Hydrangea Love

I shared back in April that my mom had gotten me 2 hydrangea plants for my birthday. Hydrangeas are one of my absolute favorite flowers. We had them in our wedding. I love the beautiful, huge blooms and how even just one bloom looks beautiful & full in a small vase.

This plant had major transplant shock after we planted it (and I'm sure the fact that we had a couple of late snows didn't help!)  Its leaves turned brown and it was looking sad and small next to the other plant of a different variety that fared much better.  But, in the last few weeks, after a nervous call to the nursery by me earlier this spring (during which they assured me it wouldn't die even if the whole plant turned brown) and lots of care & watering by Truman, tons of new bright green leaves popped out and it began to look much healthier.  Last week, my little hydrangea plant bloomed and I had such joy in my heart to see this single beautiful bloom!  I had to take a photo to document it.  There are lots of other buds growing, so I am hopeful that there will be many more blooms before the summer is over.

Copycat Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

It's officially my favorite time of the year....the Christmas season!  We decorated the day after Thanksgiving and I'm enjoying the festive white lights every evening.  My perfect winter drink is a Starbuck's Peppermint Mocha.  But, when I'm cozy at home and it's cold outside, I don't always want to bundle up and head out for coffee.  I was excited when I came across a copycat recipe I could make at home, and I was even more excited when I tried it!  It's so close the real thing (and a lot less expensive, too!) 

You will need to purchase Starbuck's Peppermint Syrup.  You can buy a very large bottle of peppermint syrup at Starbucks for $7.99.  Just ask at the drive-thru or counter and as long as they have enough bottles in stock, they will sell you one.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons powdered rich hot cocoa (I use Ghirardelli hot chocolate)
3 tablespoons hot water
1 1/2 tablespoons peppermint syrup (Do not try to substitute mint extract.)
1 serving of espresso (I use our small stovetop Bialetti to prepare the espresso)
1 small mug of warm 1% milk (I just heat it up in the microwave)
Optional:
whipped cream
red sugar crystals

Directions:
Warm the milk in the microwave in a small mug or on the stovetop.
Place hot cocoa powder in the bottom of a large mug.  Add the hot water and stir to combine well, dissolve the hot cocoa powder, and make a thick chocolate syrup.  Stir in the espresso.  Add the warm milk & peppermint syrup and stir together.
If you want to make your drink more festive, add whipped cream & sprinkle with red sugar crystals. 
Enjoy!

Spring in Bloom: Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day!

One of the fun surprises of the first spring in a new home is what pops up in the yard that you didn't know was there!  In the last week, three trees in our backyard that I didn't know were flowering trees, have begun bursting with absolutely beautiful pink spring buds. 

After a spring shower this afternoon, I wanted to capture our yard in bloom against the bright blue sky that came after the rain. I thought they were the perfect to share in celebration of Earth Day today, and the beautiful creation the Lord blessed us with!

I also adore these grape hyacinths that have popped up beneath the flowering tree.  There are more buds and more things getting ready to bloom, and I am excited to see what other spring surprises our yard has in store.

I have also decided that I am going to add a new regular feature to my blog.  Earth Day seems like the perfect day to announce Live Green Tuesdays!  Each week, I am going to post a quick tip of easy ways to live greener and healthier.  An eco-friendly life doesn't have to be difficult or expensive (in face, it can help you save money!)  I hope that these tips and tricks will help you to make choices, without a lot of hassle, that will protect the beautiful earth that God has entrusted to us and help to keep it beautiful for years to come...so our children and grandchildren can enjoy it too.  We've been trying to make greener, healthier choices in our home, and I'd love to share some ideas I've found with you.

Watch for the first tip on Tuesday!

And coming tomorrow on Food for Friday, Chicken Parmesan Burgers...

Food For Friday: Chicken Enchiladas Mornay

I absolutely love Mexican food. And these enchiladas are one of my favorite Mexican dishes to make at home. They are easy to prepare and perfectly creamy and cheesy. One batch makes a large pan full, so they are great to share with friends!

