three years with leko

january 4th marked three years since we adopted leko.  it's hard to believe that it has already been three years since we brought home our little furry baby.  we absolutely love having leko in our lives, and we can't imagine our lives without him.  he is such a lover, and we sure are proud kitty parents!

if you are in the market for a pet, we highly recommend adopting an animal from a shelter.  there are so many amazing animals out there in need of a good home.  adopting leko was one of the best decisions we have ever made.  he certainly has changed our lives for the better!

love, laurie

. . . 

one year with leko // two years with leko

a winter walk along the river

the weather has been ridiculously cold and gross lately.  on sunday the temperature "warmed up" to 30 degrees.  it felt nice compared to the single digits that we have endured recently.  to keep ourselves from going stir crazy indoors, we bundled up and took an evening walk along the nearby river before the sun went down.  everything was icy and snowy.  it was so calm and peaceful.

for my birthday last week, ryan bought me a new camera lens!!!  i have had my eye on this lens for such a long time, but never thought i would be able to get it, so it was an amazing surprise when i opened it up on my birthday.  (that husband of mine is good, i'll tell ya!)  he got a great deal on the lens and he even got several cool accessories to go with it, including a set of lens filters and a lens hood.  it was such a great surprise!  even though it was overcast and dreary, i was excited to try out my new lens, one of the filters, and the hood as we walked along the river.  i can't wait to play with everything more and to learn more about it!  i already told leko he is going to be my test subject as i learn how to use my new lens and accessories.  luckily he is a really photogenic kitten!

today the temperature is back down in the teens in our area.

stay warm!

love, laurie

vegetarian shepherd's pie

the weather outside is frightful.  truly it is.  temperatures have been in the single digits and the wind chill has been below zero!  january is here and the weather is numbing.  cold days call for warm and hearty comfort food.  when i think of comfort food, one of the things that comes to mind is shepherd's pie.

i was delighted when i found a recipe for a vegetarian version of shepherd's pie.  brown lentils take the place of traditional ground beef.  the lentils are packed full of nutrients and protein.  they are also inexpensive and cook up in no time.  that's a win-win.  the lentils come together with mixed vegetables and everything is covered in a layer of fluffy mashed potatoes.  yum!

this vegetarian-friendly shepherd's pie is both hearty and filling.  it's going to be a staple in our house this winter for sure.

vegetarian shepherd's pie
prep time: 10 minutes
cooking time: 40 minutes
baking time: 10-15 minutes
yields: 6 large servings
adapted from minimalist baker

ingredients:
6-8 large baking potatoes
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked brown lentils, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas, and green beans)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste

directions:
peel and dice the potatoes, then place them in a large pot filled with water (so that the potatoes are covered).  bring the water to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  drain the water and add the butter and cream to the potatoes.  beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth.  season with salt and pepper to taste.

while the potatoes are cooking, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.  in a large soup pot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent.  add the lentils, stock, and thyme.  bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer until the lentils are tender (about 35-40 minutes).  stir in the frozen vegetables.  scoop out 1/4 cup of the liquid and whisk it into the cornstarch.  return it to the pot to thicken the mixture.  season with salt and pepper to taste.

pour the mixture into the baking dish and evenly spread the mashed potatoes on top of the mixture.  place the baking dish on a large baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until the mashed potatoes are lightly browned on top.

enjoy!

love, laurie

snapshots of life lately, according to my iphone pictures

follow along with us on instagram

love, laurie

celebrating thirty

birthdays should be celebrated for at least a week.  if that's not a rule, it should be!  this year we started celebrating my birthday on january 1st and we've been on a role ever since . . .

on thursday (new year's day), i kicked off my birthday week by opening birthday presents from ryan's parents.

on friday, we went out for a dinner date at red robin so that i could get my free birthday (veggie) burger.

on saturday, we baked and decorated an epic birthday cake.

on sunday, we got together with our parents for a birthday party and i opened birthday presents from my parents.  (sunday was also a special day because it marked 3 years since we brought leko home!)

on monday, ryan surprised me with beautiful yellow calla lilies.  we curled up in bed with leko and slices of leftover birthday cake to watch shows we had taped on the dvr.

on tuesday (my birthday), a sweet co-worker made me vegan chocolate cake and brought it to work.  ryan and i went out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.  (i had had salmon in a ginger sauce and it was so good!)  after dinner, i went to ballet class and later in the evening i opened my birthday presents from ryan (with a good deal of help from leko too)!

on wednesday, last night, the weather was brutal.  temperatures were in the single digits and the wind chill was well below zero!  we came home after work and enjoyed leftover eggplant rollatini and pasta from my birthday party.  then we curled up in bed with leko and the last slices of leftover birthday cake and we watched a movie.

we're still in birthday week mode at our house, and we're continuing the birthday celebrations straight through the weekend.  there are so many stores and restaurants that offer free birthday coupons and promotions during the month of your birthday, so we are looking forward to using them!

love, laurie

chocolate peanut butter pretzel cake

i was really excited when i learned that joy wilson was releasing her second cookbook in october.  i immediately put it on my christmas gift wish list, then proceed to patiently wait for two months. i was thrilled when i unwrapped this cookbook from ryan's parents at christmas.  as soon as i saw the cake on the front cover, i knew it was the cake i wanted for my birthday this year.

