Chocolate Dinner Club

Chocolate. Who doesn't love chocolate?  

         Every month, 11 friends and I get together for dinner club.  The host will choose a theme for the month and everyone brings a dish to share. It was my turn this month! I wanted to do something cute with Valentine's Day but didn't want to over do it with hearts or red & pink foods. So as I was browsing quotes about love, I stumbled upon this one.  Funny that I have always loved Charles M. Schulz, the Peanuts creator. His comics carry such good memories for me. He always blended sweet lessons with humor so well, very fitting that he would blend love and chocolate and set the perfect scene for my dinner club. 

      The only requirement was to to include a chocolate ingredient because...

     "All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt." 

 

The lineup included:

Drink

Chocolate martinis

   
Appetizer  

Mini Chocolate Machaca Breakfast Burritos

Fruit with Creamy Chocolate Dip

Salad & Veggies

Mixed Greens with Warm Cacao Nib Crusted Goat Cheese

Cocoa Spiced Roasted Vegetables

Main Dishes

Beef Paleo Chili

Cocoa Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Sauce

Pinto-Bean Mole Chili (Epicurious)
  

Dessert

Fudge Mint Brownies 

Chocolate Chip Pancakes & Strawberries

 Here are a few of the girls enjoying lunch!

January was Prohibition theme: a hidden alcohol ingredient and March the dishes must be made with local grown food. I can't wait to see what other themes come up throughout the year.  

Food makes for such great conversation and the company doesn't hurt either!

See the recipe for Cocoa Crusted Pork Tenderloin here.

Cheers,
Belle

Birthday Blessings

A birthday can make us think about, reflect on and appreciate many things. 

Today as I celebrate my 31st birthday, I am overwhelmed with thoughts about how blessed I am. 

My year of 30 was not what I expected, weird and surprising tough times but a lot of high times too.  I could not have gotten here today without the support of my amazing friends and family, so this year..instead of wishes for myself, I have some wishes for those who have been there for me & by my side.  I am so excited to see what this year has in store for me, so thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am truly lucky to be here living this wonderful life today.

A few fun highlights of my 30th year of life:

A fabulous 30th birthday bash in a swanky speakeasy

 

Sharing cocktails poolside with my best bud

 Watching my elementary school best friends become beautiful mothers 

and spending time with their baby boys!

Sailing for the first time

 Running through a ridiculous amount of colored paint

 Rappelling into a cave

 Becoming a triathlete

Seeing my goddaughter turn 1!

See...when you stop and think about, there are so many little things that can make a moment great. 

Since we are talking about great moments, these are the moments I look forward to in my 31st year. Seriously, how lucky am I?

Upcoming special moments:

* Traveling to Italy with my best friend

* Opening myself up to more risks & life

* Welcoming new babies into this world

* Reading many more books

* Continuing to blog about Love, Luck & Purpose

So cheers to this upcoming year! I wish all of you the blessings I have been bestowed and hoping to a fabulous year ahead!  

Cheers, 

Belle

Grateful

Today on this Thanksgiving, I am filled with gratefulness...


I am thankful my dad still calls me to tell me when Charlie Brown holiday specials are on TV.

I am thankful for my amazing parents and the endless love they give me.

I am thankful for the happiness around us.

I am thankful for my best friends and their open hearts.

I am thankful for curiosity and adventure. 

I am thankful for my huge family.

I am thankful for my sweet goddaughters, they bring me so much joy.

I am thankful for life. It is so precious and moving forward, we must treat life with care.

Be grateful for everything you are blessed with!! 

Giving Thanks

Monthy Update

Well, it's been over a month since I have updated. Here is what's been going on....

School started again. 

Went sailing for the first time. 

A family member passed away = a lot of family time together and celebrating life. 

My tomato & pepper plants are still growing.

 

I completed my first triathlon. 

      The triathlon was amazing.... look for a full post soon!

       I can't believe it is already October!!!   Although September had some nice & memorable moments, it was an extremely hard month. A lot of sadness & loss, school work piled up over & over, and a mental breakdown with running. I am so so happy for a new month to be here, and hopefully more happiness and less stress in store for me & others around me.

       Things I am looking forward to in October:

• a trapeze lesson this weekend
• a possible Disneyland trip
• Japanese themed dinner club
• Halloween!

Cheers & wishes for cooler San Diego weather,
Belle

10 reasons to smile

       As I look back on the past few busy weeks, I am so thankful for my life and the wonderful people who are with me on this journey.  Here are 10 things that keep me smiling!

1. Spending time with old friends
2. Live music
3. Exercise
4. Overcoming fears
5. Fresh & local fruit
6. San Pellegrino sparkling soda water

7. Grapefruit & Gin cocktails

8. My fabulous family
9. Finding happiness in the smallest moments

10. Summer vacation!

Happy 4th of July!

 Patriotic Moonstone Cookies

 Patriotic Pudding Pops, half eaten... mmmm...

Happy Birthday America!

Christmas Cheer

One of my favorite family Christmas traditions is the mostaccioli and Italian sausage meal we eat during the holidays.  We ate it every year at our huge family gathering when I was growing up, which was usually on Christmas Eve.  Now with the family growing bigger and bigger, we do our family Christmas the weekend before Christmas.  Since our Italian meal was moved further from Christmas Day, my dad and I started to insist that we still have our own small traditional meal on Christmas Eve or Day.  And a new tradition was born - Christmas Eve mass and then mostaccioli and sausage back at my parents' house after.

 Antipasto & cheese to start off

 Some sausages in fry pan... My dad and I like some crispy, the rest get cooked in the sauce!

 

   Sauce simmering, flavored by the sausage                   A huge bottle of Holiday Reserve Zin

 Not family Christmas unless some of the bread gets burnt

We also enjoyed cannoli's and my grandmas famous nutballs. Too bad I forgot to take a picture of those!! Take my word for it, they were delicious. 

My Christmas Day was leisurely and relaxing with my parents. We opened stockings (one of my favorite things as a kid) and my mom made English muffin french toast. Of course my dad and I reheated some sausage from the night before. Good times napping on the couch, nibbling on small bites and a movie in the afternoon.   I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!

         

 Mmmmm!!!!