THE PERFECT EASTER BRUNCH: HASH BROWN CRUST QUICHE WITH GOAT CHEESE

Back in my college days, I spent a semester in France. While my diet was largely comprised of nutella crepes and airy baguettes smothered in brie, I also took great liberties to indulge in as much quiche as humanly possible. As a quick side note, quiche means cake in German. For good reason. They look lovely all cooked up and the anticipation of that first slice is nearly impossible to contain.  

The best quiche I had in Paris was not at a fancy pants restaurant (fine dining was not a priority as a poor college student) but rather at a teensy bistro on the Rue du Renard. I was making my way to class after a morning stroll across Pont Neuf and had about three euros burning a hole in my pocket. Since it was late January, the streets were almost empty. Paris in the winter is my favorite. It's quiet and a little lonely. Bare branches let you see, in full, the beautiful building facades that are usually hidden by leafy greens. And when it snows it's like walking in your own private snow globe.

Anyway, I was hungry. I peeked into this bistro and saw row after row of golden quiche. How could I resist? I pointed at a Gruyere quiche sprinkled with crisp bits of smoked bacon. The man at the counter heated a slice in the oven and presented me the quiche on a warm white plate, tendrils of steam lacing through the air. We were the only people in the joint and he gave me a little smile as I took my first bite. Heaven. When I tasted this hash brown/goat cheese quiche concoction, this memory flashed Proust-style in my head. Not because the flavors were the same, but because the sensation was: something warm to keep the cold at bay, something almost tender in its quiet simplicity.

And so I present to you heaven in quiche form. It has a crisp golden hash brown crust surrounding a custard of fluffy, practically flan-like eggs. Oh, and it has goat cheese. A whole log of goat cheese. And then some more cheese. It makes, hands down, the most perfect spring brunch. Plus, since you can make the crust and filling the night before, I imagine it would make any Easter morning shine more brightly. If you're looking to add a little sweetness to your brunch spread, I highly recommend the lemon blueberry cheesecake swirl rolls from last week.

HASH BROWN CRUST QUICHE WITH GOAT CHEESE AND GREEN ONIONS
Adapted from Martha Stewart

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 package (1 pound) hash browns, thawed if frozen 
• 1/2 cup shredded Italian cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of your favorite dried herbs (I used oregano and basil)
• 12 large eggs
• 16 oz. reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 log (4-5 oz.) goat cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1/2 cup green onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-by-2 1/2 inch springform pan with butter and line the sides and bottom with strips of parchment paper. Brush the paper with butter. The butter will help the hash brown crust get nice and golden. Using a potato ricer (this Ikea gem is our favorite) or your hands, squeeze the hash browns. Getting all the water out will also help the crust get crisp.

Mix the hash browns with about 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of shredded Italian cheese, garlic and onion powders, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Press the mix into the pan, using a dry measuring cup to press the crust up the sides of the pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, until lightly browned.

While the crust is baking, whisk sour cream, goat cheese, salt and pepper together. I added more garlic and onion powder to this mix to help give it more flavor. Whisk in the 11 remaining eggs. Add sliced green onions. Pour into baked crust and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until set, about 50 minutes. The center should still be just a tad wobbly, while the sides will be set. Add some more Italian cheese, if you want (and you definitely do), and broil until the cheese is melted and browned.

Unmold the springform and peel off the parchment paper. Serve with asparagus (toss in 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper roasted for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. We popped the asparagus in about halfway through the quiche's cooking time and it came out just fine). Thank your lucky stars that spring is almost here!
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MICHIGAN MONDAYS | CORKTOWN DETROIT & MERCURY BURGER

Like a pair of polar bears emerging from our winter burrow, we finally nosed our way outside this weekend to spend the afternoon in Corktown. Corktown is Detroit's oldest neighborhood and one of my favorites. It is home to the famous and delicious Slow's Bar BQ and rickety cobbled streets, which--let's be real--is just a nice way of saying the streets are covered with potholes. The Irish Potato Famine of the 1840s forced tons of Irish folks to immigrate to the United States, many of whom settled in Detroit. There are still a few Irish bars holding strong but our main destination was lunch at Mercury Burger.

Everything is so wrong and so right about the burger above. Named "The Local," it heaps a generous portion of BBQ pulled pork on top of a thick hamburger patty. It is surprisingly good. As are the fries. I got the California turkey burger mostly because I cannot physically bring myself to say no to something that has avocados. Mercury's burgers are ginormous, tasty, and reasonably priced. Can't go wrong. 

