Baked Manicotti with Sausage and Peas

I got the idea for this Sunday night dinner from Giada's Baked Manicotti with Sausage and Peas recipes. Unfortunately, I was unable to find manicotti shells without a filling. Therefore I decided to turn the filling into a sauce to pour over the shells. This is a delicious, cheesy dish that anyone is sure to enjoy. 

A New York City Getaway

Nick and I just celebrated our three year dating anniversary. We decided to take a little weekend getaway as a gift to each other. We toyed around with different locations but settled on New York City. Neither of us had ever spent the night in the Big Apple so we figured this would be a great opportunity. I came across the Grand Hyatt hotel which is located right next to Grand Central Station. This was perfect since we would be taking the train right into Grand Central. The Grand Hyatt ended up being the perfect location for all of our planned destinations. 

 

Spring is Here!

It's finally here! The first day of Spring. Though it may not feel like it just yet, we all can get excited for the upcoming warmer weather, the beautiful colors of the blooming flowers, and just the overall rebirth of nature. It feels like Spring took forever to grace us this year, after experiencing one of the worst winters we've seen in quite some time. But have no fear my friends, Spring has sprung and before you know it the sun will be shining, the birds will be chirping, and the flowers will be in bloom. 

I took a poll amongst some of my friends and family, asking them what they like most about Spring. Here is how they responded.
1. The smell in the air just after it rains
2. Tulips and flowers in general
3. Smells
4. Warmer weather
5. Baby birds
6. Longer days
7. Easter candy
8. The clothes
9. Long walks
10. Being able to open the windows and doors

Parade Day!

The St. Patrick's Day Parade has been a tradition in my family well before I was even thought of. My Mom's parents have been active members of the committee for years. Along the way several members in my family have played an important role in the days events, myself included. This year was especially exciting as my Mom was one of the Co-Grand Marshalls of the parade!

We started the day with brunch at Dianna's parents' house. This has become a tradition over the past few years. It's a great way to get psyched up for the events ahead, plus it doesn't hurt to load up on carbs as well. Several people brought food to share on top of the mounds of food her dad prepared. I contributed Irish Soda Bread, baked fresh that morning!

"St. Patrick's Day" Girl's Night

I always love when my rotation of Girl's Night falls during a holiday week. It gives me a chance to create a fun theme for the meal. Being that St. Patrick's Day is Monday and the parade was this weekend, what better than to have an Irish meal? I decorated the house with the few decorations I had. A few tea towels, shamrock wreaths on each door, and a little bit of garland to add some sparkle to the windows. I also purchased some green shamrock plates and napkins for our meal to be a little bit more festive!

 

Pulled Pork

The last Girl's Night that Tara hosted she made this delicious pulled pork. It was so tender, so sweet...it was perfect. I asked her to share the recipe. Now she said she received the recipe from Deirdre's husband Dan. I am not sure if he received it from someone else or if he came up with this wonderful recipe himself...either way I wanted to share with all of you to enjoy. Place the pork in a soft taco shell or on a Kaiser roll. No matter how you eat it you will enjoy every last bite! 

My Week of Dinners

Another busy week behind me. I enjoyed a few dinners out, some home cooked meals, and some delicious treats as well.

Sunday

I believe I have mentioned before how my mom and I like to see various shows and enjoy a nice dinner out together. Typically I have bought tickets to some show for a gift. This time though my mom bought them just for fun. We saw Sister Act the musical. It was very good! Entertaining, funny, and all of the actors had great voices. After the show we decided to try an Irish pub near the theatre to get ourselves into the St. Patrick's Day spirit! I enjoyed a pastrami-corned beef sandwich. It was very similar to a Reuben, though it had pastrami and Cole slaw. Tasty!

Blueberry Banana Bread

This week's cook book recipe is again, from Giada at Home. Banana bread is something that can be enjoyed any time of the day. This recipe intrigued me mostly because of the addition of the blueberries. The buttery banana bread really pops with the juicy, sweet blueberries.