friday links.

{lovely garland made by Kristen of PomLove, with whom I'm going to be sharing a city in a few months! :D)

- was growing out my bangs but suddenly missed them desperately so I got banged

- have you guys seen this video of two guys undergoing labor pain simulation? They're actually two guys from my church, one of which is a good friend of my hubby's. they made it to play at services on Mother's Day. apparently it's going viral!

- really want these wooden clogs 

- want to try this paleo granola

- and this Alfredo-like sauce made with cauliflower

- loving these sandals made by Guatemalan artisans

- found this article about why French kids don't have ADHD to be really interesting. now want to read Bringing Up Bébé (eventually)

what are you lovelies up to this weekend? my family and i are headed to Grand Rapids to help my sis and brother-in-law move (apparently this is the summer of moving!) my sister just accepted a job as Director of a Boys and Girls Club camp and they will be living on the camp site - so proud of her!! 

links from the week

{found my vintage wedding clutch while rummaging through bins of old stuff my mom brought over. spring cleaning is going down early over here}. 

Thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and share some favorite links from the week with you. This new year is off to a wonderful start. I'm back in a cooking kick, trying all sorts of new recipes using some new cookwear (woohoo), daydreaming about where we'e going to end up (so much excitement in our house right now!) and also I think my new year's resolution to rise early has really brought more joy, positivity and productivity into my days. Hope to gradually make it even earlier. 

 

- I've found a new go-to corn chowder recipe. Hubby is obsessed. Excited for leftovers tonight. 

- In case you're curious, so far the potential places we could be moving to this year are here, here, here, here and here. Apparently the West and NY are calling to us. The soonest we could know is early next month :o

- This is my new favorite way to prepare pork chops. Abso-freaking-lutely delicious. 

- I've just started reading this book (as part of my other new years' resolution to read before bed), and I really like it so far. 

- This carrot soup sounds delicious. I really want her cookbook. 

- Snagged this Anthro dress for free thanks to the 30% off clearance sale + the $28 store credit I received after getting a price adjustment on the present Joel got me for Christmas. A little tip: if they are out of your size online, call customer service & they will locate a store that has it & the store will ship it to you for free! 

Happy Friday friends! Hope your weekend is wonderful. 

this weekend, i...

{oh, look! all my photos revolve around food...}

- welcomed the first day of Fall with these pumpkin pancakes (from the pumpkin recipe roundup in my previous post) & they were SO yum, easy & mess-free.

- finally tried Zingerman's Roadhouse in Ann Arbor & had my first Cornish hen (delicious!!)

- saw this documentary and highly recommend it, it's a truly incredible story.

- cleaned our house & put away summer clothes/organized my closet.. it's amazing what a sense of relief/peace I have when or house is clean/a {teeny} bit more organized!

- bought my first piece of clothing for fall thanks to a Target gift card. it was exciting. my spending freeze continues and it has helped put things into perspective for me. although, i have to admit, i have a serious hankering to go on a fall shopping spree.

- started this devo on the YouVersion app, thanks to this pretty lady. good stuff, so far!

- had an awesome dinner guest on Sunday complete with a fall-inspired, dinner, a bonfire, these for dessert, and oh yea, Trapped in the Closet.

i am loving {potentially our last} Michigan fall so far! can't wait for the leaves to change. hope you are all enjoying the new season, wherever you are. even if it still feels/looks like summer there, at least you can get a Pumpkin Spice Latte and pretend ;)

summer recipes to try.

with all of this summer heat (i'm talking 100-plus-degrees-heat), i've been craving refreshing, light dinners. thought i'd post a few that are on my to-make list (they can all be found on my ever-growing food board on pinterest.) pretty excited to try some out this week (particularly the gizpacho and the eggplant with caprese salad.

1. Fresh corn tomato salad a la Food Network (also want to try this one)

2. Chilled avocado and mint soup a la Bon Appetit

3. Tomato gazpacho with prosciutto-mozzarella sandwiches a la Martha Stewart

4. Roasted eggplant with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil a la Deliciously Organic

5. Caprese grilled chicken with balsamic reduction a la 

6. Cold rice noodles with peanut-lime sauce a la Smitten Kitchen

7. Avocado & quinoa salad with lemon supremes a la House and Home

{food fit for fall}

ah, i love alliteration :)


so i must share with you two delectable recipes that make for perfect autumn-time meals. even my husband, the veggie-phobic, gobbled them right up. unsurprisingly, they are both from giada :)

Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns



Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
* 1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
* 1 cup vegetable stock
* 1 pound rigatoni
* 1 pound prawns, peeled and deveined
* 3/4 to 1 cup whole milk
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Saute until the squash is golden and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the squash is very soft, another 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the squash mixture to a blender or food processor and puree.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the prawns with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Add the prawns to the pan and cook until just pink, about 3 minutes.

In a large pot over low heat combine the cooked pasta, pureed squash mixture, and 3/4 cup milk. Stir to combine. Add the remaining 1/4 cup milk if the sauce needs to be moistened. Add the cooked prawns, basil, and cheese. Stir until warm and serve.

i would definitely recommend adding more salt and pepper than it calls for. otherwise, it is a bit bland. i also added some crushed red pepper flakes for a little extra zing. it is a quick and easy meal - the hardest part is cutting up the squash.

wondering the perfect dessert to follow it up with? may i recommend the pumpkin pie blizzard from dairy queen. mmmmmmm!! just don't get it to close to your dog, or he'll take a lick (baaaaad dog, magglio).


and for the second recipe of the day. unlike the last, this one is neither simple nor quick, but it is TOTALLY worth the labor. believe me.

Baked Angel Hair with Eggplant

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 to 6 Japanese eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut into 1-inch cubes
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 pound mild Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
* 1/3 cup dry red wine
* 3 cups marinara sauce
* 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
* 8 ounces angel hair pasta
* 1 pound mozzarella, diced
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
* 1 (17 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

Directions

Heat 1/3 cup of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the eggplant and toss to coat in the oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute the eggplant until it is golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium. Add half of the garlic and saute until it is tender, about 2 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant mixture to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the remaining eggplant and garlic.

Add the sausage and wine to the same frying pan. Cook over medium-high heat until the wine evaporates and the sausage is brown, breaking the sausage into pieces with the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage, marinara sauce, and crushed red pepper to the eggplant mixture, and toss to combine.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the angel hair and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until pasta is still slightly crunchy and undercooked. Drain. Toss the angel hair with the eggplant mixture. Cool completely. Add the mozzarella and Parmesan and toss to combine.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out 1 pastry sheet on a floured surface to a 13 1/2-inch square. Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan, allowing the excess pastry to hang over the rim. Spoon the pasta mixture into the pan. Place the second pastry sheet atop the pasta filling. Pinch the edges of the pastry sheets together to seal. Trim the overhanging pastry edges to about 1-inch. Fold the pastry edges in to form a decorative border. Cut a slit in the center of the top pastry to allow the steam to escape.

Bake until the pastry is brown and puffed on top, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes. Remove the pan sides and serve.

bon appetit!