My Week of Dinners

This week proved to be a very busy one for me. Three dinner dates, two nights of babysitting, a Dawson's Creek marathon, and a random pizza night with Quattro. I figured I would take this opportunity to document my week of dinners. 

Pear & Gorgonzola Flat Bread

I have made this flat bread a few times. Most recently was with my LM ladies, Theresa and Sarah. We had just finished a full day hike up in the Adirondack's and we were famished. So we decided to make this and another flat bread. Something a little lighter, but still delicious. This particular flat bread was a big hit.

Meet Quattro

Anyone who knows me, whether having met me five minutes ago or has known me my whole life, is aware of my love for dogs. I love dogs of all shapes and sizes. They are man's best friend. Someone to come home to who is so excited to see you no matter what kind of day they have had. Someone who depends on you and is loyal to you. The relationship an owner and a dog has is unlike any other. So, because of all that I have always wanted a dog of my very own. Not one to share with my siblings or parents. A dog that I can say is mine just as I am his. 

After we closed on the house, I thought it was finally time for me to get a dog. I was constantly pursuing various breeder and adoption websites looking for the perfect canine. I drove Nick crazy with the picture messages and emails I would send him of the most adorable little puppies on a daily basis. After some major arm twisting and constant pestering, I finally got Nick to agree to getting a dog. The dog after all would be living in OUR house, so I could not really go out and get a dog without him knowing about it. He had two conditions though. It had to be an Alaskan-type breed and his name had to be Quattro. For those who are unaware, Nick is an Audi enthusiast so that name was nothing but fitting for our future dog. So my research began. I learned about a handful of breeds that would fit Nick's criteria: Siberian Huskies, Samoyed's, American Eskimos,  and Alaskan Malamutes. I learned about their temperament, their health, how trainable they are, their eating habits, and personalities. You name it, I read about how it pertained to each individual breed. Finally, we came to the decision to get an Alaskan Malamute.  This breed is often confused with the Siberian Husky. "Awww look at the husky!" is a running joke in our house. They are the largest of the Alaskan breeds. Strong. Dependable. Smart. Loyal. Perfect for us!

Then came the more difficult task; finding a breeder within driving distance. I had been in contact with a breeder in Northern Vermont that had a liter coming in the next few months. However, one day I came across another breeder in Buffalo, NY. And wouldn't you know it, they were having a sale on their remaining two puppies left from a recent litter. The puppies would be ready for pick up in a week. This was it. I had found our dog. I immediately sent Nick the picture of "Gray Star" (as he was known to his surrogate family) and he too agreed that this was the dog for us. I called the breeder and placed the deposit.  We were able to pick him up two days before Christmas. It was a dream come true. I believe my Facebook status that day was "Today is the day all of my dreams come true..." Nick and I set out early in the morning on our journey to Buffalo. I was so excited the entire way out there. I could not wait to hold this little guy in my arms. As we pulled into the driveway, I could see two little puppy heads pop up form the kennel. My heart stopped. I could not contain myself. After a few breathing exercises, we got out of the car and went to the front door to meet the breeders. As soon as I walked in the door this adorable, fluffy creature came walking towards us. I was hesitant to pick him up at first, but then remembered that he was ours! 

After the breeders showed us Quattro's parents and giving us the details of his diet and development process, we were on our way back home. Being that he was so small, Quattro rode on my lap the whole snowy ride. We became comfortable with each other pretty quickly. 

He was introduced to a lot of people and four legged friends almost immediately. It was a little overwhelming at first for him, but we thought it was best he get used to other people and other animals as quickly as possible. Luckily being that it was Christmas, he had ample opportunity to be around others. The first two days were a lot for him and us. A lot of crying (on his end) and sleeplessness (on our end). But I must say, Quattro was defiantly the best Christmas gift ever. 

