summer kale pasta salad

It's summer.....although you wouldn't know it today.  Late July in Michigan, and it struggled to get out of the 60's. This is usually one of our hottest stretches of the year, but today feels a little like fall.

Not that I'm complaining....I don't wish for a repeat of the heat waves we've had in the past few summers.

There is a point here.

Trust me.

So....as summer comes, my food cravings change.  I think it's pretty typical-- I don't crave warm, hearty soups, stews, and heavy pasta dishes.  I generally want meals that don't (a) require me to use the oven/stove, and (b) are on the "lighter" side.

However....as I have written about in the past in this post, I am a huge fan of pasta, even in the summer.

My "summer pastas", while lighter and definitely more figure-friendly, still require me to crank up the heat in my kitchen.  Not my favorite thing to do on a hot summer day.....but today.....

Following me now?  ;)

I decided with the cool weather today, what better time than to make a new summer pasta dish!

A couple weeks ago, a coworker saw that I was making kale chips after I posted a picture on Instagram....and she told me about this recipe she just pinned on Pinterest. (Thanks, Maggie!)  Since I had just bought some kale at the store yesterday, I decided to make it today.

My recipe was inspired by this Kale Pasta Salad by the Pioneer Woman.  

Summer Kale Pasta Salad

First, I assembled all of my ingredients like the good little blogger that I am....and in true "my own twist on things" fashion, I changed up some of the ingredients to fit with what I had at home and what I love.

What I used....

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Bowtie (Farfalle) pasta

Grape tomatoes

Slivered almonds

Garlic

Salt & Pepper

Shredded cheese

Kale

First, I poured about a quarter cup of slivered almonds into a small pan and let them slowly warm/lightly brown up over low heat.  I would shake/turn them once in a while, and probably left them on the heat for about ten minutes.  The original recipe used pine nuts....but (a) I didn't have any at home and (b) I LOVE almonds!  This was one of my favorite parts of the salad.  Their crunch was the perfect complement to the softer texture of the rest of the ingredients.

At the same time, I brought a pot of water to boil, added a little salt to the water, and dumped in a pound of pasta.  Although I generally stick with whole grain pasta only, for this recipe I really wanted to use the bowtie pasta like in the original recipe.  So I "splurged" a little.  Honestly though, you could use any short-cut pasta that you like or have on hand.

Next, I broke apart a bunch of cloves of garlic, and did the fun "pound the flat side of the knife on the cloves" trick to get the skins loose.  You could just mince the garlic at this point, but I have a crazy love of using my hand grater to finely grate garlic.  

So that's what I did. I just don't have the skill (coordination) to take a picture of me doing it.  ;)

I coated the bottom of a large frying pan with olive oil (I don't measure....sorry), and then grated in the garlic.

Smells.  So.  Good.

And then, because I LOVE grape tomatoes, especially when they get warmed up and burst open....I added those to the pan after the garlic had some time to infuse the oil with its deliciousness.

(NOTE:  I added about a cup of tomatoes to start, but later (not pictured) added another cup because I thought it needed more)

When the pasta was done cooking, I drained it and poured it back into the hot pot (off the heat).

Then....when the tomatoes were just starting to shrivel a little, I poured the garlic oil/tomato "sauce" over the cooked pasta.

Add a little salt and pepper at this point, and just let the pasta sit and absorb all that flavor, and the tomatoes will continue to warm as well.

Drizzle in some balsamic vinegar to give it an extra "zip" of flavor....but be careful.  This stuff can be strong.

Meanwhile....I had ripped the leaves off the stems of a bunch of kale and then gave it a good "rough chop".

Which is a cooking term meaning.....not fancy.

Then....all of that kale gets dropped into the SAME pan you made the garlic oil in.....which you DON'T wipe out after pouring the sauce into the pasta.  It's the perfect amount of oil/seasonings to cook the kale. I just kept tossing it over low/medium low heat until it had wilted down a bit.....kind of looking like this.....

Then I added the cooked kale to the pasta....

Sprinkled in the toasted almonds....

And while the original recipe called for shaved Parmesan at the end, and that sounds amazing....I didn't have any at home.  I did have shredded mozzarella....so I added about a cup of that.  :)

This is a great time to check your seasonings....a.k.a. take a taste.

