;

To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has o'er-brimmed their clammy cell.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,

Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Or on a half-reaped furrow sound asleep,

Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook

Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers;

And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep

Steady thy laden head across a brook;

Or by a cider-press, with patient look,

Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,---
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir, the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft,
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

Apple Picking

Saturday, T and I decided we should go apple picking.  There were a few other people who were supposed to join us (ahem), but it ended up being just my love and me, off on an adventure of our own.  Which was fine, of course :)

It's actually a good thing no one else came.  The "orchard" we'd picked wasn't a pick-your-own orchard.  Unless you count "picking your own" to be "picking your own already-picked apples out of big bins that are outside."  They did have really tasty cider, though.  And doughnuts [I have henceforth resolved never to buy a doughnut again.  I want them fresh. And hot. Ooh, so yummy :) Stay tuned for recipes...]

So, we headed got back in the car (cider in hand) and headed down the road in search of another orchard, with real trees to pick our own apples from.  Fortunately, we didn't have to go too far and happened upon Bolton Spring Farm.  We bought a bag and meandered through the trees picking out pretty apples.

It was a relatively short afternoon, but just long enough to feel like we got out of the city for a bit, enjoying the lovely warm weather (there won't be many weekends like this soon enough).  Next time we go, I kinda want to bring a blanket and some sammiches and have lunch under one of the apple trees ("don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me..."), but I don't know if that'll be allowed.  We'll see :)

Enjoy the pictures :)

Apple Picking :)

Autumnal Recipes

We're hoping to go apple picking this weekend, so I've been thinking about apple recipes.  Of course, apple pie comes to mind :) but here are a few others I have been thinking of.

[If you want a particular one, let me know and I'll post the recipe I use.]

Cream of Chicken and Apple Soup
Roast Chicken with Apples and Onions
Apple Cinnamon Rolls
Apple Oatmeal Pancakes
Pink Lady Apple Slaw
Any Apple Salad
Apple Butter and Apple Sauce
Apple Pesto Potato Salad
Apple Potato Cheddar Soup
Beef and Apple Stew
Sweet'n'Sour Shrimp and Apples
Apple-Stuffed Salmon

Do you have any favorite apple recipes I should add to my list?

Buckwheat Pancakes

I love pancakes.  In some ways, I love them more than waffles because they're easier to make--and to change.  The experimental pancake recipes I've attempted have always turned out better than the waffle-flops.  But pancakes are really tasty, and they're pretty versatile, too.  I can make a whole batch on the weekend, T and I will eat about a quarter of it, and then we'll bag 'em and freeze 'em for the rest of the week.  Instant toaster-breakfast! I like that.

Pancakes were always somewhat of a treat for us, growing up.  Momma would use the Jiffy pancake mix, so they'd be very quick, but it was always a treat because pancakes are much more of a sit-down breakfast type of food, rather than a hurried-rush-before-driving-the-kids-to-school food, a situation for which cold cereal is more fitting :)

As Viv and I grew up, my family started the tradition of Saturday morning breakfasts.  I have some fabulous memories of those!  We'd wake up when we wanted to (Momma was usually up by then anyway, though) and we'd all have a nice sit-down breakfast together, talk about our week, what we intended to do that day (ah, and even the best of intentions often ended in after-breakfast afternoon naps) :) and general pleasant conversation.  I think it was my parents' way of getting to know their "babies" more as young adults than, well, their babies.  Pancakes were a common item on the table those mornings--a huge, heaping stack of white-golden fluffy cakes, ready to be spread with sweet-salty butter and drizzled-just-right with real maple syrup (when we were kids, we liked the "real fake stuff" but our taste buds have since evolved).

