Life, With Relish

These days...

2011-10-31T20:42:00.000-04:00

We have been settling into our move and adjusting to our new jobs. We are loving the area and it's been fun taking rides around, doing day trips and exploring. Here are some of my favorite photos from a day of driving around. Can you believe that these were taken only a few weeks ago?

While neglecting this blog, I've been putting my skills to work on a class webpage that has kept me pretty busy. I love the new school but I am so filled with ideas that it's hard to stop working sometimes!

Check back for more updates :)

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T19:39:00.000-04:00

It is strange to see snow around in October!

Happy Halloween!

A fun lake day

2011-08-14T19:27:00.000-04:00

Summer, please don't ever end.

A Week Off

2011-08-13T11:33:00.000-04:00

We made it through the move!

Moving is not pretty, but we were very lucky because our movers were awesome and packed and loaded everything quickly and very carefully. Max has been a trooper! He was quite confused to see the apartment bare, but didn't mind going to camp or sleeping on the air mattress.

Our stuff is in storage for the time being, since we don't move into our new place until the end of the month. We are staying at my parent's for now, and enjoyed a week totally off. J doesn't start his new job until Monday, and it was so, so nice to relax together!

We did some beach-going:

Some outlet-shopping:

Some pool-lounging:

And some golfing:

We've also enjoyed some nights out with old friends and family!

It was great to have time off together and it's been nice easing into the transition by staying with family. Many of you reading are my personal friends and family and I wanted to say THANK YOU for bearing with me during the job search and moving process. It was quite stressful at times and your encouragement went a long way!

It's been hard to think about much else but this move, but now that it's happened, I want to get back to the focus of this blog, which is really about finding at least one thing each day that is inspiring and uplifting...about relishing small moments that make life special.

Have a great Saturday!

Instant Inspiration

2011-08-02T13:17:00.000-04:00

source

Snuggle Weather

2011-08-01T18:56:00.000-04:00

Rabbit, rabbit! Hello, August!

Summer weather can turn on a dime. It was sunny and beautiful today and now it's hailing and lightning like crazy! After a long day of packing, it's making me want to get cozy on the couch like these guys!

or maybe this guy:

photos: pinterest

We found an apartment in a town that we are really happy with and the move is happening this week (eek!!) We will be staying with my parents for a few weeks until the apartment is available. It will be a busy/ sad/ exciting week of packing, cleaning and saying good-byes. Tonight we're headed to a new restaurant with some friends. My posts might be quick but I will keep the updates coming. There won't be any recipes this week, but I might squeeze in some restaurant reviews. Hope your week is off to a great start!

Dinner in the Park

2011-07-27T17:58:00.002-04:00

To celebrate our anniversary yesterday, we decided to pack up dinner and take it to our favorite park to eat. We've spent lots of time there- at the dog park, training for half marathons, planning our wedding and listening to concerts. I wrote about it in my favorite place post here.

I also decided it was a great time to take a family photo because:

1. I got a new tripod

2. My facebook profile picture is from our honeymoon

3. To commemorate a special day

Clearly, these are not in order of importance. Here it is:

My friend Meghan had given me the Betty Crocker Cookbook for Women: The Complete Guide to Women's Health and Wellness at Every Stage of Life (that is a mouthful!) as a gift a while back, and I decided to make the Calypso Shrimp with Black Bean Citrus Salsa yesterday. It was a big hit and perfect for a summer's night. Try it!

Shrimp and Marinade

2	teaspoons grated orange peel
1/4	cup orange juice
1/2	teaspoon seasoned salt
4	cloves garlic, finely chopped
1	lb uncooked large shrimp (21 to 30), peeled, deveined
1	tablespoon canola oil

Salsa

1	can (15 oz) Progresso® black beans, drained, rinsed
1	medium orange, peeled, divided into segments, membrane removed and cut in half
1/4	cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
2	tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1	teaspoon grated lime peel
2	cloves garlic, finely chopped 1In 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish, mix orange peel, orange juice, seasoned salt and 4 cloves chopped garlic. Add shrimp; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate up to 2 hours to marinate. 2In medium bowl, mix all salsa ingredients. Cover; let stand until ready to serve (or refrigerate if longer than 30 minutes). 3In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Drain shrimp; discard marinade. Cook shrimp in oil 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until shrimp are pink. 4Among 4 dinner plates, divide salsa. Arrange shrimp around salsa. I packed ours right into serving-sized tupperware.

3 Year Anniversary

2011-07-27T17:22:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was our three year anniversary! Our wedding day was filled with happiness, love, laughter and lots of dancing. Some of my favorite portrait-style photos of us from that day are on my about page, but I had fun looking through these fun shots this week.

The best part is that every single day gets better and better!

We are moving!

2011-07-27T17:08:00.000-04:00

First of all, I'm very sorry. If you still check this blog after weeks and weeks of me skipping posts, I love you! I've said several times that things have been busy, but I haven't really been able to say why:

We are moving up to MA next week! I had to wait to discuss this before it was official and everyone who needed to know knew. Thanks for bearing with me.

It has been a long and stressful process! We've loved living here because we have a lot of friends close by and have gained great work experience. For a while we've been itching to go somewhere that is more permanent and less "city". So, of course, there are mixed emotions. Sad to leave some wonderful friends and family, but excited to be near other friends and family! We know we will meet lots of new friends and visit here often.

Our plans are still not 100% finalized. We are so ready to be in a house, but we've decided it's best for us to rent for a while to get a feel for the area. We don't want to rush into anything. We are looking at about 100 apartments this weekend. We are both quite excited about our new jobs!

Our lives have really been mostly work and job searching for a long time now, so we are really looking forward to gaining some of that time back. I promise, promise, promise to be better about this blog. Do you believe me? Please keep reading :) I am also going to more with my photography on the side. I'm so happy to be able to have time for my hobbies again!

Stay tuned as our new adventures unfold!

-M.

Our Pigeons

2011-07-13T10:03:00.000-04:00

Well, the pigeons finally hatched. However, I don't think they will be going anywhere anytime soon. Look at those ugly little faces!!

Gross.

Sunscreen!

2011-06-29T21:56:00.000-04:00

We've had a few beautiful, beautiful summer days and I've been enjoying relaxing by the pool with a good book. Is there anything better? But before you go out there, please watch this video and please remember to wear sunscreen while you're enjoying your summer days. (I know I sound like my mom, but she is right!)

Have fun and take care of yourself!

Words to Live By...

2011-06-24T10:28:00.000-04:00

spotted on pinterest

Updates and Facts

2011-06-23T17:50:00.000-04:00

I've been doing some research and some observing regarding my pigeon problem. Here are some updates:

1. Max is also starting to hate pigeons

2. Lloyd is innefective (clearly).

3. There is now a second egg! I read that it is common for the second to come 24-48 hours later, and that they usually lay 2 eggs.

3. I have given up on balcony plants this year because I don't want to bother the pigeons.

4. I found out that the mom and dad take turns laying on the egg. While one sits on it, the other stands nearby on lookout. That's kinda sweet, at least.

5. A baby pigeon is called a squab. Also kinda cute.

6. Eggs take 18 days on average to hatch. Noooooo!

7. Pigeons can fly up to 50 mph. Wow!

8. They can travel up to 600 miles in a day!

9. Pigeons live about 5 years in the wild.

10. Pigeons have shaped history! They sent messages of Olympic winners in ancient Greece, Caesar used them to send messages to battlefields and in WWI a famous pigeon named Cher Ami saved many American soldiers. His body is in the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

Now we all know more than we ever wanted to know about pigeons. I still think they are gross.

Information Source

Fantastic

2011-06-23T15:11:00.000-04:00

Source: we heart it

A Problem.

2011-06-22T17:16:00.001-04:00

You guys, I have a problem. I could just tell you what it is in about 1 sentence, but then you would not appreciate the scope of this problem, and you would miss out on my overly-dramatic rave. So, if you don't mind, I'd like to begin at the beginning of this problem of mine. Let's go back five years when a fairly recent college grad moved out of her beloved suburbs to a small city in Connecticut. Just to be clear- that girl was me :)

Living in a city provided many opportunities and conveniences. Friends were always just around the corner or down the street, restaurants galore to try, live concerts on the street in the summer...it was a lot of fun. However, for a girl who went to college in New Hampshire, loves camping and spent a good part of her childhood catching frogs and building tree forts, living in a city also had it's drawbacks. Namely, I felt pent-up a lot. At the time, we were living in an old apartment on a busy but charming street. When I say old, I mean complete with 1970's avocado green kitchen counters. However, the price was right and the apartment had a HUGE balcony with a beautiful view of the city. I knew right away that would be my spot. I was in graduate school at the time and did much of my studying and reading out there, I made my phone calls home from there. I loved dragging out the card table, the wine decanter and decorating and setting up the entire area like a fancy restaurant when I cooked special meals, surprising J when he got home from work.

I spent the majority of my monthly budget on making that balcony beautiful. I went to Home Depot and bought lattice (I cut it myself with kitchen knives so it was perfect!), terra cotta pots, potting soil, a watering can and tons of flowers. I was so happy. I could be a city-girl!!

Enter my problem.

Guess who else loved my balcony?

I hate pigeons. They became the bane of my existence. They were so bold and disgusting, that if I was sitting out there studying and they flew over, they perch on my beautiful, ivy covered railing and not leave. But I would. I could only look at their yellow/ red beady eyes and listen to their gross cooing for so long. I hated sweeping up their poop and feathers. I tried to think of them as normal birds, and reminded myself that in some parts of the world they are pets or delicacies. They are intelligent and highly trainable-- maybe I could have my very own messenger pigeon? But at the end of the day, all I saw was a rodent with wings.

We tried various things to rid ourselves of the pests, and finally came upon the fake owl that we affectionately named Lloyd. We perched Lloyd on the railing and that worked for a while, but pigeons continued to bother me and remind me of why I needed to get out of the city.

Eventually we found ways to feel more balanced and my balcony became far less important to me. On the weekends we'd go to nearby towns to hike and run on trails. We would plan some weekends away. We eventually moved to another apartment building and rented a unit facing a beautiful courtyard, where we live now. When I walk Max out there, I see flowers galore, bunnies hopping around, children playing tag and birds flying by and I feel like I'm closer to home.

On Monday, I was walking Max in this beautiful courtyard, when suddenly, right in front of me, I saw 2 pigeons waddling around. I gave Max a "there goes the neighborhood," look, but I figured they were probably just off-track and would leave soon. I saw them again on Tuesday morning and I started to get irritated. However, last night, when I stepped out onto my balcony to water my flowers, guess what I saw?

That's right. We are playing host to a pigeon nest and I don't know what to do! They set up shop in a flowerpot that I have yet to tackle this summer. As much as I HATE them, I don't want to separate the mom from the baby-- look how perfect that egg is! If I move the entire flowerpot even, I'm afraid she will abandon it. Until then, should I pretend that pigeons don't give me the chills when I look at them and bear it?

