Toasted Rosemary Focaccia Bread with Bruchetta

I am currently working my way through Bethenny Frankel's book, Naturally Thin, and among many of the tips she has, one of the greatest so far is choosing quality over quantity. In other words, why would you subject yourself to 2 or 3 cups of unsatisfying coffee made with skim milk and artificial sweetener when you can sip and really enjoy one cup of coffee with a dash of whole milk and a teaspoon of real sugar? Many of her points have been hitting home as I read and think about my own dietary choices that I know I frequently make (or give in to). So I am finding ways to enjoy my food, become a pickier eater, and in turn choose quality over quantity.

Today I made a very simple afternoon snack that was filling, satisfied my taste buds and satiated my desire for something crunchy and delicious. I have realized recently that I am more of a salty/savory person than a sweets person, so it's important for me to find healthy and delicious ways to satisfy those cravings without breaking out a bag of chips with salsa.


Toasted Rosemary Focaccia Bread with Bruchetta

1/5 loaf of Trader Joe's Rosemary Focaccia, cut in half

Olive oil (I use EVOO spray)

2 heaping teaspoons of Trader Joe's Bruchetta

You can use a toaster oven, or I use my conventional oven (preheated to 350) so as to not cross contaminate Sean's gluten-free toaster.

Lightly spray a coating of olive oil onto slices of bread. Place on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 10 minutes until crunchy. Spoon bruchetta onto pieces of bread and enjoy warm!

Dinner Option: Top it off with a couple fresh basil leaves and shredded mozzarella. You'll have two healthy slices of pizza that won't leave you hungry or unsatisfied!


The bread is so crunchy and the combination of flavors between the bread and bruchetta is absolutely delicious! Much more satisfying than mindlessly munching on corn chips all afternoon, and it will keep me full until dinnertime. Also, with something higher quality like this, I don't want to spoil the flavor, so I enjoy with a nice tall glass of ice water, instead of the beer I typically drink with chips.

Enjoy!

I Broke Down

No, not in a fun, to hell with it splurge on that $100 pair of shoes way. I hit my limit and bubbled over. And poor Sean had to witness it.

I've been so good. I have not to my knowledge gone bridezilla on anyone. I have made what I consider to be sound chocies when it comes to planning various elements of the day. I even had my times of glory (see previous entry re: invitations). But I broke. And you know what it was over?

Envelopes.

No, not the idea of my dress fitting next week. Not the struggle to save with the holidays and many social opportunities approaching. Not because my job has been busy and I haven't been getting enough sleep. Envelopes.

See, I had come to accept that my handwriting just won't cut it for addressing envelopes (calligraphy was never in my budget and is an unnecessary expense, really), and that I had seen many other girls mention that they printed theirs at home on the printer. Piece of cake! Well, not for me apparently. I was ready to go home and run an envelope smoothly through the printer and have it come out gloriously printed in my favorite Edwardian Script font.

Except, it didn't fit. Word wouldn't let me custom size the document, and the 9 or 10 times I ran the test envelope through the printer, I got error messages and nothing but a mangled envelope.

I didn't rant or rave. I just broke. I was defeated. Sean tried his best to help me figure it out, and it became clear we would not solve this issue in one night. I broke out the calligraphy sharpies and started practicing writing with them, which only got me more depressed.

So Sean, the magnificent man he is, hit play on iTunes, swept me up in his arms, and slow danced me around the office. We probably looked like a couple of fools, trying to waltz, giggling over our clumsiness. And he successfully saved me from a night of misery and reminded me just why we're doing all of this. Because he is my better half. He lightens my load and makes my heart dance.

Envelopes be damned, I won't be defeated again!

I am a creative genius.

Yesterday, I had one of those experiences where everything in your mind comes together and you realize that in that moment in time, you are a creative genius. Some people experience it directing or choreographing a show, when all of a sudden, it just works. Or you're a cook and you've been missing that little taste that makes your dish perfect. You add it, taste it, and you know you've got a winner.

That happened to me yesterday. Standing in the aisle of AC Moore, looking at beautiful swatches of scrapbooking paper, I found the element to tie it all together. I am a creative genius.

For the past couple months I have been trying to figure out how to package my invitations within the envelope in a way that I imagine people pulling them out and gasping at the sweet beauty. "But Shannon," you say, "it's just paper." Yes, it is paper, but it's so much more! It's literally the first impression that the wedding guests will have of the kind of day it will be. It sets the tone, the formality, and gives a glimpse into the couple's romance, if done well enough.

Words that I have used to describe the feel for our wedding have been rustic winter romance. I never considered incorporating blue and silver and snowflakes into my decor (not that there's anything wrong with those things), because that's not the feeling I want accompanying our day. When I picture our day, I picture our families and friends coming together, cozying up on the dance floor while a soft snow falls outside. Cheerful chatter and laughter while cocktails or cocoa are sipped by the roaring fireplace at the tavern. The flicker of light from the hurricane globes, accented by the evergreen wreaths speckled with pepperberries. Everything I picture is warm and joyful. Blue and silver don't do that for me.