Right across the way is one of Detroit's iconic buildings, the majestic if crumbling Michigan Central Station. You might recognize it from hit moves such as Michael Bay's ridonculous Transformers 3. They were getting ready to film (we were told) an X-Games movie there today, which is pretty awesome. 

Right next door to Mercury Burger is Detroit's Urban Put-Put where you can play a round of mini golf should you be looking for some post-lunch entertainment. Urban Put Put's mission is pretty cool--just like amazing (and kind of creepy) community art projects like The Heidelberg Project, it "supports the rebirth of Detroit, embraces urban culture and provides a shared space to play by revitalizing a vacant lot with sculpture and recycled materials for the betterment of the community." Bring your own clubs.

Detroit definitely gets a bad name in the press--and sometimes for good reason--but I love how it supports these little pockets of creative growth amidst so much decay. Grit, for me, is the word that best defines Detroit--both in the sense that much of it is covered in film of gritty dust, and because everyday it illustrates true grit: perseverance in spite of hardship, over a long period of time. 

Looking for more things to do in Detroit? Don't be afraid! Check out our adventure at Hamtramck Disneyland or 5 Things to Do Around Lake St. Clair.

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FREE PRINTABLE: NORTH AND SOUTH | LOOK BACK AT ME

Richard Armitage in North and South. That's pretty much all I need to say. How is it possible that I never knew this man existed before last year? It just doesn't seem fair. After getting over the fact that he looks like a grown up Harry Potter, I'm totally on Team John Thornton. Who doesn't love a supercilious self-made man who ends up being really loving and true?

My friend let me borrow her copy of pretty much every Elizabeth Gaskell BBC miniseries and it was epic. Best summer of my life. It was also really hard to come back to reality. The only thing I can really do is watch this clip on repeat. Such is my life...

This all begs the inevitable question: What is your favorite BBC miniseries of all time? We'll just assume that Downton is at the top of most lists so let's hear some oldies but goodies. Click on the Download button below to get this printable.

Looking for more BBC miniseries love? Check out my Downton Season 3 free printable, which pretty much sums up my feelings in visual form. So many tears!

North & South - Look back... Look back at me. by no_none

 

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*In an attempt to shake my mental creative black hole, my goal is to create a new printable most Fridays. Check out the free printables page to see if any strike your fancy. Share to your heart's content! 

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THE PERFECT EASTER BRUNCH: LEMON BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE SWIRL ROLLS

Lemons and blueberries are positively soul mates. Smother them in cheesecake filling rolled into a buttery, melt in your mouth pastry dough and you have brunch perfected. These lemon blueberry cheesecake rolls are the first part of our perfect Easter brunch. I am so excited to share part two with you next week because it involves my favorite brunch food--hash browns--but with an inventive twist. But for now, let's just gaze upon this spring goodness, shall we?

I love that these rolls match our cozy reading nook. We rescued that side table from an antique store when we first moved to Michigan (we fondly remember those first few months as the Summer of Garage Sales) and thought it would look delightful in a coat of bright lemon paint and white trim. Paired with our thrifted velour rocking chair and gorgeous quilted pillow (that our fabulous wedding photographer Meg Ruth's mother made), this little table makes our home office the most cheerful spot in the house. I could spend every morning reading in this chair whilst nibbling on these delectable lemon blueberry cheesecake rolls. 

I highly encourage you to put aside any fear of baking with yeast that you might harbor. These rolls are worth the time and effort, I promise you. It helps if you have a husband who is on a mission to find the perfect cinnamon roll recipe and is handy with a rolling pin. Even barring that, you should make these because they will make you incredibly happy. How are you planning to celebrate Easter/spring this year? *Scroll down to see if you won the Cozy Crochet Cowl!*

LEMON BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE SWIRL ROLLS

Recipe from Willow Bird Baking with instructions lightly adapted by my experience baking these rolls. Take a minute to check out Julie's lovely blog and you will be utterly inspired.

