What a Week!

I can't believe it's already Wednesday and that I haven't posted on here since our date night a week ago!  Time flew by this weekend which is evident by the number of things we did and people we saw over the weekend.  Here's a little breakdown of how I've spent the last week and what I've been doing since I obviously wasn't blogging!

Wednesday night
Dinner at Brasserie was amazing!  It definitely had an upscale French bistro vibe and lots of personal touches that had me drooling.  Everything from the little containers of loose salt and pepper on the tables to the typography on the menu was perfect.  I wish I could have taken photos of the decor and the meal to share with you but I was a little weary of whipping out my camera in front of all the fine patrons there.

I tried some French beer (tasted very similar to a Belgian Whit to me) and J had a German beer I had never heard of before.  We munched on some olives that had been cooked with hot oil, lemon peel and fennel seed while we waited for our main dishes to come.  I had never had hot olives before and the combination of flavors was amazing!  For the main course, J ordered the beef bourguignon which was melt in your mouth delicious.  It was served with silky smooth mashed potatoes.  In keeping with the French theme, I ordered the bouillabaisse which was incredible.  Full of shrimp (head on), pollack, clams, mussels and potatoes and a tangy-sweet broth, I ate all of it and even drank the broth, it was that good.

After that we headed to the park for some jazz and cheese and chocolate danishes.  The night started out pretty warm but we found a shady spot under a tree and our chilled white wine quickly cooled us down.  The weather cooled even more while we were there which made the evening even more enjoyable.  I definitely want to go back before we leave (weather and time permitting)!

Thursday
We left for Omaha after work and due to flooding in northwestern Missouri (Rockport) and southeastern Iowa (Hamburg) a trip that normally takes us 7 to 7 1/2 hours took us 8 1/2 due to a detour.  This time we planned ahead and I packed plenty of snacks (and dinner) for us to limit our number of stops and we even picked up a few audiobooks to listen to along the way.  The drive flew by, faster than any other visit thus far.  I wish I would have discovered the greatness that is audiobooks sooner!

Friday
J studied for the bar exam Friday morning while I finished reading Middlesex (review forthcoming) before we met some friends for lunch.  After lunch, I had several appointments to gather information about graduate school that took up most of the afternoon.  We then met up with Ashlee and JY before heading to my godparents' house for the Fourth of July concert and fireworks in Memorial Park that evening.  It was a hot night weather wise but we had a great time catching up with friends and family!

Saturday
My mother-in-law and I went to the Farmer's Market Saturday morning while J studied.  I was really impressed with the selection there and was happy to know we'd be able to get lots of farm-fresh produce in Omaha when we move back!  After a late brunch, we went to the driving range for a few hours before coming home and making mojitos with mint we had purchased at the Farmer's Market that morning.  Since it was such nice weather, we played ladder ball (or lawn golf depending on who you ask) for a few hours before we met up with JDP and a professor of ours from college for dinner.

Sunday
Sunday morning we watched the Men's Final at Wimbledon and parts of the Casey Anthony closing arguments before I met a friend from college for coffee.  The weather that day started out dark and rainy but had cleared up enough by the afternoon for us to drive out to the lake for some drinks and a swim.  We then headed to a friend's house who lives on a golf course (so cool!) for a cook out and fireworks.  The golf course puts on a show every year which was really great and from their deck we could see lots of fireworks going off all over Omaha.  Because of that, it was a fireworks show that lasted for over an hour!

Source: asimpleldswedding.com via Kt on Pinterest

Monday
We packed up the car and headed to St. Joseph, MO for our second cookout of the trip with J's dad, step mom and her family.  We visited with them for a few hours and even went for a dip in the pool before we headed to our next stop in Kansas City to visit with J's grandpa and his mom's family.  We played croquet and met some of their neighbors for a block party cook-out.   There was so much food, including award-winning pulled pork and barbequed chicken, that J and I left there very full and happy.  We didn't stay for fireworks since we still had a 4 hour drive ahead of us but we saw plenty along our drive home.  We arrived in St. Louis at 11:30 pm tired and full but happy!

Tuesday it was back to work for me and back to studying for J and back to packing for the both of us.  I can't believe we are moving in less than a month!

Do you listen to audiobooks?  If so, do you have any recommendations for me?! How was your Fourth of July?  Did you see any fireworks or attend any cookouts? 

P.S. I'd like to wish a very happy anniversary to my grandparents who today are celebrating fifty-four years of marriage!  Grandma and Papa, thank you for your love and example all these years.  I can only hope that J and I will have the sort of marriage and be the sort of partners, parents, friends and grandparents that you have been to all of us over the years.  I love you!

