Pumpkin

Every fall I become obsessed with pumpkin. Pumpkin picking, pumpkin carving, pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks, pumpkin cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory and baking with pumpkin. There is nothing better on a cool fall day than a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks

I had to stop into The Cheesecake Factory the other night to get a piece of their pumpkin cheesecake. It's to die for!

Sunday my sister hosted a pumpkin carving party/lunch. Jason and I had a great time helping Millie and Merrill carve their pumpkins and creating our own pumpkin masterpieces:) Can you tell we were still super pumped about Mizzou's big win on Saturday night?!

A ghost, MIZ-ZOU, and M for Millie :)


Lunch was also pumpkin themed. My sister and Scott made a delicious pumpkin soup, I made pumpkin raisin oat muffins - hearty and healthy - and Mary and Brandon brought pumpkin coffee. It was a pumpkin feast!


Sunday afternoon I was in the mood to bake again and had some leftover pumpkin from the muffins that I needed to use. I gave Jason a few choices and he requested these Pumpkin Cranberry cookies that I made last year. This time I decided to add chocolate chips and they took these cookies from really good to amazing! Jason bit into one and I believe his words were "Holy crap that's delicious!". I'll take that as a compliment ;) The chocolate chips added just enough sweetness and balanced out the tartness of the cranberries. In my opinion everything is better with chocolate :) They are incredibly delicious and a must try if you like pumpkin!

I have a feeling these won't last long!

Another pumpkin recipe I tried out recently was Pumpkin Spice Pancakes with Pumpkin Butter from Skinnytaste.com, a great site with low fat receipes complete with Weight Watchers points. My mom bought me a jar of pumpkin butter from a local farm so this was a no brainer! They tasted great and are super healthy!

I have two more cans of pumpkin in my pantry and a couple more recipes I'm dying to try out. Hopefully Jason isn't sick of pumpkin yet!

Best. Game.Ever

Jason and I made the trip to our Alma Mater, Mizzou, yesterday for Homecoming. We lucked out and got tickets to the football game from Jason's cousin who wasn't able to make it. We could not have asked for a better night!

The setting:

• Mizzou Homecoming weekend.
• Mizzou vs. Oklahoma.
• Mizzou undefeated and ranked 11th.
• Oklahoma undefeated and ranked 1st.
• ESPN College Game Day at Mizzou.
• Crazy Mizzou fans decked out in Black and Gold everywhere you look.
• Mizzou=underdog having lost 19 of the last 20 meetings against Oklahoma.

All of these elements made for a high energy, pumped up atmosphere that was unlike any I've ever experienced and lasted throughout the entire game. The Tigers started the game off right by returning the opening kickoff for an 86 yard touchdown and they never looked back! The final score: Mizzou 36 OU 27. Jason and I had a blast and were so glad we were able to make it to Columbia and be part of history! We have so many great memories there and now we can add this weekend as one of the best!

Excited for the game to start!

Go Tigers!

Half time show

Final Score. Tigers win!

A sea of gold rushing the field! Amazing!

Carrying the goal post off to Harpo's. A Mizzou tradition

Proud to be a Tiger!

Restaurant of the Month: I

Kelly and I decided to try Indian cuisine for "I" month and headed to India's Rasoi this month. Located in the Central West End, this is a new location for the restaurant, it's colorfully decorated and serves North Indian cuisine, South Indian cuisine, and Indian fusion items. It's been a while since I've had Indian food so I was excited to try something new and have some Naan (leavened bread baked in tandoor)!

Kelly and I loved the decor.

We opted for garlic naan - so good!

We started our meal with vegetable samosas: a delicately spiced stuffed pastry consisting of a fried or baked triangular pastry shell with a savory filling, which included spiced potatoes, onions, peas, coriander, and lentils. Although they weren't actually brought to our table until after our entrees, they were hot and delicious.

Kelly and I were originally going to order the same entree, but our waiter talked us out of it and I'm glad he did! We shared two delicious vegetarian meals: Navartan Korma (mixed vegetables sauteed in cream, herbs, and spices) and Palak Paneer (creamed spinach cooked delicately with homemade cheese cubes).

