Grown Up Grilled Cheese

My yummy dinner last night: brie, pear, and caramelized onion grilled sandwich.  Delicious and so simple.  Try it for yourself!

Ricotta Egg Bake

Sorry for the delay in posting- I've been a bit under the weather and felt like doing nothing but napping yesterday.  But, I am on the mend and wanted to share this tasty little recipe that John and I enjoyed over the weekend.

You will need:

• 8 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked and cut into inch long pieces
• 1/2 onion, sauteed
• 1 cup ricotta
• 1 avocado for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 and combine the onion, bacon, and eggs in a greased casserole dish.  Add in the ricotta cheese by dropping spoonfuls throughout the casserole.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the eggs are set and the top is golden brown. 

Top with sliced avocado and a dollop of ricotta cheese and enjoy!  

Obsessed: Rock Climbing

Recently, John and I joined a rock climbing gym, Vertical Endeavors.  It is so much fun and seriously addictive.  We've already gotten some gear, and John even MADE our chalk bags!  Talk about a handy man! 

My harness and shoes.  The shoes are so tiny!  But, they're supposed to fit like a ballet slipper- close and form fitting.

John's hand made chalk bag.  You can make one too with the tutorial from The Handy Hippie

As you can see from the tag on my harness, I'm belay qualified (which means I can hold the rope while people climb up and let them down when they've reached the top).

If you haven't given rock climbing a try, I highly highly recommend it!

DIY Half Moon Manicure

My nail polish tends to chip almost immediately after drying.  That's why I was dying to try a half moon manicure- it adds a top coat of a new color and helps cover up the chips so your manicure can last a little longer.

You will need:

• 2 colors of nail polish (I chose black and grey)
• Base coat and top coat polish, if you want
• 5 bandaids (the non-cloth kind) per hand

Start with a coat of your color of choice.

When it is dry, affix the band aid to the bottom portion of your nail.

Paint over with your next color of choice.

Remove the band aid carefully and let dry.  Gently fold the band aid over and use the other side for the next nail.

Repeat the process until your nails are complete.  Presto!  Half moon manicure

October Book Club

"Tina Fey reveals all, and proves what we've all suspected: you're no one until someone calls you bossy."

I'm reading my copy of Bossypants on our kindle!

For those keeping up with our book club, the book for October is going to be Bossypants, by Tina Fey.  I'm about halfway through this book, and it's a great read! 

I hope you'll join us!

Snickerdoodles!

This is an old standard as far as cookies go- here is my Granny's recipe for Snickerdoodles:

You will need:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 3/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar mixed with 3 tablespoons cinnamon

Mix all but the last bullet point together in a large bowl.

Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls.

Roll the balls in the cinnamon and sugar mixture

Flatten the balls onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

Peachy Pork Chops

This recipe is the perfect segue from summer into fall.  The end of summer peaches are a great compliment to pork chops.  It's pretty tasty, if I do say so myself!

For two servings, you will need:

• 2 pork chops
• 2 peaches (I used Colorado peaches), sliced
• 1 ounce of honey
• 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar
• Small amount of oil for the pan
• Salt and pepper to taste

 Heat the oil over medium to medium low heat.  Once the oil is hot add the pork chops, and cook on each side until golden brown (about 5-7 minutes per side).  Make sure the pork is cooked thoroughly to at least 145 degrees.

Add the peach slices, and drizzle the honey and balsamic vinegar over the pan.  Cover, and let the flavors combine for another 5 minutes.

Enjoy!