Another Delicious Recipe!

In an effort to decompress from an exhausting week, hubby and I decided to spend the entire weekend relaxing - that meant eating some good food, watching good movies and drinking some tasty wine.


I know we're all guilty of always cooking the same weeknight staples - mainly because it's easy and let's face it - after working a long day, we're just exhausted! Well this weekend I decided to break out of the (recipe) box and try something new. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. I love Giada! I was literally drooling when I saw her recent Giada at Home episode where she made Couscous Stuffed Peppers. So I decided to attempt making them myself. I'll be honest, usually when a recipe calls for me to make my own sauce, I skip it. There's something about lugging out my blender or food processor that drives me nuts (What a waste of a registry gift!). However this time I decided to use one of my favorite products I've endorsed here before - the Fit N Fresh personal blender. It's so small and cleans up in a snap. If you're like me and shy away from making your own sauces, promise me you'll give Giada's Basil Sauce a shot. It was so delicious and could be used on so many different proteins to compliment the peppers.


Ingredients
Filling:
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 cup couscous
1 cup canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup dried currants *Hubby is not a fan of the salty/sweet combo - so I omitted these
1 packed cup chopped baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium red bell peppers
1 medium yellow bell pepper
1 medium orange bell pepper
Hot water, as needed

Sauce:
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (about 4 ounces) creme fraiche *Substituted with Sour Cream
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus extra, as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra, as needed


Directions
Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Filling: In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken broth and cumin to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover the pan until the couscous is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed, about 5 to 6 minutes. Put the couscous in a large bowl and add the beans, currants, spinach, feta and 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir until all the ingredients are combined.

Slice the tops off the peppers and remove all the ribs and seeds. If necessary, cut a very thin slice from the base to help the peppers stand up. Stuff the peppers with the filling and drizzle the tops with olive oil. Put the peppers in an 8 by 8-inch square baking dish. Fill the baking dish with 3/4-inch hot water and bake until the filling is golden and the peppers are cooked through, about 55 to 60 minutes. **Note - if your filling begins to brown, cover with tin foil.


Sauce: In a blender, combine the basil, creme fraiche, olive oil, water, garlic, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove the peppers from the oven and arrange on serving plates. Spoon the sauce around the peppers and serve.


This dish was AMAZING! For a little protein I simply grilled some shrimp on the side and dipped it in the basil sauce - YUM YUM YUM!! I know green bell peppers are more affordable, but I think it was worth splurging on yellow and red peppers - our plates looked so festive and colorful! Another suggestion I have is figure one pepper for every two people. Neither hubby nor I could finish our own. (Although we’re both very excited to eat the leftovers for lunch!)

The BEST Pasta Salad You'll Ever Make!

Just like the rest of America, we spent our long weekend sharing laughs and delicious food with friends & family. On my quest for the perfect pasta salad to compliment our BBQ, I searched for the quintessential pasta salad from my favorite Food Network guru - Ina Garten. After a quick search, I stumbled upon this delicious recipe. As usual, I made some modifications due to a lack of certain ingredients, but all in all this was a BIG hit!

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1/2 pound fusilli (spirals) pasta (I used the whole box - 1lb)
Kosher salt
Olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, medium-diced

3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced (Didn't have on hand, so I omitted)

1 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced (Only had feta, so I made the swap)

6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

For the dressing:
5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (Only had apple cider, so I swapped)
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1 garlic clove, diced (We love garlic, so I used two)
1 teaspoon capers, drained (Don't like capers, so I skipped this all together)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

Directions

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.

For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth. Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

This pasta salad was a huge hit. It was light and refreshing, but packed full of flavor. I would definitely recommend making this for any of your upcoming summer bbq's!! Enjoy!

Virgins No More! Property Virigins That Is...

I am very excited to say that DH and I are closing on our first place in two weeks from yesterday!! After a year of living in Atlanta, GA we have decided to call it home! Our house is located in Roswell, about 20 minutes north of Atlanta. The neighborhood is so wonderful - family friendly, safe and quiet. In fact, it was actually voted one of the best places to live by CNN.

Interesting facts about Roswell:

• Named One of the Top Three Cities in the Nation to Raise Your Family. Roswell was listed third in the book, Best Places to Raise Your Family, released by Frommer's.
• In October 2006, the City of Roswell was named the 18th Safest City in the United States by City Crime Rankings

After growing up in an apartment for virtually my entire life, and especially after DH and I shared a 600 square foot studio in Manhattan for some years, it feels great to know we have a quiet (and HUGE!) home to come home to after a long days work.

Although the picture doesn't do it justice - this is our place! 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath at around 2,700 square feet. We purchased the house from the bank, so it came "as-is." Neither DH or I are the most handy, so we have hired a contractor to come in and help us spruce the place up.

Check out this chocolate brown paint - this is the color of nearly the whole house!! The plan is to re-paint all walls in Behr's Raffia Cream. I think the dark railings are gorgeous and will especially "pop" against the lighter wall color.

I've always wanted an island! The anitqued cabinets don't suit my style, so I'm having the contractor re-stain them a rice magohany to match the chair rail in the eat in kitchen. I can't wait to post the "after" pictures! 

I am in love with these ultra modern glass bowl sinks. The previous owner installed two in the master bath and another in the upstairs guest bath. Love these!

