Fennel Whiskey Manhattan

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Things got a little crazy over the past few months, with our move to Manhattan taking up much of the space in my head. I am alright with that. We're now settled into our new building, the picture frames are hung on the walls, and every morning, I walk through the city with a "pinch me" sensation.

So, it seems quite fitting that my first recipe posted from our new apartment in Manhattan should be a twist on the drink whose name pays homage to this city. 

To be entirely forthright, this is not exactly a Manhattan. It is, however, quite similar, minus the vermouth and subbing the fennel bulb for fruit. If I had to compare the two, I would say this version has a more earthy flavor, which is perfect for me. Also, if you're like my husband and have a distaste for vermouth, this might be your new favorite cocktail.

Plus, we made it - and drank it - in Manhattan. 

If you find yourself cooking with fennel and removing the top portion of the bulb, save it for this cocktail. It's the perfect garnish while also adding just enough earthy flavor to the drink to make it pop without being overwhelming.

Fennel Whiskey Manhattan
Ingredients (makes one):

• large ice cubes
• 1 oz water
• 2 oz whiskey
• 2 dashes Angostora bitters (or another anise-flavor)
• 1 tsp sugar or sugar substitute (I used Stevia powder)
• 1 top of a fennel bulb, rinsed and cleaned

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except for fennel bulb and either shake in a cocktail shaker or stir well in a rocks glass.
2. Add fennel bulb to the glass. 
3. Serve! Encourage guests to use the fennel to stir their drink.

Notes:

• To make this cocktail more like a true Manhattan, add 1 oz of dry vermouth
• This is a great cocktail to serve with a meal in which you use the rest of the fennel - the flavors will play well together, and it allows you to use the leftover bits of the vegetable and therefore waste less.

Looking for more cocktail recipes?

• Rumon Ale Cocktail
• Juiced Apple and Whiskey Cocktail
• Blackberry Basil 66 Calorie Cocktail

"Kitchen Sink" Long Island Iced Tea

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This may resemble a Long Island Iced Tea in look and taste, but the ingredient list is much more forgiving. You see, when I received some Iced Tea flavors in the mail from Tradewinds, I was determined to whip up something that was delicious and familiar. But, I was tired of finding cocktail recipes that required specific ingredients that I never have on hand.

What ever happened to kitchen sink drinks? Throw in everything but the kitchen sink, they say. A little of this, a little of that, times that by two or three, and voila. You've got yourself a cocktail.

"Kitchen Sink" Long Island Iced Tea

Note: 

• While there is no specific ingredient list you must use for this cocktail, there are a few guidelines to follow so that your flavors turn out well balanced and... well... appetizing.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Iced Tea. I used Tradewinds Iced Tea, and I combined sweet and unsweet, at a ratio of about 1:3 (meaning a bit more unsweet than sweet, because I was trying not to load this baby with sugar). Feel free to adjust as you see fit!
• 1 oz Citrus. I used lemon juice, but feel free to use anything you have on hand. Fresh lemon, lime, or orange? Squeeze that baby! Have some "Real Lemon" on hand? I'm not judging. That works!
• 1 - 1.5 oz White Liquor. I used Bacardi white rum because, you guessed it, I had it on hand. Also great would be Vodka or Blanco Tequila!
• 1 - 1.5 oz Brown Liquor. I used Fireball Whiskey, which I cannot recommend enough due to its ability to add a cinnamon taste to the tea. That said, other great contenders include unflavored Whiskey, Dark Rum, and Bourbon.
• .75 oz (1/2 shot) Sweet Liqueur. Any liqueur that has been sweetened with a fruity flavor will work here! I used Triple Sec, but Chambord would be delicious, too!
• Sweetener, to taste (Optional). I added 4 drops of NuNaturals Liquid Stevia, but you could also either opt out of this or add a half ounce of simple syrup or a half packet of sugar.
  
