in regards to the spring pasta

So the day after I made that delicious pasta (below) I had left over mozzarella and a green pepper so what did I do? I made some more! But all the past I had left was whole wheat (which Dave would almost rather cut off his own foot than eat, but I used it anyway ;) and to pacify my sweet husband I added bits of bacon. And guess what? He loved it! He actually wanted to make it the night after but I'd had quite enough. So lesson learned; to get Dave to eat something, throw in a little bacon.

...Speaking of bacon, have you ever baked it before? Oh. My. Gosh. Soooo much easier than even microwaving it, and I used to be a die-hard microwave-r of bacon (can I say that? just did I guess). You just line a pan, the ones with edges like a pumpkin roll pan, with tin foil, turn up the oven to 400 degrees and cook for 15-17 minutes. Once done, take the bacon off and place on paper towels, then use paper towels to soak up the extra grease on the pan, ball up the tin foil and voila! No mess! No having to decide where to put the extra, hot, smelly bacon grease. Amazing. It's like a whole new world! A bacon world that is.

a spring pasta

This pasta is actually from my husband Dave's imagination if you can believe that. He did serve a mission in Italy and all ;)

Ingredients:

1 can of corn (I prefer canned or fresh)
1 'ball' of fresh mozerella cut in cubes
1 green paper also cut in cubes
pasta, bow-tie or shells are what we like
olive oil
salt and peppa
basil (chopped, dry or fresh)

I don't really have exact measurements on these because we kind of just eye-ball it. After cooking the pasta and draining it thoroughly, put in a chilled bowl and mix all together. Coat the pasta with olive oil and add salt, pepper, and basil to taste. Then chill for at least a half an hour.

It's a refreshing, spring pasta that we love, and super easy :)

a sunday drive

We all had fun on our Sunday drive. I just wish it would be a tad more warm. An no wind. Is that too much to ask? Sooo time for summer.

success!

The baby shower was a success. Thanks to Jess, Hayley and the rest of the Doxey girls. This is Andi, the prego girl - isn't she too cute? And that's our gift there on her left.

It was so fun to get together with the Doxey family whom we just adore - all four girls, mom and patient, loving Dad. They are one of the funniest families you will ever meet - four girls yelling, laughing, arguing, and crying with their ever-patient dad quietly loving every minute.

Ta da! Our gift, a baby tub - in the shape of a whale, awesomeness.

*

Although I didn't end up making whoopie pies (I'm saving them for another party... want to invite me? I'll bring dessert!), I did make my own concoction and this is a hint:

You can find the recipe here on the best food blog ever.

Yes my friends. It's Earth Day. I do love Earth Day. This all started about two years ago when me and some of my 'Europe friends' (as I call them because we bonded on our Europe study abroad in 2004), decided we needed an excuse to get together and do something fun. We do this frequently; we have Fall parties, Winter parties, St. Patrick's Day parties, weekly Lost parties... oh we're a bundle of fun.

Last year we decided to have a picnic out at Sugarhouse park (KFC - delicious! that's my once-a-year indulgence), and played games. The year before we made fruit smoothies, played games and watched Planet Earth in Blue Ray (that show is amazing fyi). This year we're celebrating Earth Day later on in the week, *hopefully*, and going to the new Disney movie Oceans.

I like loving my planet - call me hippie I guess.

In case you're wondering, no, I don't really recycle and I'm not one of those nuts who eats only natural food. But I still love Earth Day :D

Oh and I think I'm going to make whoopie pies for a baby shower I'm helping host on Saturday for my friend Andi. And I think I'll re-create my delicious sour cream, strawberry, layered cake in a trifle. Oh yummy...

whoopie pies

Apparently I talk a lot about food at work... and on my blog... and whenever I'm around anyone... I'm cool with that. My co-worker told me today that I talk more about food than all the anorexic girls she knows (in case you're wondering why she knows so many anorexic girls who are fixated with food, she did ballet at the U).

