On Friday, we did our traditional egg painting. Every year on Good Friday for a looong time now (since high school), we all go to my friend Paul’s house (Munchkin’s godfather) and paint Easter eggs. His parents have egg painting tools from Poland which you can use to make really intricately decorated eggs. Sadly I lack the skill to make such eggs, but its still a good time.

I was in charge of setting up the egg painting supplies this year, so it wasn’t done all pretty like last year. I also messed up some of the colors and we ended up with two blues instead of a purple, but we improvised pretty well.

It was the first year that Munchkin actually participated in the egg painting, and his hands were blue and green for two days because of it.

All in all, I think we did a pretty good job and got some good looking eggs. Munchkin even got his traditional Eater, not Easter, egg from Paul.

On Saturday, Tommy, Munchkin and I packed up our traditional Easter baskets and headed out to church to have them blessed. Blessing your Easter basket it a Polish traditional and you eat all of your blessed food for breakfast on Easter Sunday.

Dinner was up to me on Satruday, so I decided to make something Eastery. I was looking at Easter things on Pinterest when I stumbled upon this recipe for Mushroom Wild Rice Frittata from Eating Well.

Mushroom Wild Rice Frittata

• 1/2 cup wild rice (dry) and 2 cups water to cook it in
• 5 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• 1 pound mixed mushrooms
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 6 thin slices prosciutto, chopped

To prepare wild rice: Combine water, rice and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the rice is tender with a slight bite, 40 to 50 minutes. Drain; you’ll have about 1 1/2 cups cooked rice.

To prepare frittata: About 30 minutes after you start cooking the rice, beat eggs and egg whites in a large bowl with salt and pepper. Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Heat oil in a skillet, over medium heat. Add onion and salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in rosemary, then add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until they release their liquid and the pan is dry, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in the rice.

Transfer the mushroom, onion and rice mixture into a Pyrex dish. Pour the reserved egg mixture evenly over the rice and vegetables. Partially cover and cook until set around the edges, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and prosciutto. Place the pan under broiler and broil until the eggs are set and the top is nicely browned, about 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

I also baked a Hummingbird Bundt Cake to bring to my aunt’s house for Easter dinner. Recipe will follow soon because this was so good!

We spent Easter with family at my aunt’s house. There was a lot of good food and desserts. I definitely overate, but it was all sooo good.

Munchkin also got super spoiled as usual.

Those are his various Easter baskets and treats that he got. Needless to say, he was on quite the sugar high yesterday.

Now we are off to have some breakfast and head outdoors to enjoy the weather. It supposed to hit almost 70 degrees today!

How was your Easter/Passover weekend? What are your holiday traditions?

The post Easter Weekend appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

Well, it was the best kind of package – a Foodie Blog Swap package! The Foodie Blog Swap was hosted by Jemma from Celery and Cupcakes and paired an American blogger with a UK blogger to send each other some yummy things that aren’t available in their country. I packed up my box on Friday and shipped it out to Lucy from Porridge and Parsnips.

When I got back from work today, this baby was waiting for me.

Of course, I ripped it open right away to find a box packed to the brim with lots of goodies. I haven’t tried any of the things that I got before, so I’m really excited.

She also sent a cute card with a really sweet message.

Thanks so much Lucy! I really hope you enjoy your package!

Since it was International Women’s Day yesterday, Tommy surprised me and my mom with gorgeous flowers. What a sweetheart! I love me some purple tulips!

Yesterday was also my last day of school before spring break and my professor was even nice enough to let us out early. Since the weather was still absolutely gorgeous at 8 at night, I got home, changed into some comfy clothes and went for a walk with Tommy and Munchkin. Our half hour walk turned into an hour walk and we ended up surprising Munchkin’s godfather with a visit along the way. Even though we brought Munchkin’s stroller, he walked the whole way – over two miles! He slept like a rock as soon as we got home!

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I woke up this morning and did Workout C of the Best Body Bootcamp and holy molly, it was intense. It was a total body workout that didn’t require weights. I hadn’t heard of a lot of the moves before the workout, so I had to watch the videos that Tina provided. The sweat was pouring off of me after doing only the first set. The exercises are really well put together and it 40 minutes I worked my whole body to the max. I was feeling jello arms and legs for a while after the workout. I have to say that by doing these workouts and trying to eat clean, I think I am starting to see results. I was showing off my muscles to Tommy last night and he said soon enough I’m going to be putting his to shame! Yes!

I’ve got a to-do list a mile long today, but my first priority is finishing up my midterm paper, so I can have a homework and worry free weekend in Philly. I’m supposed to be done with everything by 4 PM, but we’ll see how that goes.

Have a great weekend!

What are your plans for the weekend? Have you ever participated in a blog swap?