While the excitment of first time homeownership has been very exciting, I am beginning to feel a little overwhelmed when I think about decorating! Where do you all go for inspiration?? Any helpful hints on approaching furnishing our first home?

Cassis Le Cruset Has Arrived!!

Sur La Table is now carrying Le Cruset in a fabulous new color! Cassis is so rich and gorgeous, I think i'm going to have to replace my blue Le Cruset dutch oven with this! Aside from being oven, microwave, grill, freezer AND dishwasher safe, it comes with a 5-year guarantee. I have two dutch ovens from this line (although not in the new fab color!) and love them - I use them for everything from soups and stews to braising brisket. I know the prices can leave a little sticker shock - but trust me, they are a great investment and will last you a lifetime.


The following pieces are available only from Sur La Table (online or in the store)
• Stoneware Pitchers in Cassis, $24.95
• Stoneware Rectangular Bakers in Cassis, $29.95-35.95
• Square Grill Pan in Cassis, $89.95
• Oval French Oven in Cassis, $259.95

Serenity at the Boca Raton Resort

For my 26th birthday, I flew down to South Florida and enjoyed a spa day with my mom. We spent the day at the Boca Raton Resort - one of the most gorgeous hotels and spas I have ever seen.

We began the day with a light lunch at Morimoto - the sushi bar had an awesome futuristic design.

After lunch we walked the hotel grounds - what a beautiful resort situated right on the water.

We then made our way to the Palazzo Spa for our appointments. We each had a Swedish Massage and mom treated me to a customized facial. Amazing!!

I loved the products they used - all from a line Kerstin Florian. I have normal to dry skin so they used some really great products including a hydrating cleansing milk, raspberry extract serum, a cooling masque and a really hydrating liposome creme. All in all, it was a gorgeous spa and two exceptional treatments. If you live in or planning a trip to South Florida, go to the Boca Raton Resort for some true pampering!

Bye bye Boca Raton Resort!!

Supporting Breast Cancer

First off, I feel like I owe everyone an apology! Life has been crazy hectic and I let blogging fall completely by the wayside. I have truly missed posting and vow to get back to my weekly commitment!

Now on to the good stuff.

I recently signed my company up for the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5K here in Atlanta. I am so excited that more than 50 of my co-workers have registered to run with me and my husband (I encouraged everyone to recruit friends and family!)

In the spirit of charity, I have found some cute products that are not only quite fashionable, but give back. And what a better cause to support than Breast Cancer. Unfortunately in today's society everyone knows someone who has been touched by the disease. About one month prior to my June 2008 wedding, my mother-in-law passed away from a 15+ year battle with the disease. The statistics are frightening.

Did you know:

1. Breast Cancer occurs in every 1 out of 8 women
2. A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.
3. Breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in Hispanic women. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.

For more information, please go to http://www.breastcancer.org/

Check out these great products which donate proceeds to Susan G. Komen and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation:

NEW BALANCE LACE UP FOR THE CURE SNEAKER, $149.99. 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of New Balance's partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. In honor of this milestone, New Balance will donate up to $1 million (with a guaranteed minimum donation of $500,000) to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® from the proceeds of the Lace Up for the Cure® Collection. Available at newbalance.com.

BELKIN SPORT ARMBAND, $24.99. This slim, lightweight, and stretchable neoprene Belkin armband holds your iPod Nano and includes a pocket for keys or earbuds. $2.50 from each sale benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Available at http://www.belkin.com/.

AVEDA HAND RELIEF, $20. A rich hand creme that helps soften and smooth hands while diminishing the visible signs of aging, Hand Relief has remained an Aveda top seller since its launch in 1998. $4 from each sale benefits the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Available at http://www.aveda.com/.

Friendships (or lack thereof) in Your 20s and 30s

With my 26th birthday only a month away, I've spent the last few weeks reflecting on my life to date. I am blessed to have a wonderful husband, two adorable dogs, a supportive extended family, and a promising career yet am amazed at how fast the last 5 years of my post-collegiate life have gone. It's true what everyone says - time flies when you're busy doing something else. Since graduating Arizona State in 2005, I have lived in three states and made some new friends and lost a few along the way. After a brief bout of slight loneliness, I’ve asked myself a simple question: Why is it so difficult to maintain and develop friendships in your late 20's??

On a quest to find an answer to my nagging question, I went to the website every self respecting research guru does. Thanks to Google, I found the book: "The Friendship Crisis: Finding, Making, and Keeping Friends When You're Not a Kid Anymore" and was instantly intrigued. Through profiles of various women, Marla Paul explores the challenges women face as they attempt to manage marriages, careers, moving and families in their late 20's, early 30's and beyond. The phenomenon of just how difficult it can be on women to see long lasting friendships dissipate is not only something I am interested in, but something I can relate to. As a twenty-something, I am always the youngest person in my office by at least 20 years. As a result of moving three times in five years, I make friends and then ultimately leave them. Text messages, emailing and the occasional phone conversations can only go so far.

Paul’s book explores the ways women can get out and forge new friendships as we get older. Overall I think this is a great read - it will make you question "How Am I As a Friend?" and will no doubt make you re-evaluate existing friendships and challenge yourself to get out there and develop new relationships.

For those readers who find themselves in a similar situation – how have you handled getting older and finding yourself missing those fulfilling friendships?