Frenchie Kisses: Family Portraits

Last we left off, Mr Frenchie and I had just come down the aisle and were enjoying that ‘Just Married’ feeling. I asked what you guys wanted next and it looks like Family Portrait won the vote, so on we go with family portraits.

Like most couples, we decided to do family portraits right after the ceremony, during cocktail hour. We really wish we could have gone to cocktail hour, but had so sacrifice this to have pictures with everyone in our families and pictures with just us. My awesome DOC brought us over plates of our tasty appetizers, so we didn’t miss out entirely.

Let’s get this party started, shall we? If you’re wondering how we picked the order we tool the pictures, we did it in the order of people that were there. If you got the memo and came to get your picture taken, you got put in front of the camera. Meanwhile, I got all bridezilla and sent people to fetch those that were absent.

Mr Frenchie and FIL Frenchie

FIL Frenchie, Step MIL Frenchie, Frenchie Frenchie’s Step Sister and her Husband.

Mr Frenchie and my gorgeous MIL. Isn't crazy how well Mr Frenchie's tie matches her dress?

SIL Frenchie, Step FIL Frenchie and MIL Frenchie.

Getting ‘sassy’ with my new SIL.

Us with SIL Frenchie and her Boyfriend.

Mr Frenchie’s Uncle and his family. How cute is his cousin? She thought I looked like a Princess :)

Mr Frenchie’s other Uncle and his family.

Mr Frenchie’s Step Brother and his lovely Wife.

Getting sick of us yet because that was just Mr Frenchie’s side…

Papa & Mama Frenchie and Sister Frenchie (my MOH).

Adding my Dad’s sister (Aunt Frenchie K) and my Dad’s Mom (Grandma Frenchie).

Mama & Papa Frenchie.

My Mom’s brother and his wife, aka Uncle Frenchie C and Aunt Frenchie C.

Our lovely readers (and my favorite cousins) Jodi, Katie & Kim.

While someone ran to make sure we weren’t missing anyone, we snapped a few pictures with our wedding party.

Believe it or not I asked the guys about 4 times to stand closer, this was as close as I got.

Apparently when you tell ladies to ‘act silly’ we do weird stuff with our mouths.

We hung out in the shade for the last couple stragglers…

I adjusted the boobage…

And we took a group shot…

Raise your hand if you like weddings!

Are you going to try to get a group picture?

So Far...
The Beginning
Gettin' Sassy
Me & My Bridesmaids
Mr Frenchie's Morning
Waiting to go down the aisle
The "I Do"s
The Big 'Oops'

***Note: All photos, unless otherwise noted, are by the fabulously talented, and super awesome to know, Ohana Photographers***

It Makes Me Happy...

Last week I bought these daisies on my lunch break, at the grocery store. Daisy are my favorite flower. Every time I see them, they make me smile :)


"They're so friendly. Don't you think that daisies are the friendliest flowers?" - Kathleen Kelly 'You've Got Mail'

What makes you smile?

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy (Dairy Free)

This year on Valentine's Day I was at a loss for what to get the Hubs. (P.S. Yes, this is post left over from Valentine's Day, that is how much time I have for blogging this semester, it makes me sad). I considered the usual suspects (good movie by the way) Starbucks card, pecan pie, chocolate chip cookies... see a food theme? Then I remembered the one dish he's been bugging me to make him for months, but always sounded too heavy - Biscuits and Gravy.

I looked up a couple recipes online and most people said to buy pre-made biscuits... normally I would above that, but I thought - if I'm going to make this on Valentine's Day it needs to be breakfast and there is no way I'm not sleeping in. Pre-made biscuits it is!

