Friday Already?

Time is flying by… but I’m excited for a special surprise I have planned for Mark’s birthday this weekend.  His birthday is actually on Halloween, so we’re celebrating a little early, but usually the day of is reserved for trick-or-treats and hot mulled cider with rum, running door to door with Austin and then handing out candy at our own… especially since this year it falls on a Wednesday.

Poor holiday babies never get to celebrate on their actual day… but that’s why we have to make this weekend extra special!

Hope you have a fantastic weekend yourself!  Tell me, what are you up to?

Here are a few things I’m loving this week…

Speaking of destination weddings… this one is gorgeous.

I need these studded loafers in my life.

Tell me how I do this.

Also… oreo fudge.

… or maybe this salad, because it really does look delicious. (Do you feel like there’s a little devil and a little angel on your shoulder right now?  I do.)

This is a really cute DIY.

Happy (fried brain) Friday!

Lately, my brain has taken to spontaneous combustion.  I’ve forgotten the date, the time, what it is I’m even talking about in the middle of a sentence… at this point I think it’s safe to say that wedding brain has taken over.

The thing is that it’s not just a wedding I have to prepare for, it’s also the fact that I’m about to leave… for 3 weeks… right in the middle of a busy political season (to put it lightly) and right in the middle of the holidays…

So, that said, this morning I thought it was Tuesday.

But I suppose my recent bout of forgetfulness just emphasizes how badly I need a night out… and tonight I’m planning to do just that.  My maid of honor has the whole evening planned and I can’t tell you how fantastic it feels to just be along for the ride.  Whatever the stress that comes with these final few weeks I have to say… the one thing I’m feeling more than anything is thankful that I have such amazing people in my life.

Here are a few things I’m loving…

This is pretty on a whole new level — I can’t wait to see the book.

Norman Seef.

These vegan cookies also count as breakfast — I’m sold.

There’s an app for that.

Yes.

For those of you who love doughnuts just as much as I do.

How cute is this Halloween party?

These Halloween cards too.

Hello Fall Foods

Fall is one of the only seasons that enjoys an undeniable connection to a particular set of foods.  In fact, it might be the only… unless we count certain holidays on their own, in which case winter might also stake a little claim.

When the air gets crisp and cold I immediately begin to crave pumpkin, apple, and all things spiced… and long to ring in the new season with some of the best goodies around.

These are just a few that I’ve been dying to make…

1 // Brown Butter Spice Cake

2 // Pumpkin Spice Donuts with Cinnamon Butter Glaze

3 // Two Minute Carrot Cake à La Mode

4 // Nutty Hazelnut and Almond Pear Crumble with Elderflower Cream

5 // Pear and Cinnamon Frangipagne Tartlets

6 // Pumpkin Pie Bars

Roasted Delicata Squash and Hazelnut Salad

So I mentioned that we’ve finally gotten on the health food track, right?

Well, relatively speaking. We cut out grains and most refined sugar and for once we’re really managing to stick to it… of course we can still have wine, dark chocolate, and cheese. I’m not gonna say we’re mostly living on cheese, but…

Okay occasionally we are eating some really healthy things, and discovering some new ones we never even knew existed (or maybe i just didn’t know you could eat them… they look so pretty in those harvest displays…) like delicata squash.

Friday Link Love

Finally — finally!! — Mark and I have gotten on a bit of a roll with our healthy eating… of course, that means that shots like the one above are quite literally beginning to kill me.  And we’re headed up to New York this weekend, where I will no doubt be faced with heaps of deliciousness at every turn.  I’m thinking the trick is to only have ten a few delicious things?

Okay it’s a plan.

Do you have anything planned for this weekend?

Here are a few things I’m loving this week…

This Finnish “quark” pie that I’m dying to make immediately (and this beautiful blog that I didn’t know about).

Are you changing/did you change your name?

Oh my goodness these dresses, via Miss Moss.

Missing home.

Cutest recipe card ever.

Be mine please.

Plus!  In honor of the award I mentioned yesterday, I’d like to pass on the love.  There are so many more, but here are just a few of the lovely ladies who inspire me on a daily basis…

A Crimson Kiss, Hey Gorgeous, Little White Whale, His Little Lady, Emily Lunt, Kyla is Inspired, Beautiful Elysium, Caught on a Whim, The Book of Love, Hooray

If you don’t already know any of them, you should visit!

** And ladies, I’d love it if you’d tell us all about why you blog and pass on the love, but don’t feel pressured.  You’ve already done more than enough to deserve this award.

Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

All week, Mark has been going on about this thing at the farm. He wasn’t really sure what it was, but it was on Saturday, maybe in the evening. He thought it might involve food…

By Saturday, this whole thing was barely on my radar, but finally, the morning of, I got some answers. It turned out we were headed to a potluck.

So of course we all know I was excited. I’ve been rambling on about a potluck for months. I didn’t even mind the scramble to find something to cook (ah-hem).