My favorite of late have been buckwheat pancakes.  It's a simple recipe, and makes a good number of pancakes.  They're great with syrup or jelly or even peanut butter, and, on cold days, they go very well with a nice steaming cup of tea :)





Buckwheat Pancakes

Sift together:
2 c buckwheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp sugar (optional. You can also substitute 2 T molasses, which you would add to the liquid ingredients)

Add and stir till just combined:
3 c buttermilk (or any milk substitute)
2 T melted shortening

Fig and Olive Roast Chicken

from the Dutch Oven Cookbook, an anniversary present from T's folks :)

I had never heard of roasting a chicken with figs and olives, and naturally I was intrigued.  The first time I made it, I only had dried figs, so I used those... which didn't work too well.  The moisture from the fresh figs makes all the difference.  I just love the sweet and salty combination of the figs and olives. Oh my goodness--I can't tell you have good this recipe is.  If I could somehow communicate the rich aroma that wafts through the house while the chicken is roasting, you might be tempted to slice into your computer screen :)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Start with a room-temperature roasting chicken (mine was about 5 pounds).  Rinse the chicken, inside and out, and pat dry with a paper towel.

Coarsely chop 1 medium yellow onion (a sweet onion works well, too) and scatter in the bottom of your roasting pan. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil.

[I like my chicken trussed nice and tight.  Take the chicken wings and hook them behind the chicken's neck/back (you're essentially putting the chicken in a full Nelson hold).  Add some mashed garlic and sliced onion pieces to the cavity of the chicken and tie the legs together. If you can, make sure the cavity is mostly closed by drawing up the tail fat between the legs and securing with twine.]

Rub the chicken all over with some more olive oil, and be sure to get between the breast meat and skin (you could also use butter for this).  Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence.  I crushed a clove of garlic and rubbed that all over the chicken before sprinkling the herb-ies on :)

Place chicken on top of onions.  Stem and chop about 12 figs in half and scatter around the chicken.  Scatter 1/2 to 1 c of Kalamata olives around the pot.  I like my fig-to-olive ratio about 1:2 (so, one half of a fig per olive).  Play around with the proportions and see which part you like best: the onions, the figs, or the olives.  Lightly drizzle a small amount of olive oil over everything (maybe 2 T or so).

You should roast your chicken for 20 minutes per pound, adjusting as necessary.  For the first 30 minutes of cooking, roast the bird at 425 degrees.  Then turn down the heat to 350 for the rest of the time.  My 5 pound chicken took 1 1/2 hours to roast.  Before you declare the bird done, make sure the internal temperature (behind the leg, in the meat--not next to the bone) is at least 160 degrees and that the juices run clear.  If you think the bird needs your attention, feel free to baste it in its own juices every 20 minutes.  I neglect my poor chickens and just leave them in the oven all on their own.

While the chicken is roasting, prepare any side dishes. I find that broiled veggies work really well.  While the chicken is resting (after it's finished cooking), pop the veggies in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes.  I like to do fresh green beans and onions (with a little salt, pepper, and garlic, all tossed in olive oil), but you can also add sliced squash, cherry tomatoes, or sliced peppers. Be creative (and use leftovers).  Last night we added mashed potatoes to our chicken and green bean leftovers. Tasty!

Place the chicken on a platter for cutting. Scoop out the figs and olives and arrange around the chicken, leaving the cooking juice in the pot.  Put the juice in a small pitcher for people to pour on their chicken (or spuds).  Serve up and enjoy this dish. It's oh-so-delicioso!

Cinnamon Rolls!

With the gradual increase of cool weather, I dare to bake!  (We'll see if I can make a successful bread this year.  Maybe my home-ground wheat was too heavy for all my other loaves? We'll see, we'll see).  

I didn't grow up in a "land with four seasons" so I didn't experience the change as fall approached until I got to college.  Where I grew up, the "seasons" change from hot-all-the-time, to cold-in-the-morning-and-hot-in-the-afternoon, to frigid-(and windy)-in-the-morning-and-cold&warm-in-the-afternoon.

Trees didn't change because we didn't really have any trees.

Storms didn't come in because the mountains to the west depleted the clouds before they got over to our side.

Snow was just wishful thinking :)

On a sunny day in the dead of winter, you could work outside (as long as it wasn't windy) in shorts and a light t-shirt. It's fun, but not very seasonal...

Nonetheless! here I am, anxiously anticipating the approach of autumn.  Of course, fall in New England is a beautiful thing, if you can get out of the gray tones of the city into the vibrant fire of the trees for a bit.  A few trees are already starting to change, and it's stunning!

