Sunday Night Dinner for One ((Baked Ravioli))

Hello there! Whew! The first two weeks of school really got away from me...pretty much just focusing on getting used to waking up to an alarm clock again (insert crying/wailing emoji here).

I don't live at home with my parents anymore, but it is still nice to have a warm home-cooked worthy-of-a-Sunday tasting meal every once in a while. I love to cook and don't mind spending some extra time on a meal if it'll make it that much better, but this recipe for baked ravioli is about as easy as it gets!

I only made a few changes to this recipe to make a perfect and comforting meal for one on the last night of the weekend.

 Some of the things you'll need...minus the ravioli. I used spinach and bacon ravioli I got from the farmer's market...yum!

 

Layers of comfort. As with most situations in life, fresh mozzarella is a must.

 This kitchen timer makes cooking seem that much more adorable. Mine's from Anthropologie and is sold out, but you can find a similar one here.

Of course, Gatsby needed to test the cheese to make sure it was still good to eat.

Baked Ravioli for One (adapted from Tasty Kitchen)

Ingredients

-Frozen Ravioli (one serving; the ones I got from the farmer's market get quite big, so I used four total)

-Fresh Mozzarella

-Jarred Marinara Sauce (I used Trader Joe's Arrabiata)

-Your Choice of Seasonings (I used red pepper flakes, oregano, and basil)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a small pan (I used a loaf pan) with non-stick spray.

2. Spoon enough sauce to cover the bottom of the pan.

3. Layer ravioli, sauce, and bits of mozzarella twice and cover the pan with aluminum foil.

4. Bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for 15 minutes. Feel free to broil for a few minutes to get the cheese to brown a bit.

5. If you're like me, dump the whole thing in a bowl and eat it on the couch like a heathen. If you're not like me, place half neatly on a plate and garnish with parsley before enjoying it with a glass of pinot noir at a table like a civilized human being. Go back for seconds, of course.

While this is obviously a great Sunday comfort meal, you can definitely enjoy this as a reward for getting through an especially taxing Monday.

xoxo,

E   

Gatsby Would Like You to Throw His Green Rhino Toy Immediately.

Seriously, it won't throw itself.

xoxo,

E (& G)

Gatsby Hates Baths

You know how Gremlins get when they get wet? That's a little like it is when it's bath time for Gatsby. My sweet nugget has many wonderful qualities, but affinity for water isn't one of them.

These bath time pictures, captioned with what I can only guess are his thoughts, are just too hilarious not to share.

 

"Wait, what. You know I hate baths. Stop this now."

 "Oh wow, this water's really wet. Can we be done yet?"

 "Are you taking pictures of this? I'm totally going to pee in your closet."

 "You're so lucky Grandma's holding me back right now. How is anyone supposed to take me seriously when I look like something that got stuck in the drain?"

 

"We are still not on speaking terms. But, yes, you can continue blow drying me."

What Gatsby lacks in size and ability to swim, he more than makes up for in attitude. 

Happy weekend!

xoxo,

E

Tuesdays

Do you have a least favorite day of the week? I can find something good about every day of the week except for Tuesday. It's just so...Tuesday. It's not the beginning of a fresh, new week, but you're still closer to last weekend then you are this weekend. Hmph.

I'm not alone in this feeling. Google "Tuesdays are the worst" and do an image search. Hilarious. 

 

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If you have a case of the Tuesdays, here's a picture that should bring a smile to your face:

 

These clothes smell clean. Here, let me fix that.

Gatsby is rocking a little bit of a dog-lion mane right now. I swear his eyes are still under there. He hasn't been bumping into walls, so I guess he can still see somehow. Echolocation, maybe? Don't worry, PETA, the grooming sesh is already booked.

Happy Tuesday!

xoxo,

E

Spring Break!? + Hurricane Cocktails!

My school's spring break starts at 3:05 this afternoon! Well, it starts a little earlier for me and my nugget since we'll be flying to the tropical island of...Delaware. Don't worry, I've got my sunscreen packed.

For some reason, our spring break is always weirdly early, but I'll take it! February is a loooong month for a teacher, despite it actually having fewer days, so ending it with a break is a happy thing.

My kids are finishing a project today, so Gatsby and I are just waiting patiently for our flight!

Sexy backdrop brought to you by my classroom

I'm so excited to see family that I don't get to see that often! I get to see my brother play lacrosse (Go Blue Hens!) and get to spend a few days with my aunts! We've already planned an Oscars party and a Mardi Gras party is in the works...yeah, I'm not too upset about not seeing any beaches during my "spring" (winter) break.

