Where ever you are what ever you are doing....

This is one of my all time favorite pictures. This is our BFFs oldest daughter, Rachel, with Carlos and they always have a great time together. Isn't this photo precious?

Four of the six of us on the Maine beaches. This was one of the most exceptionally special trips of my life. It was full of love and much emotion. I will never forget this weekend in June of 2005. We laughed our pants of and cried our eyes out. Sisters is what this group is to me.

Best Emmy experience next to our very first one on 2001. From spending a long weekend with two of my oldest bestest girls to rubbing elbows and chatting up one of the stars of one of my favorite shows.

Here is my karate-master-in-training at his most recent belt exam, he will be testing for his next belt at the end of the month....he has come a long way from the next picture, hasn't he?

Here is Carlos right after he began karate with his white belt. He has come so far and I beam with pride when I see how much he has learned and how excited he is when he earns a stripe on his belt. He is testing for his green belt/purple stripe on January 29th.

Enjoy your day! Here in Minnesota the sun is shining and Al and Carlos are outside with Carlos' BFF Jackson working on our igloo. In a little while they will all come piling through the front door for tomato soup-how idyllic is that? I wanted to hammer out a post quick and wish every body a Happy New Year! I hope all your New Years Resolutions are still in tact. :) Hard isn't it? I have a few that will become clearer as time goes on, so for now they will remain in my heart hard at work. :) Well I haven't tried any brand new recipes lately, but have a bunch ready to try...here is a from scratch pizza I hope to try maybe today, maybe next weekend-probably more likely next weekend. It is fairly light (how light can pizza be, right?). Let me know if you give it a shot!

This pizza serves 2.

3 cups of all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 tsp instant yeast

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 tbsp canned tomato puree (or make your own!)

2 oz buffalo mozzarella, torn into pieces.

10 basil leaves

1 tbsp olive ohhl (oil, as said by the Neelys and Paula Deen)

Dough: Mix flour, east and salt in a bowl; add 1 1/3 cups room-temperature water. Mix again. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour in a warm place, such as near a radiator or vent. Fold dough over itself twice on a lightly floured board. Let rest 30 minutes covered with a cotton towel that you sprinkled with flour. Divide into four balls on a cutting board, re-cover with towel and return to warm spot. Let rise for 2 hours. Use 1 ball to make pizza; store others in zip lock bags in fridge up to 2 days or freeze to use later. (Thaw in fridge, then let sit out until dough reaches room temerature.)

Pizza: Heat pizza stone in oven on broil for 15 minutes. Stretch dough into a 10 inch disk; keep center thick and thin out edges. Place on stone (I will probably use a cookie sheet, lightly oiled with olive oil.) Spread puree on dough leaving a 1/2 inch perimeter bare. Top with cheese. Broil until bubbly and blackened, 10 minutes. Top with basil and oil. Season with salt.

Doesn't this sound so delish and easy peasy?

Until next time!

Happy thoughts make happy people.