My grandparents and J and and me at our wedding last year

A Little of This, A Little of That

I have several ideas for blog posts floating around in my head and none of them are really long enough or fully developed enough to stand alone, so I thought I would combine them into one post today.  I apologize in advance if this post is a little all over the place--hopefully you will be able to follow me!

First, a little weekend recap:

Friday:

• Celebrated J finishing law school with his law school friends over lunch at Mi Ranchito
• Continued celebrating after I got off work first at Mi Ranchito (they were still there!) and then at a friend's house and finally at a bar in Soulard that had a tab for 2Ls and 3Ls (second year and third year law students) courtesy of the Student Bar Association
• Topped off the night with some late night breakfast at Uncle Bill's Pancake House

Saturday:

• Got woken up early by this character, never mind we got home at 2:00 am on Saturday mornings
• Since we were up, we watched some TV we had tivo'ed from Friday night before heading to the Farmer's Market in Ferguson
• While we were there, we bought three heads of Napa Cabbage and a dozen farm fresh, free range brown eggs--all for $6.00!
• Since it was still early (darn cat) we decided to check out the Tower Grove Farmer's Market as well.  There we bought a bunch of gorgeous red radishes for salads this week and checked out their other wares.
• We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around watching TV and napping before watching The Kentucky Derby
• My pick didn't win but I think Animal Kingdom has great promise as a potential Triple Crown winner!
• We made lemon-green garlic spaghetti for dinner with some of the green garlic we got last week at the Farmer's Market

Sunday:

• Again got woken up early by Woods (are you sensing a theme here?) 
• Made bacon and eggs (fresh from the Farmer's Market) for breakfast before power cleaning the apartment
• Wiped down all counters, cabinets and baseboards and swept and Swiffer-ed the floors which I can now cross off my to do list!
• Scrubbed the shower in the bathroom--another to do list item complete!
• Rewarded ourselves for cleaning the apartment by going out to lunch at a local Vietnamese restaurant, Pho Grand
• Started watching a new-to-us show, Weeds, on Netflix Instant.  Eight episodes later and we are hooked which is good considering we are almost caught up with Mad Men and need a new show to watch!
• Made turkey burgers (topped with avocado and whole cranberry sauce) and an oil and vinegar slaw using some of our radishes and Napa cabbage for dinner
• Talked to my mom and learned she got a brand new Smart car convertible for Mother's Day!
• Watched the Detroit Red Wings game with some friends before playing a round of Scattergories

My mom (and brother Alec) with her new Smart car!

Next, a little note to my mom.  I've read so many beautiful and touching letters to moms this weekend and while I talked to her yesterday, I thought I would write a more in-depth note to her here as well (since I am better at expressing myself on paper err computer and I know she reads the blog)!

Mom, there are hardly words to describe how thankful and blessed I am to have you in my life.  I could write volumes and volumes but for now, here are a few things I am especially thankful for today:

1. For giving up your career to be at home every day with us.
2. For making me a big sister.  One of my most cherished roles in life is that of a sister.  Thank you for making this possible!
3. For always making family a priority, even family who lived far away.  I have wonderful relationships with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins because of your dedication to putting family first.
4. For Sunday night dinners and late night conversations.
5. For rides in the car, sometimes with a purpose and sometimes without one, where I could always share my thoughts, dreams, successes and failures with you.
6. For making me go to Church each Sunday even when I didn't want to.
7. For driving me to the barn multiple times a week for my riding lessons even if it meant you were in the car most of the day between all of us kids' activities.
8. For taking such good care of Pal for me when I was in college and for being there when he died and I couldn't.
9. For giving me the freedom to move back to the Midwest to be with J and for driving my car across country with me--twice!
10. For being such an integral part of the wedding planning process and for your enthusiasm when I would call daily to update you on wedding planning!
11. For giving me my dream wedding and for all the work you did to make it run smoothly.  It was the best day of my life and I couldn't have done it without you.
12. For giving me your looks and height--I didn't always like being 5'2" growing up but I love that we look so much alike!
13. For walks with the dogs, sushi lunches, reading books by the pool, getting our nails done together and all the things that make our relationship special.

My mom and me at our wedding last June

I only hope one day I can be half the mom you have been to me!

Our song, The Best Day by Taylor Swift


I'm five years old and it's getting cold
I've got my big coat on.
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you
I run and run.
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides
Look now the sky is gold.
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home.

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall .
I know you're not scared of anything at all.
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today.

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean .
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys.
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away.
And we talk and window shop till I forgot all their names.

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school .
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you.
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day with you today.

