Frolicking into Fall

One of my favorite things about our hometown of Kansas City is the quarterly season change and I am thrilled that Fall has been showing it's face around here lately. Below are things that make me excited about Fall:

- the leaves changing colors
- the crunch of leaves as you walk on them
- pumpkins
- Thanksgiving
- Jeans, jeans and more jeans
- cozy sweaters
- spiced lattes
- boots
- blazers and scarves
- mums
- my boyfriend's birthday
- tailgates and football games
- and of course the mark of the begining of the holiday season

The list could go on and on, hope you're enjoying the coming of the new season!
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Wedding Cookies

The Brother's wedding has come and gone. For the rehearsal dinner, my mom, sister and I created delicious, wedding-inspired cookies. We used the recipe in the Pastry Queen Cookbook. They are so tasty and darling! Here's a shot of the final product...







I think they turned out absolutely darling!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to one of our Dinner Clubbers! This photo made me think of you :)

(photo courtesy of.... well I'm not sure, but it's not mine)

Dog Days of Summer

So I realize that the "dog days of summer" are pretty much over; however, it just felt like a fitting title for this post. A few weeks ago my mom hosted a family get together where she made your classic summer fare kicked up a few notches: hot dogs.




This is an easy, fun and cheap option for entertaining. She picked up a variety of brats, hot dogs and knockwursts at here favorite meat counter, McGonigles Market.




The keys to making this meal special is great meat, buns and toppings. My mom made her own sauerkraut, relish and mustards. (sorry for the blurry picture) Sides for the meal inclue anything that makes you feel all summery inside: watermelon, pasta salad, green beans.



Happy last few days of summer to all!

Quick, Easy Dinner!

Tonight was the first chilly/rainy day of the season, so all I wanted to do was curl up and watch a movie, but we had to eat at some point. I thought back to a recipe I had seen on my Epicurious app on my iPhone. I couldn't find the exact recipe, so I recreated a similar dish. It is pretty simple, but very tasty.

Ingredients:
1 ciabatta loaf (my market carries the perfect size, you can find the size you need for the number of people you plan to serve)
1 6 oz. log of herbed goat cheese
1 chicken breast (sauteed and cut into pieces - this was not in the original recipe, but we wanted to add some more protein)
1 jar of roasted red peppers
1 handful of arugula
Balsamic Vinaigrette to drizzle

Layer the goat cheese, chicken and roasted bell pepper on the ciabatta. Place in the oven (350 degrees) for about 5-10 minutes, until warm. Add the arugula and vinaigrette, slice and serve. So easy and delicious!

I served the sandwich alongside some roasted asparagus! Yummy!


Tomorrow is Friday! Any plans for the weekend? I will be celebrating a fellow DinnerClub MD member's housewarming!

P.S. Sorry about the picture quality, not my best work!

Sunday Morning Delight

I think the perfect way to start off a relaxing Sunday is to sleep in and cook a delicious brunch which is exactly what I did on this beautiful morning. Cooking breakfast is a great way to slowly start your day and cook without creating too much of a fuss. For all of those who are intimidated by cooking and aren't quite sure about how to get started I would highly recommend starting with breakfast. Simple breakfast meals can teach you (in an un-intimidating way) the basics of how to prepare a meal. Below are a few tips on how to make a delectable plate of french toast and for some tips on cooking eggs go here.

- Choose your bread wisely. This morning I used sliced ciabatta bread but some other options are challah bread, sourdough baquette or (my personal favorite) Wheatfield's walnut raisin.

- Coat the pan in butter. Yes this adds a few extra calories, but the added flavor is definitely worth it.

- Season your egg mixture. I haven't experimented much with different flavor profiles but my favorite is to pour in a little milk, add a touch of vanilla extract, sprinkle in a generous amount of cinnamon and add a dash of salt.

- Add in extra flavor when plating. Before serving I add a layer of homemade jelly in between each piece, drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with crushed pecans. The extra flavors and textures add an extra kick to each bite.

Enjoy your next Sunday brunch!

Wedding Shower!

Last weekend there was a wedding shower for my future (very near) sister-in-law. The shower was hosted by my aunts (one of which is the proprietor of the Monogram Shop of Kansas City) and my grandmother. It was a lovely setting with great company!

Party Favor! Cute matchsticks and a candle! (Also doubled as a place card, so clever and fun!)

Pretty Flowers!

Monogrammed napkins! All of the napkins at the tables were monogrammed with the letter 'G.' The bride got to take all of the napkins with her new initial home as a gift! Great idea!! (All courtesy of The Monogram Shop)

All of the guests were asked to bring their favorite recipes. Recipe cards were sent out with the invitations. Also, in the picture, you can partially see the invitation. So cute!!

The beautiful bride-to-be! (With her onion glasses) We gave her a group gift for this shower. I think this can be a great idea, especially if the bride doesn't want to be the certain of attention for too long!!

So excited for the upcoming festivities!! I will keep you posted throughout the week!!