Just call me Martha Crocker...

One of my self-imposed duties as a wife is planning out or menu for the week. Kind of like my TV line-up, I plan out what we will have each night and go to the store each Sunday to get the necessary items for the week. Monday: Dancing with the Stars and Tacos, Tuesday: The Biggest Loser and...PIZZA! Usually it's pretty basic. We've eaten our weight in tacos, spaghetti, hamburgers, grilled chicken, etc. Sometimes it's hard to shake things up and not have the same old same old. I got my new Southern Living last week and I found a recipe that sounded a little bit crazy and pretty dang good. I figured we might as well give it a whirl. Boys and girls, it was SO good! It was insanely easy and I think we'll have it again very soon! It is called a strawberry-turkey panini, and before you freak out and diss the combination of flavors, roll with me. I never dreamed that strawberries, red pepper jelly, brie, turkey and basil would work together in harmony, but it so did.

Strawberry-Turkey Panini

Southern Living, April 2009

Ingredients:
1 (8-oz.) Brie round
Italian bread slices (I used sourdough)
thinly sliced smoked turkey
fresh basil leaves
sliced fresh strawberries
red pepper jelly
2 tablespoons butter, melted (to brush on the bread before grilling)

**As far as how much of each ingredient, it just depends on how many sandwiches you are making.

1. Remove the rind from the Brie. Cut Brie into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Layer each sandwich with turkey, basil leaves, strawberries, and Brie.

2. Spread 1 1/2 tsp. pepper jelly on 1 side of the remaining slice of bread and top your sandwich

3. Cook sandwiches, in a preheated panini press 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown.

The finished product! (You'll notice a half eaten sandwich...it was so good I decided to take a picture and share it with you!)

In other news, my formal invitation to the DHS Class of '99 10 year reunion came in the mail yesterday. Holy cow. I've known we're getting old. I graduated in 1999...I've done the math, but seeing the date made it real. I opened it quickly and smiled slightly as I read where all the events would take place. It's funny for me to think of going back to the Duncan Elks Golf and Country Club and taking a tour of my old High School. My parent's moved a week after I graduated and I've only been back one time for my dear friend Ashley's wedding 3 winter's ago. SO, I guess I only have until the end of July to drop 10 lbs and find a cute outfit! :)

Getting the mail was really fun yesterday, because along with the reunion info, I got a key....the key meant a PACKAGE!! I got a package from my friend Lindsay and look what was in it!!

An adorable swimsuit and 2 pair of flip flops for the girls of cottage 4!! THANK YOU!!!