motivational mondays

i can't remember where i saw this quote, but it really stood out to me and reminded me to always keep my head up.  this was my first time making one of this poster things. :)

BEST EVER EGGPLANT PARM

i love eggplants. and i especially love eggplant parmesan, my mom gave me this recipe after she made it and i had like 10 servings and today my cousin and i attempted.  i'm going to make it all the time now!

you'll need:
-fresh basil, as little or as much as you like
-2 medium eggplants (1 1/2 lbs total) cut into 1/4 inch rounds
-2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled tomatoes, pureed
-at least 3 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
-1 1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs
-1/2 cup grated parmesan, divided
-1 cup flour
-3 eggs, slightly beaten
-1 cup vegetable oil
-1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
-noodles (optional)

1. take your eggplant slices and toss with 2 teaspoons of salt and let it sit for 15 minutes in a colander.
2. in a medium pot, bring tomatoes and garlic to a boil and then reduce heat and cook at rapid simmer for about 30 minutes.
3. in a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup of the parm cheese with salt and pepper.  put flour and eggs in two more dishes.  coat the eggplant on the flour, then egg, then breadcrumb mix.
4. prehead oven to 400 and in a large skillet, fry the eggplant until golden brown and tender, like 3 minutes each side.
5. in a 9x13 baking dish put 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom, then half of the eggplant, slightly overlapping, two cups of sauce, sprinkle some basil, then half of the mozz.  repeat with the rest of the eggplant, sauce and mozz.  sprinkle the remainder of the parm on top.
6. bake until its all bubbly and cheese is golden, like 25 minutes.

boil some spaghetti if you want while it cools, its good with or without it!
eat up! :)

a hurricane's a comin!

frankenstorm has arrived, i think.  i'm actually so used to hurricanes that i dont pay much attention to them anymore.  yesterday when everyone was headed inland, i head to an island in north carolina.  we went to a birthday party in a spooky house and i met a man that has performed with leonard cohen and a bunch of other amazing musicians.  it was a really interesting and slightly bizarre day.

pumpkin king

today is not the most falliest of fall days, its about 75 degrees outside and there isn't a coat or sweater in sight but cohen has been waiting and waiting for the right time to cut into his pumpkin that we got at the pumpkin patch the other week.  normally, we paint our pumpkins because i'm a disaster with any kind of tools but today he had his grandpa b to help.  cohen went the traditional route, and now i'm craving all kinds of delicious baked goods.

egg nog y'all

in addition to all things pumpkin, i love all things egg nog.  not real egg nog, just egg nog flavoured things like silk nog.  today my cousin went to mcdonalds for me and i was looking at the menu online, (yes i look at menus online even though the menu is the same and i already know what i want but then i think that maybe just maybe i might be feeling a little wild and want to branch away from my usual, but i end up ordering the same thing i always do anyway) and i saw they had an egg nog milkshake, and it was made with egg nog syrup not actual egg nog.  hallelujah!

when she ordered it, the man at the drive thru told her that they didn't sell those and she was all, yeah y'all do it's on the menu! so after he spoke to someone he was like oh yeah oops and i was the very first customer of the season at this mcdonalds to get one.  not exactly something to be proud of but let me have this anyway.

normally i cringe that they have anything christmas related in october but i'm really okay with this being out now.  i can't wait to make my own.

two things

i love my shopping buddy

and i love nachos

ps. i also love taylor swifts new album, so what!

feeling super silly

i made a random trip to the halloween store where i got some extreme lashes, a wig, and a few other things.  its a dream of mine to have long purple (preferably grayish lavender) hair, i think i look okay with it!

this week's instajams

left to right: // fresh guac (they made it at the table!) // accidental photo inception // skinny dip // farm scores // fall fashion (finally!) // trader joes // naps with buzz // the best ice cream // a new friend

also, my favourite photo of cohen that i've snapped this week. he's so cool. 

JUST THE TWO OF US

there is something really special about a mommy son date.  we are always together, trips to target, nature walks and such, but lunch dates are my personal favourite.  they include the two most important things to me... the prince and food. hehe.  we went to moes and then got some frozen yogurt. cohen is the sweetest little date, he even fed me a chip and i love that we get a chance to talk, like really talk.  i'm so lucky.

fall playlist

a little shopping for the new apartment

1//decorative pillow 2//salad servers   3//kitchen tea towels  4//ceramic serving bowl  5//oven mitts

i caught a super great sale at target at the curiousity shoppe.

1//rug 2//matryoshka measuring cups 3//ashkahn american badass print 4//toothbrush holder

and i spent a little time at urban outfitters

richmond

i went to richmond on wednesday for some quality bff time.  i ate so much good food, hungout, got my fingers and arm tattooed, and visited with my cat daughter. still going through the pictures but here's a few. all food since that's what i care about the most haha.

someone turned 6 yesterday

and it was this little guy right here.  i can't believe how fast time has gone by,  and i'm so proud of the person he is and so grateful to him for the person he has made of me.