Wicked

Tags

adventures, food, fun, happiness, Musical, personal, travel, weekend, Wicked

Not.. wicked how your little perfect angel children acted over the weekend. Not.. wicked how you acted over the weekend. Or how you felt about having to wake up on Monday morning for work. Or your feelings towards the weather. Or the sickness going around. Nope, I mean Wicked the Musical.

Wicked the musical is based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the book by Gregory Maguire. The story is that of the witch from The Wizard of Oz. The book is her side of the story from her birth on.

I not-so-patiently waited to see it for several years.  It had not worked out for me to see it when I have been in New York or Chicago. But it is now on tour, so Mr. Smith gave me tickets for Christmas. The show was this past weekend. I loved it. It lives up to the hype. It is funny, the cast is great, the songs are upbeat, and I enjoyed the costumes.

I would recommend seeing it. The fun and interesting characters you know so well from the movie the Wizard of Oz make a visit. The musical leaves out some of the harsh details included in the book. And I also think you will leave liking the wicked witch so much more than you did before!

It was a great weekend complete with a nice hotel stay and good food.

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Do you like musicals? Ever seen Wicked? Share.

I hope your week is off to a good start!

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February Smiles

Tags

food, fun, hot cocoa, hot cocoa bar, recipes, smiling, Snow balls, Snow people, Valentines Day

I am smiling about…

Hot Cocoa Bar

Create your own Hot Cocoa bar.  Create your own cocoa blend by adding cinnamon sticks, Nutella, candied orange zest, caramel, whipped cream, almond milk, chipotle pepper powder, marshmallows, shaved chocolate,  peppermints, crystallized ginger. What a fun idea by Anne of the Food Network show Dessert First.  Dessert First? Yes please!

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Fun ideas for Valentines Day just around the corner.

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Hi!

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Make your own snowballs

Create any flavor cupcakes, then put icing all over them, then roll them in coconut. How simple and fun to create your own snowballs. The same smart lady Anne, from Dessert First, went on the Nate Berkus show and talked about these.

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Snow people.

You could even turn your snowballs into snow people. I think this is would be fun for kids to help make. Here is the how to create them.

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Picnic Indoors

Tags

cheese, crackers, food, fruit, fun, indoor picnics, picnics, raw veggies, wine

I asked you what you do to combat the winter blahs? You know the feeling of wanting Spring and Summer to show up? Well, I do have one suggestion for you. I enjoy picnics. I like my picnics inside, with all the comforts of home. The trick is do this on a boring weeknight. Weekends have their own fun. But having a weeknight picnic, now that is just greatness.

An indoor picnic doesn’t even require cooking! A meal that does not require cooking? That can come in handy once in a while, right?

The husband and I like to lay out a variety of cheeses, crackers, meats, and fruit. It’s like having a party with whomever you live with or just a treat for yourself. Or you could invite people over.

A grocery store close to where I live has this nice selection of cheeses. They sell the full slices of these cheeses, which are fairly expensive. But they also sell some smaller pieces of these same cheeses. Which I fully enjoy because I can try out several different flavors.

The Indoor Picnic Spread

Labels of the treats

Little labels to differentiate the Mimolette from the Huntsman. They have such interesting names for the cheeses. Plus, it helps you remember which you like for next time.

A little wine with that cheese

Wine from a wine tasting at a vineyard that we visited over the holidays.

You could even go healthy on me and add raw veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. But I dislike these immensely. I know. I know. they are good for me. But I don’t like ’em.

Choose what you like for your picnic.

Happy Picnicking!

Why I love the French #568

Tags

breakfast, brunch, crepes, culture, food, French, fun, savory, sweet

I have shared my love of the French culture before. But I thought one aspect deserved its own post. CREPES. Yum. The genius of a thin pancake filled with and topped with many wonderful delights. In my book, this is a huge win for the French.

Crepes typically fall into two categories: savory and sweet. I am sure those words, savory and sweet, in French are glorious but I am just not going to pretend I am French or can speak the beautiful language.

