Lemon Meringue Ice- Cream Pie

I made this for dessert for our "Dinner Club," aka, best way to schedule a monthly date with the girls!

The original recipe was from Southern Living, but I critiqued it to make it a little easier for the working girl!

Ingredients

2 pt vanilla ice cream

Vanilla Wafter Crust

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, chopped

2 Tbsp lemon zest

1 cup fresh lemon juice

(about 6 lemons)

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

16 vanilla wafers

Cool Whip

Directions

1.  Stir together sugar, butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice in large heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3-4 minutes or until sugar dissolves and butter melts.

2.  Whisk about 1/4 of hot sugar mixture gradually into eggs; add egg mixture to remaining hot sugar mixture, whisking constantly. 

3. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, 15 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats back of a spoon.  

4.  Remove from heat; cool completely (about one hour), stirring occasionally.  

(You may store in airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks)

5.  Let ice cream stand at room temp about 5 minutes or just until soft enough to spread.

6.  Spoon 1 pt ice cream into Vanilla Wafer Crust.  

7.  Top with 3/4 cup lemon curd mixture; repeat with remaining ice cream and lemon curd.

8.  Gently swirl ice cream and curd with knife.  

9.  Insert vanilla wafers around edge of pie.

10.  Cover and freeze for 8 hours.  

11.  Top with Cool Whip.

ENJOY!!

Problem Solved...

Today is a GREAT day.  Yesterday marked the 365th day I had to be separated.  Can you believe we were separated longer then we were married.  Tells a lot, huh?  But today is day 366…time to celebrate as, its time to file and drop him like there's no tomorrow!  Woo Hoo!

Time to move on to the next phase of life, and I couldn't be happier. 

I'm ready to start taking better care of ME.  For my entire career I've been taking care of others.  Providing nursing care to patients, comfort to families, and guidance to coworkers.  Not that I didn't get it in return-as trust me, everyone knows I'm the first to say "my patients do more for me than I could ever do for them."  And that's the honest to God truth.  Each day my patients have, and continue to each me the importance of each day.  And not that I'm the best at what I do, I just genuinely love my job and helping others.

In the past you may have read posts where  I was disappointed I was never put first, or for that matter, second or third.  That I was lied to, cheated on, and stolen from.  But gone are those days.  I now know that not only can I live without this person in my life, but I'd rather.  

I believe whatever doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.  I feel I have learned more in a year that I have in my entire lifetime.  And I've realized I don't need anyone to take care of me or lead me to happiness.  There's only one person that can do that, and it's me.  I thought I needed my mom to wipe my tears, a friend to make me laugh, and a guy to grab me a glass of wine.  Well, I can grab a freakin' tissue and wipe my own tears, I find at least one thing (if not 100 things) that make me laugh each day, and damn do I know how to pour myself a nice glass of wine!

Trust me, I love being in love.  I love butterflies in the stomach, love notes, emails, phone messages, the smells, tastes, and sounds of it all.  But who knows, the next relationship I'm in might last a lifetime.  So, for now, I'm want to seize this time I have alone, to reinvent and better myself how I've always imagined.  I'm going to embrace this time and spend it selfishly.  I get to start all over.  How many people are lucky enough to do that?!

So, here's my chance to start over. 

I want to rise above all, just as these girls did when they got divorced..

So, my take care of me plan involves a new fall wardrobe, many mani/pedi's and a new car!  OK, ok, I'll try to slip in some running in there, too.  ;)

Thank you all for your love and support to get me to this very day.  Now, it's time to relax, and sign my name with a big, huge smile!  

Mama Mia, Pizzaria! Summer Veggie Pizza

Mmmm….veggie pizza!  I made this for Girls Night and thought I would share.

Ingredients

Pizza dough, store bought or homemade

Pizza sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup red onion

1 red pepper, chopped

8 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut

2 ears corn

1 Tbsp cornmeal (I just flour)

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

S&P

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/3 up basil leaves

Directions

1.  Preheat over to 350 degrees.

2.  Coat dough with nonstick spray on both sides.

3.  Heat skillet on medium heat.  Add 4 tsp olive oil and garlic to pan.  Cook for about 2 minutes.  

3.  Remove garlic and discard, but keep garlic oil in separate bowl.

4.  Add remaining olive oil to skillet.  Add onions and pepper.  Saute for about 5 minutes. 

5.  Place onion mix in bowl.  Add asparagus and corn to veggie mix.

6.  Scatter cornmeal over dough.

7.  Brush dough with garlic oil.

8.  Top with sauce.

9.  Load on veggies and cheese.  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, S&P.

10.  top with basil.  

11.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes.  

