Pug Snuggles...

are the best on a cold October evening.  Happy fall, ya'll!

Trip to Glacier National Park

The hubs and I just got back from a fantastic weekend trip to Glacier National Park.  The eight hour journey from Billings was well worth it, even though a portion of the park was closed for the winter.

Such a beautiful place!

Custom At-Home Teeth Whitening For Less Than $10 (That Actually Works!)

(These aren't my teeth- http://www.glenwoodvillagedentistry.com/- but's it the closest picture I could find to my results)

I am a firm believer in the power of bright, white teeth.  Nothing drastic like:

Incisors that glow in the dark

Or having a mouth full of Chiclets...

But a naturally bright smile can make you look younger and refreshed.  With my slight obsession with iced tea and coffee, my smile needed a little uplift.

I've tried numerous whitening products that always either left my teeth or my wallet hurting.  Insert the $10 miracle whitening that I've been using for the last few months.  My teeth are not the least bit sensitive, and they've honestly never looked better! 

To begin, buy two rubber mouth guards used for sports. 

I got mine at Wal-Mart in the sports section by the helmets and basketballs.  They were $1.97 each, and can come with the helmet strap attached (like the pic on the left) or without.  If your store only has those with the strap, no biggie, just snip it off with a pair of scissors.  

There are directions on the package for how to fit them to your mouth.  You submerge them in very hot water and then press them around your teeth.  If done correctly (and it's not very hard at all), you'll have a custom set of teeth whitening trays in a matter of minutes. 

Once you have your trays, you'll need this: 

I also found this at Wal-Mart for $4.97, but I've also seen it at Walgreens and numerous stores online.  This stuff is amazing!!  You get quite a bit of product, so I feel like the $5 goes a long, long way.

I've tried two methods to whiten my teeth: 1. Squirt the gel into the trays and then pop them in my mouth and 2. "paint" the gel on my teeth with a q-tip and then pop the trays in.  Both ways are effective, but I feel like preloading the trays works a little better, because more product gets onto the teeth.  Be careful not to put too much in there...I did and it oozed out of the tray from all sides, and let's just say it was gag inducing.  The taste isn't one that you'll want lingering in my mouth for a while.  

The package states it's a 5 minute whitening bleach, but you can leave it on for up to 15 minutes a day. I usually put them in while I'm getting into the shower or drying my hair.  It's next to impossible to talk (or sing) with both the trays in, and I think my husband thoroughly enjoys not having to listen to me try to sound like Adele while I'm sudsing my hair.  It keeps the dogs from howling along too...  :)

Summer Favorites!

I love that each season brings new trends and products to try out, and summer just happens to be one of my favorites.  I've found quite a few things that I'm really loving during these warm, sunny months:

The Body Shop: Satsuma Body Butter

This stuff smells like sunshine in a tub.  Well, actually, it smells like tangerines and oranges, but it is what summer should smell like!  I usually don't like body butters because they can feel really greasy, but this one sinks in quick and doesn't really leave any residue.  I put it on m legs when I'm just out of the shower, and it makes my skin feel like buttah all day long.

Side note- I've read that you should apply your lotion within 3 minutes of exiting the shower for your skin to retain the most moisture.  Seems to work for me!

Revlon Nail Enamel- Minted

(Not my fingers or my picture...but this is a good representation of what this shade looks like)

I love anything turquoise/minty green during the warm months, and this color is perfect!  I'm all about the cheaper drug store polish, and the Revlon seems to be one of the more long wearing formulas.  Add an accent nail or two in this color:

Essie- Peach Daiquiri

I've pretty much been wearing these two colors for most of the summer.  They really do look beautiful together, and play up my favorite color combo of the season- turquoise and coral. 