So, that's my problem. Help me!

Brown Rice Casserole

2011-06-21T13:03:00.000-04:00

I've been a little stuck-in-a-rut lately when it comes to dinners. I have continued to cook almost every night, but I find myself making the same things over and over: things I know I like, are quick and easy, and don't require a ton of cleanup. However, I am bored. Yesterday I did some online and cookbook searches before making my grocery list. Here was experiment #1, Weight Watcher's Brown Rice Casserole. Described as, a "burrito in a bowl", I was instantly sold. It was quite tasty!


Ingredients: 4 cups cooked brown rice 1 1/4 cups salsa (I used black bean) 1 tsp ground cumin 15 oz can refried beans (I used vegetarian variety) 10 oz corn kernels (you can use frozen, thawed- I used canned, no salt added) 4 oz green chili peppers, diced (found near salsa in the store) 1 tsp chili powder 10 oz chopped frozen spinach or collard greens, thawed 3/4 cu low-fat shredded cheddar, divided 2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round or oval baking dish with cooking spray
In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish.
In another large bowl, combine refried beans, corn, chili peppers and chili power. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top.
Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens and then spread on top of bean layer; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired), cut into 6 pieces and serve.

Notes

Leftover brown rice works well in this dish. Or save time by picking some up at your local Chinese restaurant.

Source: Weight Watchers

Full recipe here

Big Apple Circus

2011-06-21T12:53:00.000-04:00

Last week we had the opportunity to take J's cousins and a little girl I babysit to the circus! J and I have been quite busy these days, and we were initially just excited to be able to spend the night together, but we ended up having a lot of fun! The circus was totally entertaining, and just watching the excitement of the kids was such a great feeling. Plus, it was all for a good cause: the Big Apple circus is a non-profit and gives a lot back the communities that host it. Here are some pics from the night.

Salad is Hysterical

2011-06-21T12:41:00.000-04:00

My sister always finds the funnies things online. I had to share this Hairpin post, "Women Lauging Alone With Salad."

In case you didn't know, salad is hysterical and fun (?!)

google it

2011-06-09T13:38:00.000-04:00

It's no secret that I love google and spend my free time googling whatever is on my mind. Today it is even more fun! Check out the fun, strum-able guitar on google.com today in honor of the late Les Paul's birthday. I normally use the chrome edition and had to click over to the standard. Happy procrastinating!

It's been too long!

2011-06-07T08:39:00.000-04:00

I've missed posting, and now that the school year is over (!!) I will be much better keeping up with this. The past few months have been fun but very, very busy. Summer has always been my favorite season, and I'm very excited for some of the new things it has in store. If you're still reading, be sure to check back often!

Carrots N' Cake

2011-05-02T19:44:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite blogs to read is Carrots N' Cake. Tina, the writer, has a great, balanced perspective to eating and her book just came out! I can't wait to get my hands on it. Check out her blog, her book, and this delicious recipe!

Cherry-Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Makes approximately 10 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well until batter is blended evenly.
Use a tablespoon to portion cookies on a greased baking sheet, approximately 1-2 inches apart.
Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes until cooked through.
Remove cookies from baking sheet and allow to cool on wire rack.
Eat and enjoy!

History in the making

2011-05-02T19:36:00.000-04:00

I'm sure that today is one that we will all remember for a very long time- Osama Bin Laden is dead. When we first heard, J and I were watching the Mets game last night and you could see the crowd, fixated on their cell phones, spreading the news. A "USA" chant went out, although the players had no idea why for a long time. We read the ticker along the bottom of the screen and turned the station to network TV so we could watch the president's speech.

I've seen pictures all day of crowds celebrating wildly, waving American flags and feeling avenged. I don't feel like celebrating- instead it makes me very sad. Nothing will bring anyone back from 9/11, or will end the horrors of terrorism. At the same time, we all feel a glimmer of hope and reassurance, and we must all be so grateful for the brave men and women in our armed forces who are laying down their lives to make our world a safer place.

Princess Kate

2011-05-02T19:22:00.001-04:00

Yes the media coverage was insane, and you can say what you will about the royal family. But, don't you agree that for just a little while it was nice to have an escape from all of the devastating news of late? I thought Kate looked beautiful, timeless and every bit a princess.

Teasing is not nice...

2011-04-19T22:09:00.000-04:00

Sandal Weather

2011-04-19T22:07:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I ordered myself a pair of these sandals that I have been wanting. Come on warm weather, I'm pulling out all of the stops to get you here!!

Some Good Advice

2011-04-19T22:00:00.002-04:00

source: Stay fancy free

Eggshell Planter

2011-04-13T21:49:00.000-04:00

I came across this great idea for a seedling planter in Real Simple. Poke an egg in the bottom of an eggshell half and use it as a seedling planter as you prepare your garden. The egg is totally biodegradable, and will disintegrate in the soil. You can plant the whole thing as-is.

Habitat for Humanity

2011-04-11T22:01:00.000-04:00

I few weeks ago, I volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity worksite in our community. This opportunity was organized by an internal volunteering group at my company (I’ll tell you more about it next week). Overall, this proved to be another great experience for me. I put in a full day of hard work, spent quality out-of-the-office time with my colleagues and really believe that I helped people less fortunate today.

First off, there are a lot of misconceptions about Habitat and the work that they do.

1. Habitat is not a giveaway program. In addition to a down payment and monthly mortgage payments, homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor (sweat equity) into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

2. Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable loans.

3. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.

More information is available on the application process and how families are selected. Visit: http://www.habitat.org/how/factsheet.aspx

Another thing that I was really impressed by was the people that we worked with. There was one full-time Habitat employee who was in charge and worked right along side use 8 inexperienced construction workers. There was also two volunteers that were placed with Habitat through Americorps. Most people know Americorps as US citizens traveling around the world to help people from other countries who are in need. These individuals were placed in the United States (one from Colorado and one from Massachusetts) to help local US citizens in need.

These two recent college grads (both help architecture degrees) were being paid very little to help give back to the community. There are currently a total of (I believe) five Habitat worksites in our area and they work 6 days a week and travel between each of them lending a hand.

It was great working along side these individuals who shared their experiences from the other sites and the families and people that they have met well into their 10-month commitment to this program. They too were moved by Habitat’s requirement for families to dedicate their time to help build the homes in which they would eventually reside. We heard a story of one father who worked days on his house and they worked nights to support his family. These families who are awarded they homes are very well deserving and very fortunate for organizations and the volunteers at Habitat.

In terms of the work that we performed, to put it lightly the day was filled with a lot of hammering. The worksite consisted of two four-unit townhouse-style condos. One set was near complete and we were laying the floors on top of the first story. The entire seven-hour day was spent moving supplies, prepping work, and gluing down, lining up and hammering in about 2,500 square feet of plywood.

I’m happy to answer any questions about Habitat and help put you in touch with a local habitat worksite.

-Jay

A Happy Monday

2011-04-04T20:48:00.000-04:00

After a nice weekend with my friends and family, I am very happy that J is on his way back home from Florida right now. As we speak:

I'm off to pick him up soon and I have a bunch of little surprises in store. (Yes, mostly food-related.)

Another reason for celebration tonight? It's Max's 2nd birthday today! I gave him a bath so he'd be ready to cuddle tonight :)

I hope your week is off to a good start!

-M.

Japan Relief from GAP

2011-03-29T22:14:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love a good GAP tee-shirt? (I practically live in the ones I have). For a limited time, GAP is selling these tees and the profits will be GlobalGiving's Japan Earthquake and Tsunami fund. Available on www.gap.com

Healthy Shopping Lists

2011-03-29T22:09:00.000-04:00

It can be daunting to just try to figure out what foods are good for you. There are constant studies being released and things can seem like miracle foods one day and things you should totally avoid the next. I always think of Michael Polland's quote, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants." By "food" he means real food. "Food your grandparent's would eat" he says. The whole foods that lack chemicals. He cites butter as an example. Margarine was a chemically created substitute that seemed perfect-- until we found out how awful trans fats are. The best solution? Real, whipped butter or a vegetable spread.

I cam across these healthy shopping lists from Jillian Michaels on self.com. I registered for the Jump Start Diet Plan as a way of seeing some new fitness routines and meals...mostly to break out of a rut. It is free and totally worth checking out if you need some inspiration or advice! Granted, these lists are based on weight loss, but I think it is a good guideline for healthy eating in general.

Adorable.

2011-03-28T21:10:00.002-04:00

My sister posted this on facebook and I thought it was so cute! I love the line, "it's okay if your shoes aren't doing it."

Enjoy!

Lines Written in the Early Spring

2011-03-27T22:46:00.002-04:00

Lines Written In Early Spring by William Wordsworth

I heard a thousand blended notes,

While in a grove I sate reclined,

In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts

Bring sad thoughts to the mind.

To her fair works did Nature link

The human soul that through me ran;

And much it grieved my heart to think

What man has made of man.

Through primrose tufts, in that green bower,

The periwinkle trailed its wreaths;

And 'tis my faith that every flower

Enjoys the air it breathes.

The birds around me hopped and played,

Their thoughts I cannot measure:--

But the least motion which they made

It seemed a thrill of pleasure.

The budding twigs spread out their fan,

To catch the breezy air;

And I must think, do all I can,

That there was pleasure there.

If this belief from heaven be sent,

If such be Nature's holy plan,

Have I not reason to lament

What man has made of man?

Vacation is over...

2011-03-27T22:43:00.000-04:00

Our place is sparkling clean, I had nice afternoons with friends, we had a great getaway ski weekend, my photo albums are complete (!!), I was able to get in as many workouts as I wanted, Max is totally spoiled from all of the attention, J is completely spoiled by all of the dinners, I had a great time in Boston visiting my college friends, and I am finally caught up on sleep...

I suppose I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow.

Try this tonight!

2011-03-25T10:33:00.000-04:00

I enjoy eating light, healthy meals of baked or grilled fish, but sometimes it gets old! This dish, a twist on traditional Italian panzanella is easy, refreshing, and very tasty! Ina Garten's original version of this recipe is here. I simplified it just a bit and used what I had on hand (namely, I just toasted whole wheat bread I already had rather than buy a bagette and sautee it) and I added salmon to make it a dinner dish, rather than a first course or a lunch. I also adjusted some of the proportions in the dressing based on my taste. You can easily ommit the salmon and make this a vegetarian meal, too. Try this tonight!

Greek Salmon Panzanella
(makes about 6 servings)

Prep time: about 15 mins--
For best results, let dish sit (to let dressing soak in) for about 30 mins

Ingredients:
Good olive oil

6 cups (1-inch cubes) French or Italian bread, fresh or day old OR 4 slices of any bread you have on hand t
1 hothouse cucumber (unpeeled)

1 red pepper, large-diced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 small red onion, sliced in half-rounds

1/2 pound feta cheese, cubed (you can use regular or low fat)

1/2 cup Calamata olives, pitted (I used a mix of calamata and green olives because I LOVE olives)

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: (adjust seasoning according to your taste)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon seasalt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350, and bake the salmon until cooked through- about 15-20 mins depending on thickness of the cut.

