Slow Cooker Ginger Curry Chicken

As a group, we are lucky enough to get to share in each others birthdays. This week was my 31st and Lisa & Lauren F were gracious enough to host. Being at these girls place is great! They are both wine distributors so we have literally hundreds of bottle to choose from out of their custom made wine racks to enjoy with dinner. Sometimes we're even lucky enough to bring a bottle or two home with us :) We were all in for a treat for dinner this week. Lisa made Ginger Curry Chicken in her crock pot. It was so flavorful and, well...yummy! Here is the recipe: (hint: I enjoyed mine with a big scoop of Lauren's Tzatziki over the top!! I'm hoping she'll share that recipe so I can post it to go along with this one)

Ingredients:1/3 cup tomato paste
4 gloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of curry powder
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 tablespoon of grated fresh ginger
1 medium onion
2 lbs of boneless chicken thighs
salt/pepper
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 scallions - sliced

Directions: 1. Whisk- tomato paste, garlic, curry, ginger, cumin and 3/4 cup water.  Add onion and stir. Place chicken on top and season with salt and pepper.
2. Put on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 until chicken is tender and cooked.
3. Cook rice about 10-15 minutes before serving (I used chicken broth instead of water when cooking the rice to add a deeper flavor, use about a can for every 2 cups of rice).
4. Before serving add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and yogurt and stir.
5. Serve over your choice of rice, sprinkled with sliced scallions.

If you'd like to stick to the Indian theme serve with Naan bread on the side.

Let me finish by adding that I am so freaking lucky to have such a wonderful group of girls on my side. Thank you all so much for the love and fun you each grace my life with each and every week. I am so blessed! -AK

Enjoy the dish everyone!

Eggplant Parmesan - A Hearty Vegetarian Dish

Thursday the 22nd was at my house. I wanted to try to make something I'd never had before and came across this dish, courtesy of Bobby Flay, on foodnetwork.com. I wasn't sure eggplant was going to be my thing...I proved myself wrong - I'm hooked!

Now before you go following this recipe verbatim, I do have a few tips I want to share that will shorten the prep time for this dish, because although it says prep is 30 mins, it took me nearly an hour. I'm all about a quick & easily prepared dinner.

• Use jarred roasted red peppers if you don't want to make your own (will save you 40 mins of broiling time plus the 15 mins it will take you to let them set and peel them of their skins. Jarred are nearly as good as the real thing)
• Use pre-dried breadcrumbs from the bakery and a food processor to crumble them (will save you 30 mins of baking time)
• Do NOT sub jarred spaghetti sauce for this homemade version. This one is delicious, fun to make and completely worth it in the end. I'll probably use it in the future for lasagna and spaghetti.

Total Time: 1 hr 40 min

Prep: 30 min

Inactive: 10 min
Cook: 1 hr 0 min
Yield: 8 to 12 servings

Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 3 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 2 (28-ounce) cans plum tomatoes and their juices, crushed with your hands
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Honey, to taste

Eggplant:

• 5 cups fresh dried breadcrumbs (made from dried day-old bread)
• Butter, for greasing the dish
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 to 3 medium eggplants (about 2 1/4-pounds), cut into 1/2-inch-thick round slices (need about 18 slices)
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce
• 12 ounces grated mozzarella (not fresh), plus1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 12 ounces grated fontina
• 3/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• Fresh basil leaves, torn

For the Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce:

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the red peppers and cook for 1 minute.

Add the tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Return the mixture back to the pot, add the parsley, basil and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes longer and season with honey, if needed.

For the Eggplant:

To dry out the bread crumbs:

Preheat the oven to 300 degree F.

Evenly spread the bread crumbs on a large baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, turn the oven off and let the bread crumbs sit in the oven for 30 minutes or until just dry.
Raise the temperature of the oven up to 400 degrees F. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 15 by 10 by 2-inch baking dish and set aside.
Place the bread crumbs into a large shallow bowl. Add the herbs, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. In another medium shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and 2 tablespoons of water together.
Season each eggplant slice on both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour, tapping off excess, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the bread crumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the egg plant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
Heat 1/2-inch of oil in 2 large straight-sided saute pans over medium heat until the oil reaches a temperature of 385 degrees F. Working in small batches, fry a few of the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.
Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with some of the tomato sauce and arrange 1/2 of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with some of the sauce, grated mozzarella, fontina, Romano cheese and some of the basil. Repeat to make 3 layers ending with the sauce. Top with the fresh mozzarella and remaining Romano and bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!
Amanda

Salmon Cakes over Quinoa Tabouli topped with a Greek Yogurt Vinaigrette

The last few weeks we've had a few of our girls missing as they have taken on a new 7 week workout routine. We're all trying in different ways to get ready for our trip to Mexico next month for Tiff's wedding. Eventhough we miss having everyone there each week, we also realize that it's nice every once in a while for our Thursday evening to be a little less crowded, loud and crazy seeing that our days are usually that way anyway dealing with our own kids or classrooms full of others. You have got to imagine how loud it can get...most of us have pretty loud personalities and/or are used to speaking in front of groups (students) all day so it's in our nature to take over a conversation. Getting caught up on 10+ different lives isn't always easy but we make it work and love every second of it. For dinner Lauren F made us a super healthy dinner OH MY AMAZINGNESS were these good! Proof that even though it's good for you, doesn't mean it needs to taste like crap :) Here's her recipe:


Mascarpone and Chive Salmon Cakes with a Quinoa Tabouli Salad topped with a Greek Yogurt Vinaigrette.

