jessica lynn writes

Five for Friday

2012-01-27T07:24:00.000+01:00

1. First things first. I love you.
2. "gigglebumps"
3. You gave me a fantastic birthday complete with Cracker Barrel, surf 'n turf, and great gifts!
4. You woke me up at exactly 12:01 am on January 24 to wish me a happy birthday. You win!
5. Bella noticeably lights up the second she sees you come home from work. It's pretty adorable.

p.s. I love you

Tiramisu and a Birthday

2012-01-24T22:14:00.000+01:00

Hi! My name is Jessica, I'm 28-years-old young, and I have a confession to make. See that dessert up there? It's homemade tiramisu and my husband and I just devoured it. As I type there are—maybe—three rows of ladyfingers left. Calories don't count on your birthday, right?

Yup, today's my birthday! My wonderful husband took leave today as a gift for me. We were going to spend the day in Venice, but instead we enjoyed a day off in the middle of the week by sleeping in, having a lavish breakfast (more on that in a bit), and lounging around in our PJs until the afternoon.

As far as breakfast was concerned, Kenny brought Cracker Barrel all the way to Italy! Since we couldn't enjoy their white rocking chairs and hang out in their general store, this was the next best thing. We had a generous spread of biscuits and sausage gravy, grits, hashbrown casserole, bacon, sausage, and even the "eggs in a basket" that I love so much. Breakfast rocked.

Several hours later...once we could actually move again from being so stuffed, I dug into my birthday "cake." I've never been one for enjoying a traditional cake, so I figured I'd make my own treat this year. Since we're living in Italia I went with one of my absolute favorite desserts: tiramisu.

I know this may sound crazy, but I've tried tiramisu dozens of times out here—whenever a restaurant has it you can bet I'll be tasting it—but this is still my favorite version. It takes a little time to make it (I've lost patience before and it turned out "soupy" instead of awesome), but it's also ridiculously easy. Surprisingly easy, actually.

So today, on a day when I received the gift of life—thanks mama and papa!—and several other wonderful presents, I want to share this recipe with you. The original recipe is for twice this much, but I can't even think of what would happen if we had that much in our house. This should probably serve at least six people, but fair warning: it's addictive, delicious, and you may be shocked when you look down and see that there's only one piece left!

Tiramisu

Adapted from Black Cat Kitchen. Originally from Cook’s Illustrated November & December 2007 issue

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups strong brewed coffee, room temperature
3/4 Tbsp instant espresso granules

5 Tbsp kahlua
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp table salt

½ Tbsp vanilla
12 ounces (340 grams) marscapone (Italian cream cheese)
6 Tbsp cold heavy cream
30(ish) hard ladyfingers (savoiardi)

1 Tbsp cocoa, preferably Dutch-processed
Cinnamon

Directions:

Stir coffee, espresso, and 3 tablespoons kahlua in a wide bowl or baking dish until espresso dissolves; set aside.

In large bowl, beat yolks at low speed until just combined. Add sugar and salt and beat at medium-high speed until pale yellow, 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once or twice.

Add vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons kahlua; beat at medium speed until just combined, 20 to 30 seconds; scrape bowl. Add marscapone and beat at medium speed until no lumps remain, 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down bowl once or twice. Transfer mixture to large bowl and set aside.

In now-empty bowl (no need to clean bowl), beat cream at medium speed until frothy, around 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and continue to beat until cream holds stiff peaks, around another 2 minutes longer. Using rubber spatula, fold one-third of whipped cream into marscapone mixture to lighten, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream until no white streaks remain. Set marscapone mixture aside.

Drop bottom layer of ladyfingers (one at a time) into coffee mixture, roll/flip over, remove and transfer to 11x7-inch casserole dish. (Do not submerge ladyfingers in coffee mixture; entire process should take no longer than 2 to 3 seconds for each cookie.) Arrange soaked cookies in single layer in baking dish, breaking or trimming ladyfingers as needed to fit neatly into dish.

Spread half of marscapone mixture over ladyfingers; use rubber spatula to spread mixture to sides and into corners of dish and smooth surface. Sprinkle some cinnamon and 1/2 tablespoon cocoa over marscapone.

Repeat dipping and arranging ladyfingers; spread remaining marscapone mixture over ladyfingers and dust with remaining cocoa and cinnamon. Wipe edges of dish with dry paper towel. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 to 24 hours Serve chilled.

Five for Friday

2012-01-20T07:02:00.001+01:00

1. The "Friends" synchronized hand clap. We rock!
2. Yeah, that just happened.
3. You saved me from being stranded outside when I locked my key in the car.
4. You take out the trash. Thank you :)
5. Happy 23-month anniversary!

p.s i love you

Wanderlust

2012-01-19T13:59:00.000+01:00

My husband and I will be in Italy until late 2014, so we decided to make a list of alllllll the places we'd like to see before we leave.

our "newlywed map"

Besides being organized by country, the list really isn't in any particular order, and I'll add places to it frequently. It's long and kinda vague sometimes, but I'm okay with that. I also know I may not get to cross them all off by the time we leave, but at least it's a starting off point. A girl can dream, right?

our "newlywed map"

Are there any other cities we should step foot in, festivals we have to attend, or things we need to see? Leave a comment with your suggestions so I can add to the list!

Italy:
Lake Como
Go on a gondola ride in Venice (despite the cost)
Capri
Sicily
Go on a food tour
See The Last Supper in Milan
Amalfi coast
Buy Parmesan in Parma
Drink chianti in Tuscany
Murano (Venice)
Burano (Venice)
Check out The Olive Garden Institute
Rome
Florence

Austria:
Underwater park (pinterest)
Go on the Sound of Music tour

Croatia

Czech Republic
Prague

France:
Colmar (pinterest)
French Riviera
Versailles Etretat, Upper Normandy (pinterest)
Lavender fields

Germany:
Neuschwanstein (Cinderella) Castle
Rothenburg (pinterest)
Checkpoint Charley in berlin
Stay at Edelweiss
Eat at the Chili's at Ramstein (my stomach growled just typing that)
Bonn (Cherry Blossom Street) (pinterest)
Visit Casey
Visit Lara

Greece:
Santorini
Athens

Netherlands
See the daffodils in bloom in Amsterdam
See the tulips in bloom in Holland

Norway
Norway (northern lights)
Visit my old roommate, Lise

Portugal
Azores

Spain:
Burgundy Street in Madrid (pinterest)
Visit the "Torres" winery

Turkey
Antayla (The Stone Mirror) (pinterest)
Natural rock pools (pinterest)

United Kingdom:
See a show in London with the husband
Go back to Bournemouth (where I spent a year abroad)
See my friends!!
British and Natural History Museum
Visit my surname's castle in Scotland

Other:
Go on a cruise
See the rock of Gibraltar

(This a now a page at the top of this site. if you want to see the places we've already been, check out the Our Travels page!)

