Happy Valentine's Day!!
We woke to about three inches of snow and ice! Within the last 24 hours there have been over 1000 car accidents reported in the state of New Jersey alone. Ohh the roads are just terrible! Thank goodness for four wheel drive! Have you seen news footage of upstate New York? WOW! I cannot imagine! And they are still being hit by the storm now!
As much as I love winter to include snow days, snowmen, hot chocolate and possibly riding snow tubes with siblings...I grow impatient for the far off days of displaying my pastel colored spring collections. This new trend of a late arrival winter is hell for a paper mache rabbit addict. Snow, snow go away... this tiny taste is enough for me. Valentine's Day will be the official end of winter thinking around here.
Today was a really nice day. First off, I'm not a diamonds and gold kinda girl and never expect gifts of any kind, but Aaron was a dear and presented me with a gift bag brimming with all sorts of stuff for the kitchen, the craft table and the sweet tooth. He then ventured out into to the winter "yuck" to pick up all of the ingredients needed for our Valentine's dinner. We decided a few years ago that the whole "going out to dinner" thing is truly overrated. Instead, we flip through magazines, or folders for a mega indulgent meal recipe that we wouldn't cook on an ordinary night. Especially since on ordinary nights we never cook! This year was an easy pick...the current February issue of Mary E's Home Companion has a recipe for fried green tomatoes and mozzarella as well as the most caloric and outstandingly fantastic mac and cheese east of anywhere. Well, me and Aar are foodies. Totally live to eat and not the other way around. And though meal prep is a rarity in our kitchen (I'm way more of a baker) I'm still a fairly decent savory chef when need be. (a great after effect of a lonely, chubby childhood.) Well, here's the thing...Green tomatoes are nowhere to be found in February! Aaron even made sure to hit Whole Foods and ask the produce guys there, because everyone in that building is a food genius. We trusted that a Feb. issue recipe would include ingredients proper for the season. Nope.
So we improvised and the meal was no worse for the wear. I changed it to fried mozzarella layered with basil, olive oil and some red hot house tomatoes...and then of course the mac and cheese from outerspace. The cheeses alone were almost thirty bucks...killer. If we don't eat it for breakfast Aaron's gonna bring the left overs to his parents. Oh yeah, and the cake seen above is from Whole Foods. I planned to bake but Aaron called and described this mini heart cake built for two and we decided to take a shot with some store bought sweetness...it definitely didn't disappoint.
Some incredible Valentine goodies landed on my doorstep today from some blogland sweethearts. I couldn't find a minute to photograph them but I promise to put 'em up tomorrow.
Well, that's all from the great white north...We gotta get to bed before we give in to temptation and reheat dinner!
Hope all of you lovelies had a super sweet day!!
lots of luv, xoxo Jenny
