Monday, September 12, 2011

It's the Little Things in Life

Today was a little crazy for me: I woke up early and didn’t stop moving from 8a.m. until 3p.m. and let me tell you, I was exhausted. However, rather than dwell on how many things I have to cross off my To Do List and how I think my legs might snap from a combo of running around like a madwoman &  pilates, I decided to focus on the little things in my day today that made me smile.
I went to Trader Joe’s in Foggy Bottom and for those who follow this blog, you’ll already know that I have a not-so-secret huge crush on Trader Joe’s. Well, our relationship is now on the next level. While being checked out at the register, I chit chatted with the cashier and said I’m a student in D.C. He asked me what I wanted to do after college & I responded, “Make money & have fun!” Laughing, he gave me a roll of stickers. I may be a senior in college but my inner first grader was elated over these stickers. Very patriotic & so typical D.C.!
American Flag Stickers!!
 After a week of monsoon-like rain, today was positively beautiful weather! I opted to walk the 15 minutes to my apartment rather than catch a shuttle and I’m glad I did. I walked by freshly mown grass and there really is no greater smell on a warm day than that. What’re the little things in life that make you smile?

Monogram Monday: Dinner Platters

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope you had a relaxing weekend and were able to pray for the families & remember the heroes of 9/11.
It’s back to the grind of the school/work week but it wouldn’t be Monday without a monogram! I’ve recently succumbed to Etsy and there’s really no going back now. This weekend, I found a store on Etsy called Simply Stella after they were featured in this month’s issue of Southern Living as part of their Tailgating Essentials article.
They have platters ideal for parties and, of course, tailgating.
Simply Stella has platters for sports teams,like this one for LSU:
And they also have beautiful monogrammed designs, too!
Which platter is your favorite? They’re all gorgeous & reasonably priced!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Thirsty Thursday: Lemon Drop

Ingredients: 
  • 1 1/2 oz. vodka
  • 3/4 oz. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp sugar syrup
  • Lemon twist for garnish
Preparation:
  • Pour the vodka, lemon juice & sugar syrup into a shaker with ice cubes.
  • Shake well.
  • Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  • Garnish with a lemon twist.

Lemon Drop Cocktail

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta

Thanks to Kerry (AKA @premedprepster), there’s a new recipe to try out. I’m trying to use my current groceries up before I go grocery shopping again so I haven’t tested it out yet but it sounds delicious and worth a blog post!
Ingredients:
  • 1 medium sized ripe Avocado, pitted
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced + lemon zest to garnish
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, to taste (I used 3 and it was quite garlicky, but if you are not a big fan of garlic use 1 clove)
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
  • ~1/4 cup Fresh Basil, (probably optional)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 servings/6 oz of your choice of pasta (I used 3oz of spelt and 3 oz of Kamut spaghetti)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
1. Bring several cups of water to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add in your pasta, reduce heat to medium, and cook until Al Dente, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by placing the garlic cloves, lemon juice, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until smooth. Now add in the pitted avocado, basil, and salt. Process until smooth and creamy.
3. When pasta is done cooking, drain and rinse in a strainer and place pasta into a large bowl. Pour on sauce and toss until fully combined. Garnish with lemon zest and black pepper. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings.
If you make this recipe, please let me know how it goes!