I have an excellent father .
His strength is making me stronger.
God smiles on my little brother.
Inside and out he's better than I am.

I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run
And I had the best days with you.

There is a video I found from back when I was three .
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me.
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs.
Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world.

Now I know why all the trees change in the fall .
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong.
And I love you for giving me your eyes.
Staying back and watching me shine and I didn't know if you knew.
So I'm taking this chance to say that I had the best day with you today.


Finally, some Menu Monday goodness!  All of this week's recipes have been taken from our new Food Network cookbook.  Here's what is on our menu this week:

Monday: Vegetable Stir-fry with Bacon
Tuesday: Garlic and Greens Spaghetti--photos and recipe to follow!
Wednesday: Chicken with Apple, Onion and Cider Sauce
Thursday: Udon Noodles with Tofu and Asian Greens--photos and recipe to follow!

How was your weekend, friends? Did you watch the Kentucky Derby? Have you discovered any new shows we should be watching? What's on your menu this week?  Tell me everything--I'm dying to know what you've been up to!

Weekend Review and Some To-Do's

As I alluded to in this post, we had a very busy yet productive weekend.  Here's how it played out:

Friday

• Bought two new pairs of pants (jeans and khakis) at Old Navy during their BOGO half off sale
• Made ham and bean soup with leftover hot ham and this jalapeno cornbread, substituting smoked gouda for cheddar
• Had JY over for drinks and conversation.  He brought some delicious chocolate whoopie pies which we consumed quickly!

Saturday

• Woke up early and went to the first Ferguson Farmer's Market where we bought garlic greens, kale, andouille sausage and a bag of gorgeous mixed greens!
• Re-organized our kitchen pantry--details and photos to follow!
• Took a nap
• Made kale chips in the oven which were delicious and quickly consumed with some cold Schlafly beers (Kolsch for me, APA for J)
• Made lemon-garlic green risotto for dinner with fresh lemons from my parents' backyard and garlic greens from the Farmer's Market

Sunday

• Got up early again and finished season 3 of Mad Men--only one more season and we are all caught up!
• Meal planned and grocery shopped for the week
• Went to church
• Took a nap--are you noticing a theme here?  I can't seem to sleep in past 6:30 or 7:00 on the weekends which I make up for by taking naps in the afternoon!
• Saw the movie Prom with my Little
• Came home to J making a roux for our andouille sausage and shrimp gumbo
• Two and a half hours later, after lots of chopping and stirring (and dishes), we finally sat down for gumbo!
• Ate happily and went to bed

J's law school graduation is a few weeks away and as such we will have lots of family in town: my parents and grandparents, J's parents, uncle, and more--a total of 12 people! His graduation will take place on the morning of Friday, May 20th and as such, most if not all of our guests will be in town starting Thursday afternoon (Wednesday afternoon for J's mom and my mom!).

Since many of our family members have not seen our apartment, we are going to have an open house with drinks and appetizers on Thursday night.  This also means we have a lot of work to do around the house to get it in tip-top shape for our guests in addition to shopping and preparing for the open house itself.  To keep myself accountable (and sane), I thought I'd create and share a to do list of projects to complete before our guests arrive.

Clean out kitchen pantry
Clean out and wipe down the refrigerator
Clean and pare down closets--two in the hallway and one in the office/guest room: one closet down, two to go!
Reupholster our dining room chairs with fabric I've had since January!
Reorganize bookshelves and dining room hutch
Clean all surfaces including baseboards: spot cleaning of apartment needed week of graduation
Wash slipcover on couch
Plan menu: Taste of St. Louis theme
Set up bar
Shop for said menu and bar--my dear friend Ashlee has said she will help with this!

Whew!  I'm tired already.  I think many naps may be in my future!

Image via

How was your weekend, friends?  Any major to do's on your plate this month?  Do tell!

Weekend Review

J and I had a relaxing yet productive weekend, which was much needed to get us set up for what promises to be a busy week at work and school!  Here's a little recap of what we did:

Friday:

• Used our Groupon and had a delicious nigri sushi dinner (with a few rolls too) at Sekisui on South Grand--we even had deep fried crawfish with our platter!
• Watched the next three episodes of Mad Men, Season 1 that we had on Netflix.  One more DVD and we will have finished season 1!

Saturday:

• Had breakfast in bed while watching Food Network.
• I did 8 (that's right I said eight) loads of laundry at the laundry mat, including many of my 30 for 30 clothes.
• Planned our week's menu.
• Went grocery shopping.
• Made another Asian-inspired meal in the form of Miso soup (get the recipe here), tempura vegetables (we used Panko bread crumbs in lieu of tempura batter), and spring rolls stuffed with shredded chicken, green onions, sushi rice and an Indian cilantro chutney.  We made a mess in the kitchen but it was delicious!

