"Carma"

At some point last week someone hit my car, dented the entire passenger side, and didn't bother to leave a note. I didn't notice until Saturday morning and thought my eyes must be mistaking me. Surely between moving, getting ready to start a potentially career-changing program, being a surrogate husband to my boss's family, and dealing with the emotional fallout of a breakup, this had to be some kind of prank. It wasn't. And now I'm anxiously awaiting for my car insurance agent to call me back so I can figure out the car rental situation and take my baby to get fixed- in the middle of moving, getting ready to start a program, being a surrogate husband, dealing with emotional fallout, and managing my life. At least I have my dog. And my amazing friends. And maybe I'll rack up some serious "Carma" (get it?! Get what I did there?)

Hope everyone has a wonderful and stress-free week.

How About a Hobby?

Hope everyone had a happy fourth! Between my move and everything else being in flux, I decided to take it easy by the pool. It was perfect. Now, I’ve got a few weeks to settle into my new place and get some serious writing done.

Maybe I’m inspired by new neighborhood, or perhaps it’s because I have a few weeks of downtime, but I’ve been looking for a new hobby! I never learned to play an instrument, and I can’t draw to save my life – so those things are out (sidenote: I really want to learn to play guitar, but it’s already on my 2011 goals list… although I think a lot of those goals are going to be re-examined as a result of the past two months. Another entry, perhaps?)

Anyway – I thought a lot about how much I enjoyed making clothes and accessories when I was younger and was hoping there might be something in that. As far as I know, my old sewing machine is still at my parents’ house, and it might be kind of nice to re-teach myself to make simple things like skirts, dresses, etc. I also really loved making jewelry. When my brother and I were younger (and I’m talkin 10 here), I somehow convinced my brother to start a jewelry making business with me. We would take orders, ask people what their favorite colors / hobbies were and then “design” necklaces and bracelets. It was basic beadwork, but it was a lot of fun. I looked into some basic jewelry making classes so I can graduate from ceramic beads to wire bending and metalwork. It’d just be nice to have something fun to do that feels creative and isn’t just writing. You know?

What are some of your creative outlets and hobbies?

Thrifty Thursday: Tips for a Great Credit Score

If you’ve applied for an apartment, car, or loan you know how essential having good credit is. In fact, last week (was it really only last week?) when I applied for my awesome new eastside apartment, I was approved instantly solely based on the fact I have awesome credit. Same thing happened last year when I decided to lease a car – I think the qualifier’s exact words were, “An 815 credit score and you’re twenty five? That’s unheard of!” I felt pretty awesome, and now have a great car and great apartment because of it. Now, before you go thinking I’m the ultimate saver and financial guru, let me assure you that is far from the case. In fact, my mother will be the first to admit my biggest problems is indulging on shopping sprees. But, here are some tips to ensure good credit:

1. ALWAYS pay on time. Even if it’s the minimum amount. Set an alert to remember. If you’re late more than 30 days on a payment, your score will take a plunge. Plunge.

2. Try to pay more than the minimum. It will help you pay off your debt faster and help you incur less finance fees.

3. For vendor credit cards (like specific stores i.e. Victoria’s Secret, Best Buy, etc) try to pay off the full amount. In my experience, these cards tend to have a higher APR, and you don’t want to get stuck paying for a $150 bill for the rest of the year. A trick I’ve learned, when you charge on these accounts treat it like a debit card transaction. If you don’t have enough funds, don’t spend.

4. Try to have no more than 5 credit cards. It’ll keep you debt down, but it also proves to creditors that you’re capable of paying things off. I have a main card that I keep some debt on, and 3 vendor credit cards.

5. Do not start applying for a bunch of credit cards at once. It sets off a red flag that you’re stocking up for a reason.

6. Do not cancel credit cards – especially ones that you’ve had forever and especially ones that don’t incur a fee. Just don’t use them.

7. Keep balances low. If you’re more than half your credit limit, you’ve gone too high.

8. Check your credit score about once a year to make sure it’s airtight.

Follow these tips and you could be on your way to a great score. 

Wellness Wednesday: The Power of the Handwritten Note

I think we underestimate how important it is to do something for ourselves every day – and I’m talking little things, a five minute chat with a friend, taking a nice, long bath, reading a chapter in a breezy book, tapping our toes to some new music. These little things make us feel less overwhelmed and more in tune with ourselves. It doesn’t hurt they also put a smile on our faces.

But what are things you can do to perk someone else’s day up a bit? They do say the easiest way to put a smile on your face is to put one on someone else’s, right? Well, here’s an idea: how about a good old fashioned letter?

In today’s day and age when people communicate via text, email, twitter, even gchat, we hardly take the time to really express what we’re feeling with an actual pen. I mean, when was the last time you opened your mailbox and received a handwritten letter from someone (other than a wedding thank you gift.) It’s probably been a veryyyy long time. And yet, it’s so much more meaningful to receive a handwritten letter, isn’t it? You actually have to do some work for it.