2. Ina wants you to sautee some french or italian bread in evoo and kosher salt for 5-10 mins until browned. If you are in a rush, want to reduce the amount of oil you use, or have leftover bread like I did, just take about 3-4 slices of whatever you have around and broil or toast until browned. Tear into 1 inch or so pieces.

3. Add diced tomatoes and cucumber

4. Now is a good time to mix

5. Add olives, pepper and feta and give everything a good toss

6. Here is a trick before adding your red onion: Microwave the slices for about a minute. The onions won't cook through but it will take off some of the kick-- and the onion taste wont linger in your mouth this way!

7. By now your salmon should be ready to add.

8. Now make the dressing. Mix the following ingredients very well:

(Extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic powder, sea salt, dijon mustard, ground pepper and dried oregano)

9. Give everything one last toss!

10. For best results, set this aside to let the flavors mix for 30 mins. I waited about...5 minutes and it was still very good :)

Enjoy!!

Target Fail.

2011-03-21T09:52:00.000-04:00

Eek, I never though the day would come where I would publicly say I disliked anything about Target, but I did mention on here that I had my eye on a few of the dresses from the Go International line. I picked a few up and I really was not happy with the fit, cut and fabric. I still love you target, but these dresses will be going back today!

Ski Trip

2011-03-21T09:42:00.002-04:00

We are back from a very fun trip to Killington, VT. We could not have picked a better time--we happened to be skiing on the warmest day of the season...it was a balmy 65 degrees, sunny and beautiful! Also, it is nearing the end of the season and most people do not have breaks right now, so there were very few people on the mountain. We did not have to wait in any lines or navigate through many crowds. We were also so impressed with the mountain itself. It is HUGE! At one point, we skiied from one base to the next and it took us almost 45 minutes. We realized afterwards, when we were driving by, that these points are over 1.5 miles apart...and there were bases much further away. Next time we go up we will definitely plan on spending serveral days on the mountain...I bet we could get away with never doing the same run twice!

I took my first gondola ride! I thought it would be a big deal, but it is actually much easier than riding a regular lift.

We had a lot of fun in the town of Killington itself. We stayed at the Mountain Inn (below) and we tried some good restaurants-- our favorite's were the Wobbly Barn Steakhouse and Outback Pizza. Everywhere seemed to be one-stop entertainment. All of the restaurants turn into "night clubs", so you can stay put for the entire night. We heard so much live music--- and good live music! The lounge at our hotel, the lodge at the mountain, and both restaurants had live bands...and they were all really, really good! As an added bonus, a free shuttle takes you just about anywhere you want to go. Everywhere was very laid back and perfect for some March Madness basketball watching. We took our brackets everywhere, and there was a lot of gloating involved from both parties.

Here are some more pictures from the trip:

Our friends let us borrow some snowshoes and we found some long trails. It was very cool until I started to get quite worried about the wide variety of animal tracks we were seeing and we promptly turned back!

On the way stopped at the Simon Pearce store. I was given a very pretty pitcher for our wedding and sometimes swing into the Greenwich store just to look at the beautiful pieces. We got to see the waterfall they use to generate all of their power, as well as glass blowers at work! You can also have lunch in their restaurant.

We passed through beautiful Woodstock, VT. If you want the VT experience and don't mind if you don't ski go here! It's adorable.

As you can see, all in all it was a very beautiful, relaxing and very, very fun trip. Fortunately I have one more week of break, but J is back at work and in Manhattan on this cold, rainy/snowy day. I always think that the trick with taking time away is bringing back what you gained from the experience to your everyday life. I think we both feel a little happier, refreshed, excited about having been to a new place together and maybe a little sore from all that skiing! :)

Photos: Spring in New England

2011-03-09T21:13:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's been a long week and we have a few rainy (well, downpour-y) days coming up, but the forecast for this weekend is 50 and sunny, and daylight savings is just around the corner. Plus, I have the next 2 weeks off. Hooray!

Looking at these photos I've taken makes me even more excited about spring!

Fake Fancy

2011-03-08T21:25:00.000-05:00

Want to feel fancy but not spend much money or time doing so?

1. As of March 13, Target will be relaunching many of the Go International dresses that they've featured for the past 5 years. Yes, all of the ones that I was planning on getting, but then they sold out and that engagement was over. Yes!

Here is what I have my eye on:

photo source

2. Then, make this delicious pomegranate-grape walnut chicken.

1. Preheat the oven to 350

2. Prepare 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts by sprinkling them with a very fine coating of garlic and back pepper, and then about 2 tablespoons of pure pomegranate juice.

3. Coat with crushed walnuts and halved black grapes

4. Bake until chicken is tender, about 30 mins.

This takes about 35 minutes from start to finish and looks so fancy with the walnuts and the grapes. Roasted grapes have such a great flavor!

I served with brown rice and green beans.

I think Kate Middleton would approve, don't you? :)

Things that are making me happy today

2011-03-02T20:56:00.000-05:00

1. Will you play with me? Will you take me outside? Will you cuddle with me? Will you love me always? Yes, yes, yes and yes. This dog has made me happier than I ever thought a dog could!

2. J surprised me with this apron a few weeks ago! He had it embroidered with my name and "Life With Relish" I love it!

3. They aren't really pretty, but wellies means that there is mud, and mud means that the snow has melted.

4. J's mom gave me this sweet little petite orchid for Valentine's day. It's alive and well, and I think that the new buds are going to be opening soon. Isn't it cute?

5. I came across this quote I had written a while back in a notebook I carry with me:

"He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how" -Nietzche

It reminds me not so much of my own life, but of the example that so many great people have set in enduring hardship and following their dreams. I'm happy I had the chance to stop and think about that today.

6. My plants are getting old! I figured out that I've had one plant that has been alive for 5 years now. Not a big deal for many people, but it's quite an accomplishment for me. Thank you plants for being something pretty to look at for another long winter!

7. While watering said plants, I stopped to look at this picture that one of my kindergarten students drew as a gift for J and I when we got engaged. I clearly remember her asking me, "What color are his eyes? How long is his hair? What color shirts does he wear?" This will always make me happy.

8. Last year at this time our bags were packed for Costa Rica! (You can see pictures and read about that trip here). While that isn't in the plans right now, this sign we have hanging reminds me of the wonderful attitude the people had there of "pura vida" and the way they appreciate nature and each other so much!

9. It got chilly tonight and I'm enjoying a hot chocolate out of these cute mugs that my sister got me for Christmas. I love the birds on the inside.

10. Did I mention that our old reliable 4 cup coffee maker broke a few months ago? After much heartache, debate, research and many caffeine withdrawl headaches later, we decided to get a tassimo. I think I've already saved money on my weekend latte splurge and the coffee is quite good, too!

11. Our healthy week!

With so much going on, we've really been trying to make an effort to be healthy recently. We realized that Max has an overabundance of energy, so J has worked some morning runs with him into his routine. I recently decided to cancel my gym membership since I've really been enjoying the variety of workouts I've been getting at the gym in our complex (intervals have really helped) and from DVDs and running outside. With the weather improving, I can't imagine staying inside to work out much longer. We've also been cooking a wider variety of foods this week, and enjoying our meals much more.

I hope you're finding little things to make you happy during the busy workweek, too. Goodnight!

-M.

The end of February

2011-02-28T20:51:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

This month completely flew by for me. It will filled with homemade hot chocolate, birthdays, scarves, playing with Max in the snow, sandy uggs (from our weekends at Todd's point), nights with friends and lots of stuff in between.

We spent the last weekend of the month in RI, visiting my family and friends. When we got back last night, we made a quick grocery store run so we'd be ready for the week, and I snuggled up with Max to watch the Academy Awards. I fell asleep for the big awards, but I was able to see what I really cared about-- the dresses. Oh, the dresses! Sigh.

My favorites:

(Photos from glamour)

With March 1st tomorrow, a week of above freezing forecasted temperatures and these beautiful, pastel dresses, I cannot help but think that spring is right around the corner. Granted we have a few more weeks (and a ski trip to go on!) but it is coming up. Yay!

Have a nice night!

Bear with me

2011-02-24T20:52:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy week. Well, a busy month! Bear with me, I have some fun things to share tomorrow and this weekend!

Have a good night!

New Intervals

2011-02-22T22:13:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone!

We had a long weekend full of dinners with friends, movie dates, errands and lots of job-related stuff. One thing we made sure to do every day was work out. The weekdays fly by so quickly that having the time to go to the gym on the weekend actually feels like a luxury, not a chore! I was debating training for another half marathon coming up in May. However, the snow and the cold has made it difficult to run outside this winter and I've found myself on the treadmill more often than not. To mix it up, I decided to do more cross training and to run a few 10 Ks this summer. Lately, I've been doing some new interval workouts. Here are a few of my favorite new ones. Enjoy!

1. Build up intervals (featured in self magazine)

Minutes Speed

1 5.0

1 5.5

1 6.0

1 6.5

1 7.0

1 7.5

1 8.0

1 4.5

Repeat 5 times

2. Jillian Michaels intervals (also featured in self)

Minutes Incline Speed

5 3.5 3.5

2 2 5

5 5 3.7

2 2 5.2

5 5 3.7

2 2 5.5

5 7 3.7

2 2 5.5

5 10 3.5

2 2 6

4 7 3.7

1 2 5.5

4 5 3.7

1 2 5.2

Soon I'll post some interval workouts for cycling.

Happy Birthday Rachel!

2011-02-17T22:00:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone is having a good week! Mine has been good, but quite busy. I cannot go to bed, however, without posting a happy birthday to my amazing sister Rachel. I love you very much, and I'm so lucky to have you as my sister!

Kale Chips!

2011-02-16T21:13:00.000-05:00

First it was sweet potato fries, now it is kale chips. Tonight I'm having both. Yay!

My mom made these for us the last time we visited! They are a breeze to make, tasty, and as addictive as potato chips, sadly!

photo source

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350

Cut thick stems out of kale- divide leaves into bite sized pieces

Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt

cook about 10 mins, until chips become firm.

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T21:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! So when I said that I don't think Valentine's day is all about flowers and chocolates, I did not say that I do not love getting flowers! J surprised me with these gorgeous lillies and roses on Friday!

On Saturday I ended up not babysitting very last minute, so we had an extra day to do some chores and errands. I know it sounds crazy, but even cleaning the house was fun this weekend, I was so happy. J took me out for a really nice dinner at Barcelona, which has by far become our favorite restaurant in town. Tonight, I wanted to surprise him, but was at a loss... so much of Valentine's day is geared towards women. I thought it would be funny to do a manly twist on traditional wine and flowers, and I went out looking for a cactus and a bottle of scotch! Well, try finding a cactus on Valentine's day! Instead, I got the scotch and a bunch of goodies like peanut m&ms, peanut butter cups, and his favorite ben and jerrys..yum!