• Watched Dumb and Dumber before we fell asleep.

Sunday:

• Went to church.
• Cleaned the house in preparation for guests tonight for a screening of this film and J's mom and boyfriend who are in town starting on Friday!
• Marveled at how long Woods can be when he really stretches out.

• Cleaned up the dishes from the night before (we washed pots, pans and knives on Saturday night but just rinsed and stacked the rest for the morning).
• Finished putting away the 8 loads of laundry from the day before.
• Made Pasta Primavera for the first day of Spring.  Get the recipe here.
• Met some friends for drinks and sat out on the sidewalk enjoying the sun and warm weather!
• Watched the series finale of Big Love.  J and I started watching this show right after we started dating five plus years ago so it was bittersweet to see the show ending!

How was your weekend, friends?  Anyone watch Big Love and want to talk about last night's episode?!

P.S. Today I am sharing my favorite bread pudding recipe as part of a guest post for Lauren at Tickled while she visits friends in Charleston.  Check it out here!

Weekend Off

After a very busy and long week, I took the weekend off from most of my responsibilities to relax and rejuvenate.  With J working late (sometimes until after midnight) every night last week, I got a glimpse of how busy our lives would be if he wasn't able to help me cook, clean and grocery shop like he usually is.  Needless to say, by week's end I was happy that the worst of his busyness is now over and we both were in need of a break!

Image taken from weheartit

The break came in the form of staying off of my Google Reader (mostly!) and blog for most of the weekend and spending some much needed time with J and friends.  It was just what I needed and now we are both ready to face another week!

I share all of this to say that I will be back with our regular scheduled programming later today, including my latest 30 for 30 outfits which will be online later this evening!

How was your weekend, friends?

Weekend Teasers

I had a relaxing and productive weekend and although I am back to work on this President's Day, I must say I rather enjoyed myself despite the normal length weekend.   I was able to do some laundry, go for a run, cook quite a few tasty meals, spend some time with J and these friends, and start this month's BBC book and squeeze a nap or two in.  A perfect weekend if you ask me!

More details (and recipes) to follow but for now, here are a few pictures from the weekend and things you can expect to see on the blog in the next few days!

A Friday night roast chicken...

Curry chicken salad the next day...

Blueberry Oat muffins baked away on Saturday afternoon

And a new pasta dish, made with homemade pasta, was enjoyed for Sunday night dinner!

How was your weekend, friends?

Valentines Weekend

J and I celebrated Valentine's Day early this year because he has a night class on Monday nights that would interfere with any plans on the actual day.

As I explained in this post, Valentine's Day has always had special significance for us as a couple because our second and third dates took place on Valentine's Day five years ago.  For those familiar with Omaha, we ate here for lunch (J's pick) and here for dinner (my pick) and no, we did not see Warren Buffett while we were there although he does frequent Gorat's on a fairly regular basis.

We kicked off the day by waking up early, finishing the last few episodes of Arrested Development (sniff sniff) and then getting dressed and grabbing coffee at the local Kaldi's.   We sat in the coffee shop and talked, laughed and shared together in a way we don't get too enough of the time!

Image taken by yours truly

The weather was so wonderful we then decided to go for a drive down to the Soulard area.  We looked around for a bit then came back home to start cleaning for our dinner guests we had planned for that night.  J washed the floor while I vacuumed and cleaned Woods' litter box--glamorous I know!

Soon it was time for us to head to our friends' house for a Valentine's Day brunch where we ate lots of good food and laughed hysterically when we began playing with their new Xbox Kinect.  After brunch we finished cleaning the apartment and then decided to take a stroll in Lafayette Square.

I've blogged about this before but we absolutely love Lafayette Square and it not only has cute shops to look in but gorgeous homes perfect for oogling on a warm February day (it was in the 60s!).

Image taken from here

We then stopped by Square One Brewery and shared a sampler before heading home to prepare for dinner. I tried some new beers that I hadn't tried the last time we were there and am pleased to say my beer horizons are expanding more and more each day--which is amazing considering I couldn't stand the stuff two years ago!

Image taken from here

Then we came home and prepared dinner for our friends--a fondue party to be exact--and spent the rest of the night laughing, eating and enjoying each other's company!  I will be sharing recipes and photos tomorrow, but here's a little sneak peak for you.

J styled this plate, complete with apple heart!

Did you already celebrate Valentine's Day like us?  Or are you celebrating today on the actual holiday?  Whatever you are doing, I hope you have a happy Valentine's Day!