For those of you not being affected by the polar vortex (which is totally an awesome band name...), or for those of you who are over being affected by the polar vortex...here is a hurricane cocktail for your enjoyment! Laissez les bon temps rouler!

xoxo,
E

Remember that time I had a blog?

Yeah, me either. Here I am, almost a year after my last post, blowing the dust off A Few Little Happies, and ready to hop back into the bloggy universe! Well, sort of.

For a while I felt like I lost touch with why I carved out this little corner of the Internet for myself. Surely it wasn't just to make lists of things I want, right? Well, maybe sometimes, but definitely not all the time, which is what I felt it was turning into.

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I originally wanted to create this blog to have a space that I could explore and that could make me smile. After all, there are a lot of things in life that seem to only be put there to make you not smile (I'm looking at you, Tuesday Faculty Meetings).

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The other reason I want to recommit to this blog is because of my dad. (Hey dad!) He is constantly telling me that I need to be writing, and while I have my doubts as to whether I really have much to say, he's told me that writers keep track of their thoughts...in writing. Since this is 2014 and we're living in the future (wait...where's my flying car?!) and all, journals make more sense in blog-form. One of my February resolutions (it's a thing) is to pursue things that make me happy just for their own sake, so this is the place where I'll catalog them!

So there ya go...I'm back baby! I'll be redirecting my efforts to make this a space for things that make me happy...and that I think will make you happy, too.

Number one through ten on the list of things that make me happy are my precious nugget, Gatsby, so I'll leave you with a picture of him looking spring break ready in his Hawaiian shirt!

I mean really...if cute was a crime, this would be a felony.

xoxo,

E

Anybody Out There?

Well hello again bloggy-world! I feel like I'm crawling out from under a rock blinking at the bright lights. Yes, it been about three months since I last blogged...now it's starting to feel like confession. I was feeling a little uninspired, so I took a break.

As I always do when looking for blog inspiration, I turned to my nugget-turned-supermodel (in his mind at least), Gatsby. We ventured up to the Great White North Northern Virginia for "spring" break last week and were snowed in, y'all! Seriously, there were like 2343972 inches of snow. Gatsby trekked through the tundra while my aunt and I watched an embarrassing amount of coverage of the Jodi Arias trial (right?!)

Blazing an intrepid nugget trail

Sniffing around

When you're about six inches tall, climbing out of five inches of snow can be tough.

Seriously, though, thank you to my aunts for a fabulous week...it was just what the doctor ordered! Gatsby and I can't wait to come back!

And to the three of you (my aunts and mom) who read this...I'm back!

xoxo,

E

I'm Alive!

Hello all! I'm still alive! I've never left off with the blogging for so long since I started this blog...which makes me a little sad. Not really sure why it's been so long, but I'm back!

As penance, I'll leave you with this:

Yes, that would be my four-pound nugget dog in candy cane pajamas. Someone is ready for Santa!

xoxo,

E

Happy Friday!

I've got a busy weekend coming up with a friend's engagement party and the second to last Clemson home game...exciting stuff! I'll leave you with this precious nugget picture that makes me want to stay in and cuddle:

Have a great weekend!

xoxo,

E

Halloween Pup

Happy Monday!

This past week, Gatsby went from this:

Where are his nuggety eyes? Under there somewhere...

...to this:

Looking a little embarrassed about his haircut

Sleepy on the way back from the Wofford homecoming game

He was pretty matted, so he had to get an extreme shave. He looks a little like a mini-deer now. It's a good thing the groomers added some Halloween spirit to slightly distract from the major haircut.

Someone is ready for Trick-or-Treating!

Sorry for the gratuitous nugget post...he's just so cute, I can't help it sometimes.

xoxo,

E

Why Puppies Don't Have to Do Chores

Happy Friday, happies! I was just doing some chores around the abode, and, wouldn't you know it, someone just isn't holding up his end of the deal...

Apparently furry nuggets prefer to lounge on piles of clean clothes, not fold them.

But how can I stay mad at this face for too long?

Cuteness that just won't stop.

Have a happy weekend! I'm excited to cheer on my Tigers in Clemson this weekend!

xoxo,

E

A Case of the Mondays

Somebody had a little trouble waking up this morning...

Yes, that would be a fluffy little nugget head poking out from under the covers. And, no, I did not stage this photo...he actually sleeps under the covers every night. Good thing he doesn't shed.

Here's wishing you a Monday full of happies!

xoxo,

E

It's Been Too Long...

