Blog Topics

I have been thinking of a post to rejuvenate and jump start this blog. My first thought was a "Relationships" post that I've (with the help of friends) been working on for a while, but with all of this Casey Anthony drama (since I'm still waiting for Emily to post her blog on this topic) I have considered that as well, or I could just go for a full-on political blog, since I try to stay away from that on Facebook and Twitter.

I'd like some help from you guys... which of these topics would you prefer? Or do you have any other ideas that you've seen elsewhere or just thought of?

I'd love your ideas!!

Favorite Things: Summer Foods

I am always looking for fresh and tasty summer cooking ideas. We grill nearly every single night from April to October and it's hard to keep the meals new and interesting. When I think of summer meals I think of salads, sandwiches, and light desserts. We either have pork tenderloin, sausages, cheeseburgers (and we recently tried turkey burgers for the first time...I was pleasantly surprised) or brats grilling most nights.

Chad likes to say he's not picky when it comes to food and maybe he technically isn't, but it's VERY difficult to come up with side dishes that he seems enthusiastic about. I love pasta salad that my mom always makes.

It's so simple, but summery and yummy:

Boil a box of your favorite pasta... we use Rotini because it holds the flavor of veggies and dressing well. After boiling soak in cold water until cool and drain. Mix in a bottle of your favorite Italian dressing (I use Kraft Zesty Italian). Finally, put in your favorite veggies--onions, red and green peppers, or whatever else you can think of. Chill. Soooo good!

One of my favorite loves from summer is also corn on the cob. I recently bought 10 ears for $2 at the grocery store (I'm also super into couponing right now, but that's for an entirely different post). I usually just boil it because it's so easy, but sometimes we grill it. A friend of mine recently told me about microwaving corn in the husks. Has anyone heard of this? She said it's great!

Finally, today I made my favorite summer dessert. My mom always makes this cake in a flag design for the 4th of July.



Break an entire angel food cake up into small pieces and line the bottom of 9x13 inch cake pan. For your next layer mix completely together 1 cup of confectioner's sugar, 1 tub of cool whip, and 1 small tub of plain cream cheese. Let this mixture cool.
Next mix strawberries, blueberries and 1/2 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup water. Mix well. Let this mixture cool.
Once both layers are cool, layer your white cream mixture on top of the cake layer. And then spoon out your fruit mixture on the top. Let cool in the fridge for at least an hour prior to eating.

Enjoy!!

P.S. If anyone has any other ideas for great summer recipes, please post them in a comment below this post! :)

One Favorite Thing

I love learning all about others favorite things/products/items/foods so I wanted to give credit where credit is due and post a few of my own. I'm going to post one at a time so I am making sure I'm only writing about and commenting on products I truly love, rather than trying to fill up a post.

A new product I have come across and am instantly obsessed with is L'Oreal Paris Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser. If I'm being honest, and this is my blog so I am, I have used cleanser from the Velocity line in Mary Kay for as long as I can remember. Upon moving it has been difficult to find a Mary Kay consultant so I've been shopping for a new cleanser. I am OBSESSED! Weirdly obsessed with this L'Oreal option. I actually want to go wash my face again. I have combination skin and this specific facial cleanser goes on smooth... exactly what I was looking for. It has a pop out pad you can use to scrub your face with and I love it!

I haven't left Mary Kay completely though... I use this cleanser in combination with Mary Kay's Timewise Microdermabrasion Set. You will LOVE it!!

In The Kitchen...

If you know anything about me, you know that I love to cook. I am quite the foodie, and perhaps a wine-o. :) Oh well.

Anyway...as much as I love to create meals on my own, baking is not my forte. I wish I could bake, as I love delicious desserts--cakes, brownies, cookies, cupcakes...yum! So tonight I decided to start trying. I made homemade chocolate chip cookies, which were quite delicious. I have posted the recipe below. Enjoy!



Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 sticks butter (12 tablespoons)
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet morsels

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs.

Sift flour and measure out 2 1/4 cups. After measuring the sifted flour, sift again with remaining dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar mixture.

Stir in vanilla and semi-sweet morsels.

Drop the cookie batter by tablespoonfuls onto a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set and firm and only lightly colored. Do not allow cookies to brown.

Transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container. Cookies may be wrapped well and frozen.

Amazement

I literally am in amazement and awe every day of how amazing and full of blessing my life is. I know everyone gets in these moments, but for about 5 months now I've been on this positivity kick. It has completely changed my life and I think the lives of others around me. I try to look at the glass half full and my entire life through rose-colored lenses. It has made each day better, me much happier, and has definitely had me become a much better sister, girlfriend, and friend. I hope others have felt the effects of my life-change.

Even now as I sit in Maryland, 7 hours away from my family, as we all deal with a very rough family moment, I am so happy and realize that #lifeisstillamazing. Oh crap! Forgot I was blogging, rather than on Twitter. :)

I hope everyone looks at today with complete positivity. Be more than content. Be happy.

Love you ALL.

April Showers

With all of the amazing things, people, and moments in my life, every once in a while something happens that brings you down...
Think of me during this time.
Much love.

A Better Me

I have decided to try a little project. I have a goal for myself to not speak negative or ill words about others. Less gossip. I am going to have a goal every so often to live up to. I will try to keep this blog more updated, so as to keep the blog-world up with my endeavors.



1. I am going to try to compliment everyone I encounter and find a way to make each of these individuals feel good about themselves.