Expecting...From Ethiopia!

2012-01-16T13:26:00.000+01:00

Have you ever met someone who would literally give you the shirt off his back if you asked for it? It’s a pretty nice thought and I think people would have good intentions if asked, but let’s get real for a minute: our clothes can sometimes be one of our priciest and most valued possessions, especially while we’re wearing them. Sure, most of us go through our stuff once or maybe twice a season (if that) to donate our unwanted garb, but there’s a difference between giving away old clothing and handing over something currently keeping you warm.

I’m thankful to share that I personally know someone who is so selfless that he’s given his jacket—in the middle of winter—to a man shivering on a street corner. That man is my brother and he is, by far, the most giving person I know. He would never tell you this story (I think we only found out because he showed up to our house one particular night without his recently purchased jacket), but he would repeat it a thousand times over. My brother is the type of person who (and honestly, probably has) gives away his last dollar if he knows it will help you somehow. He’s the type of guy who packs extra food in his car just in case he runs across someone who’s hungry.

Selfless is what comes to mind when I think about Chris, and the same holds true for his wife. Together, they are an unstoppable pair. They are steadfast in their love, faith, and eagerness to fulfill God’s will—it’s evident in everything they do.

So when they told us last week that they had some big news, I held my breath and waited for what came next.

“There’s going to be a new baby in the family,” my sister-in-law said. Before I could even speak she quickly followed with, “but it’s not in the way you think.”

Instantly I knew exactly what she meant. Tears of joy flowed as she explained what we already guessed...

My brother and his wife are expecting…they are adopting from Ethiopia!

The thought of adopting has always been on the table for them; it was something they both wanted and talked about before they even got married. So here they are, after continuous prayer and close to three years after they pledged their lives to each other; they are officially starting the adoption process.

Amanda’s sister-in-law, Sarah, said it perfectly, “They vacillate between sheer joy and absolute fear. We tell them this is what it is to be expecting. Hearts are full and joy abounds. They are paper-pregnant.”

Remember the tale above about of the guy giving away the jacket off his back? I personally know how much he hates asking for money. He’d rather give away all he has and figure out a way to make due, but now they’re in a position where pride isn’t an option. This is something they’ve fervently prayed for and are answering His call by pursuing it, no matter the cost. They know He will provide.

The problem is that there is a cost, and it’s a pretty hefty one. To quote Sarah again, “But wouldn't you know that good things and sincere hearts and brave efforts don't always come free? In fact, this thing, as noble and loving and true as it is, actually costs quite a bit. More than a car, a wedding, or even a down payment on a house. Turns out, bringing home a baby from Ethiopia costs just around what some single income families make in a year. One whole year.”

As much as I’d love to believe God would swoop in and personally hand them a check, that’s most likely not going to happen. (Dear God, if you could prove me wrong just this once I would really appreciate it.) Since money (probably) won’t be falling from trees anytime soon, my brother and Amanda are working for it.

They’re selling Extracts for Ethiopia. It’s 100 percent homemade vanilla extract made with pure bourbon Madagascar “noire” vanilla beans and triple distilled premium vodka. YUM!

If you like coffee, Just Love Coffee Roasters is donating a large portion of anything purchased through their storefront.

And finally, they are accepting donations.

I’ve seen, first hand, how life-changing events can happen because of one single blog post, and if I need to host another virtual bake sale, I absolutely will! I just checked and this little blog of mine currently has 420 people subscribing via Google Reader. Not only am I shocked there are that many of your reading this (thank you!), but if you each donated just $10 it would pay for their Adoption Service Fee. How great would that be?

This is extremely exciting and very near and dear to my heart. I promise I won't bombard you with donation pleas in the future, but this won’t be the last time you’ll hear about this adoption (totally serious about a possible bake sale!).

If you're interested in keeping up with Chris and Amanda's journey or would just like to leave them some encouragement, check out their website and "like" their Facebook page!

If you end up donating or buying vanilla or coffee, please let me know! I would like to send you a personal thank-you note. Shoot me an email at jessicalynnwrites (at) gmail.com.

five for friday

2012-01-13T07:34:00.000+01:00

1. You were so thoughtful when you said, "Don't forget to drink water, but not a lot, because we can't pee out there." (Said during NYE dinner)
2. We had a lunch date this week!
3. You said you could tell I cleaned house. Those are sweet words.
4. I'm really proud of your hard work with school and work.
5. You keep giving me early birthday presents :)

p.s. i love you

Together at Last: Eat, Drink, and be Married!

2012-01-12T12:08:00.000+01:00

This post is part of my wedding recap series. I will finish this by our next anniversary. I will. Missed something and want to catch up? Click here for links to past "Together at Last" posts.

Around the time everyone finished the delicious dinner (I talked about what we served here), it was time for speeches and toasts!

My maid of honor started the whole thing off and kept it lighthearted and sentimental. Next up was my husband's friend from waaaay back in the day. They've known each other since elementary school, so he could've shared a very large number of stories. This particular friend is...um...unpredictable with his words. We had now idea what would come out of his mouth, so we were literally squeezing our hands together, bracing ourselves for what we'd hear. Luckily, he didn't say anything embarrassing, but kept it short and sweet—whew! Last up was another friend of my husband's from college. He's an all-around fantastic guy, and it was nice to hear him tell the tale of how my husband reacted in our early days of dating.

With champagne in hand, we all toasted to a long and happy life together. (Cue collective, "awwww.")

Finally it was time for cake! Or, should I say cake and cupcakes!

photo from my cousin's camera

I may have jumped on the Cupcake Bandwagon of Twenty Ten, but I didn't care in the slightest. Truth be told, I've wanted cupcakes at my wedding way before the cupcake craze was ever an actual "craze." We taste-tested our way through Albuquerque's finest cupcakeries (totally a word) and came up with a complete winner: Cupcakeology. (edit: I just put the link in and found out they closed on Christmas Eve. I'm incredibly sad now. Sigh...keep reading anyway...)

I still take great pride in serving cupcakes! Several of our guests even came up to us after the wedding and told said that when they heard (and saw) we were having cupcakes, they actually snubbed their noses and frowned at the idea. Then they tasted one and not only did they think it was the best cupcake to ever grace their lips, but they went back for more. We seriously had guests telling us what a great idea and how good those cupcakes were months after the wedding.

Now that I'm off my cupcake pedestal, I'll get down to the nitty-gritty. Along with having regular-sized cupcakes, I also wanted to have my cake and eat it, too. (Hey! That's the first time that cliche actually works with no second meaning behind it!) The owner of Cupcakeology also makes (sigh. made) "regular" cakes, so we had one to cut into!