Looks like biscuits and mush on a plate, but it was tasty mush.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

adapted from this recipe by The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 pound Jimmy Deans Reduced Fat Sausage Roll
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups almond milk (original flavor)
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 prepared biscuits

Directions

1 - Prepare biscuits

2 - Cook sausage with directions on Jimmy Dean package. Don't worry if you don't have time to freeze the package for 10 mins to make them easier to slice. I didn't and just reformed the meat into circles with my fingers. *You will need to add a tiny bit of vegetable oil or margarine, because they are reduced fat you wont get any grease to use for the gravy... create your own.

3 - When fully cooked remove the sausage onto a paper towel and get ready for gravy time.

4 - Using the leftover grease in your pan, over low to medium heat, slowly add the flour and whisk to make smooth.

5 - Let that deepen in color (about 2 1/2 - 3 mins) and throw in little pieces of sausage.

6 - Add maple syrup

7 - Add almond milk, whisk as you add it.

8 - Add salt and pepper to taste.

9 - Cut biscuits in half, place cut side up and spoon gravy over top.

10 - Serve next to sausage and enjoy :)

Five for Friday

Previous Fridays

1 - When you're not tired when I want to go to bed you come in and tuck me and kiss me good night
2 - You make fun of how long it takes me to get ready for bed
3 - When you thought you wouldn't be able to leave work for Vegas you tried really hard to figure out a way... and it worked :)
4 - You like healthy food now
5 - You let me name your car

6 Months...

Six months ago I married the this man...

and everyday since, he's made me the happiest girl in the world.

I LOVE YOU PEANUT!!!

Five for Friday

Previous Fridays

1 - You got us to start walking after work again.
2 - You really like when I cook you stuff.
3 - You did a really good job for Valentine's Day this year :)
4 - You're romantic
5 - You're silly

Bananas Foster

This weekend my bestie and her husband came over for dinner. I knew I wanted to have a dessert, but had no clue what to make. You see, she's a baker and a darn good one and you don't bake a baker a cake! Do you? So, the Hubs came up with Bananas Foster and boy was that a yummy idea :)

We decided to stick with the original recipe from the restaurant that invented Bananas Foster, Brennan's.

BANANAS FOSTER
recipe from Brennan's found here

¼ cup (½ stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup banana liqueur
4 bananas, cut in half
lengthwise, then halved
¼ cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Directions
1 - Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet.

2 - Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

3 - Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan.

4 - When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum.

5 - Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. (P.S. We could not get our rum to catch fire, I Googled the cwrap out of all the things we were doing wrong and got nothing... no flambé for this Birdie).

6 - When the flames subside, (or when you've grown tired of trying to make it catch on fire) lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream.

7 - Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

P.S. We now have a very large bottle of Banana Liqueur, because BevMo only had one kind and it was BIG. So don't be surprised if you see more recipes with Banana Liqueur ;-)

Five for Friday

Previous Fridays

1 - You liked the Enchilada Casserole so much you made it for your company potluck
2 - You're my Valentine
3 - You put the rest of our patio furniture together while I was at a Bee Meet-up
4 - You look really good in dress pant and a button-up shirt
5 - You hung my Cakespy print up in the dining room and side with me when people don't get the awesomeness that is Cupcakes and Bacon drinking cocktails.

Cooking Light: Enchilada Casserole

I LOVE enchiladas, mmmmm red sauce, but I know that restaurant enchiladas are not that good for you. I've also been dying to make a casserole, don't ask me why, I just really wanted to make one. Anywhoodle, last night I looked up Enchilada recipes on Cooking Light (where else, right?) and came across this recipe. Enchiladas? Check! Casserole? Check! 5 Stars? AWESOME!

Light Turkey Enchilada Casserole

adapted from this recipe on Cooking Light

Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic (or more, I like a lot of onion)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 can (28 oz.) red enchilada sauce (Cooking Light's recipe calls for a 29 oz. can but my store only carried 28 oz. cans)
Salt
12 corn tortillas (6 in. wide)
2 cups shredded reduced-fat jack cheese (8 oz.)
Chopped spring onions

Directions
1 - In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, stir turkey, onion, garlic, oregano, and cumin in oil until turkey is crumbly and no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

2- Stir in 1 cup enchilada sauce. Add salt to taste.

