My new obsession!

My new and beautiful food processor... has easily become my latest obsession! Sean got me this for my birthday (yes, I know its lame but I have been wanting one for a while) even though we had  agreed to not get each other gifts. In the past couple of weeks I have found myself pinning any recipe that involves a food processor just so I have an excuse to use it. Here are a couple of my new favorites: 

1. Homemade pesto

2. Homemade hummus

3. Healthy banana, peanut butter, and chocolate ice cream

Any other suggestions????

Recent Adventures

Sean and I have had a very busy past couple of weeks. Sean started grad school classes about 3 weeks ago, I am less than a week away from being done with my last clinical rotation, and we celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary on July 4th. While trying to stay cool during the most recent heat wave and trying to survive the crazy thunder storms, we have managed to have tons of fun with friends.

We lost power on a friday night about 2 weeks ago (and didnt get it back for 3 days). Luckily we had already planned to spend Saturday with Natalie and Evan touring vineyards in the Shenandoah Valley. Several of the places we had planned to visit were closed due to power outages but we still managed to do wine tastings at Wolf Gap Vineyards and Shenandoah Vineyards. I particularly like Wolf Gap because the owners name was Willard! We had such a blast with these two!

View from Shenandoah Vineyards 

Sean and Evan 

Wolf Gap Vineyards 

Wolf Gap Vineyards 

How cute are they?

We also went to a DC United vs. Montreal Impact game to celebrate our anniversary. We had an amazing time at the game and Sean was thrilled because DC United won!

The Duffy Garden

After waiting patiently for the past several weeks... our tomatoes are finally starting to turn red. After the crazy thunderstorms we had several weeks ago, I wasn't sure if my cucumbers and tomatoes were going to make it. We also have tons of cherry tomatoes growing but they haven't started to turn yet. I was very excited to be able to pick my first cumber this morning... and there are plenty more on the vine. I cant wait to put this in my salad tonight!

Dont be fooled by the squash and zucchini plants on the left. I know they are HUGE and look healthy (they even have blossoms on them) but they haven't produced a single vegetable. All they are doing is taking over the whole garden and growing into my cucumber plant. 

Take Me Out To The Ball Game!

This past weekend Lauren and I went in to Baltimore, MD to catch an Orioles game with some friends.  Lauren hadn't been to an MLB game since she was really young and it was AWESOME watching her experience it like it was her first time again.  Camden Yards is a fantastic place to catch a ball game.  There is nothing like sitting with good friends, ball park frank in one hand, ice cold beer in the other, and peanut shells all over the ground.... Life doesn't get much better.  The game ended up going into extra innings and the O's won on a walk off.  The day was perfect!  

  

The Duffy Garden

The past few summers I have watched my brother and dad produce a successful garden at my grandma's house. Since Sean and I wont be home this summer to enjoy their fresh vegetables, I decided it was time we start our own garden. We planted cucumber, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and cherry tomatoes. The plants have been in the ground for about a month but seem to be growing pretty quickly. I am so anxious for them to start producing vegetables. When we came home from Virginia Beach on Memorial Day weekend we had our first blossom on the tomato plants! 

Day 1

Three weeks 

4 weeks 

Our first tomato blossom!

A much needed update

The last few months have been crazy and have gone by so fast. I cannot believe its almost June. We spent Easter at home with our families and our beautiful niece Sarah. Is she not the cutest thing you have ever seen? We also went to the leg warmers concert towards the end of April and had a great weekend with great friends. If you haven't been to a Leg Warmers concert... it is a must do!

Baby Sarah at Easter!

Getting pumped for the Leg Warmer's concert

At the beginning of May, Winchester had their 85th annual Apple Blossom Festival. I was finally able to participate in the festivities this year. My family came to visit as well as several friends. We grilled out all weekend and watched some of the parade. And did I mention.....Mario Lopez was the grand marshall! Seeing him took me back to my Saved by the Bell days. How can you not love his dimples!

Waiting for Mario!

Mario Lopez! 

Kathy and Willard loving the parade!

This weekend Sean and I were able to go home for the three day weekend and celebrate Memorial Day with our families. We were so excited for our first beach day of the season and ended up spending 5 hours there on Saturday. We got so burned we weren't able to go back the rest of the weekend. We were also able to catch up with friends, celebrate a graduation, and hang out with my little cousins by the pool.

Homemade granola

I honestly cannot remember what I did with my life before pinterest. I see things on pinterests that inspire me to try things that I never dreamed I would be able to make. I have never been much of a baker or a cook but thanks to pinterest I have been able to try tons of recipes and make some really great things (that even sean likes!). Recently I have been in search of some healthier snacks for Sean and I and decided to try my hand at homemade granola. I took a combination of several recipes and created my own. I like really crunchy granola! And I wanted to incorporate pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds (they remind me of my days out on the softball field!). 

I used a combination of this recipe and this recipe. 

We have been eating this like crazy for the past several days. It doesnt matter if you eat it straight out of the bag, with yogurt, or with milk.... its amazing. 