The Narartan Korma is Kelly's favorite dish and I can see why. Navratan means nine gems, and it is common for the recipe to include nine different vegetables and also includes nuts. Can you tell I'm doing a lot of googling for this post ;) Ours was topped with slivered almonds. It added a nice crunch and there was a slight sweetness to the sauce.

Our server recommended the Palak Paneer which is a North Indian dish prepared with spinach and Indian cheese. It was rich, smooth, and creamy. The paneer cubes are cooked in a onion-tomato-spinach based gravy which is spiced with Indian spices. The curry sauce was a nice contrast to the creamy sauce of the other dish and the paneer cheese was delicious!

Both dishes were served in bowls along with basmati rice on the side. Kelly and I thoroughly enjoyed our Indian feast and both left completely stuffed! We agreed that we need to take our boys there sometime since neither of them have ever had Indian food. Rasoi has a warm, inviting atmosphere and our server was very helpful and knowledgeable - although he told Kelly that he rarely eats the food he serves ;) We will be back!

Fall Festivities

We had busy weekend full of family, friends and fall fun!

Friday night I went to a fundraiser with Kelly and our friend Lori: The United Way Fashion Show Celebrating Diversity at Chase Park Plaza. It was fun seeing the fashion show and supporting a great cause. After the fashion show, Kelly and I had a double date with our Jason's :)

Saturday we headed to Belleville, IL to Eckerts for our second annual family apple/pumpkin picking outing. It was quite a bit warmer this year, but just as much fun. Millie and Merrill had a blast picking and eating apples, exploring the country store and selecting their pumpkins. It was a great day spent with the family.
On the tractor heading out to the apple orchard
Merrill had a hard time sitting still on the tractor :)

Shannon and Scott

Jason and I stocked up. I'm planning on making an apple pie and homemade apple butter

Millie filling up her bag

and taste testing ;)

Merrill had a blast

Huge pumpkins!

Saturday night we went to the Guster concert at the Pageant with Brandon and Mary. It was an awesome show. You should check out Guster if you have never listened to them. They are one of our favorite bands.



Today we watched the Rams game at Jason's Uncle Randy's. Good food and good company. Bad game :(

I'm loving all the fall festivities (although I wish Mother Nature would realize it's time to cool down the temperatures and pack away the summer heat til next year) and time with friends and family we have planned over the next few weeks!

1/2 Marathon - Recap

It's been 4 days since the 1/2 marathon and I still get a "high" every time I think or talk about it. It almost seems surreal that I actually did it. I better document it now so I have proof!

The morning started bright and early when my alarm went off at 4:15am. Despite my overwhelming nerves earlier in the week, I actually slept well the night before and woke up excited and energized - well as excited and energized as I could be at 4:15 in the morning. We ate a light breakfast, stretched and were out the door a little after 5. We arrived at Riverport, the starting point for the race, at 5:30 and met up with Erin, Jason's sister. It was freezing out and we had to stand around for almost an hour and a half waiting for the race to start. We finally lined up at 7:00 according to our estimated race pace. It wasn't until this point that I started to get nervous again. I was surrounded by thousands of people and my anxiety started rise. As soon as we started moving though I was fine and my excitement returned.

We crossed the start line about 10 minutes after the official start and we were off! It felt so good to finally be running although it took a few minutes for my legs and feet to warm up after standing in the cold for so long. From that point on and I just ran and ran and ran. Jason's mom asked me after the race "what was the hardest point for you?" And honestly, I don't really think there was one. There was never a moment where I thought about stopping or felt that I couldn't make it. I just kept going and the miles kept passing. There were people along the majority of the course cheering and even though I didn't know them I felt like they were cheering for me. Some of them even shouted out my name as I passed (my name was on my number pinned to my shirt). It really kept my spirits high the whole time. Jason's parents parked at the halfway point and we were so excited to spot them. I was yelling out and waving as we ran by!

