For The Sake of Cake

Hello, hello!

This past weekend, Chris and I traveled to Baltimore to celebrate Chris’s brother’s 40th birthday. We did something a little “different” to commemorate his big 4-0… we ventured to Medieval Times!

This was my first visit to Medieval Times, but I had been to a similar dinner show—Dixie Stampede—when I was younger, so I had an idea of what to expect.

For those of you unfamiliar with Medieval Times, here’s a description from the website:

Be swept away to an age of bravery and honor and witness epic battles of steel and steed. From ringside seats, discover a feast of the eyes and appetite with all the splendor and romance of 11th Century Spain.

As you thrill to a rousing, two-hour live  jousting tournament, marvel at awe-inspiring horsemanship and falconry, Medieval Times serves a four-course meal fit for royalty.

After finding our seats, I looked over the “bill of fare”:

Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention… everything is eaten with your hands.

First up was the tomato bisque soup, which was pretty good. (You “slurp” it out of the bowl!) I’m pretty sure the “Castle Bread” was a piece of Texas toast—you know, the kind you can buy in the freezer section of the grocery store—but I don’t mind a good piece of Texas toast, so I was perfectly happy.

When the chicken came out, I was a bit overwhelmed…

It was certainly no joke! I ate what I could, and it was pretty good.

I also liked the herb-roasted potato, but I wasn’t too crazy about the BBQ spare rib.

Overall, the food was decent, but I don’t think the food is why most people plan an outing to Medieval Times; they come for the entertainment!

As someone who isn’t too keen on horses, I actually enjoyed the performance. It was entertaining and fun—they’re big on audience interaction.

Overall, it was an enjoyable night (and weekend in Baltimore), and I even got an authentic, 11th-century souvenir slushy cup to remember our celebration.

Have you ever been to Medieval Times?

***I still haven’t heard from 2 of the NuNaturals giveaway winners! Please check this post to see if you’ve won and send me your mailing info ASAP (4thesakeofcake@gmail.com)!***

Hey everyone!

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes/comments/tweets!

It was a great day! Chris’s gift to me was scheduling a massage after the half marathon (yay!!!), and Stewie got me a lovely Edible Arrangement:

He’s got quite the budget for a pug, wouldn’t you say? The cupcake shaped things are chocolate covered pineapple and they’re delicious!

I also got some $cash$ (from my family, not Chris – that would be weird), which is awesome because I’m saving for an iPad mini. I can’t justify just randomly going out and spending a few hundred dollars on an item like that, so I’ve been saving random moolah here and there and I’ve almost got enough to go get one! I feel like my tween self saving up money for a new outfit at Limited too (or should I say “Justice”?!).

I also got this new cookbook from my friend Sara:

I’m excited to flip through it and try out some new recipes!

Even though I had a good birthday, I still haven’t really bounced back from Monday’s crummy day.

Everyone has a bad day from time to time, but this is turning into such a weird week… something just feels off. Monday, as you know, was no good. On my birthday I woke up with a pounding headache and wasn’t able to shake it until early afternoon. I also forgot my coffee in my car, so the lack of caffeine was not helping anything. Today, I was running late and forgot my phone at home (don’t worry – Chris dropped it off at work for me!). I’ve just generally been a frazzled mess. I can’t shake it. On top of all that, I feel like this week is progressing at a snail’s pace. I think it’s because I’m so anxious to hit “restart,” it’s just seeming to drag on slower than normal.

I have no real problems to complain about, I just wish I could turn things around!

The plan for tonight is an early bedtime (which will hopefully help me to not be running late in the morning). Tomorrow, I’m going to do my best to wake up with a better attitude and try to break myself out of this funk!

Do you have an iPad? Is it worth the money? Any recommendations for where I can find a cute case?

OR…

Tell me something positive that has happened to you this week!

Ugh. Today was a day. I can’t/don’t want to go into it all, but let’s just say half the box quite a few of these were consumed immediately upon arriving home this afternoon.

Side note: aren’t peanut butter patties the best Girl Scout cookies?!