As for the cupcake flavors, we picked:

Cheesecake

(Vanilla cake topped with cheesecake frosting, seasonal berries, and graham cracker crumbs) *This is my personal favorite.

Hazelnut Happiness

(Chocolate cake topped with Nutella buttercream and toasted hazelnuts)

Red Velvet

(Classic red velvet cake topped with cream cheese frosting and a pink heart)

Mint Chocolate

(picture from my cousin's camera)

(Chocolate cake topped with mint buttercream)

Cutting into the cake was pretty fun. My grandma threatened us to not "smash" the cake at each other, because "it's so tacky." Well, while I trusted my new husband, there was a part of me that wasn't entirely certain he wouldn't try some sort of funny business by smearing cake all over my face.

I guess my grandma's warning was enough for both of us, because the only frosting I encountered was on my lips!

This next part cracks me up. I didn't know about it until we got our photos back, but I LOVE it! I love my friends and these next pictures confirm why they're my favorite...

Yeah, they had their own cake smashing adventure! Love it!

Wow. I only have two more posts after this! I don't know who will be happier when I wrap this sucker up, me or you :)

Next up...We Dance the Night Away

*unless otherwise noted, photos are courtesy of Kim Jackson Photography

Find Your Eye: Why Photography?

2012-01-10T14:18:00.000+01:00

In an effort to stay busy out here, I've started taking some classes. Right now they both happen to be photography classes, and I couldn't be more excited. One class is actually a set of four sessions that will be held on base. The topics cover travel, macro, food, and a whole class on understanding your camera. I can't wait!

The other class I'm taking, based online, is called "Finding Your Eye," with Kat Eye Studio. I love the title of the class, because it reminds me that, while I'm still tuning my "voice" as a writer, I should also work finding my eye when it comes to photography.

The first lesson prompt was simple: "Why do you photograph? Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with an answer. Different images would come to mind, but nothing really stood out. Then I read the next paragraph with a few more questions: Why do I take photos? What draws me to photography? What are my motivations? What keeps me excited and interested?

The instructor, Kat, says "Understanding and following your personal motivations is the first step to finding your eye," and just like that, a photo came to mind and I found my answer.

el amor de una familia (a family's love)

I like pushing myself out of my comfort zone with my writing and I think the same holds true for the pictures I take. I like capturing an audience's attention, and when it comes to pictures, that typically comes from a spontaneous moment. I know this may sounds strange, and may leave me a little vulnerable for sharing this, but I get a thrill out of making a reader emotional; if I can make someone laugh, cry, reflect, happy, or even a little uncomfortable, then I'm content with my work.

a homecoming

another homecoming!

My weakness, I think, is that I get too comfy and don't take enough risks with photos I want to take, or with my words the words. I think the more I learn to use my camera the more I'll feel at ease with getting out there. I know this prompt has nothing to do with weakness, but I think it ties in to why I photograph and will help me find my eye.

adam turns one

play date by the pool

So, why photography? Because I like the raw emotion it can bring out of people and that it forces me out of my comfort zone. I realize the photos above don't necessarily encompass that, but that's what I'm aiming for. Perhaps I'll find a different "eye" along the way.

Together at Last: It's Time to Party!

2012-01-09T06:31:00.000+01:00

{This post is part of my wedding recap series. I will finish this by our next anniversary. I will. Missed something and want to catch up? Click here for links to past "Together at Last" posts.}

A new song hit the airwaves a few weeks before our wedding and the second I heard it I knew I wanted to blast it loud as we entered into our reception. (click below to play)

When the nerves and stress from wedding planning would start eating at me, I would listen to this song and envision the night of my wedding. The lyrics declare "that tonight's gonna be a good night," so I held on to that notion and let the excitement build through me. I loved thinking about the reception, because it meant we would be married by then! So yeah, it was going to be a very good night!

My brother, our fantastic DJ, worked his charm and did what he does best: he got all of our guests up on their feet, got them groovin' to the music, and announced our bridal party.

While my husband and I waited outside—we were last to go in—we could feel the energy from inside the room growing. Everyone was clapping and cheering; I was so excited I would've jumped out of my wedding dress if it wasn't practically tied to my body.

But then, as he announced the newlyweds, something happened.

The music my brother was playing stopped and new melodies started flowing from behind us. (scroll up to stop the first video, then come back here and press play below!)

You guys, I have a little surprise for you. Do you remember waaaaaay back when, I wrote a blog about "la marcha"? It's a traditional dance and very popular at weddings in New Mexico. Well, my dad arranged a surprise for the guests at our wedding. Only a few people were in on it, which is a a pretty big deal when you know how much my dad loves to share any tiny bit of information with the rest of his family. My dad hired real mariachis (from Mariachi Nuevo Sonido) to perform at our reception! (the music playing is not from the group we hired)

It. Was. Fantastic! Before we even had a chance to sit down, we started dancing around to la marcha. Seeing so many people having fun in one place was unbelievably exciting!

Luckily, the fun didn't stop there. We kept the party going for several more hours. The mariachis stuck around and played during dinner and then it was time for dessert!

I'm thisclose to finishing these recaps. I thought about stopping a few posts back, but I've dragged them out this far, so I may as well finish. Besides, there are only a few more posts to go. At this rate I'll finish by our second anniversary next month. (I literally just rolled my eyes at the fact that it's taken me this long.)

up next...We Eat Cake!
photos courtesy of Kim Jackson Photography

five for friday

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000+01:00

1. you wrote down wonderful, thought-out goals for the year in your notebook.
2. despite your horrible schedule, I'm thankful I get to wake up next to you each morning.
3. you ate the cauliflower soup I made and actually liked it!
4. you helped miss Bella navigate the Internet so she could see her puppy blogs.
5. boom.

p.s. i love you

A Brand New Year!

2012-01-05T08:51:00.001+01:00

On New Year's Day we took advantage of our hotel's free breakfast (they had a nice spread of pastries, meat, cheese, yogurt, fruit, juice, and coffee). Truth be told, after I filled up on caffeine, I slipped an extra muffin in my purse for a snack later in the day—hey, we paid good money to get that free breakfast, so I milked it for all it was worth! When it was time to check out we decided to wander a bit before hopping on the train.

Take a tip from me: if you don't have time to "wander" the streets of Venice, then just go directly to your destination as soon as possible and then linger around that area. Even with a map, it can take you twice as long to get somewhere because of the way the city is laid out. One wrong turn and you'll end up completely turned around. I'm pretty good with directions and I can hardly tell up from down when I'm walking around those crazy streets!