So yesterday, I became a true dork/creative genius, because I found the perfect paper to work into my invitations to pull all the elements together. The color, the season, the design...I can't wait to share pictures. I hope my vision comes to life as I imagine it! I am still in the process of cutting and assembling. It will probably take this whole week to finish, as I am cutting each by hand. It is tiring, but when I think about my grandmother, or a friend I haven't seen in forever, opening that envelope and sliding out the bundle of paper, I can't help but smile.

It just works.

Dress Up!

Sean messaged me at lunchtime to tell me I got a "poofy package" in the mail, to which I cried out "MY CRINOLINE!"

Yes, I get that excited over layers of itchy tulle.

I ran in the door when I got home, shimmied out of my skirt and pulled the hot mess of poof up over my black stockings.It fits! Not bad for a $25 e-bay purchase, if I do say so myself. I told myself I wasn't going to spend any more than that on something I was only going to wear for one day... I actually started thinking maybe I'd have a little girl someday who would play dress up in "mommy's wedding clothes". Or a little boy, I grew up doing theater and know that boys like to play dress up just as much as any girl.

There are so many things that I'm doing for our wedding that help reality settle in more and more, but I must say, it's the trying on of pieces of the ensemble that have made me the most giddy. What girl doesn't dream of having that one day where you get to wear the dream dress, the shoes, the jewelry... It's starting to feel magical!

So here's a little bit of me being a tool in my tulle. And yes, I know it's wrinkly beyond imagination. It's still awesome.

Paper, Paper Everywhere!

I swear one of these nights I will dream of a land made entirely of paper, where I slide down rainbows of paper while origami butterflies, birds and flowers twitter about. I swear...

I am elbow deep in printing wedding invitations right now. I wish I could post some pictures or scan them, but I don't want to spoil it for the readers who will be receiving them in the mail (keep an eye out, they're mailing November 9th!) and I don't need any wedding crashers (although if you went through the trouble to crash my wedding, maybe I'd give you some cake and a handshake). I am actually very pleased with the print quality of my handy dandy HP Officejet. So pleased with the color match quality that upon visiting our venue last week and picking out linens, I held up my mock- up invitation to the napkins I picked and was immediately convinced that I need to make menu cards.

*facepalm*

Menu cards in addition to the invites, Mass programs, directions sheets, escort cards, table numbers... Luckily, I love doing this sort of thing, and it will make the day so much more ours than just a cookie cutter wedding. Even if no one else notices, I'll look around and know the work that went into all this paper and be proud of myself.

And then I'll eat cake.

Shiver Me Timbers!

This morning on the drive to work, I was listening to my favorite classic rock station down here (there aren't many to choose from) out of NYC, and in the weather report they said possible flurries today and tomorrow. Nothing will accumulate. There isn't even a guarantee of flurries, but it will be cold and we'll be getting some effects of the nor'easters that have been making their way across the country.

Most people will curse the high heavens for this, lamenting over a short, cold and wet summer. Call me crazy. Call me an overexcited winter bride. There is something about the first truly frigid day of the year that warms my soul. I love being from New England and experiencing different seasons. I love breaking out all my sweaters and scarves and boots and rocking my thick stockings with a cute wool skirt. I love drinking hot cocoa or a cinnamon latte and seeing my breath dance in the frosty air.

I love using a snowfall as an excuse to take my time driving back roads to work and enjoying the winter wonderland that Mother Nature lays before me. Little crystals of ice make an average tree look gorgeous, like something you see in a 5th Avenue department store window display.

I don't even mind a cold, fall rain, because it means snuggling up under a blanket on the couch, drinking tea and watching the latest Netflix on a Saturday afternoon. The laundry and dishes can wait. The bed can stay unmade. Just let me enjoy this...

It Was 7 Years Ago

7 years ago, it became pretty clear that I'd found the man of my dreams. Of course, we were just starting our freshman year of college, so one couldn't be too certain, but I definitely hoped.

Now looking back, I don't know how I ever got so lucky. We've been through a lot. We've had incredibly rough times, and incredibly joyful times. And I am sure that the best is yet to come. I am slightly saddened that this dating anniversary may not be as meaningful once we're married. But my hope is that we'll continue to celebrate this weekend every year as the time when we fell in love (for the first time and again after a tough break up period).

I won't gross you all out with a sappy list of things I love about him, because he already knows I love everything. Every damn thing. The good and the bad, for better or for worse. You're stuck with me, m'love. You're my best friend and my partner in crime. Here's to 7 x 70 more years together.