The post Exciting News! appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

hearts desire! Fat Thursday begins the last week of Carnival, so celebrate we must!

Paczki are deep fried donuts that can be filled with almost everything – my two favorites are strawberry jam and custard. They are usually topped with powdered sugar or icing, but in some bakeries, you can find chocolate topped ones too. If you get a good paczek, the fact that it is deep fried will not mean that is is greasy or oily, instead it will be light, fluffy and doughy in the center.

My job is located in the biggest Polish community in New York, which happens to be home to some of the best Polish bakeries around. When I was walking to my car after work yesterday, I could smell paczki in the air because all the bakeries were prepping for Tlusty Czwartek. The smell was unreal! I don’t want to brag, but my grandmother makes the best paczki around.

But, since she is in Poland and shipping me paczki would have been excessive, I’ll settle for the store bought stuff.

If you live anywhere near a Polish deli, I suggest you check it out today, you will not regret it! You will definitely find a ton of paczki and you should get one of each to try, because calories don’t count on Tlusty Czwartek, at least not the ones from paczki!

Have a great and sweet Fat Thursday!

Have you ever tried paczki? What’s you favorite kind of donut?

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To get in the Valentine’s Day spirit, I have a heart shaped breakfast yesterday. I picked up the bowl over the weekend at Target – I just couldn’t resist. What better way to start your breakfast than with some oatmeal in a heart shaped bowl!

I took a trip to CVS yesterday before going to school and while perusing the makeup aisle, I found a lip product that I’ve been keeping an eye out for, for a while. I am a total makeup junkie and I probably have more lip products than anything else in my stockpile collection. I got the idea that since Valentine’s Day is the holiday of love and love = lots of kissing, I’d share some of my favorite lip products today. Who doesn’t want kissable lips on Valentine’s Day?

First up on my list is Burt’s Bees Chapstick. This has been my go to chapstick for years and I always have one with me wherever I go. I love the cooling effect it leaves on you lips.

Next up is Rosebud Salve. Rosebud Salve isn’t only for lips, you can use it on your cuticles or skin if you’re feeling a little dry. It also helps heal small cuts and soothes bug bites. I apply it before bed and wake up with hydrated lips every morning.

Another multi-purpose lip product is the Korres Lip Butter. This stuff is super moisturizing on your lips, but can be used on your cheeks for a pop of color as well. All of the butters smell amazing too. Like I want to eat it out of the little pot amazing.

Buxon Lips was one of the first higher end lip glosses I ever purchased, and since then I’ve been repurchasing it when I get through the tube. It’s a lip plumping gloss, so it gives you a bit of a tingle and cooling feeling when you put it on.

Next on my list of glossiness is MAC’s Cremesheen Glass. MAC lipglosses tend to be sticky and glittery, but not these babies. This give you a nice, natural, glossy lip. The only downside is that if you get a limited edition color and fall in love with it, it might be tough to repurchase.

 Last but not least, Revlon Lip Butter is my latest purchase. I’ve only used it for one day, but so far I like it. It is moisturizing and leaves a nice sheer color on your lips. I also love that the colors are named after dessert – I got cupcake. No surprise there.

Slap on some gloss and go give someone you love a kiss! Have a great Valentine’s Day! I’ll be back tomorrow with some very yummy eats.

What’s your favorite lip product? How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day?

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I think that Tommy and I are going to celebrate Valentine’s Day this weekend. I have class on Tuesday night until 8:00 pm, so that leaves us with little time to do anything that evening. I think we’re going to get our sushi on, I can’t wait.

I wanted to know what you think about Valentine’s Day? Personally, I like it. I like it a lot. I know that some people ate anti-Valentine’s because it is a commercial holiday, but I think it’s sweet. I don’t agree with people who drop insane amount of money on Valentine’s Day gifts, because I think there are better excuses than Valentine’s Day to buy the person you love extravagant gifts, but I do love me some flowers, chocolate and champagne.

I feel like champagne is an under-appreciated drink that only really gets to shine on New Year’s Eve. I’m a huge fan of the bubbly stuff and think we should use it to celebrate on all holidays, or you know, on random Wednesday nights. Did you know that champagne was invented by mistake?

I don’t know about you, but when I walk into the store to buy some champagne, I feel totally overwhelmed. I don’t know much about wine and champagne and usually end up asking one of the employees to help me chose something, that is until now. I was contacted by Wine.com to try out their website, and I gotta say I like it. Wine.com offers over 2,000 different kinds of wine, champagne and sake. You can find bottles from $5.99 to upwards of $2000, if you’re that kind of baller. They have some helpful features like the best 90 wines under $20, which is my price point, and a wine finder where you take a little survey and they give you suggestions of what you might like. So if you’re looking for some bubbly to spice up your Valentine’s day, or everyday, check em out.