Anyway, rather than drone on about my miserable Monday, let’s take a look back at the weekend… mmmkay?

Friday night, I made this HungryGirl recipe (originally on my meal plan for Wednesday of last week!).

It’s really so simple to put together and it was extra yummy served with a side of steam-in-the-bag broccoli.

On Saturday, I met up with a friend and completed 10 miles!

I know some other bloggers might consider 10 miles chump change, but this was a big deal for me! We ended by going up a slight incline at the end, which was killer and perhaps poor planning on our part?!

I think I’m going to attempt 11 miles this coming Sunday, and then do a short run the weekend between the upcoming one and the half marathon… we’ll see how everything plays out and what exactly I have time for. I’m taking the “no stress” approach from here on out.

Saturday night, my family and I went out to dinner for birthday celebrations. Unfortunately, we didn’t end up going to the Kutztown Tavern as planned, because it started to snow. Instead we stayed local and stopped at my parents’ house afterwards for cake, ice cream, and presents.

Sunday was filled with… grading. I’m at the bottom of a never-ending pile of stuff. I did take a break to enjoy some leftovers from Saturday’s dinner… I ordered scallops with angel hair pasta.

Clearly, I had to swipe a giant roll as well.

And now you’re all caught up on my life!

How do you shake a bad day? After stuffing my face with Girl Scout cookies, I managed to squeeze in a quick FitnessGlo workout which helped me to feel a bit better!

Hey everyone! It’s been a few days, and I’m here to recap what I’ve been up to lately.

Friday Evening

After work on Friday, I made a quick stop at Target for some workout clothes shopping (more on that in a bit), and later my mom and I went to Yogo Crazy for some frozen yogurt.

My cup was filled with…

• Pumpkin, apple pie, and reduced-sugar frozen yogurt
• Cookie dough
• Lucky Charms
• Reeses pieces

Yes, it was a sugar bomb.

I literally went to bed almost as soon as I got home, around 8:30; I was so tired for some reason!

Saturday

Saturday morning I was up early and got dressed for the 5 mile run on my training schedule.

I got the compression tights, compression shirt, and zip-up from Target. Although they were C9 – which I consider to be relatively affordable – the whole ensemble added up to be pretty “expensive” (or at least to someone cheap like me!). I justified it by figuring I’d be getting a lot of use out of these pieces for all of my cold-weather runs.

It took me about an hour, but I completed just over 5 miles around my parents’ neighborhood (they live in a much larger neighborhood than I do, so I ran there instead of in my own ‘hood).

Later in the afternoon on Saturday, I met up with Kristin for lunch at a local restaurant, Say Cheese!

I didn’t take a picture of my sandwich, but I had the fig, arugula, and gorgonzola grilled cheese (so good!). Kristin and I ordered two desserts, and then split them – double the sweets!

Pumpkin cheesecake and crème brulee – both were so good!

It was great to meet Kristin (we live so close!) and I was so glad to finally try Say Cheese! (I already can’t wait to go back.)

The rest of my Saturday was spent grading papers…ugh.

Sunday

I didn’t take a single picture on Sunday.

The day started with church, followed by grocery shopping. The rest of our afternoon/evening was spent celebrating Chris’s brother’s birthday. We got home around 7:00PM and I ended my evening by passing out in a pile of book reports… ah, the life.

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After a rather indulgent weekend, I was happy to get back to my “normal” routine today and managed to be pretty productive. I love a good, productive Monday; it really sets a positive tone for the rest of the week!

What was the yummiest thing you ate this weekend? This is a difficult one for me – cheesecake, crème brulee, frozen yogurt, birthday cake?! Ah, too many choices!

Today is a very special someone’s “birthday.”

“Birthday” is in quotes because it’s actually the anniversary of the day Stewie was adopted (3 years ago today). When I got Stewie at the shelter, I wasn’t told much about his background. I had no idea if he was a surrender or a stray (based on his condition when I got him, I’d guess stray) and all we had was a ballpark idea of how old he was. (They told me around 3, but I think he was a little younger.)