Quinoa Salad (makes at least 8-12 servings and will store in the fridge and can eat during the week for lunch)
1 small box organic quinoa (trader joes)
1 English cucumber cut into small pieces
1 small container grape tomatoes quartered
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley2 large lemons (juiced)
½ cup of EVOO
Salt and Pepper to taste

Quinoa- cooks similar to rice in a 2/1 ratio form.  I also added 1 lemon cut in half and some olive oil to give it flavor while cooking.  Cool the quinoa and add the other ingredients.  Feel free to add more or less lemon juice or olive oil depending on your taste.

Greek Yogurt Vinaigrette
8oz container fat free Greek yogurt
1 large lemon juiced
2 TBPS of apple cider vinegar
1 TBPS Honey
1 clove of garlic
SNP to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. This makes enough sauce to top the cakes and the tabouli for lunches.

Salmon Cakes
2 pounds of fresh salmon (your choice) cubed into about ½ inch pieces
4 oz of mascarpone cheese
1 big handful grated Parmesan
2 eggs
¼ cup of minced fresh chives
2 tbps of lemon juice
SNP to taste
1/2 cup (or so) of panko bread crumbs.

Mix all ingredients together until come together almost like a meatball consistency- you can make the cakes any size you’d like but I grabbed a small handful for each and flattened to about 3 inches in diameter.  In a large non-stick pan (for best results do not use cast iron pan), coat the bottom with EVOO and cook each cake on med-high heat for about 5 min on each side.  Make sure you get a good golden color on them

Plate with salad on the bottom, 1-2 cakes on top of the salad and then top with the yogurt sauce.

Enjoy! I promise you will...

Tiff's Bachelorette Party

2 weeks ago we celebrated our favorite bachelorette in CleElum. Here are a few photos for the big weekend!

We stayed at Suncadia Resort in CleElum and HIGHLY recommend it...especially the private cabins out on the golf course.

Bacon Wrapped Yums, Watermelon Mojitos, ShishKaBobs & Pie...Oh My!

Being that June 30th was the weekend before 3rd of July and many of us were going to be out of town we decided to put Girls Night off until the following week. Soooo, July the 7th we were at my house. The LAST time we will be at this house luckily...as our girls night is growing, I realized that we needed to upgrade to something with a larger kitchen :) Ok, honestly it was for the ever-growing family we have but in the back of my mind was GN when it came to finding just the right kitchen.

I started baking & cooking at nearly 9 am. Even though I had in mind that my DIY (do it yourself) dinner would be the easiest route, I had to bake a pie for dessert.

Appetizers were Bacon Wrapped, Asiago Cheese Stuffed Prunes. Originally I had meant to stuff dates instead but in a hurry grabbed the wrong thing at the grocery store and let's face it ANYTHING wrapped in bacon is A-MAZING, so it worked. This yummy idea courtesy of my friend Cara & her sis. I ate practically all of the ones they brought to a football game party a few years ago. One note: Do buy the chunk of cheese rather than shredded, as it is much easier to stuff into the fruit. Wrap with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Bake at 325 until bacon is golden brown and cheese is oozing out the sides. Now I'm hungry!

Drinks (along with wine - a staple at GN) were Watermelon Mojitos. And although my cookbooks are already packed, I can tell you to puree 1/2 of a small watermelon and a small bunch of fresh mint leaves in a food processor until smooth (this is great because you still get that great mint flavor without having to suck it up a straw or worry that it's in your teeth). Add to a large drink pitcher. Stir in 1/2 a cup of fresh lime juice and 12 oz white rum. Garnish with a small watermelon slice and sprig of mint. Optional is a splash of sparkling water or club soda if you want it to have some fizz.

My DIY dinner was building your own Shish-Ka-Bobs. The key is to cut everything into the same size pieces so that everything cooks evenly. Options to add to your (olive oil soaked) sticks were:

Chicken - marinated with lime juice and minced garlic
Pork Loin - Hormel Italian Cheese
Elk Sirloin - coated with a special Montreal Steak Seasoning. I WISH I knew what was in this because when I run out I'm going to be a VERY sad girl!

White Onions
Crimini Mushrooms
Red & Green Peppers

I had the girls build their masterpiece, brush it with melted garlic & herb butter and put them on the BBQ. Cook them at approximately 350-400 until the meats are cooked all the way through. I served them with Roasted Butternut Squash, which I cubed into 1" pieces, coated with olive oil, butter, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes & chopped fresh rosemary. Roast them in a 350 pre-heated oven for about 30 mins, taking time to turn them once or twice.

After we stuffed ourselves and settled in with some wine I served a Peach, Rhubarb & Nectarine Cream Pie:

Pre-heat oven to 375

1 1/2 lbs clean & dry fruit - Any combo of the 3 or others of your choosing are fine. Blackberries are great!
3/4 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

Toss fruit into a bowl of well mixed flour & sugar. Fill into pre-made crust (I prefer Pillsbury flat crusts). Pour in whipping cream. Sprinkle 1tsp flour on top. Put top crust on. Cut slits to allow ventilation. Use marinating brush to apply 1 Tbsp milk or remaining cream. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp sugar.

