Reading, Lately

Delicious! I have read most of Ruth Reichl's books and really enjoyed them, so I was thrilled to hear she had written her first novel. This ended up being my favorite book of hers, and I certainly hope she will continue writing fiction. She is such an excellent writer, and I didn't want to put this book down. Oh wait, I was at the beach so I literally did not put the book down all day :)

Choosing Gratitude This book really challenged and stretched me in the area of being thankful. Having an attitude of thanksgiving really transforms your person, your day, and really your whole life. I especially loved the chapter on worship. The author says that you cannot whine and worship simultaneously, which is so true. There is so much to be thankful for, and if we are in a constant state of thankfulness, it translates to worship, and as we worship we will not even be able to whine or complain.

The Fault in Our Stars I had really high expectations for this book after hearing about it and seeing it everywhere, and I'm afraid they weren't quite met. That isn't to say it wasn't good, because it was. It was a great beach read, which is incidentally where I read it. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly was missing from the book that would have made it a great read for me. I think I just wish the book hadn't been hyped up so much.

The Nazi Officer's Wife I initially bought this book for Caleb to read while we were on vacation, but I finished all of my books and needed another, so I picked up this one. It was quite a fascinating read about, as you can imagine from the title, a Jewish woman who survives the Holocaust by marrying a Nazi officer. I loved the autobiographical view of World War II and the Holocaust. It was a gripping read and, like any other book on the Holocaust, left me in disbelief at all that happened throughout the Holocaust. Definitely recommend it if you're enjoy memoirs or history or World War II.

Delancey This is Molly Wizenberg's (of the blog Orangette) second book. Her first book is one of my all-time favorite books, so I knew I would love this one as well. This book chronicles Molly and her husband's journey through opening their restaurant: the stress, the fun, the recipes, all of it. It reaffirmed to me that I would never survive in the restaurant business, but I really love Molly's style of writing.

What have you been reading so far this summer?

Banana Pudding Parfaits

The last weekend in June we had some friends as well as Caleb's sister and her husband visit us. We had a great weekend, spending the day strolling the farmer's market and lounging by the pool, and spending the evenings chatting and watching our friend Jonathan do magic tricks (he's really good!). Our brother-in-law seriously loves pudding, and since I wanted to serve a good Southern dessert, I knew I had to make banana pudding. Banana pudding is one of those desserts that I absolutely love, but never think to make. I had seen this recipe on one of my favorite foodie blogs so I knew it would be a trusty recipe, and I wasn't disappointed.  

Banana Pudding
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups milk
3 Tbsp butter, at room temperature, divided
2 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 ripe bananas, sliced
vanilla wafers

for the topping:
3/4 cup heavy cream
3-4 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk in the egg yolks, then the milk. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Add in 2 Tbsp of the butter. Cook, whisking frequently, until the mixture bubbles and thickens significantly. Remove from the heat. (You can strain through a mesh sieve if you are at all concerned about having overcooked it to remove any lumps.) Whisk in the vanilla and remaining 1 Tbsp of butter.

Layer a serving dish or individual serving dishes with vanilla wafers and banana slices. Fill each dish with some of the pudding and continue layering with vanilla wafers and banana slices as desired until the serving dishes are mostly filled and the pudding has been used up. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill until well set, at least 2-3 hours.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream and confectioners' sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Blend in the vanilla. Transfer the whipped cream to a pastry bag and pipe a dollop of cream onto each serving of pudding. Garnish with additional vanilla wafers, if desired. Serves 8.

source: recipe from annie's eats, originally from Southern Living via my recipes

Green Smoothie

My go-to green smoothie (read: the only green smoothie I've ever liked) is truly delicious, but sometimes I end up putting a little too much vanilla yogurt and peanut butter in it that it seems to be a little fattening. Over the weekend I decided to branch out and try another green smoothie , sans peanut butter and yogurt. Surprisingly, I loved it! It tastes so fresh with all of the different fruits in it, and I especially love the pineapple and frozen grapes. Caleb even thought it tasted good, as long as he didn't have to look at it while he tasted it:) If you're looking for a quick, tasty breakfast, try this smoothie out! Have a great weekend!