I felt like it needed a little more pepper, so after adding that I mixed it all up and that's all there is to it!

Like I said....it is a great summer salad, but you could have this any time of year. 

I had a large bowl of it for dinner and it was SO filling....but it would also make a great side to something off the grill.....chicken, burgers, steak.....so many ideas of what I can eat with the leftovers!

even knife blocks can be cute

I'm back!  It's been so long since my last post.....and of course, I blame life.

And work.   

Mostly work.

So now that my summer is in full swing, and I've caught up on some things that have been put on the back burner for so long, I now have.....dare I say it....free time!

This week, I've been finishing up some small projects around the house, so I thought I'd share a few of them on my little blog-who-has-been-neglected.  

Today's project was inspired by two things....

First, I was cleaning my kitchen cupboards out (like the full-on, taking-everything-out-and-cleaning-the-inside-and-outside type of cleaning) and decluttering everything in my kitchen.  Getting ready for a garage sale in a couple weeks!   

Second, I was also starting a big reorganization of my craft supplies and was looking through my washi tape collection.  And realizing how much I love my washi tape but "need" to use it more.

So, if you're following my train of thought....which I realize is hard sometimes....I was thinking as I was cleaning, how can I use my washi tape to brighten up a few things in my kitchen?  

And here's what I came up with for project #1...

Simple and Cheap Knife Block Makeover

Okay.....so I didn't just use washi tape.   I painted it, too!

Here's the quick play-by-play of how to do it.....but honestly, if you're at all crafty, you probably have it all figured out by now.   Plus, there's no one way to do this.  The possibilities are only limited by your imagination!   (Cheesy, I know)   :)

First, assemble all of your craft goodies.

I spread out something to protect my counter, and took out a piece of sandpaper, painters tape, paints and paintbrushes, and of course....washi tape!

Clean your knife block.  Just soap and water is good.

(If you're like me....that part of the knife block in between the knives, which has been neglected for a while, might be pretty dusty.  Oops.)

Give it a good sanding down.   Nothing too crazy, just enough to make it easier for the paint to adhere.

Wipe it down and dry it well before the next step.

This step is only if you're like me and couldn't decide on one color....so I decided to use two.

Use some painters tape to mark off the areas where you want to divide your colors.

Then, paint away!  I used two coats of each color.

I was a little impatient and didn't want to wait until the gray was absolutely dry.  Instead of taping it off, I just took a small flat paintbrush and slowly cut in where the colors met.  Worked perfectly!

Let it dry completely.  I just let it set out overnight.

Choose your washi tape.....and because it's easily removed, just try out a small section first.

Since a lot of washi tape styles are somewhat transparent, it's a good idea to check what it will look like on top of a color.

I ended up loving this coral-colored, chevron tape with the paint colors I used.  It was so fun to try the tape in different positions.

This was one of the easiest projects ever, and I'll be doing a few more to feed into my washi obsession!

Stay tuned....

lucky me

It's so easy to get wrapped up in the everyday things....annoyances, aches and pains, insecurities, stress and fears...and focus on what's not going your way. 

Like...this annoying cough that WON'T. GO. AWAY.

Or....feeling like even when I stay late at work I'm still just keeping my head above water. 

And the fear that every time we get a lot of rain in a short period of time (like last week) I'm going to have water in my basement.

That tire that needs replacing.

Those meals that I haven't been cooking.

That stack of bills I need to pay.

Since I'm human, I worry.
About the little things.
The big things.
And even the non-existent things.
(like worrying about book characters-- seriously, I do that)

What I'm deciding to do....actually, what I often decide to do, is stop myself on that worry track. 
Turn around.
Look at what's important.

And count my blessings.

Because.....those things I listed above? 

They are greatly outweighed by the magnitude of how lucky I really am in life.

I often joke that I'm the world's most unluckiest person, but really I'm just talking about the little things-- I don't win contests, I pick the wrong line/lane/route, I'm extremely clutzy (like you-wouldn't-believe-it-if-you-weren't-there clutzy)....all things that don't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

When it comes to the big picture.....I'm very, very lucky.

