Enjoying Life

June 25, 2014 By 1 Comment

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I always start out every summer by saying I hope I make it to the beach more times than I did last summer. And this summer I decided to stop saying that and start making it happen. Things don’t change if things don’t change, right? So I needed to break the pattern. I started getting up a little earlier and going to the beach in the mornings before I had to go to work. I wasn’t laying out or even in my bathing suit…I would just go and walk along the beach for about 20 minutes. And it was great! It’s so easy to sleep until the last possible second, get ready for work, go to work, eat dinner, go to bed, and do the same thing all over again the next day. But, making time to reap the benefits of this beautiful island I live on does so much for my mood each day. I think they call this enjoying life.

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I started looking for other ways to enjoy life more and not get wrapped up in a daily routine. Our friend Carlisle is a yoga teacher and we have been taking a yoga classes with her! An hour just to ourselves, to be silent, reflect, and rejuvenate is so refreshing. We always come out of it in the most relaxed mood and it’s important to make time for that in our lives. So, we made a commitment to each other to meet once a week. It should be more than once a week…but, you know, one step at a time!

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So, what is something that you guys have always wanted to do but feel like you don’t have time for?? Something came to your mind before I even had to ask, didn’t it? I really encourage you to make time for it because it’s so worth it!

Here’s to enjoying life just a little bit more!

Filed Under: Caroline, Life 1 Comment

Wedding Wednesday

June 18, 2014 By 1 Comment

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When I saw this groom dressed in this oxblood colored velvet suit jacket, I nearly fell off my chair. It’s amazingly handsome. How could I not do a Wedding Wednesday post inspired by that very jacket? I just had to. So, here is what I came up with:

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marooncobaltwedding6Groom/Bride/Cake/Bridesmaid/Peacock/Cocktail Shakers/Lights/Getaway Car

Filed Under: Caroline, Wedding Wednesday 1 Comment

Nutella & Sea Salt Fudge

June 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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I love fudge. And that is even an understatement. It’s my favorite treat. Donuts come as a very close second though (I hope you all had one a couple days ago to celebrate National Donut Day. I sure did!). My absolute favorite fudge is from a little store downtown Nantucket called Aunt Leah’s Fudge. She has the best recipe and she is the sweetest lady. While nothing can compare to my girl, Aunt Leah, and her fudge, I was curious about how to make fudge myself. So I found a relatively easy recipe to try. And it was pretty delicious, if I do say so myself! I think I’ll be making this Chocolate Nutella & Sea Salt Fudge recipe quite often when I’m back at school and can’t get Aunt Leah’s fudge anymore. The nutella and the hint of salt on top is just divine, divine, divine.

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1 Tablespoon Butter, For Greasing Pan

1 can (14 Oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

8 ounces, weight High-quality Bittersweet (60%) Chocolate Chips

1 cup Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut Spread), Room Temperature

3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Cut Into 1/2-inch Pieces

½ teaspoons (approximately) Sea Salt

fudge2“Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides.

In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter.

Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl over a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, 5 to 7 minutes.

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Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan, spread the top smooth with a spatula, and sprinkle with sea salt. Refrigerate until the fudge is firm, at least 2 hours.

Once the fudge is chilled, run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and run it around the edges of the pan to loosen the fudge. Using the overhanging parchment paper, lift the fudge out. Peel off the parchment paper. Cut the fudge into 3/4-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil.”

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Caroline, Food, Recipes Leave a Comment