Mr. Pumice Ulitmate Pumice Bar

Guuurrrrrl, nobody wants to look at funky feet in cute sandals.  These Mr. Pumice bars are AMAZING at keeping unsightly calluses and dry heels at bay.  They are cheap, cheap, cheap and give you just pedicured feet at home.  Give your tootsies a good scrub and slather on a little Vaseline before bed, and your feet will never look so pretty.  Just don't forget to put socks on before you climb under the covers. The thought of greasy sheets makes me gag a little.  **shudder**

Kendra Scott- Danielle Earrings in Turquoise

Have you ever come across a designer that you swear is your fashion soulmate?  Kendra Scott jewels...where have you been all my life?!?!  I love, love, flippin love these earrings, as well as everything else on her website.  I want to win the lottery just so I can call her and say, "Yes, dahhhhling.  I'll take one of everything."  Do yourself a favor and explore her site.  Seriously amazing.  Simple, classic, colorful pieces that I know I'm going to enjoy for years to come!  I feel like turquoise will never go out of style, and you really can wear it in any season for a bright pop of color.  Plus, it pairs so well with dozens of different hues, I feel like I could wear it everyday. 

TRESemme- Cashmere Touch Hydrating Serum

This stuff helps soothe my dry summer hair, and I'm kind of obsessed with it.  I've just been using it on my ends, but I really think it's helped me go almost 8 months without a haircut and virtually no split ends.  It's supposedly infused with coconut and argan oils, but alls I know is that a little goes a LONG way.  Too much of a good thing, can be a very, very bad (and greasy) thing.  One little pump on my ends before I blow dry, and I find myself needing my straightener less and less.  

Bath and Body Works- Beach Grass Candle

I usually don't find myself burning candles in the summer, but this scent is heavenly.  It doesn't at all smell like beach grass probably does, but the B&BW website describes it as "dewy greens, palmetto grass and sweet white freesia."  This is one of those scents I wish they would never discontinue.  It slightly annoys me that every candle I bought has wicks that are super short (and I end up having to pour out wax to keep it from self extinguishing), but I love that they go on super sale.  Sign up for the emailed coupons!  Well worth deleting incessant junk from my inbox when they mark things down.  

London Olympics

 Admit it ladies...we're all tuned into the 30th Olympiad for the same reason...

It's our love of sports and the excitement of watching world class athletes compete.  :)

This also made my list of summer favorites.  No matter how many times I see it, it still makes me laugh.  

The BEST Apple Pie Recipe

I may have found the perfect combination of recipes for the best apple pie on the planet!  I tend not to bake a whole lot since we've moved, since it's just the two of us, but I couldn't say no this time.  

Poor hubby had a bad week...It began on Sunday night with a trip to the E.R., and then a business trip the next day.  So when he requested an apple pie (with big, sad puppy dog eyes), I gave in.  While pies can be a lot of work, this one was worth ever second spent prepping.  

I can't take credit for these...I found them searching Google- "Best Apple Pie Recipe" With almost 5,000 5-star reviews, I had to give Apple Pie by Grandma Ople a try (find the original recipe here).  I did add a few twists/ingredients of my own, and I thought the finished product was stellar. 

But before you jump into all that buttery, sugary goodness, you need a good crust recipe.  Sadly, Grandma Ople didn't include one on the All Recipes site.  I got this one from Simply Recipes, and it was gooood.  

This pie crust recipe is shown on Simply Recipes in a food processor, but I don't have one.  Here's my version:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6-8 tablespoons ice water

-Combine flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl.  Whisk or sift together to incorporate ingredients.
-Add butter cubes, and mix in with pastry cutter until mixture resembles course meal (with pea sized pieces of butter).
-Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture begins to clump together.  If you pinch some of the crumbles and it holds together, it's ready.  If not, add more water until it does.
-Pour dough onto a very lightly floured counter and smoosh together any crumbly pieces with the palm of your hand.  (This also helps create the flaky texture once it bakes.)
-Shape dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

To roll out the dough, I always find that it's easier to roll it between two pieces of waxed or parchment. I lightly flour the insides of the waxed paper, and add my dough.  I let mine thaw a little on the counter before I started rolling because the refrigeration made it a little hard.  

