Blogcation

Everyone takes vacations in the summer, and for a full time worker and blogger it is no different. My family came up to visit in their new RV and we spent a few days at the campsite roasting marshmallows, kayaking, fishing, grilling, and spending some quality time together. 

It was great to see my family and my dogs (and have them meet little George!). 

It was a wonderful weekend full of laughs, and we are already planning their next trip.

xo. Casey

Pink Lemonade Sangia

Sangria is my favorite drink to get when I am out at a restaurant. If there is sangria on the menu then I am ordering it- especially if it is any variation of white or fruity sangria. So while hanging around the house on vacation I decided to make a variation of my own. 

Here is the simple ingredient list: 

1. Pink Lemonade - I used Newman's Own

2. White Wine - Now usually I would use a Moscato wine in my sangria because I like it sweet, but since we were adding the lemonade it was going to be sweet enough so I used a Riesling, still sweeter then a Chardonnay or a Pinot Grigio, but like I said I like it sweet. 

3. Frozen Raspberries 

4. Lemons and Limes 

I didn't measure anything- and you don't need to. If you like it sweeter add more lemonade, if you don't add more wine. You can even balance it out with a little soda water. Then just add the raspberries and the sliced lemons and limes. 

Super easy and delicious! Next time I am going to take it up a notch and add in some limoncello. That will also add to the sweetness, so I will balance it out with a dry wine. 

You can add whatever other hard liquor or fruit that you want to this recipe to make it your own. With sangria there are no limitations. It is a fun drink that I will be enjoying all summer long. 

Happy Sunday!

xo. Casey

Saturday Caturday

George and I are spending this lazy Saturday cooking up some comfort food and catching up on our faborite shows. 

Cheesy orzo pasta, pretty little liars, and the most perfect grilled cheese sandwiches? Perfect day.

How are you spending your Saturday?

xo. Casey

Frost Bar Boston

One of my favorite parts of our Boston vacation was when we stumbled upon Frost Bar in Quincy Market. I had heard about these bars made of ice before but I was always skeptical. But when my boyfriend said "let's do it!" I became super excited. 

The cost to get in was $13 with my student id but prices vary during peak hours. They give you these fur hooded ponchos that kind of feel like a sleeping bag, and some gloves. We stepped inside of this cool room that gets you used to the temperature change. "It's not that cold" we thought- but then the doors to the bar opened. Immediately we felt the frigid 20 degree blast of cool air. Everything was made out of ice- the benches, the fixtures, and the glasses. We decided to go with beers and received a free beer coozie which was awesome. 

We stayed for about 20 minutes, until we were shivering, and decided to go. It is an awesome experience that I would suggest anyone to check out (especially on a super hot day). 

After that we decided to get some drinks outside by the harbor to defrost before going into the aquarium. This was the first time I have ever been to the Boston aquarium and they literally had the biggest penguin exhibit I have ever seen. And I love me some penguins. 

I had one of the best days with this goof. 

Boston is only about a 45 minute ride from Providence, so it is awesome to be able to have awesome days like this not too far from home. 

xo. Casey

Teatro Boston

This past weekend the boyfriend and I had an awesome vacation where we relaxed, took day trips, and spent some much needed quality time together. It was awesome. On one of the days we decided to take a spontaneous train ride into Boston. 

At the end of an awesome day full of cool new experiences (more on that in a post later this week!) we were ravenous. After walking for a while looking for little Italy we found our way to the paramount area and we did what any 21st century young adults would do and asked Siri where to go. She said that right down the street there was a restaurant called Teatro. After looking at the menu we decided to go for it - and I am so glad we did. 

As we were entering the restaurant it looked dark, and empty. Once we walked in however we realized we were very wrong. The inside of the restaurant was beautiful, a total hidden gem, and it was packed. 

We chose two seats at the bar and looked over the delicious menu. I ordered a white sangria and it was delicious - definitely in the top two best sangria's I have ever had. It had the perfect amount of sweetness and crispness. As we enjoyed our drinks we were also served warm crusty bread with a side of chickpea puree and oil with red pepper flakes for dipping. 

