In the Kitchen: Classic American Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Hello and happy Monday! Today we remember and honor the brave men and women who have and continue to fight for this country every day. I wish you a happy memorial day and express my gratitude, love and support to my cousin Wade who has bravely fought for this country several times and is no longer in active duty due to being severely injured last summer during a deployment in Afghanistan. We are so thankful that you are still with us, well and getting better every day. :) You are one crazy superman!

Here is a picture of this amazing family. Katie, my cousin + her husband Wade and their two adorable little boys Joe & Ethan. If you have hung around this blog awhile these beautiful faces are no strangers to you; Ethan is the godson of Nick + I and a frequent photo subject of mine :) They are the strongest, most inspiring and loving 4 people I have ever known. I just Love them!  

Nick and I had a great but fairly uneventful, Memorial Day weekend. On Saturday, I spent a little more time at my sister's helping her nest and taking care of last minute to-do's around her home, before baby Luca arrives. (By the end of June I will be an Aunt! :D *happydance* 

Later that evening we got together with our friends Tyler + Heidi for some relaxed hang out time. It was great to see them and catch up - it is going to be an exciting summer as those two will be married early October and it is going to be grand!! Once Sunday rolled around Nick and I escaped back to our Fort Collins haven in the early afternoon so we could enjoy some time outside, but the weather had other plans. It was overcast and too windy to fish, so we took Oli on a lazy walk and called it a day after cooking a classic American dish for dinner together. 

One of Nick's absolute favorites and a specialty of mine: 

American Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Tomato Soup 

Ingredients: 

• Your choice of sliced bread - tonight I used classic white bread. But I love to use delicious nut & oat bread that make giant sandwiches, as well. 
• Butter
• Cheese - again anything is game! Lately I love using spicy Habanero cheese instead of classic American cheese to bring a little zang to the dish. 
• Salt & Pepper 
• Tomato Soup - one day I will be domesticated enough to make my own but for now one of my favorites is Tomato Basil soup by Progresso. Then again Nick is a sucker for simple and classic so I'll make him Campbell's Tomato sometimes as well. 

1. Heat your frying pan to medium heat and butter bread slices on either side. Add salt & pepper on one side to flavor, add your cheese and lay in pan once heated. (Let your cook go wild and add extras such as sliced turkey, ham or veggies to your sandwich!) 
2. Cook each side until golden brown and delicious looking. While flipping toast, prepare your tomato soup and make sure to use milk instead of water if you are cooking with Campbell's Tomato soup - it's soo much better and creamier. 
3. Serve & enjoy all in approx. 20 minutes cooking time. 

For dessert I whipped up some simple ready-to-bake chocolate chip cookies :) yum! Really no room for those in my diet + exercise pla- hahahahah yeah okay... 

And because I remembered to grab lemons, limes, and enough cucumber from the store last time I was out I finally made a huge pitcher full of cucumber-lemon water. It is so refreshing in the summer time and does wonders for water weight and hydration ladies and gents ;)

I have come across a couple different versions of this. The other main thing to add is mint leaves if preferred. Chop up 1 cucumber, 2 lemons, and 1-2 limes, add to water pitcher and let it sit in your fridge overnight in order to let the lemon and cucumber flavor the water. You can easily make small to-go versions of this right into your own water bottle over ice water and let the flavor soak in on your way to work, school, etc. 

While I'm still looking forward to some pool time today with my dear friend Kayla today, Nick has to work a regular day. I hope you have a great Monday and would love to hear and read about your Memorial Day weekend highlights and festivities! As well as your favorite grilled cheese flavors and cooking secrets. 

What's Not to Love?

A few weeks ago Nick and I got some company from my beloved father in law. We have the best time when he comes to visit and one of our favorite things to do is go out to eat. Usually our choices are either wings or pizza and on this particular night, it wasn't only pizza we chose, it was the best kind of pizza around: Uncle's Pizzeria.  

If you ever visit Fort Collins without trying this pizza, you are a fool. 

My favorite: white tomato. ♥ yum.

After we stuffed ourselves and walked out of the restaurant we realized there was no way we would be able to head straight back to the car. The evening was too beautiful, the weather perfect, and Fort Collins just oh so wonderful for a little after dinner stroll :) If you didn't know it about me, I'm a sucker for walks. 

I mean, what's not to love?

Since evening one was a freaking blast and we don't get to show off Fort Collins much, we headed back to Old Town for evening two and began the night with some delicious shrimp and some dangerous happy hour margs. 

