Spring is here!

This past weekend it was gorgeous!  The weather was perfect and temps were in the 70s.  I got a free half day at work because of the Final Four so I ran home to be with Kevin, who was home nursing a headache.  It was too nice a day so we decided to find a patio for dinner.  That's not super easy in our area.  there are only about 4 and everyone seemed to have the same idea.  We did manage to snag a table outside at a new restaurant/ bar in downtown Tucker called Local 7.  If I were still in my 20's, I'm sure I'd be there every night.  The food was great and the staff was super friendly.  And it just so happens that Sweet Dee's bakery is right next door.  Score. 

Saturday was also great weather.  I wasn't about to stay in our cold, dark house.  I made the dogs go outside and ran around with them for a few while Kevin grilled chicken for our lunch.  Then we remembered that the Final Four was going on downtown.  I usually hate downtown Atlanta but I wanted to be outside so badly, I ignored it and headed to the nearest Marta station.  We were hoping to catch the free Ludacris and Flo Rida concerts in centennial park.  I don't know what I was thinking.  It was crazy.  We ended up just wandering around CNN, World of Coke and Underground.  But we were outside and it was nice.

That night, we went to the Stone Mountain Art Stroll.  The local art galleries hosted it and they had some light refreshments and we got to meet all the artists.  There are some really talented people in Stone Mountain.  And we found a new antique store with great stuff and low prices!  Another score!

Since the Art Stroll was free and the Final Four activities were free, we spent the whole day outside doing stuff and only bought a couple BK kids meal and a trip on Marta.  Another cheap, fun weekend in the A!

Cheers!

Playa del Carmen

Our vacation in Playa del Carmen was amazing.  Not only did we get a great deal on a fabulous resort, we were treated better than when we were on our honeymoon.  We had perfect weather, the food was the best I've tasted and our tour to Chichen Itza was great.  It was exactly what we needed.

Cheers!

We made it to Le Reve!

The lobby

They welcomed us in style

Our view for the next four days

Selfie on the beach!

Our resort was ON the beach

Kevin liked the hammocks

Valentine's Day dinner by the beach.

Kevin watched the sunrise from bed every morning

There was a seat in the middle of the pool

We acted like we were on our honeymoon

I really liked this dress :)

The driveway was lined with flower trees

The sign to our resort

Chichen Itza

The ball court

We went swimming in this cenote

The Mayans know their chocolate!

Best tortillas I've ever had.  She was making them right there over a fire and another lady was adding the fixins

Enjoying our balcony

Our room

Amazing Sopes de Tinga

Last day in paradise.  Thanks for the great time Le Reve!

Shepard's Pie

When my mom visits, she always brings a stack of magazines that's she's saved for me.  Most of the time I don't find that much in them, but it's nice to have something new to look at...

In one of the issues of Country Living she brought me, I saw a recipe for shepard's pie (here).  The picture looked amazing and it seemed pretty easy enough.  I ran it by Kevin and he thought it was do-able, so we gave it a go.  O. M. G.  It was AMAZING!  And so easy!  It's now a regular in our recipe rotation.  If you have some left over mashed potatoes, some veggies and ground turkey, you should totally try this.

Cheers!

Shepard's Pie

2 tablespoons EVOO

3 small carrots, chopped

1 cup frozen pearl onions (we just chop up an onion)

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup frozen peas

2 1/2 teaspoons of rosemary

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth (we make this using the powder)

3 cups mashed potatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots and onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 3 more minutes. Stir in peas and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in chicken broth and stir. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper. Transfer to a 9- to 10-inch deep-dish pie pan. Spread mashed potatoes atop turkey mixture. Bake until golden on top and heated through, about 25 minutes.

*Kendi Haus suggestion:  use a bigger dish than you'll think you'll need.  Cooking this can get messy and if you have a bigger dish, you'll lose less.

Stats:
Servings:  4+
Leftovers:  yes
Time:  ~ one hour
Cost:  ~ $5