Ingredients:

6 tbls. butter
6 tbls. flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 tbls. grated parmesan cheese
1 small can mild diced green chiles
2-3 cups cooked chicken, cubed (4 breasts)
10-12 flour tortillas
3/4 cup grated or shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup sour cream

Sprinkle chicken with garlic salt & pepper (or add additional spices such as chili powder, cayenne pepper, cilantro, etc. I usually add a little chili powder or cayenne pepper to mine.) Bake at 375 for 25+ minutes or until cooked through. As a shortcut, I often simmer my chicken in water in a skillet on the stovetop until it is cooked through, drain the water, and then add the spices to each side as I flip it over to brown it slightly. Cube cooked chicken.

On top of stove, melt butter on medium to low heat. Stir in flour to make a paste. Remove from heat to add milk; return to heat & stir until thick. Add salt, pepper & chiles. Mix 1 cup the of sauce with the cubed chicken in a bowl. Heat tortillas (20 seconds in microwave) to make pliable & spoon chicken mixture down the middle of each. Roll & place seam side down in a glass baking dish. (I like more chicken filling in each tortilla, so I often use just 10 tortillas.)

Stir swiss cheese & sour cream into remaining sauce. Heat until melted and blended. Stir often to keep cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Pour over top of the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle top with parmesan cheese & bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.

Deck the Halls

Christmas is one of my most favorite times of year. I can't wait to break out my wintery Christmas decorations and cinnamon candles just after Thanksgiving to deck our home with festive holiday touches.

I love to add a few new creative decorations each Christmas, and this year I was inspired to make a sparkly ornament wreath for our front door, following this tutorial. It uses a wire hanger as the base, and with ornaments I found at the Dollar Tree (plastic so they wouldn't break in the wind or opening and closing the door), I created it for less than $6.00!

Here are a few of the other holiday touches around our home:

I already have sketches in my idea book for projects to work on for next Christmas. And plans to get an earlier start on my additions next year!

I hope you are enjoying this holiday season with your loved ones and making sweet memories together.

Riverdance Date

Riverdance is one of my all time favorite shows. I had seen it twice before, but Truman had never seen it, and they are currently doing their farewell tour, so I knew we had to take advantage of our last chance to see it when they came through Denver last week.

We turned it into a fun date night and went out for dinner before the show at a restaurant a few blocks from the Performing Arts Center. (Love restaurant.com! It makes nice restaurants so much more affordable! If you've never used it, you should check it out.)

The restaurant was festively decorated for Christmas and we had a booth right in the front window with a view of some of the downtown lights.

Riverdance did not disappoint! Every minute is full of phenomenal talent and high energy performance. Truman loved it. I think every time I looked over at him he was shaking his head in amazement.

My camera battery died at dinner because I forgot to charge it, but a sweet lady who was there to see the show with her mom took a photo for us and e-mailed it to me. It was such a fun night out!

If you have never seen Riverdance, don't miss this last chance to see it! Check the tour schedule to see if it will be coming to a city near you. I don't know anyone that has seen it and doesn't love it! It is truly a spectacular show.

Painting Love

I have to tell you about my absolute new favorite paint! Have you seen the new Behr Premium Plus Ultra paint from Home Depot? It is paint with the primer already in it. When we bought our new house and went to purchase paint, the paint dept. clerk recommended the Premium Plus Ultra paint to us. She had recently used it in her own home and had rave reviews. We decided to give it a try and we were not disappointed!

We actually got by with only one coat of paint in our rooms! One! The paint is so smooth and goes on so easily. No worries about roller marks or brush marks. You do have to apply it a tiny bit thicker than you would if you were doing two coats, so a roller with a little longer nap might be helpful. After we had finished all the walls in a room, we went back and checked the walls to see if there were any thin spots where the original color was showing through. In the few spots where we didn't have full coverage, we re-rolled just that small area and it blended in perfectly! We were thrilled with how much time this paint saved us! We've always liked Behr paint, but they have truly outdone themselves with this new line. I know exactly which paint we will be using for all of our future painting projects. If you have any walls that you are considering a fresh coat of paint for, I would highly recommend the Premium Plus Ultra. It is only a few extra dollars a gallon and well worth the time and effort it saves!

One thing to note...Though there is a Premium Plus Ultra paint display in the store with it's own paint chips that differ from the colors of the regular Behr line, they can tint the Premium Plus Ultra paint to match any of the Behr colors. All of the colors we selected were from the color swatches of their regular line.