And, inevitably, as it cools down outside, I get a chance to warm up the inside (and my insides) with cold weather cooking :) Which (for me) translates to: baking, braising, boiling, roasting, stewing, simmering, and saucing. I love cold weather :) It's probably my favorite.

So I made some cinnamon rolls yesterday.  Yes, I made "vegan" cinnamon rolls... because I'm allergic to eggs and dairy (!).  These, however, were quite tasty, and I was very happy with them.  Next time, I'm going to use coconut oil (with a pinch of salt) where butter would be used in non-vegan cinnamon rolls:

brushed on with the filling,

around the outside of the rolls,

(to prevent them from sticking

and drizzled over the tops to crisp them up

(to caramelize the sugar better)

Because the only thing better than a tasty cinnamon roll on a cool afternoon is a gooey tasty cinnamon roll (on a cold and snowy morning)! What a treat.

Happy September, everyone!

Missing Her...

I think most people miss their mothers when they're sick.  I remember the first time I got sick in college, when Momma wasn't there to take care of me.  It's not that I was incapable of taking care of myself, or even that I didn't have friends willing to do things for me, but you know how it is when you're sick--you're emotional.  It was hard for me.

But at least then I could call her and tell her my symptoms and she could tell me what she thought.  What is is about mothers? they're not doctors, and they're not trained except for their years of motherhood (which, of course, counts for more than a medical degree).  But somehow, they always know what to do--"go to the doctor." "rest." "make some soup and take x medicine."

That's what I'm missing most this time around.  I know I could call my siblings to see what they think--and they'd have good advice.  I could even call Daddy and he would have good things to say. But there's just something about hearing your mother say it that's different.  And Taylor (dear Taylor!) is taking good care of me here, so I really have no complaints.

But I still miss Momma. Especially staying home sick.

When we stayed home sick from school when we were younger, it was always so fascinating to see "What Momma did" while we were at school.  Mostly it was household stuff--making meals, cleaning up, etc.  But sometimes she'd sew! It was lots of fun to watch her sew (we couldn't help--we were sick).  She'd make all sorts of interesting things. Clothes for her. Halloween costumes for us (but not until the week of Halloween!). Things for Christmas. Mending Daddy's clothes. She'd spread out the big dining room table, put a Star Trek on, and go to work: laying fabric out, pinning, cutting, and whisking it away into the bedroom (she never did get her dedicated sewing room...) to sew it all together.

Maybe that's another thing I'm missing tonight.  I can't even sew like Momma because I'm so congested it hurts to be up for too long.

Oh well :) At least I have sick days at work, so I'm getting paid to stay home. That's definitely one thing we never got when we stayed home from school!

Giant Lady Bug Seen Over Chigaco!

Convinced? :) 

Yeah, home sick today.  Two days in a row is not a usual thing for me, but I'm currently eating some cayenne-peppered miso soup, so that should help. It's certainly making my eyes water--maybe my sinuses will follow suit and drain themselves healthy again.

I blame the law school events I touted about so happily this weekend.  Sure they were lots of fun, but three in one weekend (plus a spur-of-the-moment philosophy gathering), shaking hands, rubbing up against people ( =boat cruise) and eating less-than-ideally-healthy food is a recipe for sickness.

The good news is, I don't think it's swine flu (or "slu" as I hear it's being called these days). The bad news is, that doesn't make it any more bearable.  Yesterday, it was all I could do to keep my hankie clean enough to use.  Didn't get anything done. We had pasta for dinner.  Today is a little better. I've got some material washed that I'll sew as soon as I can sit up for more than 10 minutes at a time (without resembling a nasal Niagara Falls).  I'm also blogging (duh) so that's a good sign, too.  Maybe I will be able to sleep laying down tonight, rather than in our recliner :Þ Here's hopin'!

Anyway, a Happy Wednesday to you all. May you fare better the rest of this week than my sinuses.

Oh yeah, Colorado Pictures :)

I told you I had a grand time in Colorado a post or two before, but I forgot to post my album of pictures.

So here they are :) Enjoy!

Colorado 09

Musings of a Law Student's Wife

[I don't think I'm going to change the description of my blog (from "musings of a philosopher's wife") just because T's in law school now.  I think he's still a philosopher at heart (and always will be).  But I wanted to put "on the record" my initial thoughts after attending my first law school event.]