I say this because we missed our first train back home. It wasn't a big deal since trains run pretty often and it's only an hour back for us, but for travelers on a somewhat-tight schedule it could be an issue.

Anyway, our one wrong turn led us all over the place! We crossed different bridges, meandered through tiny alleys, and marveled at the sights!

Never, in all my life, could I have imagined spending New Year's Day walking, hand-in-hand, with my husband through the streets of Venice. Twenty-one-year-old me would've peed her pants if I told her that!

I hope your new year is off to a great start. Exciting adventures await us over here, and I can't wait to share them all with you, one blog at a time!

Buon Anno! (Happy New Year!)

2012-01-04T08:32:00.000+01:00

For the past six years, New Year's Eve has meant more to me than just a fun excuse to party. It has a special place in my heart, because six years ago, on New Year's Eve, is when I met my husband. Of course, at the time I didn't know I would marry him (he says he knew...); I just thought he was a cute boy! It turns out that boy turned is now the man I love.

We decided to make this NYE memorable since he was deployed last year and will be deployed next year. I set my sights on ringing in the new year in Venice since I heard they throw quite a party. My eager ambitions to spend the night there quickly fell to the ground when I saw how much hotel rooms were for the night of December 31. As one travel agent told me, "The entire world celebrates New Year's Eve, so expect a high mark-up on everything." Her warning was very much appreciated and prepared me for sky-high prices.

The place I found, Hotel Ca' d'Oro, had good reviews and included free cancellation and free breakfast (two criteria I like), but the only room available was their junior suite with a "canal view."

I can't tell you how excited I am to own a wide-angle lens some day!

I've had "rooms with a view" before and have always been disappointed. Usually you get a sliver of whatever view you're expecting and have to crane your neck out the window just to see it. I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when we opened our window and saw this view:

Well hellooooo, Italy! After I picked my jaw off the floor I started taking pictures. I hope I never get tired of visiting Venice, because it's truly beautiful around every corner. Once my fingers were too cold to take another shot, I gave in and took a nap, knowing we'd be up late celebrating. (I also wanted to get our money's worth for our room by sleeping in the bed twice...)

This is supposed to be a "before" picture, but we clearly need to work on our photo-taking skills.

We had a couple hours to spare till dinner, so we leisurely strolled through Venice's labyrinth to get to the restaurant. If I thought finding a hotel in that city on NYE was difficult, then I should've prepared myself for finding a place to eat. My husband decided that if we were celebrating our "meetiversary" (as he kept calling it), then we were going all out. He wanted a good meal that included wine in the price.

I did my homework trying to find a place weeks before NYE. I read reviews and even emailed eateries asking for their NYE menu and price, but I was blown away by some places—several charged more than €500 a person...FOR DINNER! If I paid that price I'd expect to go home with gold and diamonds! I finally found a place (Taverna San Trovaso) that had an extensive-looking set menu, good reviews, included wine, and only set us back a little bit.

Dinner started promptly at 8 pm and I immediately loved the festive energy in the restaurant. Our table had a place card with our name on it, along with two party hats and two noise makers just for us. SCORE! The owner, Marcus, greeted every table wearing a fun party hat and promptly brought us wine (red and white). As our waitress poured us each a Bellini, we settled in for a delicious dinner. Before we knew it, the place was packed and the courses started to arrive.

I haven't translated the menu yet, but left to right (from what we think it was): pumpkin soup; some sort of seafood soup (so good); mixed seafood plate (lots of raw fish), and thinly sliced beef with cheese.

Yes. I said "courses." It was a set menu and when I made the reservation I had to pick either the meat or seafood menu, so I ordered one of each. When the food started arriving we looked at the menu again and realized we had absolutely no idea what we were eating—we could pick out a few words here and there (scampi, salami, artichoke, etc.), but that doesn't really explain much if you don't know the context in which the ingredient is cooked! Luckily, the food was good, so it wasn't an issue.

half a lobster; three different kinds of salami (I need to find out what kind they were, because they were delicious) and spicy cheese sticks (I want to recreate them); another type of mixed seafood with a shellfish we've never seen before, and a puff pastry with Gorgonzola sauce filled with zucchini and proscuitto.

We only had one issue with our long, drawn-out meal: around the fifth plate of food that graced our table, we started getting sleepy. And when that sixth dish to land before our eyes was a nice, big bowl of creamy risotto? Forget it. All I wanted to do was curl up in my seat and take a nap. Instead of snoozing, I pushed the risotto aside (after a few bites, because I couldn't let something that tasty go to waste), had some more wine, a few gulps of water, and was ready for more food.

tortellini filled with duck and pheasant (all I could translate!); a seafood crepe; and risotto (seafood and a meat variety)

All in all, dinner was exactly what we wanted. It was fancy schmancy, but without being pretentious. We were also the only Americans in there and had a great table so we could be all romantic and make googly eyes at each other.

Sea bass with pistachio and veggies; veal with zucchini, eggplant, and an artichoke souffle; panatone (dessert).

Dinner ended up lasting four hours (yes, four), and we found ourselves quickly sipping a shot of espresso and downing dessert so we could get out of there and over to San Marco's Square for the countdown.

Not San Marco, but I'm not sure what it is, exactly.

Finding the square was pretty simple—we just followed the crowd! Somehow we made it there in record time ended up in the perfect spot!

Before we knew it, it was time to countdown!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

After we rang in the new year with a traditional kiss, we made a silly decision: to seek out fireworks. We were told they were pretty cool in Venice, so we started making our way to the water. Everything started out fine, but before we knew it, people were closing in all around us.

I've never been surrounded by more people in my life! At one point my husband yanked me to one side and we somehow found a spot to watch the fireworks. It was a fantastic show and actually worth the crowd of people.

It took us more than an hour to get back to our hotel that night, because of all the people, but there was so much excitement and energy flowing throughout everyone that it was a fun trip back! I'm so happy we experienced NYE in Venice together!

Memories, Dreams, and Reflections

2012-01-01T18:16:00.000+01:00

I know I just shared the top posts from 2011, but I saw this link-up and couldn't resist. Ashley Sisk came up with this "Memories, Dreams, and Reflections: 2011" and I had a fun time going through pictures from this past year to fill her prompts!

Memories, Dreams, and Reflections:

Me!
{picture of yourself}

Classic camera phone after I got my hair did. Those are also my new Warby Parker (Zagg) specs.

I Love You
picture of your husband, boyfriend, children, pets, etc.

I absolutely love this man, especially when he wears that jacket and has a little scruff going on. It's kinda funny since I caught him drinking beer—he's a wine guy, the beer was just part of the occasion.

Still Laughing
a moment you're still laughing about now...tell us a story.

I mean, really? Who twists their ankle while walking their dog at the airport minutes before moving to another country?

