Baby Anna Caroline

I have the most precious 12 week old niece. I've been lucky enough to visit twice since she was born at the end of May.  Elliott and I went in June and I just got back from a great girls weekend in Atlanta. Anna Caroline is the sweetest baby. You hardly know she's around but as fast as Mary Stewart has become, it won't be long before Anna Caroline catches up with her big sister! Unfortunately, I haven't taken many pictures of AC so these are taken from my sister.  We can't decide who exactly she looks like, but I say she definitely favors the Donald's

I got lots of smiles from her this weekend!

such a sweet face!

And you must know that Mary Stewart just adores her baby sister

MS kissing her baby

By the time we left, Mary Stewart was calling me by name and she asked where I was the next day....those girls, they melt my heart!

summer sweets

a few sweets i've cooked up this summer...

As I've said before, I love all things lime so when I saw this recipe for Lime Sorbet, I wanted to make it immediately! I've made sorbet before but this recipe calls for an egg white which I think definitely makes a difference! If you like lime, you should check out the recipe, it was very easy and so good! http://bakecookeat.blogspot.com/2010/07/smooth-homemade-lime-sorbet-without-ice.html

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2010/01/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-truffles.html

I saw this next recipe on Pinterest and knew it would be a hit!  I had been wanting make them but didn't want to single handedly eat a whole batch so when we were invited to some friend's house for a fish fry I knew it was the perfect opportunity to try them out.  Elliott always turns his nose up when I eat raw cookie dough but thankfully this recipe is an eggless cookie dough and covering it in chocolate just takes it to the next level!

 (Clearly I need a bit more practice with the chocolate coating but not too bad for the first time)

I've been making this next one since high school and it's always a crowd pleaser! It's a Pampered Chef recipe and I always make it on my Pampered Chef baking stone. I brought it to the river for the 4th of July and rekindled my love for this easy treat! I'm not sure of it's official name but I call it Mississippi Mud Cookie Cake

Ingredients:

1 roll cookie dough (or half batch homemade dough)

8 ounces cream cheese 

powdered sugar

1 packet Jello instant chocolate pudding (this calls for 1 c milk)

heavy whipping cream or tub of cool whip

Dark chocolate shavings for garnish

Directions:

Flour or grease your baking sheet or stone and roll cookie dough onto surface. You may need some flour on your hands since it will be sticky.  I usually make homemade cookie dough and have plenty extra dough to freeze for later. Bake the cookie as directed (usually 350 degrees for 10-ish minutes). Meanwhile, mix cream cheese (I use fat free-once you add all the sugar you can't taste the difference) and powdered sugar (until it's sweet enough for you-anywhere from 1-2 cups). Make sure cookie has cooled and spread cream cheese mixture to cover cookie completely.  Put in refrigerator and let cream cheese harden (about 20 minutes).  While that's in the fridge, make instant pudding.  Spread pudding over entire cookie surface and put back in the fridge for another 20 minutes. It's really important for the pudding to set on the cookie before trying to spread the whipped cream.  If it's not set, they will run together and mess up the layered effect.  I like to make my own whipped cream. I usually use about 1 cup heavy whipping cream and a few tbsp powdered sugar. If not, cool whip works fine too, just don't use the Redi-Whip in a can- it will liquify and gets runny! The last step is Elliott's favorite and he usually likes to do the garnish. You can take a chocolate bar and box grater and pretty the whole thing up! I added the strawberry for a colorful touch!

This recipe is the reason I keep chocolate pudding and cream cheese on hand at all times!

I'm not sure where I first saw the recipe for Grilled Peaches, but they have become quite a regular ending to meals around our house lately!

It's really quite simple...slice peaches in half. Brush open face side with melted butter. Grill open side down first, then flip after about 2-3 minutes and sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar then fill seed pit with dark chocolate morsels and grill for another 2-3 minutes or until chocolate is melted!

Wedding fun

This past weekend, we enjoyed celebrating Carolyn and Tyler's wedding. Out of my college friends/sorority sisters, Carolyn is only the 3rd to get married!  I was the first and then Valerie who now has an 8 month old. I have a feeling that a few others won't be too far behind so it was funny to watch the bouquet toss since most of them have pretty serious boyfriends! The band was great and played some fun requests and as always, it's great to be with the girls! Now, the bets are being placed on who's next!

Kristine, Val, KP, Lauren, Laura, Me 

 calling all Delta's..."These are days..."

