Ten on Tuesday | Birthday Wishes

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Where did we leave off? Oh, right, on August 2nd. I know, I know, that was a month ago. A month and one day, really. But don't worry, I'm back with my favorite blog post of the year - my birthday wishlist. (Wishlist posts are so easy, aren't they? And I'll let you in on a little secret, when your proper title is "poor MBA student," they're even easier.)

Despite knowing every word to Taylor Swift's recent hit, I'm not sure that I'm feeling twenty two. I barely feel twenty-one sometimes. Some days I feel twelve, some days I feel thirty five. That being said, I'm ready for a new year and new goals. Twenty one has been filled with glasses and braces, and not nearly enough mojitos. It happens, I guess.

This year's wishlist doesn't feel all that different from the last. (Though, I think I'll be probably okay without a hat and gloves in Albuquerque.) Once again, the items can be split into two camps. This year, my fall wish list includes the necessities -  a new business wardrobe and a few things for our house.

With all of the career workshops I've been attending lately, I can't stop flipping through the online pages of J. Crew and Banana Republic and Madewell and... Well, I've been searching for the perfect blazer for weeks now and I keep coming up short. Quite literally. You know, I didn't mean to match the shoes to the belt.

Our move also left me lusting over home decor. And at the top of my list? Matching bedding, can you imagine it? I almost can't.

I recently restored a vintage Drexel Heritage sideboard (which I'll be showing you soon!) and I've had my eyes on a few different items for the top of it, too. That metal wrapped tray from West Elm? Ugh. It'd be perfect to hold the rum for all those mojitos I haven't made.

So tell me, what's on your Fall wishlist? 

WIAW | iPhone Edition

It's hard to believe that it's time for another edition of WIAW - where do the weeks go?

Each week, Jenn over at Peas and Crayons hosts a linkup called "What I Ate Wednesday". This week I decided to look through the many iPhone food photos I've taken lately and share some of our recent eats with you. While I make my best effort to get out the camera for photographing our meals, sometimes it's easier to just take an iPhone picture, instead. Plus, don't we all love to instagram our eats? And, to make it better, instagram finally came out with online profiles! but that's beyond the point.

The snow has led to nice hot breakfasts every morning. After last week's WIAW, we ended up eating pancakes for a midnight snack - embarrassing, I know. So, this week we tried to eat more eggs with extra veggies - and lots of sauteed potatoes too. Have you ever had sweet potatoes for breakfast? If not, you need to try it.

For lunch, we've been trying to balance our winter diet out with some lighter choices, though - soup and fresh salads all week. This weekend Trevor made a potato and leek soup that is to die for. I wish I was kidding when I say that I just ate my fifth bowl of it. In fact, Trevor's soups seem to be a recurring theme in my WIAW posts lately.

As for a guilty pleasure this week, we've been enjoying a fall staple - hard cider. Like I said, we found Angry Orchard on tap this weekend but on Friday night, after a long week of work, Trevor came home with a six pack of my favorite Hornsby's flavor and a bag of Hershey's Nuggets with Toffee and Almonds. There's a reason I love this guy. 

So, this week's eats in photos: 
1. Scrambled eggs with bacon, tomatoes, scallions & cheddar.
2. Chicken corn chowder with a fresh spinach salad & a side of hard cider.
3. Pork chops with roasted garlic quinoa and sauteed broccoli, cauliflour, squash & zucchini. (And more cider, of course.)
4. Filet with broccoli & red skin mashed potatoes.
5. Kielbasa with roasted red skin and sweet potaotes over a sauteed blend of peppers, onions, snap peas, broccoli & carrots.

Apparently we liked vegetabes even more than we liked cider this week.
Who would've thought?

WIAW | Autumn Eats

We've been eating plenty of fall inspired eats, lately. So, in honor of What I Ate Wednesday - a weekly linkup hosted by Jenn over at Peas and Crayons - I thought I would share some of the things we've been loving this week.

Though we've been making an effort at healthier eating the past few days, we celebrated the first day of November with gluten free pumpkin pancakes for breakfast. And with it, bacon and sausage from our favorite Montana spot, the Western Meat Block. While Trevor had his with a cup of coffee (of course), I chose my favorite store bought hot chocolate.

