Five Things Friday

apple pie sundaes and dinner with great friends at The Smith

Hi there! Sorry I've been a little off the grid this week. I took a couple of days to myself early in the week to get my head wrapped around all of the craziness going on in life. It's all wonderful, fantastic, happy things, but sometimes I need to remember to just take a moment for myself, get organized, make sure my head is on straight, have a good cry and pick myself back up. I hope you all had a great week and have fun things planned for the weekend! I will be spending mine working on Baby Girl's room, having mocktails at my cousin's bachelorette party, celebrating my brother-in-law's birthday and walking in a 5K on Sunday (wish me luck!).

perpetual state of glasses-wearing...Since apparently pregnancy has caused my contacts to feel like tiny razor blades attacking my eyes...

a bloody good time...Dexter is back on Sunday evening and I always manage to forget how much I love this show. So much that it almost makes me want to have this Dexter party that I spoke about last year...

creating a baby album...I'm working on my own little love letter to my baby that I plan to make into a sweet little scrapbook (and who says girls can only have pink?) I've been keeping a little journal, week by week, along with photos about how I'm feeling, details on ultrasounds, etc. I can't wait to compile it into a book for Baby H.

Why We Dance: The Story of THON...an amazing documentary about the work that Penn State students (including my beautiful sister Christine!) do to raise money each year to fight children's cancer, culminating in a 46 hour dance marathon, called THON.

Mango Hot Pepper Jam Spread

A few weeks ago, we spent a few days in Lewes, Delaware. It's a small shore town about 3.5 hours from us, and it was the perfect way to end the summer on a fun and sunny note.

One of my favorite things about small towns is a good farmer's market. I stumbled upon a table of various homemade jams by Backyard Jams & Jellies. Peach, Strawberry Kiwi, Bing Cherry and more.

I ended up taking home a jar of bing cherry jelly (no idea what I'm going to do with that one, but yum!) and a jar of mango hot pepper jelly.

I have long been a fan of the Harry & David Pepper & Onion Relish, and so a similar-sounding mango hot pepper jelly - homemade, no less! - had me at hello.

Once we returned home, I whipped up a little treat for football Sunday. I placed the hot pepper jam alongside some softened cream cheese to make a nice and simple spread. Place a bit of cream cheese on a cracker (I love Club Multigrain), top with a bit o' jelly, devour immediately.

I love this sweet combo with just a hint of heat from the peppers. The cream cheese offsets the sweetness a tad. I may or may not have had this straight up for lunch...and loved every bite.

I haven't yet tried making this on my own, but the lovely Averie has a beautiful recipe that I'd love to try someday! Until then, I'll be enjoying my Lewes version until it runs out (and possibly then pick up some Harry & David to hold me over).

Have you ever had hot pepper jelly? How do you eat it?

What are your favorite farmer's market finds?

Thursday Thoughts

1. It's absolutely 100% weather perfection this week. 70 degrees and sunny with big fluffy white clouds. Just cool enough for boots and a long sleeve shirt or light jacket. Yes please and thank you.

2. Speaking of boots, I am so happy that I get to wear these now:

Shaun gave these to me for my birthday back in July and they've been taunting me sitting patiently under my bed for the last 2 months waiting to be rocked.

Oh and don't they seem slightly reminiscent of these totally kick-ass LA Gear Michael Jackson kicks of yore?

{Photo source}

I totally owned these and thought I was the coolest kid around. I'm pretty sure my mom still has them in a box in our basement (true or false, Mom?) and so I hope they come back around in style when my little girl is old enough to wear them. Did anyone else have these? I also recall that they came in white with gold studs...

3. Tuesday was National Cheeseburger Day. Shaun and I hopped on over to the White Mana Diner in Jersey City for some of their classic sliders. Super flat, thin patties with onions, cheese and pickles, it doesn't really get much better and there's nothing like a Jersey diner!

4. While we were eating, that whole scary tornado/flash flooding warning thing came to fruition and the power went out in the diner. We didn't mind. 

5. The Giants are playing tonight. I simultaneously love and hate night games. I love them because they are inevitably more exciting and I love cozying up on the couch with the window cracked and a fuzzy blanket to watch (without the guilt I feel about doing so on a Sunday afternoon). And I hate them because I inevitably can never stay awake to watch the whole game. They don't even start until 8:30 after all!

6. Oh and side note - don't you think my baby will need to own something like this? Just don't tell Dad.

7. Meanwhile, tonight's game day eats will consist of some of this yummy mango hot pepper jam that I picked up on our trip to Lewes, DE a couple of weeks back (of which I still need to do a recap!). Spread atop crackers with a little bit of cream cheese, this is totally tops.

 

8. Please give a vote to my friend Lauren, founder of Keep It SweetDesserts, a finalist in the Martha Stewart American Made contest, where she has a chance to win some major moola to grow her dessert business! It takes 2 seconds! Her desserts are certifiably swoon worthy :)

9. I'm ready for a weekend filled with birthday parties, dinners with friends and some baby registering. Why is it only Thursday?!

Hope you are all having a great week! What are your thoughts and things on this Thursday?