Once rolled out to about 1/8 inch, I put one piece into my pie dish (a 9 inch stoneware dish), and cut the other into strips for the lattice top with a pizza cutter. 

For this particular recipe, it's easier to go ahead and have the lattice pieces ready to go.  The pie recipe is a little unusual in that you add the apples to the dish, put the lattice on top, and then pour hot pie filling OVER the lattice.  Trust me...it's delicious.  

The "Apple Pie by Grandma Ople" called for all Granny Smith apples, but I didn't have that many on hand.  I ended up making some changes to her original recipe, but I'm itching to try this again as written.  Here's my version of the pie filling:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

8 apples

dash of cinnamon

dash of vanilla extract 

(I like tart apples in my pies, so I used a few Granny Smith, Jonagold and Jazz Apples.  I personally think the more variety you have in the apples, the better your pie will taste.  I'm curious to try it with just the Granny Smiths though.)

-Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Stir in flour.  Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and cinnamon and vanilla extract to your liking.
(We like a LOT of cinnamon in our house.  I didn't measure, just eyeballed, but start with a teaspoon to see where your flavor is at.  I'd say the same for the vanilla extract.  I just wanted a little extra warmth in the filling, so I added a literal dash.  I took a spoon and tasted the filling to make sure these extra flavors were in check).

-Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce temperature and let simmer.  

-Fill prepared pie dish with apples, mounded slightly.  Cover with lattice top.  Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust.  Pour slowly so that it does not run off.  

-Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  Reduce the temperature to 350 and continue baking for 35-45 minutes until apples are soft. 

If you've never made a pie like this before, beware of the dreaded oven drips.  While your pie is a-bubblin'-and-a-bakin', the deliciousness from the inside of the pie will sometimes spill over the top.  It ends up hitting the bottom of your oven, burning, and filling your entire house with a smoky haze.  I put a cookie sheet below my pie while it's baking, but found that I still got the smoke.  While there wasn't burned sugar glued to the bottom of my oven, I still wasn't a happy camper.  

So I baked the pie for the first 15 minutes with a dry cookie sheet under it.  (Because I wanted the crust to get nice and crispy brown).  When I reduced the temperature, I put a little water in the cookie sheet.  This helped the smoke problem a LOT!  Because I didn't want the excess moisture to make my crust soggy, I took the water out and replaced it with a dry cookie sheet for the last 10 minutes of baking.  The pie came out perfect!  

The hubster was a happy camper, and I earned some major brownie points for making something delicious!  Both of these recipes are keepers!

Real Bride- Etsy Order

So I haven't officially said anything about it on my blog (even though there's a link in the sidebar), but I have an etsy shop.  If you haven't spent hours clicking through the awesome craftiness on this site, you really are missing out.  There are so many amazing handmade items!

My shop (The Sassy Italian Designs) has both jewelry and paper goods.  I've been lucky to have a few orders so far, and I was SO excited to see a pic of one of my necklaces "in action!"  This sweet customer was kind enough to send me a picture of herself on the big day.  What a beautiful bride!

Burlap Monogram Tutorial

 I love me some Pinterest, but I hate finding projects with dead hyperlinks or no instructions.  I've totally gotten into the burlap craze, and love this monogram I pinned:

 Sadly, the link didn't have directions, but I figured burlap canvases can't be all that difficult, right?  I headed to Hobby Lobby armed with this picture an an open mind.  I managed to find everything I needed to  make these for my own home on a budget.  I found out that while the burlap was cheap, art canvases with a thicker depth are not.  :(  Since mine were going to be covered anyway, I began looking for a cheaper alternative.  

Styrofoam!  

It's sold in large pieces and odd shapes back where you find the poster board.  I like this option because A.)It's cheaper than buying three canvases B.) It's super light and C.)  The thickness was just what I wanted.  

I got a little overzealous with mine, and cut it before I managed to take a picture.  It is sold in one piece, though.  This particular piece measures about 12 x 10 x 1.5 inches and was $4.99.  With my handy 40% off coupon, I managed to make all three of the letters for less than $10!  

