A Weekend of Firsts

 

We're wrapping up summer and getting ready to start new fall routines, but this weekend was full of many first-time events for us.  

 

A new Mexican restaurant opened up not too far from us, so my husband and I decided to give it a try Thursday evening.  I had a delicious chicken fajita salad, and my husband had an enormous burrito topped with a mango salsa.

 

But what we really enjoyed was the extensive margarita list they had.  We tried some varieties we've never had before; Pama Margarita for me, and Caliente Margarita for Hubby.  They were perfect for a late summer dinner, and we're looking forward to returning and trying some of the others.

 

The next day after cross-country practice, I took our new high school freshman to finally get her first professional manicure.  She chose her new school colors to show her school spirit.  

 

On Saturday, my son and I visited the grounds of the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, PA.  I have been here before...

 

...but it's been years...

 

...and I really went to walk these beautiful walking paths around the grounds for a change of scenery from our mountain trails.  I couldn't help myself and had to stop frequently to take pictures.  What a beautiful place.

 

Afterwards, my son ran in a race to benefit a local food pantry.  The first mile he ran in a little over six minutes and came in second place.  The second mile he ran while carrying a full gallon jug of water along with all the other participants.  The water jugs were then donated to the food pantry.  This was his first one-mile race and definitely the first time he's ever run while carrying an additional 8 pounds in his arms.  Since I've done my share of running while carrying extra pounds each time I was pregnant, I sat out this part of the race and talked to another mom.

 

Saturday night my husband and I tried a new distillery and tapas restaurant.  We had already eaten dinner earlier at home, so we decided to sample a dessert after drinks.

 

We had never seen or heard of semifreddo before.  I sat at the table and googled it to determine whether or not it was something I wanted to try.  This was a saffron semifreddo topped with cherry cardamom syrup, salted chocolate hazelnuts, and whipped cream.  It was delicious, and I scraped every last little bit out of that bowl.

Our weekend culminated with a visit from our new grandson who will be one month old tomorrow.  What was so great about this visit was that he actually had his eyes open for awhile, which is the first time that has happened when we've been together.

I find this time of year so exciting and full of hope and new beginnings.  I can't wait to see what life brings our way next.

A Blustery Fall Weekend

Brrr.  It got quite chilly here in the Allegheny Mountains this fall weekend.  There were even spots that saw a mix of snow, sleet, and rain.  We spent most of our time warm and cozy indoors with good food, extended family, and fall treats.

To start the weekend, we baked, filled, and frosted these Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes from Duncan Hines.  Every now and then, I do break down and use a boxed mix.  The grocery stores are carrying so many interesting autumn treats, so I thought I'd give this a try.  They were quite tasty and are all gone by now, of course.  One problem: my oven quit working, so we mixed them up in our kitchen, then walked up to the cabin to bake the cupcakes, and then carried them back down to the house to frost.  Perhaps the little hike shaved off a few of the 225 calories in each cupcake.

Another fun find that my husband surprised me with that has no calories is this Pumpkin Body Butter found at Trader Joe's.  It's just as luxurious as the regular body butter but smells scrumptuous.

We spent Saturday afternoon around our long kitchen table playing card games with the grandparents.  The big people played Phase 10.

Then we played Uno Attack with the little people.

I was going to wait another month to break out my thick sweaters and boots, but it was so cold that I gave in and even broke out my long silk underwear... And I was still cold.

The grownups decided to dine at a new, unique, farm-to-table restaurant called Revival Kitchen.

Don't try to get in without reservations because chances are you'll be out of luck. 

 Fortunately, we did think to make reservations, and we had a table back by the wine bar where we sampled wines from Seven Mountains Winery, and then ordered a couple of bottles to drink with dinner.

For appetizers, we tried Smoked Trout Deviled Eggs and Miso Glazed Shitake Mushrooms.  My father-in-law is the truly adventurous eater though, and he ordered Bread and Bone, which is bone marrow served with grilled sourdough bread, short rib onion jam, and an herb salad.  There was no way I was touching that even though I was assured that it is delicious and healthy too.

My husband and I tried the Maple Cured Smoked Duck Breast with roasted brussels sprouts, crispy polenta, and those fancy rings of squash.  This was tasty, but I realized I'm not a polenta or duck lover.

The grandparents tried the Herb Marinated Chicken with risotto, goat cheese, and grilled broccolini...

...and the Gnocchi with ricotta, charred broccolini, garlic cream, and crispy Lacinato kale.  Everyone was in agreement that it was all superb, but I was stuffed.

However, we weren't too full for dessert.  We sampled the pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate brownie with peanut butter mousse, and a chocolate pudding cake filled with fruit and nuts with a toffee sauce underneath.  It was unanimous that the pudding cake was the most original and the winner of the evening.  Somehow, my husband and I awoke in the middle of the night with indigestion from eating so much, but the grandparents slept like babies.  Go figure.

On Sunday, after we attended Mass together and had lunch, we ventured over to the public library where they had all kinds of organized activities for children.  Our youngest was the only one willing to make paper bag puppets.