Winter Wonderland
a picture that reflects Winter.

The closest thing we've had to a winter wonderland was some ridiculously heavy fog out here.

Birthday
share a birthday picture (your own or someone you love).

We spent my 27th birthday in Pine Mountain, Georgia, at Callaway Gardens. My lovely friend (Natalie from Oven Love) had these delicious cupcakes waiting for me when we got home!

Friends
a picture with friends

I met a whole slew of blog friends this year at BlogHer Food! (back row, L to R: Jaclyn of Food Plus Words, Jessica of The Novice Chef, Mandy of Home with Mandy, Jim of Comfort in Crumbs, ME(!) of Jessica Lynn Writes, Natalie of Oven Love, and Erin of Erin's Food Files. front row: Tina of My Life as a Mrs., Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil, Julie of The Little Kitchen) Go visit their blogs!!

I Was Inspired...

could be a picture of your inspiration (person or thing), or inspired by...

I really hope she doesn't mind (especially since I grabbed this photo from her FB profile), but I'm constantly inspired by my sister-in-law! Take this headboard she made, for example; I just love it and want to try making one of my own. Actually, I think she should sell them, because the other one she made is just as cool as this one!

Spring Fever
a picture that reflects Spring.

My husband spent two months in Arizona during spring, and I went out to join him for a couple weeks.

Travel or Vacation
a picture taken on vacation or on a recent travel experience...even if it was only a few miles away.

Road trippin'!

Summer Days
a picture that reflects Summer.

Nothing says "summer" like a play date by the pool. If you click that link be prepared for an overload of cuteness. Don't say I didn't warn you :)

A Day In My Life
a picture of a typical day in your life.

(Almost) Every Monday I go to my town's market to stock up on veggies

All Smiles
a picture that makes you smile or of smiling faces.

It's funny that I picked this picture, because even though these are genuine smiles, we were saying "cheese" through tears. Looking back on it makes me smile now, though. I miss my friends from home and from my second home in Georgia.

Autumn Harvest
a picture that reflects Autumn/Fall.

Nothing says "autumn harvest" to me like an apple pie.

Family or Home
a picture of your family or a picture that represents family/home for you.

This is from our trip to New Mexico back in September. I still need to edit the pictures from that trip. No matter where I travel and no matter where I live, "home" will always be New Mexico.

Celebrate!
a picture that reflects a celebration.

Homecomings are one of my favorite things to celebrate. So happy I was there for this moment.

Let's Do It Again...
a picture of something you'd like to do again soon.

I'm drooling just thinking about eating this again...someday. I can have all the chile in the world out here, but it won't ever taste as good as it does from my favorite restaurant.

I Miss You

a picture of someone or something you really miss.

(I'm cheating and blatantly copied this photo from their website) Even though I have access to delicious Italian pizza steps from my house, I sometimes REALLY miss American pizza. Specifically, I miss Marco's pizza.

Beautiful

a picture of someone or something you find beautiful.

When I opened the window of our Venice hotel room, this is what greeted me. I literally gasped when I saw the view. I can't get over how beautiful it is out here.

Dress Up

this might be a picture from Halloween or not...but someone who is all dressed up!

My husband's squadron's holiday party. Is it sad that the best photo we have of us from the past several months is from an iPhone?

Macro
share your favorite macro or close-up image.

I took this picture of pines (from a pine tree) at the very beginning of last year. I forgot how much I love still photography. So glad I found this picture again!

Holidays
a picture from the Holiday of your choice.

I almost forgot about these, but now that I see them again, I remember how delicious they were. I made these Sopaipilla Cheesecake Bars for Cinco de Mayo!

My Favorite

share your favorite picture or memory from 2011.

I'm sure I could edit this, but I don't really want to—when we flew over the Alps on our way to Italy I felt like I could finally breathe. For nine months we were stressed and constantly wondered if our move to Italy would be pulled out from underneath us. Knowing that we were minutes away from landing was a wonderful feeling.

Don't Ever Change

something you love about yourself, someone, or something that you never want to change.

Heh. This is a pretty typical face my husband make with all of the pictures I take. I love us.

Just Because...So There!

(share any picture(s) that you really want to share, but doesn't fit in any other category)

A picture from home (New Mexico) the last time we were there.

Hopes and Dreams

share what you hope to come or dream for 2012. Feel free to share an image of your choice.

(I planned on publishing this at 12:01 am on January 1, but this particular prompt held me back, I couldn't think of a picture to post. Then I realized I don't need to post a picture since nothing has happened yet. Basically, this makes me excited for all the opportunities, adventures, and moments to come this year!)

five for friday

2011-12-30T07:00:00.000+01:00

1. We used empty wrapping paper rolls and had a "sword" fight on Christmas Eve.
2. You planned out Christmas day as a surprise, complete with using my Grandma's recipe for funnel cakes, making a turkey so we can have more awesome leftovers, and letting me make green bean casserole again since it rocks!
3. You've been literally licking your plate clean lately, which makes me happy!
4. OH NOOO!
5. We're about to celebrate our 7th anniversary for the day we met! (It's seven, right? Or is it six?!)

p.s. i love you

2011: Year in Review

2011-12-29T07:30:00.000+01:00

I know everyone says this, but I swear the older I get the faster time flies. I can’t fathom that it’s actually the end of the year. And let’s not even start talking about the fact that I’m turning 28 in less than a month.

Next year my blog is turning seven years old, and I can honestly say that I absolutely love writing here year after year. While I write things that interest me, I also definitely keep you in mind. I’m continually floored so many of you read this, even if you just lurk around here and keep mum instead of comment. Please know that I read and love every single comment and email I receive!

Last year I did a “year in review” based on the top posts, so I thought it’d be fun to do it again. You may have read them the first time around (thanks!), but in case you’re new or missed a post or two, here they are:

1. Bella and Her Couch

Our sweet dog's favorite piece of furniture.

2. Bookmarked

A great pinterest find for any book lovers out there!

3. Help me Pick a Pair

I absolutely, positively LOVE Warby Parker and their glasses. Thanks for everyone's input on what specs I should pick—I actually end up buying the "Zagg" pair and I love wearing them every day!

4. A Miniature Gift

My husband gave me surprise gift that took us on a trip down memory lane.

5. A Reflection of our First Year

Celebrating one year of marriage!

6. Pondering the Move

Gearing up for our move was sometimes a frustrating ordeal, but your comments helped keep me on the right track.

7. Dialect Vlogging

This cracks me up that it's still one of the top posts on here. Actually, I'm pretty sure y'all like my husband more than me after this :)

8. Five for Friday: the book

Ah, I still love this project! It's basically exactly what it sounds like—all of the Five for Friday posts compiled into one book as a first-anniversary present for my husband!