Heat in 375 oven for 10 mins. Reduce temp to 325 for 40 mins. If edges of crust brown to fast cover with foil, but remove for last 10 mins of baking.

We have since decided that someone each week is going to volunteer to bring a side dish or dessert since our group has been growing. Cooking for 10-12 is fun, but sure is work too. It's great to share the passion of cooking with so many wonderful women!

Thanks for reading! Become a follower of the blog so you don't miss any of the great recipes.

Amanda

Savory Jambalaya & Healthy Rosemary Almond Cookies

Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend Girls' Night at Teresa's house on June the 23rd (wow, I am behind on posts) but I was sent the recipes to share with everyone.

Her Jambalaya recipe is as follows:

(Serves 4-6)

4-6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2#)
table salt and ground black pepper
5 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 pound andouille sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 1/2 c long grain white rice
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8oz) bottle clam juice
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 pound large shrimp (31-40 per pound), peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tsp of oil in skillet over med-high.  Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Cook until sides are golden. Set aside on plate.
2. Add andouille and cook in skillet until light brown. Set aside.
3. Add remaining 3 tsp of oil to skillet.  Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and 1/2 tsp salt, cook until onion is softened.  Add rice and stir until edges turn translucent.  Stir in tomatoes, clam juice and chicken broth, bring to a simmer. Add chicken. Cover and reduce the heat to low and cook until the rice is tender (~35-40mins)
4. Stir in the shrimp and sausage. Stir in parsley. Season w/ salt, pepper and cayenne or hot sauce.

Sounds amazing! Normally I wouldn't have been able to eat this dinner due to a shellfish allergy but T was nice enough to offer to prepare me a serving that was shellfish-free. So, feel free to omit it as well if you have the same problem or just don't care for seafood much. It's sure to be just as delicious.

Now, being the nutritionist in the group, Teresa found a healthy recipe for cookies. I am a SUCKER for rosemary in anything so I will definitely be trying this recipe out in the near future.

Almond Rosemary Cookies:

INGREDIENTS2 cups Almonds (soaked in water ~2 hours)
4 sprigs fresh Rosemary
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
2/3 cup Real Maple Syrup
2 Egg Whites or 1 whole egg

DIRECTIONS1) Heat oven to 325
2) Place soaked almonds and rosemary in food processor. Run until a fine meal is produced.
3) Place almond meal mixture in medium bowl and stir int the other dry ingredients, baking soda and salt.
4) Add the maple syrup and mix well
5) Put egg whites or egg in food processor and mix until light a fluffy
6) Add egg to batter
7) Using a tablespoon drop dough onto greased or nonstick cookie sheet.
8) Bake ~15 min or until golden brown

Again I wasn't there to enjoy these but it sounds like they would pair well with a cup of after-dinner coffee (a little Bailey's in there for me).

More great recipes on their way...

Amanda

Summer Salmon Burgers

I have to say I was a little weirded out thinking salmon on a burger was going to be dinner at Danielle's house. It totally worked and tasted amazing! Super simple with a delicious garlic-dill aioli. Make your neighbors jealous as you fire them up on the grill.

Danielle buys the  packaged frozen salmon burgers from Costco and says "It is important
to get wild Alaskan salmon as opposed to farmed Atlantic salmon.".

She grilled the burgers for about 7 minutes on each side and topped
them with provolone cheese. Atop toasted buns we slathered on a garlic-dill
aioli sauce. She found the recipe on food network and modified it
slightly:

Ingredients-
1/2 cup light mayo
2-3 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 small package fresh dill- chopped (about 2-3 oz)
1-2 tsp minced garlic (to taste)
3 TBSP chives
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
lemon juice to taste
-Mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Along with the burgers we had a classic fave- Suddenly Salad and a
spinach salad with white balsamic vinaigrette.

The perfect Summer BBQ plate.

We have been asked to review a site on our blog but want to get a few opinions firts. Has anyone used CouponChief.com before? A few of us will be looking into it to see what we can post as far as a review of the site goes. If you are familiar with it please email us with your thoughts (thursdaygirlsnights@gmail.com). Thanks!

-Amanda

An Asian Invasion Menu

Vacations, early Spring camping & a just plain busy schedule are to blame for my lack of updated posts and I apologize. I am back....with a new "girls night favorite" recipe! HOLY GUACAMOLE (Ok, not exactly, but it will satisfy your avocado craving)!

We hung at Em's house this week and were brought to life by the goodness her Avocado Egg Rolls and Thai Lettuce Wraps. (recipes to follow)

After dinner we all got caught up with each other. A few of us have been missing in action for a few weeks. Our teachers have been busy with end of the year stuff, sick kids, families and Hawaiian vacations have kept us apart. Lauren hosted a Bic Soleil Razor party so she gave us a bunch of goodies. The razors are amazing...best disposable ones I've ever used, and they even smell like coconut (perfect for Summer). Emily unveiled the couponing stockpile she has in her garage to us. Pretty impressive... Aaaaand I told stories of our trip to Hawaii, flash floods and wild boars...exciting stuff.