3 - While turkey is simmering in enchilada sauce, cut tortillas in half. Arrange a fourth of the halves (6 halves) evenly over the bottom of a 3-quart casserole, overlapping to fit.

4 - Sprinkle a fourth of the cheese (1/2 cup) evenly over the tortillas.

5- Top with a third of the turkey mixture and a fourth of the remaining enchilada sauce, spreading each level. (I poured the remaining enchilada sauce in a large measuring cup to see how much I had left and then divided it that way)

6 - Repeat to make two more layers of tortillas, cheese, turkey mixture, and sauce; top with another layer of tortillas and sauce, then cheese.

7 - Bake in a 425° regular or convection oven until cheese is melted and casserole is hot in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped spring onions.

You'll notice my cheese is EXTRA crispy, that's because A) Hubs was playing Mario Bros and didn't hear the timer go off; and B) I like my cheese a little crispy ;-)

Dark Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes with Mascarpone Icing

The last time Hubs and I went to my parent's house for dinner, we were supposed to bring a dessert... to be honest it didn't seem like it was mandatory, but when we decided we had eaten enough crap over the holidays and we didn't think we needed dessert... let's just say we haven't heard the end of it.

For Super Bowl were told to bring an appetizer and a dessert. I wanted to make something fabulous, to hopefully, make up for the last time. I thought I'd seen a recipe in my reader for something with mascarpone icing, but it turned out to be for Italian meringue icing... Oops. I had my heart set on making something with mascarpone icing and thought for sure there had to be a way to make mascarpone into icing... I mean, you can do it with cream cheese, right? So, I Googled and found this recipe by Silvana Nardone on Rachel Ray's website.

Dark Chocolate Red Wine Cupcakes w/ Mascarpone Icing

very, very, very slightly adapted from this recipe by Silvana Nardone on Rachel Ray's website

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 ounces dark chocolate, broken into pieces
1/2 cup boiling water
2 sticks (8 ounces) butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1-1/4 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup medium- to full-bodied red wine
Two 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Red grapes, halved, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
1- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 2 muffin pans with baking liners.

2 - In a medium, metal bowl, combine the cocoa powder and chocolate pieces. Whisk in the boiling water until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is combined.

3 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until blended.

4 - Mix flour, baking powder and salt in separate bowl.

5 - Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.

6 - Alternating, add the chocolate mixture and wine in batches, mixing well between each addition, until the batter is smooth.

7 - Divide among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan.

8 - Lightly beat the mascarpone, then add the confectioners' sugar and beat until creamy. Remove the cooled cupcakes from the pan, spread each with icing and top with a grape half.

P.S. This is DELISH!! The icing is the perfect light mascarpone topping to the rich chocolaty cakes.

Five for Friday

Previous Fridays

1 - You get really excited when I suggest pizza for dinner
2 - You make me laugh
3 - You found us awesome couch pillows (hopefully they will come today so I can blog about them)
4 - You get really excited when I bake you cookies
5 - You LOVE cheesecake

Apple Cinnamon Cookies

As often as I make chocolate chip cookies, I'm not a huge fan. I know, who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies? I like the dough more than the cookies. Anyway, last night I was making the Hubs chocolate chip cookies and I decided divide the dough in half and try something. It turned out to be delicious!

Apple Cinnamon Cookies

Recipe adapted from Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Cookie Recipe

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup Splenda Sugar blend
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups chopped apples (about 2 cored apples)

Directions

1 - Preheat oven to 375

2 - In small bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon.

3 - In large mixer bowl combine and cream butter, Splenda sugar blend, brown sugar and vanilla.

4 - Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5 - Gradually beat in flour mixture.

6 - Stir in apples.

7 - Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

8 - Bake for 10 min or until edges are golden.

9 - Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.