I'm back, baby (and with a great recipe to share)!

I know you've heard it all before but... I'm back. Recommitting to the hot and cold relationship that is my blog. Every time I think I'm ready to turn away, I miss writing too much! I miss the community! So, this time, I'm back and I'm promising I'll change. If you give me another chance, I will try harder than ever before to not disappoint. I've got a few (hopefully good!) posts planned out over the next few weeks, and I'll prove to you that this time I mean it when I say I'm blogging again.

For now, let's start off nice and easy. I wanted to share this recipe I made a few weeks ago - lamb meatballs in a spicy tomato sauce. We give it a full 5 Stars.

 

picture *borrowed* from NYTimes site (give me a break - I hadn't recommitted yet!)

Layne is the one with the real knack for picking out recipes between the two of us, and when I selected this one it received a raised eyebrow and a tight lipped shrug (Layne-speak for no good). But then he tasted it and took it all back. Score one for Meg! 

My main recommendation is to make twice the amount of sauce it recommends - with all the reducing it has to go through, you'll want more of that delicious pasta sauce in the end! We also added some garlic to the sauce, because what's a tomato sauce without garlic? 

This is definitely making it into the Fletcher Family Cookbook. Especially because our other standby meatball is Geoffrey Zakarain's recipe, and ooohhhh myyyyyy gooooosh. They're delicious - don't get me wrong - but SO labor intensive and time consuming. Plus, these lamb meatballs are baked instead of fried. 

Win. Win. Win!

Friday Thoughts

Guys... it's super easy not to blog. I broke the habit with my impromptu fall break, and now I need to get back into it!

Not a photo from yesterday, just a good memory. The Christmas light aren't out quite yet. :)

Yesterday was this sexy guy's birthday. We caught a matinee, had an amazing dinner at Bourbon Steak, and ended the night with cheesecake in bed. No complaints.

Have you seen this video on street harassment? It reminded me of this time a guy on my bus started chatting me up, got off at my stop, walked half a mile down the street with me, and I finally turned into the wrong complex just so that he wouldn't find out where I really lived. And just the other day, some guys yelled at me from their car when Layne and I were on a run. I can't tell you what they said because they were speaking Spanish, but unfortunately for them Layne is fluent in Spanish and yelled back at them because he said it was so vulgar. He was really mad. Have you ever felt harassed on the street? What can be done about this issue?

We don't have big Halloween plans this year - I think just a scary movie marathon (Vogue has a great list). What are you going to do today? I always feel compelled to candy binge on Halloween. #NoRegrets

Have a great weekend!

Doc & Marty McFly

Luigi, Collette & Remy the Rat

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Pet Peeves { #Blogtober14 }

I have to admit, I used to have a lot more pet peeves. Then I got married. And you just can't have 1,000 tiny things that bother you when you live with someone that you simultaneously love and hate more than anyone else. I quickly had to get over socks left on the floor and dirty dishes sitting directly beside the sink and Layne also has this propensity for littering and... I digress. The point is, I had to relax and get over it or choose to be perpetually crazy.

That does not mean that I don't still have a few pet peeves that can drive me bonkers and instantly infuriate me.

Playing with your gum
Gum is meant for chewing, thanks. That is all. I hate when people play with it, blow bubbles, snap it, or - gross - pull it with their fingers. I had an ex-boyfriend who played with his gum all the time, and I think this pet peeve was born directly of that relationship.

Coughing into your hand
Ok - I know we were all taught to cover our mouths when you cough or sneeze and I do appreciate the effort. But get with the program people. You cough into your hand, the germs go directly into your hand, and then you spread those germs everywhere you touch. For the love of all that is holy, please cough into your elbow. Your elbow is not opening doors and pushing buttons or touching anything at all.

Blowing your straw wrapper
I admit, this is one that I have yet to overcome in my marriage. Layne is like a seven-year-old and loves to blow his straw wrapper into my face. And every time that little piece of paper hits me, my blood boils instantly. I don't get a little upset. Instead I begin to yell immediately and crumple up the straw wrapper in my fist and - honestly, I don't think anything makes me as furious as that moment.

What drives you crazy?

