Cooking :: Eggplant Parmesan

In my world, every Tuesday night is girls' night. It's a delightful event in which some of my favorite ladies and I get together and watch some shows, eat, and chat about life. We used to knit, and I fully plan on starting back up eventually, but sometimes you just need a break from certain things.

We try to rotate who brings food, but our gracious hostess, Brook, usually is the one to supply the goods. This past week, though, I wanted to contribute. So I attempted a new meal that I ended being quite please with: Eggplant Parmesan. I was very excited because this is not something we can make at home; Patrick is not a fan of this lovely purple delight. But thank goodness, my friends definitely are!

Aren't they just beautiful? Straight from Martha's Vineyard.
Just threw them on the grill after tossing them with some extra virgin olive oil and a nice pinch of sea salt. Everything looks better grilled. Add some parmesan...And combine with a salad, asparagus roasted with garlic cloves (thank you Charles), and delicious red skins. It was a heavenly feast.

It's Birthday Week!

So, I just so happen to love birthdays. And I just so happen to really love Patrick. And today just so happens to be, Patrick's birthday! It may be the best day ever!

Patrick has always made sure my birthday was special. One year he threw me a surprise ball. Everyone wore formal dresses and everything. It was magical! So, needless to say, sometimes I feel a little pressure in the birthday category. And while this year, I may not have the means to throw a ball, I tried to do some little things here and there.

Like this...

And this to a photo of Patrick when he was just a little guy...And this...And the Black Eyed Peas part of me did this...And I wish I could say I was responsible for this sweet gem, but irregardless, it was a very nice birthday treat!

Happy birthday, boo. I love you beyond words. And I am so grateful to celebrate your life! You're my best friend and I can't wait to gorge ourselves on infinite amounts of cosco cake.

Frills on Top

This week I had a fun little entrepreneurial shoot with my dear friend Renee who makes these awesome headbands and hats. We took some photos so she can have something to show people who are interested and had such a blast! I loved all the colors she had, aren't they just beautiful?

She even made the tutu!

Project!

Oh the joy of white, glossy spray paint. It has become a dear friend of mine as of late, as well as a great inspiration for a little redecorating of our living room. You need that kind of inspiration every now and again, don't you? It's one of those things that keeps you moving.

So, I've had this gold framer for quite some time. It actually started out as a mirror that I had found in my mother's basement when she moved in. I loved it! I kept it as is for awhile. But unfortunately one particular door shutting led to it falling off the hook and the glass shattered. So, I toted it all the way to Tulsa and back without any reason to hold onto it, besides the fact that I still very much loved it. It was until this past week I decided I really needed to make use of this beauty... and ta-da! Success!

Here's how it went:

Starting Piece

This is what the professionals do if you don't feel like the handle is working well enough.

Add some fabric in the middle, and you've got yourself some pure beauty!