There was a time that I used to try and write someone a letter every week – whether it was to thank them for being a great friend, or to remind them how wonderful they were. Everyone who received a letter was extremely grateful. Plus, it gave me an excuse to buy some really cute stationary and practice my penmanship. I’m going to try and get back into the habit of this. There’s so much I have to be grateful for and it’s time to start spreading it around. Who knows, maybe a letter will be coming your way…

Happy Wednesday, friends. 

Tasty Tuesday: Rasberry Thumbprint Cookies

If I had a signature recipe, this would be it! I’ve made these delectable treats for every family event in the past four years, and every time I get compliments and they’re gobbled up. So, you should feel very special I’m sharing my secret recipe with you. Ladies, I even got marriage proposals from these!

RASBERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

1	cup sugar
1	cup butter or margarine, softened
1	teaspoon vanilla
1/8	teaspoon ground nutmeg
1	egg
2 3/4	Cups all-purpose flour
½	teaspoon baking soda Rasberry Jam
½	Cup white chocolate chips Sprinkles, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Beat sugar and butter with electric mixer on low speed or with spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla, nutmeg and egg. Stir in flour and baking soda. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Using thumb or handle of wooden spoon, make indentation in center of each cookie. Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon jam into each indentation.

These are about to become delicious!

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

5. In small microwavable bowl, microwave baking chips on High 1 to 2 minutes or until chips are melted; stir until smooth. Spoon melted chips into small resealable plastic bag; cut small hole in corner of bag. Squeeze bag gently to drizzle melted chips over cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar, if desired.

Foibles and Flaws

A lot of what this blog is about is making the most of your twenties and turning into the best version of yourself. We do a lot of growing up between the ages of 22-27, for better and worse. I personally have worked especially hard in the past year to grow and improve (which like I said, has come with it’s amazing rewards and sad consequences.) Even still, none of us are without flaws – and I’m a perfectionist, so that’s tough to admit. But, it’s the truth. Here are some of my biggest flaws that I’m okay with admitting:

*I am extremely critical – not only of myself and others. Basically, if I don’t like something I will call you out on it. Most of the time it’s because I think I’m trying to help, but it’s still annoying and I’m sorry

*If you’ve pissed me off, I’ll get over it, but I’ll remind you about it constantly. I usually do it in a joking type of way, but it’s still irritating. I’m sorry again

*I’m super competitive. Even though I’m getting A LOT better about this one, I tend to compare myself to others and try and top other people. It’s led to nothing good, I promise.

*I can be condescending and act like I’m on a high horse. A product of working really hard on myself has led me to get really frustrated when people don’t see my point of view. So, I can be bratty and act like a know-it-all. It comes off as smug, but really I think I’m trying to help by imparting wisdom that has helped me.

*I try to be perfect. This is by far the hardest one to conquer… and one that I’m not sure will ever go away.

What are some of your biggest flaws?

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

For the past two days I've been sitting in near agony waiting to hear about my acceptance into a program that could be an amazing opportunity for my career. Needless to say, I haven't accomplished much other than refreshing my gmail browser over and over and over and over again.

And yet, more than ever I have so much to do!

I started the apartment search yesterday. I always feel so hopeful in the beginning with the browsing craigslist and padmapper, but by the time I've entered my credit card info into westsiderentals.com, a new set of panic sets in. I'm not high maintenance by any means (well, maybe I have high maintenance tendencies... completely different), but finding your home is completely different. I mean, it's your home, so it's got to be perfect - or nearly. 


Here's what I'm looking for in my new casa:


-Someplace on the Eastside, in a safe but walkable area close to my good friends


-Someplace that will house my adorable 15 pound pooch (you'd be surprised how many places are totally down with cats, but scoff at a well behaved bundle of joy)


-Laundry facilities, dishwasher, patio or balcony and an ample cooking space - these are basics, right?


-Prefferrably a 1 bedroom, but a studio will do if the rest of the area is lovely


-A bathtub - I simply refuse to live in a place that doesn't have a bath


These aren't crazy parameters, right? 