Snapshots from the Weekend

Nigri from Saturday night's dinner with friends--J and I tried each one, taking a bite of one fish then passing it to the other person.  This platter was only $19.00 and included sea scallops because they were out of prawns!

 

Woods has taken to laying on our large throw pillows as if they were thrones.  What can I say, we spoil him like he's royalty so he thinks he is the king!

 

Blackberry pie for the Super Bowl game!

How was your weekend, friends?

Up next: Super Bowl recipes followed by a shopping roundup from this weekend--so stay tuned!

Weekend at the Lake

This weekend J and I spent time with my sister Madi in one of our favorite places: South Haven, MI.  It was much colder there than we are used to since it's usually August when we visit, but it was just as beautiful and restful as always.  

Here are a few things we did this weekend and some of what you can expect this week on KT's Refinishing School:

• Ate at Fiddler's Hearth in downtown South Bend.  If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend this pub.  They have public house seating (meaning you sit at long tables sometimes next to strangers which can make for fun and interesting dinner conversations) and serve local food and craft beers on their menu.  We were starving by the time food came, so I didn't get any pictures before we devoured it.  I had the Plowman's Plate with three different kinds of bread and cheese as well as a piece of smoked salmon and it was delicious!
• Finished reading Hot Time in the Old Town--book review to follow
• Took a walk to the lakefront to see the lake's frozen waves--photos to follow
• While I had my camera out, I took pictures of some of my favorite corners of our beloved vacation home Feirin De--photos to follow
• Spent lots of time talking, laughing and sharing--the TV did not get turned on once all weekend!
• Built numerous fires in the fireplace
• Saw The Dilemma at the local movie theater.  The movie was decent (it was our best option among those offered: Yogi Bear, Season of the Witch and Country Strong) and the prices were very cheap--Madi, J and I got two buckets of popcorn, three sodas and tickets all for nineteen bucks!
• Made Almost French Onion Soup risotto for dinner last night--recipe and photos to follow!
• Made raspberry oatmeal muffins for breakfast this week--recipe and photos to follow!

How was your weekend, friends?

And We're Back!

J and I arrived in St. Louis late last night after spending two whirlwind days with my aunt who was visiting from Korea.  It was wonderful to see her and we learned quite a bit about Korean culture, food and the people who live there.  Lively and interesting discussions were had by all!

We also got to eat two Peoria staples: Avanti's gondola sandwiches and Agatucci's pizza.  Gondolas are served on a long baguette type roll that is a little bit sweet to the taste.  Piled high with several different kinds of cold-cut Italian meats, creamy American cheese and lettuce, the sandwiches are delicious.  J and I try to eat one each time we visit!

Image taken from here

Agatucci's is a family staple.  My grandparents have been going to Aggie's for as long as my mom can remember.  A family owned and operated restaurant, they serve delicious flat style pizza (not too crunchy though!) cut into strips with their famous Tiger sauce (mix of oil, vinegar and spices).  Jay Leno recently visited Peoria and ate at Agatucci's, reportedly taking several bottles of Tiger sauce home with him!

I apologize I didn't get any photos of the food--we were too busy chatting--but if you are ever in Peoria, be sure to check these establishments out.  You won't regret it!

How was your weekend, friends?

Weekend Recap

This weekend, the last before J returns for his final semester of law school (woohoo!) was spent in a fairly low key manner, which was much needed after all the traveling and busyness of the last few weeks.  Because I like bullet points and I seem to do this every weekend, here is a little breakdown on what we did (and a preview of some posts to expect this week)!

We:

• Went to Applebee's for dinner on Friday night.  We had gotten gift cards there as a Christmas gift from a friend and because we got the 2 for $20 deal, we will be able to have another dinner out again with the remaining balance!
• Watched The Hurt Locker thanks to Netflix, another new-to-me Best Picture movie that will help me cross off number 123 on my 130 list (2 down, 8 to go for those keeping track at home)--my thoughts on the film to follow!
• Spent Saturday morning with J watching the Food Network
• Went ice skating with my Little from Big Brothers, Big Sisters in Forest Park.  It was cold but fun.  She has been asking to go ice skating since we were matched almost a year ago!
• Visited Square One Brewery and Distillery in Lafayette Square--J enjoys a good gin so when he heard they distill their own liquor, he jumped at the chance to try it out!--details and photos forthcoming
• Picked out our favorite houses in Lafayette Square and agreed that it would be a dream come true if we could buy an old house in that area and fix it up ourselves!
• Made some delicious pancetta, spring onion and lemon risotto for dinner Saturday night--basically a combination of this recipe and this recipe.  We ate it with fresh baguette and our good olive oil from here for dipping.
• Watched almost an entire season of Arrested Development thanks to Netflix Instant View!
• Went to church on Sunday morning
• Watched the Sunday NFL playoff games
• Made pumpkin muffins and hard boiled eggs for quick and easy breakfasts this week
• Watched the last season premiere of Big Love on HBO

How was your weekend, friends?