Max got his first piece of mail today from J's grandparents...and yes, it was addressed to him! Look at how adorable this is:

Hahah. My favorite part? "Love, Great grandma and grandpa."

I'll leave you with something to watch that I came across and loved called A Love Story, Almost. Watch it, and then go say exactly what you mean.

(Spotted on a cup of jo)

Goodnight!
M.

Valentine's Gifts

2011-02-10T21:44:00.000-05:00

I am one of those people who really, really loves Valentine's day. I know many people moan at the mention of it, but I've come to see it not as a "hallmark holiday" of jewelry, roses, and chocolates, but as an opportunity to remind someone how much you love them!

J and I usually do a homemade gift or a $20 or less policy, which forces us to be creative! One year, I came home and he had covered an entire wall of our apartment with 8x10 photos he had printed of some of our favorite things/ memories. Some very silly, some very special. I think this will always be one of my favorite memories. I cleared out all of the furniture from one of our rooms and set it up exactly like a restaurant, printed menus and wine lists, and cooked a 3 course meal of his favorite foods (not hot-dogs). We went to the botanical gardens in the Bronx last year, got some goodies on Arthur Ave, and picked out a plant that we still have. This weekend we are planning on finishing up the scrapbooks we have been making, which go back to literally the first day we met. We've had so much fun looking at photos and ticket stubs-- I really can't think of a better way to celebrate our relationship!

I came across some other really cute gift ideas in the past few days that I wanted to share:

For your sister who loves to read, this pretty print from Etsy:

source

Guys-- pretty dishtowels to remind her of all of the places that are special to the two of you.

($20/ each, Uncommon Goods)

A DIY project from Martha-- bracelets for your cool best friend.

source

Do you love or hate Valentine's day? What are your favorite Valentine's gift ideas?

Your recipes: Mom's Roasted Vegetables

2011-02-08T21:32:00.000-05:00

These are one of our Thanksgiving favorites, and are perfect for the winter veggies that are in stores these days!

photo source

Roasted Vegetables

Prep time: 20 minutes
Start to finish: 1 hr 20 minutes

• ¼ c butter or margarine
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried sage
leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ lb Brussels sprouts, cut in half (2 cups)
• ½ lb parsnips, peeled, cut lengthwise into quarters, then
cut into 2 inch pieces (2 cups)
• ½ small butternut squash (about 1 lb), peeled, seeded
and cut into 1 inch pieces (2 cups)
• 1 bag (8 oz) baby carrots (2 cups)

1. Heat oven to 375˚. In a 1-quart saucepan, melt butter.
Stir in sage and garlic.
2. In ungreased 13 x 9 inch pan, place remaining
ingredients. Pout butter mixture over vegetables; stir to
coat.
3. Cover with foil. Back 45 minutes. Remove foil; bake
uncovered about 15 minutes longer or until vegetables
are tender. 6 servings (1 cup each)

From: Betty Crocker

Looking for more ways to incorporate winter vegetables into your diet? Check out these suggestions from Cooking Light.

If you have a recipe to share, email it to me at lifewithrelish@gmail.com..I love hearing from everyone!

The Mondays

2011-02-07T22:16:00.001-05:00

Oh man, did I have a case of the Mondays earlier today! Let's blame it on staying up too late for the superbowl!

I came across a poem I had printed out tonight, "Do It Anyway," which is always uplifting. It is said this was printed on the wall in Mother Teresas room. I hope you like it as much as I do, and that it makes you happy as well on a Monday night!

photo: Life With Relish photography :)

Do It Anyway

People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spent years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Source

Specialty Pizza

2011-02-03T21:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday

I hope that everyone in the northeast is staying warm and steering clear of the ice and snow. I thought what better way to warm room and your pallet than through some home-cooked pizza ideas.

Let me first start by crediting Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and Chef Andy Nusser for a great dinner we had a few weeks ago at a restaurant of their that opened nearby in Port Chester, NY in Fall of 2008. I guess it was over two years ago but we spent our first visit recently and it lived up to the hype. Although we didn’t experiment with their creative pizzas, we did sample their meats and cheeses, wines and other great main dishes. I highly recommend this place if you find yourself in the area. There is a great bar area with tables and the menu is creative and can be managed price effectively if done right.

My main take away was, we need to get creative with our pizzas from time to time and try something out of the ordinary. Check out their pizza menu – http://www.tarrylodge.com/dinner.cfm

I’d like to start by saying that all of the credit goes to M on this entry...I am just the reporter here. M. made two gluten-free pies (1-specialty pie) for us this past weekend that combined some Batali-inspired ingredients, but with M.’s own combinations. Check them out:

Sautéed broccoli rabbi, turkey meatballs, pizza seasoning and a fried egg (I had to fry the egg)

Sautéed onion and pepper

These were both great. Although onion and peppers are pretty common on pizza, sautéing them really increased the flavor. The turkey meatballs were great, we both love broccoli rabbi and the egg was really good. It moistened the pizza and added a great flavor that worked well with the seasonings.

I can’t wait to experiment more. Thanks M!

-J.

Comments

2011-02-01T20:31:00.001-05:00

I made it a little bit easier for you to leave your comments on posts! Just click on where it says "COMMENTS" after the post.

You will see this:

Write your thoughts in the box.

Next, click on the drop-down menu where it says "comment as". This is a feature of blogger that I find inconvenient, but I have not found a way to get around yet. However, you can now leave comments as an anonymous user, meaning you don't need a google account, openID account, or a URL. (Even if you post as an anonymous user, you can sign your name in your comment!)

Once you have selected your profile, click "post comment" and you're all set!

I hope this makes it easier for you. I really love hearing your thoughts, ideas and feedback!

Warm Mocha Tart

2011-02-01T20:22:00.000-05:00

Rabbit, Rabbit and happy birthday to my cousin, Gina! This weekend, my mom, sister and I had so much fun at a surprise birthday party her mom had for her in RI.

This week, I've been cooking a lot, running a lot and going to bed early and exhausted! I already found out tomorrow I have ANOTHER snow day (today was yet another early dismissal) due to this crazy ice storm. So, tonight J and I are hanging out with a glass of wine and the movie Despicable Me! (In case you are wondering, this is our fifth snow day, and we have not had a full week since before Christmas! Things have been hectic!)

Today I want to share a recipe that Gina sent me for a Warm Mocha Tart. It sounds so delicious...I can't wait to try it!! These tarts always look so beautiful and impressive and are great to bring to a dinner party.

photo source

Use a 9 1/2 inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
For crust:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

for filling:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or dutch-process)
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder, or 1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee crystals (she says to start with lower amts and then add more if you want more coffee flavor - she actually uses about 1/3 of what it calls for - with the instant coffee crystals she grounds them first with a spoon, too, to make them really powdery)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS:

make the crust (make sure to cook the crust all the way before pouring in the chocolate filling, that way the crust will stay crunchy.)
1-position rack in lower part of oven and preheat to 350 degrees
2-mix butter, sugar, salt, & vanilla in medium bowl. add the flour and mix just until well blended. don't worry if the dough seems to soft. press all the dough very thinly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan.
3-bake for 20-25 min or until the crust is a deep golden brown

make the filling
1-place butter, sugar, cocoa powder, and cream in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mixture is blended and smooth and begins to simmer around the edges. remove from the heat and stir in the espresso powder and vanilla
2-just before the crust is ready, whisk the egg thoroughly into the hot chocolate mixture
3-pour the filling into the hot crust and TURN OFF THE OVEN! leave the tart in the oven until it quivers like tender jell-o in the center when the pan is nudged, about 10-12 minutes. then, cool on a rack.

Sprinkle lightly with confectioner sugar (optional)
Serve warm or at room temp

Enjoy! Stay warm and safe everyone!

More snow!

2011-01-27T15:16:00.000-05:00

Although it is very pretty, I would be quite happy if I did not see another flake of snow this winter! I did tag along this morning when J and Max went for a walk and took a few shots.

Stay warm!

Your Recipes: Rachel's Black Bean Chicken

2011-01-26T20:32:00.000-05:00

It is snowing here AGAIN!! We had an early dismissal from school, and are expecting another 8 inches or something crazy overnight. I'm glad at least that this weather provides us with a great opportunity to cook some meals and try some new recipes. This week, I'm especially excited to share the recipes you have sent me!

The first recipe is a chicken dish from my sister, Rachel. I can't wait to try this recipe this weekend. I am a huge fan of soy sauce/ ginger/ garlic flavors together, and I think I will make some "fried rice" (brown rice mixed with peas and carrots and crisped a little over the stove) to go along with it.

Black beans happen to be realllly good for you: high in fiber and antioxidants. photo

Black bean chicken

Ingredients:- 1/2 can of black beans
- splash of white wine or water
- 3 T soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1/2 t ginger
- small amount of honey or sugar (optional)
- 2 chicken breasts ( I like to use the thin sliced kind)
Olive oil for cooking chicken

Heat a small amount of oil on cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven.

In a mixing bowl, cover black beans with wine or water. Let sit for a few minutes, then add soy sauce, garlic, ginger and honey or sugar. This mixture can sit for a while (even overnight) or be used right away.

Remove cookie sheet from the oven (it will be very hot!) and place chicken breasts. Spoon bean mixture over the chicken and cook until done

Enjoy!

A big weekend

2011-01-24T19:28:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone!

We had such a busy and fun weekend! It began with Friday night dinner at the Tarry Lodge in Port Chester, a Mario Batali restaurant. The food was delicious. I loved the overall atmosphere of the place had so much fun with our friends. We've been trying to go out once a month with them to try new places. We alternate which couple picks the place, so J and I have a lot to live up to for the month of February. (Mexican month).

On Saturday morning, I was up bright and early and off to babysit for 12 hours. It went by quickly, but it was a loooong day. I was happy to lay low on Saturday night and watch a movie.

Then, on Sunday, we did a few errands and then met my two "bffff's", Meghan and Renee who, at the last minute, decided to come down to visit me for the day! It was such a happy surprise for me. We caught up, looked at photos, laughed a lot, and met up with some other friends to watch football. As usual, we had so much fun together. I wish I had a picture to share, but the only one I have is of me wearing a beret and giant sunglasses in a bar (I told you we always have a little too much fun together).

I had so much trouble getting back into the swing of things though today. I made it through school and tutoring, but I pretty much crashed the second I got home. I decided to skip the gym (I hate doing that), skip the meal I planned on making (I hate doing that even more) and order one of my feel-better-go-to-takeout meals. I feel like I might be getting a cold, but I'm hoping that a very relaxing night will be all I need to get back into the swing of things and I'm just tired from the weekend. Either that, or I'm still reeling from the new that Oprah has a long-lost half sister. Wow.