(Really....what's luckier than seeing a double rainbow?)

My parents- amazing role models

My family- fun and loving

My friends- supportive and generous

My job-  being able to do something I love and that inspires me everyday

My coworkers- so hardworking, dedicated and thoughtful

My home- having my own place, being able to have an outlet for my creativity, and feeling safe where I live

My health- I can walk, talk, see, hear, breathe, smell, feel.....I'm alive.

My mind- I can think clearly, problem solve, remember, comprehend, and feel compassion.

I've had a pretty stressful couple of weeks where I had a lot of those "poor me" moments.   It's prevented me from doing a lot of things that I wanted to do, or even really needed to do.  After a much-needed fun night out with a great group of friends, I felt the urge to turn my thoughts to the positives in my life.

Lucky for me, it wasn't hard to do.

changes are coming...

If you have visited my blog in the past, you may have noticed a different, stripped down look for the past couple days.  That's due to my old blog template (which was free) not being free anymore.  Until my new template can get loaded, I'm in temporary free-blogger-template mode. 

Stay tuned to see the new look for my blog....and although it's not going to be a custom look (yet), I definitely think it will be cute!  I wouldn't have it any other way.  :)

On a different note....today is my dad's birthday.  While he passed away over twenty years ago, I still think of him all the time, and November 9th definitely puts me in a bit of a sad mood. 

Rereading last year's post about my dad last night did help me to recall all of the cherished memories I have of my dad.

If you'd like to read more about the wonderful man who was, along with my mom, a huge influence of who I am today, go here.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

welcome...to my home away from home!

You know how teachers joke around about how their students think they "live" at school?

Well....it's closer to the truth than I'd care to admit sometimes.   I spend an average of 11-12 hours at school (sometimes more, sometimes less) a day during the week and then I usually come back on Saturday or Sunday for a good chunk of time to get ready for Monday.

The past two nights, I was literally giddy over the fact that I left work at or before 5:00.
State testing= less planning for the next day.  
Really the only perks of standardized testing.

The reason I bring this up.....I spend a lot of time in my classroom, so I want it to be comfortable, inviting, appealing, colorful, organized, and a reflection of who I am.

So I bring to you tonight.....my very first.....

CLASSROOM TOUR!  

Please note that all of these photos were taken the week before school started, so everything is new and clean and neat and organized.   And while it's still neat and organized (I wouldn't have it any other way), it's definitely more "broken into" like a new pair of shoes after a month of wearing them.

Warning:  An obnoxious amount of photos are to follow.  I just love my classroom that much.

View of the front of the room

View from the door toward the "window side" of the room

Standing in the front, looking toward the back of the room

And the last full view- to the "cubby side" and doorway

 

Cubby Wall

All the cubbies are loaded up with the student supplies, ready for the first day!

Above the student cubbies are all of my Reading Street teaching resources (we got a TON of stuff for this new curriculum!). 

On top of the cubbies are totes of all of my extra books.

I'm kind of addicted to buying books for my class....:)

As you can probably tell, I heart organization.  All of my Reading Street resources are now organized by unit and reading level.

Such a time saver!

I provide my students with five colored folders and label them ahead of time. 

(The past two summers I've bargain shopped and got them for a penny each!)

 

This is one of my favorite organization tips that lasts the entire year.  Papers for every subject have a place, and with a quick scan of the room I can tell which students have out the correct folder!

I put everything they need in their cubbies before the first day: all of the books, workbooks, notebooks, folders, planner, clipboard, etc. are numbered and ready for them. 

These do NOT stay in their cubbies-- that would require way too much getting out of their seats and wasted transition time.

Within the first couple days, all of this (except for the clipboards) will be brought to their desk.  This process provides a great opportunity to practice efficient procedures.

 

Next to the cubbies is a small bulletin board, with a weekly calendar of events, reminders about our Michigan Miles, and a few signs with inspirational quotes.

 

Michigan Miles are a behavior reward program we came up with years ago to have the students "earn" their trip to Fourth Grade Camp.  They earn miles through good behavior, turning in homework on time, and getting their planner signed.  It's been a great motivator for the kids!