The first year I had Stewie, I lived alone in an apartment and we were best buddies. The next year, we moved home to my parents’ house and I had to share the pug love with my mom and dad. For the past two years Stewie has (of course) been living with me and Chris and he is both a “mommy’s boy” and “daddy’s boy” at different times.

If you are thinking about getting a pet, I can’t recommend visiting a shelter enough. Stewie is one of the best-behaved and sweetest dogs ever! He’s also proof that you can find plenty of “desirable” breeds at a shelter – 100% pug! (Side note: I don’t think there is an undesirable breed of dog, but some people would disagree!)

Happy Adoptday Stewie!

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Moving on to What I Ate Wednesday (hosted, as always, by Peas and Crayons)…

Breakfast – Overnight oats in a jar + Tazo Awake tea

There were peaches, blueberries, chia seeds, and plain Chobani in the mix!

AM Snack – Peach muffin

I had a hair appointment (cut + highlights) yesterday at noon. It was a little too early to eat lunch before I left, but I knew I should have something since I planned to hit nearby outlets after my appointment.

The combination of overnight oats + one of these muffins did a great job of holding me over and I (surprisingly) didn’t get hungry for the remainder of the afternoon.

Afternoon Pick-Me-Up – Starbucks lime Refresher

I popped in a few of my favorite stores while shopping, but only ended up buying a dress (for the first day of school!) and two tops. I tried on quite a bit, but didn’t find a whole lot that I was crazy about.

Before leaving the outlets, I stopped at Starbucks for a Refresher. I had tried the Berry Hibiscus flavor in the past, but this was my first time trying Cool Lime; I liked it!

Dinner – Sweet potato topped with BBQ pulled pork

I saw this idea on Pinterest (of course). The flavor combo was really good!

I don’t do anything “special” to make my pulled pork. I usually just buy boneless pork chops at the store, put them in the slow cooker with some beef broth, and let them cook on low all day. After shredding, I add some BBQ sauce and that’s it! So easy!

I can foresee myself repeating this dinner quite a bit throughout the school year since it comes together so quickly and was actually pretty filling.

Post-Dinner Eats – Throat coat tea + frozen strawberry-banana Chobani

I woke up yesterday with a sore throat… yuck. It was still bothering me in the evening (and is today, too), so I brewed some throat coat tea and added in some honey. My throat definitely felt better as I was drinking it; I just wish the effects lasted longer.

Before going to bed, I had a frozen strawberry-banana Chobani. I have been loving “fro Cho” lately; it’s a must-try if you haven’t yet!

Looking back, yesterday was a pretty “light” day. There are certain days (like today!) where my appetite is off the charts and other days where I’m simply not that hungry. Yesterday was the latter!

If you have a pet, did you adopt him/her or get them from a breeder? (Positives and negatives with both, in my opinion!)

Have you tried the new Starbucks Refreshers?

Do you have any good sore throat remedies? I’ve got to get rid of it by next Tuesday, which is when I start yapping all the live long day again!

Hey everyone; I hope you all had an enjoyable weekend! Even though I’m off for summer break, I still look forward to the weekend because I typically have more things to do & people to spend time with as opposed to the work week. And weekends still seem to fly by all too quickly!

Today, my family & I had yet another birthday to celebrate (Chris’s & my dad’s were last weekend), but first, let’s back track to last night!

For a while, Chris & I had been in the habit of having pizza night at least once a week. Lately, though, we hadn’t been getting it (not since we moved into the house, actually). I was really craving it, so I declared last night pizza night!

We went with extra cheese, & I had 3, yes 3, slices!

The rest of our evening was very low-key, & we actually ended up splitting a few desserts that I had picked up at a local place, Skyline Drive Orchard.

We shared a mini peach pie, & banana cake. The banana cake was probably my favorite; this icing was amazing!

Unfortunately, after 3 slices of pizza & double desserts, I wasn’t feeling that great. I guess that was to be expected!

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This morning, I headed off to the gym & completed a 45-minute resistance interval workout on the elliptical. Afterwards, I headed home to prep some baked oatmeal for Chris & I. This morning, I went with blueberry baked oatmeal instead of the chocolate chip we had been enjoying this past week!