Green Smoothie
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup green grapes, frozen
1 cup cubed fresh pineapple
1 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
1/2 Granny Smith apple, cut into chunks
1/2 banana
1 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Makes 1 large serving or 2 small servings.

source: recipe slightly adapted from Kitchen Confidence

In My Pool Bag

My favorite place to be in the summer is the beach, but if I'm not at the beach you can find me at the pool on the weekends. I absolutely love relaxing after a week of work in the sunshine by the pool. Here's a look at what's in my pool bag:

1. A towel. I don't need anything too fancy, but I do need something to dry off/wipe the sweat that's dripping down my face. I'm pretty dedicated to staying in the sun for several hours, so that means quite a few dips in the pool to cool off and a lot of sweating. Sometimes I take two towels just to be safe.

2. Sunglasses. I actually prefer not to wear glasses for the majority of the time I'm in the sun (I don't want a sunglasses tan), but I like to have them as an option if need be.

3. A good book. Last Saturday I read Divergent (yes, I just jumped on that bandwagon - and it was so good!), and I just recently bought All the Light We Cannot See. I like to have a long book to last me the whole afternoon.

4. Lip balm with SPF. This yes to carrots pomegranate kind is my absolute favorite for the summer. It goes on smooth, it isn't too quick to melt in the heat, and it smells so good. The only thing worse than chapped lips is burned lips, so I frequently apply this stuff and love it.

5. Sunscreen. I haven't always worn sunscreen (hello 17 year-old self), but in the past couple of years I have changed that. I love being tan but I do not want skin cancer, so I always have sunscreen with me now. I've been using Coppertone Clearly Sheer this summer and really love the lightweight formula. It isn't sticky or smelly (it actually smells good!), which is key since I have to reapply frequently. I tend to have sensitive skin but haven't had any irritations or issues with this formula.

6. Drinks. I usually bring a couple of drinks to try to stay hydrated. Summers in South Carolina are brutal y'all, so the more beverages the better.

So there you have it, my pool bag. What do you take to the pool or the beach?

Disclosure: I received the Coppertone Clearly Sheer sunscreen for free from BzzAgent, a word-of-mouth program. All opinions are honest and 100% my own.

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Last week my sister Lauren and her family stayed with us for several days while they were passing through town. We've lived just 2 1/2 hours away from them for almost three years and have loved getting to see them for quick weekend trips or as they've been in town for various reasons. They just moved last week and are now 7+ hours away, and we will certainly miss seeing them as frequently as we used to! We were thankful to have one last visit with them in our home before they moved. After dinner last Tuesday and after the two little ones went to bed, we sat on our back porch and enjoyed these ice cream sandwiches. Two little girls (who actually aren't so little anymore! where is the time going?!) gave me the thumbs up on these, and I have to say I agree. The cookies stay chewy even after they are frozen, which make for the perfect summer treat. 

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

Heat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add sour cream, egg, and vanilla; beat until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add four mixture; mix in 1 cup chocolate chips.

Using 1 rounded tablespoon per cookie, drop mounds of dough, about 1 1/2 inches apart, onto two baking sheets. (You'll have 25-30 cookies.) Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes; transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Scatter remaining chocolate chips on a plate (or you can use sprinkles or other candy pieces). Place about 2 tablespoons ice cream between 2 cookies, bottoms facing in; press gently. Roll the sides of each sandwich in chocolate chips. (If ice cream is melting, place sandwiches in freezer until firm enough to roll in chips.) Transfer sandwiches onto baking sheets. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours; then wrap individually in plastic. Makes 12 ice cream sandwiches. Can freeze for up to 2 weeks.

source: Everyday Food, June 2007

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to our dads! We are so thankful for the blessing of wonderful fathers! We love you!

Dominican Republic Vacation

Last week we spent the week in paradise: we went to the Dominican Republic for vacation! It was actually our first time staying at an all-inclusive resort, and it was my first time in the Caribbean. We had a wonderful time and it was SO relaxing. We were completely unplugged for the week: no phone, no TV, no internet. I didn't even take a watch so I never knew what time it was. It. was. glorious. We spent our days on the beach looking at the gorgeous water and soaking up the sun. We had perfect weather for our whole trip, which was such a blessing. I read several books, and Caleb spent a lot of time learning to windsurf.  We went kayaking and snorkeling, and we ate delicious food (and a lot of it!). We really enjoyed taking a break from our routine, especially because we were in a gorgeous place! We are always so thankful for the time we have to get away together! Below are a few pictures of our trip, if you'd like to see...