Really though, the scramble just meant that I had a great excuse to fall back on a favorite.

If there is one blog I use as a constant resource (a cookbook more than a blog) it’s Smitten Kitchen. I’m sure it’s not news to most of you that Deb’s incredibly tasty, highly vetted collection is nothing short of amazing (I kind of want to steal all of her recipes… and while I’m at it, make off with her incredible storytelling skills). Not one of her recipes has ever let me down… and this one is no exception.

Of course… poor Mark, he may never look at a carrot the same again.

I totally buy in to the Julia Child quote “…nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should.” So when Deb says you should grate the carrots by hand?

Well… I ask Mark to grate the carrots by hand.

Really, though… I’ve never made this cake with a food processor, so I can’t speak to the difference, but I believe wholeheartedly that the teeny tiny shreds of carrot you get when you use the small side of the cheese grater (and grate… and grate… and grate) allow for the truly incredible nature of this moist, mouth-watering, truly perfect carrot cake. If you’re looking for a recipe, seriously… stop with this one. It’s the best.

Happy Friday!

It seems that while I was out, fall crept in.  In fact, I’m slightly suspicious that it may have followed me home.  Hot humid days have given way to crisp fall mornings and the bluest of skies… and folks, that is just fine with me.

The only odd thing about fall in Frederick is that our county fair, which to me (have I mentioned I was once a fair and rodeo queen? that might be a story for another day) will always be synonymous with the hot summer sun, doesn’t take place until now.

But the more I think about it… caramel apples, apple dumplings, fried things on sticks… all of those things are totally appropriate for fall.  And the fair is always fun, no matter when you go.  Which if you’re us is multiple times (what? you don’t spend the whole week there?).

I hope you’re enjoying the crisp fall air and feeling the spirit as much as I am… it’s just about time to start firing up the apple cider and pulling out the pumpkins!  Not to mention the fact that it’s just about time for my wedding (!!).

Here are a few things I’m loving this week…

This DIY couple’s Maine wedding and engagements.

The audience — who booed.

Five fresh (and yummy looking) fall salads.

Chelsea and Tec’s anniversary film.

Plums in wine and honey.

Jose, with a hasselblad, in Malaysia.

One last dose of summer.

Boxes and baskets — fall feels like a time for getting things organized.

The weekend is here, the weekend is here!

I’m looking forward to soaking up the last bits of sun (since August refuses to slow down) and maybe attending this, which couldn’t possibly be anything but pure fun. Any great plans of your own?

I’ll leave you, as always, with a few things I’m loving this week…

Sarah and Lou’s beautiful wedding, shot by Max Wanger.

Mark started a fitness blog!! And it’s really (really – I swear it’s not just because I’m biased) good.

We’ll miss you more than you probably ever knew we would, Peter Bis. I’ll try not to eat too many cookies and cupcakes… even though you won’t be there to remind me.

I love t-shirts, so naturally I ordered 3.

I been wanting to know how to do this to my hair!

Crack pie.

Networking lessons from Ugly Betty.

Baby boy prep — for the coolest baby boy.

OMGOMGOMG.

I really want to throw Mark a birthday party that rocks as much as this.

Key Lime Meringue Tart with Shortbread Cookie Crust

Did you know that there’s really such a thing as a key lime?

(Florida natives shhh.)

Neither did I!

But hey… if you run on down to your local Wegman’s, they probably have them… because Wegman’s is just absurdly wonderful and has everything.  Even these adorably tiny little key limes.**

This weekend was nothing short of crazy.  Mark spent Saturday shooting a friend’s wedding, and I tagged along to fumble with the camera assist.  By the end of the (very hot) day we were spent, and still haven’t nearly recovered, but when we wandered by these little buggers on a Sunday supermarket run I just couldn’t resist.

Key lime pie is Mark’s favorite.  It had to be done.

So I switched up David Lebovitz’ Lime Merigue Tart with a shortbread cookie crust and went to it.

And I will say, even when I’m exhausted… key lime is totally worth the effort.

** Okay, okay… I know everyone doesn’t have a Wegmans, and obviously that’s not the only place you might be able to find these little guys… but if you find that you’re all out of luck, I promise, regular limes will work just fine.

The Best Peach Jam Ever

Oh my gosh I am so proud of those little jars up there.

So proud.

This was my first time canning and my very first jam.  And because all that wasn’t complicated enough, I decided to do the whole thing without pectin.

There were no guarantees here, folks… none whatsoever.  In fact I was pretty sure it was all going to turn into a big runny unsealed mess… ruining the piles and piles of gorgeous peaches that I kind of wanted to keep around forever just for the smell… our house was like heaven.

But I went for it anyway, and after about two hours of peeling those beauties, it’s okay, I was a little less sentimental.

And minus the whole peeling thing (which, by the way, is much easier to do if you use this method… but let’s not fool ourselves, it’s still no fun at all) I was happy to find that the whole process went pretty smoothly!