The shelf is pretty fun – just don’t let a kick knock over your snack!! This tasty little plate was filled with treats that Matt brought me while I was reading this afternoon – cheddar, berries, pretzels and a few frosted mini wheats
It’s fun having Karen here – company always makes a house feel like a home. We had cocktail hour on the porch and by cocktail hour I mean I watched them sip buttery chardonnay and the baby and I played footsie
These gorgeous flowers were brought over by our neighbors last night!
Dinner was Karen’s famous French Beef recipe. She made a huge batch and took 1/3 of the casserole (in another dish) to a friend who is having surgery and we enjoyed a large casserole for dinner.
It’s a baked cheesy dish that Karen proclaims is “not fancy at all” and goes back to her childhood in Aiken, South Carolina. She has promised to post the recipe in the comments in the next few days – although she says it’s “not really something she’d put on a healthy eating blog” 
The mix is beef, pasta, sour cream, tomato sauce and lots of cheese, all baked together.
Simple side salad!
After dinner, Matt and I walked downtown (got in about 30 minutes total of walking today!) and met Lauren for gelato!
I got the vanilla (the one I raved about on Friday!) mixed with Salted Caramel. I think vanilla really only stands alone because the Salted Caramel stole the show! Dare I say it’s 98% as good as Jeni’s!?
I know it sounds kind of dumb to say this, but I get SOOOOO excited to get in bed and read each night! I don’t know if it’s because I’m worn out more than usual carrying this little baby around or it’s just a summer thing, but I’ve been bouncing around books and just can’t get enough words right now. Reading is probably a good thing to do now while I still have the time!
Emily M. says
no not dumb at all! i think reading is one of the greatest things in life 🙂
KathEats says
I just felt silly saying how excited I am about it tonight : )
Elisabeth says
I wholeheartedly agree! 🙂
immy says
Oh what are you reading?!
I just read this, what do you think? http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/01/opinion/sunday/what-really-makes-us-fat.html
KathEats says
I don’t really think it changes the historical and epidemiological fact that real food, in moderate portions, lots of plants and few sweets/alcohol is a diet that stands the test of time.
But it doesn’t surprise me that those who have gained and then lost a LOT of weight have unexpected results going on in their metabolisms. I have always read that it’s harder to lose weight and maintain than just keep your same weight throughout life.
Katie @ Peace Love and Oats says
Karen’s pasta looks so good! It must be so nice having her around for a couple weeks!
[email protected] says
I keep seeing Jeni’s in stores and SOOO want to try it. Karen’s dish looks fab! She can stay with us anytime :). Miss you, Karen!!
Lynn @ the actor's diet says
Its great when you’re excited to read! It’s been a while since I’ve been able to say that and I’m jealous!
Allison k says
You actually can continue to get a decent amount of reading done in the first 3 weeks when all the baby does is eat and sleep. My e-reader was invaluable when nursing sessions took 30 minutes and were 1.5 hours apart!
Lauren @ Oatmeal after Spinning says
Whoa- Matt was right- Karen’s dinner looks amazing!! Thanks so much for the gelato- and the company! You look great!!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Dinner looks delicious! Everything in moderation, right?! Gosh, seriously, walking for ice cream here in Atlanta would be close to impossible. The heat is miserable. I don’t know if the reward would be worth it. Enjoy the rest of your night Kath!
Morgan says
I get excited about reading in bed all the time! It’s my favorite thing, especially in summer.
Also, I LOVE that you have such a great relationship with your mother-in-law. I’m so used to seeing the opposite, so it’s very refreshing.
Justeen @ Blissful Baking says
Ahh definitely not as good as Jeni’s!! Nothing compares to that burnt caramel flavor!! (Although Splendora’s caramel gelato IS good 🙂
Cait's Plate says
Better than Jeni’s!? That’s sayin’ something 🙂
Also – it doesn’t sound dumb AT ALL to say you get excited to get in bed at night. I’m that way too and I’m NOT pregnant!!
Susan H. @ The Food Allergy Chronicles says
When I get a good book…you can find me reading in everywhere in the house! I just love a good book…which reminds me…I am in need of one! I am lacking a summer read!
Cherleen @ My Personal Finance Journey says
I have to admit I drooled over that baked pasta and gelato. Now I am craving for pasta. I wonder where is the recipe.
Jordan @ Bake Write Sleep says
Mmmm that sounds SO good. I love salted caramel ANYthing.
Jodi @ Jodi, Fat or Not says
Karen’s dish looks like such a comforting meal. Sounds like a relaxing evening 🙂
Brittany says
I love the vase/flowers (and the table) you have outside on the porch. So pretty!
Rebecca @ Blueberry Smiles says
That ice cream looks like such a perfect way to end a hot summer weekend.
Sal says
Hey Kath, I just wanted to give you a headsup about eating food off of newsprint. Most newspaper inks are a mixture of petrochemicals and soy-based ink. Petrochemicals are full of PCBs, lead, etc. Soy ink is made from the lowest grade, GMO variety of soybean. There’s almost a guaranteed amount of ink that leaches from the newspaper to a wet food like a low country boil. Just thought you’d like to know.
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
Nothing like some good old fashioned Southern cooking! And that salted caramel…mmmmm, good stuff!
j3nn says
It’s always the little things that we come to treasure most as we mature.
