August Funny Friday

Today’s post is this month’s Funny Friday, a regular feature published on the last Friday of every month. Funny Friday is a collaborative project. Each month one of the participants submits a picture, then we all write 5 captions or thoughts inspired by that month’s picture. Links to the other bloggers’ posts are below, click on them and see what they’ve come up with. I hope we bring a smile to your face as you start your weekend.

This month's picture is from The Bergham Chronicles

1.  Ding, ding, ding...kisses for sell, kisses for sell! Come get your kisses!  

2.  Mini entrepreneurs at work.

3.  In my best Dolly Parton singing voice..."Workin' 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'..."

4.  Sister for sale, sister for sale, one noisy, bossy, annoying sister for sale.

5.  Buy one, get one FREE!        

Check out these other great blogs for some more laughs:

Baking in a Tornado
Spatulas on Parade
The Bergham Chronicles

Top Ten Thursday: Food of the Italians

        Hello there and welcome to Top Ten Thursday hosted by my friend Tamara over at Confessions of a Part-Time Working Mom.   This week's Top Ten has been inspired by the Italians and all their yummy food.  I am beyond excited to do this top ten, since took a very awesome road trip through Italy two months ago.  So with no further ado, here's my list...

1.  Insalata Caprese con Mozzarella di Bufala (Caprese Salad with Buffalo Mozzarella) - My first foodie stop in Italy was in Venice.  My friends took me to this little pizza place that they frequent.  But instead of pizza I got this plate of beautiful amazingness!

.

2. Cappuccino - Ok, ok, I know this isn't technically a "food," but I just HAD to include it since all the cappuccinos I drank in Italy (and I mean I drank a lot of them) are some of the best I've ever had.  Plus, if you use a spoon to scoop out the foam, then really you are eating, aren't you.  

3. Cacio e Pepe  (Cheese and Pepper) - If you have ever seen the No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain when he visits Rome, then you know how much he loves this dish.  When my friend and I went to Rome, we just had to try this famous pasta.  And we even went to the same restaurant he did too, and sat at the very patio tables he did too!  Oh....it was so delish.  So cheesy, so peppery, the pasta had a perfect bite to it, and all in a crispy parmesan twill bowl.  I would recommend this place to everyone! 

4. Gelato - You can't go to Italy and not have gelato.  This blows ice cream out of the water, there is no comparison.  On the food tour we went on, we stopped at this place called Fatamorgana .  It had so many new and fresh flavors.  I tried out the spiced pumpkin and baklava, there were a-maz-ing!  

5. Prosciutto Crudo - Oh man...did we eat a lot of this!  If you ever have a chance to have some in Italy it is so worth it.  I took this picture in a local deli shop that our food tour guy took us too.  Buying some from a package at the store just doesn't cut it anymore after have the good stuff!   

7. Farro Salad  -  My friend and I stopped at a little restaurant along the Mediterranean coast on our way up to Pisa.  We both ordered this yummy colorful plate of Farro salad with fresh caught shrimp, tomatoes, and basil.  OMG! It was A-MAZ-ING!  It was one of my favorites of Italy.   

8. Prosecco - Ok, Tamara did say we could choose wine as one of our "foods," so I'm rollin with it.  But instead of regular wine, I'm going with Prosecco.  Yes, Italy is know for it's wines, red and white, but I've been on a Prosecco kick, even two months after my trip to Italy.  I am usually a sweet wine drinker, but these days I have been trading in a sweet glass for a drier, bubbly one.  Plus Prosecco makes a really good Hugo. (If you don't know what that is, click the link for the cocktail recipe!) 

9.  Arancini (Filled rice balls) - So, we tried these Arancini balls on our food tour too.  They were really tasty, especially since there was surprise of cheese in the middle of it.  Perfect Italian street food!

10.  Roman Pizza - If anything that Rome or even the Italy is famous for, it's pizza.  And now I know why!  Their pizza is so good, I don't know if it's the difference of ingredients, the environment, or just the amount of love they put into making each one.  But I have to say, Roman pizza was my favorite!  The crust was sweet and savory, soft with just enough bite to it, perfectly baked in one of those traditional ovens, and the toppings so fresh, usually from a local market.  Also, I did notice that, many Italians don't eat the crust OR use their hands.  Pizza must be consumed using knife and fork, cutting the inside out.  So....that's how I ate it too.  (The top pizza was prosciutto and artichoke, the bottom was buffalo mozzarella with marinara and fresh basil).

     So there you have it my Top Ten Favorite Italian foods.  For more pictures of my Italian Food Tour click HERE.  If you want you book your own food tour, I suggest Eating Italy Food Tours & Culinary Activities: Click Here for Italy (Rome, Florence, & Venice), Click Here for London, Click here for Amsterdam, or Click Here for Prague. 

Check out some of my friend's Top Ten Italian Foods:

The Bergham Chronicles

Confessions of a Part-Time Working Mom

Wacky, Weird, Bizarre, & Unique

     It's Poetry time!  My friend Karen over at Baking in a Tornado got a few blogger friends together to come up with some awesome poetry about the Wacky and Weird Holidays of August.  Check out some of the links below for some more poetry!

Wacky, Weird, Bizarre, & Unique

Holidays can be wacky,

Holidays can be fun.

I like the holidays best

in the warm sun.

Holidays can be weird,

Holidays can be bright .

I like the holidays adorned

with twinkling light.

Holidays can be bizarre,

Holidays can be geeky.

I like the holidays that

aren't too freaky.

Holidays can be unique,

Holidays can be new.

I like the holidays I 

can celebrate with you.

Culinary Days of August  

Raspberry cream pie on August first,

Ice cream sandwiches the day after that.

Watermelon slices on August third, 

And Chocolate Chip Cookies right off the mat.

Mustard day is coming up,

Your neighbor's porch covered in squash.

S'mores to eat on August tenth,

And Creamsicle hands that need a wash.

Spumoni on a hot summer's day, 

More herbs, less salt for healthier snacks.

Toasted marshmallows on August thirtieth,

And trail mix loaded with energy to the max.   

Check out these other awesome poems about the Wacky & Weird holidays of August:

Baking in a Tornado

On the Border

Not that Sarah Michelle

The Bergham Chronicles

Spatulas on Parade