June Gloom: My Summer Wishlist

June gloom is definitely in the air in sunny socal, but it's got me thinking that summer is just around the corner and there's so much I want to do. Here's a sampling:

*Pool Party at the Standard - does it get anymore socal than lounging on an outdoor rooftop pool and sipping slightly sweet overpriced cocktails? I don't think so

*Tim Burton exhibit at LACMA- It's supposed to be great, and LACMA is always amazing. No further explanation needed

*See live shows often - I checked out The Belle Brigade at Satellite last week and was reminded at how awesome live shows are and how lucky I am to live in LA where there's multitudes of great bands and venues. Next up: Sonos at Hotel Cafe

*Movie Nights with friends - Starting with conquering my E.T. fear in a couple of weeks (that's a post for another time)

*Hollywood Bowl - picnic foods, music, wine... I'm in

*Plan an awesome trip - There's a chance I may get to go to Australia for work, but if not, I'm going to plan something epic for myself

*Rock being a Bridesmaid - My dear cousin is getting married in september and there's going to be plenty of wedding related activities over the summer that I can't wait to be a part of

*Move to the Eastside - I love living in West LA, but most of my friends are Los Feliz dwellers now and that part of town has really grown on me. I'm just so excited to have my own place and decorate the hell out of it!

What are you summer plans?

Monday Goals

I returned to work this week, so things are about to get real hectic again (I'm going to miss my time off.) Fortunately it came at the perfect time so I was able to focus on some great writing projects and the turmoil that has been present.

I'll keep this entry short and sweet.  Instead of focusing on a ton of goals, I'm going to limit it to one goal in each major category of life, for example: job, writing, weight, apartment, personal (good place to start, right?)

Job Goal: Get back into the swing of things and create show binders for my boss

Writing Goal: Finish act one of my new pilot

Weight: Fill out a myfitnesspal entry M-F (at least)

Apartment: keep dirty dishes out of the sink (I mean, I have a dishwasher!)

Personal: Do something for me every day (bath, reading, phone dates)

Oh, and as a personal favor to me I have a big, exciting interview tomorrow so if people can send good vibes my way tomorrow morning, I'd be very appreciative!

Have a lovely and productive week!

And! Don't forget about the hair!

I actually went through with cutting my hair! I'm not going to lie, when he applied the scissors to my ponytail a moment of panic fluttered through me. But, I'm happy and lost close to 2 pounds as a result. Hooray! Oh, and I think it looks pretty good too :)

My former long locks. That's a whole lotta hair!

The new short 'do! My allergies have been a mess lately, so please excuse my weird winky face :)

Lust vs. Must: Book Review of "Bitter is the New Black" by Jennifer Lancaster

Now that summer is right around the corner, I’ve been stocking up on my poolside reading. I had the pleasure of reading Jen Lancaster’s HYSTERICAL memoir, “Bitter is the New Black – confessions of a condescending, egomaniacal, self-centered smart-ass, or why you should never carry a Prada bag to the unemployment office” (see the humor already?!) Basically, the book is her recounting of being a high-powered executive at the turn of the century and pretty much acting like a stuck-up bitch as a result of her fortune. Then, the whole economic crisis happened and she found herself without a job and thus having to skimp on all her normal essentials – including prada and (gasp) professional cuts and color!

Not only was the book laugh out loud funny, it was heartwarming (a tough feat to pull off considering she comes off as such a bitch in the beginning), and extremely resonating. I’m not going to lie, I grew up in a really wealthy town and my family took care of a lot for me (um, I got a brand new car when I was sixteen – thanks Grandpa!) But, thanks to my mom and dad’s determination to make my brother and I appreciate the value of a dollar (along with that new car I  was encouraged to get a job to pay for gas and to keep the car looking pretty). As much as I proclaimed my parents as “like, so unfair!” thank god for that! It is so easy to overindulge, especially when you’re used to it, but you also have to ground yourself otherwise things can spiral out of control.

One of my favorite parts of the book is after her unemployment checks run out, she goes through her closet and starts comparing her upscale items to utilities she could’ve paid for instead. Fortunately I’ve never been in fear of not making a payment on something, but I’m sure we can relate to going through our bills and expenses at the end of the month and wondering – hmm, did I really need those black wedges (and it’s ok if sometimes the answer is yes). But, in today’s economic world we should be thinking about what we can skimp on. I know I’ve made a serious effort to not get my nails done every month and to try and do them myself (and they aren’t half bad!) It ends up saving me close to $60/month which is close to $720 a year!

So, I gotta ask: What are your “must” items that you’d be better off giving up?

Pause Buttons and Haircuts

I love the start of the month. It’s like taking an eraser to a whiteboard – the residual marker dust is still there, but you essentially get to start clean. Last month was a difficult one for me (with some AMAZING things were sprinkled in!), but it made me have to pause and reevaluate things for better and worse. Since most of my readers are friends of mine, you no doubt know what I’m referring to, but for everyone else let me offer you this: if you have any doubts about a direction you’re going in life, it is so beneficial to PAUSE, re-evaluate some things, and make a new plan. Sometimes this pause is momentarily and I’m talking like ten seconds. Sometimes it can linger a little longer. Unfortunately, I’m in the little longer stage so I appreciate your kindness, patience, and support.

It's okay to take a break!