Right away the Antipasto platter caught our eye. This was my favorite part of the meal and I would return to Teatro just to order this appetizer again. 

The platter included fried squash blossoms, truffled deviled egg, mozzarella and figs, prosciutto and Parmesan, white bean puree, bresaola, stuffed cherry peppers, artichoke, eggplant and marinated mushrooms, roasted red peppers, and the creamiest blue cheese I have ever tasted. This was all accompanied by perfectly grilled bread. 

I could not have asked for a more perfect assortment of absolute deliciousness. 

For my entree I chose the half portion of the Conchiglie, which was shell pasta with lobster in a butter sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly and it had large chunks of lobster meat. I think it was a wonderful idea to offer half portions and I am so glad that I opted to go with the half portion after that amazing antipasto. It was just the right amount of food and we left completely satisfied. 

I am so thankful that we stumbled upon Teatro. It was a wonderful experience with a great atmosphere and delicious food. We will definitely be returning to Boston soon to dine at Teatro again. 

xo. Casey

"Bobby Flays" Miami Burger

Today I have the first recipe in my "Cook Through the Book Challenge!"

The Miami Burger

Ingredients: 

          1. ground beef

                                 2. bun - I used an onion roll

             3. smoked ham

              4. swiss cheese

          5. dill pickles 

     6. mustard
7. mayo

             8. roasted garlic

            9. salt & pepper

Method of Prep:

1. Form your ground beef into a patty, and make a small indentation in the center of the patty. Cook in a skillet to your preference. I like my burgers to be cooked to medium temperature. 

2. Mix the mayo in a bowl with the roasted garlic, salt and pepper. *to roast garlic simply wrap the whole head in tinfoil and bake until soft. 

3. Coat both sides of the bread with the mayo mixture and the mustard. 

4. Start assembling your burger- Place a slice of cheese on the bottom bun. Add the burger, ham, pickles, and second piece of cheese. Place the bun on top. 

5. Place your burger on a pannini press. If you do not have a panini press handy like me, you can put the burger back in the skillet and place a cast iron pan on top, grill one side, and then flip it over and do the other. 

I tried the tinfoil method that Bobby suggested - wrapping the burger in tinfoil and then placing it in the pan with the skillet or pot on top to press the sandwich - and I found that it made the burger soggy. The tinfoil created steam and resulted in a messy (not crunchy) burger. 

None the less it was absolutely delicious! It had all the great flavors of a Cuban sandwich in a burger. And it was approved by my new buddy George! (He thought we were sharing)

My first burger in my "Cook Through the Book" Challenge was delicious! 

I can not wait to try the next one this weekend

xo. Casey

Friday Five, Summer Playlist

Hi guys, sorry for missing a post yesterday, but the boyfriend and I took off work and heading up to Warped Tour! I remember going to Bamboozle in Jersey every summer and seeing all of my favorite bands, so I was excited to check out Vans Warped Tour this year and see who was playing. Although I hardly knew any of the bands that were playing (there were a lot more "metal core bands" and rappers/DJ's) I still had a lot of fun!

So in lapse of my post yesterday, I am now bringing you TWO Friday Fives today.

First up here is my Summer Playlist:Warped Tour Edition. These are songs that have been permanent staples in my ITunes Summer Playlist for years and remind me of days spent at summer concert festivals. 

  1. Boys of Summer; The Ataris 

 2. Ocean Avenue; Yellowcard

3. California; Phantom Planet

   4. It's Not Your Fault; New Found Glory

5. The Great Escape; Boys Like Girls 

  Bonus Track! Summertime; Mae 

So much traffic on the way to Warped Tour! It was a giant line to get into the parking lot for two hours all the way down 95'

Next up are the songs that are always on my summer playlist because to me they just embody all that summer is. Some are awesome and some are total guilty pleasures, but here they are! 

