MN Mondays: Good news from Minnesota.

Results from this summer's Minnesota bar exam were posted on Friday. Ever since taking the test in July (two brutal days, six hours of testing each day), I've been anxious about the outcome. I felt good after the morning section on the first day, but the essays during the afternoon tested subjects and sub-topics that I didn't feel completely ready for. And the second day - 200 multiple choice questions - there was just no way to gauge how that was going to turn out. After months of waiting and fretting, I was so excited...and relieved, thrilled, grateful...to see that everything worked out, and that I had passed! 

I am so lucky to have had the support of my friends and family (especially Andrew, my sister, and my mom), not just this summer during the hours of studying outlines and preparing hundreds of flashcards, but over the last three years of law school. There is no way I would have survived without your constant encouragement and reassurance. From the coffee dates and emails to baking breaks and homemade dinners (and drinks), know that I appreciated it all and am beyond grateful for your kindness and love. 

Congrats, also, to my fellow St. Thomas grads who passed and made it through this test; we did it! 

This weekend, we relaxed and reveled in the good news; we cooked up a storm and then went out to enjoy some beers and chilly fall weather. We'll be back in the Twin Cities at the end of October, and would love to see everyone from home to celebrate. 

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend; Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends! 

*Photo credit: lover.ly. 

Happy Taco Day!

Apparently October 4th is National Taco Day. We played along, and made fish tacos for dinner, following the Sussman brothers' cookbook. Super easy, delicious, and fast! We topped them with a jalapeno coleslaw, a yogurt and lemon sauce, and tomatillo salsa, all homemade (and, coincidentally, all adapted from the Sussmans!).

Have a wonderful dinner, make some tacos!

Banana bread.

For a while, now, I've wanted to make banana bread. It's such a nice treat to have in the morning and goes wonderfully with coffee. The problem, though, is that I never seem to have enough ripe bananas for a loaf; we eat them regularly for breakfast, so I'm left with just one or two bananas and end up tossing them before I get a chance to bake the bread. One time, as our bunch of bananas was getting down to four overly-ripe fruits, I thought I would be clever and keep them in the freezer until I was ready to bake...and that's where they stayed. I never did bake that bread, but the bananas sat in the back of the freezer (looking quite sad and not so appetizing), until we threw them out. 

Last week, though, I was determined. I bought enough green bananas to make sure we'd have some to eat with yogurt in the morning and still have enough that would turn ripe and perfect for baking. And, this morning, the day finally came where I made my banana bread. Verdict: worth the wait. 

I had looked at enough different recipes over the last few weeks to come up with this one below. You don't have to use Greek yogurt, it's just what we had on hand, but it makes the bread nice and moist without weighing it down. And who doesn't love bananas and peanut butter (except my sister...sorry, D!)?  You can also add whatever nuts you have in your kitchen, or omit them completely if you prefer. I think walnuts are great, but pecans would work nicely, too. 

Banana bread with creamy peanut butter. 

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3-4)

3 Tbsp melted butter

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup baker's sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar 

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

Nutmeg, grated to taste (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) 

1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, butter, peanut butter, and yogurt. Add the egg and sugars and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg); make a well. Add the banana mixture into the well, and fold together until the flour is fully incorporated. Fold in the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes. Let the pan cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then remove from pan, and continue to cool at least another 5-10 minutes. 

Enjoy with coffee and friends (or a handsome fiance!). 

Fall colors.

When we first moved to Shorewood, I knew that the many trees lining the streets in our neighborhood would be just gorgeous in the fall. I looked forward to watching the colors change and the leaves scatter along the paths by the lake. Last week, my mom and I were able to go on many walks and see for ourselves just how lovely the autumn colors can be. Below, some shots of our neighborhood dressed up for the fall party...no wonder it's my favorite season! 

Apartment tour.

Before my mom came to visit last week, I had to make sure our apartment was ready for its first hosting. Andrew's parents and my sister, of course, saw the apartment when they helped us move in, but my mom had only seen it through videos and spotty tours on FaceTime. Andrew and I fell in love with this unit when we first saw it (the previous owners did an amazing job decorating and painting), and we were especially happy with how bright and open it is. There's still more we want to add, but we'll get to that eventually...nothing is ever completely finished in a home, is it?

We love having people over, so it was wonderful to have my mom stay with us and share the apartment (and I'm glad to note she loved it, too!). This, then, is an open invitation to our friends and family: come over! Our place is ready and waiting for you, and so are we! 

MN Mondays: Stone Arch and St. Anthony Main.

Walking down St. Anthony Main and across the Stone Arch Bridge was a daily ritual for us in Minneapolis. This area has been one of my favorite spots in the city for a long time, and it continues to be a place we like to come back to on our visits home. 

From fireworks on the 4th of July and birthday parties to happy hours and late night strolls, St. Anthony Main and the Stone Arch Bridge are the source of many happy memories for us. I feel like the area is growing, too; with the addition of Wilde Roast in the summer of 2011 and Aster Cafe's renovation soon after that, the riverfront is only improving. I love that the city holds festivals, races, and art fairs down the cobbled streets, really taking advantage of the gorgeous skyline views and wooded trails along the Mississippi River. This last summer, a favorite event of ours was Northern Spark, an all-night art collaboration throughout Minneapolis. St. Anthony Main was overflowing with visitors, and it was so energetic and inspiring to see that many people enjoying one of the best parts of the city all night long! 

I'm sure the views from the bridge are just lovely right now, especially as the trees along the river are changing colors. The bridge was our backyard for several years, and we really do feel like it'll always be home.

A lovely visit.

On Tuesday, my mom came to visit us! She wasn't able to come with us when we moved, so it was wonderful to have her here for the last several days. We were happy to introduce her to Shorewood and Milwaukee, and it was great to be able to cook, chat, go for walks, and catch up together.

I'll write more over the next few days, as I was on a blogging hiatus during the visit. We had so much fun exploring our little neighborhood, cooking up different recipes, and taking photos along the way. Even though we're still new to the city, I think we did a good job of playing MKE tour-guides. 

It has been a lovely week, the perfect way to end September and usher in beautiful October. The leaves on the trees in our part of Shorewood are all turning shades of gold, bright orange, and deep red (MN Gopher colors!); I love this time of year! 

Have a wonderful start to your weekend, friends!