Great Idea!

Sometimes when you’ve been married a long time (yes, 33 months is a long time), it’s hard to think of creative things to do with your spouse, which is why I found myself googling “cheap date ideas” and I am so happy I did, because I know exactly what we are going to do on our next date…have a progressive dinner (just the two of us)! The website suggested using fast food restaurants, but that would be way too unhealthy, so my idea so far is an appetizer of chips and salsa at Moe’s, followed by a salad from Panera, a main course somewhere (if you have any suggestions let me know), and dessert at Cold Stone. I love that it’s a twist on the usual going out to eat routine.

Asparagus Pesto

Asparagus Pesto
(adapted from Southern Living)

pine nuts
1 garlic clove
salt and pepper
asparagus
olive oil
parmesan cheese

Boil asparagus for 3-4 minutes, then shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Roughly chop the asparagus and throw it into the food processor. Add a handful of parmesan cheese, 1/3-1/2 of a jar of pine nuts, salt and pepper to taste, and two drizzles of olive oil. Puree until combined.


This is a new favorite around our house, we have paired it with pasta, spread it on sandwiches and hamburgers, and the list goes on. Plus, since it’s made from asparagus and I add very little olive oil, I think it’s healthier than traditional pesto too!

Rednecks or Yuppies…You decide

When you can’t have a campfire and don’t have a fireplace, what do you do when you want to roast s’mores? Fire up the grill! That’s right, tonight the boy and I went and got marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate and made s’mores on the back porch using the gas grill. The best part about…the top rack where you can melt the chocolate while roasting the marshmallow. I honestly would think we were turning into real Florida crackers if it weren’t for the fact that the boy was eating his off of a plate…don’t ask me, I just married him!