The wonderful treat that is a crepe can be enjoyed at any time of the day. But something about having them for brunch seems delightful to me. I am one lucky girl because there is a charming place that offers delicious crepes less than ten minutes from where I live.

I recently had the pleasure to go to the creperie. My husband and I got a SAVORY option and a SWEET option to share. I told him one of the great things about being with someone is that you don’t have to choose only one option. I, being the indecisive person that I am, would be in quite the dilemma. ha.

They were DIVINE and I love trying new combinations when I go. But I was a very, very bad blogger indeed. As I dove right in without taking pictures for you my lovely readers.

Similar to what the sweet crepe looked like that I devoured before taking a picture.

Photo by food blogger Tish Boyle.

What do you think, yes to crepes? Do you prefer savory or sweet? Or do want to try it all? I would love to try a bite of all the different combinations at my local place.

Thriving, Thrifty, Thankful Tuesdays

Tags

celebrity, cologne, culture, food, gentleman, life, party, paula deen, perfume, Target, ya'll

I am thankful for…

…a Super Target somewhat close to wear I live. Rad

…a guy cut in line in front of me. Dear sir, allow me to introduce you to a phrase I believe you should become familiar with, it is gentleman, meaning a civilized or well-mannered man. I am thankful my dad, brother, and husband do not behave unkindly to others like this man I encountered today.

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….girls-only party this weekend to look forward to. It is a 20’s themed par-tay. awesome.

….Paula Deen. You may have heard she is getting some heat for her delay in coming forward with her diabetes. She is a business woman, her business is cooking. I could understand how she would think the media would blow it out of proportion. Um, they are. No she doesn’t eat butter all day everyday. Everyone has treats, she is giving you options for your treat times. So let’s not get on our high and mighty horse like we only eat broccoli and spinach all day everyday. Jumping off my soap box now. Love Ya’ll.

…perfume & cologne. Smells can be so intoxicating don’t you think?

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Other Thriving, Thrifty, and Thankful Tuesdays here. here. and here.

Will run for.. butter?!

Tags

celebrity, culture, food, Georgia, paula deen, Savannah, Southern, wellness, workout

I like to watch the food network when I do make it to the gym. I feel slightly weird about watching Paula Deen, the queen of southern cooking, add four sticks of butter to a dish when on the elliptical. But hey what ever gets you motivated right?  I NEED a t-shirt that says “Will run for Gooey Butter Cake.”

I promise I am not obsessed with Paula Deen. It is just that maybe I am a wee little bit.  She draws me in with the “YA’LL’S” and the butter and the sugar and the “Best Dishes, from our kitchen to yours.” Not to mention the not so minor detail that we got married in the same city. She loves Savannah, Georgia. I am certainly enamored with all that is SAVANNAH.

Who is your favorite chef on TV? Or food show?

Want to share what MOTIVATES you to workout? Besides looking like one of the guys from GQ or one of the ladies from the Vicky’s Secret catalog?

P.S. I spared you a picture of the Gooey Butter Cake on the blog post, for those of you who would like to avoid a diabetic coma. You are welcome. For the rest of us, click here to see it in all its GLORY.

What’s for breakfast?

Tags

breakfast, cereal, food, smoothie, welllness

I really DO want to know. What do you eat for breakfast? Do you have a go to breakfast option during the weekday and switch it up on the weekends? Or does the amount of TIME you have in any given morning determine what you choose to eat? Or do you skip breakfast altogether? Yes, yes, I know breakfast is an important way to START your day. But occasionally, I just don’t make it happen. I am not exactly a morning person.

I either A) Eat a cereal that has more sugar than anything else and as a result am very hungry again in 2.5 seconds after eating said cereal. B) Try to eat something more filling like oatmeal or fiber cereal. Which I eat a few bites of and feel uninspired to finish the rest. C) Eat something really delicious that is probably more likely classified as dessert than it is you know, breakfast.

So I need some help. I would like to hear what YOU eat for breakfast. Do you have any fun breakfast ideas?

I really do like SMOOTHIES and yet I have not made one at home. I am thinking about getting out one of our fancy schmancy wedding gifts and giving it a whirl. If I put enough sugar in it will I not taste the spinach?! Or does that defeat the purpose of putting spinach in there in the first place?