The photo above is a sneak peak at my new laundry room and the fabulous robin's egg blue color that is on the walls! I have a couple of projects still planned for that space, but I'll be sure to post photos when it's all finished!

Tour of Trattoria Lisina

Allow me introduce you to our favorite little Italian spot just outside of Austin, Trattoria Lisina. We discovered this vineyard and restaurant last fall after several friends had raved about their visits, and we've already been back. It's less than an hour outside of Austin and is a little taste of Europe tucked away in the hill country. Let me take you on a tour of one of my favorite spots!

There is a winery on site where you can take a tour on Saturdays. They walk you through the process of creating and bottling their wines. You can then visit the tasting room for a sampling of their wines.

There are beautiful gardens in front of Trattoria Lisina that overlook the vineyards. The gardens weren't even in full bloom during our fall visit, but it was still a peaceful place to sit on a bench by the fountain and enjoy the architecture and landscape.

Trattoria Lisina has a huge patio that overlooks the garden. In the summer months, they remove the glass windows and it transforms into an open air patio where you can dine alfresco. No matter what season you visit, the patio is a lovely place to enjoy your meal.

The menu is authentic Italian and the best Italian fare I've had anywhere in the Austin area. The fresh herbed bread is fabulous and their oil dipping sauce is the best I've had. (I asked during our last visit what they add into their oil because I would love to try to replicate it at home. They add finely chopped fresh oregano, garlic, parsley, salt and freshly ground black pepper. It is so flavorful!) I would highly recommend the lasagna...it's my favorite!

This is the dining room. If you take a seat at the bar, you can watch the chefs in action. There is also a gelato case if you'd like something sweet to finish off your meal.

This quickly became one of our favorite places to escape to for a leisurely drive through the hill country and a wonderful Italian meal in a location that feels far from Austin and decidedly more like a day trip to the European countryside. There is such beauty tucked behind those gates! If you have never visited and live anywhere near Austin, you should definitely plan a time to enjoy it yourself. I hope you enjoyed the little tour!

Food for Friday: Tequila Lime Chicken

This recipe for Tequila Lime Chicken has quickly become one of our grilling favorites! The marinade adds so much flavor and keeps the chicken extremely juicy & tender. We've shared it with friends on many occasions and they almost always ask for the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken breast tenders (or breast, sliced to tender size)
1/4 c. tequila
1/3 c. lime
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. fresh cilantro
3 large cloves garlic
1/2 jalapeno pepper
1/4 c. sweet onion
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coriander seed
1/4 tsp cumin

Directions:
In the bowl of food processor, (I use a mini processor) add all ingredients except chicken. (There is no need to chop the ingredients. Just throw them in and let the processor do the work for you! I do chop the onion into large chunks to help me measure out 1/4 of a cup.)

Process until blended well, about 2 minutes.
In large shallow bowl, add chicken and marinade ensuring all chicken is submerged.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (no more than an hour or the lime will start to "cook" the chicken!)
Fire up grill to medium heat, and using tongs, remove chicken from marinade and place on grill.
Grill on medium/medium low, flipping once, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Plate and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

We serve the Tequila Lime Chicken with a cilantro lime rice, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, black beans, shredded Mexican cheese, guacamole and sour cream. Make a bed of rice, top with a sliced chicken breast and add your toppings as you like!

Enjoy!

To make cilantro lime rice, steam jasmine rice in a rice steamer. After it is cooked and fluffy, stir in the juice of one lime and chopped fresh cilantro with a pinch of salt. (For approximately 2 1/2 cups of dry rice, I use the juice of one lime and 2-3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro.) Add the lime juice & cilantro to your taste!

Sewing Love

I know that Christmas past has slipped from the day to day thoughts of most of us, especially as we watch longingly for all signs of spring's arrival from warmer, sunny days to flowering branches. But, I realized that I never shared one of my favorite gifts from this past Christmas with you! My new (now new-ish) sewing machine!

Just two years ago, I really had no hankering to sew whatsoever. But, after we moved into our new home, I really wanted to sew curtains. So, I borrowed a sewing machine. And then, as I clicked around blogland, I saw one cute fabric project after another that inspired my desire to sew. Knowing that the curtains weren't all that difficult, as I saw these fabulous project ideas, I thought (with a little trepidation in my heart), "I could do that, too, right?"

