Happy Halloween!

Tina Belcher! Maybe you're not as impressed with this one as you were with last year's or the year before, but screw you (!) 'cause I love it. And if you're wondering, yes - that is Nathan's butt up there. He didn't even pry and ask me why I wanted to take a photo of it, he just said okay - isn't that a nice trait to have in a man? The no-questions-asked trait? I'm into it. The trait and the butt.

Anyhow, I hope your Halloween is the best. Eat candy! Watch something scary! Celebrate, dammit! Y'aint better than Halloween.

Movie To Watch - Baghead

I saw this movie forever ago and I still think about it every so often. Other than really liking it, I like to encourage almost everyone I know to watch it. You can stream it over here, if you like. I absolutely loved it.

(Also, Happy Devil's Night!)

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Mom Says

“If you wash clothes on the last Friday of the year you wash out one of your family members.”

Asparagus & Chicken in Peanut Sauce

I will never be a fan of the combination of chicken and peanuts. Ever. I've never thought they tasted good together, I don't know why I feel that way but I'm certain that I can't change. I've been making this recipe a lot recently, though, because a certain someone has told me it's among the best things that have come out of our kitchen. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 of a small red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or peanut oil, if you have it)
• 2 pounds boneless chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup water, more if you like less chunky sauces
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch of asparagus, chopped into 1 inch pieces, ends trimmed

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, cook the onion and garlic over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until softened.
2. Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.
3. In a blender, mix together peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, ginger, lime juice, 1/2 cup water, cumin and red pepper flakes until combined.
4. Add asparagus to the skillet and stir well. Cook for a few minutes until asparagus turn bright green.
5. Add the peanut mixture and mix well. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes until chicken and vegetables are thoroughly coated. Serve immediately over quinoa, rice, noodles or alongside some corn.

The recipe has been adapted slightly from Lauren Kelly Nutrition. 

“To write a diary every day is like returning to one’s own vomit.”

— Enoch Powell

Tip of the Day - Hang Your Boots

Ugh, this is so smart. I just read about this on Browne Eyed Belle's blog and I absolutely love this idea. Instead of having your (longer) boots flop over onto one another on the floor and ruin their shape, you could instead hang your boots from pants hangers to keep them straight. You can find the pants hangers with sliding clips at Target. Such a great idea.

Baby Dog as Freddy Krueger

Over the weekend, Nathan and I entered Baby Dog in the Socrates Sculpture Park's Dog Halloween Costume Contest. She didn't win, but there were people cheering her on so I feel like that should count for something. How could she not win? I'm not positive, but I can only assume that some sort of temporary blindness amongst the judges must have occurred that day.

I mean, LOOK AT HER.

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SHE'S THE BEST.

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I don't know how on earth she didn't maul us in our sleep that night for putting that hat on her. I think she must have known how amazing she looked, on some level. Anyway, it was obviously a really fun time. If your dog will allow you to dress him/her up, there's absolutely no reason not to do it.

New York's First All-Éclair Bakery

Owner Thomas Cardaccia and chef Antoine Pelhate will soon debut Les Jardins de la Duchesse at 138 Orchard Street in NYC. Who the hell knew there were éclair aficionados? You can see a sample menu they have on their website over here. 

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Photo: Sylvain Renault

They'll have sweet as well as savory éclairs (like the bacon-wrapped goat cheese one pictured above). Have you ever heard of a savory éclair? Is that a thing? Am I not French enough to have that kind of knowledge? Either way, they look phenomenal. I will definitely give this place a try when they open.

Jasmine On A Magic Carpet Ride

So... this probably wins Halloween 2014, right?

“If you enjoy free appetizers at restaurants, show up really early for when you’re meeting someone. You’ll look so pathetic waiting for a really long time that they’re 80% likely to comp you something. This has happened to me twice. It’s a thing.”

— #lizadvice