I hope you had a good weekend as well. Thank you for sending me some of your favorite recipes! I'll be sharing them this week! If you have not, there is still time! Email it to : lifewithrelish@gmail.com

Have a great night!
-M.

Free Beer

2011-01-20T21:30:00.000-05:00

J. here to chat about gluten-FREE BEER. It’s not as exciting as free beer but it is also not bad at all. M. has been incorporating gluten free foods into her diet and I have been supportive, but now I have joined her. We are both focusing more on wheat-free grains as we learn more about the health benefits they have.

I have a condition called GERD, which stands for Gastroesophageal reflux disease. It is a condition that could lead to damaging of the esophagus and potentially more serious conditions down the road. Well,

we’ve come across research linking a gluten-free diet to reduced symptoms of GERD.

Enough about GERD and more on beer. So my experiment has begun with two types of gluten-free beers: Bard’s & Red Bridge.

Both beers were pretty good. They contain the same ingredients - fermented sorghum, hops, yeast – containing no wheat, barley, rye or oats. Here’s the skinny:

Brand: Red Bridge

Brewer: Anheuser-Bush

Taste: Light, but tasty, not filling, smooth, but almost flat

Ingredients: Sorghum, hops, yeast

% Alcohol: 4.8%

Calories: 133

Brand: Bard’s

Brewer: Bard’s Brewing Co.

Taste: Good taste, heavier, nice ting/level of carbonation, but an empty taste

Ingredients: Sorghum, yeast, hops

% Alcohol: 4.6%

Calories: 155

I’d recommend both, Red Bridge if you plan on throwing down a few and Bard’s if you are looking to enjoy one or two. I look forward to hopefully filling everyone in on the positive health effects of a reduced gluten diet and some great gluten-free products to try.

I’ll talk to everyone next week and don’t forget to send in your recipes.

-J.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!

2011-01-19T07:07:00.000-05:00

Today is my grandma's birthday, and I want to send lots of love and happiness her way! She is a reader of the blog, and it makes me so happy to know that she and my grandpa are able to follow it.

I always think of my grandma as one of the sweetest, kindest, but also strongest people I know. When I was younger, I loved to watch her put on her makeup (I will always remember the times she let me put on a little lipstick and "rouge" and taught me how to blot it) and wear her jewelry. I thought she was the most glamourous person in the world!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from over the years:

Borrowing some jewelry and playing with Bandit, her dog.

With my sister and my cousin Kristin in Ohio

We are looking very serious at the beach....most likely searching for shells.

This picture is very special because it is three generations: grandma, memere, mom, rachel and I

My college graduation. Borrowing her earrings again!

At our wedding

having dinner at the Montgomery Inn

listening to music in Blue Ash

Thank you for so many happy memories! I love you and can't wait to see you again soon.

Snow Day Scrapbooking

2011-01-18T19:18:00.000-05:00

Good news: we fixed the sink by ourselves! I know you must have been worried :) Plumber shlumber. Can you believe that we had another snow day today?? This one was mostly ice, and the roads were pretty nasty. Rumor has it another storm is on the way on Friday. Who wants to move to California with me?!

I spent the bulk of my day shredding it with Jillian (she's so mean), snuggling with Max, and working on my photo scrapbook. I started this project back in the summer, and whenever I have the chance I like to do some updating. I have a long way to go, so let this be a lesson to you all: in this age of digital prints, don't forget to print real photos! You might end up like me, walking to CVS in wellies and a ski jacket, carrying an inside-out, broken umbrella (hood up and covering my eyes to the point where I have to look up to see, defeating the purpose of a hood) in a freezing rain storm, USB in hand like a crazy lady, only to spend an hour at the instant photo machine and waaaay too much money! It was not a pretty sight, but I was so happy to be back in my warm apartment where I buckled down for the entire afternoon (about 6 hours) with my gluestick, pictures and photo sleeves.

Random happy memory from the scrapbook: Camping in Maine

I love working on the scrapbook, because it reminds me how lucky I am to have such wonderful friends, family, and of course, J. The scrapbook begins in our senior year of college when we met, and it is so fun reliving those memories. I found myself feeling very nostalgic over times past...times that I found stressful when I was actually living them, such as college graduation and wedding planning. It was a helpful reminder to put things into perspective. Things that seem like little problems now are not what will matter in the long run.

I'm off to finish dinner (salmon, zucchini and quinoa pilaf) and put a few finishing touches on this chapter of the scrapbook so I can surprise J when he gets home. I hope you stay warm, dry and safe tonight. Please, please, please (I'm begging) don't forget to send me your recipes to lifewithrelish@gmail.com !

-M.

A Call To Action

2011-01-17T19:06:00.001-05:00

So, when I said "stay tuned for an announcement" in my previous post, I actually meant I was immediately posting it...I'm not one for suspense :)

One of my favorite things about writing this blog is having the chance to share what I'm up to with all of you, and I particularly enjoy sharing recipes. For me, cooking is a personal thing. Some recipes were taught to me by family. Sometimes I feel creative and come up with something new. Sometimes I'm in the mood for something specific. Sometimes I'm looking for something quick and healthy and sometimes I want something hearty or unusual for a special occasion. I cook for a lot of different reasons, and it invokes a lot of different moods. I hear back from some of you that you've tried some of the recipes I've featured over the past year. Today I'm asking you for some new ideas. I'd like to feature your recipe here on Life, With Relish.

Do you have a favorite dish? It can be a dessert, appetizer, snack or main. Healthy or decadent. Maybe your grandma taught you how to make it, or maybe you discovered it on your own. Please send me your recipe and a little bit of information about it to lifewithrelish@gmail.com. I'll be collecting recipes all week and will be featuring them next week.

I can't wait to hear from you!!

-M.

Happy Monday

2011-01-17T18:50:00.000-05:00

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We had an extra day off today for MLK Day-- I still get chills whenever I hear this speech!

Our weekend was filled with family, friends and, of course, football. Yesterday, right before the pats-jets game (omg, what was that???) we took a quick break from the action, bundled up, braved the cold, and took Max out for some playtime.

We never thought he'd go in the freezing water, but he is not one to be outdone by other dogs. I'm pretty sure that under that adorable boston terrier exterior he is a lab-boxer mix.

*****

In food news, I was quite excited to share with you my recent success making sweet potato homefries this weekend! We had a mini brunch yesterday and the homefries made the meal.

However, the joy that was 10 minutes of enjoying these was fleeting. I ~~stupidly~~ unknowingly and absentmindedly put the potato peels down the garbage disposal and....well, google "garbage disposal and potato peels" and you will quickly find out that it pretty much forms an instant clog. The past day has involved lots of buckets, rubber gloves, rolled up sleeves, drain-o...and we still need the repairman to come tomorrow. Boo, me. But on the bright side, I have learned another item to add to my list of "never put this down the sink" and I did discover a tasty new breakfast twist. Do try using sweet potatoes for breakfast. I just diced mine, and sauteed in olive oil long and slow with a small, chopped onion, seasoning with sea salt, ground pepper and old bay as I went.

Stay tuned for an announcement!

-M.

Snow Day with J.

2011-01-13T23:09:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone.

J. here to saying hello. I look forward to sharing some of the things that I am focusing on in this new year. As for today, I'd like to quickly provide some feedback on a recent workout that I had the pleasure to do with M this week.

As you know, yesterday the northeast got crushed with a snow storm that left most of us stranded at home for the day. M. shared some of the activities we did and I'd like to elaborate a little more on our morning workout.

I've still been following Crossfit, which I am addicted to but occasionally I will throw in a hard day of a cardio or interval running. Yesterday, we decided to attack an interval workout that M. discovered earlier this year - Quick-treadmill-intervals-workout. It was my first time trying it so I let M. do the directing as I followed beside her on my treadmill and did as I was told.

I really enjoyed our 30 minute run. It takes your speed up and keeps it up so that you feel like you are resting but you are still running at a high speed. The intervals change quickly so you don't get bored and the last five minutes throw in inclines that mix things up and keep your body guessing.

For me, this was a great way to jump start a great productive day that I enjoyed at home with my wife and son (well, dog I guess...just don't tell him that).

Working at home

Have a great New Year and I look forward to sharing more with you next week.

-J.

Not Cool

2011-01-12T17:01:00.000-05:00

While I do appreciate the snowday (J had one, too!), I don't know how much more snow I can take this year. It's only January. January! I know up near RI/ Boston, they were looking at 2 feet. I think here it's about 1 1/2. I was fully planning on taking some pretty pictures to share with you, but everytime I thought about it, I immediately thought, "I'm not going out there!" So, you'll have to settle for this photo of downtown Stamford from the Stamford Advocate.

We did make good use of a snowy day, though! This morning we went to our complex gym and ran intervals together. We both pretty much worked all day (I did report cards, J did a different type of report). We took a break to make and eat lunch. J had picked up The Social Network from Redbox last night, and ~~grandma~~ I fell asleep at 9:30 or something, halfway through, so we finished it up at lunch. It's time for a little more work before we break to make dinner. (I just realized all I've really said today is "Are you hungry yet?" and "I'm really, really cold." I just keep saying those two things over and over! I've also caught myself looking up flights to California. Ohhh it's one of those days.)

Hope you enjoyed your snowy day if you had one, and that you're staying nice and warm.
-M

2011 Themes

2011-01-10T22:43:00.000-05:00

At the beginning of each school year, I spend time discussing rules and creating routines for my class. We come up with the rules together, and I lead them in a discussion of what type of behavior is appropriate in allowing us to achieve our goals. (Do you see where I'm going with this yet?)

Here's how it works: First, we ask each child to write down (or draw) their "hope and dream" for the school year. It may be something like, "to make new friends" or "to learn to read". Next, we ask the kids to share their hopes and dreams and we display them. We then talk about how we should act, since we want to make sure everyone has the opportunity to realize their hope and dream. For example, if we want to make new friends, we should share. We should be kind to each other. We should not push. We should help each other when we are hurt. We should listen, etc. We generate TONS of "rules" this way.

Here comes the important step. We turn these "rules" into more overarching themes. We still call them rules, but they are much broader. We discuss examples of each rule in action. They usually boil down to something like this: Respect yourself. Respect others. Respect your environment. Be safe. We end up with a few more (this year someone said, "Always be loving," and I could not resist putting it up there), but you see the general idea. Each student signs the poster I create (and yes, it's in the shape of a heart), and from that moment on, we are all bound by these rules and accountable to them. It is much easier for children to remember these principals or guidelines than it is to remember many small, detailed rules, but it always works. It is easy to remind a child to use a quieter tone because other students are working, and she agreed to respect others. Similarly, organization and management becomes easier. (Example: We need to respect our environment, so we have to be sure to return our materials to the right spot).

