Happy Friday, everyone!

Gosh this week flew by, didn’t it? I could really use one more day to catch up! Plus I feel like it always takes me two weeks to get back into the swing of things after vacation. Gone for 3 days, messed up for 14. Please tell me I’m not alone?

Thankfully it should be a calm weekend at home before the storm of summer activities begins. If you’re anything like me than your calendar for the next three months is filling up fast with road trips, weddings, baby showers and get togethers. Can’t wait to fill in the cracks with long trail walks, a baseball game or two (it is my MISSION this summer – we never made it to a single one last year!) and plenty of patio time. Ben and I had fun hanging out on the deck wine tasting last Saturday – made me thirsty for more. ;)

Well I hope you’ve got some fun plans in the works for this weekend, and in the meantime please enjoy my favorite finds from around the web and beyond in this week’s Friday Favorites!

Click the light blue links to be taken to the original source.

Favorite flavor: Watermelon Caprese Salad with Balsamic Glaze. The foodie world is abuzz about watermelon right now, (and making sandwiches out of waffles, but that’s another post!) specifically mixing it with savory flavors. This sweet and savory combo looks perfect for summer. (Check out my Peach Caprese Salad for another sweet spin on the classic!)

WatermelonCapreseSalad_mini

Favorite sip: Berry Pineapple Cooler. Speaking of perfect for summer… Why yes, yes I DO want a pitcher!

Frenchy-Cocktail1

Favorite craft: Personalized Photo Map. Yes, yes, yes! I have been wanting to do something like this for ages. Print out pictures of yourselves in all the 50 states then cut out and pin over a map. Too cool.

Map

Favorite fresh: Strawberry Kale Salad with Nutty Granola Croutons. What a delicious mouthful of super foods like kale, berries, and oats, plus strawberries are so delicious right now. I have a carton in my fridge and they’re the first thing I smell anytime I open the door. Mmm.

strawberry-kale-salad-with-nutty-granola-croutons_mini

Favorite party: Mojito Jello Shots. How fun would it be to surprise guests at a summer BBQ with these babies?

MojitoJelloShots_mini

Favorite DIY: DIY Floating Rustic Shelf or Mantle. Ben and I finally got a new bedroom furniture set a few months ago complete with an epic tufted headboard, but there’s still a lot of space between the top of it and the ceiling. This would look so cool hung with some pictures propped up on it.

DIY-Floating-Mantle

Favorite upgrade: Rhubarb Raspberry Crisp. Love the switch up from regular Strawberry-Rhubarb crisp by using fresh raspberries instead. Fruit crisps are one of my all-time favorite quick and easy go-to desserts (always doubling the crisp portion, of course!)

RaspberryRhubarbTart_mini

Favorite tip: 16 Foods that’ll Re-Grow from Kitchen Scraps. LOVE the idea of re-growing food from scraps. Have you ever re-grown/planted any of these scraps with success?

RegrowFromKitchenScraps_mini

Favorite snack. The crunchy-creamy combo of rice crackers spread with The Laughing Cow® Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle cheese wedges, tart cherry jam and pepitas is my latest snack creation for The Laughing Cow, and is just crazy enough to work. The smokey cheese, sweet-tart jam and crunchy pepitas are aweeesome together. Try it!

LaughingCowSnack

Favorite funny: Wet Dog. Cracking up at these pictures of wet dogs mid-bath. Poor poochies!

WetDog

Favorite dinner: Crock Pot Rustic Italian Ragu. We’ve gone from highs in the mid 80s to the 50s this week, wah wahhh. Something tells me I still have time to fit in a homey, rib-stickin’ meal before summer’s here for good. Doesn’t this meaty ragu look mouthwatering?

RusticCrockPotRagu_mini

Favorite crunch: Late July Chips. I found these chips at a coffee shop inside my hotel in Vegas while searching for a gluten-free poolside snack to crunch on. I picked up a bag and WOW – so, so awesome! The whole chip line is organic, gluten-free, made with 100% whole grains, and is also peanut, sesame and tree-nut free. Plus 5 of 7 flavors are vegan. With so many restrictions you’d think they’d taste like cardboard, but the bag never made it to the pool if tells you anything about how good they are!

I had the “Dude Ranch” flavor in Vegas then bought the Sweet Potato flavor at home (a Whole Foods find.) Both get two crunchy thumbs up!

 

LateJuly_mini

Favorite find: Ruffled Halter Maillot. I have been on a mad hunt for a cute one-piece for this summer. How adorable is this suit?

swimsuit

Favorite side: Stick of Butter Rice. Ben and I have been eating a lot more rice since going gluten-free so I’m always looking for ways to spice it up. DYING to try this stick of butter rice recipe. Sounds so decadent!

stickofbutterrice_mini

Favorite must-have: Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Pie. I think the intro says it all. Must. HAVE!

PeanutButterPie

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Have a great weekend!

I am an official spokesperson for The Laughing Cow® in 2014. While I receive compensation for participation as a brand advocate, opinions are my own