Southwest Chicken & Rice - Crock Pot

1 package of chicken tenderloins
1 container of fresh salsa (I use Trader Joe's Mild Fresh Salsa)
1 small onion
a handful of mini button mushrooms
1 cup of brown rice
1/2 cup of corn
1 red bell pepper
Salt & Pepper to taste

Roughly chop onion, and cut button mushrooms into 1/4 pieces. Combine chicken (season with salt & pepper to taste), onion, mushrooms and entire container of salsa into crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Prepare rice. Chop red bell pepper into small pieces. Spray a sautee pan with olive oil and cook pepper and corn. Combine with rice and mix.

Serve chicken with salsa, onions and mushrooms over the rice/pepper/corn mixture. Enjoy with a margarita.

Gluten Free

:)

Wedding Update

With 101 days to go, everything seems to be picking up speed this month. I have a busy 3 months ahead of me because starting next week, I have no choice but to get things done in a certain order and time frame in order to save my sanity.

Sean and I are heading up to Boston on Monday, which is our 7 year anniversary! The plan is to squish as many little visits into 2 days as possible. We also have two major appointments to make on Tuesday. We'll be picking out and buying our wedding bands, and then we have our tasting and "details" meeting at the reception venue with our mothers. I can't wait to taste the dishes we've picked out. They sound incredibly tasty in the description. I won't list them here, since some readers are guests and I don't want to spoil all details.

With picking out our menu, I need to finalize the invitations next week, print them, and cut them out so we can mail them by the first week of November. We then have a meeting with our priest at the end of the month, after which I can finalize the mass programs and get those printed. The first week of November I have my hair and makeup trial, and I need to find a seamstress and schedule a fitting for that afternoon so I can see everything together. Which means I need to find my undergarments that I'll be wearing with the dress...

And the weekend after that I get to party it up with my favorite ladies!

I think what keeps me sane is at the end of the day, when Sean and I are just hanging out, eating dinner, snuggling on the couch, I'm just so excited to be his wife, and for him to be my husband. It has felt like such a long time coming, I can't wait to begin this part of our life together.

Cheers!

Stealing The Modern Gal's horoscope for today...

"Sensing that now is a time for new activities and encounters, you'll find ways to break from daily routines. Don't hold back."

A-freaking-men.

26 Years Young

26 years ago today, I came into the world naked and crying. Thankfully, that is not the case today.

I am glad to have had another year full of blessings and laughter. Each day I am more and more grateful for the people I have in my life, family and friends, who have made me rich with joy and happiness. It sounds corny, but I sometimes have to just pause because people take my breath away. I don't know why I am so lucky.

This past year was amazing. The big moment for me was Sean's proposal, followed by my niece Bailey being born in December. My parents celebrated their 32nd anniversary, my brother and sister-in-law celebrated their second, and my sister and brother-in-law celebrated their fifth last weekend. The wedding planning has been very calm and just this past week seemed to jolt into fast forward.

The year ahead....so much to look forward to. I know it'll be a fantastic year, for many, many obvious reasons. I love that I get my "New Year" in October because it's just the best darn month kick off celebrating life.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go call my mom and wish her a Happy Mother's Day.

Cheers!

Rocktoberfest Badges

At the request of The Modern Gal, I created some badges in celebration of Rocktoberfest '09! Feel free to right click and save to upload to your blog, or use the direct link. Spread the love, and credit me where necessary - no design stealin', folks! That wouldn't be in the spirit of Rocktober!

A little naughty Rocktober school girl...

http://tinyurl.com/y9anvpt





Kind of girly, this is my personal fave...

http://tinyurl.com/y9drwvf




And for those anxiously awaiting New Moon...A little Rocktober Moon.

http://tinyurl.com/ydaugus




I have a few more ideas and requests to put into action, so if you don't like what you see, hang in there! There's more to come!

Rocktober

It's here folks, the absolute best month of the year! So much to celebrate this month, I don't know where to begin. I guess I'll begin with my birthday, which is Saturday (a little attention-whore plug there...). After that, Sean and I will celebrate 7 years together on the 12th, my brother AND brother-in-law's birthdays on the 14th, Sean's bachelor party is the 17th (I'm not going of course, but I'm excited for him and get to have a girl's night!), and so many friends birthdays.

Besides the sheer number of significant dates, it's a fantastic time of year to enjoy the cool crisp air, the delicious harvest based crock pot recipes, the football, the pumpkin ale. It's the prelude to the holiday season when you break out your most fabulously comfy sweaters and most fabulously stylish knee-high boots and stockings.

I am going to have a Rocktober, for sure. Who'll join me? My friend The Modern Gal initiated Rocktoberfest last year, and I'll be creating a badge for you to post wherever you feel like spreading the Rocktoberfest word later this evening. Stay tuned!