I left Hobby Lobby with the following things:

1 styrofoam board- $2.99 (with coupon)

1/2 yard of burlap- $1.99 (and I have enough left over for something else)

Spool of ribbon- $3.99

I already have acrylic paint and brushes at home, but the paint should run you about $1, and the brushes around $2.  

To begin, I measured and cut my styrofoam.  Since I wanted mine to be relatively small (to fit on a small shelf), I was able to get one 7.5 x 7, and two 5.25 x 4.25 blocks from one foam board.  I measured my sizes first, and drew a cut line with a permanent marker.  A large serrated knife made cutting these suckas easy, but you could also use a craft or exacto knife.  Now, cutting styrofoam isn't the most pleasant experience.  Focus on the cuteness factor of the finished product as the chills roll down your back and your teeth hurt.  *Shudder*  Luckily, it's over quickly.  

Next, I scoured my computer for fonts that would look similar to the one in the picture.  Copperplate Gothic and Constantia are both bold and blocky.  Play around with different text effects to get your desired look.  I ended up making mine bold just to give them a little extra thickness.  Use the ruler bar function on your word processing program to make sure you're keeping them the right size.  

There are several different ways that you can transfer the letters onto your fabric.  If you have a craft cutting machine like a Cricut or Silhouette, you can easily have the machine cut out a precise stencil for you.  

If you don't have a fancy cutter, no sweat.  Print your monogram letters and:

A.) Cut the letter out using small scissors or a craft knife.  Use the letter itself as a stencil (and trace around the outside), or use the negative (and trace around the inside)

B.) Place the print out under your fabric, and trace the outline as neatly as possible. 

 I prefer using a fine tipped permanent marker to trace (like this one from Foray).  I've found that a maker works best because it can just skim over the top of the fabric.  Using a pencil or pen may be hard to create lines without pulling or moving the fabric.

To get a clean line while tracing, TRY TO KEEP THE TEMPLATE AND FABRIC AS STILL AS POSSIBLE.  Use pins, tape, spray adhesive, or any means necessary to keep everything in place as you are tracing.  This keeps the lines straight and the letter true to shape.

 I like to paint project like this with small, straight edged brushes with stiff bristles.  It's really difficult to get clean lines with a domed or rounded edge brush.  It's worth spending the extra $2 to get a brush that will make this waaaay easier! The stiff bristles keep the paint exactly where I want it.

 Since I'm right handed, I prefer to paint left to right or top to bottom so that I can see the edge of my bristles and exactly where my paint is going.  This means I turn the canvas/material lots so that I can paint in that direction.  I cut a large square in the fabric with my letter in the center, so that I can turn to my heart's content, and not have the excess bunching up or getting in the way.

Take you time, and try your best to stay in between the lines.  Try not to dip your bristles more than 3/4 of the way into the paint.  It keeps things so much neater.  When I get a little dip happy and go all the way past the metal, I just wipe my brush off with a paper towel and start again.

Since you are painting on fabric, some paint will leak through the back.  Put something between your work and your table!

I painted all three letters at once, and taped the material to a book shelf so that they could dry.  I was worried that the damp paper under the fabric would crinkle as it dried, and cause my damp fabric to dry funny.  I'm not sure if this would actually happen, but I didn't risk it.  

I began this whole project with burlap, and ended up switching to another material I had on hand after painting this letter.  With so much space between the threads, I was having a hard time getting the letters as precise as I wanted.  I also wasn't loving that this space would also show the white of the styrofoam.  

You could remedy this problem by adding another coat of paint to fill in the holes once the burlap is attached, but I'm all about convenience sometimes.  

So I switched my fabric to one with smaller weave.  I also got this from Hobby Lobby (in the same section as burlap).  It's more of a canvas-ey material.  It's got a nice weight, has texture, was just as cheap, and almost the same color.  

I like it because it allowed me to paint a much cleaner line and create solid color.  It reminds me a little of some things I've seen things at Ballard Designs.  

