We're going to...

...Missouri??

[http://www.vpsphotography.com/]

Yep!  B and I are packing our bags and heading to St. Louis, MO for a few days.

I have very much enjoyed people's reactions to this news.  I realize this is a fairly random destination, but it's still amusing.  People want to know why we're going to Missouri of all places.  Well, here it is, our top 5 reasons to going to St. Louis:

1) On short notice, it was one of the most affordable places we could have chosen.  The runner up was Providence, RI.

2) We're big baseball fans and think it'll be fun to see another city's stadium, even if the Phillies will not be in town.  [Going to LA was just a biiiit  beyond our budget.]

3) I haven't taken more than 4 days off since starting my big girl job in September, so even though this will only be a 2-3 day trip, it has given me something to look forward to.

4) There are plenty of things to do in St. Louis--and many of them are free!  Although the Arch is not one of the free attractions, going to the top is on my bucket list.  No better time than the present!

5) Why not Missouri? :-)

Bon Voyage!

Have you ever been to St. Louis?  What do you recommend?

The library

Yesterday, I left the office a few minutes early because I mistakenly thought it was warm outside, and I wanted to enjoy some sunshine while there was still daylight to be had.  Bright blue skies can be quite deceiving!

Upon realizing that it was in fact frigid and maybe it wasn't such a hot idea to stand at the train station shivering, I ducked into the library to browse.  You see, I recently designed--all by my onesies--and began a new knitting project that is very near and dear to my heart.  I cannot wait until it is complete and I can share with you!  That in mind, I was determined to find a book or two about knitting so I can teach myself some new patterns.

Side note: libraries sort of scare me.  When I delve deep into the seemingly never-ending stacks that reach far above my head, I become totally & completely anxious.  There's the overwhelming stench of books, that I'm tempted to breathe in, but since the books are mostly extremely old, it's sort of a musty smell, and so maybe I should be holding my breath instead to avoid a sneezing fit.  And . it . is . so . quiet. Quiet enough that I can hear myself breathing--ah!  I'm supposed to be holding my breath!  It's an awful lot to endure just to get a book.

[http://allthoselittletthings-.tumblr.com/]

It's a miracle I was able to navigate my way to the appropriate section and shelf I was so eager to find.  I briefly sorted through the options and walked away with two great finds I am certain will satiate my hunger for new knitting techniques.

I skimmed through them on the train ride home and am looking forward to scouring them this weekend if time permits.  B and I will be taking a mini road trip to help my brother and sister-in-law move into their new home.

[so excited!!]

My New Best Friend

As someone who doesn’t get home at night until 7 o’clock, I absolutely love walking in the door to the smell of a home-cooked meal.  The last thing on my mind at the end of a long day is what to make for dinner.

That is why I have befriended the crock pot.

I bring you, Chicken and Sausage Cacciatore

1 lb. Italian sausage, cut in 1’’-thick chunks
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1’’ pieces
1 large green bell pepper, cut to preferred size
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion, sliced in rings
2 cups tomato sauce
Italian seasonings

Layer cut vegetables in crockpot.

Cover with about 1 cup of tomato sauce.

Top with meat.

[I had originally taken a picture of this...but it was rather fowl--ha--so I'll spare you the raw details]

Cover with remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with your favorite Italian seasonings.  I also added some black pepper for good measure.  And there's even a little pink peeking out for your enjoyment.

Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.  Remove cover during last 30 minutes of cooking, stir, and leave cover off to allow sauce to thicken.

Meanwhile, cook up your favorite pasta—B and I will be having whole wheat rotini.

Serve and enjoy!

...can't wait to see what will be waiting for me when I get home tonight!!

Stubborn

Once I put my big, puffy, four-layer winter coat away, I have such a hard time convincing myself to bring it back out when Mother Nature decides to be flaky.  And by flaky, I mean snow-flaky.

My fall/spring jacket has gotten much use in the past several weeks as it has been rather mild.  Last Friday, temperatures in the Philadelphia peaked somewhere in the mid-70s.