And so, a sewing machine found a spot on my Christmas wishlist, and I began bookmarking sewing projects that I wanted to try. A fabulous early Christmas gift from my mom, my sewing machine was delivered a few weeks before Christmas. And I decided that I wanted to try and make a few gifts with my shiny new toy. I knew my mom would love this fabric, so the very first project I tried with my machine was this purse.

I was really happy with how it turned out, and the most challenging part for me was following a pattern for the first time! I shared here about another easy sewing project I tackled a couple of months ago. Next on my list are these. I have the fabric stacked neatly in my craft room, ready to go!

If you haven't ever sewed, or are like I was and haven't sewed since junior high home ec class, I want to encourage you that it really isn't as hard as it looks! I think it can seem intimidating, and it's tempting to think, "I could never sew that!" But, it's not as hard as it looks and if you just take the first step to give it a try, you never know how much you might enjoy it! If you do sew and have a fun project that is a favorite, or one on your to-try list, share the link with me! I'd love to check them out.

Food For Friday: Chicken Tortilla Soup

I enjoy cooking and I love entertaining and I'm usually trying a new recipe at least once a week. I've decided to share some of my favorite recipes with you on a more regular basis. I am going to try a new regular feature here every Friday called Food For Friday. I'm going to share one of my favorite recipes, new or old, with you each week.

Since many of you are still in the middle of cold, winter weather, I want to share one of my favorite soup recipes with you! My sister-in-law Carita first introduced me to it, but now it is on regular rotation in our house, especially on the rare chilly nights we have in Texas. We love it's fresh flavor!

1 can (14.5 oz) Tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, pressed
2 T. cilantro
1/4 t. sugar
6-8 c. chicken broth
2 medium avocados, cubed (optional)
shredded cooked chicken breasts (quantity desired; I usually use 5-6)
salt & pepper
tortilla chips
shredded monterey jack & cheddar cheese or fiesta blend

In blender, combine undrained tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, and sugar. Blend until chunky. (Not pre-chopping the cilantro, onions & garlic is a big time saver! The blender will chop it for you!) In a large saucepan, add vegetable mixture, shredded chicken & chicken broth. Simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste. To serve, top soup with shredded cheese & broken tortilla chips, along with avocado cubes if desired.

**This soup is also great to simmer in a crockpot on low for 6 hours.**

That's a Wrap!

We finished day 3 of taping tonight, our shoot is wrapped, and I can't wait to crawl into my bed and sleep until I wake up tomorrow morning! It quickly became weirdly normal to be "on set" in our home and both Truman & I are sad that the crew won't be coming back tomorrow morning. They won't be setting up in our garage before we're awake, there won't be makeup while we have our morning coffee, there won't be experiences shared over meals in our backyard, and there won't be laughter and joking around with the crew between takes. I might even miss the lines for the bathroom and the chatting that took place while we waited our turn. All of the friendly faces that became so familiar over the last 3 days won't be back and it's actually really sad. There were even some misty eyes as we thanked them and said our goodbyes.

In the last 3 days, I learned a few more things. Our kitchen looks MUCH bigger on TV. Terms like B-Roll and OTF (On The Fly) are no longer mysterious lingo that produce puzzled looks. And, things are copyrighted that you would never imagine. But most importantly, I was reminded of how God surprises and blesses us in such unexpected ways.

We truly enjoyed every single person that was a part of our crew. We feel so blessed and so lucky to have the chance to work with such a phenomenal crew! This experience definitely rates high as one of my most memorable and I can't even think of adequate words to express how much fun we had. If you ever get the chance to be a part of a production like Home Made Simple, jump on it as fast as you can. Seriously. I loved the experience so much that a little part of me thinks that it would be a dream to be a part of a cast for a home show someday. I am so utterly exhausted, but it was worth every single minute.

We worked on some clever crafty projects that I know some of you are going to love! I can barely keep myself from typing out a little hint or two. But, I must wait!

Our episode is scheduled to air on TLC sometime this spring, probably in April. I'll be sure to let ya'll know when we find out the air date!