Next, I wrapped and stapled the material onto my pieces of styrofoam.  I'm not an expert at this, but I just tried to keep the corners as clean and sharp as possible.  I don't really care what the back looks like since mine will be on a shelf.  You could take the extra time to make the back look neat if you wanted to display these somewhere the back would be seen.  

Finally, I hot glued a black and white striped ribbon around the outside to give it a more finished look.  The original Pinterest inspiration left the sides plain, which I also like.  

 I love the look of these, and I love that they were quick and inexpensive to make.  Might have to give some of these as gifts!

Perfect Summer Song!

Words cannot begin to describe how much I love this catchy summer song! Perfect for warm breezes and ice cold drinks! Mmmm....motorboatin'!

Writing Letters

My fabulous hubby and I just celebrated our forth wedding anniversary last week, and I wanted to share a little something near and dear to my heart.

I have a really bad memory, and it seems like the little details of the day are starting to get fuzzy.  Not the big memories of the day, of course, but for a day as monumental as this, I want to make sure I remember every single little thing.

I should warn you that I'm big into scrapbooking and using pictures to remember my life.  I always have a camera in my purse, and I save cards, ticket stubs, little love notes and mementos from all over.  I think aside from my love of photography (and looking at my smokin' hot husband), this hobby became a passion of mine because my grandmother had Alzheimer's disease.  It really is heartbreaking to be robbed of a lifetime full of memories.  So I probably over document things, but memories with my husband, family, and friends are precious to me no matter how big or small.  I love Becky Higgins' whole approach to the hobby- simple, clean, and easy.  If you aren't familiar with her Project Life line, you should totally check it out (www.beckyhiggins.com), even if you don't scrapbook.  I do most of mine with digital templates and Photoshop Elements and stick them into her photo pocket pages.  No paper, glue and scissors, and it's genius.

So on our anniversary, I reread something I had written about our wedding day...a letter to myself.  I can just see all the eyes rolling now...Not corny, just an honest, heartfelt account of the day, should I ever have trouble remembering my own past. I decided instead of keeping the letter saved on my computer, I'd turn it into a part of my scrapbook.  The 6x12 inch pocket pages are perfect for letters like this one, or including a blog entry in your memory keeping.

I think writing a letter to yourself for any momentous occasion is a great way to remember all the little things that you may one day forget.  (Birth of a baby, a big move, new house, etc. )  If you don't scrapbook, write them out, or type and print them, and stick 'em in a box in your closet or a notebook on the bookshelf, and take them out and read them every once in a while.  I also love putting them behind a picture (of the event) in a frame to open and read later.  Who knows...you may be glad you wrote it down one day.  :)

My letter (should you need an example...or be interested in our wedding story):

Dear Mary,

This is a note written from your 27 year old self.  Almost three years have passed since you’ve been married, and already you’re starting to forget all the small moments of being a bride.  In a short span of time, I still can’t remember what I ate for breakfast or lunch the day of.  I am writing this so that there will always be a note, a memory, a written log of the feelings you had, the emotions you experienced, and the things you never want to forget.  I hope that one day in the future you will read this and be glad it’s here.

   Even though it wasn’t pleasant at the time, I hope that you haven’t forgotten the anxiety and stress that surrounded the beginning part of the weekend.  This stress caused by the hotel fire is partially what made your wedding weekend YOUR wedding weekend!  The moment you stood inside the lobby and saw the curtains catch fire.  You stood in awe as it all unfolded, much like it was in slow motion, and the confusion you felt as all anyone could do was stand and look at the flames also.  It seemed to take forever for people to react and start running and the alarm to go off.  Maybe it wasn’t as long as you thought.  Maybe it all happened in a split second.  Everyone ran outside, and you were worried about Josh and Daddy.  They drove around the back of the hotel, and you didn’t know immediately that they were safe.  You stood in the median of the street and greeted out of town guests and family members, everyone still in shock as the fire trucks and news vans pulled in.  Don’t ever forget the sense of calm that came over you as you realized that having Josh and your family there and safe were all that mattered.  Even though Josh thought something was majorly wrong with you for not freaking out, everything that mattered was ok.  