9. Newlywed Map

We love traveling, so this is a great way to keep track of our adventures and it doubles as art in our house!

10. Venice, Italy

You guys really liked the post from Venice! I'm still shocked we're so close to one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In fact, we're spending New Year's Eve there, so hopefully I'll have a great post when we get back!

11. We’re Moving To...

(I somehow ended up with 11 posts—whoops! I clearly deal with words, not numbers!) This post was so much fun to write! To be honest, I was terrified the military would change its decision at any second and I'd have to write a sad follow-up post. Luckily, everything worked out and here we are, living in Italy!

But wait! That's not all! Since this is the only time I can toot my own blogging horn, here are a few more of my personal favorite posts from Twenty Eleven:

Happy Birthday to Me
Home is Where the Food is
The Baby Bird That Could
The Stay-at-Home Wife
My Grandma is Cool
A Family Recipe
Sometimes I'm Grumpy

I wish you all a very happy new year! Thank you again for your kind words this year. I hope to see around here in 2012!

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T14:37:00.001+01:00

Our town, Maniago, busted out their holiday lights and got a little festive a few weeks ago. Coming home every night has been a blast, and I not-so-secretly hope they keep them up a little while longer!

Bakery a few steps from our house

We were a little shocked with how many people were out and about the night we were out. By the way, these were taken around 5:30 pm. The sun sets here around 4 pm these days. Absolutely crazy! I need to take pictures of our town in the daylight, but here are a few more around the town center at night:

Being far from home is difficult, especially over the holidays, but my husband is pretty unbelievable and decided to recreate my family's traditional Christmas breakfast, right down to making homemade funnel cakes!

Yup, I said funnel cakes, as in the deliciously bad-for-you fried dessert you get at the state fair. Well, we have funnel cakes for Christmas—how fun is that? I don't know when the tradition of serving funnel cakes on Christmas morning started, but every year we go over to my grandma's house and have funnel cakes, eggs, bacon, chile, and toast, and then we open presents.

There was a big, heavy box sitting under the tree teasing for weeks, so we couldn't help ourselves and opened one present the night before Christmas. Inside was this gorgeous dutch oven from my in-laws! We've been wanting one for awhile, so this is just fantastic! Thank you :)

They were SOOOO good!

I got all fancy schmancy with my milk. Also, yes, we ate breakfast at our coffee table and listened to Christmas music. That's how we roll.

Lunchtime consisted of cheese, meat, carbs, and more cheese and carbs. Just looking at this is making me hungry again. I forgot to take a picture of our queso, but just imagine delicious spicy melted cheese that you have to eat with tortilla chips.

We kinda didn't hold back this Christmas at all. Since my husband was "in charge" of planning things he wanted to go all out. So. Um. We bought a turkey, brined the turkey, cooked a whole turkey, and I made an entire green bean casserole just for the two of us. The thing is, we were completely stuffed from our awesome breakfast and snack-fest lunch that we didn't eat dinner till around 8, and even then we only had about an ounce or so of turkey. It's a good thing we love leftover turkey!

Alton Brown's brined turkey that we LOVE, cranberry relish, and green bean casserole (recipe coming soon).

Throughout the day we opened lots and lots of presents. I'm still floored by how much stuff we got from everyone. It was seriously awesome and I'm still finding wrapping paper in random places.

Stocking stuffer for my husband.

My husband let me open a gift the night before Christmas. He got me a replica wedding cake topper. We never found ours after our wedding.

Stocking stuffers: some candy and awesome lotto tickets from my mom! I won $11 and my husband won $10 and three free tickets. We'll mail them back to her to collect our winings

I am so, incredibly thankful for technology. We opened presents with my family and got to "hang out" with them during our afternoon. It was great to be so close, but yet so far away.

You guys, this is the ridiculous amount of gifts my husband and I received yesterday. I'm feeling a little guilty for how much there is (I think I'm even missing a couple things from the picture), but at the same time I'm SO excited for all of it!!

And that, my friends, was Christmas 2011! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

five for friday

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000+01:00

1. you helped me curl the back pieces of hair for the party, which is awesome on so many levels.
2. you won the fancy schmancy gift basket at the party despite your chicken scratch
3. we cried together when Michael left "The Office."
4. we have a new (used) car!!
5. this will be our first Christmas together as a married couple!

p.s. i love you

Making Bread

2011-12-21T13:59:00.000+01:00

Making bread from scratch scares me. Actually, any recipe that has yeast as an ingredient freaks me out. There's something about the yeast being alive (or having to wake it from hibernation) that seems way too difficult to bother with making. Basically it's something new and foreign, so it seems completely out of my league.

But last night I made Taco Soup and I really wanted bread to go with it. Sure, I could've bundled up and gone to the bakery on the corner, but I was craving my husband's bread. Back in Georgia he used to make it so many times that he had the recipe memorized. He even started skipping the stand mixer and would make it by hand. I love how crunchy and crispy it is on the outside and soft and fluffy inside, plus when you eat it straight from the oven it's still nice and warm. Yum.

recipe from The Tale of Two Kitchens

I knew that by the time he came home from work it would be too late for him to make the bread, so I got a wild hair and decided to make it myself. Since I'm still not too keen on plugging in our stand mixer out here (plus it's heavy and I really didn't feel like lifting it), I also decided to make it with my own two hands.

Not only is his recipe* ridiculously simple, but it was the perfect way to step out of my baking comfort zone. I loved that I didn't have to do anything fancy schmancy to the yeast (just toss it in the bowl with the other ingredients), but the best part is that it was ready in less than an hour. It also tasted fantastic, or at least I think it tasted great, but maybe I just enjoyed my labor of love :)

What are you hesitant to make in the kitchen?

*click the photo for the French Bread recipe

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas...

2011-12-17T11:38:00.000+01:00

I'm a mean blogger. I deceived you with the title of this post. I bet you probably thought I would show you pretty pictures of Italy surrounded in snow. I'm sorry, but that's not the case. We've had ridiculously thick fog a few times that makes me think I'm in a winter wonderland, but I still haven't seen a single snowflake.

As for it looking like Christmas....check out what I found at our commissary:

Red and green New Mexico chile (aka "Christmas") in Italy! Who knew?! If you've been reading this blog for awhile then you know how ~~addicted~~ ~~obsessed~~ fond we are of chile. The fact that they have this (and that our freezer is now stocked with several of these containers in case they suddenly decide to not carry them anymore) is unbelievably exciting!

