but i hope not embarrassing her by talking about her so much!

susan and mike kindly put us up this past thursday through sunday.  i was in nyc for a conference and ROF flew in and we spent some quality time together.  i treasure the time we get to spend because it is never enough.  luckily, we get to go back very soon.  i hope that susan doesn’t think that everytime i come over i’m going to shoot pictures and blog about her (that would be uncomfortable, to say the least!) but i do want to give a shout out to her meals but something even more than that.

listen up those of you who have company coming over the holidays

i’ve learned something important from susan – ya gotta have a plan.  susan is a fantastic cook but also one that isn’t slaving away in the kitchen while you try and talk while assembling a meal.  for example, breakfasts were all planned, she had pre-made everything, so it just needed to be warmed.  when we went to the football game on saturday, she used a crock pot so not only was dinner ready when we got home, the house smelled so good.  so i’ve decided to give her a holla about the great meals she fixed while we were there. 

first, there was the sausage & peppas (peppers, but i like to use an italian accent here)  this was a request from my boy.  his favorite.  and i know why.  we’re going to have to get that recipe, susan.  she also made an edamame salad with red onion and a tangy dressing.

then for lunch the next day, she popped in a mac & cheese casserole with ham.  it was so good and fun to have a nice lunch together.  not your typical peanut butter and jelly, my friends!

we’re talking so much about food here, folks but you wouldn’t believe the fall foliage we were looking at!  I snapped a ton of shots:

ok, back to food.  after lunch was a to-die for (made by susan in advance…) chocolate cake.  can you say good.  i especially loved the chocolate chips on top, they were slightly melty.

i’m sorry, i didn’t mean to get that close up!  i am drooling right now.  thank god it’s my husbands pillow i’m on, not mine.

that night, it was girls night and susan and i went to an awesome restaurant for dinner.  il mondo vecchio was the name of it and it was in madison, new jersey.  what a place!!  it was so quaint and nice inside.  the food was to die for.  i had the butternut squash ravioli and susan had the mushroom ravioli but we started with the special scallops in a saffron sauce.  would have loved to have snapped a pic of the food but it was gone before i could think of it.  thanks susan for the chats and the great place. 

Lastly, we take the food journey to breakfast the next day…this coffee cake (again, made in advance) waited for us that morning.

and there we complete our journey.  i was too tired to snap pictures of the moist (lol) pot roast, baked potatoes and brussel sprouts that was for dinner that night after the game.  sorry.  bad blogger.  but bucknell won!

thanks susan, mike and michael for opening your home to us this past weekend.  we had a great time and loved being with you!  xxoo