Now do you see where I'm going with this? As you may realize, I'm a goal-driven person, and I enjoy creating lists of things I want to do and going after them. This year, however, I was still floating a ton of ideas up in the air. (Do I train for another half marathon? A full? Should I be eating meat? That trip I want to take? Buy a house? Where should I volunteer? Should I quit the gym and join a yoga studio? Plan a reunion with old friends?) I felt like I was getting too bogged up in all of those little "rules" so I decided to turn my ideas into 2011 themes. Here goes so far:

ready for 2011

1. Focus on balance. I know what is important to me, but I also know that it is very easy to get up in daily routines. This year, I hope to keep balance in my mind as I make decisions and plan for events. I'd love to train for a race, if I have the time to focus on it. I'd love to see friends for dinner, even if it means skipping yoga. You get the idea.

2. Remember gratitude. Last year, I heard someone say something to the effect of, "Your entire life should be an expression of utter gratitude." That had a real effect on me. I do believe that remembering how much you have to be thankful for puts so much into perspective. This leads me to my next theme...

3. Give back. This has always been very important to be, and I'm developing some ideas on this front right now.

4. Seek new opportunities/ take chances. I am not really a spontaneous person, and I probably never will be. I'm not looking to buy a one-way ticket to anywhere on a whim, or go skydiving. Rather, I want to remind myself that when it comes to chasing after certain dreams, risks are involved and it takes a certain degree of "putting yourself out there." You never know until you try.

5. Live my healthiest life. This final theme is related to the others. By this, I do not mean totally change my diet and exercise for hours each day. What I mean is to remember how important it is to feel healthy and active. Let's face it, we all have days when we would rather get takeout. These continuous snow storms keeping me inside on the treadmill are not helping my attitude, either. What I hope is that I can motivate myself to be as healthy as I can be, while remembering that balance (that word again) is key. We all need a little bit of rest and a few indulgences here and there!

Here's to an exciting, healthy, happy and fun 2011!

-M.

Happy Sunday!

2011-01-09T09:51:00.001-05:00

I hope you're having a great weekend! I have a love/ hate relationship with Sundays.
Love= no rush to get out of pj's, usually no gym, football, a big meal, no work.
Hate= going crazy trying to get everything done before it all begins again on Monday!
I actually woke up ready to go this morning, and although my mental to-do list keeps getting longer, I'm ready to tackle it.

We've had a good weekend so far. On Friday I had a SNOW DAY!! J got out of work early as well. Max was one happy dog. On Saturday morning, we woke up early and took Max to the beach so he could run around on the sand, one of the few places we could think of not covered in snow. He had a blast playing with a German short-haired pointer, sprinting the length of the beach and leaping over tide pools. We were quite impressed. In the afternoon, we met up with our friends and headed to another friend's apartment in NYC. We all went to a surprise party for our friend Sean, who just finished writing this book! All in all, it was a great night, but I'm looking forward to a quiet (and hopefully productive) day today!

A thought for the week:

I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.
-Van Gogh

image source

Have a great day!

Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes

2011-01-05T21:08:00.000-05:00

I came across this recipe in Real Simple magazine this month. It recommends using a slow-cooker, but last night I made it on the stove-- I chopped everything while I was making my dinner for the night, and simmered it on low until I went to bed, and it worked out just fine. Even though it has no meat, J still suggested that I make it for the superbowl...any girl knows that is the ultimate compliment from a guy!

Veggie Chili with Sweet Potatoes

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped (I just used a little garlic powder)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin (I skipped this because 1. I don't know what cumin is, and 2. I don't have any)

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 tsp ground cinnamon

dash of sea salt, dash of ground black pepper

1 28 oz. can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 16 oz. can black beans

1 16 oz can kidney beans

(I also used 1 16 oz can chickpeas-- I got carried away!)

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

sour cream, sliced scallions and tortilla chips to top

In a large saucepan, combine ingredients with 1 cup of water (I used a little more since I used extra beans). Bring up to a boil, then reduce to lower setting for 3-4 hours, stirring and allowing chili to thicken.

(Slow cooker directions: cover and cook until sweet potatoes soften and chili thickens, on low for 7-8 hours, or high for 4-5 hours)

Enjoy!

Classical Music is Tight, Yo.

2011-01-05T20:39:00.002-05:00

I cannot stop laughing at this youtube clip of Josh Groban singing Kanye West's tweets on Jimmy Kimmel! Woah, woah, let me back up...Mom, Kayne West is a rapper. "Tweets" are short thoughts that people post on Twitter. Twitter is a website, like facebook, but we will save that for another time. You just need to know that Kanye West is a prolific "tweeter".*

* My mom is actually quite good with technology and does okay with pop-culture, too. I'm teasing her because we had a funny conversation tonight about her challenges with text messages!

The good, the bad, and the ugly

2011-01-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

The good news? For Christmas I got these 2 pairs of pants that I love. I've been back for work for 2 days. I've worn both already. I felt pretty good about my outfits these past few days, and would say that I'm on a roll in 2011 fashion-wise :)

However, they both felt a liiiiiittle bit snug this week! I guess in a way I'm glad vacation is over! We're back to healthy eating/ exercising around here, and tomorrow I have some new recipes to share. Even though it feels like a bit of a struggle after 2 weeks of fun, my wardrobe will thank me.

Pants, Ann Taylor loft

Sweet Potato, Squash and Ginger Soup

2011-01-03T19:54:00.000-05:00

I love soup and I make and eat a lot of it. This month, I'm going to post a few of my recent favorite discoveries. I came across this recipe in The Hormone Diet by Dr. Natasha Turner. This soup is so healthy (and compatible with anti-inflammatory and glyci-med diets) that I think you feel better inside and out just by holding it, and it tastes delicious, too! Of course, I modified the recipe a tiny bit. Here's what I did:

Sweet Potato, Squash and Ginger Soup

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
about 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
6 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
1 pear, cored, peeled and sliced (I used a bartlet)
1 apple, cored, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 spanish onions, chopped
2 tbsp. evoo
3 tbsp apple juice or white wine (I used white wine)
black pepper, to taste
cinnamon to garnish

1. Place potato, squash, carrots and ginger in a large saucepan with the vegetable stock. Cover and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to simmer for 30 mins, or until veggies soften.
2. Place pear, apple, onions, evoo and wine in a separate saucepan and cook over med heat about 10 mins, until everything softens.
3. Add pear mixture to the saucepan with the veggies and mix well. Allow all to cook together an additional 10-15 mins.
4. Puree all ingredients together (I used an immersion blender)
5. Top with cinnamon

Enjoy!

What I learned in 2010...

2011-01-02T13:35:00.000-05:00

2010 was a year of exciting trips, accomplishments, cooking experiments, dog park afternoons, hikes, friendship and fun. Not everything went as I had hoped or planned, but I learned so much from my experiences this year I and I am very excited to welcome 2011. Here are a few lessons I took away from some of my experiences this year that have made me very happy and comfortable with where I am as we enter this new year:

1. From the running I did this year, (a 4 mile race, a 10 k and 2 half marathons), I learned about myself. I learned to have confidence in myself. I learned that I can do something that I put my mind to. I also learned to go easy on myself, and to accept that there will be bad days and good days. I was reminded that to achieve a big goal, it helps to celebrate the little steps along the way. (You can see some of my training plans and see links to races and workouts here).

2. I had the chance to travel a lot this year, both near and far! J and I went to Costa Rica in March, and it was a life-changing trip. The lesson there? Pura Vida! Costa Rica is a beautiful, ecologically rich country, and the people there appreciate the land and their lives so deeply. It is inspiring, to say the least.

We went up to Maine, and connected with a childhood friend in Portland before heading up to Arcadia. The views from Arcadia are enough to take your breath away, and it is impossible not to think twice about how lucky we are to be on this planet when you are somewhere like that!

We went to Florida a few weeks ago, and had the chance to see family and recharge during a hectic holiday season. To be honest, I felt so stressed and overwhelmed before we went that I almost wished we could stay home, but a few days of relaxing and getting away made me feel like I could come back ready to do anything in 2011!

Other travels took me to Cape Cod to see another good friend, Montauk for a girls weekend, Philly with my mom, and lots of local trips to RI and NYC with friends and family. We celebrated weddings with friends in Lake George and Hartford, and visited our college in NH a few times. Each time, we were reminded of how lucky we are to have such close family and friends, and how special all of the memories we get to make with them are, from the silly (Meg, I'm thinking of laughing too hard to be able to steer the canoe away from the boats in the Cape!) to the serious.

3. We celebrated our second anniversary in Newport this summer. People say that the honeymoon phase ends, but our second year of marriage was even happier than the first, which was even better than the year before, when we were engaged, or before that, when we were dating. Of course, we have ups and downs like every couple (just ask us how finely celery should be cut for chicken salad. Grr!), but I've learned to not let a day go by without letting J know how much I appreciate and love him for who he is and all that he does, and I know he does the same. I feel like whatever comes our way, we can lean on each other to get through it together, and I know I am so lucky.

4. This year, I've learned the importance of valuable downtime. It's not being lazy, it's necessary, and it comes in a variety of forms. I've found that I relax by taking the time to cook dinner. When I'm playing with Max at the end of a long day, I literally feel the pressures of the day melt away. As much as working out can be a chore, I value that time because I know I can use it to think clearly or to clear my mind. Sometimes when I have downtime, I simply want a redbox movie, J, Max and the couch. On the weekends, J and I will use the time to discover nearby places, like a new restaurant, botanical gardens, or new trails to hike with Max. I love heading out and taking photos. This year, these small moments of "downtime" have really helped us to be ourselves and to focus on what makes us happy.

5. Having faith. I think for me this year, having a stronger faith in general is what has made me the most happy. I went to Catholic school, and have always believed in God, etc, but this year, J and I made more of an effort to go to church and get involved ourselves. We joined our own parish, and tried to give back whenever we could. For me, faith isn't just about going to church and praying, but it's also about becoming trusting, open and loving towards whatever and whoever cross your path. I've tried to proceed through life this year with an open mind and an open heart, and I think it's made me stronger and happier.

I know that 2011 will bring more experiences, lessons and memories and I'm looking forward to sharing some of those with you!

M.

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T21:46:00.000-05:00

And, Rabbit Rabbit! I've had the best December break, travelling and relaxing with J, seeing lots of friends and family, going out, staying in, and getting lots of precious SLEEP! We've kept pretty active, but I definitely had more than a few "off days" when it comes to working out and have been eating more take-out too...sounds fun right?? I don't want it to ever end, but on Monday we both go back to work. Poor Max will be beside himself I'm sure. For that matter, so will I!

As 2011 begins, I've been thinking about my goals for the year ahead, and reflecting on the year that has just ended. I can honestly say that 2010 was a very happy year for me, and I think a big part of that was being able to take the time to appreciate all of life's small and large blessings here on this blog. Thank you for reading and giving me the opportunity to do that. I'll share more of these thoughts tomorrow, and I'll be back to writing regularly, but for now I just wanted to send the warmest wishes for a healthy, happy and safe New Year!