Karen’s recipe sounds healthy to me! Anything with whole ingredients is good eats.
Khushboo Thadani says
Just think – soon you’ll be reading to the baby :)!
Roxanne says
It’s nice to have a routine where it’s the same each day like reading in bed. Love those little plastic bowls that the gelato came in! I would wash those and keep them for my own cupboards!
Elisabeth says
Karen’s casserole (and your snack plate) looks delicious! I definitely need that recipe…we all need a little indulgence once in a while 😉
Helena says
The shelf is AWESOME. 🙂 I had three babies at once and from six months onwards, I was able to use my stomach as a book prop in bed. By eight months, I could rest my dinner plate and water glass on there too. Seriously.
Jen says
I love the excited for reading comment– I feel the same way! It’s doubly precious, because I hold my eReader on the edge of the boppy pillow and read with a little book light over my daughter’s sleeping body once I finally get her rocked to sleep. It’s seriously my only “me” time these days. And I echo Allison’s comment, you will get to do a lot of reading during those early weeks, because you’ll spend most of your time nursing. You’ll certainly get caught up on all the books you’ve been looking forward to!
Sonal says
Your shelf is so cute, and convenient 🙂 Definitely enjoy ur free time whilst you can!
[email protected] Broken Cookies Don't Count says
Reading is Always a good thing. Looks like a pleasant evening. I’m sure there are ways of lightening up Karen’s recipe. When she posts it I’ll try.
Brittnie (A Joy Renewed) says
Yes – read as much as you can before your little one comes! I put off a lot of my desired reading thinking I would have a lot of down/quiet time once my baby arrived and I was home full time. Ha! Not so! It’s amazing how much time nursing takes up and then when you are not nursing you just want to sleep when you can! Or at least this is my experience 🙂
Lexi @ You, Me, & A World to See says
Salted caramel yum!! Totally worth the walking 😉
Living, Learning, Eating says
I love reading whenever and where ever I can, too! And I don’t even have the excuse of pregnancy/impending pregnancy 😛
Karen says
I feel the same way re. getting in bed with a good book during these hot summer days – leisurely reading before bed and summertime just go together in my mind – esp. after an active day playing outside in the sunshine – feels like the greatest pleasure in the world! 🙂
I’m reading a fun book right now which I am enjoying and breezing through quickly: the Hypnotist’s Love Story. I am especially intrigued by behind the scenes look at hypnotism. Next up: When We Were the Kennedy’s and next: Beautiful Ruins. My preferred genre is memoir and non fiction, though lighter fare (though not banal, predictably chick lit!) appeals to my lighter summertime mood.
Hope @ With A Side Of Hope says
That casserole looks delicious! 🙂 The flowers are so pretty too! Keep cool!
Molly @ RDexposed says
I’m always excited to get into bed each night! It’s perfect with cold room air and warm blankets. Feels so good!
Sneakers2Sandals says
I always try and add so many ingredients to my salads but your simple side salads always look so refreshing. Sometimes I need to remember that less is more 🙂
Liz @ Virginia Bloggers says
Kath you are too cute!!! You’re absolutely glowing 🙂
Julia says
Cute post 🙂
Ashley @ Hudson on the Potomac says
Karen’s pasta looks great!
Diane says
I got a lot of reading done on an e-reader (kindle) with a newborn during the long nursing sessions. Reading a real book is much harder, you need one hand for nursing and can’t really turn the pages well. I didn’t do that as much as the kids got older, they are more wiggly and take less time to nurse, so was kinda pointless to get into a book for just a few minutes.
I’ve been really into reading this summer as well. Not only do I read at night before bed, but I read in the early morning after my Bible study and exercise until the kids get up (waking at 5, kids get up between 6-7, so sometimes I have no time to read and sometimes a lot). Waking up a little earlier to read and exercise really starts the day off right for me.
Jordan says
I would recommend Tender at the Bone, Ruth Reichl’s memoir, as I’ve found myself really excited to get back to it whenever I have a spare moment. As a bonus, it features amazing-looking recipes!
Angel7 says
Maybe if you keep posting about how excited you are about reading books, that will encourage me to desire to read 🙂
http://faithfulsolutions.blogspot.com/
Meredith says
Still waiting on that recipe, Karen! 🙂
Sara says
I swear that French Beef recipe is in the archives of this blog because I remember making it once and following a recipe. Maybe back in 2009? It’s in the body of the post. I will try to find it and post back.
KathEats says
Oh great – I will look for it too!
KathEats says
FOUND IT!!!
https://www.katheats.com/late-night-relaxation
Elisabeth says
Thank you! That looks delicious for the family birthday party I’m hosting 🙂
KathEats says
Thanks for the tip!
Amelia @ Eating Made Easy says
The shelf was the best! Will get increasingly more useful, especially to enjoy with a mug (not totally full of course) of tea while you read 🙂
Millie Snyder says
These pictures are great! Or, maybe I’m just hungry haha. The vanilla and salted carmel gelato sounds VERY tasty. And that snack looks great- very simple (and colorful)!
I have been looking for a good summer read, any suggestions from the books you’ve read?
Emily @ Life on Food says
If I ate with a shelf I know I would still spill all over myself. Dinner looks fab!
Julia H. @ Going Gulia says
The vase that the flowers are in is great! I like that it’s really narrow unlike typical vases…very nice!