So, the recipes are as follows (you will NOT be disappointed!) If you've ever had the Avocado Egg Rolls at The Cheesecake Factory or the Lettuce Wraps at PF Changs, these might taste familiar ;-)

Lettuce Wraps (serves 4)
Ingredients:
2-3 tablespoons oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnut
2/3 cup mushroom
3 tablespoons chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 -5 leaves iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon hot mustard
2 teaspoons water
1 -2 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Directions:Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 25 mins1 Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2 Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3 Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
4 Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
5 Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6 Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7 Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
8 Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
9 Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
10 As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
11 Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
12 When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
13 With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
14 Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
15 Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
16 Top with"Special Sauce".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Avocado Egg Rolls (serves 2 as an appetizer)

dipping sauce:
3 -4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon tamarind pulp
1/2 cup honey
1 pinch powdered saffron
1/2 cup chopped cashews
2/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves
2 green onions
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup olive oil

egg rolls:
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, & diced
2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1/2 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pinch salt
3 egg roll wraps
1 egg, beaten
Directions:
1 Stir together vinegars, tamarind, honey, and saffron in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 1 minute.
2 Stir until tamarind is dissolved.
3 In a blender, Puree tamarind mixture, cashews, 2/3 cup cilantro, garlic, onions, sugar, pepper, and cumin.
4 Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in oil.
5 Refrigerate until ready to use.
6 Gently stir together avocado, tomatoes, onion, 1/2 teaspoon cilantro, and salt.
7 Distribute filling evenly onto center of each egg roll wrapper.
8 Position a wrapper so that a corner is pointing toward you; fold the bottom corner up, 1/4 of the way over the filling.
9 Brush remaining corners and edges of the wrapper with egg, roll up from side to side, fold top corner over all and press to seal.
10 Repeat with remaining wrappers.
11 Continue by deep-frying the egg rolls in 375 degree oil for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
12 Drain on brown paper bags.
13 Slice egg rolls diagonally across middle and serve with prepared dipping sauce!

Until next week...

Simple Dinner, Amazing Dessert

We kept it pretty simple this past week at T's house with some Taco Salads. Our spread included taco meat mixed with black beans (great taste together), red & yellow peppers, the combo salsa/sour cream dressing with the option of queso dip (for Nelle), diced jalapenos (I was told were for my benefit :) ) and the one ingredient that makes it to nearly every girls night...AVOCADOS! Can't go wrong...

Dessert was a homemade blueberry pie! We really should have gotten a picture of this thing...it was beautiful. Teresa loves getting recipes from http://www.cooksillustrated.com/ They have true tried & tested recipes. This site is based on a membership that must be paid for but you can get a free 14 day trial period to see how you like it. Teresa swear by it and none of her food has ever let us down :) Here is the link to the recipe for her pie:

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/detail.asp?docid=14947&frtk=dph67jtv2XH8306qS6UyJ50aSLP5i67B

Teresa notes: The only thing I altered was that I did 1/2 + Tbsp butter rather than shortening and a little less water to compensate for the additional water in the butter.  Butter is 80% fat as apposed to 100% fat in the shortening.

If you couldn't tell, Teresa is the dietitian in our group. We appreciate her always looking out for our health & wellness while she cooks for us. If you have any questions about ANYTHING food/ingredient related she can help you out. Just shoot us an email or leave a comment.

I almost forgot to mention the cheese sampler platter we had for our appetizers. T, will you please leave a comment with the name of the place your aunts got all those cheeses? I know most of us would like to go get more...

This week we'll be out and about celebrating Cinco de Mayo since it falls on a Thursday this year. Lucky us! So there may not be a recipe posting for this week but I'll try to get some pictures up.

Enjoy this beautiful day we finally have here!

Amanda

Adult Mac-N-Cheese...that kids will love too!

When we were at Bea's house a few months ago she made this amazing mac-n-cheese from scratch and I just had to share...not to mention all of us girls want to make it again, so here it is...


Adult Mac-N-Cheese

1 lb of elbow pasta (cooked and drained)

Sauté the following in olive oil for a few mintues:
Sliced mushrooms
1 diced onion
Spinach
*toss in food processor, pulse on and off a few times, until everything is minced evenly and set aside

Cook and crumble pancetta (or bacon) and add to veggies

Alfredo (I make my own, but you can use store bought)
Coat pan with olive oil on medium heat
Add 3-4 chopped cloves of garlic and cook about 1 minute
Add 3 spoonfuls of cream cheese and allow to melt
Add 1 pint carton of  heavy whipping cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
*Stir continuously for 15-20 minutes
Pull off heat and stir in 1 carton of parmesan cheese

Mix everything together and top with bread crumbs
Bake until heated through and serve immediately.

***You can use mix in any cheeses you want. I have used mozzarella and gorgonzola in the past. You can also use any mix of veggies (i.e. peas, corn) or spices (cayenne, parsely) that you like to make it your own!*

I just realized I have all of these ingredients...guess I know what we're having for dinner tonight.

-Amanda

A New Twist on a Few Old Favorites!