Too good to be true?  Of course.

I should have known that finicky March would live up to its reputation.  When I left the house this morning, I was greeted by a freezing cold, misty precipitation that, along the way to work, managed to change over to snow.

Not very heavy, and certainly not enough to accumulate even a dusting, but it was snow, nonetheless.

The weathermen are forecasting similarly chilly mornings for the next few days, some with the threat of more snow, but I’ll be better prepared.  I’m stubborn and still refuse to bring out the aforementioned winter coat; instead I will be donning a handmade cowl for warmth.  That’s right—I’ve been living up to my promise.

How is Mother Nature treating you?

SURPRISE!

Isn't it beautiful?!

I could not be happier with my new blog design, compliments of Annie over on wattlebird!  She did an amazing job transforming my mess of ideas into something incredible that really represents me & my hopes for this new venture of mine.  This was just the does of inspiration I needed!

Thank you, Annie!

[I'm still working out my vision, so please bear with me in the coming weeks as I add more details]

Have you missed me?

My life has been a bit of a whirlwind the past several weeks--constantly moving from one thing to the next.  The good news is, I am alive and well and eager to take on whatever life throws at me this week. :-)

***

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to see a lovely group of ladies--ladies who I could not imagine being without on my wedding day.  We sent our men off to a movie and ducked into a dress shop to try on bridesmaids dresses for the big day.

I asked the consultant to grab sample gowns in the styles [I thought] I liked, and we wasted no time getting into them!  I guess you could say it was a fairly standard visit to the salon.  For the most part, I was able to quickly determine which dresses were potential yesses and which were perfect candidates for the no pile.

The first few dresses were tolerable, and in fact the very first dress we tried ended up making it to the finals.  I stumbled into trouble when in came to the dress I had loved the moment I saw it.  I had already determined in my head this would be the dress--it would be amazing.

I'm sure you can guess where this story is headed.

Due to some unexpected and unfortunate issues with the layering of different fabrics, I was stuck.  Stuck because the image I had in my head was so very different from the reality staring me in the face.

Ultimately, the dress found itself among the no's, and I found myself back at the drawing board, pouring through catalogues.

Feeling mildly defeated, I asked the consultant to once again grab some dresses, this time in styles I never thought I would have my girls try.  SURPRISE--it worked.  I did some final comparisons and came to a final decision.  I even had my picture of the bouquet I found and love held up to the dress to ensure it was the *perfect* match.

:-) It was!

[Had I learned my lesson the last time I was there selecting my gown, I likely would have done things in reverse this time around.]

-Melanie

PS I have a wonderful surprise for you, coming soon!

I am obsessed with...

...diced tomatoes!

I'm not sure how or when I decided I could not live without this particular canned good, but that detail is not important.

What is important is that a can or two of diced tomatoes can come in handy when deciding what to make for [a quick and delicious] dinner for two.  We're talking 15-20 minutes.

For instance, last night B and I whipped up a delicious casserole-esque dish comprised of:

1: Cut up sweet sausages
2: A box of macaroni and cheese
3: Half a bag of frozen broccoli
4: Two cans of diced tomatoes
5: Appropriate seasonings

[This was quite possibly one of our most delicious concoctions yet!]

What's great about these casseroles, among other things, is that they are flexible.  Last week we used:

1: Chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
2: Penne Pasta
3: One package of frozen spinach
4: Two cans of diced tomatoes
5: Shredded Italian cheese blend

Are you seeing a pattern yet?  We've also tossed together:

1: Ground turkey with a finely diced onion
2: Box of Rice-A-Roni
3: One package of frozen peas
4: One can of diced tomatoes
5: Appropriate seasonings

Next time you're stumped on dinner ideas, take a look in your cabinets/fridge.  If you've got:

1: Meat [I bet shrimp would be incredible, too!]
2: Grain
3: Frozen or fresh veggies
4: Diced tomatoes--of course :)
5: Cheese/seasonings

You are well on your way to cooking up a delicious meal!  Bon appetit!