ooey gooey goodness.

while the month of august brings so many tasty foods to the table (tomatoes, corn, peaches) i don't think there is a taste more symbolic of summer in vermont than the unmistakable combination of chocolate, marshmallow and graham crackers, otherwise known as the s'more. (seriously, they are so addicting that the name came from the contraction of the phrase "some more") and today, we as a country celebrate the brilliance of this invention by giving this campfire treat its very own national holiday.

and in homage to the gooey deliciousness, i present you with some mouth watering images. (can we talk for a minute about how cute that packaging is!?)

but i have to admit my favorite find in my cyber searching today was this lovely DIY s'mores bar. how much would you love to attend a wedding or party with this as the elegant dessert finale?! who needs cake when you have a little fire and the magical and oh so simple trifecta of ingredients?!

{via here & here}

Read more...

a day to perfect the nap.

it's national hammock day - a day all about relaxing, slowing down and perfecting the art of the nap. and in my book, that just might be the best day around. sorry, national junk food day and national spilled milk day, you just got trumped.

so, in honor of this great occassion...i bring you just a few of my favorites. more to come later, cause if you can't find a hammock to lounge in today, the next best thing is finding your dream one in cyberland!{1/2/3/4/5/6}

Read more...

holy cow.

holy cow is right. it's cow appreciation day and i just this very second learned of this amazing (and oh so vermont) holiday! it's a day to celebrate all that these great creatures have given us. so, on behalf of the whole state of vermont, i want to thank you, cows, for everything! you are amazing. just look how lovely you look in the sunlight....

and how cute your image can make even the most mondane of household items...

1/2/3/4

and how very very tasty your products are....

1/2/3

ok, cows - see? we love you and appreciate you more than you know! so, it's your day - enjoy it! and with that, i'm off to get a nice big ice cream cone to celebrate....

Read more...

happy canada day!

in an ode to my very close northern neighbors, i want to wish you all a very happy canada day. and to all my officially canadian friends (you know who you are) tell me more! i need to be more prepared next year....what is your favorite canada day tradition? what else do i need to know?

{via}

Read more...

happy weekend, happy summer!

according to margot harrison, associate editor of seven days, "memorial day weekend is a time to honor fallen soldiers, throw burgers on the barbie and vow to run the marathon next year."

so true. so very true. plus, if you live in new england, it is also the official start of summer - and there is nothing more promising and hopeful than that.

so whether you are running, grilling, honoring or all of the above - i wish you all a wonderful holiday weekend! and a great big cheers to all the summery days ahead. enjoy!

XOXO

Read more...

wine wednesdays & cinco de mayo!

(emiliano rodruguez via amy atlas)

as my friend in the super burbs said today - "i love may, i love mexican food, i love margaritas, and i love a good flirty dress - cinco de mayo is soooo up my alley" i couldn't have said it better myself. plus, i always appreciate a good excuse to celebrate life...and when you can add guacamole and party hats to the mix, it just makes it that much more fun!

but i was having a bit of a cinco de mayo conundrum - the holiday is all about tequila and coronas, but it's also wine wednesday here in vermont. what was a girl to do?! what is she to post about? but then, my debate was answered thanks to the brilliant folks at cooking light who just today released an article about wine & mexican food. oh, how i love when i'm not alone in my angst!

according to the experts at cooking light "wines that are high in acid stay bright in the mouth. like a sharp knife, the acidity in the wine cuts through even the most extroverted spicy flavors, leaving the diner on that wonderful seesaw where a sip of the wine makes you want a bite of the food and a bite of the food makes you want a sip of the wine."

and what type of wine is that, you ask? well - it can be any of the following varietals...

• whites - sauvignon blanc, a dry riesling or a spanish albarino
• reds - spanish riojas, italian chiantis or french pinot noirs.

also recommended wines to pair with your adobo sauces and other hearty flavors are those with a "plush, thick mouth feel...with thick, supersupple, superberried flavors of these wine are like a soft cushion for the robust seasonings to dance upon. " the dancing wines include - an australian shiraz and a north coast zinfandel.

so off i go to the store with my post note of wine suggestions and a shopping list fora adobado pork tenderloin, pineapple-chipotle salsa, and jicama salad. cooking light did me well today. thank you, once again!