The Weekend

I can hardly believe it's Monday.  This weekend went quickly, no?

Here's how I spent my weekend.

On Friday, I:

• Saw J off for the weekend.  He went up to Omaha to spend more time with family and friends since Christmas was such a whirlwind event!
• Made homemade Chex Mix.  I don't care much for the pretzels and the peanuts that are usually added to the mix, and since it was just me home this weekend, I made it with just the three different kinds of Chex and Cheerios.  I add a few dashes of Tabasco when mixing everything together to give it an extra little kick!
• Watched Corinna, Corinna: a favorite movie of my childhood on Netflix Instant View

On Saturday, I:

• Cleaned the house and finally unpacked from our travels
• Spent the day watching movies and sleeping as the cold I thought I had kicked came back with a vengeance. I had seen all the movies I watched before, I watched The Young Victoria, A League of Their Own and The Spitfire Grill.

On Sunday, I:

• Finished cleaning the house in preparation for J's return
• Made homemade pasta--pictures and details to come!
• Went to Dewey's for dinner with our friends Nick, Brian, JY and Ashlee
• Saw Spamalot with the group above at The Fox.

How was your weekend, friends?

Back to Reality

J and I arrived in St. Louis late last night after spending the last week and a half traveling.  During that time we did the following:

• Visited 3 families in 3 states (Nebraska, Missouri and California)
• Received lots of great gifts--details coming so stay tuned!  For part one of this series, visit here
• Spent a day in San Diego walking through Old Town and eating great Mexican food
• Went to the Holiday Bowl (sadly Nebraska lost)
• Spent lots of time in my parents' newly repaired hot tub
• Had an open house with friends at my parents' home
• Went for a long hike with my mom, sister and our dogs
• Read two books: The Red Queen and The New York Regional Singles Halloween Dance--book reviews to follow!
• Made sushi with my parents and siblings--recap and photos to follow!
• Ate a fabulous New Years Eve dinner--menu, recipes and details on how I can cross another 130 Before I'm Thirty goal off my list!
• Went to the Rose Parade and viewed all the beautiful floats
• Spent lots of time laughing and sharing with family and friends
• Made some New Year resolutions--which I will share with you soon!
• Discovered our heat had stopped working sometime while we are gone--hopefully it gets fixed today
• Learned my car has a completely flat tire--looks like we will be buying new tires shortly!

Whew.  That's a lot of activities and that means there will be lot of blog posts on the horizon, so stay tuned! 

How were your holidays, friends?

Weekend Wrap-up

This weekend was a busy but productive one.  As I outlined here, we had outings or activities every day this weekend.  I did manage to squeeze in a few extra things that didn't make my to-do list, some of which will make its appearance on the blog this week.  Let's just say I spent a lot of time in the kitchen and the mall this weekend.  I:

• Watched Braveheart, a new to me film that won best picture in 1995--my first of ten new to me Best Picture films I will be watching before I turn thirty.  See complete list here!
• Played Rock Band with J on Saturday night
• Made homemade chicken tenders and steak fries with J and washed them down with a cold brew
• Went to church on Sunday
• Baked two loafs of French bread for our dinner with JY and Ashlee--recipe to follow
• Baked Pumpkin Bars (my favorite dessert ever!) for aforementioned dinner--recipe to follow
• Shopped for and bought J's Christmas present
• Wrapped and gave J his Christmas present--pictures and details to follow
• Peeled and de-veined shrimp for our dinner with the Y's.  Every time I've cooked with already peeled frozen shrimp (and most shrimp you buy that is not frozen was frozen and then thawed at the market, unless you live on the Gulf coast!) the shrimp has come out rubbery and tough.  When I take the time to peel and de-vein them myself, they come out perfect every time.  More work, yes.  Worth the time and effort, absolutely!
• Made this delicious risotto--well actually J did that while I helped get everything else ready for the dinner.  This time, we added lemon zest this time instead of orange.  It was fantastic!
• Made these croutons with a simple olive oil and vinegar vinaigrette for our dinner
• Created our Christmas table setting for our dinner--pictures and details to follow

How was your weekend, friends?