a thirtieth birthday requires an epic birthday cake, and this cake certainly fits the bill.  a three-layer chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, crushed pretzels, and chopped chocolate pieces between each layer.  the whole thing is covered in peanut butter frosting, and then then the top is decorated with chopped roasted peanuts and more chopped chocolate pieces.  as if that's not enough, the sides of the cake are totally covered in mini pretzel twists.

ryan and i made this cake for my birthday celebration this weekend, and it was absolutely delicious.  it was the perfect blend of sweet and salty.  we have been enjoying leftover slices of cake for dessert each night since then.

chocolate peanut butter pretzel cake
prep time: 10-15 minutes
baking time: 25 minutes
yields: one 3-layer 9-inch round cake (approximately 20 servings)
adapted from joy the baker homemade decadence

cake ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2 cups buttermilk

frosting ingredients:
2 cups (4 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 1/2 cup all-natural creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons cream

extra ingredients:
1 cup crushed salted pretzels
4 oz. chopped 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
63 mini salted pretzel twists

directions:
to make the cake: preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  grease and flour the sides of three 9-inch round baking pans, and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.  in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter.  add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).  add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  mix in the vanilla.  in a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and espresso powder.  add half of the flour mixture and beat until incorporated.  with the mixer on low, add the buttermilk in a slow stream and beat until thoroughly combined.  add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until combined.  divide the batter among the 3 pans.  bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  once baked, allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans and allowing them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

to make the frosting: in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter.  add the peanut butter and and vanilla, then beat well until combined.  add 2 cups of the powdered sugar and beat until combined.  add another 2 cups of sugar along with 3 tablespoons of cream.  beat well until combined.  add the remaining 2 cups of sugar and beat until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.

to assemble the cake: place one layer of the cake on a cake stand and cover it in frosting.  sprinkle half of the crushed pretzels on top of the frosting along with one third of the chopped chocolate.  place the second layer of the cake on top of the first and repeat.  place the third layer of the cake on top and cover the entire cake with an even smooth layer of frosting.  sprinkle the remaining chopped chocolate around the top rim of the cake along with the chopped peanuts.  press the mini pretzel twists into the sides of the cake.

note: a 3-layer 9-inch round cake will accommodate 21 columns of 3 pretzels.  if you stack three pretzels on top of each other in a straight vertical line, it will make it easy to slice the cake, rather than offsetting each row of pretzels.

enjoy!

love, laurie

a new year and a new decade: thoughts on thirty

it's my birthday, and at 1:34pm today i'll turn thirty.  

i've been thinking about my thirtieth birthday for the past 9 years, and now that it's here it comes with mixed emotions.  30 rolled in quietly and modestly.  not with the pomp and circumstance or the grandeur that my naive 21 year old self imagined.  instead it just snuck in and now it's here to stay.    

it's hard for me to let go of my twenties.  it's amazing (and exhausting) to think of what has happened and how drastically my life has changed in the course of the past ten years.  my twenties brought some of my greatest joys, accomplishments, and memories.  however, in the past decade i also experienced the greatest heartbreak that i have ever known.  life sure is a roller coaster.

since it's my birthday, allow me to impart upon you ten things i have learned and found to be true over the course of my 29 years, 364 days, and several hours on this earth:

1. everything happens for a reason

2. life works in mysterious ways

3. things don't always work out as planned  

4. the only constant in life is change  

5. good things come to those who are patient and persistent 

6. where there's a will there's a way

7. be kind to yourself and take care of yourself

8. follow your heart and your gut

9. don't take things for granted

10. truly, the greatest gift in life is love

getting older is so strange.  the calendar says i'm 30, but i feel like i'm 23 (and according to most people, i look like a teenager).  somewhere along the way the numbers got jumbled.  

as i close the chapter on my twenties today, i'm looking forward to seeing what my thirties will bring.  here's to a new year and a new decade!

love, laurie

my birthday celebration!

yesterday, our parents came up to our house to celebrate my birthday!  we had salad, eggplant rollatini, pasta, and garlic bread for dinner, followed by birthday cake and presents.  for my birthday, my parents bought me a beautiful necklace with three diamonds in it (one for each decade).  it's so special and it was such a nice surprise.  by far, the best present was getting to celebrate my birthday with the ones i love.  i had such a great time yesterday!  i can't believe i'm turning 30 tomorrow!

love, laurie

ringing in the new year

we celebrated new year's eve with my parents at our house.  in the afternoon, we had fun cooking dinner with my mom.  we made lebanese-themed appetizers for dinner including: hummus and baba ghanoush with pita bread, tabbouleh salad, and mini falafel patties with tzatziki sauce.  it was all so good!

it's a tradition of ours to see a movie on new year's eve, so after dinner we curled up on the couch and watched new year's eve while eating leftover christmas cookies.  later in the evening, we watched the times square ball drop on tv.  it was a great way to spend new year's eve!

on new year's day, we went down to my parents' house for our traditional pork and sauerkraut dinner. we spent time with our family and i opened a couple of early birthday presents from ryan's parents too.  we really enjoyed ringing in the new year with our family.  here's to a happy and a healthy new year!

happy 2015!
love, laurie

happy new year!

i can hardly believe that today is the first day of 2015!

here's wishing everyone a very happy and healthy new year!

love, laurie