Roll Ingredients

• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 2 cups milk minus 2 tablespoons, room temperature
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 5 cups flour
• 1 pint of blueberries
• 2 tablespoons melted butter (to brush on rolls after baking)

Filling Ingredients

• 2 packages (8 oz.) neufchatel or cream cheese, room temperature
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 1 stick salted butter, room temperature

To make the rolls: Mix water and yeast in a stand mixer bowl (or a regular bowl if you're sans mixer). Let the yeast get all frothy (about 10 minutes). Add vinegar to a liquid measuring cup and add milk until it gets up to the 2 cup measuring line. Add to the yeast mixture and mix to incorporate.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl (or, if you're lazy like me, dump them all into the wet ingredients) and cut in the shortening with two forks or a dough cutter. This is a great way to get out any frustration. The dough should look like little peas and it will be pretty dry. Add shortening mix to the wet ingredients and mix. Knead for a few minutes. The dough will be a hot mess at this point--sticky to the point of ridiculousness but keep at it. Spray a clean bowl with cooking spray and put the dough inside. Cover with saran wrap and place somewhere warm (we use our microwave) for two hours. It will double in size. 

While the dough is rising, make the filling. Cream the cream cheese and butter together with the whisk attatment until nice and fluffy. Add the rest of the filling ingredients. When you add the lemon juice it might curdle a little bit but don't worry. It will all come together in the end. Grease two 9 x 13 baking pans. Now comes the really messy part--rolling out the dough.

Flour the counter and plop half of the dough down. Roll dough into a large rectangle (about 10 x 14 inches--doesn't have to be exact). If you're having trouble rolling the dough fresh out of the bowl, let it rest on the counter for about 10 minutes. When you get back it will roll smooth as butter. Smooth half of the filling onto the rectangle and sprinkle with half of the blueberries. Start at one of the rectangle's long ends and roll towards the other long end so it makes a log. Use dental floss to cut the log in half, then each half in half until you have about 12 rolls. Put in one of the baking dishes leaving a little room between the rolls. Do the same thing for the other half of the dough. 

Let rolls rise again while the oven preheats to 400 degrees. When they're almost to the rim of the baking pan, pop them in the oven for 30 minutes. These are large rolls so they might take longer. When they are lightly golden and almost done inside, brush melted butter on top and bake for another few minutes. Make a glaze by mixing 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and extra lemon zest. Add up to 1/4 cup of milk until the glaze is at a nice consistency. Drizzle over warm rolls and eat immediately with a tall glass of milk. Prepare to be amazed.

Thanks to everyone who entered the Cozy Crochet Cowl Giveaway! I was absolutely delighted by your responses and am glad (as many of you surely are) that winter is nearly done. So, without further ado, I present to you my super high tech way of choosing a winner: Mrs. Mommy B, congrats! Thanks again to everyone who participated. It was loads of fun and I can't wait to craft my next Homemade Giveaway!

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SNOW DAY: FORCING SPRING TO COME TO MICHIGAN

Imagine my face Saturday morning when I looked out the window expecting spring and saw the horror in the above photo. Michigan loves to taunt its inhabitants. One day it's so glorious and sunny that we almost begin to believe that winter is over. Then, bam, winter is back with a vengeance. Since there was no way I was leaving my house this weekend, I did everything I could to force spring to come to Michigan. Elmer's glue was involved. And food. Here's a peek at how I tried to abolish winter this weekend.

I tried to brighten up the corners of our house with what pretty much amounted to kindergarten craft projects. I can't remember the last time I crafted with construction paper and Elmer's glue but it was well worth it. I made the paper flowers for a dinner I organized a few days ago (more on that to come) and used a gorgeous paper flower tutorial by The House that Lars Built. 

I started a little crochet project that has been calling my name. Anything that involves orange ruffles is okay in my book. 

To cheer me up, Warren agreed to make about a billion mini pies using the awesome mini pie maker we got at CVS for ten dollars. I love after Christmas sales. He made strawberry, blueberry, and apple. Don't they look scrumptious?

If there is anything I like about winter it is the fact that you can pretty much eat comfort food for three months straight and no one will question it. We made a delectable pasta sauce from Table for Two and it seriously hit the spot. I daresay that it made me just the teeniest glad to hibernate the weekend away. We used ground turkey and sweet Italian turkey sausage instead of beef and served it over spaghetti squash. Talk about comfort food to the max. What about you? How did you spend this weekend--with or without snow?

*If you haven't entered the cozy cowl crochet giveaway, you have until 5 PM EST today to do so! The winner will be announced on Wednesday. 

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FREE PRINTABLE: HEDGEHOGS & RALPH WALDO EMERSON

My co-worker got two hedgehogs for her anniversary and I am, quite naturally, beyond jealous. In grad school, I lived in a gigantic old house with some amazing ladies. We dubbed ourselves The Fightin' 805 (our street address was 805) and our mascot was a cape-wearing hedgehog. Why? Because it was adorable. 

