Spring Detox

Heya Nesters!  This past weekend was a delightful time for me!  My brother and SIL came to visit with the baby {I saw Dad too!} for my Moms birthday. We ate lots of good food and stared at the baby like watching a fire.  It's not doing much but you can't take your eyes off it.  I needed to get all my good food-eatin' in and enjoy it as much as I could because as of today I'm starting a detox diet.

via

 Yikes.

Not Yo' Nacho's...

Hey Nesters!  So yesterday at work, my office mate mentioned that she had made some dirty {in the best sense of the word} nachos for herself over the weekend. That made my ears perk up.  I love a good plate of nachos.

Obviously these are not my nachos. They're from here.

Doesn't everybody?  I had never made my own so I figured I'd give it a whirl.  I already had tons of cheese and cherry tomatoes at home that needed to be used up.  So I headed out to the grocery store after work...

Some "Me" time

No New Years resolution {or lack there of} has ever given me much motivation.  In fact, I kind of skipped out on the gym for the first couple months of the year since it was so packed with "resolutioners."  I have since been going more and more. And with getting back into the swing of cooking, I am definitely going to need to keep it up, because I'm no health nut.  I like rich foods with whole sticks of butter and cheeses and carbs.  Don't get me wrong, I love veggies, too.  But I'm not going to eat like a rabbit.  I'm going to enjoy my food.  I've been listening to Julia Child's "My Life in France" on CD in my car,  {Since 1.5 hours every day of radio gets a little boring.}  and I have a newly renewed zest for food since disc one.

Baking Bonanza: Attack of the Gingerbread!

Heya Nesters!  Welcome back to Monday! I believe we are officially so close to Christmas now we can taste the egg nog.  Speaking of tasting things, I decided to have another baking bonanza last week.  {Get ready to ingest some calories via osmosis.}  After slugging down my fair share of Dunkin Donuts gingerbread coffee I started thinking about making the real-deal.  Cookies, that is. 

Generosity

Heya Nesters!  Matt and I have recovered from our trip to NYC and I am finally able to step on my mini soap box and tell you all about my awesome loot that my family so generously gifted me for my birthday. I hope you'll excuse my bragging. 

First, Dad sprung for a night at the hotel for Matt and I which was truly the best present ever.  He gave us the opportunity to be all together.  But Joe and Molly did pretty well themselves...

Thanksgiving{s}

Happy Monday Nesters!  Do these weeks feel like they're flying by or what??  Halloween has come and gone leaving only 2 short weeks until the greatest meal you'll eat all year! I'll give you a hint "gobble, gobble!"

 

Thanksgiving!

Baking Bonanza: Birthday Bash

Heya Nesters! This weekend I was delighted to be graced with the presence of my Dad. You see, his birthday is today and he decided to come take a trip up here {from NYC} for the weekend to see family and friends.  And Saturday night we planned a nice dinner together in my humble {and dinner table-lacking} abode. 

Baking Bonanza!

Good Morning Nesters!  I found myself in a seriously productive mood this weekend. Saturday morning, I got to hang with Mom a little and started sewing a dress I'm making for a wedding we're  going to in November.  Then Matt and I went to scare our own pants off by going to see the movie Devil.  After a good nights sleep {thankfully without any nightmares! That movie was scary!} we got up bright and early and headed out to Stow to Honey Pot Hill apple orchards. 

 

If I Had a Million Dollars: Making and Eating

Eating. Everything in my life revolves around eating. {It doesn't help that I love to cook too.} When Matt and I go on dates: we love to chat and laugh over a good plate of food. When I spend time with my girlfriends: We make sure to find a new spot to try a new drink or a new stack of nachos. When I'm spending time with my family: we cook for hours on end and scarf it down in a matter of minutes.

Break the Bread

While visiting the fam this weekend, Dad and I decided to get a little pastry at the new Le Pain Quotidien location on 85th and Madison on Saturday morning. 

{image courtesy of http://www.thesweetkitchen.com/}

Ms. Sedaris, I Like You

A bright and early "good morning" to all of you Nesters out there!  Last night, while chatting about home decor and entertaining and cooking, my sister-in-law pulled up a video clip of author, actress and comedian, Amy Sedaris on the Martha Stewart show.  Amy is best known for her role as Gerry Blanks on the Comedy Central series, Strangers With Candy.  She also penned a book titled I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence inspiring all those hostesses out there to show their guests the most-estes.  She's got some brilliant recipes and some hysterical anecdotes. I've had this book for years and I've loved every second of it.  Amy seems to get the best of Martha in this roaringly funny clip: a how-to on baking Lady Baltimore Cake. 

Enjoy the clip and who knows, maybe you'll be inspired to bake a cake after!  Funfetti, anyone?

Happy Sunday!