Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
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Food and Life

Ten on Thursday

January 13, 2011 · Narrative

It’s like Ten on Tuesday.  Only not.

  1. I was planning to tell you about a Puerto Rican Chicken recipe we had last night for dinner, only I just don’t have the brain power to write the post tonight and have it not sound like “I had a cheese sandwich.”  Long-time bloggers will nod at the “cheese sandwich” reference.  Just one of those weeks where I am spent.
  2. If you need a new exercise DVD in your home library, you still have time to enter the giveaway Eat. Live. Be. is doing on The Voice of Mom.  For some reason, Bethenny Frankel’s DVD doesn’t seem to be a big draw, and for you that’s a good thing, because as of right this moment, there are only four (!!) entries and we pull a random winner tomorrow night.  Go get ’em!
  3. I landed another freelance writing job this week, this time for the fine folks at Betty Crocker.  Color me psyched!  I’ll be writing for them weekly on one of their sites, all about comfort food, seasonal items and more.  More details to follow.
  4. I have only had one Diet Coke all week.  I am trying not to get my caffeine fix from Starbucks, but it hasn’t been easy.  This girl needs a little extra oomph sometimes, you know?
  5. There are 67 days to go until Spring.  But it’s not like I’m counting or anything.
  6. Planning has begun in earnest for Madeline’s THIRD birthday.  A rainbow-themed party.  Or the “happy birthday to me party,” as she calls it.  I have the desserts and side dishes all worked out but am so far stumped on how I can incorporate the rainbow in a more “main” or lunchtime food.  Have divine inspiration for me?  Clue me in.  Please.
  7. The master bath was (finally) painted this week.  I told Sarah that it was the color of my happy place.  She asked if it was sand or water.  The girl knows me too well.  Can’t wait to show you pictures.  Once I put the artwork up.  Artwork that I amassed some five years ago.
  8. My littlest bunny has had a terrible cough all week, but is stellar at coughing into her “wings.”  She didn’t quite understand why the doctor she saw this morning didn’t ask to see her new earrings, but she did make out with two stickers, one for herself and one for Nick.  She’s thoughtful like that.  The doctor mentioned that it’s a sign of her awesome upbringing, which nearly made up for her being rude minutes earlier.
  9. Oh the stories I could tell you about some conversations I’ve had with Madeline lately, particularly the one this morning in the waiting room.  They would seriously have you rolling around on the floor with tears in your eyes.  Unfortunately they’re not all PG-rated.  She has, however, noticed that Eli does not have boobies, but he has a butt.  I’m sure he’s thankful the attention she’s paying to his body.
  10. TGIF.  I don’t know about you, but it’s been a l-o-n-g week here and we’re all due for some weekend rejuvenation.  Make every second of yours counts, because Monday comes way too quickly.

Project 365
January 13, 2011, Photo #13

Technology BasketOur technology basket.  BlackBerry charger, cell phone charger, DSi charger, camera battery charger and goodness knows what else.  I was aching for a way to keep it all reasonably organized and sometimes in a mess of black cables, it’s hard to know which one goes with what.  So last year, in an effort to curtail the madness, I grabbed a basket and started labeling Ziploc bags for the different things.  Works like a charm.

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Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. Kate says

    January 13, 2011 at 11:28 pm

    Would fondue/queso with a variety of dippers be an absolutely terrible idea for three-year-olds? Use a white cheese, and have sausages or grape tomatoes, carrots, yellow squash, green beans, and blue/purple potatoes to dip in it?

    (Or is it just me who thinks melty cheese = meal?)

    Reply
  2. annie says

    January 14, 2011 at 7:02 am

    How about a layered salad for the main dish??? You could definitely work in the rainbow that way. You’d have to find a great glass bowl for presentation. Good luck!

    Reply
  3. Joanne says

    January 14, 2011 at 7:07 am

    Hmmm maybe you could do a rainbow pizza? You could die pizza dough different colors and then roll it all out together. And then top it with just about every color of veggie you can find!

    Congrats on the Betty Crocker gig! That is so awesome.

    Reply
  4. Kris #40 says

    January 14, 2011 at 8:25 am

    I was thinking veggies too for a rainbow. Other than that no idea.

    I took charge of my hundreds of camera cords the other day and used the label maker and tagged them that way. Just folded in half with cord in middle.

    Reply
  5. paula says

    January 14, 2011 at 9:29 am

    I wouldn’t think too hard about incorporating the rainbow theme into the main meal (it’s really hard to work blue into savory foods!) You could do something colorful of course but it would probably be a lot less stress to just cook delicious normal food and then decorate the table around it in a rainbow theme.

    Reply
  6. Ramona says

    January 14, 2011 at 10:18 am

    Get some rest if you can. But, I already know your weekends are busy.

    Reply
  7. Elizabeth B. says

    January 14, 2011 at 12:41 pm

    How about a tray of fruits/veggies/lunchmeats/cheeses? Cut everything up into child-friendly pieces, then lay it all out so that it looks like a rainbow. Everyone can pick what they like! You could also use a white cheese for clouds at the ends of the rainbow. Blueberries, grapes, carrots, celery, green peppers, ham, turkey, cheddar…good luck!

    Reply
  8. Claudia says

    January 14, 2011 at 9:41 pm

    I finally zip-locked and labelled all of our technology when we went on vacation and packed them that way. When it came time to unpack – lightening flash – why don’t I leave them packed?

    Like the above comment of using small fruits for your rainbow theme and then cheese clouds! Yogurt clouds? Creme fraiche?

    I’m having 1 diet soda every day. I need something to rev me up at 3 p.m. Tea just wasn’t doing it.

    Reply
  9. Jen says

    January 16, 2011 at 2:31 pm

    Congratulations on the job!

    Thanks for the ziploc idea – just the tip I needed!

    Reply
  10. Laura says

    January 18, 2011 at 3:28 pm

    I am so going to do the tech bag~~~~great ideal!

    Reply

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Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!

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Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.

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