This week, I've also managed to make it to the gym almost everyday! (I'm surprised, too). Often though, that has meant getting up early for a morning workout. Knowing that I'll be hungry after, I've simply been snacking on gluten-free apple cinnamon muffins before we leave. Truth be told, I've also been snacking on them at work.. before bed.. all day. (Especially since I've run out of these cookies.)

For lunch, we've been eating soup, and more soup. While I occasionally have to rely on Progresso's Chicken Corn Chowder, I'm lucky enough to live with a man who loves to make soup. How's a girl get so lucky? In the past few weeks, we've enjoyed a saffron, potato & sausage soup, a moroccan lentil soup, and this incredible mafe - a South African stew. While the ingredients seemed a bit abstract - peanut butter, sriracha, and absinthe? apples and sweet potoates? - I have never been more in love with a bowl of soup. (And to be honest, never more in love with the chef who made it.)

As for dinner, all I have to say is UGH. I can hardly look at this pictures without craving a late night snack of steak and sweet potatoes, with a pumpkin pancake for dessert. (Don't worry, this week our fridge is filled with plenty of produce.) Last night, Trevor made a simple, hearty dinner of filet, the kind that most literally melts in your mouth, with roasted sweet potatoes. But the important part? The smoked paprika caramel sauce that he drizzled dumped over everything. You might remember it from this WIAW post?

So tell me, what is your favorite fall recipe? Homemade soup? Pumpkin-anything?

Ten on Tuesday | Seasonal Teas

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It should come as no surprise that come fall, I am all about hot tea - especially loose leaf tea. When I received this awesome tumbler (and a whole selection of teas!) for my birthday, it only fueled my obsession. Now, I can brew tea by the cup, while at work. Not only that but the tea stays hot for hours. May I suggest penciling one of these onto your Christmas list?

I know it's still early so instead of a "teas I'd like to find in my stocking" list, I thought I'd share with you some seasonal choices that I'm really looking forward to. These all come from three favorite companies - Teavana, Mightly Leaf and David's Tea. If you want to know more about the flavors or you want to send me some for my stocking, you can do so by clicking the links above!

Of the tea's shown, I've only tried the Masala Chocolate Truffle tea from Mighty Leaf, and the Sumarai Chai Blend that came as a sample with my tumbler from Teavana. From my recommendation, you can deduce that they were both delicious! I think the chocolate truffle is my new favorite! I will need to order some more tea soon and I can't wait to try to Toasted Marshmallow. Though, with -2 degree weather (and two feet of snow) projected, I'd be happy with any of the above.

So tell me, what is your favorite seasonal beverage? Are you a fan of loose leaf tea?

Recipe: Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

On Friday night, Trevor and I planned to snuggled in to bed to watch yet another cheesy-supense-crime-thriller movie on Netflix - my favorite weekend activity. But before the movie started, photos from my flickr account played as a slideshow across the screen. While I was busy changing into long john bottoms and my favorite t-shirt, these cookies showed on the AppleTV. Trevor was quick to ask when I planned to bake cookies again - they're a baked goods staple in our house. With an empty weekend, void of any real plans, I promised to put it on my list.

The original cookies included peanut butter in the list, and so, while delicious, eating them made me sick. And really, who wants to bake a few dozen cookies when they shouldn't even enjoy one? So, I decided to skip the peanuts this time. Either way, I needed chocolate chips and so while Trevor dealt with our two overly-energetic pups, I snuck off to pick up a library book and to wander through the new Christmas aisles at Albertson's. Thankfully I left the store with just chocolate chips and Trevor's new favorite coffee. But lord knows if I could eat wheat, that new hot chocolate brownie mix would've been in my cart. (Someone please tell me you've bought made and enjoyed these? Oh, the temptation!) And holiday kettle corn? Drizzled with dark chocolate and tossed in sea salt? Ugh.

The entire store was filled with end caps of holiday favorites. Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate. Almond bark. Chocolate covered cherries. Coffee in christmas flavors. Snowflake sprinkles. Red and green cupcake wrappers. It took me nearly a half an hour to buy two things, my mind was so distracted by the holiday sparkle.