   

Directions:

1. Set a highball glass aside. Use a second glass and fill with ice, then add ingredients above.
   
   
   
2. Pour into your highball glass and serve plain or with a straw!
   
    

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• Do you have any favorite "kitchen sink" foods and drinks? I love kitchen sink salads! They are such a great way to use up any produce you are worried you won't be able to finish. Throw it in there!
• Do you have a favorite drink of summer? I used to love Chardonnay as a summer beverage, but last summer I was totally into Effen Cucumber and anything cucumber/lime/mint flavored was my summer jam! Check out this Effen Cucumber Mint Martini if you're jonesin' for one right now!

Getting Ready on My Wedding Day

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**Photos courtesy of Daniel Peter Photo, www.danielpeter.com.**

**Hover over the bottom right corner of each image to Pin to Pinterest!**

As could probably be expected, the night before my wedding included very little sleep. Ironically, I had just been telling people that very evening at our Rehearsal Dinner that I hadn't had any wedding nightmares or insomnia yet. I was getting 8+ hours of deep, peaceful sleep... of course, that is, right up until the last night.

It took me a while to fall asleep, and then I woke up a few hours later. I figured I'd take a shot in the dark and text my mom to tell her I was having a hard time sleeping. As luck (or God) would have it, she was also having a hard time sleeping! She consoled me a bit and reminded me that all of my A+ sleeps leading up to the wedding would serve me well, and ultimately I would have all the energy I needed thanks to adrenaline and excitement.

I ended up waking up for good at 8 something. I rolled out of bed looking like a hot mess (mostly the mess part) and decided to assess the breakfast and coffee situation downstairs with two of my bridesmaids. One delicious iced coffee with whole milk later, life was good.

My bridesmaids set out their dresses for the day. Part of their gifts from the Rehearsal Dinner included those large baskets (seen above), a pair of nude pumps (not pictured), and personalized hangers (seen above). Each girl also had her own brown bag (seen above) filled with goodies like gum, Advil, Fiji water, and Smart Pop. We also delivered these bags to each of the rooms of our guests at the hotel.

Our hair stylist was already at the hotel, finishing up my mom's hair. They came up to our skyline suite, and she worked her magic on the rest of my ladies.

As far as getting your hair done goes, I think this was just about the best scenario ever. We had a panoramic city view to watch as she teased, curled, set, pinned, and sprayed...

Meanwhile, my makeup artist got to work on beatifying all of the ladies. It made me feel really happy to see these girls, who are so special to me, being pampered. Who doesn't enjoy a complete hair and makeup ritual?

I went last, so that my hair and makeup would be totally fresh. The hair artist curled my hair and clipped it up so that it could set in curls as it cooled. Then, she passed me off to my wonderful makeup artist so that he could start with my foundation and get the makeup basics out of the way.

My sister gave me a super cute tote bag from Dessy. Their web site is mostly dresses, but she somehow stumbled upon the cutest wedding day bag ever designed. Naturally, it was stuffed with goodies like a white tank top with "BRIDE" in rhinestones. 

My then-fiance was in the same hotel, in a different suite, on a different floor. He was getting ready with his groomsmen, my sister's boyfriend, and my dad. I knew he would be a little tense and nervous as he got ready for the wedding, so I wanted to send him a little something to lighten the mood and ease his nerves. After getting my nails done the day before, I had stopped for a nice bottle of Michigan Whiskey.

After my sister gifted me my bag, I sent her to his room with the bottle of whiskey and a card I had written him. I wasn't there to witness any of it, so it's really special to see in photos that she delivered it with a big hug!

It's also very sweet to see my almost-husband reading my card with a big old grin on his face. 

After reading the card, they opened the bottle of whiskey and drank it out of the various assortment of glasses the hotel suite had provided. My husband later told me that the whiskey was a great idea because it really did ease the tension in the room, and, despite being in full tux apparel, everyone loosened up.

The photographers did a wonderful job of capturing the gift giving, card reading, cheers, and aftermath: happy men who look classy as hell drinking whiskey in tuxes.

