gnocchi with arctic char

We have a terrific fish store down the street from our house and it's great having fresh fish at our fingertips and getting to try new types and learning to prepare them in different ways. We recently picked up arctic char, and prepackaged gnocchi that they sell in store. Convenience paired with affordable fresh fish made for a delicious dinner. If you have any dinner parties coming up this would make an impressive meal to serve family style for friends too. Continue reading for cooking instructions...

How to Make: Gnocchi with Arctic Char

Ingredients

large fillet of fish (we used arctic char)

package of gnocchi

4-6 mini portobello mushrooms, caps sliced

large bunch of kale, sliced thinly

4-6 garlic cloves, diced

1 lemon

3 tbsp heavy cream

1/4 cup of white wine

olive oil, butter

1. Heat frying pan on medium heat and steam fish until cooked.

2. Boil and cook gnocchi until 'al dente'.

3. In separate deep frying pan, sauté garlic in olive oil and butter until softened.

4. Stir in kale, softening. Adding in mushrooms.

5. Add in white wine and let simmer off, reducing slightly. 

6. Flake steamed fish into pan, spoon in cooked gnocchi. Add in heavy cream and stir.

7. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Serve and enjoy!

{ As I've said before, I'm pretty comfortable in the kitchen and sometimes might not provide as much detail in my recipes as needed. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask! }

happy weekend

{ happily broke out my favorite summer sneakers last weekend }

What do have planned for this weekend? It felt like a speedy week with a impromptu date night on Monday night, a birthday dinner with a girlfriend later in the week and a little dinner party at home last night. We're meeting a friend for a beer tonight and have a belated Easter dinner up north on Sunday with D's family. Other then that, I'm looking forward to sleeping in and going for bike rides - it's meant to be 16 degrees and sunny on Sunday!!! What ever fun awaits you this weekend, have a good one. xx

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Here are a few fun links from around the web... 

Great looking spring steals from Forever 21

30 beautiful rugs

Roasted grapes are seriously delicious

A cute summer t-shirt

A crafty DIY for a mundane household item

Necessary information for starting the morning off right

Hmm, how's your sex life measuring up?

{ buttery fresh-popped popcorn }

{ a colorful succulent for the living room }

{ black truffle potato chips. heaven. }

{ my current favorite duo }

a big responsibility

Around Christmas I was asked by one of my oldest and dearest friends, who was recently engaged, to be her Maid of Honor! It was a question that literally brought me to tears. I was so overwhelmed with happiness and a sense of responsibility, knowing that I'm the person she wants and chose to stand next to her when she gets married. (Also, she's marrying the greatest guy ever, I totally hit the best friend husband jackpot!)

As I've gotten older, my friendships have grown in many different ways. It's been difficult to realize that some relationships grow apart and accepting that that is natural, but I truly feel so blessed and lucky to have the caring and wonderful support from a terrific group of people.

I've found that a challenging part of weddings and being a part of the wedding party is there's no set rules but everyone has lots of opinions about everything. I've come to the conclusion, that brides should do whatever makes them happiest and the bridal party is responsible to support that as best they can and in every way possible. As my first time being a maid of honor, I've totally lucked out with the most laid-back bride, who has made the whole process so enjoyable and fun.

One of my tasks that I'm most looking forward to is writing a speech. I have to admit that there's quite a bit of nervousness mixed in with that excitement. I have known the bride ever since I can remember and she's as close to a second sister as it gets. Our families spend Christmas morning together every year, we've vacationed together, spent summers at the cottage and many of my favorite memories involve her.  My goal is to write a speech that is heartfelt, funny and sentimental that leaves the bride knowing how very much she is loved, and that leaves her new husband knowing he has officially inherited another sister :) Also, I really hope I can make it through with out crying (although, not likely)!

I'd love to know - what do you think makes a good wedding speech!? We've all sat through terrible speeches, but also laughed along at great speeches. 

I'm going to get started writing my speech soon, so, any tips?

I don't think I'll choose to sing my speech, but this speech is providing some serious inspiration. 

In the past I've stayed away from posting super-personal things on Love Me Simply, but this was something special that I wanted to share. 

Thanks for reading. xx

summer jewelry

{ beach party tassel bracelet $9 }

When I think of my summer uniform, white typically comes to mind. White always looks crisp and is so beautiful during the warm weather with a tan. I love pairing an all-white look with wrists full of colorful, oversized jewelry. It adds a fun pa-zaz, and serves as a reminder to not take yourself too seriously(perfect for when you accidentally spill ketchup on your white jeans :). These Dibadani bracelets are perfect with their bright colors and playful tassels. I'd happily pair any of these with a white sundress and sneakers. Best part is, with their affordable price it will let you fill your arms up, the bigger the stacks the better!