Anyway – maybe because of this new chapter (but mainly because I’m short, it’s getting ridiculously hot outside, and I’m sick of seeing long disgusting strands of hair in the shower), I’m cutting my hair. I think it’s the longest I’ve ever had it in my life, and truthfully it’s been awesome! My hair styling as of late has been shower, shampoo, apply product, and out the door I go (rinse, repeat). Cutting my hair is kind of a big deal to me. My darling dad has always been anti short hair – and anything shorter than grazing your backside he considers short (which is funny because my mom whom he loves dearly has NEVER had long hair!) I guess the marvelous thing about hair is it always grows back (and especially mine!), so I’m excited for the change!

Hopefully this entry marks my return to the blogosphere. And I promise, not all posts will be this personal! Have a lovely Wednesday and Happy June!

Apologies

Just a quick check-in. I apologize for my lack of posting in the past couple of days - work and personal issues leave little time for blogging, unfortunately :(

I hope to return shortly!

Tasty Tuesday: What's for Lunch?

Here are some healthy and easy options for our on-the-go days!

Guacamole and Bean Burrito roll-up

Think of this as a mini burrito. You can also add chicken and shredded cheese to the recipe for some extra pizzaz.

1/2 cup canned low-fat refried beans

1/4 cup salsa

3 tablespoons prepared guacamole

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

2 small (6-inch) whole-grain tortillas

Heat up the beans and then combine all ingredients into the slightly warmed tortilla. Roll up and enjoy for later!

1 serving = 310 calories

Cesar Turkey Wrap

Simple and delicious, and I usually have most ingredients on hand. You can also substitute the turkey for chicken, or something I omit the meat altogether. I like to pair it with some fruit on the side.

1  large (10-inch)  whole-grain tortilla

2.5  ounces  sliced turkey breast

1/2  cup  shredded romaine lettuce

1  tablespoon  Caesar salad dressing

(option: a handful of shredded parmesan cheese)

Combine all ingredients into the tortilla. Roll it up, toss in a sandwich bag and you’ve got yourself some lunch!

1 serving = 380 calories

Barbecue Chicken Sandwich

This definitely adds some kick to the mid-day meal. Pair with a salad, and you’ve got a healthy meal for under 400 calories.

2  tbsp.  barbecue sauce

1  3-ounce  chicken breast (or use rotisserie chicken, skin removed)

1 whole grain hamburger bun (I’ve been using the orowheat sandwich thins)

Brush barbecue sauce on chicken and bake or grill until it reaches 165 F. Put chicken on bun and serve with side salad.

1 serving = 360 calories

Strawberry Spinach Salad

This salad is easy to make and packed with a ton of good stuff. Plus, it’s perfect for when the weather starts to get a little warmer.

2  cups  baby spinach

1  cup  shredded romaine lettuce

1/2  cup  sliced strawberries

1/2  cup  apple

½ avocado sliced

1/4  cup  tomatoes

8    croutons (or not)

2  tablespoons  vinaigrette

Combine all ingredients, except the dressing. Keep the in fridge until ready to serve. Sprinkle with dressing and enjoy!

1 serving = 360 calories

Greek Salad

Make your own dressing and enjoy this healthy lunch

1    lemon, juiced

1  tbsp.  olive oil

1    garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

3  cups  chopped romaine lettuce

½ cup cucumbers

½ cup tomatoes

½ cup red bell pepper

2  tbsp.  reduced-fat feta cheese

1/2  cup  canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2  tbsp.  chopped kalamata olives

To make dressing: Whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Combine all other ingredients and set aside until ready to serve.

1 serving = 265 calories

What are some of your lunchtime favorites?

Monday Motivation: Stop Putting Things Off!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I apologize for the lack of post on Friday. Sometimes my work gets a little hectic, and everything has to take a backseat. The joys of television, I suppose. But, because of that is what inspired today’s blog post: STOP PUTTING THINGS OFF! One reason I’ve been able to post a blog every day is I try and knock it out first thing in the morning before my day gets hectic. On Friday, I kept waiting until “after lunch” which then turned into, “shit, it’s already 6pm and I have date night tonight.” So here are 3 simple ways to avoid a procrastination problem.

Tackle Large Things First

You know when you have a large list of things to do, but you can’t even start on the little things until the big stuff is taken care of? Well, there’s a reason the big stuff needs to get done first (as daunting as that is!). When wedding planning, I couldn’t even begin to think about the food and colors until the bigger item of venue and general guest list was taken care of. Same thing goes for “every day life.” It’ll be a lot easier to keep the apartment tidy if I do a great big overhaul clean first.

Plus, an amazing thing happens when you scratch the biggest item off your to-do list first – everything else seems that much easier! Suddenly you can say to yourself, “I can totally take care of those little things because I already finished (insert GINORMOUS task here!) It does wonders for your self-esteem.