It's hard to tell but that is Jason in the middle in the red shirt and me in his shadow :)

Miles 7,8, and 9 passed by and finally we got to the 10 mile marker. This was the point I was waiting for and where I knew the end was getting close. 3.1 miles left. I could do 3 more miles. As we got closer and closer to the finish line I was thinking "wow, i'm really going to do this!" When we rounded the corner to the finish line the adrenaline really kicked in and I picked up my pace. We saw Jason's parents again on the sidelines and that gave me another burst of energy. Then a few minutes later we saw my family and I got another little burst. I crossed that finish line with everything I had. It was an awesome moment and one that I will always remember. I had tears in my eyes as Jason and I took those final steps. It was a feeling of complete happiness and pride.

Passing Jason's parents nearing the finish line

Waving to my mom and sister - almost there!

You can click here to see official pictures of us crossing the finish line!
Greeting my family after the race

My amazing husband and training partner - I could not have done this without him!

Through training for this race I've found a love for running. Something I never expected when I started this journey 3 months ago. I fully intend to keep running and maybe even train for another half marathon next year. I saw this quote today and thought it would be the perfect way to sum up this experience: "Running uncovers the universal truths and profound humanity hidden in the miles, revelaing that life, like the (half!) marathon, isn't about the finish line. It's about what you learn along the way."

Restaurant of the Month: H

As soon as I knew H was my pick, I knew exactly where I wanted to go. Harvest. This was my 3rd time dining at Harvest and Kelly's first. I love this place! It has become one of my favorite restaurants in St. Louis. It has a cozy atmosphere in the main dining room with a big fire place and the side room has very romantic feel with vines and lights strung across the ceiling. Harvest specializes in seasonal market cuisine. Their menu changes with the seasons and they strive to use sustainable agricultural products and fresh organic produce. The quality of the ingredients comes through in the food. I have loved everything I've ever eaten here.

Kelly and I each ordered a glass of wine: Savignon Blanc for her and Pinot Grigio for me. We ordered a Mixed Organic Field Greens Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Herbed Cheese Toast to split and while we waited for it enjoyed the bread basket. I love the bread at Harvest. It always tastes like it's fresh out of the oven and they serve it with different flavored butters - this time a honey butter and a black bean paste both of which were very good! The salad was also very good. It was simple and fresh.

On to dinner. Kelly chose a chicken dish from the Spa Menu which is Harvest's answer to today’s demand to eat healthy. No butter or cream are used with these menu items and they are extremely low in fat and cholesterol. The chicken was served with mashed sweet potatoes and spinach. I ordered Gnudi Ricotta which is ricotta-parmesan gnocchi - just ricotta and Parmesan: no flour, no potato, no egg - yes please! Kelly and I shared our meals since we wanted to try a bit of everything. Both dishes were delicious! Despite being very healthy, the chicken dish was full of flavor and didn't taste low fat at all. I had never had Gnudi before and I'm glad I decided to try it. It was amazing! Not low fat I'm sure as it's basically a ball of cheese, but so delicious! The gnudi was served over a bed of spaghetti squash that was the best I've ever had. We ate every last bite of both meals! Unfortunately, we didn't leave room for dessert, but if you go to Harvest you have to get the bread pudding. I've had it on a previous visit and it is to die for!

This isn't the Gnudi I had, but gives you and idea. Tell me that doesn't look delicious.

Another successful dinner club outing. I highly recommend Harvest!

1/2 Marathon - We did it!!

Jason and I successfully completed our first half marathon this morning! It was an awesome experience and I enjoyed every minute of it! Crossing the finish line with my husband, who was by my side the entire race, and being cheered on by our families was so amazing it brought tears to my eyes. I'm happy to report that my nerves finally calmed and I wasn't really nervous at all today. I bought a strap to put around my knee that helped so much and I had very minimal discomfort. I managed to meet every goal I set for myself:

1.) I finished!!
2.) I ran the entire way
3.) I hit my goal time right on the nose: 2 hours and fifteen minutes

Jason's parents had everyone back to their house for a relaxing and very yummy lunch afterwards. All in all it was the perfect day :) Pictures to come when my energy returns ;) Thank you to everyone who gave their support and encouragement during the training, before and during the race. It's what kept me going for 13.1 miles today!