With our bellies once again full we leisurely strolled through down with Old Town as our final destination. We had decided that should we get the urge to stop in another bar on the way..so be it. But no evening stroll is complete in Fort Collins without poking your head in the Cupboard (an amazing housewares store). Nick's absolutely favorite place in Fort Collins. I'm still in the love/hate relationship because all I do whenever I go in there is drool over the mint colored Kitchen Aid on display and all 12 brothers and sisters in their beautiful punchy bright colors. I waaaant one :[  

We absolutely couldn't refuse a rest stop on the outdoor patio at Lucky's where we sat outside, crunched peanuts and drank beer. 

(did I mention this was the greatest summer night in Fort Collins to date)

 

We were happily surprised to find that the Bohemian Nights, free music event was going on and so we parked it in Old Town for awhile enjoyed the band. 

 Eventually this little couple worked their way a few steps in front of me and I couldn't help but snap a photo of the husband holding his wife. They were dancing to the music and so affectionate with each other. Nick and I agreed we will definitely be that rockin' little couple in 60some years. Absolutely warmed my simple romantic heart. 

 

Cheers and thank you for being the great city you are, Fort Collins.

Hope you all had a good Monday. Mine was quite eventful and didn't do much good for my already crumpled faith in humanity. However, I out did myself cooking one of my specialties this evening - grilled cheese sandwiches + tomato soup - and forced myself out on a walk with Nick in this very cooling 70 degree weather, despite my annoying sinus issues. Thank you rain and get the fuck ooooutta here, allergies! 

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xo . jess

What comes after June?

The month that makes you forget what day of the week it is, because the days are long, hot, and juicy with summer. I am having a hard time making myself believe that August is only days away. Especially after having said hello to this evening, with a delicious pot of Jambalaya rice cooked with Italian sausage fresh from Sunflower market, a perfect after-dinner walk in the 70 degree weather (thank you rain gods!) watching the sun go down, gushing about how much we just freaking love this city and absolutely everything about it. This has been one of the greatest summers I have had in a long time. And it was spent doing nothing much else but enjoying Fort Collins with bike rides, patio lunches, concerts, camping, fishing, and the occasional afternoon by the pool. I guess I shouldn't jump the gun just yet - August is just as much of a summer month as July, but it brings back to school and better yet - back to school festivals in this beautiful city. Such as New West Fest and Tour de Fat which I am soo looking forward to. Nevertheless, all of a sudden it will be September and as much as I will be sad to see this summer go, it is always followed by my favorite season :) So I can never stay sad for long. 


And since it is almost a month to the day since my last post, I am more mad with myself for the fact that while I neglected my blog for a good 4 weeks I was quite the busy bee with things to share that I was just to lazy or unmotivated to post. While July was busy flying by I was cooking new things, experimenting with delicious summer salads (oh yes - the kitchen is quickly becoming my new favorite place), wearing my still growing hippie locks in either a braid or el natural (not doing anything with your hair can be quite the penny saver - who knew!?), reading (!!) rocking out at the Foster the People concert (greatest night of the summer!!) and keeping it consistent with the camping. But I could shut up about it and just show you. Here's my July round up people. Next time I take half the summer off from blogging I'll leave an "out of the office" love note. Happy Hump day! 


xo . jess

in the kitchen.

Today I discovered that it only takes 4 easy steps to make one delicious summer treat and so 

I made...

1. My choice of fruit: 1 large banana; 1/2 cup of blueberries; 1 cup of strawberries

2. Add 1 cup of ice before adding 1 1/2 cups of vanilla ice cream
3. Add fruit and lastly 1/2 cup skim milk
4. Turn it into pink bubbly yumminess. 




It was a very low key day for N and I - and HALLELUJAH we even had rain almost all afternoon. Our summer schedule has been pretty non stop with camping trips, school, work, and the occasional day of cleaning, laundry, errands... that we gave ourselves a well deserved day off from all of it.
Because however, we were in desperate need for groceries, I slipped into my go to outfit for this summer of maxi skirt, tank + sandals and headed to sunflower market to stock our fridge with fresh goodies! (Hence my smoothie inspiration for today) I have to admit to you guys that if I ran into myself in public today, I probably would've wanted to smack myself..but it was a day of "I don't care" - today while making my grocery trip I wore my ear buds and jammed to my own tunes the entire time! Usually I can't stand when people do something like that, shop with their headphones, but I was in a mood and I ain't gonna lie the seclusion felt aaawesome! Sometimes, ye just don't wanna talk to anyone. And today was that day. I do have to make a point to ad that I only took my public rudeness so far - I removed them completely before heading to the register. Talking on your phone or having headphones in at a register  - absolutely not cool.

Tomorrow I say Hola Monday! as my work week begins and the daily life goes on. In the meantime we are checking the news every couple hours for fire updates and praying the weather reports forecast more rain! Colorado is one big fiery mess and it's very sad to watch thousands of people lose their homes and beautiful countryside burn to ash. Counting our blessings,

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xo . jess