cooking – Page 3 – forEVR and always

Easy Bean

October 9, 2013October 9, 20132 Comments

I have said this time and time again, my Mom is the most amazing cook. She makes the simplest things beyond delicious. This is one of the easiest recipes to make on a weeknight and it is not only healthy but really tasty! Mom, I’m sorry to tell the world that you are the queen of easy cooking…but it’s all so good who cares!

BEANS & VEG RECIPE

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 cans of beans (sometimes I use kidney sometimes black, other times a combo, does not matter)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp onion salt
A bunch of vegetables (different every time, but ALWAYS diced tomatoes):
Frozen broccoli
Frozen greenbeans
Can of corn
Water chestnuts (seriously anything you have)
Can of diced tomatoes
Cooked Rice (I use trader joes ready rice that you cook in the microwave)
1 cup or so of mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat up all those vegetables…that’s right, throw them in a pan together frozen or canned who cares and cook them. The only thing is make sure anything canned has been drained. This will take about 5 minutes.

2. Add the beans (make sure they are drained)

3. Stir it all up and add the garlic & onion salt (do this to taste, I use more like a tbsp of garlic salt, and I use a lot of red and black pepper)

4. Let that cook up for about 10 minutes or until you see some bubbles. And in the meantime cook up your rice. Trader Joe’s is seriously amazing for this, it’s 2 minutes in the microwave. Once you see bubbles, do a taste test to see if you have the right amount of seasonings. Then mix it all together…

5. Now top all that mixture with cheese (again, I use a ton)

6. That is it! It seems like it would be bland or boring but it is hearty and extremely delicious!

Enjoy this amazing weeknight meal!

xo- j

New York

October 8, 20132 Comments

All these posts are so behind! Last week I was in NYC to train for my new job all week and before last week mania with visitors, wedding, and a really sad loss in our family.

As far as the new job goes, there is a lot to learn! It was so fantastic to spend some time with my family and see my friends while I was down in NYC. Luckily for this new position I will be back in NYC quite a bit so I won’t have to miss anyone too much!

(lunch with lunch bff, and dinner with my girls (and tom!))

(following my babes to dinner…and on the way we saw Taza’s husband! Adie and I are in love with them)

(drinks in bryant park)

See you in a few weeks NY!

xo – j

Blueberry Cake

October 3, 2013Leave a comment

I am not a dessert eater. I love an oreo, but otherwise, it isn’t my thing…blueberry cake is the exception. My Mom and Aunts have always made this and it is simply the most delicious thing you will ever eat!

RECIPE

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 tsps vanilla
3 cups flour
3 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp sugar & cinnamon & nutmeg
1 box blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together sugar and shortening, then add eggs and beat well

2. Add vanilla and mix some more

3. Add dry ingredients and add the milk gradually. Now mix it up even more

4. Flour your blueberries

5. Fold the blueberries into the mixture

6. Pour the batter into a greased pan and top with cinnamon/sugar/nutmeg (I always use more than a tsp)

7. Bake for 1 hour at 350* and then enjoy!

I promise this cake will become one of your staples. A hint: use whole milk so the blueberries don’t sink! xo- j

Surprise (& cornhole)

September 19, 2013Leave a comment

Last Thursday I went out with an old friend for lunch and had so much fun catching up. We talked about weddings, life in Mass, how our friends are doing, and had maybe a few too many brews for lunchtime. Anyway, we came back and were hanging at my house waiting for Jay to get home. Jay came in like everything was normal, taking off his shoes, talking about work, and then suddenly the doorbell rang. I went to answer and it was TOMMMM! I have been whining for him to visit since we moved and he told me he couldn’t come for months because of busy weekends, but there he was. I was so excited I cried (seriously cried). We ended up having such a great weekend together staying in our new town, enjoying the house, and even going to a cornhole tournament. Tom, I love you bud, thanks for making me so happy and being such an amazing friend to both of us.

(cornhole!)

(ron’s favorite is jumping on backs, and homemade picklebacks with tom!)

(our house ready for fall)

(our little turtle i finally let go, and nash helping me walk rondo)

(attempting to use the force to get my banana…he’s obsessed with them)

(our beautiful backyard!)

This weekend I have my best friend coming to visit! I couldn’t be more excited to see her!!

xo-J

Julie is amazing

August 20, 2013Leave a comment

We were in Newport last week with Jay’s family and as you can see I posted some (meh) pictures below from my phone. Julie just posted all her pictures and they are so fantastic (she’s an amazing photographer). I am so lucky to have her as my future sister-in-law and, regardless of Jay, one of my favorite people on earth. Anyways, here are some of her pics that I love…

xo-j

Starting out

July 24, 20131 Comment

So, I’ve been here a full week, and I’m loving it. It gets a little lonely during the day while Jay is at work, but the projects are never ending so I’m always busy. I really want to share pictures of our new house (we’re both in heaven, we live in 3x the space as our apartment!) but I want everything to be done first.

This past weekend my Mom & brother were up here for a family party, Jay and I went to a concert, and we hung out with family at the pool. We can’t wait until the place is all done and I am working again so that we can get in the full flow of life up here. In the meantime, I’m enjoying getting to be with Rondo all day and putting together furniture…I am the master of all tools now.

Here are just a few pictures from lately…

(new backyard)

(bob dylan, my morning jacket, & wilco)

(ice cream date with the boys)

(worst laundry assistant of all time…but we have a washer in our house…the things you appreciate after nyc)

xo-j

New York I Love You

July 15, 2013Leave a comment

I can’t believe that tomorrow night I will get on a train, leave my job, family, the city, and go start our new life in Mass. I’m beyond excited and wildly nervous all at the same time. So many huge changes are ahead of us…

The past couple weeks I have been trying to appreciate New York as much as I possibly can. Walking to work instead of taking the subway, looking up at buildings, and pretending to be a tourist everywhere I go. New York, thank you for everything you have given me…my first real job, where, hey, I ended up meeting my future husband, my first apartment, meeting some of my best friends, the crazy weekends and weeknights out way too late…if I named everything I love we would be here for a month. NY, I will miss you, but it’s time to go…

xo always and forever ny – j

lately

July 9, 20132 Comments

Well, we moved, we had a long weekend together in our new house, and now I’m back in NYC! Ay! I am working at my job for a couple more weeks down in the city and will permanently move up to be with Jay next Tuesday. I can’t wait to be there and get going on our house. We have done so much work already, but there are a still million things to do.

Here are some pictures from life lately…

(our new backyard!)

(spent the 4th with the cutest kids around)

(falling asleep sitting up…he has so much space to run now!)

(our guest room that I love and Jay hates. the disaster of furniture boxes that is our living room.)

(back in the sweltering city. rondo trying to get packed. the plaza construction looks like the plaza!)

xo-j

July 2, 20132 Comments

Well, we moved…sort of! There are a million things to do, and I am in the city still, but all of our belongings are in our amazing new house! I can’t wait to organize and decorate and make it our home! Both Mom’s and Dad’s… we couldn’t have done it without you. And to all of our friends, we love you guys so much, especially for waking up on Saturday and helping instead of sleeping in. Here are some pictures from our last date in Williamsburg at Motorino, and Rondo being Rondo.

xo-j

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)