Read more...

an earth day conundrum.

i was overwhelmed by the pressure of an earth day post. i do truly feel that every day in vermont celebrates all the magic that nature has to offer, so to honor the holiday feels in someways like celebrating a random thursday (which i DO appreciate) but also has tremendous pressure because really we should be celebrating more than most because we have so so much to appreciate up here in the woods.

so, needless to say, the anxiety got to me and resulted in total brain paralysis. and in an effort to redeem myself, i have decided to just share with you all some of the cyber earth day brilliance (is that an oxymoron?) that i discovered today...

• these green (and i mean green) post its
• a repurposed rake (hello, wine wednesdays!)
• earth day downloads - even your recycling bin deserves a little style!
• super cute organic fabric giveaway
• how to recycle anything including - beach balls, jet skis, formal wear, food processors and more!
• green up vermont - mark your calendar for may 1st
• this mobile garden. come visit us!!
• and a super local, super healthy spring risotto (comfort food thursday!)

Read more...

love & luck.

today was all about a few of my favorite things - love, luck & irish smiles. so as this luckiest of wednesday's ends - a little blessing for you all.

* * * * *

wishing you a rainbow,

for sunlight after showers.

miles and miles of irish smiles,

for golden happy hours.

shamrocks at your doorway,

for luck and laughter too,

and a host of friends that never ends

each day your whole life through.

* * * * *

happy st patty's day!

Read more...

low fat tuesday.

across the country today is known as fat tuesday, the official commencement of mardi gras. but here in vermont we are bucking the trend and celebrating low fat tuesday and the "lighter side of mardi gras"

cabot, the vermont-based dairy cooperative best known as "makers of the world's best cheddar," has partnered with several chain grocery stores to promote healthier food choices as hundreds of thousands of folks begin the season of lent today with the celebration of mardi gras and fat/low fat tuesday.

so, in honor of low fat tuesday, for dinner this evening, we will be having harvest stuffed turkey burgers and low fat mac and cheese. yum! for more recipes - check this out.

harvest stuffed turkey burgers

what you need:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/4 cup cranberry sauce or chutney (i love a good chutney - try this one by vermont harvest)
• 4 ounces cabot 50% reduced fat cheddar, cut into 4 (1-ounce) slices
• salt & pepper
• 4 mixed-grain hamburger buns
• 8 large leaves arugula, rinsed and patted dry

what you do: shape ground turkey into 8 thin patties. spread 1 tbls of cranberry sauce in center of each of four of patties and top with 1 slice cheese; place remaining 4 patties on top, pinching edges together to seal. lightly coat large nonstick pan with cooking spray and place over medium heat. cook burgers for 4 minutes per side, or until well done (or brave the february chill and cook on grill) season with salt & pepper. place on buns and top with arugula.

lowfat tuesday mac & cheese

what you need:

• 2 cups small dry elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour (king arthur, obviously)
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper
• pinch of ground red pepper (cayenne)
• dash of worcestershire sauce
• 2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 8 ounces cabot 50% reduced fat cheddar, grated & divided (about 2 cups)
• 1/3 cup italian-flavored breadcrumbs

what you do: cook macaroni according to package directions; drain well. preheat oven to 350°F. spray a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. place flour in a large saucepan over medium heat, gradually whisking in milk. add mustard, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, red pepper and worcestershire. continue cooking until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. reduce heat to low. stir in cream cheese until well blended; add 2/3 of shredded cheese and stir until melted. add macaroni, stirring until well coated. pour into prepared baking dish. toss remaining shredded cheese with breadcrumbs and sprinkle over top of macaroni; spray with cooking spray. bake for 20 minutes, or until golden on top and bubbling throughout.

enjoy!

Read more...

spilled milk.

today is national don't cry over spilled milk day

best national holiday ever* because today, the holiday czar** is reminding us to "stop worrying about the little things, the everyday things out of our control. things happen, don't worry, or fret or cry, just get over it..."

the holiday czar is quite smart.

although, if i could make one complaint, it is that no one seems to have any idea where the spilled milk phrase came from. although, if i had to guess, it would be from one of the fantastic dairy farms in vermont. which is precisely what i will spend the rest of the day researching...stay tuned.

*that is an unfairly dramatic and untrue statement. there are better holidays. thanksgiving, please accept my apologies.

**in my next life, i want to be the crazy lady that sits on a porch swing somewhere and helps the holiday czar think up national holidays - like national spilled milk day, national waffle day and national dance like a chicken day....

Read more...