Here is my version of the two recipes: 

INGREDIENTS:

6 cups oats (Not the quick cooking ones)

1 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup applesauce

3/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup raisins

1 cup dried cranberries

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Mix together in a large bowl: the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. 

In a small bowl mix together: 3/4 cup honey, 1 cup applesauce, 2 Tbsp vanilla, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Pour the applesauce mixture over the oat mixture and stir together until everything is combined. 

Spread the mixture over two baking sheets and bake at 250 F for about 1 hour 10 minutes (this is for a dark baking sheet). You want the granola to turn a light golden brown. 

Stir the granola about half way through the baking process. 

Once you remove the granola from the oven, let it cool for about 20 minutes. This is when it will start to get crispy. 

Then add the cranberries and raisins (or any other dried fruit you like). Enjoy 

Harper's Ferry

If you have never been to Harper's Ferry you definitely need to add this to your to-do list.  Sean went this past fall when we had a friend in town visiting (of course I had to study and couldn't go). However, since January and February were so mild this year, we were able to go twice this winter. The first time we went on a Saturday, just the two of us, walking around/ exploring/ enjoying a nice lunch. The second time we went we were able to share this picturesque town with Sean's parents. If it is this beautiful in the winter, I can only imagine what it will be like in the spring/fall. Of course Sean loved all the history behind Harper's Ferry, while I loved seeing where the Shenandoah River flows into the Potomac. The Appalachian Trail runs right through Harper's Ferry and there a ton of hikes that Sean and I are hoping to do once it gets a little warmer. 

The view from Jeffereson's Rock

View of Harper's Ferry from Maryland

GO Pats!

Unfortunately the BEST team didn't win the super bowl this year. I am sure that many of you can guess... Sean and I were cheering for the New England Patriots! However, despite the fact that our team didn't win last night, we still had a blast eating way too much food and watching football with friends. 

Lately I have been trying tons of new recipes, thanks to pinterest. These are two that I couldn't wait to make for the superbowl. The first recipe is for the most amazing chocolate chip cookie dough truffles. They were a little more labor intensive than I expected (I had to roll out about 80 balls) but well worth it.

This recipe is actually my mom's and is an amazing hot spinach and artichoke dip. This is a Page Family party must have. It is really easy to make and is absolutely delicious. I serve this with wheat thins but I am sure any kind of cracker or pita chip would be great as well. 

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

1 stick of butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 10 oz. packages frozen chopped spinach

1 14 oz. can artichoke heats

1 Package cream cheese- at room temperature so it is easier to mix in

1 8 oz. sour cream

1 cup Monteray Jack cheese 

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tbls Tabassco pepper sauce – green

Salt to taste- I just used salted butter 

Melt butter & onions. Add cooked & drained spinach and artichoke hearts drained (I cut up the artichoke hearts). Add cream cheese, sour cream, ¾ monteray & Parmesan Cheese, and tabascco sauce. Pour into casserole and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. 

Bow Tie Thursday

At the beginning of the school year Sean and our friend Isaiah (another math teacher at Strasburg) decided to start Bow Tie Thursday at Strasburg High School. I am not talking about the clip on bow tie, we are talking about the real deal. Isaiah taught Sean how to tie a bow tie on afternoon in the weight room at school (I wish I had been there to see this!) and lent him a few ties until we could get Sean a few of his own. 

I immediately became obsessed with bow ties and loved looking for them online. My favorite website is Southern Ties, which is a company based out of Fredericksburg, VA. I also love Vineyard Vines but haven't been able to convince Sean to get the starfish bow tie just yet. 

Sean will find any reason to wear a bow tie! But can you blame him... they are so cute! 

Sean in his Christmas bow tie!

Halloween

New Years 2011!

New Years Eve has never been one of my favorite holidays.... but this year couldn't have been more fun! A few of our friends decided to get a cabin in West Virginia near Timberline and Canaan Valley Ski Resorts. We stayed in a beautiful cabin on a lake front property just minutes from Timberline. We spent the entire weekend relaxing in the hot tub, reading by the wood burning stove, playing games, and eating way too much food (especially bacon!). It was an absolute perfect way to bring in the new year!

Rather than skiing/snow boarding on the first day, we decided to go ice skating/snow tubbing and enjoy a relaxing day around the house as we prepared for New Years Eve. We went tubing during the 7-9 pm session, which was perfect! We bundled up in our warmest clothes and had a BLAST! We came home to a warm pot of chili and waited for the ball to drop at midnight. 

Drogo and I ready for extreme tubbing!

This fireplace made the weekend PERFECT

The next morning we all went skiing/ snowboarding. I won't be going pro anytime soon but I had so much fun! Of course Sean was an absolute natural and a great teacher... I am not sure I would have survived on the slopes as long as I did without him. My greatest fear was getting on and off the ski lift... and I am proud to announce that by the end of the day I was  able to get off the ski lift TWICE without falling when I stopped (lets not mention that I had to hold onto Sean). We were all so sore the next day but we had so much FUN!

Strasburg High School's finest!