happy monday!

A ghoulishly, creepy Monday makes me happy.

Happy Halloween!

{all images via create.your.happy}

sunday supper: butternut squash

I was going to share some pumpkin recipes today in honor of Halloween, and also because I love pumpkin but then I remembered that's what I did last year. Even though I haven't been writing and sharing as much as I'd like to I certainly don't want to get lazy with my posts by repeating myself just because it would be easy. So I spent more time than usual finding delicious recipes of another fall vegetable- the butternut squash. Now I don't cook with butternut squash very often and not because I don't like this squash, mainly because it's a lot of work to peel it and cut it up. I think the last time I cooked a butternut squash was when I made this soup. But after seeing all these yummy recipes I think I'm going to have to add it to this week's grocery list.

butternut squash, feta & jalapeno quesadillas via vegetablematter

baked butternut slices via blessherheart

butternut squash, arugula & goat cheese pizza via tastyyummies

spinach & butternut squash lasagna via thekitchensinkrecipes

buttermilk butternut squash bundt via foodlibrarian

Happy Cooking!

happy monday!

This past weekend was spent at an acting workshop. What I loved most about the weekend was just being surrounded by actors, being amongst my fellow storytellers, and working along side these other artists. We're all at different places in our careers, working on different aspects of our craft, but the one thing we all have in common is that we want to be truthful. It sounds so simple, yet coming from some place truthful can be challenging and also a little scary- you're showing everyone the hiddenmost parts of your soul, all the cracks in your heart. But that's why we do it, or at least why I do it, so that I can share all the ugliness and turn it into something beautiful.

And reflecting on everything I learned has definitely made this a happy Monday!

apple blossom print

via appleblossomprint

It's been a while since I've shared a local Chicago etsy shop, but as I was busy making my inbox zero this evening I came across a receipt for this sweet poster that I gifted to a friend for her bridal shower. [Note, our friends are not Andy and Sarah, though I do wish whoever they are a lifetime of love and happiness.] Now that I'm seeing this poster again, and still absolutely loving it, I'm very tempted to get one for myself- it would be a perfect addition to the great picture wall. Have I mentioned the great picture wall? Well, it's been on my list of apartment projects ever since we moved in. We have this enormous bare wall in our kitchen and I really want it to look something like this. I'm still in the arranging process- I've cut out pieces of paper in the size of the picture frames and taped them to the wall to see what arrangement will look best, some of the frames have pictures in them and some I still need to pick out pictures for. Ebert would really like it if I just made a decision. Oh, if only it was that easy. It's a huge commitment to pound holes in the wall. However, picking out fabulous gifts for friends? That's a much easier decision to make.

2 things

via comebacktome

It's that simple.

happy monday!

Ebert showing me what he learned in class today makes me happy.

via create.your.happy

I will admit that I don't understand most of what he's explaining to me and he knows it, but I still sit next to him nodding my head, uh-huh'ing, and giving him my undivided attention (that's when my acting skills come in handy). He's just so excited to show me what coding he's learned that I will happily sit next to him- not understanding any of it. I told him his enthusiasm is infectious.

sunday supper: pears

I haven't done much cooking with pears. The extent of my pear use has only been to put slices of them on top of lettuce, but for some reason I'm craving this fall fruit. Maybe it's because the trees outside my front window are barren and I'm wearing wooly socks. In any case, here are some fall pear recipes— excluding poached pears because those just don't sound good— for this chilly Sunday evening.

panini w/pears, brie, caramelized walnuts & arugula pesto mayo via vegetablematter

quinoa salad w/pears, baby spinach & chick peas via glutenfreegoddess

fresh ginger pear bread via smellslikehome

pear & cranberry pecan coconut crisp via seasonsandsuppers

Happy Cooking!

the princess bride

via entertainmentweekly

This picture is awesome! Seriously, my heart is singing right now. The Princess Bride is one of my all time favorite movies. And it's this kind of story that I can't wait to tell, a movie like this that I want to be a part of. Wallace Shawn was wrong- it's not "inconceivable", it's most definitely conceivable. You just have to believe.

happy monday!