If you're familiar with the 5 Love Languages, you may be learning that one of my love languages is gift giving. I enjoy finding special items to make my favorite people feel special. So, while my husband and his groomsmen were sipping on his gift, I was busy giving my mother a gift in the ladies' suite.

I gave my mom a silver mesh infinity bracelet. We have sort of an inside joke about watching the T.V. show Revenge (jokes include: how horrible it is, how confusing it can be, why on earth we keep watching it despite those things...). On the show, the main character has a special relationship with one of her parents that is symbolized by the infinity sign. I wrote my mom a story that drew on other inside jokes (and mimicked a letter I wrote her as a first grader) and then talked about how our love goes on forever. 

I also gave her a small packet of blue tissues, "to dry her happy tears" during the ceremony.

As we continued getting ready, my bridesmaids started putting on their pearl necklaces that I had given them in their basket the night before. The necklaces were a collaboration between my aunt Betsy and me, and my aunt made them. I thought they were perfectly classy and simple.

Little did I know, my bridesmaids also had a gift for me. They had put together a book of "Letters To The Bride," each having written me a page. Some were more lyrical, some had inside jokes, and some were more picturesque (one was even 3D!).

It was really neat to read the letters from each of them and see how it not only reflected their unique personalities but also my unique relationships with them. As I read each letter, I was reminded of how lucky I am to have these ladies in my life! They are so supportive, creative, and unique. 

I may have had a few happy tears, but I somehow managed to not completely ruin my makeup. My mom helped me put my jewelry on. I actually had not chosen my jewelry until the day of the wedding. I knew I wanted a combination of pearls and sparkles, so I brought with me a number of pearl necklaces and earrings that were borrowed from my mom and aunt, and a few pairs of earrings. I ended up wearing a necklace that was borrowed from my mom along with a drop pendant from my aunt and pearl earrings from my aunt. Not just something borrowed... many things borrowed.

Next, my hair artist took my curls out of their rolls and pinned me into an up-do! As my makeup and hair started to come together, the mood in the room started to get more and more exciting. We chose more upbeat music (Girl Talk? Backstreet Boys? All of the above) and started to get pretty silly. 

What adds to an already excited room full of women? A bottle of champagne! My mom ordered us some champers and we eagerly toasted to love, marriage, and the wonderful day ahead.

As we clinked our glasses, I couldn't help looking around me at the amazing women that are in my life and be thankful. I am so blessed, and I am sure that, no matter how many words I write or how many times I express my gratitude, it will never suffice. Thank you, thank you, thank you... :)

With my hair finished and my makeup almost done, it was time to put on the dress! I had chosen a lace dress by Jim Hjelm (via Volle's Bridal) that layered antique looking, ivory lace on top of a champagne colored silk. It was very comfortable and I felt like it expressed my personality very well.

My shoes were light blue, extremely comfortable, and had a mid century feel to them. 

The dress is fairly easy to put on, because it lacks the puffiness or elaborate corseting of a lot of other wedding gowns. But, there was a clasp at the top of the back, and a bow to be tied using the ribbon part of my sparkly sash. My sister and maid of honor did the honors, and then it was time to step into my wedding shoes!

Stepping into these shoes just brought me one step closer to the wedding, itself. Despite the momentous occasion of the day, I was still completely calm at this point. In fact, my makeup artist even remarked that I seemed like one of the calmest brides he had ever worked with. I had a very deep feeling of peace, knowing that it would be the start of the rest of my life with the man I would love forever. Who could be nervous about that?, I thought.

In true Carly fashion, I had a gift I wanted to give to my dad. My mom had the idea of bringing him to our suite blindfolded, so that we could capture his reaction upon first seeing his little girl in her wedding dress. So, she headed over to the boys' suite and retrieved her husband, purple blindfold and all.

The photo above will probably always be one of my favorites. The surprise and joy in my dad's face is unmistakable, and my mom's grin as she watches his reaction is priceless. 

