This and That | March 2013

St. Patrick's Day...in food and drink.
If I can make something specifically for a holiday, like Irish soda bread for St. Pat's or pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, I'm going to go overboard.  And I'm going to love it.  Soda bread has been a St. Pat's tradition, as have car bomb shots, for several years.  The potatoes baked with dill and corned beef are a newer tradition, making an appearance last year and this year with approval from the boys.

whole wheat soda bread with raisins

Guinness sausages and onions cooked in stout

baked potatoes cooked with dill and corned beef
(well, actually pastrami...but close enough)

Great Lakes Brewing Company's
Conway's Irish Ale
A favorite tradition for St. Pat's

car bomb shots

my mini-beaker shot class was too light to sink to the bottom

so it floated on top of the thick Guinness foam

This cranberry dressing and these salad greens

My new found love of brussels sprouts led me to try a raw brussels sprouts salad...which wasn't quite my favorite.  But the dressing! Easy to make (just use your blender!), a beautiful color, and that perfect mix of tangy-sweet flavor. Even though I omitted the basil in the original recipe, I was quite happy with my dressing. I may have dipped apple slices meant for my salad into the dressing during assembly and loved it.

cranberry, honey, mustard dressing

make a batch in your blender and

store it in the fridge for a week or two

I'm not much of a salad person (yet).  But I've found myself eating a salad with these greens three times this week. They have a little more flavor and texture than your average iceberg or romaine lettuce, but they don't overwhelm with flavor.  When paired with the cranberry dressing and apple slices, it's so dang tasty.

A Penzy's Spices near my apartment?!?!

This means bad, bad things for my already overwhelmed spice shelf...  but good things for me! 

That sweet curry is destined for a curried carrot cupcake recipe.  The rest is just for fun...and because I can't resist.

A dinner party

Even though I was the one calling it a dinner "party" (it was just dinner), I was so excited to plan and make dinner for Eric's band.  It seemed like I wowed them, which felt pretty great.

Wedding things are moving along

My dress - check! 

(though no pictures until the big day, so I don't ruin the surprise for Eric.  He's been told my dress is multicolored, spangled and sparkly, with feathers, polka dots, and lots of ruffles!)

Save the Dates sent - check!

Linens, plates, chairs ordered for venue - check! 

(done while sipping mimosas and bloody mary's, thanks to Buckeye Vodka and Prime Time Party Rental!)

Bridesmaid's dresses - in process, but I'm going to give it a check!

My parents are even taking dancing lessons! How sweet!

Slowly moving my things in to Eric's house and organizing them in a way that works for both of us - in the process!  It's so much crazier than you'd expect! When did I accumulate so. much. stuff.?

Up next:
Photographer
Food tasting for reception venue
Meeting with the priest/church coordinator
Florist
Cake tastings!!! (I may be more than a bit excited about this one. I'm definitely going to employ Shannon's advice, asking for another taste because I just can't decide...)