The same can also be said for items that are small, but seem monumental to you emotionally and physically. Like working out, for example. That’s why I try and get my workouts in first thing, so the rest of the day I can say, “well, I already worked out this morning!” I don’t have it hanging over my head like a yucky, gray cloud.

Get Support from Friends

Anytime I’m unsure of my ability to actually perform a task, I tell at least a dozen people about it. Why would I do such a potentially humiliating thing, you ask? It’s because I know my friends will hold my feet to the fire and I don’t want to deal with the embarrassing question of, “hey, whatever happened to that blog you were supposed to do?” By even saying the task aloud, you’ve made some sort of contract with the universe to complete it. Writing it down, that’s some sort of written contract. Telling your buddies about it? That’s support and pressure all rolled into one. And hey, who can’t finish to-do’s without a little support and pressure, huh?

Re-Evaluate Halfway Through the Day

Every morning, I always sit with my blank to-do list journal, and blank word document that will soon be filled with my daily schedule. I fill both items out while sipping on my morning coffee. Then, I get to work on them. BUT, without fail something will come up halfway through the day that prevents me from working on my novel or getting to read the research book for my boss. Instead of letting it derail me, I’ll revisit my list halfway through the day and start the day over like new. Suddenly the things that were so pressing this morning don’t need to get accomplished until tomorrow, and things that just didn’t seem like a big deal needed to be taken care of yesterday.

By revisiting our goals, it allows us to reorganize and re-pattern and we’re less likely to put them off. Or at least be able to accomplish them in a better thought out way. It’s like the daily check-in motivator.

Weekly Goals

Here’s mine for the week. What are yours?:

*Take 10 minutes every day to train Cardinal

*Have daily check-in meetings w/ my boss to ensure nothing falls through the cracks

*Finish my pilot beat sheet

*Write a chapter of my novel

*Workout at least 3 times this week

*Stick to no more than 1 glass of wine a night this week

*Root hard for the lakers!!!

*Take time to RELAX

Have a wonderful week, lovelies! 

Thrifty Thursday: Tips for Saving Big on Parties

Now you have all the tools to throw an awesome spring holiday party, but in a world where we’re constantly trying to save money, how can you throw an awesome bash without breaking the bank? Lucky for you, I have a few ideas:

Set a Budget… and Stick to It

In the early planning stages, come up with a realistic budget. For Eassover we try not to spend more than $200 TOTAL (including food, alcohol, and activities). If you can spend a little more, great. If not, then you may need to cut some stuff out of your planning. For example, alcohol tends to take up the most in terms of budget so ask your attendees to pitch in and bring their favorite wine. There are lots of way to avoid going over your budget, but you need to know how much you’re willing to spend first!

Scope Out Deals Weeks in Advance

Remember way back to Monday when I created a checklist of when to do stuff? One of the reasons you want to come up with your menu so far in advance so you can start scoping out deals that far in advance! With holidays especially, local supermarkets will offer specials on items associated with that particular holiday. For example, I bet you can find eggs right now for cheaper than you will all year! You also want to compare and contrast the supermarkets. I’m more of a Vons girl, but last year my neighborhood Ralph’s had the best deals in terms of meat, so that’s where we went for our Easter Ham and Roasted Chickens. Trader Joes tends to be more cost effective (and fresher) for produce, so we went there for that.

Also, if you pay close attention to the weekly circulars, they go crazy with coupons and 3-day specials during the holidays. I usually like to do my grocery shopping on a Sunday, but if Vons has a special where I can get Ham for almost 50% on a Wednesday, I’ll find a way to get to the store during the week. Coupons and specials can really help your grocery budget.

Consider DIY

Especially when it comes to activities and decorations, you don’t need to do store-bought. Sure, there are lots of pre-made easter egg dye kits, but you can accomplish the same thing with food dye, vinegar, and plastic spoons. And you can be all fancy and get the special easter plates and decorations, or you can use everyday plates and make a sign off the computer. Think about if you really need something, or if you can do the same thing by yourself. You’ll save a ton!

Happy Thursday everyone! For those of you that have tomorrow off, enjoy :)

Wellness Wednesday: Act Like a Kid (Eassover Edition!)

Easter undoubtedly has the best activities and candy. I mean, Easter egg hunts, baskets, PEEPS! All good stuff. Passover has some cool things, but they mainly involve matzo (not that there’s anything wrong with matzo, mind you!) Here’s my guide for acting like a kid this Eassover!

Easter Baskets

Remember when you got these as a kid? I do too (my family used to give out baskets at the end of our Seder and then we suddenly remembered we were Jewish one year and stopped that). My fiancé and I have exchanged baskets since we started dating. He makes me what he likes to call a “Moses Basket” since Moses was essentially found in a basket on the river. Here’s what I like to put in the adult version of these kid favorites:

-Alcohol (wine, bottle of something, 6 pack) – you wouldn’t find that in a kid’s basket, right?