I wasn't sure which parts of the day would end up bringing me to tears, but I did know that the most likely culprit would be seeing my dad and giving him the gift I had for him. Sure enough, from the moment we hugged, we had tear-filled eyes. I gave him a handkerchief that was embroidered with a special message to him. 

My dad enjoys taking walks. There is a forest trail near my parents' home, and he frequently takes walks there with family or our family dog. But, it goes back much farther than that. I have a photo from when I was around 9 or 10 years old of my dad and I, standing at the edge of a pier, having taken a walk down to the beach together. We are standing next to each other, staring at the water. So, on my dad's handkerchief, I had a message embroidered that said, "Dad, Thanks for walking by my side today and always. Of all the walks we've ever taken, this one will be my favorite. A'voo, Sissy." (A'voo was the way I said "I love you" when I first learned to talk, and Sissy is one of his nicknames for me)

Once we released my dad from the torturous ladies' suite (apparently we just invite people there to cry their eyes out!), we took a few photos with the beautiful bouquets of flowers that had arrived. We worked with Ashland Addison Florists, and they did an impeccable job. I wanted bouquets that were very muted and light, with a vintage and romantic feel.

Soon after, it was time to put the finishing touches on. My makeup artist added mascara (which he'd left off so far, because I told him I would probably cry when my dad came to see me). Then, my hair artist secured my veil. I surveyed the final product and was absolutely stunned to see what they had done to me!

At this point, we took a few more pictures in the suite and then headed out to meet the boys for Justin and my "First Look!"

Vendor List:
Bride's Dress: Jim Hjelm via Volle's Bridal
Bridesmaids Dresses: J. Crew
Tuxes: Formally Modern
Flowers: Ashland Addison Florists
First Look Location: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place

Orange Whiskey BOKO Cocktail (Low-Cal and Sugar-Free)

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Happy Friday! It's official; we made it to the weekend. Breathe a sigh of relief in 3...2...1...

Friday might actually be one of my favorite days of the week, even though Saturday involves the most free time. There's so much potential for Fridays.

Especially on a day like today, when I have no plans. After a long and busy week, I'm pretty thrilled to be able to relax, work out, clean my apartment, and... well, whatever the heck my spirit leads me to do.

Thumbs up for Rock and Roll!

I made this cocktail recently. My fiance had poured himself some Maker's Mark on the rocks and sat down to sip it, and I wanted to play, too... but only kind of. So I made this. It's perfect for someone who appreciates the taste of whiskey... but only kind of (BOKO). I do like whiskey, but sometimes I just need to take the edge off of it - yes, even with a good batch like Marker's Mark (or our favorite Woodford Reserve).

Of all the flavors, one of my favorites to pair with whiskey is orange. Ever since trying a drink called the Barbed Wire Daisy at The Violet Hour, it's been my favorite combination. After experimenting with Orange Flavored NuNaturals in the 1920's Champagne Punch we served at our Speakeasy Party, I was dying to try it again.

This cocktail is very simple. Because, to be honest, I kind of think a drink with great whiskey in it should be simple.

Low Cal Orange Whiskey

Ingredients:

• Ice, half-way filling a short cocktail glass (Or a tall one, I guess, if you're brave)
• 10 drops Orange NuNaturals Flavored Liquid Stevia*
• 2-4 ounces Whiskey (I used Maker's Mark)
• Optional: A straw (My fiance would probably consider it a sin to drink whiskey from a straw. I, on the other hand, have no qualms about it)

Directions:

1. Fill a short cocktail glass half-way with ice.
2. Add Orange NuNaturals (or Orange/sugar combination - see below)
3. Add Whiskey
4. Stir or swirl! And drink!

Notes:

• Don't have Orange NuNaturals Flavored Liquid Stevia? Never fear! You can combine 1/2 tsp Orange Extract with 1 tsp sugar or stevia powder... or combine with orange zest!