This week we met up at my house...which make me realize I need a bigger dining room (and kitchen). Our group is growing! We missed out on a few girls this week that had family in town for Easter plans and Jessica doing her community work at "The Dump" in Mexico. Sometimes it happens. We can't all make it every week, but we sure do try. We almost look forward to Thursday more so than the weekend anymore. It's our time to relax, have a glass of wine, a yummy dinner & have some "us" time. We're having fun planning weddings, house-warming parties & the Summer schedules. It also helps that our husbands/fiances/boyfriends & children all get along so we can all get together outside of just Thursday evenings.
For dinner I made All-American Meatloaf and dessert was Peanut Butter & Jam Cakes. My meatloaf recipe is from a cookbook my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas. It's called America's Family Favorites: Best of Home Cooking. (found here on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1445405687/ref=cm_cr_error ). I've made a number of things from it, including Roasted/Stuffed Bell Peppers, and highly recommend it!

Dessert was from the Cuisine at Home magazine subscription my mom get for me. Check out www.CuisineAtHome.com for subscription options. I just renewed mine. 1 year for $24 (6 issues) or 2 years for $42 (12 issues). I love it because each issue you receive has recipes that are perfect for that specific time of year and with ingredients that are in season at the time.

Here are the recipes:

Many consider a plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes to be the quintessential American comfort food. This modern version uses lots of aromatic vegetables to add moisture and flavor.


All-American Meatloaf

Ingredients
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup each, diced: carrot, celery, yellow onion & red bell pepper
4 large white mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp rosemary, fresh & finely minced
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 1/2 lbs ground chuck
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 c plain bread crumbs

For the glaze...
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt

• Preheat oven to 325 F
• Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onion, red bell pepper and mushrooms into a food processor. Pulse on and off until the veggies are very finely minced. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula if needed so to allow them to mince evenly.
• Add the butter & olive oil to a large skillet and fry over med/high heat. When the butter melts, add the veggie mixture and cook while stirring, about 15 mins. The veggies are done when most of the moisture has cooked out and they begin to caramelize.
• Remove from heat and stir in thyme, rosemary, Worcestershire, ketchup & cayenne pepper. Set aside and allow to cool to room temp.
• Add the ground beef (which should be very cold), to a large mixing bowl. Very gently break up the meat with your fingertips. Pour in the cooled veggie mixture, salt, black pepper & eggs. Gently combine the mixture with your fingers for just 30 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs and continue mixing until combined. The less you work the meat, the better texture the meatloaf will have.
• Lightly grease a shallow roasting pan with a few drops of olive oil. Place the meatloaf in the center, forming it into a loaf shape, about 6" wide by 4" high. Place in the center of the pre-heated oven and set the timer for 30 mins.
• In the meantime, whisk together the brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon and a pinch of salt to make the glaze. After 30 mins, evenly spread the glaze over the top of the meatloaf and return to the oven to continue baking for another 35-45 minutes, or until you have an internal temp of 155 F. Remove and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Peanut Butter & Jam Cakes

The cakes can be made a day ahead. Let them cool completely then tightly wrap in plastic wrap.

1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 c Turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw)
3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 c granulated sugar
1 c packed brown sugar
6 eggs, room temp

• Preheat oven to 350. Coat inside of twp 9X5-inch loaf pans with 1 Tbsp butter; coat generously with Turbinado sugar.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda & alt in a bowl; set aside.
• Combine milk & vanilla in a measuring cup; set aside.
• Cream peanut butter, 1 stick butter, granulated sugar & brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on med-high speed until very well combined, 5 mins.
• Add eggs to the creamed mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Alternately add flour and milk mixtures to butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition  just until mixed, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake cakes 50 mins, then sprinkle with additional Turbinado sugar. Loosely tent with foil if edges are getting too brown. Return cakes to the oven; bake until toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean, 10-15 more mins. Let cakes rest in the pans for 20 mins, then turn cakes out onto the racks to cool completely.
• Prepare Blackberry Jam Spread and Peanut Butter Frosting.

Blackberry Jam Spread

If fresh berries aren't available, frozen berries can be substituted.

3 c blackberries

1/2 c sugar

1 Tbsp water

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp berry juice (from the cooked berries)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

• Combine blackberries, sugar & water in saucepan over med-low heat; simmer until berries release juice, about 20 mins.
• Whisk together cornstarch and berry juice in a bowl, until smooth; blend into the berru mixture, and cook until thickened, 2-3 mins.
• Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Cover and chill 30 mins.

Peanut Butter Frosting

3/4 c peanut butter

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3 c sifted powdered sugar

1/4 c milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

• Beat peanut butter and butter in the bowl of a standard mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on med-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 mins.
• add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla, mixing just until smooth and creamy.

Filling and assembling:

Trim off the ends of each cake, and then cut into sixteen 1/2 inch thick slices. Spread 3 Tbsp of frosting and 1 Tbsp jam onto a slice of cake. Top with another slice, and cut diagonally into two triangles. Repeat with remaining cake, frosting & jam.

These recipes should give your loaf pans some use :) Enjoy everyone! I'll be making these again soon!

Amanda

A Cute Easter Dessert... for Next Year

Before I begin, I must say that I did not come up with this idea myself. Browsing another blog I follow (fabulesslyfrugal.html) I came across this super cute cupcake. And with Easter almost over, I guess you can just keep this in mind for next year maybe. Or I guess it could be a Spring cupcake.

Since I had some (cheap) cake mix and frosting I had picked up at Fred Meyer a couple of weeks ago and coconut already in the cupboard all I needed was the Robin's eggs for the top. And luckily, the blog posted a deal at Albertson's on the eggs. So I printed off my coupon and got a bag for $.69!