So I recently went to a new place by my work called The Corner Bakery Cafe and was in heaven. Good food and delicious desserts. I tried out a pumpkin whoopie pie and I think you all should give it a go. Absolutely yummy. This place is so adorable too, it looks like a chic 1920's cafe and has to-die-for food (I promise I'm not getting a kick back by telling you all this ;)

So today I looking up whoopie pie recipes and trying to find an excuse to make them... and somehow not eat all of them by myself, which I can do I assure you.

summer

I am so ready for the long, lazy days of summer.

Can I have a summer vacation please? Remember what those were like in grade school? Like where you really had nothing other than cleaning your room and going to swimming lessons on the schedule? The rest of the time you just played at one friend's house after another and made mud pies (ok I never did the mud pie thing but totally wanted to - I'll have to ask my kids if I can join them in that venture someday... if they'll let mom join them).

I should have been a school teacher...

I want a summer vacation from work!

masquerade ball anyone?

I bought this Venetian mask in Venice (go figure ;) and I love it. Have you ever seen the scene in The Count of Monte Cristo where the son goes to Venice for Carnival and everyone is dressed up and wearing masks? I TOTALLY want to go there and dress up (I'm such a girl aren't I?!). Apparently they still do that every February in Italy.

So I was thinking that we should have a masquerade ball/party here in America... anyone want to host it? I'm all for attending but I so don't want to be in charge. Anyone up for the challenge? I'll help....

have I ever told you...

Have I ever told you that someday I want a farm. Now I say this without really thinking about what that all entails.... like really feeding animals or weeding or planting things... I guess what I really would want is a well run farm that I owned but someone else ran that I could visit frequently. Wouldn't that be nice? I think so.
Oh I also really want horses - 3 actually. Now Dave would have me tell you my reasons of why I want 3. Well 1 would be lonely, 2 would get sick of eachother, and three would make a fun mix... dumb reasons? Probably. Like I said, don't really want to run the farm, just enjoy it :D I'm not too logical about the whole thing... obviously. Someday right? We all have to have dreams, and this happens to be one of mine.

another absolute favorite

Can I just say I absolutely love this picture, I mean like love it so much that I want to BE in this picture. Friggin fantastic.

Curtesy of Red Robin actually - I don't know who took it but it's hanging up in your local Red Robin. If anyone has more info on this picture please enlighten me.

in case you ever wondered...

These are my favorite flowers. You can get me some sometime if you want....

I love the orange-ish, reddish colored roses {I've doctored this picture so the colors are a tad more vibrant}.

Dave gave me this particular bundle like a year ago 'just because,' isn't that just the sweetest thing you ever heard? I certainly thought so.

Love ya hon. And Happy Friday one and all!! Hurray for weekends and no work!

just the cutest

My nephew and my dog Sophie. Adorable. Enough said.

oh she has my heart... the little beast

So I had to write a post about my squishy, overweight, adorable kitty, Lola. I drove home yesterday from work and coming off the off ramp there was a little animal that had been hit and I swerved to not run over it. I discovered it was a little black and white cat and it just broke my heart. It looked like it was sleeping. Ok so I kind of sound like a cat fanatic right now but seriously it made me so sad to think that that could be my cat that someone hit and just left it in the middle of the road in danger of being hit again. So I made sure to come home, pick up my Squishy and give her a kiss, glad the little brat is still around.

spring please stick around this time

Seriously? Snow? 6 inches? Seriously?!

Spring you let me down this time... don't let it happen again.

happy easter to me

Thank you Dave! This was the best Easter present ever!!

{I'm kind of a nerd in case you haven't figured this out yet -

I love these movies and adore the books. Can't wait to watch them!}

baby shower thoughts

A few friends and I are throwing a baby shower for our dear friend, Andi, and I've been getting into the spirit of things - exploring cute ideas all over the internet. I found this adorable pic and want to imitate it/customize it to our baby shower. There are so many lovely ideas on the internet but I have to keep reminding myslef this needs to be done on a shoestring budget.

Any ideas, my creative friends, to help me out? Would love some steller advise...