The Coalfire Compromise of 2013 & Random Recipe Success

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You know how some weekends go by in an absolute flash? Welp, it's suddenly Monday again, and I feel like I closed my eyes and the world flipped from Friday to Monday. I might seriously think the world was playing a trick on me... if it weren't for my memories from the weekend.

THE COALFIRE COMPROMISE OF 2013:

Friday night, I felt full and wanted a salad for dinner. But, guess what? My fiance had his heart set on Coalfire, a local coal fired pizza joint that is quite literally on our block. We compromised and went to Coalfire. We both ordered a pizza. Naturally, he finished his entire pizza, while I had only a few pieces of mine and saved the rest for us to munch on as snacks throughout the weekend. We also enjoyed some beers and had a nice little date.



Now, when I said that we "compromised" and went to Coalfire, you thought I lost out on that deal, didn't you? Wrong. My end of the deal was that we went to the Container Store afterward. I know, what a hot date for a Friday night. Don't be jealous ;-)

 

My fiance found ways to entertain himself at the store. Some of you have inquired about how tall he is... well, here's the perfect picture. He is six foot seven. Tall peeps for the win!



Why did we go to the Container Store?
I'd been begging to invest in a bunch of boxes and organize the apartment for months on end, but it wasn't until reading Sierra's blog post on Friday that I finally pushed for it (and made what will forever be referred to as the "Coalfire Compromise").

I'll be posting some of the before-and-afters this week (as well as what my strategy was for easy organization that will actually hold up with time). I re-did my pantry, an in-wall shelving unit, and three closets.

For now, here's a sneak peak of the pantry...



Saturday morning, I got up early and made us breakfast. We'd stocked up on some Chorizo at World Market (which is located next to the Container Store, and thus we had to stop there), so I threw together a Chorizo, onion, and cheese omelet for my fiance, then some oatmeal with plain Greek Yogurt and almonds for myself.



Post-meal, we headed to the gym for a workout sess. We did weights together (kind of) for about 45 minutes, focusing first on upper body and then on lower body (which, according to Body By Science, is the order in which to do weights so that you optimize results and avoid a headache).

Post-weights, we did some cardio. I did a 35 minute run. The first half was more of a steady state run, while the second half was sprint intervals. Thanks to Netflix and Alias for the entertainment on thus run - though I'm somewhat perplexed as to how my iPad got so insanely dirty. Gross.



After the workout, we stopped at the bank to set up our joint accounts. It was relatively painless but felt like something to celebrate!



RANDOM RECIPE SUCCESS:
 
After the bank on Saturday, we headed up North to my parents' place. On the way, we met my mom at CostCo, and my fiance became utterly obsessed with the place. For the rest of the day, the joke was that we would catch him playing on his phone, and he would be on the CostCo website.



At my parents' place, my fiance and I cooked a delicious meal. For months, I've been talking about this made-up recipe that kept lingering in my head: whiskey-marinated steak with a chocolate and wine reduction sauce. I had never seen it before, but just had a hunch that it would be to die for. And it was. Don't worry, the recipe will be coming this week.





The entire back of their house is floor to ceiling windows, so it is occasionally pretty cold in the kitchen. I found my brother's thrifted "Season's Greetings from Minnesota" sweatshirt (dude, why do you own this?) and put it on as I cooked.




For dessert, I made a Creme Brulee recipe that was a twist on this protein Cheesecake recipe. I'm estimating that they are about 100 calories each. Again, recipe coming soon. Don't you worry :)



Sunday consisted of lots of coffee, church, and an afternoon of more organizing and cleaning. Since my beloved Revenge wasn't on, we rented The Campaign with Will Ferrel and Zach Gala... (cannot for the live of me spell that man's name, but I know how to say it now!).

Have you ever randomly imagined a recipe in your head? This happens to me occasionally, and included both of the recipes I made this weekend. There's something about making something you created from scratch that is just so satisfying!

Seen any funny movies lately? The Campaign was surprisingly funny. Also surprisingly raunchy... and it is always fun to see Will Ferrell as the bad guy.