birthday girl!

July 28, 2013

seniorshanSeven years ago I received a phone call from a sassy young girl who wanted a senior session.  She talked fast and knew what she wanted.  I remember laughing when I got off the phone and thinking “I can’t wait to meet this chick.”

Fast forward a few years to a girl returning from a Hawaii adventure and in need of something to pass the time while waiting for school in North Carolina to start.  Shan was our first intern and she did everything from package orders to organize our holiday cards (Sticky’s address book was a nightmare – it was not a fun job).  We had adventures of our own with a trip to North Carolina and another to New York City.  Sticky and I adored Shan, while clearly she was very young and fresh in starting her adult life she did have the attitude that she wanted a meaningful one, something we respected.

And then not even two years later a girl who I have loved all the sudden became a friend who was experiencing a huge moment in her life the exact same time as me.  The path to conceive Adelynn and Jettie could not have been more different but once they were here Shan and I were on the same journey.  What a gift to find out you have more in common with a person than you ever would have known.  We talked parenting styles, eating habits and kids clothing over strawberry lemonade at Chili’s.  We eagerly awaited the birth of each little girl and secretly hoped they would bond just as we have.  Parenthood brings so much joy to my life, I could not imagine going through it all without such an amazing friend to confide in.

In two weeks she will be a Mrs.  In two weeks that little girl with sass will be a wife, just like me.  There may be more than 10 years between us but clearly age does not matter when it comes to friendship.  Our lives crossed paths the way they did for a reason, I am not going to take that kind of fate for granted.

Happy Birthday Beautiful!

brandyjsig

 

 

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loving lately

July 26, 2013

lovelylinks1 The 20 Things You Need To Let Go To Be Happy We all know these things but it’s nice to have such a no nonsense reminder.  I have read this everyday for the past week. 2 When Your Mother Says She’s Fat This has been floating around everywhere but if you are a parent and have yet to read it you must do so now. A well written confession on body image and how what we say and do effects our children, especially girls, forever. 3 Strappy Shoes Ankle straps were all the rage this summer and much to my delight they are still in for fall.  Absolutely love how they have been reinvented into something tougher and very sexy. 4 Kate Middleton’s Style I mean, do I need to say more? 5 Unwrapped Starbursts Movie watching just got a whole lot more fun, and less messy. 6 The Perfect Scrambled Eggs A personal obsession of late.  This recipe has proven to be the frontrunner so far.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

brandyjsig

 

 

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roasted parmesan green beans

July 25, 2013

roasted_parmesan_green_beans_4There are two types of gardeners – the ones who grow way more than they can possibly eat so they give away much of their harvest and the ones who hoard their yield like it’s made of gold.  We would be the latter but lucky for us our friends and family are mostly the first variety.  This week Sticky’s mom sent over a bucket of fresh green beans and my first instinct was to blanch and freeze them.  I changed my mind after hopping on pinterest and seeing everything from green bean fries to green bean pizza.  All sounded good but a simple recipe for parmesan green beans was just what I was in the mood for.  Salty, delicious and a cinch to make.  If you are harvesting your own green beans or receiving them from a generous gardener you’ve got to try this simple side dish before you throw all those fresh beans in the freezer.

roasted_parmesan_green_beans_1When trimming my beans I prefer to only snap off the end attached to the plant.  Even at that I remove as little as possible.  The natural shape of the green bean is so beautiful and leaving on as much as possible gives the dish a more rustic look.  That and let’s be honest, it’s less work.

roasted_parmesan_green_beans_2 roasted_parmesan_green_beans_3The original recipe called for the cheese to only be added before baking.  I am always game for more cheese, especially parmesan, so I chose to grate just a bit more over top of the dish before serving.