These were the eggs I used, but you could probably use any other type of candy eggs. I liked the fact that they were speckled. These also come in mini eggs, but they didn't have them.

The directions are pretty simple: bake cupcakes and frost. To tint the coconut I just put it in a zip lock bag and added food coloring. Shake until all coconut is colored. I ended up having to use blue and yellow food coloring because I was out of green. But I think it gave it an even deeper green color doing it that way. I then put the eggs on the frosting and covered the rest of the frosting with the coconut. Putting the eggs on first worked better because they stuck to the frosting better than the coconut.

And here is the final product!

Chicken Enchiladas (We can NEVER have enough Mexican food!)

You might notice we girls LOVE Mexican food...and let's be honest, when you want something easy that doesn't take a ton of effort and is amazingly delicious...Mexican is where it's at!

We got together at Meagan's this week for some of her yummy Chicken Enchiladas. She got her recipe from allrecipes.com. We love this site for recipes because you can change the amount of servings and it will automatically update the amount of ingredients needed. Why haven't some other sites figured this out yet? It's super helpful! Here is the link to the original recipe:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Enchiladas-I/Detail.aspx Meagan, however made some changes based on customer reviews and below is her version:

For 8 servings

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 onion, chopped
1/2 pint sour cream
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce -- I substituted the tomato sauce for salsa
1/2 cup water -- I didn't include, didn't seem necessary
1 tablespoon chili powder -- I didn't have, so substituted the powder for paprika
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper -- I used green peppers and chiles and taste tested it for the right amount
1 clove garlic, minced
8 (10 inch) flour tortillas
1 (12 ounce) jar taco sauce -- I substituted the taco sauce for enchilada sauce
3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions


2.   In a medium, non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chicken until no longer pink and juices run clear. Drain excess fat. Cube the chicken and return it to the skillet. Add the onion, sour cream, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano and ground black pepper. Heat until cheese melts. Stir in salt, tomato sauce, water, chili powder, green pepper and garlic.
3.   Roll even amounts of the mixture in the tortillas. Arrange in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover with taco sauce and 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

A few of us girls have started receiving fresh fruits and vegetables from Full Circle Farms. You can customize orders, pick up and/or have delivered FRESH, fairly priced produce from the farm to your table.

"With Full Circle you know where your food comes from. Farm-to-Table means you are connected to each certified organic farmer and artisan food maker responsible for items in your order. You always know where your food is from and who is responsible for its integrity; whether it’s what we’ve chosen for you or what you choose when customizing your order.

And when it comes time to use these amazing ingredients, we are there to help you with recipes, cooking tips, and suggestions with every order, to bring the best to your table." 

We are big fans!! Get started now at:  http://www.fullcircle.com/  If you plan on signing up, let us know and we'll be sure to give you a code so you can save $15 off your first order :)

Enjoy the week!1.   Preheat oven to 350.

Nelle's Baked Brie & Pesto Pasta

We got together at Danielle & Jake's new home in Kent this past week for a super yummy homemade dinner and talked weddings, weddings, weddings among a few other things. We have 3 weddings going to happen between this Sept & next June so there is tons of planning to be done. Tiff's is a destination wedding in Cabo. Cassie, who is a more frequent visitor to our Thursdays, is on a time crunch (Sept) but seems to be managing well. Jessica, who has also been joining more recently, has some time (June 2012) but seems to want to get everything done ASAP so not to have to worry about it later. As many of us know, time between starting to plan and the BIG day does approach rather fast, and WE ARE the group of girls you want to ask and help you with that special day. We have compiled a group of the best photographers, DJ's, cake makers/bakeries & flower arrangers in the area. Not only are they AMAZING but pretty inexpensive for the quality and product you end up purchasing. So.....if you have any questions, ask away...

Does anyone have a picky kid? Mine would eat anything until he hit about 16 months, after that, breakfast, lunch & dinner became one of my worst nightmares. Luckily it didn't take long for me to figure out a solution. Lauren let me borrow Deceptively Delicious, a cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld (yes, Jerry's wife). It's amazing and best of all knowing that hiding healthy fruits & veggies in a dish is delicious! How can you go wrong? Hell, even my husband ate all the leftovers of the Mac'nCheese which had pureed cauliflower AND sweet potatoes in it. You can buy it on Amazon.com for only $7.90 here: http://www.amazon.com/deceptively-delicious/dp/006176793X?tag=book0b48-20 I find the more mothers I talk to about this, the more have been using it for years and love it as well.

Here are last weeks recipes:

Homemade Pesto Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp water
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated) veggies you like. We had sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms.
Top with more fresh Parmesan and enjoy!

Baked Brie
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp brandy
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
Spread mix on top of a round of brie
Bake at 500 for 5-10 minutes, or until the top is bubbly and the cheese inside is gooey. Serve with crackers and fruit. (grapes & apricots go great)

Thanks you Nelle for having us all over & Megs, we look forward to seeing you this week :)

Amanda

Bright Ideas Jewelry

Check out Bright Ideas Jewelry! My mom started Bright Ideas 3 years ago when she discovered how much she enjoyed making jewelry (and how good she was at it!) Bright Ideas can customize pieces for any occasion. Here's a picture of my wedding jewelry

 She has several items available on her website http://shop.brightideasjewelry.com/main.sc and much more that she shows in her local area of Wamego, Kansas. For questions or requests for custom pieces email sjvkasas@yahoo.com 

Emily

Grocery Shopping Ain't What It Used To Be...