...since you've gotten to see this face:

Gatsby sitting with his Gatsby-sized tennis ball. This is his "puh-lease throw the ball" face.

Looking a little confused and wondering if the dresser drawer really is his new bed.

(Duh, of course not, he sleeps with me like a teddy bear every night)

Sleepy co-pilot. And yes, I do keep a dog bed in my passenger seat in case I bring the co-pilot along for the ride. Hey, people keep car seats in their cars for their kids, right?

Happy almost-weekend!

xoxo,

E

Friday Happies

Happy Friday! I hope you all have fabulous weekends planned! I'm excited to go to the farmer's market to stock up on yummy produce and to one of my best friend's wedding shower, but will otherwise probably be pretty laid back, as school is starting FOR REAL on Monday. Here are some things that are making me smile...

The new 652-page InStyle fall issue. O EM GEE. I'm not the biggest JLo fan, but something tells me with over 650 pages of lovelies, I won't really mind...reading this will be my reward for when I actually get my first unit planned...

Gatsby's precious face when I told him I would be going back to school next week. Just kidding, but I imagine he's thinking, "wait, so we can't play all day anymore?"

This pretty freebie that will definitely find a place in my classroom this year. As a classroom teacher, I support all of these statements!

Happy Friday! See you next week!

xoxo,

E

Friday Happies

Happy Friday! Here are some things that made me smile this week...

A love-ly coffee mug that holds a LOT of coffee.

Summery cups holding possibly my new favorite Gatorade flavor: Lime Cucumber. Delaware stuff is quickly eclipsing the Clemson stuff in my parents' house...oldest little bro ships out in two and half weeks. (Shout out to CM!)

Last weekend was tax-free weekend in Jacksonville, so my youngest brother and I hit the outlet malls. I came away with your typical teacher finds (cardigans and black pants), but also found these lovelies for a way discounted price. The pictures don't do them justice. I'm thinking the lace dress might be the key part of my first football outfit this season?

One of my buy one, get one sweatshirts from the Vans outlet. I guess Vans sweatshirt purchases are what happens when you shop with your 15-year-old brother? (Shout-out to CJ!)

Not a happy nugget: Gatsby had to be leashed to ensure he didn't terrorize the repair guy who came over on Wednesday. He was eventually content to bark and growl from the comfort of the recliner.

Have a happy weekend! Mine will be spent hanging out with my dad in Greenville, loading up on produce at the farmer's market, and organizing my NEW apartment!

xoxo,

E

Friday Happies: Gratuitous Nugget Photo Edition

Happy Friday! I've been out of town the majority of the week at a teacher conference, and I have to say it came at the perfect time. I've done a whole lot of nothing rejuvenating this summer, so this was the thing to get my butt in gear for planning for the new year. 

But, because of said conference and the arrival of this behemoth in my driveway in the next few hours, I haven't really had the chance to take a whole lot of pictures of things that make me happy this week. What's a girl in search of happies to do? Well, duh...rely on the happiest of happies...my sweet nugget. The BF watched Gatsby this week while I was gone (I got him a new bad ass harness and leash set for the occasion...Gatsby, not the BF, don't be weird), and he sent me lots of photos.

Sleepy boy

Clearly, we're a big fan of the over-the-shoulder look.

I know I'm a crazy dog lady, and the first step is admitting it, right?

Have a happy weekend!

xoxo,

E

Friday Happies

Here are a few things that are making me happy right now...

My little nugget chewing his raw hide stick. He holds it with his paws. It's really too much.

A fun Lilly Pulitzer planner gifted to me by my boyfriend's mom. It even came with event-themed stickers (you can bet I put a big ol' cake sticker on my birthday). This may be the thing to make me actually want to organize my life.

And finally, this crazy cool t-shirt blanket my mom made me from some of my sorority/Clemson shirts. She is amazingly creative (she's currently making curtains for my new apartment), and I'm SO lucky to have such an awesome mama!!

What is making you happy right now?

xoxo,

E

I Have a Really Cute Dog

If we're going to be friends, it's important that you meet my really cute dog. I like him more than I like most people that I know. He's definitely cuter than most people I know.

He, like his mom, is a huge Clemson fan. He makes it to all home tailgates and loves to beg for tailgate food entertain the crowd.

He gets a little freaked out when I start packing for a trip, so he likes to remind me that he's on the list.

He loves to play fetch, cuddle, and chew on his (very teeny) raw hide sticks.

He is a big time mama's boy and follows me wherever I go like a duckling.

Meet Gatsby.

Hope you're having a great week!

xoxo,

E