-Candy (peeps, PB easter eggs, malted easter eggs from Trader Joes) Because every good basket could use a little sugar

-Gift Cards (restaurants, and places that recipients will find useful). They’re small and you know they’ll get some good use

-Something to remind them of being a kid (baseball cards, paddle ball, flying helicopter) – they’ll get that reminiscent feeling of opening their basket as a youngin’

I like to do my easter basket shopping at a drugstore like CVS. Find an inexpensive whicker basket or recycle from last year, throw in some “grass” garnish, and wrap it all up in cellophane! You’re set

Easter Egg Hunt / Afikomen

I think everyone knows the basic premise of an Easter Egg hunt, but Passover has a tradition where you have to find the matzo that’s been hidden in the house and you get a price (usually some sort of monetary one). For last year’s Eassover we scattered plastic eggs and matzo around the house and told everyone when they came inside there were prizes hidden in the eggs, and an extra special surprise for whoever found the matzo. It was fun and added an extra layer to the dinner party. And I kid you not, we were still finding matzos until the day we moved out (eight months later!). In the eggs we put the standard candy and jelly beans, but we also put slips of paper that said things like: “get a signature drink from the bar”, “make an easter egg at the decorating station”, etc so it turned into more of a game. Also, whoever found the matzo was given a price basket that was essentially a mini version of an Easter basket. Fun!

Egg Decorating

I’m always amazed at how simple and fun this is! We just got a pre-made kit from CVS that cost around $10 and had colors and stickers. Then, we just hardboiled a bunch of eggs beforehand. Some of the eggs our more artistic friends created were amazing. Mine was just purple, but still awesome.

Chocolate-Caramel Covered-Matzo Recipe

And because I’m in such a giving mood, here’s a bonus recipe for the week: Chocolate-Caramel Covered Matzo. They will definitely put the wellness into your Wednesday. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Bake time: 15 minutes, Ready in: 45 minutes

4-6 Matzo crackers

1 cup (2 sticks) butter (the recipe I used called for unsalted, but I only had salted on hand and they came out fine – so use whichever you prefer!)

1 Cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup chocolate chips (semisweet is my favorite, but I used milk chocolate and

white chocolate and everyone thought they were delicious)

1. Line a baking sheet with foil, Preheat oven to 350. Break apart the matzo into square size crackers (about ¼ of the matzo brick)

2. In a medium saucepan, cook the butter and sugar over medium high heat for 3-5 minutes, whisking constantly.

3. Pour the caramel mixture over the matzos with a spoon. Spread evenly so it’s a thin layer

4. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Check halfway to make sure it’s not browning too quickly, and rotate the pan

5. Remove matzo from oven, immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips over the matzo pieces. (tip: if you’re using white chocolate, sprinkle those pieces first since they tend to take longer to melt)

6. Let the chocolate sit for 5 minutes, then spread over the matzo (like frosting!).

7. Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes to set. Keep them at room temperature until they’re ready to serve.

8. Soak in the compliments when you serve them!

Makes 16 servings. 1 serving = 200 calories

Happy Wednesday! We’re halfway through the week!

Tasty Tuesday: Eassover Menu

When I was putting together the Eassover menu, I really wanted it to reflect and honor both cultures and religions. Sometimes though, blending has to lead to compromise. Like… serving un-kosher Ham, or not being able to eat delicious bread. Hopefully you can get a little inspiration from this menu for your own table!

Appetizer: Deviled Eggs

I served these along with egg salad and matzo as an appetizer when the guests arrived. This is the best recipe I’ve found, and they are easy to make. And, oh so delicious!

Ready in: 15 minutes

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled

¼ cup Mayonaise

2 tsps Lemon Juice

1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Yellow Mustard

¼ tsp Salt

1/8 tsp Pepper

Paprika for garnish

1. Cut eggs lengthwise in half. Slip out yolks and mash with fork in small bowl.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except egg white halves.

3. Fill egg white halves with egg yolk mixture, heaping it lightly. Sprinkle with paprika

Makes 12 servings. 1 serving: 155 calories

Delicious Deviled Eggs

Main Dish: Honey-Roasted Chicken

This is a chicken comparable to the kind my Grandma used to make for our Seder dinner. My cousins have a ranch, and I use their homegrown honey for this dish. It is amazing and relatively easy!

Prep time: 1 day,  Cook time: 2 houra, Ready in: 2 hours, 20 mins

2 6 1/2- to 7-pound roasting chickens, rinsed, patted dry

2 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 12 large lemons)

Coarse kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup honey, heated until pourable

1. Place each chicken in heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Add 1 1/4 cups lemon juice to each. Seal bags; turn chickens to coat. Refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 1 day, turning bags occasionally.