 Me & Katy (who now lives in London!)

Lasagna

Call me crazy but I really like Stouffer's frozen lasagna and always thought homemade lasagna was a long, drawn out process that I wasn't ready to try. So, needless to say, I had never made lasagna until I saw this recipe in Real Simple.  I decided to take the plunge as it didn't look too complicated AND it didn't make a huge size so I thought it would be perfect for 2! I have made it a few times and have made a few changes from the original recipe but it is very simple, quick, and perfect portion for 2 (with leftovers, of course).

Original Recipe from http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/microwave-lasagna-00000000042247/index.html

Ingredients:

1 15-ounce container ricotta

4 cups chopped baby spinach (chopped)

2 cups grated mozzarella

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp Parmesan 

salt & pepper

1 24-ounce jar marinara sauce

6 no-boil lasagna noodles

Preparation:

In a bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.

In the bottom of a microwave-safe 8 inch square baking dish, spread 1/2 cup sauce. Top with 2 lasagna noodles, 1/2 cup sauce, and 1/2 the ricotta mixture; repeat. Top with remaining 2 noodles, sauce,  mozzarella, and parmesan.  

Cover with wax or parchment paper, then a plate, and microwave on high until the noodles are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

*a few things I changed- after making the recipe a few times, I found it cooked better when I boiled the noodles before hand even though they were "no-boil." I also used 8 noodles instead of 6.  I always use more cheese, especially parmesan and I'm not the best at exact measurements so if you're a recipe follower, stick to the above!

Now this is my go-to lasagna recipe and I haven't bought a Stouffer's since! BUT, I won't completely rule them out-I'm sure I'll like the frozen choice when kiddo's come around!

LouDog has a birthday!

Friday was our baby's 4th birthday! She has been the best dog and has provided much entertainment for Elliott and I!  She is a very particular dog, set in her ways, Type A, neurotic.  We are always amazed at how quickly she can wag her little tail.  She's a bit manipulative and knows exactly what to do to get what she wants.  She is smart, loving, loyal, and thinks pretty highly of herself.  When I take her running, she holds her head so high and prances down the street, not making the slightest acknowledgment of other dogs who may be barking at her (or checking her out).  It's so funny to see how her little personality has developed from Elliott and I and it makes me really wonder what our children will be like...
She totally gets us, knows our voices and tones, our comings and goings, gets extremely sad when she sees us packing the car to go out of town and extremely excited when we get home.  She knows when she's done something bad and gets really sad when she gets disciplined.  She loves us even when we work late, make her sleep outside, go on vacation, bring home a male dog, or don't have time to take her for a run.
I'm sure Elliott and I would have survived the last four years without her, but our sweet baby girl has made simple, daily life quite interesting and fun. Raising a dog from the puppy stage has really shown and taught us a lot about life in general and I definitely think in some ways is preparing us for children... house training, kennel training, whining, discipline...although different, I think some lessons will come in handy!
Coming home after a long day, no matter what has happened, and being greeted by that wagging tail and sweet face reminds us what unconditional love looks like!

Happy Birthday Eliza Louise and to her brothers, Mason and Dallas, too!

Grand Isle

This weekend in pictures...

 After 2 plus weeks of rainy weather, we enjoyed a sunny, cloudless weekend in Grand Isle for the Tarpon Rodeo. It was such a fun trip and a great way to wrap up the summer...so thankful for sweet friends!

Fruit Salsa

I had this for the first time last summer and have made it several times since.  The actual "salsa" is pure fruit in its own juices (no added sugar or other ingredients).  The chips, however, make up for that but are so good!

I used:

2 mangos 

2 peaches

2 plums

grapes

cherries 

strawberries

(really you can use whatever fruit you like but the mangos, peaches, and plums are crucial for it to be really juicy!)

I sliced and diced all the fruits (still not sure how to cut a mango correctly with that big seed!) and halved the grapes and cherries (seeds removed). Try to retain as much juice as possible and combine all the fruit...

Now for the chips:

flour tortillas (I've used white and wheat and even Elliott said both tasted fine)

cinnamon sugar

butter

Either melt a few tablespoons of butter or used some thats already softened to spread on one side of the tortillas.

  Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar,

Stack on top of one another and cut into triangles with pizza cutter,

Spread on cookie sheet and put in oven on broil for about 7-10 minutes (time will vary based on oven temps) 

ENJOY!