Happy Father's Day

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

Happy Father's Day to my daddy, who isn't here to celebrate with a lunch or dinner or card, but who I celebrate every day. <3 

xo, Jen

Inspired

Happy Friday! Another work week over, another fun weekend just beginning. :) 

I've always loved inspirational quotes. I have books full of them, and I'll jot one down anywhere, any time if it jumps out at me. Here are some of my latest favorites that resonate with me most {from Pinterest, of course!}

What has inspired you this week?

xo, Jen

Sunday Dinner

I'm always looking for new recipes to try, and my favorites are the somewhat simple recipes with realistic preparation and reasonable ingredients. Unless I have all the time in the world, I'm not going to tackle a recipe with 25 ingredients and takes 3 hours to prepare. I was reading the latest issue of People this weekend and found a delicious-looking pasta recipe that stopped me in my tracks: Pasta with Chilis.

I had all the ingredients already except for the jalepeno and Gruyere cheese, but in the name of ease I decided to substitute the jalepeno for red pepper flakes. It added the same heat and was just super easy (are you sensing a theme here?). :) I picked up the cheese at Target.

Cooking in our little kitchen. Someday it will be gourmet... someday ;)

First, grate the cheese and set aside other ingredients (garlic, olive oil, peppers or red pepper flakes, and cheese)

Boil water, then cook pasta as directed. Drain and set aside cooked pasta and 1/2 cup pasta water

While your dog licks any stray cheese off the floor, saute garlic and peppers in 2 tbsp olive oil for 2 minutes, then add cooked pasta, water, 2 more tbsp olive oil, and cheese, cook on high and stir constantly until cheese is melted

And voila! 

Cheesy goodness... definitely will be making this again!

And, another random note, I tried the trendy "sparkle nail" today. I'm jealous of everybody who can do their nails like they're artists. Mine came out like this:

I think I may need more glitter? But at least I tried. 

Hope you had a great weekend - what did you have for Sunday dinner?

xo, Jen

TGIF {It Was A Crazy Week!}

Ah, the weekend is here... the savior of my sanity. :) 

This week was fun, exciting, and BUSY. Mostly work related, as I travelled to NYC on Wednesday for Book Expo America. What an awesome experience. A great day spent with my coworkers, representing our company and... celeb stalking. Obviously.

Theresa from RHONJ - she did not flip this table...success! 

But seriously, I paged through her cookbook yesterday and it actually looks really good!

Jane Seymour, aka Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Grew up on that show!

Tim Gunn. What a gem.

Me, manning our booth (and obviously very, very cheesily happy)

Rachael Ray. She was so smiley! 

After the expo ended at 5 p.m., I met my cousin (one of my best friends in the world) in the city for dinner. His job is just down the road from where the expo was ...it worked out perfectly!

This is where we ate dinner... on a boat on the Hudson River!

The restaurant was called The Frying Pan. Cue touristy photo opp.

NY skyline 

Caesar salad, crab fries, and Corona. Has there ever been a better dinner?

Empire state of mind. :)

Cousins. Drenched cousins. It downpoured on us! 

Anyway, it was a fabulous day, but a very busy week, and I'm looking forward to relaxing this weekend. Tomorrow we're getting together with friends and going to The Movie Tavern. *Have any of you ever been to one? It's dinner and a movie in one. Sounds fabulous to me! Sunday I have every intention of laying my pale butt next to the pool. All. Day. 

What do you all have planned for this lovely weekend? 

xo, Jen