1. (More Bounce In) California; SOULKID #1

2. Summer Girls; LFO

                  3. Summertime In Rhode Island; Someday Providence

        4. Ignition (Remix); R Kelly 

           5. Leavin'; Jesse McCartney 
Bonus Track! Brown Eyed Girl; Van Morrison

Put those two lists together and you have my no fail perfect summer road trip playlist. 

I mean seriously, if you don't have Summer Girls on your summer playlist, you need to reevaluate your life. 

What are your staple summer jams? 

xo. Casey 

Roasted Vegetable Panzanella Salad

There is nothing better than a fresh salad in the summer time, but if you are like me you get bored with the average lettuce varieties. Don't get me wrong, I love a good cob salad or strawberry salad as much as the next guy, but sometimes I want to change it up. 

Enter: the panzanella salad. 

A panzanella salad is a Tuscan salad made of bread and tomatoes usually dressed in olive oil and vinegar. The stale bread soaks up the juices of the tomatoes and is simply perfect. 

You can add whatever ingredients you want to this salad and they will shine.

Historically it is made with tomatoes and onions but feel free to add things and make it your own. 

I used tomatoes, asparagus, creamy mozzarella, and prosciutto in my salad. 

Here's what I did:

1. Slice your tomatoes and put them on a sheet tray with the asparagus. Cover them in oil, salt. and pepper. Put your oven on broil and cook the asparagus and tomatoes for about seven minutes. Depending on how thick your asparagus is you may need to cook them a little longer.

2. Remove the vegetables from the oven, place in a bowl, and allow them to cool.

3. Cut your french bread into cubes. Cover them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Let them bake at 400 degrees until golden brown. 

4. Cut your mozzarella and prosciutto into chunks. Add the bread, prosciutto, and mozzarella into the bowl with the vegetables. 

5. For the dressing I mixed red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and dijon mustard in a bowl. Lightly mix the salad and incorporate the dressing. 

The bread soaks up the flavors from the tomatoes and the dressing, and compliments the creaminess of the mozzarella perfectly. This is a simple meal that you can make with leftover bread and whatever you have in your fridge. I am excited to make this again with some new ingredients. Possibly some burrata and avocado? Yum! 

Try making this quick and easy salad this summer. You will be sure to impress your family and friends while making something super simple. 

Enjoy!

xo. Casey

Cook Through The Book; Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, & Shakes

Remember my summer bucket list post where I decided to cook through an entire cook book this summer? Well since July has just begun I decided this was the perfect time to announce my book of choice - Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, & Shakes. 
If you have never been to Bobby's Burger Palace then you are missing out. Every burger I have tried there is unique and flavorful. Absolutely delicious burgers. 

Simple cooking is what I gravitate to during the summer. You don't want to be in a hot kitchen creating complicated dishes when you want to be enjoying the sunshine. You want quick, flavorful, and fresh dishes and in the summer time that is a good burger. 

The book is broken up into four sections
one. burgers

                                                          two. french fries, potato chips, and onion rings

                                      three. condiments and seasonings

      four. milkshakes

       

Everything looks so fresh and delicious and I am very excited to brush up on my cooking skills while cooking new twists on a summer classic. 

Do you want to join in on the challenge? 

First recipe coming up this week!

xo. Casey


Disclaimer: this post has been updated. my original choice of cookbook "Back to Basics" has delicious recipes such as roasts, stews, and soups more geared towards cooler weather. 

Meet George

Not even an hour after I posted yesterday about our search for a new member of our family James texted me and let me know that he went to the animal shelter and met the cutest little guy in the world -  13 week old George. I saw him online and was instantly interested, but when James went to see him in person at the animal shelter he just couldn't leave without him.

I got the text "pick up a litter box, food, and a scratching post- I am bringing him home". I was instantly nervous and excited at the same time. I have never had a cat before, I am a dog person. How do you even train a cat? Well I learned you don't. They have these crazy instincts and just know to go in the litter box when it's time to do their business. Or maybe that's just George. He is very wise.