So, for no other reason than it's Friday at long last, I give you the above hedgehog printable (click the download button below). It might feel quite at home in a little one's nursery, along with this darling hedgehog clock. 

Who knew Ralph Waldo Emerson would have something to say about hedgehogs? But he does. Bless his soul. And if you have checked out of this week as much as I have, do yourself a favor and watch this hedgehog swimming in a bathtub. Long live the Fightin' 805!

P.S. The awesome folks at Sun Dog Lit  posted a guest post I wrote called "3 Things Taylor Swift Knows that Every Writer Should."  It was a blast to write and I am excited to work on future pop culture writing lessons. If you are looking to unlock your inner tween, check the post out. Lessons from Alias is next on my list--I'll keep you posted!

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*In an attempt to shake my mental creative black hole, my goal is to create a new printable most Fridays. Check out the free printables page to see if any strike your fancy. Share to your heart's content! 

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HOW TO FIX A BAD DAY: NUTELLA, BROWN BUTTER, AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

You guys. I made the most cringe-worthy mistake at work and I am still reeling about it. You know that awful feeling you get in your stomach when you realize you did something really wrong and you want to crawl into a hole and never come out, or at least never tell your boss about your mistake? That feeling is the pits. Just terrible.

So please, make me feel better: have you ever made a terrible mistake (maybe on the job or with your kids or something) and lived to tell the tale? Warren promises me that this will be funny in a little bit. I really hope so... But for now, I'm living in my awkward turtle shame hole, right alongside GOB Bluth. Taste the tears, Michael, taste the tears.



Besides all the practical ways of dealing with major fails, we all know that the only true solution to a bad day is to eat your feelings. Right? Hence, I give you the single best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. I am dead serious. Because it involves Nutella (or peanut butter, should you be feeling saucy). And butter. Oh, is there ever a lot of beautiful browned butter.

NUTELLA STUFFED BROWN BUTTER DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
*Praise Ambitious Kitchen for this divine recipe, which I adapted just slightly

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
• Nutella, chilled (makes for easier scooping)
• Kosher salt 

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it you can see the little milk solids turning brown. Your kitchen should smell a little bit like heaven at this point. This takes a few minutes of constant whisking and you will feel like you have failed several times (like when things start foaming) but keep at it. Just take it off the heat quick because brown butter can turn into burned butter real fast.

Dump the brown butter in a stand mixer (if you're sans stand mixer, just use a bowl and a hand mixer) and mix for a minute or two to cool it down. Add sugar and beat until combined. Add egg, yolk, vanilla, and yogurt. Add dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in all those luscious chocolate chips. Might as well add another few handfuls if things are looking a little sparse. You won't regret it. Chill dough for two hours. Yes, two hours. Trust me. It makes stuffing much easier and makes them bake to golden perfection. Don't skip this step!

Roll about two tablespoons of chilled dough into a ball. Flatten and add a spoonful of Nutella or peanut butter (or both!) and smoosh the dough around the filling to cover. Place seam down on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. You should get around two dozen cookies. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes. Err on the side of less done--just a hint of golden brown with a squishy center. Sprinkle with kosher salt and devour. 

And I'm all...

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COZY CROCHET COWL GIVEAWAY

This winter I have done several unprecedented things: 1) bought (and wear incessantly) a cozy bathrobe 2) wore pants. A lot. I hate pants of all kinds so this says volumes about the terrible Michigan winter we have had and 3) learned how to crochet. Yes, I have finally unleashed my inner retiree and I kinda love her.

It's just that I feel most myself in that demographic. Be it the early bird special at local restaurants or mid-morning matinees, you can often find Warren and me kicking it very old school style. So, to celebrate the fifth year of this blog's existence and to not-so-humble-brag about my new obsession with crocheting, I am giving away a lovely sedge-stitched crochet cowl to one of my dear readers! Hooray!

To enter the giveaway, tell me your favorite (or least favorite) part about winter in the comments section. Easy Peasy. If you are able, I would also appreciate it if you could help spread the word by sharing it on some form of social media--Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, a little shout out on your blog., etc. But no worries if you can't. Since I work best under pressure (doesn't everyone?), I'll put a deadline on the whole thing: how does Monday, March 18th at 5 PM sound? That gives you about a week. Then I'll use some technology magic to choose a random winner and I'll let you know who won on Wednesday, March 20th. Can't wait to see who this lovely gem goes to--and may the odds be ever in your favor!

