Promotion Celebration

My sister is finally a high schooler! She graduated 8th grade, looking as cute as can be- and with a report card of all A's and B's! I'm so proud of her, I can't believe how fast she's growing up!

After the ceremony there was a little reception following with lots of treats. I resisted the donut holes and cookies, but couldn't resist the big bowl of juicy watermelon slices! I had 2 as a delightful snack.
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Back home I gave my sister her treat early- my last tester recipe before I leave for Italy, Fudgey Brownies by the lovely Lindsay, The Happy Herbivore!

I could have eaten all of them!

But I just had one (for now!)

We headed out to dinner a while later, and unfortunately found out the restaurant we had planned on going to was closed! My sister was craving pasta, so we went for Italian instead.
I started off with a small piece of home made foccacia dipped in some garlic olive oil:

I was looking for a vegetable dish, so I settled on the Eggplant Vincenza- lightly breaded baked eggplant stuffed with 2 cheeses, spinach, and mushrooms in a tomato sauce. I asked the server if the sauce had meat in it, and he said it was a meat base so I requested it to be made without the meat base. The sauce they gave me was fantastIc! Big chunks of tomatoes, lots of spices, very tasty.

The dish was HUGE- I only ended up eating 2 of the big eggplant pieces, with lots of sauce, mushrooms and spinach, but took of most of the cheese, only leaving a small amount for flavor. It definately would have been just as good without the cheese- I have to get used to asking for things without cheese! However, I am going off to Italy in a few days, so I went with a bit of dairy just because I know my body needs to be used to it since I don't have it often. But away with dairy I will go as soon as I am back in the states! Still, the dish was tasty and filling, definately a nice meal out.

Since we had brownies before, we passed on dessert- but I do have to say the brownies are calling my name from the kitchen! We'll see how I feel when I get back from hanging out with my friend later on tonight =)