ENJOY!
(Dont know if you realized, but I made a boo boo.  Bake pizza, THEN top with basil)

I'm ALL VOL

During all this hurricane stuff, I opened my Southern Living magazine to read some of the best literature in a long time!

The article, The South's Best College Towns, listed Knoxville, Tennessee as one of the top towns.  It's no guessing why here.  As the writer stated 

"It's a serious football town (even the city's area code spells V-O-L) with a laid-back mountain vibe thanks to its proximity to the Smokies and roster of outdoor weekend events." 

I can't wait to make it down for a game this fall.  If you have the opportunity, go, I promise you won't regret it.  There's something about SEC football and in Knoxville you also get to see hundreds of boats float the Tennessee River on game days, something I just love!    

Southern Living also had another article, Only in the South, in this issue.  It was all about SEC football.  How the animal mascots are as much a part of the family as the marching band, the bitter rivals mend fences in trying times (true southern hospitality down there), how great the halftime shows are, how tailgating is a military exercise (Bama's RV army, Tennessee Volunteer Navy), and the best part…it's where "single guys flock to football games in search of a wife."  The writer states "In addition to being exceedingly good-looking, the Southern female football fancier knows how to dress, how to drink, and how Coach is going to adjust for the second half.  That's the kind of girl you take home to Mama."

Some of my favorite Southern Girls, while we visit in NYC

GNI: Girls Night In

My best girlfriends from home and I started a "dinner club," or really just an excuse to hang out once a month that was planned.  

Last night I hosted dinner, and with the hurricane weather coming, I moved the dinner outside

and inside 

several different times.

And then I remembered, it doesn't matter where we are, as long as we have wine!  Or is that supposed to be, as long as we have each other ;)

Dinner consisted of…

Bite sized appetizers...

Wine (most important ingredient after a long work day!)...

Veggie Pizza...

Shrimp Pesto Pizza...

Summer Corn Salad

Lemon Ice Cream Pie...

and…

Rocky Road Brownies!

Recipes to follow.

Enjoy your weekend and stay safe with this crazy weather!
Baxter is ready!

Fashionably Football Ready

Maybe I'm just behind, but did you all know Brooks Brothers has a collegiate line now?!

Take a look and spruce up your man's football wardrobe with some of these fun accessories.

University of Virginia Tie

University of Auburn Tie

Maybe your man needs a Navy Sweater for colder game days, or snuggling up next to you by the fire :)

How about an impressive University of Alabama shirt and tie for work?

Or a basic Vanderbilt University Polo?

My only complaint…there aren't any University of Tennessee Vols gear :(  

The Walls Were Shakin'

…earth was quakin', my mind was achin'….

Well, we had an eventful day here in Maryland yesterday.  I experienced my first earthquake.  It was so neat!  We were sitting in a meeting in the board room and everything started to shake.  We thought maybe it was the building next to us, which had caught on fire last week.  But nope, it was an earthquake.  We all ran for the staircases and doors.  I could not believe how much everything was shaking around us.  I also could not believe the amount of people trying to get on their phone during it…needless to say, none of us could get service for a while.  

We took advantage of the day, and ended our meeting, checked on some patients, and then headed over to RA sushi for happy hour.  Have I ever told you how much I love all my coworkers?  I swear I have the best job ever!  

Anyways, wanted to share an EASY recipe I tried the other night before heading over to my friends' house to meet her new boyfriend…what a charmer he is!  And it was so good to see my Cali friend! 

Anyways, here's a great weekday recipe...

Ingredients

Salmon filet

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Line baking tray with foil.

3.  Wash and pat dry salmon.

4.  Spread mustard over top of filet.

5.  Combine spices in bowl.  Sprinkle on top filet.

6.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.

ENJOY!

I've told you in the past how much I loved my florist from my wedding, right?  He also did my sisters wedding and is always there to help me send flowers to friends and family when needed.  Look at the arrangement he did for my uncles funeral.

O.M.G.
I love my florist!  

Tuesday Treats: Snickerdoodle Bars

Ingredients

2 2/3 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease 9 X 13 pan.

2.  Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl.  Set aside.

3.  Beat together butter and brown sugar until fluffy.

4.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Beat until thoroughly combined.  

5.  Add flour mixture slowly and beat until combined.

6.  Spread mixture into 9 X 13 pan.

7.  Stir together cinnamon and sugar.  Sprinkle on top mixture.

8.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until surfaced springs back when gently touched.

9.  Let cool completely, then cut into squares.

10.  Store in airtight container.

ENJOY!!!

PS…my advise:  Make in the morning while the windows are open, coffee is brewing…made my Saturday morning!