 

Another sign next to the door.....a list of what students can do when they're done with work.  These "May Do" activities aren't choices every day, but often enough to keep up as a reminder.

 

Front Wall

One of my bulletin boards up front.....with my calendar/birthdays, jobs board (which I explained in this post), and Social Contracts for my homeroom and math classes.

On the table in front of this board are some free choice activities- Hot Dots, writing prompts, and math facts practice activities.

 

 

You can get these calendar pieces at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.   :)

 

On this side of my board-- Volume Control (freebie here), the poster where I list each day's homework assignments for students to copy into their planners, a pocket chart for our daily schedule, and a few other signs for reference.

 

Right in front of the board-- my Elmo/Projector table, covered easily with some chevron fabric (see more about that process here).

On the left side of the board-- my daily objective frames (read more about these here and here), a spot for missing work stars, behavior clip chart, and SLANT reminder poster.

 

My other bulletin board....Reading Street Concept Board and posters with literary elements and different genres of literature.

 

This part of the board changes every week.....if you teach 4th Grade Reading Street, go to my TpT store to find these Unit and Weekly Question signs!

 

Window Wall

 

My classroom library....and there are more book boxes in the front of the room.

Did I mention I am addicted to books?  ;)

 

 

Above the bookshelves is my "Moral Focus" wall.  I teach at a charter school with a Moral Focus and Citizenship component.  We teach the Core Democratic Values along with Moral Virtues.  Each month, this display changes but the CDV posters above it stay there all year.

Sorry this is so blurry-- I tried getting everything in the picture.  I should know better by now!

 

The dull and sharp pencil cans I made from metal buckets I found at the Target Dollar Spot last summer.  Love these!  And with my new pencil sharpener (described in this post), I start each day with a supply of perfectly sharpened pencils for the kids to trade.

 

I had to include this.....one of the few things I still have (and use) from my first year of teaching.

 

A shoe box, covered with contact paper, having seen better days, but still serving its purpose.

Students write compliments to each other when another student does something for them that they want to recognize.  I read these at our weekly class meetings, and give the students their compliment slips to keep.  Those little pieces of paper mean a lot to many of the kids.

And they mean a lot to me, too.

 

The front corner of my room-- storage for supplies (read this post about the labels I created), class rules/consequences/behavior reminder posters, and my bookshelf that I wrote about in this post.

(Yikes....I apologize for the blurry pictures-- my classroom has some areas of low light)

 

 

Two motivators-- Homework Stars and Catching Compliments.

 

I'll write more about these two things in a future post.  :)

 

Back Wall

 

On my back counter....drawers for organizing my supplies/copies for each subject area, and the binders/resource books/Teacher Editions I need for planning.

 

The file box is for "Extra Papers"-- I make a couple extra copies of homework assignments, study sheets, spelling lists, and reading logs for students who lost theirs.

Proudly displaying my two diplomas as well!

Close up of this Command Center--- Bandaids, Travel Passes (basically like a hall pass),  Lunch Parent Reports, and Behavior Notes.

 

My second microwave with lunch supply tub on top, and the filing cabinet that I beautified this summer (as described in this post).

 

Reading Area.....lots of comfy pillows to read comfortably around the room during silent reading time.   I even have a student whose one job is to keep the pillows organized. 

I'm a little OCD like that.  :)

 

Right above the reading area....my Star of the Week board (which isn't bare anymore) and my "bed" of Scooby Doo dolls.  Many gifts from many students over the years. 

 

Next to that....my gallery-wall of  "Wise Words".  Most found via Pinterest.

This came to be after changing my objective frames to plastic magnetic ones.....I took the glass out of the remaining ones and used the frames to go around some laminated signs.

I did the same with a couple cheap Target frames too (glass taken out for safety reasons!)...

 

One of my favorites.  :)

 

 

And finally.....a Welcome Sign that I whipped up an hour before our Parent Orientation this summer.  Because for some reason I needed to do one more crafty project....

 

Phew!  If you made it to the end of this tour, I congratulate you.

And thank you.

And am impressed by your stamina.....and patience.

 

As you can probably tell, I love my classroom.

I should.....since I kind of "live" there.  :)