Never forget Christi’s determination to make the situation light, and somehow talked the firemen into letting you and Josh take your picture with the truck.  

After a Mellow Mushroom lunch to wait out the fire marshall’s ruling, you were evacuated and told that the hotel probably wouldn’t open for a few days.  Sweet Clint was going to go back into the building shortly after it all happened, claiming that he was going to climb eight floors to get your dress.  You told him you’d rather have your friend than a dress.  All of our belongings (minus several important wedding items) were carreid down all eight flights of unairconditioned stairs so that we could find temporary residence at the Westin. Despite craziness at the Westin desk, being told that there wouldn’t be enough rooms, and lack of time to get ready and properly shower, the rehearsal went well.  Mrs. Caywood snapped everyone into shape, and you didn’t have to worry about a thing.  Dinner at The Lady and Sons was perfect, and everyone enjoyed drinks at the pool of the Westin to destress from the day.  

Never forget the hustle and bustle before the ceremonya hair appointment, a last minute trip to Publix for forgotten waterproof cameras, getting ready at the church with all the girls, running down the hallway in your veil and underwear to use the bathroom, and taking pictures with our photographer.  How could you forget the tornado warning, heavy rain and hail that pelted the church minutes before we were set to start?  You joked about hoping Josh didn’t take this and the fire as bad omens.  Wes delivered your card from Josh, that you got choked up reading, and sending him back with a gift for Josh.  A leather bound Bible with a special note in the front.  

You wore Grandma Mary’s blue ring as your something old, and blue, and you thought of her just before it was time to get started.  You wished special family members from both sides could have been there, and you also realized that you were gaining a lot of new family members that day.

Never forget the nervousness that surged through you in the few minutes before the ceremony.  You stood in the little closet/stairwell of the church with all your bridesmaids being silly, hoping to distract yourself from the organ bellowing familiar music into the tiny room.  You insisted that you had to pee, and Lauren, being Lauren, laughed and ensured you that it was just "nervous pee," sure to be forgotten once you were standing up there.  Remember the sounds of the songs being played over the huge organ, and your bridesmaids trickling out one by one.  Katie kissing you and smiling.  Remember how happy you were to see Daddy's face when you stepped in front of those big red doors.  He kissed your cheek and asked if you were ready.

I hope that you remember the feeling of those huge doors opening, and walking into the church seeing all your family and friends standing, turned to look at you walk in.  Janet Laskowski was the first person you really saw, and her smile made you feel less nervous.  Don't ever forget the most precious moment of the day...when you first met eyes with Josh. His were full of tears, and he never looked at you that way before.  Truly happy and treasuring every moment, walking to the man of your dreams was like a fairytale.  You were thinking, "Oh my gosh.  This is perfect.  This is just how I imagined it would be.  I want to remember this forever.  All the details, forever."  

Josh kept trying to talk to you all throughout the ceremony.  He beamed and whispered to you over and over.  Telling you that you were beautiful.  Telling you that he loved you. You squeezed his hands as you told him you loved him too, and partially to get him to stop talking so you could listen.  You were so worried about missing something Rev. Caywood said and missing your cue to speak.  Distracted by the overwhelming love you felt for him at that moment, you thought how lucky you were to have a man like this love you as much as you love him.  What a profoundly amazing thing that is.  You didn't cry.  You were too happy.  You were savoring every word and every moment. 

You said the vows without faultering, and you meant every word you said.  You looked right into Josh's eyes, and made your promise.  Forever. 

Never forget that your "second mom" , Ms. Betty, read the traditional Irish blessing to wish you well, and that your godfather, Uncle Robert, read scripture to bless the union.  That Rev. Caywood blessed your hands, with a poem that is your favorite.  You stared happily at the new gold band on Josh's hand thinking how strange it looked there.  Strange but wonderful.  

