Family Brunch at Di Prato’s

It’s Sunday, friends!  I’m so excited to say that we have NO plans after church today.  I am so looking forward to spending the day at home with the husband and the munchkin.  There is grass to cut and laundry to wash, and there are floors to vacuum but I am so excited about a full day at home that I don’t even mind.

Yesterday morning, I had the most amazing brunch with my family at Di Prato’s in Columbia, SC.   Have you eaten there?  If you are one of my local readers, I know many of you have.  If you’re an out-of-town reader, then I hope you enjoy the visual!

I haven’t been to Di Prato’s in years.  I was looking forward to brunch.  I was also looking forward to celebrating my mom’s birthday!

As soon as we walked in, I saw this:

Yes.  Pimento Cheese.  This is one of my very favorite foods.  I am a very picky pimento cheese person.  I only like the best, and Di Prato’s did not disappoint.  The Vermont White Pimento Cheese was amazing.  So amazing that we got our own little bowl for the table.  These pita chips were also to-die-for.  They were soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.  Perfect with the cheese. 

 

I decided on the Eggs Charleston.

It was delicious:

eggs cooked perfectly.  :)

I couldn’t finish it all—I mean look at all the food!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Next up on the blog: I’m ready to tell you all about the goat.  In fact, I have a post to write that includes three unusual things… but they all do fit together!  The story includes: coins… a goat… and dancing!  Any guesses???

Sumter Engagement Party

Hello, friends!   I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!  Ours has been off to a great start.  If you saw my post late last night, you might be wondering why there was a picture of a goat!  Well, I promise that details are coming about the goat.  But you’ll have to wait for another post coming very soon.  ;) 

I’d like to tell you about a wonderful engagement party we attended last night, in honor of my sister Adrienne and her fiance, Paul!

Adrienne and Paul are getting closer and closer to their wedding day!  I am so excited for them!  I know they are excited.  It has been so much fun to celebrate them.  Last night’s party was at a pavilion in Sumter.

It was decorated beautifully—with lots of candles, tiki torches, and autumn-colored flowers.

AND they had live music!  Such a fun touch.

There were some delicious appetizers: a hummus and veggie dip, cheese tray, and strawberry jelly/cheese ring.

The dinner was wonderful: barbecue, an Asian salad, beans, and slaw. 

 

I would never have thought about pairing the Asian salad with barbecue, but it was a perfect combo.  The salad was my favorite part!  It had bok choy, bacon, ramen noodles, and a delicious dressing which I think had sesame oil, rice vinegar, and maybe some sugar?  I will have to recreate it.

It was so much fun to spend time with family and celebrate together!

Coming soon:

• Birthday Brunch
• The story of The Goat

My Week In Pictures

Stay tuned for details on my week!  For now, here’s a little photo recap:

It Ain’t Always Pretty

Happy Tuesday!  I hope your week is off to a great start.  I’ve noticed that my blogging has fallen off a bit lately.  I feel like this might be one of the busiest times of my life thus far.  I am finding that a lot of nights I am getting home around 8:00 p.m., which isn’t that late in the grand scheme of things… but when you get up at 5:45 a.m., that’s a late night.  Yeah, that’s what happens, people.  One day you’re in college and you don’t even leave your dorm room to go out until close to midnight.  And a few years later, you’re tired because you get home after 8 p.m. 

And what I have found is that when I have days like these, cooking doesn’t always happen.  Sometimes I get take-out.  Sometimes, I grab whatever convenience food is in the pantry or fridge.  Usually, I don’t show you those kinds of meals because I think, “Who wants to read that?”  But then again, this blog is about my life.  And people, it ain’t always pretty.

Like tonight… now this is a random assortment of foods if I ever saw one.  Sliced avocado, broccoli with cheese sauce (Green Giant Just for One) and Pita Pizza. 

These Pita Pizzas are a great option when you are tired and don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking.  They only have a few ingredients. 

It’s very simple.  Start with a pita.  Add sauce.  Add cheese and toppings.  And bake at 375 for 10 minutes. 

These pizzas have saved me more than a few times.  I use whole wheat pitas, 2% mozzarella cheese, and turkey pepperoni, so they won’t break your healthy-eating habits, either. 

And now… if you’ll excuse me… this cupcake is waiting.

Goodnight!

Oktober and Football

We really are in the heart of fall.  I love this time of year.  I love the weather, the events, and the way fall just builds from one holiday to the next… Halloween… Thanksgiving… Christmas!  (And for my family we have a wedding to look forward to, too!)

This weekend, I have been getting back to my German roots.  I’ve been to two Oktoberfest celebrations!  Last night, I went to Oktober fest with some friends. 

There was lots of dancing, food, music, and fun!

I enjoyed a brat with sauerkraut, German potato salad, and beer!  Yum!  I had fun, but couldn’t stay out late.  I was so tired from the week.  I have been under the weather all week.  I couldn’t miss work or my Zumba classes, so I powered through, but it has been a rough week!  I headed home and fell asleep quickly!

Today, we spent time with friends!  Our friends Kevin and Alice invited us over to watch the Carolina Gamecocks play football. 

We had a fun day watching football while all the kids played together.  I can’t believe I didn’t take any food pictures because there was a lot of great food!  I even made deviled eggs this morning.  Our kitchen smelled really nice! 

Afterwards, we headed out to another more local Oktoberfest downtown.  The kids enjoyed the children’s area.   (Ryan did, too!)

Sadie had her face painted and even got a balloon mermaid!

 

 

There was music and food, but we really enjoyed watching the Weenie Dog Races!

These were so funny and cute.  Most of the dogs really weren’t born “racers.”  Every time they said “Go!” the dogs mostly ran in circles or tried to hide from all the people cheering and watching.  But a few were fast!

We finished the day at Panera… black bean soup and chopped chicken cobb salad for me. 

Whew!  I’m tired!  I think I’ll snuggle on the couch with my little pup. 

I wish we could enter her in a dog race.  You wouldn’t believe how fast she is!