{ boho light wood pink tassel bracelet 2 for $15 }

{ double black tassel bracelet $12 }

{ neon pink tassel, blue/white bead $12 }

{ red beaded tassel bracelet $12 }

{ valentine red tassel bracelet agate beads $12 }

a wedding gift idea

{ Oval Oak Lap/Bed Tray $99 }

With the warmer months around the corner, I'm sure many of us have a wedding or two this summer. I'm sometimes hesitant to buy off a registry, but it's sometimes hard to think of a unique or creative alternative. The Drake General Store sells this beautiful wooden lap tray with spiral details on the legs. Wouldn't it make a romantic gift, for the new bride and groom to enjoy breakfast in bed. You could pair it with some organic pancake mix and syrup or a gift card to a gourmet grocer.

house crush

Check out this awesome Williamsburg apartment. There are so many fun little things to look at. Also, I love that dining table - I'd love to go over for drinks on a Friday night! 

And the views!

just because

{ Soludos Smoking Slipper $55 }

Summer dresses and jean cut-offs would pair adorably with these pineapple Soludos.

how to make the best caesar salad

Believe it or not, when I was younger I went through a really long phase where I refused to eat caesar salad. I have since come to my senses, but still am somewhat picky about what makes a really good caesar. I always love fresh croutons and prefer an oily dressing, rather then creamy. While it takes a little bit more effort, I think it's worth making the salad essentials yourself. Hot and crunchy croutons, fresh and crispy bacon bits and homemade dressing truly makes a delicious and crave-worthy caesar salad. 

How to Make: Caesar Salad

{ 2 large servings }

Bacon Bits

5 pieces of bacon, cooked until crispy

cut & crumbled

(save some of the fat) 

Bacon Fat Croutons

fresh baguette cut into cubes

pan fried in bacon fat

season with truffle salt

Peel ribbons of fresh parmesan (as much as you want!)

Chop up 2 heads of romaine

Barbeque 2 chicken breasts 

Seasoned with salt & pepper, lemon juice, garlic & olive oil

Follow this caesar salad dressing recipe

Dress salad and serve. Then top each plate with croutons, bacon, cheese and chicken - I like to do it this way, so the toppings get shared evenly. Enjoy!

happy easter

{ the sweetest little easter cookies } 

This week has really flown by, I've been busy catching up on work but lucky for us we came back to a short week! We're going to Oakville tomorrow to visit with good friends we haven't seen in a while and I can't wait to catch-up over some wine. On Saturday we're headed to the country for an Easter dinner with family. And I'm hoping to tackle the mountain of laundry and get the house sorted back to normal on Sunday. 

D and I have also started this long weekend tradition where we drink mimosas in the morning. It's something small, but I look forward to it and it makes that day off feel extra special. I would recommend it to all :)

Have yourself a very happy Easter!

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Here are a few links from around the web...

Insider gossip about the most exclusive Hollywood hangout

Lovely and affordable spring must-have's

A refreshing cocktail recipe

An adorably fun  studio tour 

I've been using this on double duty to add a little shimmer to my eyelids

In case you're still looking for brunch ideas for this weekend

The coolest (and most useful) wedding show I've ever heard of

{ proud family moment: my cousin selling out of his hand crafted furniture at the One of a Kind Show }

{ a lovely scented candle in a vintage glass dish }

{ a tiny hermit crab from the beach }

would you ever rent your apartment?

Would you ever rent out your apartment/condo/house? I've thought about lending our place to friends or family for a weekend while we're away, but D isn't quite convinced - which is understandable. It's pretty personal to have other people in your home while you're not there. I just love our little home and neighborhood so very much, that if we could let other people experience that, it would make me so happy. But lets get real, renting it out is where the moneys at.

AirBnb seems to be the go-to site for world wide rental accommodations and we've had nothing but good experiences. With the upcoming PanAm games in Toronto, downtown accommodations will be in high demand, likely with a tempting rental price tag. You could bunk up with friends, or return home to Chez Mom&Dad for a weekend, and make some extra cash!

If you're thinking about renting out your place, or already have some guests booked, here are some great hosting tips. From the view point of a guest I thought each and every idea would be a great way to make your house feel like a home. Check out how much you could make by renting your space.

I'm so curious, would you ever rent our your apartment?!