Unfortunately, it's only November though. And so while I'd love to start the Christmas music and hang our stockings, I think Trevor would prefer I wait at least three more weeks. So, I decided to spend my afternoon making autumn inspired treats, including these Gluten Free Pumpkin & Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. (A mouthful, I know.)

To be honest, these didn't turn out to be the same type of cookie as their peanut butter counterparts but that didn't mean they were any less delicious. In fact, I think I enjoyed these more - perhaps because they didn't give me migraines? Imagine that. While the others were rolled and baked into perfect puffy circles, this dough needs to rest in the fridge before being dropped onto the pan - meaning that they are textured and imperfectly shaped.

The pumpkin flavor is subtle but makes for a thick, chewy, cookie. Trevor ate three or four, never realizing they were pumpkin. Note though, they are bright orange in the center - it's hard to miss. These also boast some warm autumn spices and a lot of vanilla, flavors that seem to go naturally with pumpkin. The oatmeal softens in the cookie but tends to keep its texture toward the outside, giving the cookie an even better chewy-ness. And the chocolate chips? The perfect touch of sweetness to a cookie that itself is not overly sweet. I used ghiradrelli semi-sweet, you should probably do the same. 

This is a hearty recipe and makes plenty of cookies to share - about three dozen.

Ingredients
1 cup of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour
1 1/2 cup of white rice flour
(feel free to substitute 1 1/2 cups of any gluten free flour mixture or even regular flour)
3/4 tsp xanthum gum
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
A pinch of salt
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of white sugar
3/4 cup of butter (softened)
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1 3/4 cup of certified gluten free rolled oats
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1 cup of chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine both flours, both sugars, xanthum gum, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg and extra yolk.
Add the butter and vanilla.
Mix in the pumpkin puree.
Then, dump the dry ingredients into the wet, mixing until combined.
Add the rolled oats and chocolate chips.

Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 30 - 40 minutes.
Then, after cooled, use a spoon to drop cookies onto a greased pan.
Bake for fifteen minutes or until the cookies are golden on top - careful not to over bake.

These cookies stay nice and soft, even after they've had time to cool - even the day after. While Trevor likes them best with a cup of french roast, I've been enjoying them with some spiced chai. Unfortunately, the other two house members have taken an interest in the cookies, too, so we have to make sure they're kept out of puppy reach.

It's beginning to look a Lot like autumn.

Gluten Free Apple & Almond Crisp

As the weather cools, we've found ourselves in the kitchen more. It's a mix of things, really - the nights are getting darker earlier, we've been craving fall flavors, and the heat of the oven helps to warm the house against the Montana fall. The long weekend passed by slowly as Trevor fought with a sore back and the start of a flu and on Columbus Day, I found myself itching for something to do. We had woken up early - it was still dark and still cold. So, armed with a few leftover apples and some Udi's Granola, I decided to make apple crisp for breakfast.

Our weekly grocery shopping had been pushed back a day and so every ingredient used for the recipe was already in our home. If you don't have prepackaged granola, feel free to make your own with some old-fashioned or quick cooking oats! While apple crisp is typically made with more tart, baking style, apples, we used what we had and red delicious are Trevor's apples of choice. Though the almonds added an extra crunch, you can omit them or replace them with other nuts - pecans would be especially good!

This recipe will make a smaller batch, a 9x9 glass dish full. This was perfect for breakfast and later, dessert, for both of us. But, if you need a bigger batch, double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan!

Ingredients
4 Red Delicious Apples, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup and 1 tbsp of Gluten Free Bisquick (or regular all purpose flour)
1 tsp Cinnamon
Pinch of Nutmeg
1 tbsp White Sugar
1/4 cup of Brown Sugar
2/3 cup of Udi's Gluten Free Au Naturel Granola
1/4 tsp of Baking Powder
1/4 tsp of Baking Soda
6 tbsp of Brown Butter 
1/3 cup of Sliced Almonds

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Grease a 9x9 glass baking dish.
Lay apple slices evenly in the baking dish.
Sprinkle apples with 1 tbsp of white sugar, 1 tbsp of Bisquick, 1 tsp of cinnamon and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients.
Then, brown your butter. (This was my first time but I followed this great tutorial from Hot Sweet It Is.)
... how have I not mentioned my obsession with this food blog? 
Combine the butter with the dry ingredients; then sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples.
Bake for 30 minutes or until apples are fork tender and the topping is golden.