As for me, I need to get my craft on. I have a few ideas of what I want to make Tommy for V-day, but I still haven’t gotten started on anything.

Have a great weekend!

What’s your favorite wine/champagne? What are you doing for Valentine’s day?

The post A Little Bubbly appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

On Friday, Tommy took the day off so that we could go to the city see the tree in Rockefeller Center and check out all the gorgeous Christmas decorations everywhere. Before we headed out, we stopped for sushi for lunch. I got a roll called the Christmas Tree, which I thought was very fitting since we were going to see the tree.

I love Manhattan during Christmas. Even though I basically go into the city for school everyday, it’s nice to take a day to take it all in an appreciate the decorations. It was also great to see how excited Munchkin got to see the tree. He kept pointing to the top and yelling star, which I thought was the cutest thing ever.

In the evening, we headed out to Long Island to exchange gifts with Tommy’s cousins. I brought them my Cranberry Bliss Bars and they were a huge hit. I brought the whole pan, cut into triangles, and they were gone within minutes.

Saturday was Christmas Eve, and following Polish tradition, we had our big Christmas celebration in the evening. We started out with Wigilia, which is a traditional meal without any meat. I can honestly say, this is some of the best food we eat all year – pierogi, all kinds of fish, salads and red borsch with mushroom croquets. My stomach is rumbling just at the thought of it. Of course I was too hungry to stop and take a picture of our feast, but I did find one from two years ago.

After we finish eating, and tradition says you have to try at least one bite of the 12 dishes served, we open our gifts. And of course, no Christmas Eve is complete without a visit from Santa. Munchkin’s god father surprised us all when he showed up dressed up as Santa, complete with Jingle Bells.

Munchkin and I must’ve been very good this year because we both got spoiled rotten. I got some really fun stuff, none of which I was expecting. Tommy got me a Pandora bracelet and an iPad case. He got me two charms, an A for Alex and a heart with a key. I’m so in love with it. I got some fun foodie gifts from my cousin Patricia – a pizza stone, day planner and recipe calendar. My goal is to make each of the recipes in it during that month. I got a huuge Hello Kitty bath set from Munchkin’s godfather and a Michael Kors wallet that I’ve been drooling over for months from my parents.

After all the presents and excitement, we headed out to church for Midnight Mass. We decided to go to my cousin’s church because I had to drop her off at home after the mass, and to be honest, we were both disappointed by the midnight mass there. Midnight Mass is my favorite mass of the whole year and it’s something we both look forward to every year. We’ve gone every year since she moved here, but we always went to my church. There’s something a bit magical about a packed church (literally with people crowded up and down the aisles spilling out onto the street) singing that first Christmas carol that always starts the mass. We decided we’ll be sticking to my church for midnight mass from now on.

On Sunday, Munchkin woke up ready to get back to his new toys.

He had a lot of time to play before we headed out to my aunt’s for Christmas dinner. It was nice to spend time with my cousins and reminisce about our youngen days because, you know, we’re so old now.

I can’t believe Christmas is over, but I am so grateful for having an amazing Christmas weekend filled with friends and family.

How did you spend the holiday weekend?

The post CHRISTMAS!!!! appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

Cranberry Bliss Bars are basically a blondie with dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks, topped with white chocolate cream cheese frosting. If you’re not drooling, you may need to have your taste buds examined.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 6 ounces white chocolate chips

Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

Have a great Saturday and Christmas Eve!

What kind of cookies did you leave out for Santa as a kid?

The post Cranberry Bliss Bars appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

Last night, I tried my hand at making eggplant rollatini. I have a love/hate relationship with eggplant. I love eating it in different dishes, but I hate preparing it. I mostly hate trying to make even slices, which I can never accomplish. Maybe I need a better knife? Any tips to evenly slice an eggplant?

I found this recipe by googling Eggplant Rollatini, and when I saw that this blogger got the recipe from her Ciocia, which means aunt in Polish, I was sold. I’ve never gotten a bad recipe from one of my Ciocias. While my version didn’t look as pretty as hers, I’m pretty sure it tasted just as great!