Meanwhile, I'm going to eat the tasty leftovers that are in my fridge, click through all the photos we took during the shoot & plan my scrapbook pages, and put my tired feet up and relax in my super functional and organized, yet beautiful, new space!

What I Learned on Day 1 of the Shoot!

Wow, I am SO completely exhausted after our first day of taping Home Made Simple for TLC! And, we still have two more days to go! But, can I even tell you how much fun we've had so far?!?!

I wish that I had some pictures to share with you, but unfortunately (though understandably), I can't post any pictures of the set or of us taping until after the show airs! I can't give you any sneak peaks of the fun projects we are working on around our house, the great hosts that we are working alongside, or the madness that is our house...full of crew, cameras & a ton of lights that I'm convinced could light a small football field!

But, what I can share with you, is my thoughts on the experience so far & the things I've learned after one day "on the set," otherwise known as our home. :)

1. The crew & hosts of Home Made Simple are simply fantastic! I can't say enough great things about them. They are so considerate and aware, they are incredibly on top of things and often think of things before we have a chance to, they like to have a lot of fun on the set in between tapings, and they are the kindest, friendliest, most down-to-earth people.

2. It is quite challenging to go to the bathroom wired with a mic!

3. A little part of me secretly wishes I had a make-up artist to follow me around for touch-ups every day! (wouldn't you?)

4. A theme of being on set is to hurry up and wait. It takes a lot of time and effort to get the mics and lights just right. And, you've got to be flexible.

5. They really do yell things like "quiet in the house" and "rolling....action!"

6. Craft services is awesome. Could I wake up to a made to order breakfast every morning, have a table of snacks at the ready, and delicious catered lunches every day? I guess if I did, I'd also need a personal trainer.

7. Speaking of personal service, I learned how to make a dish today from a personal chef to a very well-known Hollywood celeb! How cool is that?

I am so exhausted after one day on the set! I don't know how the hosts and crew do weeks and weeks of tapings! I am camped out on the couch with my laptop, a cozy blanket and the remote control. I'm pretty sure I'm not moving a muscle until it's time to climb into my bed. But, I can't wait to do it all again tomorrow!

I'll try to update again soon!

Virtual Cookie Exchange!

Today, I am joining in the Virtual Cookie Exchange hosted by Tracey at The Cottage Industry. If you are visiting from Tracey's party, welcome!

Earlier this month, we had a full weekend of hosting several Christmas parties to celebrate the season with friends. I made a cookie tower full of holiday sweets to treat our guests, including three of my favorite holiday cookies: Turtle Bars, Russian Teacakes & Buckeyes. I'd love to share the recipes with you!

Turtle Bars:

1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough (I use Pillsbury)
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
3 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 jar caramel ice cream topping (I use Smucker's)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (16 squares)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. (325 degrees for a dark or nonstick pan) Press the roll of cookie dough evenly in the bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9 inch pan.
Sprinkle 1 cup of the chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups of the pecans over dough; lightly press into dough. Set aside.
In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar, caramel topping and graham cracker crumbs. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Pour over crust in pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups pecans.
Bake 25 to 32 minutes or until edges are deep golden brown and pecans are lightly toasted. Cool on cooling rack 30 minutes; loosen sides from the pan with a knife, but do not cut. Cool completely, about 3 hours longer. (For firmer bars, let stand an additional 2 hours.) For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.


Russian Teacakes:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (I chop them in the food processor.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix thoroughly butter, sugar and vanilla. Work in flour, salt & nuts until the dough holds together. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool and roll in sugar again.

Candy Buckeyes:
I grew up in Ohio, and the buckeye tree is our state tree. Candy buckeyes are a local favorite and a treat that we made every Christmas as a child. They are one of my absolute favorite sweet treats and I love them cold, straight out of the refrigerator!

18 oz jar of peanut butter (my favorite for baking is Jif!)
2 sticks butter, softened
1 lb. plus 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

chocolate for dipping: 12 oz of semisweet chocolate chips plus a tbls. of shortening

Place sugar in a large bowl, add butter & peanut butter and mix in using hands until smooth. Pat dough into a large ball, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Roll into 1 inch balls, place onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet and chill thoroughly until firm. (This helps with the dipping!)
Melt the chocolate chips and shortening together until smooth. (Note: I used my Little Dipper (a mini crockpot) this year and it was by the far the easiest chocolate dipping I have ever done! No worries about scorching the chocolate or burning my arm with a double broiler. If you don't have a little dipper you can melt the chocolate in a double broiler or in the microwave.)
Spear balls with a toothpick & dip in chocolate, leaving a round spot of the peanut butter showing on the top. (See photo.) Place on wax paper & smooth over the toothpick hole with your finger. Chill to set the chocolate and enjoy!!

