Happy Anniversary Recitherapy!

Well... I'm sitting in my bed, drinking tea, feeling SO blessed and thanking the Lord for this amazing year. What a journey we've been on! It took so much encouragement and belief from James for me to even start this blog, and every day since he's been pushing me and reminding me how proud he is of me. So honey, thank you. Thank you for believing in me and for allowing me to photograph EVERY.STEP.OF.MAKING.DINNER. NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. Restaurant after restaurant. Thank you for getting excited about going to Williams-Sonoma with me. Thank you for thinking it's cool when Google sends me things in the mail and most of all, thank you for loving me enough to cook with me and eat with me always. I could never imagine a better sous chef partner. ;)

And to you all, my sweet friends... how I've grown to love you and care about you even though I don't know specifically who you are. I find myself thinking when I'm out at a restaurant, "what would my readers want me to order... what would my Recitherapy friends NEVER order that I need to open their eyes to?" Or when we're cooking at home and I don't have a certain ingredient I think, "okay, I can do this... improvise Sidney... then you can tell all your Recitherapy friends how you managed so THEY can see that they can manage, too!" You guys, I love helping you and I SO SO SO appreciate that you come and read every day! THANK YOU for going on this journey with me! THANK YOU for trusting me enough to want to try any of these crazy recipes... we've had some nutso ones! :D Thank you for believing in me and sending me encouraging e-mails and photos. I only hope to continue helping you feel empowered in your own kitchen and that you fall in love with cooking more and more every day.

And to my family and friends. Jordan is still my most motivating, encouraging, adventurous inspiration. Thank you for loving me and being purposeful in always commenting and sending me goodies. Mom and Dad somehow, FAITHFULLY read my blog every single day and make a point to tell me how impressed they are at how creative I've gotten in the kitchen. And I will always always always believe that it came from their passion and giftedness for food and hospitality. And to the girls. Nicole, Steph, Ginny, Puppet, Lauren... you guys. Thanks for being my guinea pigs. And my biggest cheerleaders, and my constant supports, and my last minute "can you grab this from the store before you come over" girlfriends. Thank you for endless girls nights and hilarious taste testing sessions. I love you, I love you, I love you. Cheers to many more meals!

Like I explained at the bottom of this post, Steph, Ginny & Kyle all came over last night to celebrate the actual one year anniversary with James and me. The trick was that they each were going to pick their favorite Recitherapy recipe, make and bring it over for the celebration! What fun, right?! We couldn't wait to see what they brought! I'll share with you in photos because I've already written way too much here... but hey, it's allowed right? Anniversary!

 the table, set with candlelight, cheese straws and their little take home gifts. (spatulas, in case you were wondering)

 my studly husband prepping pizza #1 before our friends arrive.

our homemade pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto, goat's cheese, fresh garlic, caramelized onions and fresh basil.

 that bottom pizza is our Launch Celebration Pizza... how appropriate that we'd have the same meal we launched with on the anniversary, right?

and now the friends arrive! Kyle... with his MOTHER'S homemade cookies haha! It's okay, Kyle, it's the thought that counts... wouldn't have been the same without you... (or your mom's cookies) ;)

 beautiful ginny who ROCKED our pesto chicken recipe! James and I BOTH agreed hers was FAR better than when we made it! seriously boo... it was killer. SO proud!

and fabulous little miss steph made not one but TWO of our desserts! pumpkin cookies, complete with pumpkin seeds for decoration AND the ultimate brownies! babe, you're amazing! let's talk about how deathly that frosting is. (quick side note about pumpkin cookies- we've officially changed the recipe- replace the crisco with regular butter... we're really liking it so much more!)

 and my man gettin' his pizzas outta the oven. don't think they've ever been better than last night.

 are you kidding me with that mozzarella right now?

 let's eat!

 ha! steph had to open her birthday gifts three weeks late... no time like the present! get it...? 'present' ??? :D cheesy jokes, sorry.

also i made a pumpkin chocolate cheesecake... born out of a little bit of desperation and no ingredients, it turned out beautifully somehow. it was taken from our Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake recipe here, which is definitely worth making. but the newfound pumpkin recipe will be posted tomorrow! ;)

 to finish off... hot toddies. only perfectly fitting for chilly, celebratory nights, don't you think?

the official look of 'food coma.' yes, i do believe steph's eyes are closed.

 and the happy, quiet, blessed kitchen all cleaned after an amazing night.

We're blessed. We're SO so blessed. Thank you a hundred times and again for loving and supporting us here at Recitherapy. Cheers to another year ahead!

LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU!

xox

sidney & james