Last night T and I went to a BBQ for the environmental law group on campus.  We met several professors, I met several of T's classmates, and we ate tasty burgers :) A very pleasant evening (if a little chilly).

When we arrived (a little late, I'm afraid, because I just had to do my exercises before picking up T) Prof. Platter (the host of the evening; who teaches T's property class) began introducing several of the professors in attendance, all of whom are interested in environmental law issues.  The funniest one, I have to admit, was the animal law professor.  As she was speaking, the dog-in-residence came bounding out of the house, right in the middle of the yard where we were all gathered, speak-toy in mouth, and proceeded to wrestle with the toy, squeaking the rest of the way through the professor's little speech.  Too funny :)

All in all, I really did have a good time. T's classmates (whom I met) are engaging and fun to be around. I was a little worried they'd only talk about law stuff.  [At least at philosophy department gatherings, I had some ground to stand on (thanks to GU's phil minor!).]  But happily, they talked about all sorts of things and I felt very welcome and it was all very interesting, and sometimes pretty hilarious. :) T has already developed a reputation for "knowing everyone."  That's my boy!

 I'm looking forward to the boat cruise on Saturday evening.  T tells me that there are pockets of students that can get... a little "rowdy" (shall we say), but that there should be lots of fun people who won't feel the need to become intoxicated beyond recall ;)  Those are more my style anyway.

So CHEERS! to law school.  It's going to be an exciting few years, but, as T has always said, "It's us and God, Annie! Let's take on the world!"

And we will :)

On Food... and other things

I have been thinking about food a lot lately.  And by "lately" I mean more along the lines of the past several years.

I don't know precisely when it started.  Perhaps when I got married? maybe when I stopped eating at the campus dining halls? or maybe when I left Momma's homemade meals and went to college?  But thoughts have been ruminating in my head for some time, and I think I have recently come to a few conclusions.

Two particular books helped solidify these conclusions: Nourishing Traditions and Omnivore's Dilemma.  The first I received as a wedding/first anniversary present from a family friend (whose husband is a doctor) and the second I borrowed from T's parents, after they read it. There were many other influences and  nudges along the way, but these two books were the primary drivers.

I don't want this to turn into a debate about nutrition or "the way things should be," or even the way things were "in the good ol' days." I don't want to sound like a nut :)  But still, I do have some very strong opinions about food (unfortunately, anyone who's come over for dinner at our house knows this. I can get... a little carried away).

And so, to the point.

First of all, food is nourishment for our bodies. People want to stay alive, right? So they eat. Good. But the nourishment food offers us, as community beings, isn't only physical.  In many ways, food can nourish us spiritually, too.  John Paul the Great's theology of the body teaches us that there are physical realities that point to spiritual truths.  I think that food (at least to some degree) is the same way.  Good food, eaten in the company of good friends, bringing back good memories, creating new memories, etc., etc., can nourish our souls just as much as the cells in our bodies.

For my birthday two years ago, I received Cold Weather Cooking.  [I highly recommend this book.  Not only are the recipes fabulous but the stories that Chase adds to the recipes make them tastier, somehow.]  We all have our favorite cold weather recipes that remind us of something.  I love soups.  Anytime it's rainy or cloudy or cold outside, it's a "soup" day for me.  It warms up the kitchen and it warms up my body.  Who's to say it doesn't "warm up" my soul, too? Served at a big table, in a warm house, with warm-from-the-oven bread, and surrounded by friends--is there a better recipe for a happy evening? And what about that favorite dish your Mom always made? Why else would it be called comfort food if it didn't bring comfort?

My point is this: food is important stuff. It should be held in high regard. It should be respected.  Pollan has a great description in his book of a microwavable can of soup that's been "re-designed" to fit in the cup holder of your car.  Ooh! the innovation! the convenience!  :Þ  I can't think of a better image to demonstrate the drastically low place food--real food--holds in our society today.  Everything else in our lives these days is fast-paced, erratic, busy, bustling, and frantic.  Let food be something comforting again..