For Trevor's breakfast, I put the hot apple crisp over cinnamon and vanilla gluten-free pancakes, our favorite. The crisp itself wasn't overly sweet so the addition of a little maple syrup was perfect. I chose to have the more classic preparation - I simply poured some cream over the crisp. Served with a piping hot cup of coffee or cocoa, this was the perfect fall breakfast.

I'll be back tomorrow to tell you all about autumn in our little home. It includes plenty of pumpkins, that wreath I told you about and well, we got a puppy.


So tell me, what is your favorite fall breakfast? 

I Just Can't Get Enough

It's clearer that winter is quickly approaching. The leaves are rapidly changing to rusty oranges, vibrant reds, and golden yellows. My heater is at work, whirring in the corner. Next to me is a mustard yellow ceramic mug filled with hot chocolate and whipped cream. The weather forecast for this weekend is boasting about a slight chance for wet snow.

Autumn is my favorite season and every year, it seems to slip by too fast. I make an effort to save time for a few traditions each year and with Aiden, that seems even more important. Fall parades, apple cider, painting pumpkins, corn mazes, hay rides. There is just something about this season that deserves special attention. Perhaps it's the smell of pumpkin spice or the way it feels to wake up on a cold morning but I can never get enough.

One of the things I love most about my sleepy, little, hometown is that we always celebrate holidays and traditions in the best ways - from our tree lighting, to our annual carnival. This weekend was our fall festival complete with a pancake breakfast, petting zoo, bake sale, flea market and of course, the parade.

The funny thing about the Wellsville parade is that everyone is in the parade, there are hardly any spectators. Between the firetrucks, tractors, antique cars, floats and children walking in costume, the sides of the street are fairly bare.

That just means more candy to catch.

On Sunday, I squeezed my schedule to make time for pumpkin painting. I put off a marketing paper, read my economics assignment at the laundry mat, finished folding my clothes at 10:00 p.m. but hey, the pumpkins got painted.

Aiden selected a "martial arts" theme for his pumpkin. This meant a funny mustache, a white stem, "martial arts symbols", and army tank drawings. Me? I settled for a tiger.

When things didn't go quite as planned for our afternoon, we snuggled up on the couch to watch Puss N Boots. Too bad I rented the wrong one. (You got me this time, RedBox.) Who knew that an animated movie about a cat, with all of the characters voices narrated by William Shatner, could be so bad? So bad, that we watched it twice.

The second time? More unbearable than the first. So instead, we settled for baking gluten free pumpkin muffins, complete with cream cheese filling in the center. Who knew a six year old could be so good at cracking eggs?

Autumn, stay a while. I'm not ready for snow.

Autumn & Apples

Autumn has always been my favorite season. Fall brings changing leaves, my birthday, the start of school, Halloween, apple cider, pumpkin roll, parades, scarves and gloves, corn mazes and a whole list of traditions. With Aiden, I like to relive favorite childhood experiences and this fall, I've set out to begin new traditions. The first of which was attending the 47th Annual National Apple Harvest Festival in a town which Aiden likes to call "AppleLand". 

We set off on Sunday afternoon bundled in scarves, winter coats, hats and gloves. While it's only the first week of October, central PA seems to be starting autumn off strong with low temperatures and a lot of precipitation. Knowing it would be muddy, I slipped on rain boots, a decision that would pay off later. Unfortunately, our planning didn't include bringing anything but money, my camera and ourselves. An umbrella and a camera bag would have been nice. (And oh so practical)

Instead, we spent our two hours at the festival dodging rain drops and hiding under pavilion tops. We visited the petting zoo, where Aiden was surprised to learn that pigs have tails. (seriously.) We colored picture after picture of apple pies, apple trees, bowls of apples. We played kids games and avoided clowns. The only thing we didn't manage to do was stay dry.

More than anything, Aiden enjoyed playing checkers. Most of all, he enjoyed that the seats and tables were hay bales. The highlight of my trip? Sweet potato fries with powdered sugar, fresh pressed apple cider and the funny faces that Aiden made throughout the day.

Our next fall plans include picking (and carving) pumpkins and getting lost in a corn maze. And perhaps, I might even attempt a gluten-free pumpkin roll.