foodie friday!!!

today is an ode to mand's peanut butter cookies.
round & moist.
chocolate & peanut butter.
yummy & perfect.
eat too many & fat belly.
ok, maybe that's not a good seller. but it's true. i always eat too many. i can't help it. these are possibly the
best
cookies
ever
.
no recipe today. top secret. [right mand?] i just made that up, but i think she should keep it top secret. [edit: secrets out, click link above for cookies that will change your life!] i doubt anyone could make them as good as mand anyways cause she's a pretty amazing baker. you'll just have to invite her to your party to try these amazing puppies. [is it weird to call cookies 'puppies'?]
for some amazing recipes check out mand's blog!

the perfect pit.

still enjoying long summer days with lots of time outdoors, cookouts and fires... mooms & pops, perhaps we could build a fire pit like this at sweethome:



photo: by william abranowicz here

foodie friday!!!

foodie friday must have 3 exclamation points after it. because it's very exciting. i'm sure the suspense has been killing you all week because i dropped a hint. friends today i would like to bring you to inlet, ny where mountains and memories meet. [that's what their website says. i'm not that clever.] i have been traveling to inlet since i called magazines mazagines. [ok, maybe i still do sometimes. it's a tricky word.] i have lots of wonderful family camping memories. more recently this has come to include memories of amazing food. western ny has awesome pizza. in batavia i believe we have approximately 1 pizzeria per person. my point is i know good pizza. and good pizza can be found at the screamin eagle in inlet. and good blue cheese, which is essential when eating pizza.

they also have excellent chicken wings.

j and i have been known to plan trips around restaurants. my next feature is somewhere that we have definitely driven many, many miles to reach. and it's worth every mile. matter of fact i would consider a trip to inlet from batavia for these donuts. you know i love a good donut. these are the
best
donuts
in the world.
actually in the universe.
they don't even have donuts this good on the moon.




mary's bakery may be described as a hole in the wall. you wouldn't necessarily notice it driving by. the sign is handwritten. [actually when my photographer returns home, i'll add a couple more photos. you must see the handwritten sign.] *edit: photos added. i really can't choose my favorite because it's a tie. maple frosted and cinnamon fry cake. i must have both every time we go. i'm secretly planning my next trip to inlet right now because i'm thinking about these donuts now...

bad beans

one day [like yesterday] i was running late to work. i scrambled out the door to my car with my keys and coffee cup in one hand, my purse slung over my shoulder and my laptop in the other hand. [you know what's coming, right?] as i went to open the car door the coffee cup flew out of my hand and crashed on the driveway causing steaming coffee to splash on my legs. "dang it!", i cursed [excuse the language.] j came out the door right behind me & asked what was wrong. i pouted as i looked at my perfectly good [green mountain] coffee seeping into the rocks in the driveway. without a pause he pushed his coffee cup towards me, "take mine." i said no, but he insisted i take it. true story.
i so love my sweet j.


*sidenote: you know you work on a farm when you hear, 'you're gonna be in some bad beans tomorrow.'

..wright peak..

so i'm still trying to catch up on july's happenings...
these two lovebirds got a leanto on heart lake...

this was our first visit to the loj and we really enjoyed heart lake.

we decided to hike wright peak.
it was a rather warm day. this mountain stream was totally refreshing.

the trail was pretty steep. sometimes i stopped to take in the views.

when we got to the top we took in the views too. when the black flies weren't eating us.

we had our lunch. notice the yarn holding my gaiter on...handy.

i may have sent an email from the summit...

a plane crashed on wright in 1962. we found many remains.

this is our fresh-faced end-of-the-hike look...
[really i'm just thinking about dinner.]

dinnerrr! this place had amazing bbq sauce made with real maple syrup. so yummy.

also on the hike we were craving...

so we got one.
when we got back we had a nice big fire.

did you know i'm a professional marshmallow toaster? it's true.

the next morning we made our favorite camp breakfast. and camp coffee, of course.

we went out for a paddle on heart lake.

this guy was trying to splash me. see the look in his eye...

the next night we got a site closer to inlet because there's lots of yummy food there.

i'll save the details for foodie friday...

foodie friday!!!

i know posting has been somewhat sparse. i've just been enjoying summer.
the other day i saw chocolate-dipped frozen bananas on tv.
and then i was craving one.
and then mand showed up with these at a family get together.

the moral of the story is invite mand to your party.
she always brings yummy food.

chocolate-dipped frozen bananas

• 8 medium bananas, peeled
• 8 wooden popsicle sticks
• 32 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Dipping decorations: granola, chopped nuts, sprinkles, jimmies, crushed cookies, etc.

Line a sheet pan with waxed paper. Cut 1-inch off the end of each banana. Insert a popsicle stick into the cut-end of each banana, pushing the stick halfway in, leaving the other end exposed for use as a handle. Place the bananas on the sheet pan and freeze 1 hour.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally.

Arrange the dipping decorations on several flat plates. Working with 1 banana at a time, dip it in the chocolate and turn to completely coat (spoon some on, if needed). Roll the dipped banana in the desired decorations, transfer to the sheet pan, and return to the freezer.

c+h

chris & heather are married!!! they're super cute.


it was a totally lovely day.


j+m got to walk down the aisle together again!

he puts the color inside of my world.

seester.

happy happy birthday mando!!!

remember this? this is right before we totally freaked out. and made the boys take us back to shore immediately. before the bats grabbed onto our hair & would never ever let go. because that's what every bat wants to do. and i know it. and you know it. just another reason we get along so very well.
love you seester.