I know you will never forget the kiss.  How your heart thumped crazy when you knew it was coming up.  How he grinned at you until Rev. Caywood told him that he could kiss his bride.  How he took your face in his hand and kissed you like he meant it.  Kissed you to seal the promise before God and our loved ones.  How you giggled when you pulled away, and waited anxiously to be pronounced man and wife.  How you happily walked out of the church hand in hand into the warm sunshine and Savannah humidity, man and wife. Thinking "this is perfect."  And being stunned at how quickly it went, realizing that you have a soulmate, and that this moment was the very first moments of the rest of your lives together. 

Don't forget that feeling... it was awesome.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon

 I can't even begin to describe how much I LOVE this recipe.  Like wanna-eat-it-two-times-a-week love.  The tangy balsamic reduction is delicious with the buttery taste of the salmon.  It was perfect for our anniversary dinner tonight with some of our favorite summer sides.  It would be amazing paired with a lightly flavored pasta, potatoes, a bed of veggies or rice...I could go on and on.

But let's begin, shall we?

Start with enough salmon for everyone to have at least one 3oz serving.  i.e. the size of a deck of cards.  But let's be serious, men like my hubby generally take a little more than that.  #1 rule of an Italian kitchen, ALWAYS overestimate the number of servings.  Plus, what awesome leftovers!

 I sprinkled mine with this tasty goodness that really gives fish an amazing flavor. (According to the label- salt, sugar, "spices", granulated onion, granulated garlic, yellow mustard seeds, & paprika) It's all natural, MSG free, and kosher, which just add to its awesomeness.    If you can't find this seasoning, this recipe would be great with just salt and pepper, or a mixture of any dried spices.  (I would try to keep it within the typical Italian herbs though, since you'll be using a balsamic glaze.  Basil, oregano, garlic salt, etc.)

 We grilled our salmon tonight on a Weber to add a little bit of smokey summery flavor to it.  I'm sure there's a better way to grill fish than with tin foil covering the grate, but I don't have one handy.  Plus, it makes clean up a breeze, and you don't have to worry about the fish falling apart and ending up in your charcoal.  I just made sure to spray with foil with Pam, and cut slits in the tin foil so all that smokey goodness could seep through.

You can also bake the fish in the oven at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  I would add just a bit of olive oil to the fish to keep it from drying out in the oven.

Whatever method you chose, you want to make sure that the fish flakes with a fork to be sure that it's done.  (I always cut a little slit in mine to check).

 While the fish was on the barbie, I made the balsamic glaze on the stovetop.  For this you'll need balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, fresh garlic and maple syrup.

Add all these ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  (Handy trick: spray your measuring spoon with a little Pam before adding something sticky, and it'll slide right off with no mess).

Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until thickened.  I ran a whisk through mine ever now and then to make sure nothing was sticking or burning to the bottom of my pan.

Slow and steady is the key to this glaze.  Mine took between 15-20 minutes, and at the end it was the consistency of a thick BBQ sauce.  It turned very dark (almost black), and reduced down a lot.  (Which is ok because a little of this packs a powerful punch.)  I had my hubby taste a little on a fork first before he doused his whole filet with sauce.

Drizzle reduced glaze onto thoroughly cooked salmon, and serve with your favorite side dish.

Since it was our 4th wedding anniversary, my hubby requested these with dinner (even over homemade), and I couldn't deny him:

They are surprisingly good, and not the least bit mushy.  We also had corn on the cob, which I couldn't deny these two a little nibble:

They turned into crack babies the instant they tasted the corn.  (Note the eye bulging and frantic expressions).

All in all, a fabulous summer meal!  Even fancy enough for an anniversary dinner in.  :)

Balsamic Glaze for Salmon

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 garlic clove chopped or finely minced

Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat and let ingredients simmer until thickened.  Pour small amount onto baked or grilled salmon.