Pretty Punch

I wanted to share one of my favorite new paper crafting tools! This Doily Lace Edge Punch by Martha Stewart. (You can find it at Michael's.)

It is a versatile punch perfect for edging cards, scrapbook pages, tags, and just about any paper project you can think of! It has handy guides to help you line up the punch and it is easy to line up for a continuous line of punches to edge a card or scrapbook page.

It has gotten a lot of use since I picked it up a couple of weeks ago! I used it to edge two cards for my friend's wedding weekend....a cute lingerie shower card & a wedding card.

I love it when I find a paper tool that I can get a lot of use out of and that adds a fun finish to my paper projects! What is your favorite paper crafting tool?

Hey Cupcake!

While my family was visiting, we headed down to SoCo (short for South Congress) to wander around the shops. I had heard rave reviews of a cupcake stand, Hey Cupcake!, so we decided to try it out. Oh. My. Sweet. Goodness.

First of all, the cupcakes are served out of this fabulous retro camper. With a giant cupcake on top to boot! Could it be any cuter? It is definitely not your "traditional" cupcakery.

And the cupcakes? They are SO delicious. Quite possibly some of the best I've ever had. Moist and rich, with the yummiest icing that wasn't too soft or sickeningly sweet. And of course, no cupcake is complete without fancy sprinkles or adornment.

The pink and brown snowcap was my favorite. Do you love whipped cream? Make your cupcake a Whipper Snapper and get a free shot of fresh whipped cream injected into the center of the cake.

These definitely came in handy to remove the evidence. Can you really worry about a messy cheek while enjoying that sweet goodness?

My mom and I before we dug into and polished off our sugary delights. I have to tell you about this precious little blond cutie who was patiently waiting in line with her mom. She intently watched every single bite that went into my mouth, with her little jaw hanging open. I can only imagine that she was dreaming about just how lovely her little cake was going to taste when it was finally her turn to bite into that pile of icing!

I think I'm quite thankful that this little stand isn't just around the corner! I know I'd be visiting more often than I should!

Minty Treats

Whew! The last two days I've been busy putting together a photo book from our first anniversary trip so it will be ready to send to print tomorrow! (Which also means I have finished sorting through our pictures from Portland and will share the rest of our trip with you later this week. Finally!)

This past weekend we had a full house! We hosted three sets of guests, including overnight guests...some of my hubby's extended family who were in town for a wedding. We ate some delicious food, visited with friends & family, and the weekend was over before we knew it!

I made this dessert this weekend and wanted to share! Its a minty fresh twist on the well-known & loved Dirt Cake. I have loved dirt cake for years and I love the combination of mint & chocolate, so I wanted to see if I could create a mint version.

Since we had company for dessert two nights in a row, and I didn't want tons of yummy leftover dessert in the house tempting me to eat it all week, I decided to make individual serving cups of the dessert. I had the perfect amount for our guests and wasn't serving an already cut or dug into dessert the second evening. And dirt cake is always the best on the 2nd or 3rd day after being in the refrigerator overnight!

Mint Dirt Cake

Ingredients:
1 Package of Mint Oreo Cookies
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 stick of Butter, softened
1 cup Powdered Sugar
12 oz. Cool Whip
2 small boxes Instant Vanilla Pudding
3 cups cold Milk
1 teaspoon Peppermint extract
10-11 individual serving cups OR a 9x13 baking dish

Crush the oreos. You can crush them in a food processor, or seal them in a ziploc bag and use your rolling pin to crush them.

Using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, margarine, peppermint extract and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl until fluffy. Stir in the Cool Whip.

In a separate bowl, mix together 2 small boxes of vanilla pudding & 3 cups of cold milk. (I used 1% milk, but any variety would work fine. I also substituted one small box of pistachio pudding for one box of vanilla. I only had one box of vanilla on hand, so I made do with what I had! I couldn't tell any taste difference and the pistachio actually gave a nice light green color to the filling.) After the pudding mixture is set, stir it into the cream cheese mixture and blend it together well.