****If the comments section doesn't work for you, try commenting using another browser like Firefox (sometimes Chrome is crazy and won't let you comment). I'm trying to figure out the bugs but in the meantime, feel free to email me at amyleescott [at] gmail [dot] com and I'll enter you into the running). Sorry for the trouble!****

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*I used Aesthetic Nest's lovely Sedge Stitch Cowl Tutorial as the base for this cowl (her pattern makes a smaller but very lovely cowl). If you crochet (or would like to begin crocheting) Aesthetic Nest has some wonderful tutorials and patterns. I'm especially delighted with her Learn How to Crochet Tutorials.  

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FREE PRINTABLE: TWEEN MOVIE BINGO

Guys, after a majorly long absence, I am proud to say that Tween Studies is back. There has been so much going on in my glittery, angsty world of tween drama that I don't even know where to begin. Let's just say that Amazon Prime's Instant Stream has ruined me. I have been re-watching legacy tween shows such as Felicity, Party of Five, and the groundbreaking Dawson's Creek. This doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of all the tween movies I have watched.

Since we live near a dollar theater, I drag Warren to pretty much every tween movie I can. Top of the list was Pitch Perfect--naturally. Though it skews to an older-than-tween audience, we couldn't resist creating impromptu Tween Movie Bingo sheets. Since we knew we were seeing a tween movie about a capella groups, we added a few ultra specific categories: the Unexpected Super Star and the Sassy Singer. The best part about all of this is that tween bingo was not even my idea--it was Warren's! Ha! Drafted another member to our growing Tween Studies program.

So, for your future tween movie viewing pleasure, I made you your very own Tween Bingo Sheet (click "Download" below to print it out). Since the printable board is larger than our impromptu sketch, it actually might be more challenging to play. But, if you pick the right tween movie (for instance, 10 Things I Hate About You or She's All That), it might be too easy. Them's the chances you gotta take. Also, after looking at the categories below, what are some others we might add to the mix?

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*In an attempt to shake my mental creative black hole, my goal is to create a new printable most Fridays. Check out the free printables page to see if any strike your fancy. Share to your heart's content! 

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READY IN 20: THAI TURKEY BURGERS WITH MANGO SAUCE & AVOCADO

I got done with work the other day so ravenous that I almost caved to a severe Five Guys craving. But then I remembered the ground turkey sitting all lonely and forgotten in the fridge and a bag of frozen mangoes. With not a little resignation, I decided to go home and--horrors of horrors--make a legit dinner. Luckily, these Thai turkey burgers are a lot healthier than usual fast food fare and satisfied my salty sweet craving like nobody's business. Serve with Alexia's Spicy Sweet Potato fries (I found these bad boys in Target's frozen section) and a side of microwaved frozen zucchini and you've got some real magic going on at the table--all in about twenty minutes, give or take.

The burgers begin with a few signature Thai flavors and are packed with lots of sneaky veggies to make them extra filling and good for you. All of these ingredients can be easily found in your local market. I love bottled ground ginger because it cuts out the hassle of peeling and grating ginger. Highly recommend.

 1. Thai Sweet Chili Sauce 2. Soy Sauce 3. Garlic Salt 4. Ginger 5. Cilantro 6. Ground Turkey

I have to say that I was patting myself on the back about this meal. For one thing, I hardly ever pass up a Five Guys craving (it is my own terrible curse) and for another, I wasn't sure if it would come together but it totally did! And even though I was craving a good ol' fashioned beef burger, I didn't miss it all because there were so many tasty flavors in this burger. So while I totally champion eating healthy foods, I also want to believe that I'm not alone with my greasy burger and pound-of-fries cravings...help a sister out: what are your favorite fast food (guilty) pleasures?

THAI TURKEY BURGERS WITH MANGO SAUCE AND AVOCADO

• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup frozen diced mangoes
• Alexia's frozen Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
• 20 oz. ground turkey
• 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots (I buy a bag of shredded carrots for salads throughout the week)
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• salt and pepper
• whole wheat hamburger buns
• avocado

Before making the burgers, get your sweet potato fries into a 400 degree oven. They take about 20 minutes to bake so by the time you're done with the burgers, your fries and mango sauce will be ready to roll. I love when a meal comes together all smoothly like this! For the mango sauce, combine the water and mangoes in a sauce pan. Boil until the mixture reduces to something the consistency of fruit preserves. 