2. Preheat oven to 450°F. Drain chickens; pat dry. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Place chickens side by side, breast side down, on racks in large roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Roast 45 minutes.

3. Turn chickens breast side up. Brush all over with honey. Continue to roast until cooked through and deep brown, basting with any juices in pan and brushing with honey occasionally, about 55 minutes longer. Transfer chickens to platter. Tent loosely with foil to keep warm and let stand 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, pour pan juices into small saucepan. Spoon off fat. Rewarm pan juices. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chickens with pan juices.

Makes 16 Servings. 1 serving: 240 calories

The chicken! (and me)

Main Dish: Ham

I had never cooked Ham until I started preparing it for Eassover. I am always shocked at how easy it is to make, and how delicious it is. Plus, would it really be Easter without Ham?

Prep time: 15 minutes, Cook time: 3 hours

6-8 Pounds fully cooked, bone-in Ham

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 TBSP balsamic or cider vinegar

½ tsp ground mustard

1. Heat Oven to 325

2. Place ham, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of ham and does not touch bone or rest in fat. Cover loosely and bake 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 hours

3. About 20 minutes before ham is done, remove from oven. Pour drippings from pan. Remove any skin from ham. Cut uniform diamond shapes on fat surface of ham. Insert clove into each diamond. Stir together brown sugar, vinegar and mustard; pat or brush on ham. Bake uncovered 20 minutes longer.

4. Cover ham and let stand about 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Makes 12 servings: 1 serving: 300 calories

Side Dish: Potato Kugel Puffs

These are an alternative to potato pancakes and are really yummy.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes, Cook time: 20-25 minutes, Ready in: 60 mins

2 TBSP margarine

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1 medium carrot, finely shredded (3/4 cup)

2 ½ cups water

1 box potato pancake mix

2 TBSPS matzo meal

1 tsp parsley flakes

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground pepper

2 egg whites

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Grease 1 large or 2 medium cookie sheets with cooking spray.

2. In 1 1/2-quart saucepan, heat margarine, onion, carrot and water to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 2 minutes.

3. In medium bowl, mix pancake mix, matzo meal, parsley, nutmeg and pepper. Add hot vegetable mixture; stir until blended. In small bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into potato mixture until well blended.

4. Spoon mixture onto cookie sheet, forming 12 mounds. Flatten each mound slightly to a 3-inch round, about 1/2 inch thick.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 to 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet. Serve immediately, bottom side up.

Makes 12 servings. 1 serving = 60 calories

Potato Puffs Cooking

Side Dish: Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

This was so good last year, it was already gone before I had a chance to scoop some on my plate. Casseroles are great for a crowd, also.

Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook time: 30 minutes, Ready in: 1 hour

1 can French-fried onions

2 bags green giant frozen broccoli in cheese sauce

1 package cream cheese, cut into cubes

½ tsp red pepper flakes

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Reserve 1 cup French-fried onions for topping.

2. In large saucepan mix remaining onions, the broccoli, cream cheese, bell pepper and red pepper sauce. Cover; cook over medium-low heat about 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking, until sauce chips are melted. Transfer to ungreased 2- to 3-quart casserole dish (I use 13x9 pyrex dish)

3. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle reserved onions around outer edge of casserole; bake 5 minutes longer.

Makes 14 servings. 1 serving = 110 calories

All that was left... seriously. But doesn't it look like it was yummy?

Side Dish: Noodle Kugel

I don’t think Passover would be complete without some sort of kugel (which I’m pretty sure means casserole). This slightly sweet dish goes great with the rest of the food, and my non-Jewish friends always ask me for the recipe. It’s still not quite as good as my Grandma’s kugel, but she hasn’t given me that recipe yet!

Prep Time: 20 minutes, Cook time: 1 hour, Ready in: 1.5 hour

1/2 lb. wide egg noodles

1 lb. creamed or whipped cottage cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/4 lb. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup golden raisins

2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin

pinch of salt

pinch of cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

butter for greasing baking pan

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Boil the noodles until al dente, and drain.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine drained noodles and remaining ingredients (through and including vanilla extract) and toss well.

4. Transfer the mixture to a buttered 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish, and bake 40 minutes, uncovered. Cover with foil and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

5. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 servings. 1 serving = 280 calories

Half-eaten Kugel. Proof that my cooking is a-ok!

Side Dish: Grilled Asparagus

With all the heavy sides, I need something to lighten things up. Plus, asparagus is in season and completes any easter or Passover meal.