If you are using a 9x13 dish, spread 1/2 of the crushed oreos in the bottom of the ungreased dish. Spread out the filling evenly in the dish, covering the oreos. Top with a layer of the remaining oreos and pat the top layer with pressure to help the layers hold together.

If you are using individual serving dishes (glass ice cream serving cups or fancy glass coffee glasses work well), put a scoop of crushed oreos in the bottom of each. Add approximately an inch of the filling in each glass, top with another layer of oreos & filling, and top with oreos. You can garnish each glass with a sprig of mint & a cookie before serving.

Refrigerate a minimum of 2-3 hours, but it is at it's absolute best after being chilled in the fridge overnight!

We really enjoyed the mint twist on this dessert and I will definitely be making it again! It is a perfect fresh dessert, especially for the summer. Enjoy!

Summer Goodness

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things about summer is the abundance of fresh strawberries! They are easy to find, huge and juicy, sweet, and always on sale.

If you know me, you know about my absolute love of all things chocolate!!! One of my favorite summer treats (other than ice cream which I seem to crave almost daily when the temperature is soaring outside!) is chilled chocolate covered strawberries. I recently dipped a batch for no special reason other than to enjoy the delicious fruits of summer!

Now, if only we had a pool....

Tour of Cannon Beach

We started off our anniversary trip to Oregon with two nights on the coast at Cannon Beach. If you ever find yourself in Oregon, you need to visit this seaside town! I take that back. You *need* to find a way to be sure you find yourself in Oregon at some point! And book yourself for a couple of nights at Sea Sprite on the Estuary.

We adored this inn! It is a 3-story house located right on the estuary at the end of the beach. We loved the location, which provided more seclusion from the busier areas of the town, but had fabulous views of the rocky coast and estuary with easy access to the beach. The decor is perfect and exactly what you would expect from a seaside inn. Shells and calm, fresh colors in shades of blues, tans, and yellows with wood floors, tile in the bathroom and carpet in the bedroom & living room.

It had all the amenities we could ask for from a large jetted tub (that I frequented with a book and a candle during our stay!) and glass shower to flat screen TV's in both the living room and bedroom to a fully equipped stainless steel kitchen.

There is a wooden balcony off the kitchen with two teal adirondack chairs and a fabulous view of the coast, perfect for reading or watching the sunset with a glass of wine.


It was luxurious and comfy. The perfect spot to spend a couple of days relaxing and celebrating our first year as husband and wife. After our two night stay in this cute little inn, we were wishing we didn't have to leave!

Our first evening in Cannon Beach was our anniversary, so we celebrated with one of our favorites, steak, at JP's on the main street in town. There aren't a lot of upscale restaurants to choose from in Cannon Beach, but I had heard good things about JP's and a little celebration was in order! Our steaks were good, but I have to say that it didn't compare to our dining experience at The Nest. There were no choices in sides and I love me some potatoes with a good steak. I missed my potatoes. But, they had warm, fresh bread that was memorable. If you know me well, you know that I have been known to choose a restaurant based on their bread.

The main street in the downtown district is lined with charming little shops, benches along flowery paths, and cottages turned cafes. It is definitely worth it to take a couple of hours to wander through the shops and meet the locals.

The afternoon that we strolled through the downtown was misty and gray, the gloom that often comes to mind when you think of the rainy Pacific Northwest. Damp & cool enough to chill your bones. But, the colorful flowers tucked along every path and surrounding every sign added such cheer that you couldn't avoid a little smile. The tulips were by far the largest I've ever seen...and I've been to Holland. The blooms were as big as my fist!

In this square, there is glam little shop, Josephine's, that is chock full of all things French & Euro, sparkly and chippy vintage.

This cute little candy shop has an area for candy making demonstrations. Unfortunately, they weren't making any sweets during our visit, but it would be fun to watch through the large viewing windows if they had a batch in progress! I actually managed to escape without indulging my sweet tooth, but be forewarned that it will require large doses of self restraint to stay back from those glass cases filled with chocolates and goodies.