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Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
 
Print
Ingredients
  • 2 cups fresh green beans (trimmed, rinsed and patted dry)
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil (more to taste if desired)
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (more to taste if desired)
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper (more to taste if desired)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400'f.
  2. Place green beans in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add garlic, Old Bay, salt and pepper - toss to coat.
  3. Place beans on a foil lined cookie sheet in a single layer.
  4. Sprinkle with desired amount of Parmesan cheese.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on top before serving (optional).
Notes
recipe adapted from Root and Blossom
The ultimate test is a toddler of course (a messy haired one at that).  She ate so many we had to make another round for her dad to be able to try.  The bucket is already more than halfway empty, clearly none of those beans will make it to the freezer.

roasted_parmesan_green_beans_7My granny showed up last night with three grocery bags full of ears of corn.  Boy oh boy do I have some fun things in mind for those…

brandyjsig

 

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blueberry crumb bars

July 24, 2013

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Anything baked with fruit is sure to be amazing as far as I’m concerned.  If you disagree, you are probably wondering why it is all I have posted lately, and all I can tell you is that this charade will most likely not end until pumpkins are in sight.  When our local grocery store is selling 5lb boxes of blueberries for $10, I can’t help but search for ways to coat them in sugar and throw them in my oven.

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This week the reality of how soon our wedding is has really set in, and I have officially entered panic mode.  I am an anxious person anyways, but this anxiety is a whole new ball game.  It’s the cant-sleep, exhausted, ever-present-lump-in-your-throat kind.  Don’t get me wrong, we are over the moon excited, but this crunch time madness is serious stuff.

There is nothing better than being able to throw together something from scratch that tastes like you put a few hours in it- when really you didn’t have a few hours and it took minimal effort.  I love this recipe because it is no-fuss; you probably have the ingredients on hand and it is thrown together so easily!  Like pie, without the headache…

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blueberry crumb bars by smitten kitchen
 
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Filling:
  • Zest and juice of one lemon
  • 4 cups fresh blueberries
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 4 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
  2. 2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.
  3. 3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
  4. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Baking always helps me to relax a bit, that’s the reason I love it.  So, between now and August 9th I will most likely be living in my kitchen.  Eating these.

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shansig

 

 

 

Blueberry Crumb Bars
Posted in recipes, something sweet | Tagged | 3 Comments

a night out in mint

July 23, 2013

On Sunday we kicked off wedding activities with my wedding shower, hosted by Brandy J, along with my sister Brandy and friend Cassity and it could not have been more fabulous.  Not only was the party gorgeous, it was the first of wedding festivities and made me all the more excited for the few weeks to come!  This Saturday we are headed to Columbus for a night out with the girls- my bachelorette party.  I have been kept pretty “in the dark” about both my shower and my bachelorette party, but Brandy J asked me early on if I was okay with switching things up a bit.  In place of the usual bride in white and party goers in black- we opted for something more fitting to my taste; they will be in ivory and gold and I will be wearing mint.  I’m having fun already. 

bachelorette_invitation(Invites were designed by Brandy J- I couldn’t love them more!)

Planning for our night out I get to focus on the fun things- like my makeup and things that will go in my clutch (since my fabulous friends are taking care of the rest!)

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The dress, here.  1.Eye shadow: Kat Von D Palette for naturals with a fun pop of color (not to mention a great black to darken it up)! 2. Nars blush in Orgasm –the best blush ever created (truly great for every skin tone!)  3. Urban Decay Lashes -for bold lashes! 4. They’re Real! Mini Mascara by Benefit -This little mascara produces big results- and fits in your clutch perfectly.  5. Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss – Gloss that tingles and enhances your lips natural pout.  6. Kenra Mini Hairspray – To tame those little fly-aways and keep your volume in check while you’re on the go.  7.Viva la Juicy and La Fleur mini perfume– These are not my “everyday” scents, but Viva la Juicy takes me back to a really fun season of my life every time I put it on.  I keep a little roller in my makeup bag for days that I need a little something extra, and it always does the trick.

So excited to celebrate with my favorite girls, and  even more excited for the dress that I get to put on after this little mint number…

shansig

 

 

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