Green smoothie. It looks slightly intimidating. Maybe if it is in a fun glass with a straw?

Help!

Let the pretty and tasty continue

Tags

family, food, health, holiday, welllness

I am in denial. I am stubbornly refusing to accept it is time to get back to reality and that the holidays are in fact over. I still think it is the magical time of seeing pretty things and eating tasty delights. I don’t want to see the continuous loop of weight loss commercials. Are you sick of them yet? Or should I check back with you in a few days?

Ironically, the Subway TV commercials are for their newest Angus sub, that looks like a couple of burgers in sandwich form. Subway, home of “Eat Fresh” and “lose weight with Jared” fame, doesn’t seem to be launching into the new year in a vegglicious way.

In true denial I purchased Egg Nog this week. Yes, you read that correctly this week. Well past the socially acceptable time to consume 1,000* calorie beverages. (* slight exaggeration, but only slightly.) My sister-in-law, of the breakfast pizza fame, taught me a perfectly evil awesome new trick of putting eggnog in my coffee. It. is. rad.

Coffee

Plus eggnog = Magically Delicious.

Add I am still going to be dreaming of sugar-plum fairies in my “faux” holiday world over here.

Sugar Plums. Maybe if the fairies don't show up I can make them myself?

Recipe for Sugar plums.

Happy Wednesday, my little sugar plums.

Adventures.

Tags

adventures, date night, food, fun, movies, scorese

Adventures are so nice, don’t you think? I often call it an adventure when I get LOST. It is now a running joke. Can I help you find something? Nope, I am on an “adventure”. again. yep.

Sometimes those ADVENTURES happen on date night. I always look forward to date night. Yes, I am married. But we have date night once a week. Occasionally it will not work out. But when it does, I am oh so happy. Mr. Smith loves the movies and I L.O.V.E. eating. I am good at it. If only it was a sport, right? You are good at eating too? Like I have said before I knew we could be friends. Plus, date night means a break from cooking. Hey, I’m not bashing cooking but a break is nice.

Date night this week was a MOVIE I was sceptical about seeing. But I can without a doubt recommend it now. The newest Scorsese film, Hugo, is delightful. The movie is set in Paris in the 1930s. A boy goes on an adventure to solve the MYSTERY surrounding an automaton, a mechanical person of sorts. I was leery of seeing it for fear that it would simply be a movie for kids only. Martin Scorsese did not let me down.

HUGO (If you look closely during the movie, Scorsese briefly put himself in the film, as he often likes to do.)

Afterwards we enjoyed gelato and a stroll to see Christmas lights.

Have you seen any GREAT movies lately? It still counts if you watched them curled up in your own humble abode in your comfy pants.

Breakfast for Dinner

Tags

breakfast, comfort food, dinner, family, food, holiday, pizza

I kind of think breakfast for dinner falls in the COMFORT food category? What do you think? I definitely think there is something special about having breakfast at dinner time. My sister-in-law makes this TASTY breakfast pizza and Mr. Smith and I have adopted it. You could even make it at, you know, breakfast time if you like.

It is one of those things that is more FUN to make with other people. I thought you might enjoy making this with friends and family this time of year.

Breakfast Pizza

Makes enough for 2-3 people, you can double or triple the recipe easily.

• 5 eggs
• 1/2 lb sausage
• 1/2 small onion chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper (red or green or both) chopped
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar shredded
• 1 package of crescent rolls

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Saute onions and peppers in a skillet. Set aside. Cook sausage. Set aside. Scramble eggs. Set aside. Roll out crescents flat in your shape of choice on a pizza stone or metal pan. Layer eggs, onions and peppers, sausage, then top with shredded cheese on the uncooked crescents. Then bake for 15 mins. Serve hot and ENJOY.

NOTES: You could switch out the sausage for bacon or have both. If you prefer eggs cooked differently, go for it. If you don’t have any on hand or don’t enjoy peppers leave them out.

Roll out the cresents and layer on the toppings

Top with cheesiness

Voila you have breakfast pizza