Pistachio Cupcakes

Last October I was asked to make cupcakes for my childhood friend's wedding. The couple asked that I mix up the flavors for the 100 plus cupcakes I was to make  under one condition...I must make a pistachio cupcake! You see, the groom LOVES pistachios. Not just the nut in a shell either. He loves the ice cream, the muffin, the pudding...really anything you can flavor with pistachios. At the time, I had never made a pistachio cupcake but I am always up for a new recipe. So I did as any normal amateur baker would do, I turned to my Pinterest friends. After looking at dozens of recipes I was able to come up with one that I thought would work best. 

(Not so) coincidentally, Nick was the photographer for this very same wedding. A baker and photographer under one roof. Not too bad huh?  Anyways, since I was also a guest at the wedding Nick had asked his brother to help by being the second shooter. This is where Matt (the brother) experienced his very first pistachio cupcake. It was love at first bite. For months he talked about this cupcake and how he couldn't wait for his birthday so that I could make him his very own batch. Well, his birthday had come and gone and I still had yet to make Matt his cupcakes. In my defense he was out of town the week of his birthday so I just never got around to doing it. But enough is enough right? Tonight I decided to fulfill his wishes and make a batch of pistachio cupcakes.  (Mostly to get him to stop bugging me about it!!)

I hope you enjoy them as much as he does! 

Cupcake
Ingredients
1 box of white or yellow cake mix
1 package of instant pistachio pudding
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup club soda
3/4 cup chopped pistachios

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together cake mix, pudding mix, oil, and soda until well blended. Stir in 1/2 cup of chopped pistachios.
Pour batter into cupcake liners about half way. Bake for 18-20 minutes. 
Let cupcakes cool completely. Frost with buttercream frosting and top with remaining chopped pistachios. 

Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
1 cup of unsalted butter (softened)
3 cups of powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 T milk
green food coloring (optional)

Directions
Cream together the butter and sugar until well blended. Add in the vanilla and milk until combined. Add more milk if needed for smoother consistency. 

For a green tint, add a few drops of green food coloring and mix until blended. 

Servings: 24-28 frosted cupcakes

We've Got Magic to Do

(View from the backyard after burning some of the demo materials)

As I previously stated, Nick and I purchased our first home just over a year ago. We had been toying around with the idea, but had decided that we should wait to save up for a more significant down payment. However, we then found this house. Nick pretty much wanted the property for its garage. Being that he owns 3 (now 4!) cars himself, it was suitable for him to have a fairly new, 4 car garage that is pretty much the same square footage as the home. Seems reasonable right? Sure, why not. Anyways, the exterior of the home was in pretty good shape. New siding, new roof, etc. etc. Then you walk inside the house and this is where the fun begins! We were immediately welcomed by the sweet aroma of stale cigarette smoke. Then, behold a house that has not been updated since the 1970's. I'm sure you can picture it...shag carpet, wood paneling, styrofoam beams painted to look like wood...it was a beaut! But, Nick just wanted that garage! So we accepted the challenge. We figured we could update the interior with our skills (or lack there of) and make this house our home. 

Demolition began almost immediately. We could not wait to tear up the carpets, the flooring...the walls. We demoed the entire kitchen and bathroom straight down to the studs. Low and behold, the wiring had also not been updated, probably since the house was built. Plumbing needed updating. Cha Ching! Cha Ching! Cha Ching! I felt like I was on the show on HGTV Love It or List It. Every single time they work with a family, Hilary always seems to come across some disaster that would take away from the families original budget. Anyways, this did not get our spirits down. Luckily, between Nick's technical skills and the help of family and friends we were able to get things done. 

Everything went smoothly until that dark day in October. The day the building inspector from our town showed up at the house stating that we did not acquire the appropriate permits for the work we were completing. Unbeknownst to us, we needed three separate permits (electrical, plumbing, AND building). We were also made aware of the unknown fact that a licensed electrician and plumber would have to complete all of the work being done in the house (even if you were changing a light fixture). And of course we were charged with fines for not having the permits to begin with. Being naive does not get you off the hook. Trust me, we tried! This event proved to be a major set back in our project. If you are not already aware of this, skilled laborers are not really on a timely schedule. They complete jobs on their own schedule, at their own pace. October quickly turned into April before we were seeing any real results. I'm sure you can imagine our frustrations. 