-M.

source

Florida Pictures Part 2

2010-12-26T16:45:00.000-05:00

Florida Pictures Part 1

2010-12-26T16:26:00.001-05:00

Post-Christmas update

2010-12-26T16:20:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone!! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas, and got to spend a lot of time with your families. It has been a busy few days traveling and seeing as many family members as possible, but today the snow we're still in RI and the snow is falling down hard-- finally a good time to slow down and catch up. The view from my window a few hours ago was very pretty- you can see the snow falling down over the pond. Now, everything just looks...white! We're in for 16-20 inches in this neck of the woods! Whoopee!!

Just to catch you up: we were in Florida on vacation from the 17th-24th (well, midnight or so of the 23rd I guess). The trip was our Christmas gift to each other, and we were able to spend such good time together relaxing, having fun, making some 2011 plans and just enjoying life in general. We also celebrated J's birthday down there with a Sunday football day. And, although it was a vacation, there may have been a few 4 or 5 mile runs thrown in there as well. It is so nice to be able to get some exercise outside in the winter!!

We had all of our shopping/ wrapping done before Thanksgiving (ew, yes, I'm that annoying), but we knew it would be a BUSY Christmas eve. We made a list on the car ride home from the airport and decided who would do what. We woke up around 9, and by the time we went to J's parents house at 3, Max had been picked up, bathed, had his nails cut, and given his heartworm pills, We had shucked 2 lbs of littlenecks (no easy feat!) and made clams casino and another appetizer, and both of our cars were packed-- one for Christmas eve with J's family and one for Christmas morning with the stuff we needed to go to RI, and we had visited J's grandma. How's that for teamwork?

Getting these things done quickly let us be able to enjoy our families so much for the holidays without any stress. On Christmas eve, between J's younger cousins, Max, and all of the food, we all lost track of time and stayed really late! We hit no traffic on Christmas day and got up here in plenty of time to have breakfast with my family and open gifts with our family. We'll be staying up in RI for a few days, so we can do a lot of catching up with everyone.

Our trip, and sharing Christmas with everyone, were such great reminders of how lucky we are, and I hope I'm able to hold onto those reminders when things get stressful.

I hope you're recovering from and enjoying the post-Christmas feeling and staying warm wherever you are!

Hello From Florida!

2010-12-20T22:41:00.000-05:00

J and I got here on Saturday, and have been having a great time together doing some exploring and a lot of relaxing! Yesterday we celebrated J's birthday at Boston Beer Garden...in Naples :) Today, we headed to the Everglades to go on a fan-boat ride.

I'll post more pictures soon. Hope you're having a good week so far!

LUNCH

2010-12-17T20:29:00.002-05:00

Jay here to talk about that meal that falls in the middle of the day, that we call lunch. For me, this meal becomes the most important for me to get through the day. I however, would not call it the best meal of the day. On weekends, it sometimes causes problems and during the week it makes me feel like a dog. I’ll explain…

So M. and I usually do our weekly shopping on Sunday as I’m sure do most of you. To prevent having to drop $8 on lunch everyday, I pick up a loaf of whole wheat bread, lettuce and 1 lbs of a cold cut (totaling about $12). This lunch option therefore saves about $28/week. I know that does not sound like too exciting of a sandwich. It also means that I eat the same thing every day. This is why earlier I referred to myself as feeling like a dog. For variety, each week I will buy different types of bread and different cold cuts. About the extent of my excitement will be sometimes adding cheese and an occasional topping like bbq sauce, mustard, or Italian dressing.

Other than saving money, this lunch option keeps me fit and gives me good energy to get through the day. I don’t understand how people can order lunch out and get these large heavy means and feel energized to tackle the afternoon. I do understand that eating cold cuts can be perceived as not that healthy because these so called processed meats are often packed with sodium. To counter this, I usually get the lower-sodium option as well as substitute cold cuts for a tuna or real chicken that M. will cook on Sunday. The amount of meal that we get out of a bird last me all week and gives me the option of a fresh chicken sandwich or a variety of chicken salads.

So I know that this post is getting boring so I’ll talk about my weekend lunches. On the weekends, I have time to make a sandwich or whip up some other options. I’ve been known to Panini’s or large salads. Sometimes we go with just leftovers from dinners throughout the week. Other times, we starve. I say this because I finish my cold cut for the week, we have no leftovers and haven’t gone shopping, so we are left with nothing. We have lately been able to plan for this and have also enjoyed some nice Saturday meals out.

When I do have the time and supplies, I have been known to make some great sandwiches. I like them thick and meaty, but they need to be editable verses the ones that aren’t even possible to pick up and bite. I plan on sharing some of my masterpieces down the road and know that throughout the year M. has already displayed a few for you all to see. Check out what I made today:

Ingredients: Leftovers from the week including cold cut (chicken), pesto, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, Health Nut bread

-J.

A Whole Salmon (!)

2010-12-15T21:53:00.000-05:00

J and I were at our new favorite hangout, Fairway Market, this weekend, when we saw a great deal on salmon. ($5/lb). The caveat? You had to buy the whole salmon. This seemed like a big undertaking, but I reasoned that I could freeze much of it and make several meals at this good price. By now you must know that I can't turn down a good deal. The man at the counter (fish butcher?) kindly filleted it for us and de-boned as much as he could, while I looked around, disinterested, crossing items off of my list.

Maybe I should have paid more attention, because I wasn't really prepared for the 2 giant fillet pieces that plopped onto my counter when I unwrapped the paper. Next time I will remember to ask them to cut it into much smaller pieces, but for today, I wielded my largest knife and started sawing through the scales. It wasn't pretty, and gross fish juice and pieces ended up everywhere. (I'm normally the kind of person who is serious about cross contamination, and I use a different cutting board and knife for everything, wiping down surfaces immediately.) This huge fish ended up flopping all about my counter and I was going crazy trying to open the dishwasher with a pinky that did not touch the fish, or get a clorox wipe without actually using my hands to open the lid. I washed my hands about 1,000 times in scalding hot water, and thought for a fleeting second that I had indeed developed the worlds fastest case of salminilla poisoning, but in the end, I was able to cook 2 pieces, wrap and freeze the rest, and enjoy a very tasty dinner of teriyake salmon, rice and veggies. J and I both thought that the fish had a much different texture and was a lot better, despite my hack-work. Everyone is entitled to a Julie and Julia moment now and then, right?

A Birthday Wish

2010-12-13T19:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was my Grandpa's 86th birthday, and I just spoke to him and my grandma on the phone. He has called himself "the world's best natural athlete" (just challenge him to a game of ping-pong or cornhole and you'll see!), but that is just one of the many things I admire about him.

It makes me very happy to know that he and my grandma read my posts regularly and can see what I'm up to from Ohio! Happy birthday, grandpa. I love you very much!

December Weekend

2010-12-12T21:13:00.000-05:00

We had so much fun this weekend and I don't even want to go to bed because I don't want it to end! On Friday, we left work early and headed up to Hartford to see our friends get married. The wedding was gorgeous (it even flurried for the photos!). We had so much fun with our friends (including some we don't get to see often) that we ended up getting back to our room some time around 330 am!

Then, on Saturday, my mom and sister came to visit! We spent the day going into NY for a girls day. We saw the Rockefellar center tree, did some window shopping and general sight seeing. It was such a perfect day (not even too cold!) When we got back, we went out for a nice dinner and a glass of wine at a new local restaurant and came back and cozied up by the fire and watched movies. They spent the night, and Max spent his night snuggling with them :)

Here are some highlights from the weekend:

Brrrr!

2010-12-08T20:53:00.000-05:00

It's cold outside. How cold, you ask? Well, I'm huddled up on the couch wearing one of J's flannel shirts, fleece pants and my favorite "foot duvet" slippers. J is wearing a winter hat. We are encouraging Max to lay on the couch and snuggle with us. He has been doing his business in record time outside, because he can't stand the cold either. At recess at school today, there were a record number of skinned knees because the ground is frozen solid.

It's definitely a night to hibernate and admire your Christmas lights and light a fire. I wouldn't trade it for the world (Maybe that is because I know next week I'll be on my way to Florida!)

Christmas Cookies

2010-12-07T20:36:00.001-05:00

I have Christmas cookies on my mind tonight! I've been doing some online snooping and tearing through cookbooks and magazines to get ideas. Here are a few of my favorite finds:

Pomegranate White Chocolate Chunk cookies from Two Peas and Their Pod. Follow the link for the recipe. If these taste half as good as they look I'll be in heaven! Plus, I'll take any excuse to buy a pomegranate!

Every year I make gingersnaps. I make the old fashioned kind, and dunk half in white chocolate. They are so Christmasy and my house smells good for a week! I spotted these adorable yogi cookie cutters from Baked Ideas on Jenna's blog this week. How cute and what a great stocking stuffer idea! Ahem, hint, hint :)

I'm most excited to make my grandma's peanut butter hershey kiss cookies. They were my favorite, and I always found it big of myself to select those to leave out for Santa with a big glass of milk and carrots for the reindeers. That type of a sacrifice had to ensure I was getting what I asked for, right? Well it always worked, but these days I am relieved that I don't have to share them if I don't want to.

Okay I have to go call my mom for the recipe!

-M.

Train Show at the Botanical Garden

2010-12-06T21:55:00.000-05:00

This weekend, Meg and her boyfriend spent the weekend in NYC and CT celebrating her birthday! We met up with them on Saturday at the NY Botanical Gardens for the annual holiday train show. It is basically a big Christmas display of lights, model trains, and replicas of past and present NYC monuments made entirely of botanical materials. Here are a few highlights:

If you go, know that this event gets packed, and plan for a crowd. Also, make sure to order tickets in advance. I thought it was a cool sight to see, and should be on any greater-NYC to-do bucket list!

When the show was over, we walked through the rest of the gardens. J and I looked at each other and seriously debated packing up and moving to Costa Rica for a while. Then we remembered we were going out to dinner on Arthur Ave, famous for it's Italian restaurants, and decided we can hang around for a bit :)

I hope you had a great weekend!

-M.

Winter Wonderland for Dogs

2010-12-06T21:41:00.001-05:00

I'll admit...I've been pretty negative about winter this year. There is one other thing I love about this season, though! Todd's point, a beach/ park in Greenwich, allows dogs to run on the beach from December- April. Max can run with us now (generally about 3 miles) and it is well worth bundling up in layers to spend some time on a Saturday in a beautiful place. We like to stop for breakfast (or at least hot coffees or teas) before we get there, so that after we run we have something to keep us warm! There is also a concession stand open there, and frequently fund-raising kids will be selling some type of treats, too.

Max and J playing fetch

That seashell collection every kid has? I kinda still have one.

