a dinner with friends

my lovely friend invited us all over for dinner this past weekend - she slaved all day in the kitchen preparing the yummy meal and all we had to do was show up - except she asked each of us to bring a few items to donate to the food bank - at a time of year when the donations can be pretty low, this was such a nice idea and a very lovely way to spend an evening with friends celebrating the new year.

yummmm home made from scratch challah bread!
and this very delicious butternut squash lasagna - recipe here

thanks alexis!!

fruits of labor: first produce box of the new year

i am so excited to start the new year off with such a great produce box - by the end of last year i was not feeling so creative on the culinary front - but this box has be really excited!!

im thinking about a roasted butternut squash and pear soup with some crumbly blue cheese or a filet of salmon with grapefruit and cilantro reduction sauce, maybe some cabbage rolls or perhaps a kale and white bean dish of some sort - cant wait to get cooking!!