Family Weekend

I wish I could explain how happy I am that it is finally summer. I don't know why I don't live in a place where it is summer all year round, but I guess that would make it harder to appreciate. This weekend I went down to LBI (Long Beach Island) for my boyfriends annual family reunion which was so much fun. His family reminds me so much of mine and it definitely tugged at my heart strings a bit that I can't be at my own family reunion next week.

Sunset on our first day

It was also great to see the Jersey Shore have such an amazing recovery after Hurricane Sandy this past year. The part of the island that we stayed at wasn't hit too hard, but you could still see all of the empty lots and homes for sale that didn't make it.

Since this family reunion made me miss my own, especially my dad, I felt like this recipe was appropriate. I had made a peanut butter banana chocolate cream pie for my dad a few months back since it was all of his favorite flavors combined. It was so simple and so incredibly tasty that its an amazing go to recipe! 

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Cream Pie

35 Nilla Wafers, Finely crushed

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 oz. BAKER'S Semi Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 bananas, cut in half, then quartered

2 pkg (3.4 oz) of Vanilla Instant Pudding

2 cups cold milk

2 cups Cool Whip

2 tbsp. salted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix wafer crumbs and melted butter and press into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Bake 5-8 minutes or until golden. Cool completely. Meanwhile, make chocolate curls for 1/2 oz chocolate. Refrigerate. 

Microwave remaining 1.5 oz chocolate and peanut butter into a microwave safe bowl on high for one minute. Stir until chocolate is melted and everything is well blended. Place bananas in the crust and pour chocolate mixture on top.

Beat pudding mixes and milk in large bowl with a whisk for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup cool whip. Spread over the bananas and chocolate. Top with remaining cool whip.

Refrigerate for 3 hours. Top with chocolate curls and nuts before serving. 

Exciting News Topped with Bacon!

I mentioned previously that my boyfriend and I joined a website called HowAboutWe. In case you forgot (and I love to do marketing for my friend), it has two different sides. One is for single people in which they post an idea for a date such as "How about we go to the Knicks game" and other people can either ask you out on that date and/or start a conversation based on the idea. You can also search for dates or just browse users. I think its a really unique idea for the seemingly endless possibilities of dating websites out there. Go sign up if you're single!

The other side is for couples in which they give you awesome discounted/free dates for you and your significant other. This is where we went to the Peanut Butter Co. and tried all of those awesome different peanut butters...for free!

Now before I get to the next date that we went on, I have some very exciting news to share. I AM A HOMEOWNER! It was a long process, but I can finally check that "Buy a home" line item on my 20 Things To Do Before I Die. I will be keeping everyone updated with my new decorations, so I won't spoil that by posting any pictures here!

Back to my date. I try to eat healthy as much as I can, but I am SUCH a sucker for bacon. I think that is a general consensus over most of the human population, but it really is incredible. Colin and I went to a place on the Upper East Side called The Baconery where every single thing on their menu has bacon in it. Every Thing.

We were given with our free date 2 bacon baked goods, 2 chocolate covered bacon strips, 2 bacon sandwiches, and a drink (bacon infused, if desired). I had no idea bacon could be incorporated in so many things and Colin was about the happiest I have ever seen him. My sandwich was bacon, peanut butter, banana, and honey and oh my GOODNESS was it heavenly. Colin actually couldn't keep his hands away and he had his own! Colin ordered a grilled cheese with bacon (boring!), but he still loved it. For dessert, we chose cookies and cream bacon (Colin's choice) and birthday bacon (my choice). I loved both, but Colin was a little creeped out by the chocolate and bacon combination. We also took home two bacon croissants for breakfast the next day which were heavenly. I also may or may not have ordered the bacon hot chocolate and may or may not have loved every sip of it.

If you love bacon as much as we do, its a definite stop for you!

Fantastic Surprise in SoHo

Well work has been nothing short of a complete and total nightmare for the last 8 days. As I mentioned, I work for a small company and my boss has been on vacation to St. Barts. Besides my immense jealousy, I have been running accounting and operations by myself for the last week. My stress level, blood pressure, and pretty sure my weight from the emotional eating, has sky rocketed. He came back today, thank goodness, so there may be some cookies/bars/cupcakes in my future tonight!

I was wondering around Lower Manhattan a little while ago and literally stopped in my tracks when I saw a small, wall to wall glass shop with the words CHOBANI on top. I have always been a huge yogurt fan, even when I was a kid. I became even more of a yogurt fan as a weight conscious adult. I have hopped immediately on the Greek Yogurt band wagon as well (also the frozen yogurt one) so this made my heart do a little flip and left me zero choice but to walk right on in. Now, I anticipated it to be similar to those fro-yo stores where there are countless possibilities and combinations of self serve toppings and flavors and I was PUMPED. I was greeted by the wonderfully pleasant worker with a fancy touch screen iphone menu and order pad. First off, menu? You mean I can't just dump cookie dough pieces into my Chobani? Bummer. I was given a menu with seven options. Seven. At least there wasn't too much decision making involved. A few of the combinations were very intimating for my immature palette, so it was a no brainer to go with the peanut butter and jelly option.

Nails: Essie: Butler Please!

Seriously. Look at those pictures! My mouth is drooling just thinking about it. Needless to say I inhaled the entire cup and have been dreaming of either a store opening up in midtown or my office getting relocated to SoHo. If you pass by the Chobani store, please do yourself a favor and go inside. It is life changing.