But they were all more than willing to decorate cookies with autumn decorations.  If it involves eating, they're in!

When we came home, I discovered why I have to recreate my porch display every morning because the pumpkins and Indian corn have been knocked off the hay bale.

And despite the cold, winds, snow and sleet, the weekend ended looking like this. 

I'm loving fall! 

It's Time to Try New Things

I don't know what it is about early fall, but it always makes me feel like starting new projects, learning new things, and trying something new.  I suppose it stems from the start of a new school year and all the opportunities and possibilities that brings.  Already, our family has ventured out into new domains, and with the cooler mornings, falling leaves, and autumn harvests, I am excited about what else lies in store for us over the next few months.

Our first new discovery is Cookie Butter, sold at Trader Joe's.  This is the best nut butter we have come across since Nutella.  It comes in a variety of flavors, and I am finding recipes using this weekly.  For now, we're simply spreading it on bread, using it as a dip with Pretzel Crisps, or just eating it on a spoon.  This does go against my usual diet of healthy, wholesome, natural foods, but I also say "everything in moderation."  I give the credit to The Monogrammed Life for this delicious find, and for the next one.

While I am not a bacon fanatic, this is an interesting combination.  I do love dark chocolate and ganache, and I am always game to trying a new variety of chocolate bar.  The bacon is not overpowering but is definitely noticeable.  These are sold at Trader Joe's for $1.97, but I've been informed that they can also be found at Walmart.

Image from Wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons

Our 10 year old son begged us to take him to a restaurant that served calamari while we were on vacation.  It turned out that almost every child in our family loved it, and now calamari is a regular request when we eat out.

Although I am not a fan of most beer, I have been loyal to Samuel Adams in the past.  However, after trying the Achoo Chili Pale Ale from Robin Hood Brewing Co., I have found a new favorite.  You can actually smell the chili peppers in this ale, and it leaves a surprising hint of the same on your tastebuds.  It's fantastic with pizza, I'm told, but I paired it with jambalaya.

My husband and I have been trying out new restaurants the past few months including this one.  Revival Kitchen is located in the village of Reedsville, PA.  It uses fresh ingredients from local farms and sells bottles of wine in the back from a local winery.  The menu changes based on what produce, herbs, and meats are available at the time, and there are many unusual offerings.  The coconut jasmine rice that I had as a side dish was to die for.  The food was great and so was the presentation.

Additionally, I discovered a new wine at this restaurant that we really like.  I usually just order a chardonnay, but this Traminette made by Seven Mountains Winery was perfect with our dinner.  We also sampled their rhubarb wine out of curiosity, which would be great with dessert.

New foods and beverages are not the only new things we are trying.  To counterbalance the calorie intake, we have also been going on mountain bikerides and hikes on various trails through the woods here on our mountain.  Our younger two boys just recently learned to ride bikes, and they now want to ride daily.  Learning to ride a bike on gravel lanes downhill is no easy feat, which is why it hasn't happened for them until 9 and 10 years of age.  Now that they've got it down, however, they are hooked.  Those of us not on bikes are walking our beagle and sometimes carrying one of our cats who insist on tagging along, but then bawl the whole way.

Additional New Things We Are Trying:

*Once Upon a Time.  I know we're a little late to discover this, but we have not had cable or satellite television for years.  We do now have Netflix, which is where we found the first four seasons of this ABC television series.  I really didn't think I would be interested in it, but I chromecast it for our children one day, and now we are hooked.  Fairy tales with a modern day twist, this show holds the interests of everyone in our family.  With Netflix, it's tempting to bingewatch all the episodes at once, but we are restraining ourselves and limiting it to two or three episodes at a time to make it last.

*Violin lessons and Band.  Our youngest decided to give up ballet and start playing the violin instead, so this week begins lessons for her for the first time.  Our younger boys are continuing to take lessons in trumpet and clarinet, but this year they will also participate in their new school's band.  Our ten year old is my only one who doesn't like to be in the spotlight, but he assures me that since he'll be on stage with other performers, he'll be fine at the concerts.

*Learning Spanish.  I'm so excited to begin learning Spanish with our homeschooled son via Rosetta Stone.  I had four years of French in high school and college, plus a year of Italian, but I have not yet learned this romance language other than what I picked up on Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer when we had preschoolers.  I can't wait to get started.

*Lots of new books.  We just got a library card from another public library that is close to our children's new school, and I found shelves and shelves of books that I have been wanting to read.  I am a closet sociologist (well, I guess I'm out now) and I had to restrain myself and not check out an entire shelf before vacation.  I just finished reading these five and can't wait to go back and check out more:  Reading Classes: On Culture and Classism in America by Barbara Jensen; When Did White Trash Become the New Normal:  A Southern Lady Asks the Impertinent Question by Charlotte Hays; Class Matters by correspondents of The New York Times; The Middle-Class Millionaire; The Rise of the New Rich and How They are Changing America by Russ Alan Prince and Lewis Schiff; and Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich by Robert Frank.

I hope you and your family are finding new things to try with the changing seasons.