Good Eats: Pawleys Island Crab Cakes w/Jalapeno Citrus Aioli

She who picks the crab meat at 7:45 am dictates it's usage.

That's the newest bylaw to be passed in our house. 

My parents are overwhelmed by the amount of crabs that have been hopping in their pots (poor things, right?), so they very generously sent Ant and I home with LOTS! (thanks!)

However, with our busy schedules, the only time I could get the meat picked was between gym and shower time two mornings this week. Good times. So as the new rule states, I get to choose how we use this oh so precious crab meat.
I haven't heard any complaints from Ant yet : )

This was Wednesday night's dinner. We normally use the Virginia Hospitality recipe for crab cakes but I actually really dig the one below that we tried out- it was really moist with a great crust on the outside.  I think it's a keeper!

Also pictured is a little baked lemon pepper mahi, and sauteed squash, zucchini and onion with some fresh oregano.

Recipes on what's cookin page!

Pops - Just the tip

This little orange juice with a touch of pureed strawberry treat we have named "just the tip". 

hehe

Come on Wedding Crashers fans, you know you giggled a little. 

This combo is also one of my regular breakfast stand in's.

Dinner for Sissy

We had a family dinner last night (and a great one at that, thanks Mom!) at the request of my sister Jess who is leaving tomorrow to go to Honduras for one week on a mission trip. 

There, she'll be spending time at an orphanage. 

Ant's taking bets on Jess trying to smuggle a kid home in her luggage. 

Please keep her and her mission team in your prayers
for safe travels and a great trip!

the weekend rundown - pizza, pool & party

Another weekend down. 

and sadly, not that many more to go for the summer of 2011 : (

peach mint julep... mmmmm

Friday night was low key with a DiGiorno pizza
(have you TRIED the stuffed crust one?! it was awesome)
and a movie (Lincoln Lawyer- really good!)

Saturday we headed to Richmond to take care of some shopping.
I made some big purchases at Best Buy in an effort to start keeping all of my electronics organized, and the we made the ever so necessary trip to Trader Joe's to replenish the dwindling wine supply for the house : )

Later that afternoon, we attended the 4th annual Crab Feast hosted by our wonderful friends Jamie and Bernie

artwork by Jamie herself!

We picked yummy crabs, ate good food, and just enjoyed hanging out and sharing some laughs with great friends!

Thanks to the Murphy's for hosting us- we had a fabulous time!

Sunday we enjoyed a long and leisurely breakfast at the Local,
utilitzing their wi-fi to set up my new electronics,

then put in a nice long pool day with friends and some fam!

Ant & Jack 

Sissy chillaxin in the pool

Gwen spent the day with us

and we enjoyed the company of Jack and Jess

me with the siblings

as well as a visit from our friends Jack and Meredith
(not pictured)

The pool offered little relief from the heat, as it felt like bath water after 3 days of 100+ temps HA!, but it was better than nothing and we had a great afternoon swimming and playing anyways!

We ended the night at the bar at KC's where we ran into/met up with various friends- fun way to end the weekend!

Good Eats: Rosemary Steak & Potato Salad Fra Diavolo

 Rosemary and garlic steak

topped with arugula and garden fresh tomatoes

dressed in lemon juice and olive oil, salt & pepper

served with Potato Salad Fra Diavolo

Recipes by Rachael Ray

Pops - Grape on Grape

With the recent 90-100 degree temps, my precious pops have been in high demand. 

These white grape juice with red grape halves pops have provided some much needed cool refreshment around our house.



And with the weather forecast in the 100's for the next 3 days,
I think we're gonna need some more...

Good Eats: Mahi Mahi

Mahi Mahi with fresh homemade pineapple and cilantro salsa, 

garlic green beans and blistered grape tomatoes 

and wee baked sweet potatoes

the weekend rundown - shellfish, shindig & shower

I know I always say that our weekends were busy; this time "busy" might just be an understatement. 

I mean it was JAM PACKED!

Still don't believe me? Ok, here goes:

Friday night we celebrated the opening of RRO's (which is now actually going to be called Rappahannock Oyster Co. so I need to get used to that!) new tasting room at the marina!