Good afternoon all...

Just wanted to share a few "deals" that Emily & I experienced already in our grocery shopping this week:

Emily went to Albertson's and spent $12.81 on all this fun stuff. Her milk & bag of m&m's were completely free!

I also went to Albertson's and was able to pick all this up for only $20.83 (which would have been the original cost for both pork loins). A total of a $50 savings with all my coupons/deals! Hard to believe that this all would have cost me $70, isn't it?

I don't normally like to shop at Albertson's but to save this much I think I'll put up with it :)

Amanda

Mixin' it up with some Mexican...

The big news of today is.......http://twitter.com/#!/ThurGirlsNights!!! Join us on Twitter, follow our blogs from there if it's easier for you and tell your friends, 'cause you don't want to miss out on all the fun.

So we got little talking in this week about couponing and more about the blog, although I did get a few questions answers from our experts and also some great sites to follow. More to come as I learn. If anyone has any input it would be greatly appreciated. Shoot us an email or leave a comment of your favorite sites you use.
Doing a bit of my own research and digging I found http://dealspl.us/ It's extremely easy to navigate and has deals and coupons from all the department & grocery stores we already frequent.

Here are your couponing/deal links that Emily uses daily and suggested:

http://www.hip2save.com/  (this site is mainly good deals online, free giveaways, and some different deals you wouldn't find on the other sites)
http://www.fabulouslyfrugal.com/ (this site is mainly grocery store deals and lots of coupons). FF has a great tutorial and simple instructions for how to get started on saving.
http://www.thekrazycouponlady.com/ (this site is mainly grocery store deals and lots of coupons)

Emily says, "All of them will send you emails daily with new deals but I check "hip2save" all day long because a lot of their deals are time sensitive. I also get four Sunday newspapers every week so I have at least that many of each coupon. You'll want as many as you can when you can get things for free! The stores I find the easiest to get deals at are Rite Aid and Walmart." These girls are hardcore with the coupon binders they bring in to the stores with them, and I just started putting mine together...took it for a test drive last night after my husband & I put the little one to bed. Now keep in mind that I didn't have the 4 Sunday newspapers, but I did search, print and clip my coupons. Anyway, I ended up saving $42 on things I need to stock up on anyway, plus I got a $5 Target gift card to use on my next trip. I gotta tell you, being at the register and watching your total decrease is a RUSH...I'm hooked! If my mother only heard me say that...it would be an "I told you so!" moment that I would never hear the end of :)

Now for some food & family talk...

As we know, having kids and/or a busy work schedule, we need to utilize things in our kitchen to create more "free time", if you can call it that. That being said, the crock-pot is one of the best ways to do so. It does all the work for you...take advantage! Lauren made some DELICIOUS burritos using hers - Cafe Rio Pork Burritos to be precise :) Here is the recipe:

1.5 lbs. pork roast (I used a Hormel Pork Tenderloin)
1/2 can Dr. Pepper or Coke
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup salsa (I used a little more)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground mustard
Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. With one hour left, shred the pork.

RiceUse the type of rice you prefer and follow directions for cooking time and amount.
When you add the rice to the boiling water, add the following ingredients as well
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can diced green chiles
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chopped onion

*You will also need a can of black or pinto beans...warmed on the stove.

Layer meat, rice, & beans in tortilla. Wrap and place seam side down. Cover with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Cook under broiler until cheese is bubbly.

This recipe was courteous of Fabulessly Frugal...Again, their website is:  http://www.fabulesslyfrugal.com/

For dessert we had our options of Whoopie Pies that Lauren made and the 1st test of CAKE POPS that Tiff is in trial run for her wedding desserts! So yummy!

That is all for this week. We look forward to having dinner Thursday at Danielle's new house! Until then...

An Italian Night & Some Changes on the Home Front...

Seeing that a few of the girls were having troubles remembering to post a blog update after hosting their evening (which is a bit of a stress in itself cooking for 9+ other girls), I, Amanda, am excited to announce that I have been appointed to collect recipes and post the blog on a weekly basis to see that it gets done, because after all, who wants to be without all of our amazing recipes and hear about our girl talk??

That being said...We were at Emily's this past Thursday enjoying lasagna, salad and some yummy chocolate peanut butter bars (all recipes to follow).

It was fun to be back at Em's. It is where GN originated over 4 years ago. We started with 5 of us and are now up to nearly 10+ at times. We decided a few months ago that we need to have a "secret of the week" discussion, as we would get half way through the night only to learn that something major was going on in one of our lives..."oh, by the way...I'm now dating so-and-so" or "oh, forgot to tell you, I'm pregnant"...ok, that one didn't really happen, but we didn't want it to get to that point. And frankly it doesn't even have to be a "secret"...just the biggest thing to have happened to you that past week. Hopefully Lauren will report in this week that she got Aiden potty-trained in under a week...hey, a mother can dream. Laur, if you have any tips, please post them as to aid the rest of us in a speedy process :)

My SIL, Jessica joined us this week since she just moved up from California. She needs some girl time as most of her friends are in the Tri-Cities or back in Cali. I was trying to keep her updated with what everyone was talking about, when I realized that WE ARE PROBABLY A PRETTY OVERWHELMING group. Ah well, she'll catch up soon enough. We were glad to have her there and hope she continues to join us. She is planning her wedding, and let's be honest here....WE ARE the group of girls you need to help you do that! :)

Okay, here are your recipes from last week:

Lasagna

1lb ground beef
1lb Italian sausage
4 cups mozzarella cheese
1 tub of ricotta cheese
Italian season (enough to taste)
9 ready bake lasagna noodles
2 bottles of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Brown meats, assemble 3 equal layers of all ingredients. Cover top layer of noodles with sauce and parmesan cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes until cheese is melted and center is hot.