It's been a long day- I'm tired and feeling a little defeated. But I can't think of a better way to turn this into a Happy Monday then by watching some "I Love Lucy".

via pninf

sunday supper: apples

Because it's that time of year, which just so happens to be my favorite time of year, here are some fall inspired apple recipes for your Sunday. And if you happen to be in Chicago here's to the gorgeous weather we've been having - I love fall when it's 77 degrees outside.

grilled apple & cheese sandwich w/sage pesto via thekitchensink

roasted apple & broccoli soup w/whipped garlic feta via ledelicieux

apple, goat cheese & walnut pizza via thehealthyfoodie

cinnamon-roasted sweet potato & apple salad via sweettreatsandmore

apple spice cake w/maple cream cheese frosting via eggsonsunday

Happy Sunday!

lake geneva

Here are some pics from our trip to Lake Geneva, WI. Can you believe that I went to a lake town and didn't take a picture of the lake? My only excuse is that it was cold and rainy. But, I do have pictures of some of the food we at and that's what's really important anyway...right?

A bagel sandwich at Boatyard Bagel, almost as good as these Chicago bagel sandwiches.

A couple great quotes at a wine shop and a liquor store- only in Wisconsin.

I love that this building says 'emporium' and 'parcel'. It feels so old-timey.

Old school parking meters. The only thing I don't like about these is that they only take quarters. How's a girl supposed to do her laundry if she has to use her quarters for parking?

Simple says it all.

And delicious.

And tasty.

It's supposed to be in the 80's this weekend- how crazy is that? This is certainly not fall weather. Hope you have a happy and fun fall weekend even if you're wearing shorts.

steve jobs

via smashiphone

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do." - Steve Jobs

The first computer I ever used was an Apple, just like the one in the picture. I remember sitting on my dad's lap in front of that beige box pretending I knew how to type a letter. I remember creating pictures with MacPaint- all those different designs and shades of grays and blacks. I remember playing games- Brickles, Tetris, Wheel, Solitaire, StuntCopter, Hangman, Space Bubbles, Mac Concentration. I remember smiling back at the computer icon with the smile. I remember the countless hours my dad spent in front of his Mac working, always working.

I'm not a computer geek, but my dad was. And maybe that's why Steve Jobs passing is so sad for me. It's a reminder...a reminder of simpler times, a reminder of the past, a reminder of my dad.

action

via create.your.happy

"To reach a port we must sail, sometimes with the wind, and sometimes against it. But we must not drift or lie at anchor."

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

happy monday!

Watching 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' at Wrigley Field makes me happy!

In case you're wondering, it was really cold that night. Fall in Chicago probably isn't the best time of year to watch a movie outside, but the shivering and cold toes were worth it- it's not every day that you get to sit on Wrigley Field and touch its green grass, or get a free box of popcorn, or take part in the breaking of a Guinness World Record by singing 'Danke Schoen' in the round, or are surrounded by thousands of people all huddled under blankets cheering every time a shot of Chicago appeared on screen, or twisting and shouting along with Ferris Bueller on Wrigley Field- it was pretty awesome!

sunday supper: dinner with friends

There's nothing like spending an evening with good friends cooking, drinking wine and eating a delicious meal together. That's how Ebert and I started our weekend and it was the perfect way to welcome in October. Our friend's Eric and Ivory got married in September and this was our first time hanging out as married couples. It was a fun evening- despite some outrages during an intense round of The Newlywed Game. I'm happy to report that this old married couple smoked the newlyweds. We reassured them that after 1000 days together you really get to know how someone will answer silly questions.

Ivory set a simple, yet beautiful table.

I made an arugula and pear salad adapted from this recipe.

Ivory made a hearty pasta dish- perfect for these chilly fall nights. She sauteed together mushrooms, zucchini, fresh garlic and Trader Joe's chicken garlic sausages. Then, she mixed in capers and Trader Joe's Arrabiata sauce and let all those flavors cook together for a while. She added the veggies and sauce to penne pasta and topped it with some parmesan cheese and fresh basil. It was so yummy!

For dessert we had Trader Joe's pumpkin ice cream with ginger thin cookies. Why have I never had pumpkin ice cream before? It is so ridiculously good!

I hope your weekend was spent with good friends (or family) and lots of good food!

Happy Cooking!