My mom’s birthday is actually tomorrow, but since it falls on a Monday, we decided to celebrate today. For lunch, my mom, dad, sister, Chris, & I went to Bonefish Grill. I had heard a lot about the restaurant, but never been before, so I was excited to try it out!

We started with some warm bread & olive oil, which was delicious!

For my entree, I ordered the imperial longfin – royal delicacy pan-seared, baked & stuffed with shrimp, scallops, & crab meat.

My sides were garlic-whipped mashed potatoes (I can never pass up mashed potatoes!) & succotash, which I had never had before (I’m a fan!).

For dessert, my mom & I split their peanut butter & jelly special, which was bread pudding topped with chocolate-peanut butter ice cream & raspberry sauce. It was great!

I also had a few bites of my sister’s brownie sundae, which was fantastic but also super rich!

The rest of my day was spent nursing a bad headache, which feels like it might finally be starting to relent. I’m about to do some meal planning & coupon clipping before settling in for tonight’s episode of Big Brother.

Have you ever been to Bonefish Grill? What’s your favorite seafood dish? I love lobster, but don’t usually get it just because of the price tag. My second favorite would be scallops!

There are at least 2 personality traits I’ve inherited from my dad… love of a clean house, & love of super-sugary birthday cake frosting.

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that this weekend was special not only because of Chris’s birthday, but also because today was my dad’s 60th birthday.

My family & I went to a local restaurant – the Kutztown Tavern – for lunch & had a difficult time deciding on what to order; there were a lot of options that I wanted to try!

We started with an appetizer (I was so hungry!) & we went with the buffalo egg rolls – homemade egg rolls stuffed with buffalo chicken & cheddar jack cheese, served with Bleu cheese dressing.

These were awesome! I only had one, but could definitely have had more. Several of us agreed that we could make a meal out of these little bites.

For my entree, I ordered the flat iron steak ciabatta – thinly sliced seasoned certified angus beef, spinach, roasted red peppers, Bleu cheese crumbles, & roasted red pepper mayo. I also “upgraded” to the sweet potato fries which was a good decision!

After lunch, we headed back to my parents’ house for cake & ice cream. I started digging in when my dad reminded me I needed a picture.

If you follow me on Instagram (elukes25), then you already know about the yard signs my dad got for his landmark birthday! We took a father/daughter picture with them, since they’ll be taken down tomorrow.

And yes, there really were 60 cows in the yard!

My dad had been looking forward to this birthday for a while, & it seems like he enjoyed the celebration!

Afterwards, I came home & napped for a few hours! All of the birthday fun this weekend is exhausting, apparently. Now, I’m getting ready to pick at some leftovers & settle in for the newest episode of Big Brother.

Which do you prefer – sugary frosting or whipped frosting? This isn’t even a question for me… sugary all the way.

Today is a very special someone’s 26th birthday…

Happy Birthday Chris!

We’ve actually got a birthday-packed weekend around these parts; my dad’s 60th birthday is tomorrow!

To start off Chris’s special day, I made a batch of browned butter, brown sugar birthday breakfast biscuits! (Recipe courtesy of Baking Serendipity, which never ever disappoints!)

I made these for Chris after completing a quick run outside first thing this morning.

We’re going to Chris’s parents’ house tonight to celebrate with his family, so this afternoon I prepped a quick dip to bring with.

I used this recipe from Kraft, & it couldn’t be easier. All I have to do is assemble before we leave & it’s good to go!

Sorry to keep it so short & sweet, but I’m off to go get ready for the festivities.

Enjoy your afternoon/weekend!

Hi, friends.

Well, another weekend has come & gone. If only this weekend were last weekend & I had tomorrow off. I sure could use it!

Time to re-cap some weekend activities!