Dream Vacation {Blogtober14}

Before I launch into today's Blogtober post, I need to apologize for my disappearance!  I was in between jobs for a few weeks ( finally started the new one on Thursday!) and without my usual schedule, I pretty much let things fall apart. But, no, for real it felt really nice to just downshift and turn off everything and reeeeeeeelaaaaaax. I haven't been able to unplug to that extent and for so long since... probably, 15 years old? Before I got my first job? It felt incredible to have no schedule and no responsibilities whatsoever, and I took full advantage of it.

I had planned on participating in #Blogtober14, and realized I have yet to post a single time in October (oops). I will share my journeys into temporary unemployment shortly, but for now let's just get into the main event.

I don't think I could ever travel enough! It felt impossible to settle on just one dream vacation, so I didn't.

A. Beach Vacation
Laying on the beach, skin being warmed by the sun. Tropical (virgin) cocktail in one hand, and a good book in the other. Quiet and simple, but somewhere that is still fun and we could go exploring. If we're talking dream, I'm saying private beach, maybe an all-inclusive resort with a spa.

B. European Vacation
No holds barred. I would looooove to take about two months, maybe three, and just see (and eat) everything. Stay in a city for a few days, a week, and then move onto the next one. We would go all over Italy, France, Greece, the U.K., Ireland, Spain, spend a little time in Germany, Belgium, Austria, and maybe a day or two in a few other cities, you know, just sprinkled in there. I am quickly seeing that this would definitely be a three month trip, and I am perfectly ok with that.

The 5 Senses of Fall

I ran into the SITSgirls Back to Blogging Challenge earlier this week on another blog. While I had written out most of my posts for the week, Friday was still wide open and dying for inspiration and I found it. The "5 Senses of Fall" prompt got me SO excited for fall! I am ready to curl up with some hot chocolate and watch the leaves fall from a cocoon of blankets after writing this post. 

Sight

shocking red leaves and foggy fields

Taste

hot chocolate and pumpkin everything 

Touch 

cozy sweaters and warm fires

Hear

howling wind and crunching leaves

Smell

roasting turkey and cinnamon sticks

What sights/sounds/tastes/smells/touches remind you of fall? 

Your Chili's Companion

Confession: I have been hoarding a precious gift. Since early 2011, I have been sitting on the most amazing cornbread recipe anyone has ever concocted. Worse still, the person who gave it to me passed it along so willingly, and I have not paid it forward.

But - it's time to make amends. That's why today I present to you...

It is delicious. It is easy. And you will eat the entire pan.

Step 1 - Preheat your oven to 350. Grab an 8X8 pan, throw a stick of butter in there, and throw it in the oven while it heats up.

Step 2 - Pull the pan out when the butter is melted. Add 1 box of Jiffy corn bread mix, 1/4 c sugar, 1 egg, and 1 can creamed corn. Stir until just mixed, and pop it back in the oven for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Step 3 - Make this every day of your life, and buy bigger pants. It's worth it. 

Celebrating 4 Years

Last Thursday was our 4 year anniversary. It's kind of a weird feeling, like it has gone by so incredibly fast but simultaneously I cannot even remember life before Layne (though I know it really must have sucked.) I talked a bit about how four years has changed me (in all the right ways) yesterday.

The traditional 4th anniversary gift is either fruit or flowers, but for the modern day it's appliances. So, we went with a waffle maker. Yay! I have had waffles every day since (except for when I went to brunch with my mother-in-law). So, we slept in, made waffles, and watched a few episodes of MasterChef. That is an ideal morning in this household.

P.S. We picked up this Williams Sonoma Bellegem Waffle Mix. I only used it the first day, because it was surprisingly sweet. We'd recommend it for a dessert waffle, but I've been using this scratch recipe ever since. It's fine, but I'm going to keep looking for one with butter instead of oil. (yum, butter... right?) Recommendations welcome!

In the afternoon, we went to see "No Good Deed." Our anniversary kind of kicks off fall for us, and I loooooooove scary movies and make Layne watch as many as I can straight through Thanksgiving. It was good, but not quite as suspenseful as I had hoped. Have you seen it yet?

Dinner, as a special treat to my carnivorous husband, was Fogo de Chao. We've tried a few Brazilian steakhouses. The meat has been the best at Fogo de Chao, but the salad bar (at least for this location) was easily the worst. We also really missed the pineapple and vegetables they give you at Tucanos.

The night ended with Georgetown Cupcakes and a Criminal Minds marathon, our show of the moment. (Dr. Spencer Reid is my second love.) 

All in all, it was a perfect day full of 100 moments that reminded me why I love this guy so much.