Before we left America my mom, Kenny, and I tried to think of all the different possibilities for getting our chile out here. We tried dehydrating it (lost the flavor); we tried it from a jar (lost the heat, but still had some flavor), from cans (has a strange acidity to it), and even tried mailing some pods over (they got moldy), but nothing worked. Shipping it would be too expensive, because it needs to stay frozen or over dry ice and there's no telling how long it would take to get here. We were beginning to lose hope.

I was at the post office on base one day and I was wearing my NMSU sweatshirt (my alma mater) and the guy getting our mail asked if I was from New Mexico. It turns out that we went to the same high school (completely different years), and only lived a few miles away from each other back in Albuquerque. Such a small world! Anyway, I asked him if he missed his chile fix.

He looked at me for a minute, cocked his head, and looked around before he whispered, "You mean you don't know?"

"Know what?" I replied in the same hushed tone.

"There's chile at the commissary. Frozen. Next to the pizza," he exclaimed with a smile. He was clearly eager to share his secret, but his almost-whisper told me he didn't want to share it with everyone. We New Mexicans are seriously crazy for our chile.

"SHUT UP! Seriously?" was my response. I barely had time to thank him before I was out the door and stocking my cart with our favorite type of "Christmas."

And that was that. We now have a little piece of home in Italy! So far I've made green chile chicken enchiladas, green chile stew yesterday, taco pie the day before, and I'm making green chile sauce today.

I was almost hesitant to share this, because I have a huge fear I'll go to buy more and there won't be any left, but that just means other people will be enjoying it out here, which is a-okay with me... I guess :)

Adios, Glitter Nails!

2011-12-17T10:49:00.001+01:00

First and foremost, I saw this on Pinster (yeah, I kinda call it that sometimes), so while I wish I could be the genius who discovered this fantastic trick, I'm not. Bummer.

The pinner claims you can take glittery nail polish off with just aluminum foil, nail polish remover, and cotton balls—no scrubbing needed. I'm pretty sure I rolled my eyes and said, "yeah right," when I saw that. But then last night I needed to take the purple glitter polish off my nails and remembered the pin.

This actually works (picture above is evidence)! I figured there are a few people who haven't seen this yet, so I had to share it with you. I'm still excited about not having to scrub, rub, or scrape the glitter off my nails, and I may or may not have done a little happy dance around the room when there wasn't a smidge of glitter left on my nails.

Here's what you need:

nail polish remover

10 cotton balls

10 long(ish) pieces of foil

scissors

Here's what you do:

Cut 10 pieces of foil long enough to wrap completely around your nail. (I cut mine around 1" thick and about 5" long.) Working one finger at a time, soak your cotton ball just like you were going to remove the polish, but then place the soaked side down on your nail. Wrap that nail/finger in foil and make sure it's on nice and snug. Repeat with remaining fingers (I did one hand first and then the other hand). Chill for a few minutes (I showed off my foil-wrapped fingers by doing dancing phalanges around my husband's face) and then slide the foil off. Voila! Your glitter will magically be lifted away.

Not Home for Christmas

2011-12-16T10:54:00.002+01:00

Every time I hear someone singing "I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me" I cringe a little inside. I used to love that song; I thought it was romantic that no matter where your loved one was, he/she would be home for Christmas. They had to, right? It'd be a holiday miracle. Unfortunately, in reality, everyone is not home for the holidays.

Before we got married I knew "what I was getting myself into," as so many people like to phrase it. (Such a horrible thing to tell someone, by the way) I knew my husband was in the military and there would be a very real possibility of him missing occasions. For example, before we said "I do" we made sure we were on the same page with things, like starting a family. His take on the whole baby thing was (and still is, considering our current situation) "Well, I'll probably only be there for either the conception or the birth, but not both." And as for holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries? Yup, he told me he'd miss too many of those, too.

Somehow I still thought we'd magically bypass the whole aspect of missing important milestones. I would hear other military spouses talk about how many years they've been married and then how many special occasions they've been apart from each other. The difference in numbers shocked me, but I still kept tricking myself that we would slip under the military's radar and spend every occasion together. I was in my own happy little bubble.

Then the inevitable happened. He deployed with absolutely no warning a few weeks before Christmas and we had no clue when he'd be back. Truth be told, it turned out to be several of the hardest months in my life. I walked around numb for several days. He left so quickly that I would find pieces of him scattered throughout our house: the jacket he wore the day before still lingering on the chair; his coffee mug still half-full in the office; dirty clothes strewn all over our bedroom. It was like he left for a work in the morning and would be back later that day, only that wasn't the case.

I had a few things that helped me through such a dark time and I want to share them with you in case you're going through something similar. Please know that you're not alone!

1. Cry. I cried at the drop of a hat and I didn't try to hide it. I cried in front of strangers, through way too many Christmas songs (especially during the song I mentioned above), and I cried myself to sleep almost every night. That doesn't meant that I spent my days doing nothing but crying, but I decided to be vulnerable and not hide behind my feelings. As military spouses there seems to be this unspoken rule that you have to be brave, strong, and put on a stone-cold face showing the world that you can handle this. Well, I couldn't handle it, so I cried. A lot.

2. Find someone. Because of the circumstances surrounding his absence, I couldn't share details (even that he was gone) to most people. For someone who likes to talk a lot, this was remarkably difficult. Luckily, I could confide in my mom. She knew when I was going to break down and when I needed encouragement. I tried to act somewhat "normal" in public, so it was nice being able to let my guard down around my parents.

3. Go home. If you can, I highly recommend spending the holidays with close family or friends. It was terrible and awful to be surrounded by family without my husband, but it was also ten thousand times nicer to spend it with people I love and who love me than spending it alone.

4. Vent. Holding your frustrations in doesn't do anyone, any good. Writing is my outlet and since I couldn't blog about my husband being away, I wrote in a journal and my husband and I wrote letters and emails back and forth to each other. It was very therapeutic for me.

5. Mail. I sent him a couple care packages to help him feel the holiday spirit a little more. Inside one was like Christmas exploded—I found garland, tiny ornaments, stockings, and all the trimmings so he could decorate and make his room a little more festive. I also sent him cookies and a few presents so he could have something to open. Not only did it lift his spirits, but it helped me get into the holiday season a little more.

6. Find Resources. Since I kept pretty mum about the whole thing, I googled my little heart out and found blogs and different articles where wives talked about missing the holidays with their husbands. I found comfort in knowing I wasn't alone. (Check out Care.com for their interview series specifically for military spouses—great info in there.) These is also a program on base where you can go and talk to someone, much like counseling, but they're just there to let you talk. I can't for the life of me remember what the program is called, but when it comes to mind I'll put the info in here (if anyone knows what I'm talking about, feel free to share it in the comments!). I'm already planning on talking to them during our next deployment—it's just always great to have an unbiased ear to talk to.