Winter Weekend Recap

Image borrowed from here and here originally

On Friday I traveled to Peoria to spend some time with my aunt and grandparents for my birthday.  On our itinerary was a fish fry dinner Friday night, a birthday dinner Saturday night (with French Onion Soup and Caesar salad--recipes and pictures to follow) and Grandma's Oyster Stew luncheon (recipe and photos also to follow) on Sunday.  The first two events went off without a hitch, until ice and snow struck the Midwest Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Aunts and cousins who were supposed to travel from St. Louis, Chicago and Peoria could not make it due to poor weather conditions.  The luncheon, which occurs every year in December, was effectively canceled with only a few neighbors who lived in walking distance stopping by later in the day.

I almost didn't make it out of Peoria myself and seriously contemplated staying the night and driving back early this morning.  In retrospect, I probably should have stayed put.  But I did drive home and after a tense five hours (it normally takes just under three), made it back to J safe and sound.  Having grown up in southern California, I am an extremely cautious driver when there is ice and snow on the ground.  It was white-knuckle the whole way home and the highways were filled with cars that had spun out and been left until conditions improved.  I did a lot of praying and was so thankful to have made it home safely, especially because it was my birthday!

No matter, I still got to eat oyster stew, had a wonderful birthday dinner with my grandparents and aunt on Saturday night, and capped off the night at one of our favorite pizza places Dewey's with some friends (who we actually celebrated my birthday with last year too)!  The drive was nothing a cold glass of beer and some warm pizza could fix.

So while my birthday weekend did not go exactly as planned, it was definitely one I'll remember for years to come!

How was your weekend, friends?

How'd I Do?

Last week I shared my to do list with you all and I thought it would be fun to go back and see how I fared.

• Make turkey soup with the bones from our Thanksgiving turkey--done!  I even made homemade stock with the leftovers, crossing off another item on my 130 Before I'm Thirty list
• Unpack--finished, finished, finished
• Clean house--including floors and baseboards!--I scared Woods quite badly with our vacuum cleaner while vacuuming up dust bunnies but I got the job done.  Seriously, the sounds Woods was making are some I hope never to hear again!
• Decorate for Christmas--our apartment is festive and ready for Christmas!
• Buy/Make Christmas gifts for family and friends--J and I have over half the gifts for our families done, due in part to a very successful trip to Barnes and Noble yesterday
• Wrap said gifts and put them under our tree--I am picking up more wrapping paper after work to finish the job!
• Clear off my desk--work in progress.  I am hoping to finish this project this week!

For a busy week, I am proud of what I was able to accomplish.  Here's hoping I can have yet another productive week!

What about you?  Have you had any recent success on crossing off some big items on your to do list?  Let's hear it!

Weekend Update

This weekend was a good one.  Since we were in Peoria the weekend before, it was nice just to be at home and relax.  Here's how we spent our weekend:

• Made Turkey Pot Pies--okay this was on Thursday, but the recipe (which I will share) was so delicious it was as if the weekend started a day early!
• Ate some delicious Vietnamese food on Friday night with friends
• Slept in on Saturday and Sunday
• Made orange and clove ornaments with a friend on Saturday morning--details to follow
• Designed, ordered and picked up our Christmas cards
• Took a nap 
• Watched Crazy Heart
• Watched the Nebraska game with friends--sadly the Huskers lost
• Ordered and picked up some photos from our wedding
• Went to church
• Cleaned house
• Made Penne alla Carbonara
• Spent several hours reading and shopping for Christmas presents at Barnes and Noble
• Made Green-Onion risotto for Sunday night dinner--recipe to follow

 How was your weekend friends?

Long Weekend in Review and To-Do List

Happy Monday everyone!  I hope all those in the States had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend--J and I certainly did!

As I alluded to in this post, we spent the weekend with my grandparents in Peoria, IL.  Because I like lists, I am going to recap our stay in bullet point format.

We:

• Ate lots of turkey and fixings.  For a recap on our menu, click here.
• Watched lots of football.  Nebraska and more importantly, Notre Dame, won their games this weekend!
• Cooked and baked a lot, including hot breakfasts (eggs, waffles, and omelets) every morning
• Read and finished two books (okay that was just me!)
• Ate Agatucci's, the best pizza in Peoria
• Visited with my aunt, uncle and cousins
• Put up Christmas decorations with my grandparents and trimmed their tree
• Conducted research for a future blog post--that's all I can reveal for now!
• Took several naps (again that was just me!)

And to continue the bullet point theme, here is my to do list this week.  I hope I can get it all done!