As the main cook in our household, I take food seriously.  I want to feed my family good things that come from a good place.  I want them to be happy with the food they're eating and I want them to be healthy people.  I want them to have a good attitude toward food and to love it without obsessing over it.

I value the traditions that I have inherited with the types of foods I eat, even the little ones. Having certain foods at certain times of year, for instance. The grocery store has been the death of eating seasonally.  It seems the only thing we get seasonally now is candy (ever notice you can never find Candy Corn in February?).

Another example: I like to sit down to eat my breakfast (heck, I like to eat breakfast)--no on-the-go breakfast bars with a latte in a paper cup for me, thankyouverymuch.  And I like family meals--even though we're just a family of two right now, I try to have a sit-down meal every night and chat about our day.  We pray whenever we eat, thanking God for His gifts (T usually adds: "which Annie has made") and asking for that bounty to continue.

So, because we need to eat to survive, food has a very central place in our lives and culture. That should be acknowledged (in a healthy way).  No gluttony (as in: more is always better). No starvation (as in: food = enemy of my figure).  This doesn't mean we can't have decadent foods, but it does mean that those foods have their place and shouldn't be super-sized out of it.  Hold on to eating traditions.  Keep a good balance. Make good food.  And eat it in the company of loved ones.

I have more to say but I think this is enough for one post :)

New Header (Again)

Ah, the time has come. I've changed my header again :) I might keep this one for quite a while--it speaks volumes to me... seriously!

What do you think? (visit the blog)

Gettin' Warmer!

My niece Rachel turned three this month! Since turning three also means she gets to start dance with Miss Caté, I made her a hat and some leg warmers for her birthday.  She picked out the yarn when I was in CA in March (of course, that was ages and ages ago, so she didn't remember at all) :)  It's called "plum pudding" and I think it turned out pretty well.  I used flighty girl's hat pattern and just did a long tube for the leg warmers.

Cute, huh? :) Now Beth--you'll have to get a picture of Rachel-ee dancing in them!

Also, I made a hat for Giulia from the leftover yarn she picked out for her leg warmers back in January.  As I was knitting the hat, it began to resemble a "shapeless felt bag" rather than a cute, fluffy, pink hat, so I had to modify it a bit.. I think it turned out alright :) despite the blurry picture. Summer will have to get a better picture of it when it gets colder in Colorado!

First Day of School (Pictures)

Looking through pictures with my family this weekend, we happened upon two first-day-of-school pictures.  Since I just posted about the first day of school (and since today is the first day of school for BC non-law students), I thought it would be appropriate to share them with you.

Please don't laugh at us too much :)

Probably when V was in Kindergarten (I would have been in 2nd grade)

I think this was Ray's senior year... probably 3rd or 4th grade for me :)

"Hush Little Baby...

...don't make a peep.
Annie's gonna put you
right to sleep."

I have been enjoying myself quite a bit here in Colorado :)  I arrived Wednesday night and shared G's bed with her (only got kicked once).  Thursday it was just me and my Play Mommy, and we did some beading (though we still haven't figured out why the beads were brought out in the first place) and went shopping for a bit.  I had Carrick in the mei tai I made for him, and he loved it--mostly.  He loved it once he was asleep, but he's a fighter--doesn't like to sleep in the first place :) So he'd squirm and fuss until he fell asleep, and when he woke up, first thing he wanted was out.  But mostly he liked it :)  And I got to use my mei tai with him as well, which was fun for me.  It's nice to know that 9-month old nuggets fit in it as well!

Friday Bethany (and her girls) and Daddy arrived.  I promptly napped Lorna (twice!) in my mei tai while Bethany also napped, sans bebe, for three hours.

We made a tasty dinner last night, too. Pine-nut crusted tilapia, roasted potatoes, buttermilk oatmeal muffins, and salad à la Mic! Today we're cleaning up the house a bit, after a shopping trip, to get ready for dinner guests.  A fun day :) And a great time spent with family and babies-on-me.  

Cheers!

First Day of School

It was characteristically chilly this morning.  Characteristically not because it's the beginning of September, but because it's the first day of school for my Sweet P'Taylor!

[I remember the various first days of school through the years.  All summer long we would sleep late and play late.  Swimming all day in the sun (Vivian had this great "talk show" she did using one of those lounging floaties as her desk).