Finally, the interior jobs had been completed. The plumbing was updated, the electrical work was safe and secure. Time to continue on with insulation and dry way. Oh wait...what's that? You need an inspection for insulation too? But of course you do! Boom, another set back. At this point we getting tired of waiting. Since we both have full time jobs (Nick's consisting of lots of overtime), we did not have the time nor energy to get things moving. This is when we decided to hire a contractor to come in and complete the dry wall, painting, and flooring. We figured he would get things moving along. Done by the end of May he said! That's right, you guessed it. He did not complete his sub par work until the end of June. A few more inspections, some more painting, and three rooms of carpet later we were finally able to move! Exactly one year and five days after our closing date. 

So, after my long and detailed story, what have we learned today my friends? First and foremost, NEVER expect your projects to go as planned. Always take into account surprises and hiccups to show their ugly faces all along the way. Secondly, when completing any home renovation, even if it seems to be a minute detail, be sure to check your local building code. You do not want to run into our situation where you are not only set back on time but a lot more money. Lastly, have patience. There were many times I wanted to scream, throw something, I even cried at work. Do not let it get the best of you. Keep your eyes on the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be worth the wait to see the results of your very own hard work. 

I'll be sure to post more detailed entries focusing on each room and how we turned this 1970's smokers paradise into our home. 

Cara's Bridal Shower

               (Myself, the bride, and the MOH Liz)

Today I co-hosted a bridal shower for my very dear friend Cara.  Cara, Liz, and I have all been friends since high school. I have been so happy and honored to be apart of this special time in her life. This shower was the second of two bridal showers. The first was held in downstate NY for the grooms family and friends. Though today's shower was a bit smaller, I am pleased to say it turned out quite well! 

We kept the decor very simple, but charming. The center pieces consisted of a charger plate, mason jar with wild flowers, tea lights, and pictures of the bride and groom throughout the past five years of their relationship. We were able to get all of the pieces fairly inexpensively. The Christmas Tree Shop sells all of the items at half the cost you would normally pay. The flowers we were able to purchase in bulk at the local farmers market for a fraction of the price at a florist. The MOH also came across a pretty heart-shaped wreath that we decorated with some of the flowers. We used this for the back of the brides chair as a small, inexpensive touch. 

Yours truly baked the dessert, vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting. The wedding favors were DIY as well. We packaged cookies into a cellophane decorative bag and tied it together with a handmade flower and bow. 

We organized two games for the ladies to partake in, as any traditional shower should. The first was "Finish the Song Lyrics". I had printed versus from various love songs and left out a part of the lyric. The woman with the most correct answers at each table was awarded the floral center piece! Also, naturally, we had bridal BINGO. By using the centerpieces as the prizes, not only were we able to get rid of 8 vases of flowers that neither Liz nor I wanted to truck home, we were also able to keep spending minimal by not having to buy additional gifts to give away. 

I feel that any event, in this case a bridal shower, can be completed on a budget. We were able to cut costs by doing a lot of the details ourselves. Be creative! There is a whole world of ideas out there by just simply searching the world wide web. When in doubt, scroll through Pinterest to get your wheels turning, then let your creative mind do the work. 

About

A wise young woman once told me that every person should have a blog of sorts at some point in their 20's. Being that I am well into my upper 20's, I figured I better get a move on. So here we go...

I reside in upstate NY. In mid 2012, my babes and I bought a house and renovated the entire thing floor to ceiling (more on that to come later). Outside of fixing up the house and my day job I mostly tend to our beast of a dog, Quattro. I play soccer a few times a week, bake and cook often, and travel whenever time and money allows me to. 

Essentially Jackie is just as it sounds. I will delve into my every day life as a home owner, "mother" to an Alaskan Malamute, baker extraordinaire (well maybe that's a bit of a reach), and will share with you any helpful tips and tricks I have on travel and entertaining. 

I hope you enjoy!