Tuesday, September 25, 2012

[Overnight] Sensations

Lots of goodies have gone straight into my tummy lately.  Last Friday it was three kinds of delicious ice cream: gingersnap pumpkin, dark chocolate oreo marshmallow, and peanut butter chocolate.  I had mine in a homemade cookie bowl while Jack had the same three scoops but with Reese’s on the top and whipped cream.

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Tonight’s dinner featured some honey lentils, courtesy of this recipe here.  I threw all the stuff together and then turned on the crockpot overnight.  There is something about waking up to a full pot of food that is seriously sensational.  I took some to lunch the other day but tonight I had them accompanied by a side of garlic buttered toast.  Honestly, the lentils are mighty tasty and I might even make them again.

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Also tried out some new apple rings from Trader Joe’s.  I loved how thick they were.  So delicious!

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Last night’s study treat was also scrumptious.  Carrot cake ice cream with a drizzle of maple syrup on top.  Oh heck yes.  I wanted a whole other bowl but I did more studying instead.

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Today’s study break treat was a bite sized Snickers.  Brain food.

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Finally, this past Sunday Jack and I resumed our football watching dates.  We hit up Buffalo Wild Wings for a three course, full length Redskins game meal.

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We started off with their new molten buffalo chicken dip.  It was actually really interesting because you could seriously taste the celery mixed in.  I was so pleasantly surprised.

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Then came our entrees.  I had the grilled chicken buffalitos bathed in spicy garlic wing sauce.  It had a wee bit more spice than I was anticipating but it was perfection none-the-less.  Potato wedges on the side.

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Last but certainly not least was dessert in the form of some incredible nachos.  The best part was totally the fried cheesecake balls in the middle.  Oh yea.  You heard that right.

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So, like I said, lots of goodies.  I now leave you with a non-edible goodie in the form of a semi-unusual Tune Tuesday entry.  I found this last night while I was procrastinating and it is absolutely gorgeous.  Take a moment, close your eyes, and bathe your soul in this beautiful duet.

Questions: Thoughts on fried cheesecake?
What’s your go to crockpot recipe?

Sunday, September 23, 2012

September Wedding Weekend #3

Ladies and gentlemen, we have officially concluded the great three wedding run of Sept 2012.  Our final event was the wedding of Jack’s good friend Jhan to his lovely bride Rachel.  This time it was Jack’s turn to be in the wedding (I had my turn last time, remember?) which meant that I got to hang out all day by myself while he was doing wedding business.  I passed the time by trying on dresses, figuring out my makeup, working out, studying, and giving myself a French manicure.

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Seriously, I’m getting better at these.  I don’t think I’ll ever pay for one again…  Anyways, by the time four o’clock rolled around I headed out to the farm where the wedding was taking place.  I’m not sure my choice of shoes was the greatest for stomping around in fields but what’s a girl to do?

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The ceremony started just a bit behind schedule though nothing to write a letter to the editor about, which was appreciated, especially with it being outside in the breezy 58* weather.

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The bridal party all lined up and awaited the bride’s entrance.

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And what an entrance it was!!!

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That’s right, there was a horse and carriage.  How super neat was that?  I was terribly impressed.  The ceremony was short, sweet, and against a drop-dead gorgeous backdrop. They are both theater major people (met in the theater department in college actually) so the “sermon” was on this being opening night of life’s biggest play, etc. Very nice and very personal to the couple.

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Then there were rings and statements of encircling each other was love forever.

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And kisses were shared.

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Finally, the new couple danced down the aisle and rode off into the sunset.

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Then, my friends, it was time to party.  I arrived at the reception alone (bridal party was taking pictures and such) and was greeted by a chalkboard telling me how to find my table. 

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When I got to my table I put the stick into my cute pot thus designating what I was to have for dinner.  I had ordered the mushroom option a while back when the invitation arrived and I thought this was a very cute way of helping out the wait-staff.

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It was a lovely cocktail hour was three passed options and some buffet options as well.  The passed items included a puff pastry “pizza”, homemade pita with tofu sesame dip, and a grilled bruschetta of pesto zucchini.  I tried all three and they were great.  On the buffet side of things there was a variety of cheeses, veggies, and dips.  The tofu sesame was frakkin’ amazing.  I want the recipe so badly!

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The couple also had a table of cupcakes set out. They were the vegan friendly option of the night.  There was a raspberry vanilla, a banana peanut butter, and a German chocolate option.

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On the other side of the room, next to the photo booth (which was a blast) there was a candy bar with a chalkboard proclaiming that “Love is sweet.”  Oh yes it was.  I may have single-handedly-mouthedly eaten a whole bag over the course of the night.  Haha.

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Anyways, eventually the bridal party arrived and things got hopping.  Our plated dinner started off with a salad and a breadbasket.  Nothing super special but the nutty, seedy roll that I had was nicely rustic and hearty.

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Then came the entrée and boy, what the salad lacked in greatness, the entrée made up for in spades.  This mushroom was fabulous.  It was stuffed with spinach, tomato, and some sort of cheesy-pesto goodness on top.  It was on a bed of pesto noodles and had two veggies on the side: green beans and some sautéed greens (collard??).

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I devoured this plate and took no prisoners.

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Also, my love was kind enough to bring me a piece of his fish for which I exchanged a hunk of mushroom.  His dish was also delicious.  Soon after the meal, people started raiding the cupcake table so we followed suit.  Jack and I split a banana peanut butter and a German chocolate.

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To my surprise, my favorite was the banana peanut butter.  It just had more flavor all around than the chocolate one though both were stellar.  There was also a variety of cookies and chocolate covered strawberries to munch on.

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What cute little tuxes and dresses the strawberries had on!!  As if that dessert wasn’t enough, it was cake cutting time!!

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Very cute couple, very nice cake.  It was a carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting.  And from what I heard it was made by one or both of the moms, from scratch, with eggs from their farm, in one day.  Damn!  I applaud their work ethic!

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Obviously by this point they had turned the lights wayyyy down because it was time for the formal dances.  The couple did a choreographed number to “A Thousand Years” by Christina Perri and the bride danced with her father to “I Loved Her First”, a classic choice.

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Forgive the bright light, I obviously wasn’t in the best spot to be taking these pictures.  Oh well.  As expected, I cried my way through these two songs.  Seriously, I’m an awful wedding crier.  Every time, seriously, every time.  I don’t even want to imagine what kind of a wreck I’m going to be on my own wedding day in the future!  After the formal dances, the rest of the crowd danced the night away and before we knew it, it was time to wrap it all up.  Jack and I stayed, along with most of the wedding party and such, to tear down the space.  We also snagged some silly pictures once they brought the lights up again and we could actually be seen.

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The awkward prom shot.  We were really giggling about this.

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The kissy face shot.

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And the “let’s just smile like normal people” shot.

Seriously great wedding.  We had a blast.  And now, with that, I’m off to study some embryology and watch my Redskins play some football today.  Let’s do this!  Hope your Sunday is wonderful.  =D

Questions: Would you trust your parents to make your wedding cake?
Do you like the idea of a photo booth at your wedding?

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