The street in front of our house (713) stayed warm late into the evening, thanks to the sun's residual heat.  Our feet would be black when we finally came inside, as the bats (who lived in a gigantic tree down the street) came out to munch the bugs.  I don't remember what games we would play on the warm street (we didn't really do sports, except for volleyball), but we always had great fun.

Sometimes we would take midnight swims (which were really more like 10pm swims).  The lack of moisture in the air facilitated our bodies' natural cooling systems so well we were shivering, blue-lipped little girls by the time we came inside.  Mom always had hot Mexican hot chocolate waiting for us. What a treat :)

But then the time for school started would draw near, and Momma would wake us up a little earlier each day, trying to get us onto the early schedule again (I don't remember if it ever really worked).  On the first day of school, I always felt the impending approach of fall.  I know now that it wasn't cold because it was the first day of school, but because it was the earliest I had been outside all summer :)  [When I was in high school and did cross country during the summer, I knew cold summer mornings, too].

Up to fifth grade I was at St. Ann's and wore a uniform--and the girls couldn't wear pants, so we got stuck with red, white, and black plaid shorts (pleats and all!) and white polos. Momma always had our uniforms hanging up in our dresser/closet, ready for us in the morning.  I was so excited when I finally went to public school and could "free dress" in warm pants any day I wanted.  Little things mean a lot, right?

All the kids (currently at home, as the years went by) would line up in front of our weeping mulberry tree and Momma or Daddy would take our picture.  So many funny images crowd my mind as I remember posing for those pictures--the outlandish fashions we all wore (even the uniforms; and even without them), the hair, the faces we made (I specifically remember scowling at the sun in one photo--not much has changed, I think), the growing tree in the background.  Then it was just Viv and me in front of the tree.  We looked so grown up compared to the little school-girls-in-matching-outfits from years before.  But still the babies of the family...]

.....

Anyway :) Today is Taylor's first day of classes at BC Law.  Eating breakfast this morning, I couldn't help but think of all the "first days" of school that I have had.  I wanted to take a picture of him before he left, but we didn't have time. He's pretty excited :)

[I sure hope our kids get their attitude toward school from their father, and not me.]

Because I Was Asked...

I'm sharing the news of our newest addition:

Yes, it's a dresser :) And yes, I love it (in an appropriate way for loving furniture, that is). Nice solid wood, cedar-lined drawers, spacious cabinet. This is a piece I'd be happy handing down to our children.

All in an attempt to make cleaner, more open space in our house--getting rid of things we don't need, finding better way to store the things we do need. So far, it's working out well :)

Also, you can see our new bedroom icon corner in this picture.  I still need to paint or stain the little shelf in front, but I really like saying our evening prayers in our bedroom together by candlelight.  It's a nice feeling, and having an altar in the bedroom reminds us to say our prayers at night, which is also helpful for one's prayer life :)

[baked] Fish and Chips!

If you're like T and can't really stomach really greasy foods, you'll be happy to try out this oven-fried fish and chips recipe.  I didn't have any cornflakes, so I used a bread crumb and cornmeal breading instead, which still turned out well (though probably not as crispy) :)


I also used blue potatoes instead of regular spuds.  I never knew there were such things as blue potatoes until flying on jetBlue, and sampling their Terra Blue potato chips. Yum!  :)

For the greenery, I made green beans and tomatoes.  I know I've posted about this before, but these are just about my favorite summer treat ever, and totally simple, quick, and very tasty!

Annie's Broiled Green Beans

about 1 pound fresh green beans
1 pint cherry tomatoes (it works with regular tomatoes, but the cherry ones are easier to broil)
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 500 degrees on the broil setting.

Rinse green beans well (picking out any ugly ones) and shake dry.  Spread evenly across a baking sheet.  Cut cherry tomatoes in half (or larger tomatoes into wedges) and place among the green beans.  Drizzle olive oil over beans and tomatoes and sprinkle salt and pepper (or any other seasonings you prefer) to taste.

Place the baking sheet in the oven (with the door ajar) and broil until oil sizzles and beans are crisp-tender.

Enjoy!