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Did you ever wonder how someone comes up with a new recipe? What get's their creative juices flowing to figure out how to combine a few ingredients into a delicious dish? Well today my sister Michele and I did just that. Now I could just describe the recipe to you all per usual but I really think it would be more fun for you to see how we came up with it. Keep in mind that Michele and I work for the same company. So, we are able to communicate easily throughout the day via IM.

Happy Birthday Twins!

Today my darling twin sisters turn 23 years old! It is crazy to think how fast time has gone. High school and college have both come and gone with the blink of an eye. Now they are both beautiful, professional young woman taking on the world by force. I wish them both a fabulous birthday. I know they are going to have a wonderful time together this weekend celebrating. Love you both! 

Happy Birthday Loves! 

Girl's Night Fettuccine

It's crazy to think that five weeks has gone by already...five weeks since the last time I hosted Girl's Night! Deciding what to make is always a challenge. We've had a lot of delicious and different meals over the past month so I want to keep up the trend. I toyed around with a few different ideas and finally settled on Fettuccine Alfredo. It is something we have never enjoyed before over the past, however many years. I have not made this from scratch since Culinary School so I'm a little rusty. I wanted to find a good recipe so I perused pinterest, per usual. One of my favorite food blogs had a "skinny" version which was perfect because I had almost all of the ingredients in my arsenal. Gimme Some Oven makes an appearance at Girl's Night often. We find their recipes fun and delcious, and usually very simple!

National Peanut Butter Day

Image found off google.com. Original source unknown.

Peanut butter has to be one of my staples in life. Creamy or chunky...I love them both. It is such a versatile ingredient as well. You can create sweet or savory dishes or have as a quick snack. Plus it's packed with protein! Well, today we pay homage to our beloved childhood favorite.

 

Congratulations Dianna & Keith!

This weekend proved to be a very special one. One of my best girlfriends got engaged and I can not be more excited for her. Dianna and Keith have been dating since college, where they met. These two could not be more perfect for each other. Keith's funny, caring, and witty personality compliments Dianna's infectious, carefree, and selfless charm. I have loved being a part of their lives and watching their relationship grow and prosper. 

I wish them a lifetime of happiness and love. I am excited to celebrate throughout their engagement and beyond. Love you both! Congratulations!

If You Give A Mouse A Cookie

My girlfriend Ashley's daughter's birthday is at the end of December. Every year, she and her husband host a party after the holidays have passed and things have calmed down. Ashley is a very creative person and really comes up with great ideas for a kids birthday party. Each year the theme has been a different children's book. This year's theme is based around the book If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. It has been tradition that I make the dessert for any of my little lady's events. Sticking with the cookie theme, we decided to make cupcakes with chocolate chip cookies. As a little surprise for the family, I also made a small cake to look like a chocolate chip cookie. This was perfect for blowing out the candles! 

My Week Of Dinners

Even though this was the first full week after all of the holiday madness, it was still decently busy. 

Sunday
Sunday was a very lazy day, just as Saturday was. This kind of weekend was needed after the holidays though. I decided to make one of my easy go-to meals for Nick and I...turkey tacos. You really can not go wrong here. For toppings I had shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, chopped lettuce, and of course turkey taco meat. I typically pair it with some variation of Mexican rice, but I decided we could just have chips and salsa. Plus, this left room for homemade caramel corn during our movie.

27th Year: The Year of Me

Photo found on Pinterest, original source unknown. 

This week I celebrated my 27th birthday. Most people my age always complain about how "they are so old!" I am not one of those people. This statement actually drives me crazy. We are just starting our lives people! This is the time for us to start our careers, our families, and do things we've always wanted to do. Don't age yourself and give up already. 

Sticking with that statement, I have decided that my 27th year will be a year all about me. Last year and years in the past I have not focused so much on myself. There have been more important things in life that I have needed to focus my energy and attention on. However, now I can work on myself. 

New Year's Eve!

When we FINALLY moved into the house, one of the first things I had said to Nick was, "We are hosting the New Year's Eve party this year!" Nick and his brother used to host the party at their house every year. Just as I used to host the party at my house before Nick and I met. So it was nothing but fitting for the two of us to have a party with both of our friends. 

I kept the decorations very simple. The house was still decorated for Christmas which left a festive flare. I purchased a NYE party kit and displayed the hats, tiaras, and horns around the house. I set up a little bar area and placed snacks throughout each room. After lighting a few candles and turning on the fun "disco" under cabinet lighting we were ready for a party! 

Tortellini Soup

Most of you probably know we got hit with a pretty killer Nor'easter today. After running around with the beast and attempting to shovel half of the driveway (the 1960's snow blower scares me just a tad), I was ready for something warm and toasty. I had all of the ingredients for this tortellini soup. It's quick to make and very fulfilling. Enjoy!