I love this sign on the door of Bruce's Candy Kitchen because it captures the essence of the slow pace of this little seaside town. Neighborly. Relaxed. Quaint. sigh

We had lunch at this super cozy cafe, a perfect stop for the gray, chilly, misty day. It is tiny, with only a handful of tables, but has the welcoming feel of someone's cottage. Mismatched colorful floral & striped tableclothes, real wood planks lining the walls, fresh mini bouquets spilling out of old glass jars on each table, and a basket of magazines and newspapers to read with your coffee.

My hubby enjoyed a steaming, flavorful bowl of the seafood stew, while I had a ham, broccoli & cheese quiche. I'm not a huge fan of fruit sides that are filled with cantaloupe & honeydew (just not my favorite fruits) and pineapple (I'm allergic.) I was pleasantly surprised when my plate arrived with generous portions of ripe strawberries & freshly sliced bananas. I don't even like bran muffins, but this one quickly disappeared off of my plate!

After a couple of hours strolling through the downtown district, we walked along the beach to explore Haystack Rock. (Disclaimer: Haystock Rock has an elusive tendency to always appear closer than it actually is! Do a little research for a close parking location for a proper short walk, or plan to turn it into a loooong walk.) The sea fog actually made for beautiful views of Haystack Rock and luckily, the mist had subsided and the sun actually peaked out several times over the course of the afternoon.
During our walk along the beach, I was on the hunt for a whole sand dollar. Cannon Beach is known for them! After spotting many "fakes" with broken edges hiding in the sand, I discovered the elusive whole sand dollar! My hubby laughed at my childlike excitement. We brought it home to join the conch shell on our dresser that came home from our honeymoon in St. Lucia.

Surrounding the bottom of Haystack Rock is a marine wildlife preserve. There are knowledgeable volunteers that share interesting information about the plants and animals you can see. You can only explore the area around Haystock Rock by foot during low tide. There is a lazy sea lion hiding in the picture below...

Nearly every square inch of the huge rocks are covered with these small clams. Busy crabs scurry through the shallow wading pools between the rocks (but the water is only shallow during low tide!) Colorful sea anemones are tucked in the shade beside the large rocks, and you can reach in and touch their jelly like tentacles.

After a day of exploring, we decided to pick up a "gourmet" pizza and head back to our suite to relax and watch the sunset. I had read good things about Fultano's Pizza, so we ordered a wood-fired spinach and chicken pizza with a side of their cheesy breadsticks. The flavor was excellent, the toppings were plentiful and hearty and the crust had the perfect crunch to the outside while being soft on the inside. We would highly recommend Fultano's for a family friendly or relaxed meal in Cannon Beach.

On our second day in Cannon Beach, we woke up to bright sun that had burned off of the fog and clear blue skies! We headed up to check out the view of Haystack Rock on a sunny day. I don't know if you can tell from the pictures, but it is huge! (See the tiny little dots of people along the beach?) It is 235 ft. tall and the third largest monolith in the world! What is a monolith, you ask? A monolith is a geological feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock.

We drove about 10 minutes to the local Ecola State Park, which I would highly recommend for beautiful views of the coast. If you can't or don't want to take a taxing hike, you're in luck because several of the best viewpoints have drive up access. From the parking lot, it is a short walk to the overlooks. There are tons of picnic tables in the area with gorgeous views and trees for shade. I was kind of kicking myself for not thinking of grabbing lunch to go from one of the many local cafes and bringing it up for a picnic. You can see Haystack Rock in the far distance of this picture.

Except for a couple of visits to California, this was one of my first experiences with the West Coast. Growing up in Ohio, our visits to the beach were always to the East Coast...Florida, Virginia, North Carolina. The east coast beaches are beautiful and in my opinion, it's hard to go wrong with any beach! (I haven't been to Northeast beaches yet....hopefully some day!) But, can I just say that I think I'm partial to the west coast beaches now?! I love the rocky coasts and mountains in view. It just makes the scenery that much more interesting and beautiful. I can hardly think of a better combination than mountains and beach all in one place!

Even though I was looking forward to our time in Portland, my heart was a little sad to leave this seaside town behind. I could easily have spent a week here, relaxing and exploring at the slower pace. But, we had more fun planned in the city, so it was time to hit the road....