Uncategorized – Page 3 – forEVR and always

Party & Purchase

June 26, 20132 Comments

Well, it’s official…we are home owners! After a long, difficult, and trying journey to own our new home we finally closed!

We had a going away party Saturday morning on our roof with a bunch of friends and had a really amazing time getting to see everyone. No words can express what all of you mean to Jay and I…we are going to miss you all so much. Part of our hearts will always be in Brooklyn. I can’t believe it is all coming to a close, I really can’t. But this next chapter is going to be incredibly exciting. There will be a lot of changes, and I’m sure some tough days, but I think we are ready for this big move. Thank you all for your love and friendships…now everyone come visit!

(sunset on our beautiful roof deck at the party)

xo-j

Gov Ball

June 10, 2013Leave a comment

This weekend was Governors Ball! We had a great time seeing amazing performances all weekend…we did have to do it covered in mud, dirt, rain, and more mud, but it was fantastic! We are suffering trying to stay awake at work today! We got to see so many of our favorites (yeasayer, bloc party, kanye (!), lumineers, alt-j…so many others). A great way to spend a weekend with friends and family. N & S, so happy you came out and stayed. S you are a trooper!

Here are a few fun ones from the muck…

Mother’s day

May 13, 20132 Comments

We had a wonderful Mother’s Day as a family at home in Flemington this weekend! I managed to go to the same grocery store 4 times in 36 hours…amazing. Sunday we had a family breakfast where we all pitched in (except for Mom of course) and then had a relaxing day all together!

(baked french toast can be found here)

(Goofing around with Mom on Shop Rite trip #3. Dad and I searched for Bacon for 15 minutes with no luck…the master showed us where we missed!)

(beautiful sky from the parking lot)

Love you Mama!

xo- j

i die

May 10, 2013Leave a comment

Today I got to meet up with my favorite lunch friend of all time. I have missed her so much since she went to her new job! It is a beautiful day in NYC we thought so we would have a delicious/horrible for us lunch outside.

We met up in Bryant Park for LT Burger…and oh man, it was unreal. I do feel like I may die at any moment as I am digesting, but I think it was worth it!

Erin, we will forever eat too much for our bodies to handle…but I’m so happy I can depend on you to do it over and over again with me!

xo-j

Game of Thrones (Lemon Cakes Recipe)

April 17, 2013Leave a comment

This weekend was Jay’s birthday, but more importantly, Sunday is Game of Thrones night. I wanted to do something fun to celebrate for him, but also GOT themed. I decided to make Lemon Cakes! I realize I am a total dork, but…I love it!

You can find the recipe here. They were a little weird, but delicious.

If I make these again I will definitely cook them a little longer…maybe if you have a gas oven they cook a bit quicker than with electric…not sure. Regardless, a delicious themed dessert for the birthday man!

xo-j

Busy bee

March 25, 20133 Comments

As always, we have been running around. Here are some pictures from life lately…

(spring)

(city view from cab)

(night in with my loves jac & char)

(my amazing homemade turkey burger. i brought the leftovers to work and here is the result. thank you so much kitchen jerk whoever you are)

(the annual festival of tom)

(even rondo had a case of the mondays)

xo-j

chicken pasta

March 19, 2013Leave a comment

My Mom is an amazing cook…but much to her annoyance, all of our favorite meals she makes take her 20 minutes. She can spend hours and hours making a meal, and we will all love it just about the same as the simple things. Having been cooking on my own for a while now, I understand why this makes her nuts. To spend hours on a cake when everyone would rather eat the Shop Rite cookies…ugh!

Anyway, she gave me this recipe for chicken pasta and it has become a staple in our apartment. Jay’s #1 request…so I thought I would share since, at the end of the work day, who has 4 hours to make the food network version of recipes with 984 ingredients, when everyone loves the simple recipe just as much, if not more!

CHICKEN PASTA

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 lb chicken breast
2 cans cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup (i use one of each)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup parm
1 box ziti
Frozen broccoli (or frozen mix)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Brown and dice the chicken in a deep pan (that has a lid)with a little oil & butter. I put some red pepper flakes on mine in the pan, let it brown, then dice in the pan.

2. While the chicken is browning, bring a pot of water to a boil for the ziti.

3. Once the chicken is browned, add the milk, parm, and soup. Stir it up, bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.

4. Cover the chicken mix and let it simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

5. Cook the pasta for the recommended time on the box (normally 10 minutes). The last 3 minutes of the pasta cooking, add your frozen broc or frozen mix to the boiling pasta.

(so if it is 10 minute pasta time, after 7 minutes add the broc, return to boil for the remaining 3 minutes)

6. Drain the pasta/veg mix, and add to the simmering chicken/soup mix that has been cooking for 10 minutes (it’s ok if it has been longer)…

7. Now stir it alllllll up!

8. Top with the cheddar. The recipe says 1/2 cup…both my Mom and I are cheese liberal, I use at least a cup…probably more. Then cover so it melts on top (about 1 minute) and you are done! Look how delicious!!

That is it! Easy, delicious, happy. In an effort to be healthy I served ours with a little salad that I made (arugula, strawberries, parm, and homemade dressing)…

Beware, making this recipe will result in you making this recipe thousands of times because everyone loves it! Thanks Mom!

xo-j

cookie time

March 5, 2013Leave a comment

On Sunday I thought I was going to go nuts if I didn’t eat a cookie! I was too tired (ok, lazy) to bundle up and go buy cookies at the store…then I realized, I had everything I needed to make cookies at home. They were so easy, ready in about 20 minutes, and delicious!! You can find the easy recipe here. I skipped the nuts and added some cinnamon. Mmm…

I then ate at least 11 of these and had a tummy ache…oh well, it was worth it!

xo-j

the 60th!

March 4, 2013Leave a comment

This weekend was Dad’s 60th birthday dinner! We had a great time seeing friends that are more like family, and celebrating with him. Jay and I traveled home early Saturday morning and within 5 hours ate two huge meals out with my family…nothing like home! I wish we could have stayed longer, but the short time we had there was a blast (rondo was loving life too with his bff kitty caesar). Here are some fun party pics of the family, and then of course, food!

(part of the party crew & then the late night party crew!)

(only in nj can you get porkroll like this…mmm)

(even rondo was tired when we got home)

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! We need to sleep ours off, but no rest…tonight we go see D’angelo at Brooklyn Bowl!!

xo-j

that escalated quickly…

March 1, 2013March 1, 2013Leave a comment

Last night we went to dinner with friends to Patrizia‘s and man oh man, did we eat, and drink…so much…got a little wild fas t. We did family style and they just kept on bringing food…we had at least 8 appetizers, chicken parm, steak, pasta, salad, and then a huge dessert plate. Oh yea, and the wine was included…

(btw, those are magnum bottles)