This week I will:

• Make turkey soup with the bones from our Thanksgiving turkey
• Unpack
• Clean house--including floors and baseboards!
• Decorate for Christmas
• Buy/Make Christmas gifts for family and friends
• Wrap said gifts and put them under our tree
• Clear off my desk

How was your weekend friends?  Any exciting To Do's on your horizon?  Let's hear it!

Weekend in Review or Coming Attractions

On Friday I shared some of my plans for the weekend.  I thought I would share with you how I did with those plans.

• Laundry: I did 7 loads of laundry on Saturday morning.  Note to self: do not wait so long to do laundry next time!
• Menu planning: postponed until midweek due to a number of meals I froze and did not make last week
• Grocery shopping: see above
• Read (and hopefully finish) one of my books: I finished I See You Everywhere.  Look for a book review post this week!
• Go out to dinner with friends tonight after work: we went here and it was delicious!
• Go to a concert tomorrow night with Ashlee: we saw Augustana and Sara Bareilles at UMSL.  Sara was sweet, funny and very entertaining!
• Write my first letter to my pen pal: I wrote this while doing laundry.  It was a great way to pass the time!
• Take a nap: accomplished Saturday afternoon while watching football with Woods
• Watch some football: woke up, watched some football and to my surprise and delight, Notre Dame won!  

I also did the following:

• Drank tea
• Discovered a new TV show: thanks to Ashlee and Justin, we watched 4 episodes from the first season on Friday night.  It is hilarious!
• Took pictures of a Thanksgiving table setting that I started late last week: look for details and pictures later this week!
• Went to church
• Made a delicious pumpkin soup for lunch: recipe to follow this week
• Had an amazing date night with J last night: details and photos also to follow. For now all I will say is that it involved TIGERS.  The real ones, not a mascot--sorry Mizzou!

How was your weekend, friends?

Weekend Wrap-up, mid-week

There has been blog silence due to an upcoming event at work that has had me working until at least 7 every night this week.  I have not abandoned you, I promise!  I will be back with recipes, book reviews, my Bedroom makeover wrap-up and more in the upcoming days and weeks!!

In the meantime, here is a little recap of my weekend festivities and a yummy family recipe that we made this weekend!

Apple picking in 89 degree weather just didn't seem right.  Instead, we went and got ice cream at The Fountain on Locust which was delicious!  The decor is very Art Deco and the drinks remind me of Mad Men.  We tried their ice cream which is shipped straight from a family dairy in Wisconsin!

I had butter pecan ice cream in their signature pretzel cone.  The combination of sweet and savory was amazing!  J had a malt topped with fresh whipped cream, which was also very good.

They even candy their own lemon peels there--I definitely recommend it to anyone in the area!

On Saturday I made Halloween sugar cookies with a girl I mentor.  We made ghosts, pumpkins and star cookies.  Here's the recipe:

Grandma's Halloween...err Christmas...Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup shortening
2 cups of sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup of milk
4 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon baking powder

For the frosting:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup of milk
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla


Kitchen Supplies:
Various cookie cutters
Hand or stand mixer
4 baking sheets
Food coloring
Small bowls for mixing colors, I used our ramekins
Sprinkles, optional
Tupperware and freezer paper for storage

Sift dry ingredients together in a small bowl.  Cream shortening and salt with either a hand or stand mixer.  Crack eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl and add to the batter, continuing to cream with the mixer.   This helps ensure one bad egg doesn't run the whole batter! While mixer is running, add milk and sifted ingredients until the mixture has come together.  Add vanilla and almond extract and mix well.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least twenty minutes.

Remove a small portion of dough from the refrigerator and roll out to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness on a floured surface.  Coat cookie cutters lightly with flour, press into dough and place shapes on an ungreased sheet pan.  Repeat process until all dough has been used.  Note that by keeping the dough you are not working with in the refrigerator, it rolls out much easier.

Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  Do not allow the cookies to brown.  Place on cooling racks or brown paper bags to cool.

Next, cream thoroughly butter, salt and 1 cup of powdered sugar until light and fluffy.  Add remaining sugar and milk, alternating blending until smooth and of blending consistency.  Add vanilla.  Mix well.  Spoon equal amounts into small bowls.  Add food coloring and mix well.  Decorate to your heart's content.

Store in airtight Tupperware containers with freezer or contact paper between layers.  Makes approximately two dozen cookies.

My grandma (my Dad's mom) usually makes these around Christmas time, but they work just as well any other time of year!

Buy a cookie cutter like this and make a batch for a new neighbor.  Surprise your sweetheart with some sweet treats on Valentine's Day or an anniversary with a cookie cutter like this.  Or make some cookies for a baby or wedding shower.  Any way you cut them, they are great cookies! Enjoy!