Summer 2 2011

Summer 2011

I hope you are enjoying your summer!  I am, hence the lack of posts!

Cleveland Ohio

View from Pier W Restaurant, Lakewood Ohio

Lakeside Winery, Geneva-on-the-Lake Ohio

Mansfield State Reformatory Mansfield Ohio
(where they filmed The Shawshank Redemption)

Holden Arboretum, Kirtland Ohio

Holden Arboretum, Kirtland Ohio

Holden Arboretum, Kirtland Ohio (life size gnomes!)

Lake Erie Ohio

The Westside Market, Cleveland Ohio

Summer

Sorry I've been MIA since June 1st, I think I have summer on the brain!  It doesn't officially start until Tuesday, but it unofficially started Memorial weekend.  Especially when it was in the 90s that weekend and has been nice ever since.  Makes up for that rainy April and May.  What are you looking most forward to this summer?  Here's my list and I hope to enjoy every second of these precious months:

• sunsets at the beach
• walking at the beach path in the morning
• swimming!
• hanging out with my Mom at her pool
• reading books and magazines and more books! (my goodreads: 
• lazy hair and makeup
• flip-flops
• flower clips in my hair
• scary movie night on Monday nights with Tom, Mom, Aunt April and Uncle Mike
• going to the movies more often
• wineries
• making s'mores
• sitting around a fire at night
• picnics
• hikes
• pool parties
• Fourth of July
• our SEVENTH wedding anniversary (Holy Cow)
• Tom's parents coming from Scotland 
• getting a new job
• ice-cream
• strawberries
• TOMATOES 
• peaches
• watermelon
• grilled food
• girlie foo-foo drinks

Here's my beach-bag (got it at Forever 21), what's in yours?

Here's a great, EASY dessert to make for get-togethers/cookouts:

Recipe here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/down-home-with-the-neelys/strawberry-shortcut-cake-recipe/index.html

Glazed Lemon Cookies and Chocolate Dipped Shortbread

I made these cookies for a Memorial Weekend party and they were a huge hit.

The glazed lemon cookies are a Martha Stewart recipe, and the chocolate dipped shortbread are an Ina Garten recipe.  The only thing I changed on the shortbread recipe was that I rolled it into a log and sliced them, vs. rolling them out and using cookie cutters.  Rolling pins, cookie cutters and myself do not get along.  My way was super easy.  They only took 12 minutes to cook, not 20.  I dipped them in dark Belgium chocolate from Trader Joes (1lb brick, I used half the brick).  
The lemon cookies also only took about 13 minutes to cook, not 15-20.
I will be making both again for sure!