Easy Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

There's something about breakfast making the entire house smell good on a Saturday morning, and I'm all about easy ways to make that happen.  If you're a breakfast lover like I am, Bisquick may be a gal's best friend. It's inexpensive, quick and can be doctored up a million ways with whatever you have handy in the pantry.

Since Costco is one of the only decent places to get groceries here in Billings, I had enough blueberries in my fridge to feed an army.  Blueberry pancakes sounded goooood, and adding lemon sounded even better. These were finished before the coffee maker was done brewing, and the bright flavors were perfect for warm weather!

Get your grinder going and get your Folgers percolating, because these pancakes don't take long!

First I started with the recipe for basic pancakes on the side of the Heart Smart mix:

Stir Biquick mix, egg, and milk together in a bowl.  I used almond milk since we can't handle the moo juice at our house.  Plus, I think the almond milk adds a little something extra.

Next, you want to make the recipe awesome by adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract, the zest of one lemon, a few shakes of cinnamon (my hubby LOVES anything cinnamon, so you can alter this step if you'd like.  Add a little, add a lot, it's up to you.) and add about a cup of fresh blueberries.  I happen to like lots of fruit in my pancakes, so I probably added a little more.

I then used a 1/3 cup measuring cup to spread the batter onto a heated, greased griddle.

Normally, you flip pancakes when bubbles form in the batter and break at the top.  This didn't happen with these pancakes, so I flipped them when they started to puff up a look like this.  Usually you can tell when you slid a spatula underneath.  They should be nice and golden brown on the bottom and slide onto the spatula rather easily.

Try to get as much of the pancake onto the spatula as possible and make a quick flip.  Sometimes that doesn't always happen perfectly, and you end up with a broken pancake.  No worries though, I usually give the little broken pieces to these guys, who circle my feet like sharks while they are cooking:

Once flipped, you can typically tell the pancakes are done by checking the bottom for color, and I always like to press them a little with my spatula.  When they're done, they're kind of springy and resist pressure.  An uncooked pancake will kind of squish when pressed.  When in doubt, make a little cut into one of those bad boys and check the middle.  (More crevices for the syrup to leak into, in my opinion.)  The recipe on the box says that it will make 14 pancakes, but with the 1/3 cup portions, I got exactly 8.


While the pancakes are cooking, I made a quick blueberry lemon syrup.  I know there are ways to make this on the stovetop that are probably a lot more culinary, but we're talking Saturday morning pjs, and a general unwillingness to do anything that takes more than 10 minutes.  Plus, these pancakes were smelling oh-so-fine, and I'm impatient.

Depending on the number of pancakes you're making, and the amount of syrup you like on top, pour regular maple syrup into a microwave safe bowl. (1/4 to 1/2 cup is a good place to start)

Add fresh blueberries (I grabbed a handful and tossed 'em in.  Add a little, add a lot...you decide how intense you want the flavor to be), and a little bit of lemon zest.

Pop it in the microwave until the berries burst.  It took mine about a minute and a half, but I cooked it in 30 second intervals to make sure I didn't end up with a sticky mess in my microwave.

Pour steaming hot syrup on stacks of pancakes and enjoy!  We had ours with turkey bacon and Texas pecan coffee.  Fabulous way to start a summer Saturday!

Freeze these suckas, and pop them in the toaster on mornings where you need a quick breakfast.


Easy Blueberry Lemon Pancakes

2 cups Bisquick Heart Smart mix
1 1/4 cup milk (skim or almond)
1 egg
1 cup fresh blueberries
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Few shakes of cinnamon

1. Stir all ingredients together in large bowl.
2. Pour 1/3 cup portions onto heated, greased griddle.
3. Flip pancakes when bottoms are golden brown and bubbles have made batter puff.
4. Serve hot with dollop of butter and maple syrup.

Quick Blueberry Lemon Maple Syrup

1/2 cup maple syrup
handful of fresh blueberries
lemon zest

1. Combine all ingredients in microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave in 30 second increments until syrup is hot and berries burst.

Adjust ingredient measurements for more or less servings.