Monday, January 31, 2011

On Pressure

All is Said and Done
Vertical Horizon

I need you to hear me
I want you to feel this
It should be clear as fear
And plain as day

I’m not going to bend now
You’re not going to break me
You’ll never be hard enough to scratch my face

I wanted to fill you
I tried to belong here
With all of the ghosts and faded headlines
But I couldn’t read you
No you wouldn’t let me
You always pull away
From the ones you can’t define

[Chorus:]
Are you tired
Of holding up the sky
Teaching birds to fly
You’ve done it all your life

Oh baby are you sad
When you see the sun
‘Cause then you’re not the brightest one
When all is said and done
And honey all is said and done

I need to move through this
The waiting just kills me
Whatever you do is on you
I’m washed clean
No don’t be alarmed now
The story’s ending
These aren’t open arms
They’re just waving you away

[Chorus]

I need you to hear me
I want you to feel this
It should be clear as fear
And plain as day

[Chorus]

Are you tired
Of running for your life
When there’s no one left behind
Just the chaos in your mind

Oh baby are you sad
Each day you greet the sun
You know you’re not the brightest one
When all is said and done

You've reached the end of the day. It's time to wind down, breathe a sigh of relief, and say to yourself, "Self, you were awesome today." But it's not that simple. You accomplished everything on the day's "to do" list, but somehow that's not good enough. "Self, that's not acceptable. You should have been better."

It's hard work to give it your all everyday--painful, even. When you try your best, but you don't succeed. When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep. When the tears come streaming down your face. Could it be worse?

Yet you stand there, holding up the sky, ready to break under the pressure. If you let go, it will all come crashing down. This is your battle, from beginning to end.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Chicken Alfredo Pizza



Crust:
2 1/2 to 3 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water

Alfredo Sauce:
4 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. Italian seasonings
1 tbsp. garlic powder

Pizza Toppings:
1 pound cooked chicken, diced
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 small onion, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make the dough for the crust, combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour, the yeast, and the salt in a large mixing bowl. Add water. Stir until combined. Add remaining flour. Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic. Let rest for 10 minutes. Grease a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Use your fingers to press the dough and form it to the shape of the pan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, just until the crust starts to brown.

While the crust bakes, make the Alfredo sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine butter and flour to make a roux. Add salt and pepper. Slowly stir in milk so sauce is smooth. Add Parmesan cheese, Italian seasonings, and garlic powder. Remove from heat.

Spread sauce over the crust. Add pizza toppings. Bake about 10 minutes longer, until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.