My sister is getting married in less than a month now so I am using that as my excuse as to why its been 19 days since my last post. Between the Bachelorette party and planning it has taken up some of my free time. Oh and I am making her wedding cake, well wedding cake topper, so that’s time consuming testing recipes?! I know an excuse is an excuse and I need to post more. I think the real reason I haven’t posted as much is because I’ve been eating much healthier because of the wedding. With my sister exercising and dieting, I find myself doing the same. Once again the wedding is the main culprit.

Since I have been eating healthier I’ve been looking for exciting healthy recipes for lunches or dinners and I stumbled across this one the other day. Joy the Baker is a food blog that post all kinds of food and she shared this deconstructed spring roll recipe. I didn’t follow it exactly but close enough. I love this recipe because it is a lot of food but not a lot of calories, full of flavor with the peanut sauce and just plain satisfying. Try it out this week for lunch or maybe add some tofu to make it for dinner.

This is my first seriously heath conscious recipe post on my blog, what has the world come to. Don’t worry things aren’t changing much, headed back to Europe for July so I will be posting many more travel stories soon.

Deconsructed Spring Roll

Veggies you like, I included…

Cucumbers

Carrots, sliced with a peeler into ribbons

Bean sprouts

Pepper

Lime

Saifun (bean thread noodles)  (ride noodles also work)

Peanut sauce

Chop veggies. Cook noodles in boiling water and let sit for 20 minutes then strain and rinse and let extra water strain. Put all together in a bowl and enjoy!

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While looking through old pictures this week I came across a few from a trip to Milan. I realized I never shared this story and it’s a real “pilot’s daughter” story because it is a trip I went on with my dad while he was working. While he was flying the plane my sister and I were enjoying the joys of Business Elite.

It was during Thanksgiving so I was a little bummed to miss the big day of cooking but I decided Milan was worth it—and it was. We started with a day in New York City where we walked around eating and shopping. I of course had a list of a few restaurants I had heard about and wanted to try. Though there was a list I only dragged them across the city to one spot, and it was definitely worth it. We had our afternoon snack of a lobster roll at Luke’s Lobster in the East Village. It was amazing to say the least. Perfect roll that let the lobster shine and not be drenched in mayo.

We then headed back towards our hotel, stopped to eat again at a Mexican restaurant, then made it finally back to the hotel to get our stuff and head to the airport. Luckily Kylie and I both got on and in first! We wined and dined while dad worked away and then he safely landed us in Milan.

We had 24 hours total so we had to get straight to business. We rented a car and head to Lake Como. We spent the morning walking around the beautiful area and of course, ate and drank. What else are you supposed to do in Italy?!

Squid Ink Pasta!

We came back to the city and got settled into our hotel and got ready for dinner. We found a cute restaurant near the Duomo and once again enjoyed a fabulous Italian meal filled with pasta and pizza. After dinner we walked over to La Scala and enjoyed the beautiful cities nightlights.

The next day at the airport there was only on seat left for one of us to get first so I let Kylie take it. What can I say I’m a good sister. My dad was nice enough though to send some of the ice cream back to me.

That was a pretty typical experience and time frame when I go on a work trip with my dad. Though it’s quick and to the point it’s pretty fabulous. I will have to look at my dads schedule for next month…

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Fruit Tart Recipe

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Check out my column that features Spanish pea soup with crispy ham!

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Hope everyone had a fabulous Easter!  We had a great Easter brunch filled with Easter borscht, crostini’s, baked eggs, asparagus and of course hard boiled eggs (you can see my classic rainbow one below). Oh and how could I forget, after all that brunch we had smoked ribs, brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. I made a poppyseed cake for dessert.  I know I always say the cakes are amazing but this was literally one of the tastiest cakes I have ever made.  With that said it was also the ugliest.  I had issues with it sticking to the pan for one cake and the other I decided to cut in half and it was just to delicate for that. This is your warning…viewers discretion is advised for the cake picture.  If this is your first time visiting my site, please don’t judge my baking/cooking/traveling abilities by this cake.

Recipes

Prosciutto and Avocado Crostini

Green Eggs and Bacon

Easter Borscht

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

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I was thinking about travel a lot this weekend, which is not unusual at all.  I’m always thinking about traveling especially since my job deals with traveling.  I thought about where I had traveled to since I moved to Denver in September and there wasn’t many trips I had been on.  One to New Hampshire for my cousins wedding and a visit back to Charleston, South Carolina.  I felt a little disappointed, as if that wasn’t enough.  I’ve realized since I entered the nine to five work world that not traveling live I used to is part of the package but it still didn’t make me feel very good.  Then it hit me.  I have been traveling. Quite a bit lately.  I’ve been going to the mountains.  I may not have to take a plane to get there but the car ride can be an adventure in itself, as you can see from the picture above.  It may not be traveling in the same way I am used to but I have the Colorado mountains in my backyard and that is pretty darn amazing!

Picture from Keystone Moutain

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Happy St. Patty’s Day from the Cliffs of Moher and the blarney stone.  No I’m not in Ireland these are old photos, but kind of close, I’m in Denver.

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When it comes to the wonderful holiday of St. Patty’s Day we all know the typical corned beef and cabbage, shepards pie and of course green beer.  But what I think that I have been missing out on the past years has really been the butter.  I’m serious, Irish butter is delicious and very important to the Irish. They even have a museum in Cork.  It has a higher butterfat content that gives it a richer, creamier flavor. They also say its due to the fact that the cows get to indulge on a daily basis on the lush Irish green countrysides and I agree, because it is just better.  I attempted this year to make it (without Irish grass fed cow creams) and it was so easy and awesome.  You just mix, set and whip and done!  You have the creamy, beautiful yellow butter to enjoy on the holiday. Make it even better by washing down a scone with this butter with a  green beer! Cheers!

Irish Butter recipe from Big Girls Small Kitchen

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As I was walking through the grocery store today, regretting my decision to skip my Sunday shopping and save it for Monday because that is what everybody does, I saw it.  I had already had the great realization that it was that time of year since it is in the stores again, but this re-reminded me.  The it I am referring to is the cadbury egg.  You either have a love or a hate relationship with this Easter candy and for me its definitely love.  I love eggs so a chocolate egg with a cream filling that is colored like an egg gets me every time.  And the commercial makes it even more irresistible.  (Watch the video and the title of this post will make more sense).

Cadbury Egg Commercial

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Last night I went to The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook book signing with Deb Perelman.  I went straight after work and got there probably 10 minutes after they started handing out tickets.  I got number 131.  It didn’t really dawn on me what that meant.  What 131 means is if Deb took the time to chat with each person for one minute per person that means two hours till my turn.

Deb spoke and filled the room with her humorous stories and advice.  It was fresh and fun and lots of question time.  Deb was great and gave each person the time they wanted. I sat around for about 45 minutes till it dawned on me what my number 131 meant.  It meant time to just go switch my cookbook for a signed one and head to sushi and wine with the sister.  I figured I already got my time when I interviewed her.

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