While the fries are baking and the mangoes are reducing, mix the chili sauce, soy sauce, ginger, egg, and peanut butter together. Add the ground turkey, bread crumbs, garlic, cilantro, shredded carrots, salt and pepper. Mix together until just combined. Take about 1/3-1/2 cup of the mix and form into patties. Spray a nonstick pan and cook each patty for about 5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink on the inside. Toast the buns and top each burger with 1/4 of an avocado, sliced, and a few tablespoons of mango sauce. Serve with sweet potato fries and zucchini. Leftover burger patties can be frozen for later use. Makes about 8 patties.

Looking for more quick meals? Check out other recipes in the Ready in 20 series such as The Anti-Winter Avocado Mango Chicken Salad. 

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9 GREAT BOOKS FOR THE COMMUTE

Since I commute to Ann Arbor for work, I'm in the car for about an hour and a half everyday. While I would much rather be zipping about in a driverless car and watching movies on the inside of my windshield, a la Wall-E, I have to face the unfortunate fact that it is still 2013. (Though the one saving grace of this commute is that I no longer have to commute on the dreaded 25-C in Washington, D.C.) So to fill the otherwise blank, mindless time, I've taken to listening to audiobooks. While I didn't listen to all of the books below, I read them last month and think they would each make fabulous commuting books. Read on for my justifications.

Daring Greatly, Happier At Home, Quiet, and What Alice Forgot each garnered the following rating from me, your average commuter:

(OMG, hedgehogs!) These books are extremely compelling; moreover, they made me want to start changing things in my life right away and for the better. 

• Daring Greatly knocked my socks off. Her argument--that being vulnerable is actually a fundamental act of courage--is incredibly empowering. 
• Happier At Home makes a similar journey as The Happiness Project but focuses on an even more micro level--the home (duh). She has some great ideas on how to increase harmony within the family and the self. 
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts was like a revelation, especially for me, a lifelong introvert who constantly puts on an extroverted facade. It got kind of rambling, but made some really remarkable insights about the introvert personality. A must read for anyone who is, works with, or loves an introvert--which is to say, everyone!
• What Alice Forgot explores what happens when a woman wakes up from a head injury with 10 years of memory loss. Like many readers, I found myself comparing myself at 28 to when I was a wee lass of 18. I can't imagine losing those ten years. Thanks, Tess, for this awesome book recommendation!

The rest of the books are fairly average but are terrifically quick reads that pass away the commuting time like it were nothing. Paranormal/dystopic teen: Hex Hall (a very poor man's Harry Potter, starring a girl); The Awakening (written by Kelley Armstrong, mastermind behind The Darkness Rising Trilogy); and The Selection (love triangles in a dystopic future--what's not to love?).

For slower-paced, more charming books, go with Louisa May Alcott's Eight Cousins (as a true Little Women fan, I'm not sure how I missed this gem) and The Friday Night Knitting Club (for my inner retiree). 

*What are some of your go-to audio books for driving/cleaning the house/other mindless activities?

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Book Blog Resource: One of my favorite book blogs is called Everyday Reading. She has spot on taste and massive book lists with excellent book reviews. Her blog is where I found Wonder and I am forever grateful. 

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FREE PRINTABLE: LESLIE KNOPE AND BEN WYATT

Leslie Knope and Ben Wyatt, you guys kill me. Seriously. I wept tears of pure joy watching them get hitched on Parks & Rec. It was perfection. Every single second. When Leslie said in her vows to Ben, "I love you and I like you" it was over. Waterworks central. Because it's so true.  And it's everything anyone could ever want from their one true love. To be loved and liked, BFF style. Such a good combo.

As with Downton, I had to commemorate my feelings in printable form. Only this time, as promised, this is a celebration of all that is good and wonderful in the world. If only I had enough mad Photoshop skillz to add Lil' Sebastian to the mix. R.I.P., you small adorable horse. I'll always remember the time I met a tiny horse that looked a lot like you. 

*Who do you think is/was the best TV couple of all time and 1-2 reasons why? You all know my heart belongs to Friday Night Lights' beacons of parental awesomeness, Coach and Tami Taylor, but I dare say that Leslie and Ben come in a very close second.

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*In an attempt to shake my mental creative black hole, my goal is to create a new printable most Fridays. Check out the free printables page to see if any strike your fancy. Share to your heart's content! 

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