Fantastic draft and bottled beers, nice wine selection and all sorts of fun new merchandise

Ant and Travis

Jayson and his friend Matt

It looks so great and we're excited to have a new bar where we can have a drink on the water! They're still getting set up, can't wait to get some more pictures of the redone space!

Ella wanted to check out the new bar too : )

On Saturday, Jess and I threw a much anticipated party to celebrate
our Mom's retirement!

With around 90 people in attendance, it was a great crowd-
fun and festive and the weather was just wonderful! 

And BOY was there some EATING done at this party!

Between 100+ hotdogs, various sides (I made SEVENTY deviled eggs..ugh), tons of appetizers, crabs and a whole huge John Lee sheet cake- there was hardly anything at all left at the end!

I set up a lemonade bar which was a hit, with optional alcohol and plenty of fun mix-ins, including vodka, berries, mint, rosemary and homemade strawberry syrup to jazz up your very own cocktail!

We also collected messages from some of Mom's former students, I think it was around 40 messages in all, and displayed them, along with all of Mom's official school portraits from pretty close to each of her 36 years teaching!


Thanks to everyone who sent those in, I know she loved it!

Congratulations to our beautiful Mom!

We're so jealous proud of you!
Can't wait to see the fun things you come up with now in your time off!

Saturday night, Mom's side of the family all stayed over because the very next morning, Jess and our cousins and I hosted a baby shower for our cousin Jamie and his wife Heather. 

They're expecting TWIN GIRLS in September and we're all so excited for the babies to arrive!

 There was of course, more great food!

We did early lunch with the whole family, then watched the expecting parents open their gifts.

Jamie looks pretty excited about those girly clothes, doesn't he? : )

We finished up the shower with these amazing little cake balls made by our cousin Jenny- YUM!

In addition to my hectic running around, I didn't sleep well over the weekend so I was exhausted by the time I got home Sunday afternoon! Ant and I had the most perfectly relaxing evening, complete with a few of my favorite things and some relaxing reading in the cool
early evening breeze.

Couldn't think of a better way to end such an amazing weekend!

Unwinding

Whew!

After this past weekend, I need a day or so to get myself back together so weekend rundown post is going to have to wait til tomorrow when I've had time to sort my pics!

In the meantime, this is how I got to unwind when I got home 

Sunday afternoon!

forgive the iPad quality photo

Talk about a few of my favorite things. 

Mojitos, crabs and shrimp on the back deck with Ant followed by music, sweatshirts and reading til dark. 

Ahhhhhh

Friday sunrise

Sunrise when I woke up this morning

This weekend is going to be crazy busy, so I'm probably going to be sorry I chose the gym over extra sleep this morning, but what an awesome view to start the weekend. 

Have a good one! 

I know we will with LOTS of fun things in store! 

Summer Favorite: Fresh garden salsa

One of my absolute favorite things about having my own vegetable and herb gardens is when I can make a dish almost entirely from things I can pick in my own backyard. 

Fresh garden salsa is at the top of the list of those dishes.

This morning I collected some ripe roma tomatoes, jalapeno and serrano peppers, a red onion, and a handful of cilantro- all out of my very own gardens. 

(Unfortunately, I'm not self-sufficient in the lime department... that would be very cool)

It's hard to enjoy salsa from the store after you've had it this fresh.

Definitely a summer fave.

Ella Bella

Last night Anthony and I got hang out with his too cute for words 

little cousin Ella. 

Or as she'll tell you if you ask her what her name is, Ella Bella. 

I guess 2 years of everyone calling her that has stuck. 

Ella's been talking a mile a minute since before her 1st birthday and we are amazed everytime we see her at the outrageous things she knows and says. She uses grown up phrases and slang, and uses them in proper context. It's a riot. 

Anthony and I regularly quote Ella- she's that funny.

She will say "that's hilarious" when someone says something funny, she asks to listen to Erykah Badu, and will give you a fist bump which she then blows up. 

(Gigi was feeling bad for not understanding some of this- I told her she really shouldn't, I can't hardly keep up with Ella's trendiness myself : ) ha)

We played in the pool and took a boat ride before dinner 

(when she wants the boat to go fast she yells "HIT IT!")

Loved spending time with her, Mike, Granddad and Gigi!