Salad

Spring mix
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
1 container (about 10) strawberries, sliced
toss with Poppyseed dressing


Peanut Butter Brownie Bars (courtesy of Betty Crocker...gotta love her)

Brownie Base
1box (1 lb 2.4 oz) Betty Crocker® Original Supreme Premium brownie mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg called for on brownie mix box
Filling
1/3cup butter, softened
1/3cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/3cups powdered sugar
1 1/2teaspoons milk
Topping
3/4cup semisweet chocolate chips
3tablespoons butter

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Grease bottom only of 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray or shortening. (For easier cutting, line pan with foil, then grease foil on bottom only of pan.) Make brownies as directed on box. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

YUM YUM!

As happy as I am to take on the duty of posting this blog, I have to admit I'm a bit nervous to have Tiff read (and mentally correct) it :) She's our high school English teacher and I KNOW my punctuation can be a little erratic...I seem to over-use the comma...oh well, better that than to under use it, right Ms. Armstrong? :) Don't be too hard on me...

Enjoy everyone! Next week we're going to talk about couponing since a few of us are getting into it and we KNOW more ladies would like to as well. Let me know if you have any questions I can ask our pros (Em & Lauren), and I'll be sure to get some answers for you.

Amanda

Tiff & Austin's Engagement Photos

Since Emily mentioned it, I think it's time to post some pictures! Tiff and Austin are busy planning a beautiful beach wedding but that doesn't mean they didn't have time to get in front of the camera at Redondo Beach in Federal Way. Don't let the glimpses of sunshine fool you, it was chilly out! Luckily that didn't stop the couple from smiling, playing in the sand and kissing on the dock. Afterward we warmed up with some beers and clam chowder at Salty's. Congrats again Tiff & Austin!
~Nelle

Welcome 2011!!!

After a busy holiday season we regrouped January 6th at my house.  We had so much to catch up on....Christmas, New Years, Bea's birthday, and TIFF'S ENGAGEMENT! Congratulations Tiffany and Austin! Let the wedding planning begin! And that it did. We spent most of the evening discussing a beach wedding in Cabo San Lucas-woohoo! (I'll let Tiff post all the details as they become available)

We missed Amanda, Lisa, Jessica, and Meagan this week.  Unfortunately, a few of us came down with a nasty winter flu.

Dinner this evening was chicken enchiladas with salad, chips and guacamole, and brownie bites for dessert. Here's the recipe:

Chicken enchiladas


Bake 6 chicken breasts, shred chicken after it cools

In the food processor mix chicken, mexican cheese, and green chilies (eyeball cheese and chilies)

Roll chicken mixture inside flour tortillas, cover with red enchilada sauce and more cheese

Bake for 30-45 minutes until hot



Emily

6th Annual Girls' Night Cocktail Party!

Yup, that's right; this is the 6th year we have planned one hell of a Christmas cocktail party! The tradition started when Lauren and Tiff lived together at an apartment in Milton. The following year I moved in and since it was so much fun we decided to do it again. It helped that I was selling wine and had lots of samples! From there the tradition just kept on going. The 3rd year was at Lauren's, the 4th year at Meg's, the 5th year at my house and finally this year Lauren hosted us again! There is always yummy food, lots of drinks and some sort of "game" involving alcohol consumption. I know we are growing up but I swear some of us are just now getting our beer pong game down! Here are a few pictures from the party. Enjoy ~ Danielle    

Teresa ~ Danielle ~ Meg



Tim ~ Jake ~ Amanda

Lauren ~ Jena

Amanda ~ Meg

Tyler ~ Scott

Lauren ~ Tiff

Teresa ~ Lisa

Holiday Gift Exchange

Ok, getting caught up here...

Thursday, Dec 16th we got together for our gift exchange. Since it's kind of a special celebration we go out to dinner. Luckily this year, the snow had melted and the roads were clear (we weren't so lucky last year), so we met in Tukwila at Grazie http://www.grazierestaurant.com/ It's a super cute, hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant with amazing food! We got a few bottles of wine, talked about the upcoming holidays and exchanged gifts & Christmas cards. This is the 2nd year we've used an online secret-santa system. http://www.secretsanta.com/ is like an evite...as soon as everyone has RSVP'd, it sends out an email with the name of the person you are to buy for. One great thing about it is that you can post a "wish list", another is that it keeps track of the people who's name you had been given in the past, so as you don't have a repeat person to buy for in the future.

More posts to come, plus a few pictures from our 6th annual Girl's Night Cocktail Party, so stay tuned...

Amanda