My only camera was my phone, but you can faintly see NYC on horizon to the right

On the way home our wet and sandy dog slept like a baby in my running jacket

Knees to Elbows

2010-12-02T21:04:00.000-05:00

It's Thursday with J. and I want to share some user feedback on CrossFit. I unfortunately took about a three week hiatus after completing a consistent two weeks of workouts. Following the recent Thanksgiving break, I am now happily back in the gym and looking forward to each day’s workout.

So far it has been quite challenging getting my muscles in shape to withstand the high reps and intensity that CrossFit entails. I have enjoyed the variance in workouts and the introduction of some new exercises. My favorite so far is “knees to elbows” - Knees to Elbows Demo. This exercise involves hanging from a pull-up bar with your elbows at a 90-degree angle and elevating your knees forward and up to touch your elbows. This may look a little unorthodox and crazy but it is not as hard as it looks. I really enjoyed using my core to perform this exercise and feel that my abs benefited more than they used to through leg lifts that I have done in the past.

I want to share two workouts with you today. The first, is what I was greeted with this past Monday after a long weekend of eating, drinking and being merry with family.

Run 1600 meters
Rest 3 minutes
Run 1200 meters
Rest 2 minutes
Run 800 meters
Rest 1 minute
Run 400 meters

I performed this on a treadmill and it was pretty easy to calculate the distance in miles as it was displayed on my machine. I made it through better than anticipated. This interval-like training run was a great way to start a new week.

The next workout is from a few weeks ago and to me, it is a perfect example of what CrossFit is and what I like about it. This workout is called the "Lumberjack 20". I performed it with less weight than recommended and am proud to say that I almost completed every single rep.

Lumberjack 20

20 Dead lifts (275lbs)
Run 400m
20 Kettle Ball swings (2pood)
Run 400m
20 Overhead Squats (115lbs)
Run 400m
20 Burpees
Run 400m
20 Pull ups (Chest to Bar)
Run 400m
20 Box jumps (24")
Run 400m
20 Dumbbell Squat Cleans (45lbs each)
Run 400m

I am going to continue following the “workout of the day” on http://www.crossfit.com/ throughout the winter. The workouts are perfect for doing in the morning before work (about 20-30 minutes) and very little equipment is required most days.

Let me know if anyone has any questions or comments.

Have a great weekend and check out M's post below from today as well.

-J.

Chinese Takeout

2010-12-02T20:12:00.000-05:00

This is what happens when I am in the mood for Chinese takeout but don't feel like looking through menus or spending extra money on food:

Shrimp Miso soup with Rice Noodle and Veggie side. There is no recipe, but for the soup, I began with a low sodium chicken broth, and added 1 tsp of soy sauce, some ginger and lime. Add green onions, bok choy and precooked shrimp.

For the Noodles, I began with soy sauce, ginger and a little sesame seed oil, and added bok choy, peapods and baby carrots. When vegetables were almost done, I added the rice noodles to the wok.

I'm pretty sure it would have taken longer for the delivery man to arrive. Poor J worked later and misunderstood my intent: I walked into the room to see him eating everything together in 1 bowl...he reports that works, too, but I'm not so sure!

Baked Ziti

2010-11-30T21:03:00.000-05:00

It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The stockings are hung. (Ironic story: The one on the right, covered in dog bones, belongs to Max. You may notice a gaping space up top. There was once a big, felt bone there that read "Good Dog". Well, the other day I walked into the room to find the "good dog" bone, lots of felt and string hanging out of his mouth. Good dog.)

J brought us me some beautiful flowers yesterday! Green pine and berries, red roses and white carnations. I'm clearly not the only one who loves these! We decided to crack out the artificial Charlie Brown tree again this year. Last year we got a beautiful, full, real fir. It was gorgeous, and I enjoyed looking at it, but I wasn't a fan of the vacuuming and watering and general mess in an apartment with carpets. (Hopefully next year we'll have a room with hardwood floors to put it in because there is nothing like a real tree!) Plus, this year we are traveling before Christmas and don't want the tree to die/ topple while we are away.

Tonight I made a quick and healthy "quiche" for dinner. It isn't quite the real deal since there are fewer eggs (it uses nonfat cottage cheese instead). While that was cooking, I had some fun experimenting with a baked ziti recipe for tomorrow. I've learned that the trick to experimenting with a recipe is to do it when you are not hungry-- like after dinner!) This took a few more steps (and dirty dishes) than I would like for a quick meal, but it looks worth it to me and I'm excited to eat it tomorrow after spin!

Baked Ziti:

1. Boil whole wheat ziti (or pasta of your choice)

2. At the same time, brown a yellow onion and 1/2 lb lean ground turkey

3. Drain pasta and turkey-- add 1 cup shredded, light mozzarella cheese and 1 large can of diced tomatoes (no salt added). Add red pepper flakes, parsley or other seasoning you like to taste.

4. Bake in caserole pan at 375 for 30 mins

Enjoy!

-M.

A Happy Thanksgiving Week

2010-11-29T22:07:00.000-05:00

Whew, where to begin?!

First off, today is my friend Meghan's birthday. Happy birthday, Meg! Thank you for always being such a good friend :)

I had the best extra -long weekend, filled with family, friends, love, laughter and lots of delicious food. LOTS of delicious food. Too much delicious food! I got to spend the weekend with my grandparents from Ohio (hi guys!!) and saw college friends in Boston, relatives from home I wish I saw more and went to a URI basketball game. (No trip home during the winter feels complete without going to a game!) Of course, Max had fun with his "cousins" too. While coming back can be difficult, and I already feel a little homesick, I feel very lucky to have had so much time to see everyone!

My long weekend left only one thing to be desired...I was having so much fun enjoying everyone and everything that I unfortunately don't have any photos to share with you!

I'm very excited that it is almost December (my tree is already decorated, all gifts are purchased and wrapped, and cards are halfway done...I need help!) but I know these next few weeks are always a big crunch, especially at school. Luckily I have lots of new happy memories to draw upon if things begin to feel a little crazy.

I hope you were able to spend some time relaxing, reflecting on life's blessings and connecting with loved ones over the past few days. We have a fun few weeks ahead and I'm excited to share some of it with you!

Christmas Cards

2010-11-23T21:58:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving 2 days away, I would like to tell you that I have already purchased my Christmas cards. Not because I'm impressively organized, or found a great bargain, but because I truly enjoy sending them out each year. Yes, an email is easier and cheaper, but I'm a sucker for that warm, Christmasy feeling that comes from connecting with family and friends during this special time of year. Here are a few favorites I came across:

1. New England Beach-- obviously.

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2. I love love.

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3. Max??

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4. This fun Andy Warhol angel print inspired this card.

Source

Will you be sending cards out this year?

Tasty Weekend/ Scary Food

2010-11-21T23:09:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! With the help of Whole Foods, we had a pretty delicious weekend. I know this doesn't look like any fun at first, but you'll see we made the best of it.

source

I'm still learning more and figuring out exactly how I want to handle gluten, but for now I'm realizing that it's manageable.

On Saturday night, we went to a new (to us) restaurant in Darien called 1020 Post for a family dinner. J and I split the best meal of mussels (my favorite), shrimp, scallops, clams and monkfish in a tomato broth. It was delicious and I loved every single bite. I raved about it. Although it had a lot of shellfish, it didn't feel heavy at all, either. However, today, while I was thinking about how I can recreate this recipe at home, I made the critical mistake of googling "monkfish", which as far as I knew was just the white, benign tasting fish in the dish. Go ahead and do it. I screamed. Loudly. Then I read a NY times article proclaiming it the "veal of the sea" but I still do not feel better. At all. If I end up making this dish, it will be with something less threatening! I also found out it's over-fished, and I do feel bad about that :(

Anyways, I'm off to see if this Giants can pull this game off and then I will attempt to sleep after being so startled. I hope you had a great weekend!

-M.

Wednesday Surprise

2010-11-17T20:44:00.000-05:00

Happy hump day! It's already been a long week for J, logging late, late hours at work. Today, at 6:00, I was so surprised when my phone rang. I was looking at the gallons of chicken soup I had left over, and at the list of meals I had planned for the week. I made the soup on Sunday, along with a gluten-free pizza (meh). Although I bought groceries and planned on cooking the past few nights, since I've been solo, I've been surviving solely on soup and pizza. (I'm not complaining.) The best part is I've used that cooking time to do other things I love. Like yoga. And running. And snuggling with Max.

"Leftovers again," I thought. The phone rang just in the nick of time. It was a short conversation. We didn't need to save much.

J: "Happy hour?"
Me: "Yes!"
J: "I'll call when I'm outside."

And so, the story of a busy few weeks has a happy ending. One involving half-priced sushi rolls, and finally being able to talk to each other (not on the way out the door or on the way to bed). We even got home from happy hour early. We turned off the tv and are about to make some popcorn and play a card game. (I suggested popping in one of my yoga dvds, but that got a quick "no!")

As for the leftovers, we'll still plug away at them! I also have leftover brown rice from the soup. I like saving yogurt for a meatier afternoon snack, and am running low on gluten-free breakfast choices for the time being. Tomorrow, I'm going to try this hot rice breakfast drink from the one and only Martha.

Hmm, I'll keep you posted!

-M.

Thanksgiving Season

2010-11-16T21:16:00.001-05:00

I have to be honest, I'm getting really sick of pumpkins.

And turkeys, and pilgrims, and the whole bit. (Don't forget, I'm a first grade teacher. I'm swimming in this stuff right now.) Thanksgiving has never been my favorite holiday. To me, it's always been the holiday where you sit and eat and eat and eat until everyone collapses into a tryptophan -induced- food-coma in front of a football game. I've always wished that after the leaves fall, we could just fast-forward to Christmas. As I've gotten older, I've come to love Thanksgiving, and every other holiday, for what they really are: gatherings of loved ones. Times to enjoy life together. Eat a lot, laugh a lot, talk a lot. There will inevitably be a thousand mini holiday disasters. The turkey might get dropped, the stuffing might be dry, the cake might stick to the bottom of the pan. It may be difficult to schedule visits to family and friends who are scattered all around. We might be freezing during those high school football games. We might never want to sound out the word p-u-m-p-k-i-n again, or mention the Mayflower. We might already be stressing over holiday budgets, or finding the perfect gifts for everyone. All of this will happen, and none of it will matter. What we remember each year is sitting around that table with our family, spending time with our friends, and creating lasting memories.

Max got a pink snuggie for christmas last year. He clearly didn't like the color, but it was the thought that counts :)

In a few weeks, the Christmas season will begin. I'll finally be able play my music without feeling ridiculous. I'm sure I'll be writing about my 2 annual Christmas pilgrimages, to NYC and LaSallette. Maybe this year I will finally get the perfect shot of lights through the snow! I already know exactly what I am going to buy for everyone, and can't wait to go shopping. I'm very excited for all of this, but for now, I'll be looking forward being with family and friends, and... pumpkin pie and turkey.

-M.