Prep Time: 5 minutes, Cook time: 20 minutes, Ready in: 30 minutes

1 bunch asparagus

1 pinch sea salt and pepper

2 ounces olive oil

1. Heat large skillet over medium heat

2. Sprinkle olive oil and salt and pepper over asparagus

3. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, turning occasionally

Dessert

I don’t usually cook dessert for Eassover since presumably we’re snacking on Peeps and other Easter chocolates all day. And, with all that food do you really need something else? But, I will post my now-famous chocolate covered matzo recipe tomorrow. Seriously, my family went crazy for the matzos last night!

What’s on your tables for Easter and Passover?

Monday Management: Plan your Easter / Passover / Spring Party!

My fiancé and I are an interfaith couple – he’s a Midwestern Irish Catholic, whereas I’m a reformed Jew from the West Coast. Both of our religions and cultures are extremely important to us, but we also love and respect each other so much that it’s important for us to start our own traditions. One of these traditions that we formed (and one of my favorites, at that) is a holiday called Eassover – the blending of Easter and Passover. About a year after we started dating, we decided to throw a party that celebrated the best of both our cultures and it was a hit. Sadly, because of saving for the wedding, plus a general lack of time (who decided 2011-2012 was going to be the year of the wedding anyway?), we’re not able to throw an Eassover party. So, I will live vicariously through the blog!

I know not everyone throws an Easter / Passover / whatever party, but seriously this time of year is a great time to gather up friends and celebrate. I’ll give you all the details you need to throwing an awesome spring celebration (including a yummy menu for tomorrow’s Tasty Tuesday!) Enjoy!

Eassover pre-dinner setup. Doesn't it look fun and multi-cultural? :)

Party Planning 101

Ideally, a dinner party like Eassover needs a solid 3 weeks to plan. But, we’ve thrown it together in as little as a week.

Guests Galore

First things first, start with the guest list. We always want to invite everyone we know, but cooking for 100 people can be a tad bit stressful (and by tad, I mean VERY), so be realistic in your expectations.

Once you’ve decided who to invite, you’ve got to invite them! Websites like evite.com are great for casual parties. If you’re looking for an online invite company with a tad more oomph, check out paperlesspost.com. They cost a bit for “online postage” but guests are always impressed when these pop up in their inboxes. Plus, it’s still cheaper than paper invites.

Now, you’ve actually got people to come! Great, let’s move on:

Menu

I’ll go into more menu detail tomorrow, but about 2 weeks out you want to decide what you’re cooking and creating. This will give you plenty of time to shop for groceries and scope out the best deals. You’ll want to do the first round of grocery shopping the week before.

Along with the food, you’ll want to make sure your bar is fully stocked! Want to save some money? Come up with a signature drink for your event and serve that along with wine, beer, and soda. For Eassover, we created a drink called the Red Sea Resurrection and everyone loved it!

Red-Sea Resurrection... yum!

You’ll also want to decide what to serve everything on. The first year we did Eassover, we decided to use our actual dinner plates, which was nice, but I think we were doing dishes for the next month. Last year we got nice plastic plates to serve on, which made cleanup a breeze but cost a little more dough. Take stock of your inventory and decide what you want to do. Just make sure you’ve got enough serve ware for everyone.

Activities

Wednesday, I’ll give you some ideas for fun Eassover activities, but about a week beforehand you’ll want to come up with ideas for your own party. Sure, it could be as simple as: eat dinner, listen to music, and chat. But, you’ll want to create a killer playlist then!

Blurry Egg-Decoration station. For more fun Eassover activities, check out Wednesday's blog

Get the House Ready

For Eassover, we do a solid cleaning the morning of. But, you may need a little more time to get the house ready. Also, decide on how you want to arrange furniture and if you need to bring in extra seating and tables arrange for that the week before. The day of assemble your decorations, set out trash bags for clean up, and give the place  a once-over to make sure everything looks great!

The day before you’ll also want to notify the neighbors, especially if there are cocktails involved and if it’s at night.

Day-Of Schedule

If you know me, you know scheduling is my thing. Here’s what my day-of Eassover schedule looks like (please don’t stop reading my blog, if you think I’m crazy!)

8.00am- wake up, make breakfast frittatas and coffee

9.00am-shower, get dressed

9.30am- Leave for Church

10.00am- Sunday Mass

11.30am- come home, serve brunch foods (frittata, matzo, coffee, mimosas)

12.30pm- Clean house, hide easter eggs and afikomen, set out egg decorating station, setup bar area

1.30pm- Make deviled eggs and egg salad

2.30pm- Setup pre-dinner buffet station (matzo, egg salad, deviled eggs, wine, peeps, easter candy)

3.00pm- Guests arrive, start making potato pancake puffs. Greet guests, show them activities

4.00pm- Start making ham, roasted chicken

5.00pm- Make noodle kugel and broccoli casserole

5.15pm- Make asparagus

5.45pm- set out food, blessings over the food

6.00pm- Dinner

7.00pm- Watch the Ten Commandments 

Happy Easter and Passover week!