I have more than a handful of friends who will be apart from their husbands this Christmas and my heart goes out to each and every one of you. I can now officially say that I've been there, and I know how you're feeling, but I also know it doesn't make this any easier. In fact, I'm already prepping myself to go through it again next year, although this time we have ample warning. Hopefully our crappy experience last year will help better prepare us for what's to come so that I can enjoy the holiday season a little more.

Have you been through a holiday without your loved one next to you? How did you cope?

five for friday

2011-12-16T10:46:00.000+01:00

1. you painted my nail after I messed it up.
2. we slow danced to our song in the living room.
3. you put Miracle on 34th Street on for me to watch (I saw you watching it, too).
4. you didn't get upset when I told you that the only thing I did one day was read a book.
5. allora...

p.s. i love you

Gift Card Winner!

2011-12-15T19:11:00.002+01:00

This is just a short and sweet post announcing the winner of the $25 commissary gift card! And the winner is.....(silent drumroll, please)....

dadadadadadaddadadaddada....

Number 14: Doris!

Doris, I'll get in touch with you and get this card in the mail asap! Congratulations :)

Together at Last: Party Details

2011-12-14T12:30:00.001+01:00

This post is part of my wedding recap series. I will finish this by our next anniversary. I will. Missed something and want to catch up? Click here for links to past "Together at Last" posts.

While we were off taking pictures, the party was already getting started in our reception hall. Since the room was just a few steps away from the chapel, we hosted a cocktail hour with drinks (margaritas, beer, and wine), mini chicken quesadillas, red pepper and cream cheese phylo triangles, chicken salad on cucumber round, and cheese kabobs, to tide people over while they waited for us. Here are a few pictures of the setup.

Super easy and cheap DIY decor: spray painted letters from Hobby Lobby


Our guest book in action!

We bought a mailbox for our "card box" and on the side I got stickers to spell out: The Newlyweds (it really had our last name) est. 2010.
Before the wedding I sent an invite to Micky and Minny and one to the White House. Disney sent this back a few weeks before the wedding and we got a signed letter from President and Mrs. Obama after we tied the knot!

My aunt made her famous biscochitos. (They weren't really this dark in person...)

I loved our centerpieces: square vases filled with coffee beans and topped with light pink carnations.

(My husband's cousin took this pictures and I like how it shows the tablescape) Pictured here are also our wedding favors (the number one most-read post on this blog, actually) I only wish we got a better photo.

half of a sweetheart table at the top (bottom?) of the dance floor. I loved seeing all of our guests from where we sat.

A sneak peek at our dessert table :)

I wish I had more detail pictures to show you. Actually, I mostly wish I could show you the food. It was outstanding and 95% of the reason for why we picked our venue.

Some people may say buffets are tacky for weddings, but I say bah-humbug to them! This New Mexican buffet was so freaking delicious that I'm pretty positive I licked my plate clean—I was a classy bride. Our wedding coordinator was so on top of things, and knew how much we loved the food, so she saved us two plates and sent them up to our room so we could eat it later. There's nothing like chowing down on delicious leftovers in your wedding dress :) I'm telling you, it rocked.

The buffet came complete with all of our favorites: fresh fruit, mixed southwest salad, salsa, guacamole, tri-colored tortilla chips, green chile chicken enchiladas red chile cheese enchiladas, boracho beans, Spanish rice, calabacitas (recipe coming soon), jalapeno corn bread muffins, tortillas, and a red chile rubbed beef. I'm practically drooling just thinking about it again.

Up next...Party Time!

*unless otherwise noted, photos are courtesy of Kim Jackson Photography

Gingersnaps!

2011-12-12T11:56:00.000+01:00

Growing up, I developed a reputation during the holiday season at my house: it was assumed that I would take the most glorious nap on the couch while my younger brother and mom made Christmas goodies for all the neighbors.

I would start out helping, but somewhere between my favorite no-bake oatmeal cookies, the melt-in-your-mouth English toffee, mini-loaves of bread and countless other goodies, I'd come down with all the classic symptoms of needing a nap: my eyes would get heavy, the yawning was more prominent, and the only thing I wanted to do was rest my head on a pillow. So that's exactly what I would do. Every. Single. Year. Luckily, my brother would help my mom finish the desserts while I dozed. Some help I was, right?

My mom knew better, though, and always saved one last cookie for me to help make after I had my nap: gingersnaps. For awhile they were actually fun to help create—my brother and I would roll them into tiny little balls, plop them in a bowl with sugar and sprinkle the tiny crystals all over them until you could hardly tell there was dough underneath.

Gingersnaps also happen to be my dad's favorite cookie, which meant that besides quadrupling the recipe for the holiday bake-a-thon at our house, it meant we'd also make them for his birthday and any other random just-because day. In fact, we used to make so many of them so often that this is the first year I've started introducing ginger into my life again. True story. I would find something else to eat or make if ginger was in any dish, because I had visions of gingersnap dancing in my head. Until now.

When I was researching what cookie I wanted to make for the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap I was going to try something fun and unique—a classic cookie with an Italian twist. I even bought all the ingredients, but I never made it (the ingredients are still sitting in my pantry; I'll make them sometime). For some reason I kept thinking about those darn gingersnaps from decades ago—those gingersnaps I loathed making were now calling my name.

photo from "A Family Recipe"

I answered the call by opening my family's recipe book. While my photo-copied page doesn't look near as "worn" as the original, I still had fond memories while making these. I had flashbacks to all of those baking days with my mom that I took for granted. I also felt a little strange since this was the first time I've actually made them start to finish, instead of just having the task of rolling them and covering the balls in sugar. Talk about a grown-up wake-up call!

If you need a quick and easy cookie to make—possibly with your little ones—this is it. Dunk them in your morning coffee (my dad's personal favorite way to eat them) or enjoy them as-is, the flavor is magical and they practically melt in your mouth. It makes around five dozen and they'll keep for quite awhile, although I don't know how since they're so gosh-darn tasty!

Gingersnap Cookies
by Jessica Lynn

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Crisco
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 (heaping) teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 cup extra sugar for rolling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350f or 180c.

Cream together Crisco and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the egg and molasses; mix well. Add remaining ingredients (except the extra sugar) a little at a time; mix well.

Roll dough into little balls (about the size of a ping-pong), then roll balls into white sugar. Place on parchment or a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Do not flatten—they will flatten as they cook. Bake for about 12 minutes. Enjoy.

*I'm still waiting for my cookies to get here (silly military mail), but I shipped these out for Carrie over at Fields of Cake and Betsy at JavaCupcake as part of the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap (I hope they received them!). Interested in next year's swap? Sign up here for notifications! And a very special thanks to Lindsay at Love and Olive Oil and Julie over at The Little Kitchen for putting this all together!