Eggplant Rollatini (adapted from Sprinkles of Parsley)
Eggplant Cutlets

• 2 large eggplants
• 1 cup flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 cups bread crumbs

Spinach and Cheese Mixture

• 1 10-ounce package of frozen spinach, defrosted
• 15 ounces of Ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced

Assembly

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Start with washing your eggplant and removing the stem.  Thinly slice your eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices.  Prepare your three dipping bowls with flour combined with salt and pepper, egg and water, and bread crumbs.  Heat a large skillet with olive oil over medium/high heat.  Then cover your eggplant slice with the flour mixture.  Dip into the egg mixture and transfer into the breadcrumbs, making sure to completely cover both sides.  Transfer to your skillet and saute for about 1 minute on each side until golden brown, making sure to add more olive oil when your pan dries up .  Once browned, transfer your eggplant cutlet to a plate lined with paper towel and continue these steps with the remaining eggplant.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine your ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, seasoning, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Add your spinach to the cheese mixture and stir to combine. Then lay a single eggplant cutlet on a flat surface and spoon 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture at one end.  Roll the eggplant, starting at the end with the cheese mixture working towards you like a jelly roll.  Place your eggplant rolls on a lightly greased pan seam side down.  Then spoon 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce over each roll and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes uncovered.

In the end, the meal totally makes up for the dreaded slicing and dipping.

What’s a dish that you love to eat, but hate to make? Are you braving the crowds and finishing your shopping?

The post Eggplant Rollatini appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

Breakfast was what I call Cranberry Bliss Oatmeal. It’s oatmeal with whole cranberries, craisins and a sprinkle of white chocolate chips. I’m a sucker for Cranberry Bliss Bars from Starbucks, and this is my healthier version of the treat. I will be posting my recipe for actual Cranberry Bliss Bars some time this week, but I have to make them first! I also had coffee with breakfast, like always.

Lunch was a cream cheese and lox sammich with a side of red/orange pepper. I love smoked salmon and was so excited to see it in my fridge. It’s great when my dad picks up random yummy things at the supermarket.

I broke into my Madeleines for a delicious snack. I know they’re supposed to be for Christmas, but in my own defense, I only had one two.

Dinner was a new recipe I tried out. Tommy had been asking me to make Chicken Divan because it’s something that his roommate’s mom used to make when he was in college. I looked up a bunch of different recipes, before more or less following Eating Well’s. I am also amused to no end by the name of this dish. Divan in Polish is rug or carpet, so I kept referring to this as carpet chicken. I served it over quinoa.

I’ve been trying to cut out soda from my diet, so when I’m feeling like I want a bit of carbonation, I reach for some seltzer and the Cranberry Lime flavor is my fav. Stop and Shop brand is where it’s at!

Chicken Divan

• 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups diced leek, white and light green parts only
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon 21 Seasoning Salute or Italian Seasoning
• 1 pound broccoli crowns, chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. After marinating the chicken in your marinade of choice, place it in a medium skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil and cook until slightly browned. In a separate skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add leek and cook until softened, but not brown. Add in flour and stir to coat the leek. Add in chicken broth,let thicken and bring to a simmer. Add in can of soup and spices, while stirring constantly. Add broccoli and continue simmering. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Spread half the broccoli mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with the chicken, then the remaining broccoli mixture. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Have a great Wednesday!

What’s the best thing you ate yesterday?

The post WIAW featuring Chicken Divan appeared first on Frolic Through Life.

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that my weekend included Madeleine baking, and I wanted to share this amazing recipe. There are lots of different foods that people associate holidays – turkey on Thanksgiving, candy corn on Halloween and gingerbread men for Christmas. While gingerbread cookies seem to steal the spotlight around Christmas, Madeleines are a Christmas tradition in my house.

Rewind 10 years to a blustery August afternoon. My neighbors and I were holding out annual block party and my neighbor Terry, who I’d lived next door to since I was just a year old, brings out a tray of Madeleines. I try my first even Madeleine and rave to Terry about how great they are and how she must give me the recipe. Fast forward to December. My doorbell rings and it’s Terri holding a tray of Madeleine cookies and wishing me a Merry Christmas. Super excited I break into the cookies right away to find that the tray is actually a Madeleine pan, and attached with a ribbon is her recipe.

Soon after that I tried my hand at making the cookies myself, and receive some great results. Since then, Madeleines have been making a regular appearance on our Christmas table and even though Terry passed away two years ago, I can’t help but think of her any time I come across a Madeleine cookie.

Madeleine Cookies

• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour (sifted)
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• Madeleine pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a 3 quart saucepan, over low heat, work eggs and sugar with a whisk until creamy and lukewarm (not hot). Remove from heat and whisk until cool. Add vanilla. After mixture cools, add in half of the four and butter, whisk until smooth, and then add remaining halves. Continue to whisk until smooth and creamy. Using a pastry brush, lightly butter and flour the Madeleine pan. Fill pan 2/3 full and bake for 12 minutes or until edges brown. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Makes about 35 cookies.

I also have a Christmas tree cookie pan that works with the batter to make Christmas tree shaped Madeleines, although I don’t know if they are still considered Madeleines if they aren’t the traditional shape. Either way, they are mighty yummy.

What are your favorite holiday cookies or desserts?

The post Mexican and Madeleine Cookies appeared first on Frolic Through Life.