He is half Russian blue and half domestic long hair. He has big beautiful eyes and has the softest fur. When he first got home he was very shy, he didn't want to come out of the carrier and when he did he hid under the couch. Eventually he started to warm up a little.

Fast forward to today and he is already getting pretty comfortable with his new home. He is an explorer and very active. He loves playing with his little mouse toys and looking out the window watching the cars go by. He hates loud noises though.. We have that in common. 

As he warms up to his new house he is also warming up to his new family. He loves to cuddle, and his favorite spot is curled up on my neck. 

I can feel the love from him already. It amazes me that someone could have just dropped him off at the shelter because she just didn't feel like having him anymore. This little guy is so lovable and extremely smart, and I could never see myself letting him go. 

People say shelter animals are the best because they really truly love and appreciate you. I wholeheartedly agree with that. I can tell how happy little George is to be in his new home with a family that truly loves him. 

This was a very happy 4th of July!

xo. Casey 

We've Got the Russian Blues

Here is a little life update for you blog friends - 

After much going back and forth James and I have decided to adopt - a beautiful Russian Blue cat. We have been going through tons of posts on Craigslist and Petfinder searching for a Russian Blue that needs a good home with loving parents. 

When we were searching for what type of cat to get we knew we needed to go with a hypoallergenic breed since James is allergic. When we saw the Russian Blue's we fell in love. Their grey coats and beautiful green eyes weren't the only thing that attracted us to the breed. They also are very active and love to play fetch which is just the kind of cat we are looking for. 

The search has been hard however. We have been searching but we either get no responses or they are too far away. Currently we are waiting to hear back from two different owners trying to find homes for their little guys. We have also been looking at shelters as well. I knew that I wanted to adopt a cat instead of buy a kitten because there are just so many out there that need homes. 

We are going to continue our hunt and hopefully find a new member of our little family soon. 

If anyone knows of a Russian Blue that needs a home let me know, we would love to give them the happy life they deserve!

This guy is a 14 year old Russian Blue who needs a good home. 

Fingers Crossed his owners will get back to us soon!

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!

xo. Casey

Waterman Grille

As you know by now when it comes to my boyfriend and I brunch is our thang. 

We decided to try somewhere new to get some breakfast before a day of kayaking and fishing and decided on Waterman Grille in Richmond Square by a coworkers recommendation. 

The restaurant is tucked away and looks tiny until you enter its doors. It has nice outdoor and indoor seating, multiple bars, and plenty of entertaining space for large parties. The place was pretty busy so we got a table inside right by the window.

The restaurant has views of the river, and although it is not the prettiest body of water it is still a nice change of scenery from the other downtown breakfast spots. 

We started off with some french pressed coffee, a nice touch and enough for about two cups each. Service was a little slow (the servers seemed to be in the weeds) but we were in no hurry and the coffee held us over as we looked over their amazing menu. Everything looked great and I was having a hard time choosing what to get. 

Normally I go with my old standby - the eggs benedict, and they did have a couple delicious options to choose from. The one that kept catching my eye were the potato pancake eggs benedict. I almost skipped on lunch all together and went with the lobster grilled cheese which was practically calling my name but breakfast won me over. 

I finally decided on the breakfast burrito with house made sausage, poblano peppers, sour cream, and salsa in a grilled tortilla. I asked to substitute bacon for sausage but was informed by my server that they are pre made and there can be no substitutions. I wasn't quite sure how they pre-made the burritos but I went with it anyway.  It was good, but I wish I had went with my gut and gotten the benedict. My boyfriend got some extra sausage out of the deal though so he was pleased. He went with his standby - an omelet with Gouda cheese, sausage, and mushrooms. I loved how all of their breakfast plates came with both potatoes and fruit. It was a nice touch. 

The atmosphere at the Waterman Grille is wonderful, and they have an amazing menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We will definitely be back for lunch or dinner one day soon, and will make a point to make a reservation to guarantee an outdoor seat. 

Waterman Grille is a hidden gem in Providence hidden away from the busy city. 

xo. Casey