I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I had a busy few days on the agenda. First thing Saturday morning, I headed off to spin class, then to get my nails done. Afterwards, I had to make a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up a fruit tray for Chris & I to bring to his mom’s birthday celebration, which was last night. Before heading home, I made a quick pit-stop at Starbucks for one of my favorite breakfasts:

Last night’s dinner was at Hartefeld National in Avondale, & while I didn’t snap any photos, here’s a quick run-down of the tasty meal that was enjoyed:

• Winter Fruit Salad – baby spinach, sliced apples, pears, cranberries, cashews, shredded gruyere, honey buttermilk vinaigrette
• Mushroom Ravioli – with grilled vegetable ratatouille, blush sauce

Of course there was cake for dessert too, & I happily enjoyed a piece as my one sweet for the day.

When all was said & done, I finally got to sleep around 12:00, & couldn’t have been more excited to catch some Z’s.

However, I was up early this morning to get some research paper grading underway. For fuel, I enjoyed the following:

After breakfast, the usual Sunday activities ensued: church, meal planning, Target & the grocery store with Chris, laundry, etc. As I was working through my to-do list, I enjoyed a few snacks to keep me energized, one of which was a smoothie:

Eventually, though, I got tired of snacking & got to work preparing a real meal:

Finished off with a single piece of chocolate:

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Now, I need everyone’s opinion! As I was sitting down to lunch today (just a quick meal of a pb+j with a side of baked chips), I mentioned to Chris that I could really go for a soda. When I was deciding what to give up for Lent, soda didn’t seem like it would be such a big deal, but now I’m craving it more than ever!

Chris’s response to me? “Well it is Sunday.” I had never heard of the Sunday “loophole” for Lent until I started dating Chris. Apparently, Sunday functions as sort of a “cheat day,” where you’re able to indulge in whatever you’ve decided to give up for the 40 days of Lent.

Like I said, I had never heard of this until I met Chris, & I refrained from using that as my “excuse” to have a soda today, but I’m curious to hear your thoughts.

Have you ever heard of Sunday being a “free” day during Lent?

Happy Sunday, people! I’ve got a lot to recap, so let’s get to it…

Yesterday morning began by unexpectedly sleeping in. I was slightly annoyed at myself for sleeping until 9:00AM because I wanted to get to the gym early & avoid the crowds. However, I quickly made the decision to forgo the gym, & get a jump-start on my to-dos around the apartment.

Chris ran to Wawa & picked us up some bagels as fuel for the apartment cleaning that was about to take place.

An everything bagel with tomato, cucumber, & light cream cheese

It was delicious!

After getting our cleaning done, I had a few things to work on for school & before I knew it, it was time to head to a day-early birthday dinner with my family. I didn’t snap any pictures at the actual meal, but I did take a photo of my leftovers which I ate for lunch today…

Cheese ravioli + meatball

This picture doesn’t do the meal justice… it was fantastic!

After dinner last night, we all headed back to my parents’ house for birthday presents! Apparently, my parents & sister have been reading my blog, because I was gifted with two items that I’ve discussed on here before.

My sister gave me this LuLuLemon scuba hoodie (mentioned in this post):

(source)

And my parents gave me this Fossil watch (mentioned in this post):

I love both gifts & know I’ll get a lot of use out of them!

After presents, it was cupcake time! My mom went to a local cupcake place, Sublime, & picked up a half-dozen for us all to share.

I went with the banana-Nutella, with a side of party cake ice cream.

Today is my actual birthday, & so far I’ve gone to the gym, went to church, & made a dip for the Super Bowl party Chris & I will be attending! Not a shabby start to my 26th year.

I shared some Super Bowl snack ideas the other day in this post, & I ultimately decided to go with the artichoke dip (from MarthaStewart.com). I’m always excited to have an opportunity to break out my food processor, even if it does leave me with a bit of a mess to clean up.

 The set-up

I bought some whole-grain Tostitos scoops for dipping, so here’s hoping this is a hit!

I made the very-wise decision to take a personal day tomorrow (woohoo!) so I’m excited to be able to enjoy the day without having to worry about preparing for the impending work week.

And with that, I’m off to get changed into some comfy attire before Chris & I hit the road!

What dessert do you usually have on your birthday? My mom usually makes me funfetti cake or cupcakes, but we switched things up this year!