Happy Friday, everyone!
How is it that we’ve already arrived at Easter weekend? Per usual it totally snuck up on me. I’m SOOooo very excited to celebrate, (Easter is one of my favorite celebratory holidays – it’s so very joyful) and feast on all my Mom’s classic Easter dishes like Party Potatoes Deluxe, Amana ham, and green beans and bacon for lunch. I’m trying to decide between bringing Beecher’s Kale and Brown Rice Gratin with Smoked Cheese Sauce and Kale and Wild Rice Bowls with Honey-Balsamic Vinaigrette as my contribution. Who knows, maybe I’ll go crazy and bring both. Probably not. Aint nobody got time for that!
Especially since it’s going to be a full house this weekend. My little brother’s flying in from Denver for the weekend, Ben’s little brother will be in town AND my Mom’s best friend is also coming in from Ohio to spend a few days with the fam. Should be crazy but fun!
Well wherever you are and whatever you do have a wonderful weekend (and Easter, if you celebrate!) 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 copycat: Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork. I’ve never been to Cafe Rio but I have been to Paseo in Seattle and this recipe looks like it could be similar to the epic pork they’re known for. My mouth is watering!
Favorite find: Bird Chirping Weather Print. I’ve been going around the past week or so proclaiming how happy I am that the birds are back. Their chirping makes me automatically think of spring and warmer weather. That being said I bought this sweet print the second I saw it so I can think of them even when they’re all south for the winter!
Favorite homemade: Homemade Flour Tortillas. The one thing I’ve been really missing since going gluten free is flour tortillas. I never knew how much I relied on them for quick meals and snacks! Definitely going to try making my own using GF flour.
Favorite DIY: Chalkboard Globe. What an adorable project, right? Love the cut outs that let you see the colorful globe underneath. Going to see if I can snag a cheap globe now that garage sale season is upon us.
Favorite bite: Parmesan Potato Stacks. One word: DROOL. Cheese and crispy potatoes? I am not mad at that.
Favorite tutorial: The Easy Way to Make a Luxury Bed. Make your bedroom even more of a retreat with this guide on how to really spruce up your bed. Yes please.
Favorite salad: Ranch BLT Pasta Salad. This is an awesome homemade take on suddenly salad which I used to plow through as a teenager. Like, come home from school, make a box and eat the entire thing. That radiatore pasta shape gets me every time!
Favorite sip: Rhubarb Strawberry Margarita. My Mom has three rhubarb plants that come back year after year which means she ends up with about 10 gallon-sized ziplock backs of frozen chopped rhubarb at the end of each summer because there’s only so many strawberry rhubarb pies a girl can bake! These margaritas look like a tasty and refreshing way to use some of it up.
Favorite bling: Asymmetrical Mini Letter Necklace. Wishing this was about $120 cheaper because it is seriously stylin’!
Favorite dinner: Tex Mex Quinoa Casserole. This meal is right up my ally and COULD NOT be easier. Cannot wait to make it!
Favorite travel: The Catalina Bag. Why this model looks so angry to be carrying such a lovely weekender bag, I’ll never know. I just love it! Perfect size for a quick trip and the separate zipper compartment on the bottom would be great for storing shoes or worn clothes.
Favorite bite: Crispy Black Bean Tacos. Easy. Crispy. Vegetarian. YUMMY! These would be really good to make then freeze, me thinks.
Favorite fitness: 7-Minute HIIT Workout. Looooove HIIT workouts. Get more bang for you buck, y’all!
Favorite sweet: Caramel Macchiato Gooey Cake Bars. Sweet, dense, and decadent. And gooey. Anything with the word “gooey” in it and I’m so in.
Favorite advice: 45 Life Lessons Written by a 90 Year Old Woman. Sometimes these can be kind of cheesy or redundant, but I really liked this list. :)
Favorite lick: Salted Bourbon Caramel Pops. C’moooon, summer!
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm 04.18.2014
ALLLLL amazing! I love these, thanks for posting!
Caitlin 04.18.2014
I have the “c” necklace from Maya Brenner! I know it’s expensive…..but I have to tell you I wear mine everyday and I get so many compliments! Ask for it as a gift :)
Alexa 04.18.2014
Re: asymmetrical necklaces — they’re all over the internet in silver for under $40. I heart mine and they’re great for layering. Check Etsy too.
Emily 04.18.2014
I love that monogram necklace too! And not to be annoying but I sell Lia Sophia jewelry and we have one that looks almost identical, it is called the Initialed necklace if you are interested :) Love this Friday Favorites, I need to make those caramel macchiato bars!!
Elizabeth 04.18.2014
Easter can be such an overlooked holiday but I love it. That strawberry rhubarb margarita looks heavenly.
xx,
Elizabeth http://www.adrianjames.com
Alexandra Aimee 04.18.2014
These tacos looks SO good! I may make them tonight….
— Alex at Cashmere Kangaroo
Taylor 04.18.2014
Have you tried Trader Joe’s brown rice tortillas? The texture is different but they are delicious and still made a nice quesadilla!
Mary Paine 04.18.2014
Loved the recipes today. Confused about the three cups of dry quinoa.No rinsing? Love casseroles of Tex-Mex ingredients.
eat good 4 life 04.18.2014
Thanks so much for sharing Kristin. I greatly appreciate it :-) Have a great easter with your family!!
Carma 04.18.2014
Happy Easter!
I have actually done the Cafe Rio pork recipe. It was part of a whole set of recipes for the Cafe Rio inspired taco salad. (YUM)
And thank you for the HIIT workout. That may be handy for the days that I am traveling.
Tracy 04.18.2014
Happy Easter!
Susan 04.18.2014
This all sounds great….and those bourbon pops, oh my. Must try!
Happy Friday! And some linky love | Curly Girl Press 04.18.2014
[…] of my favorite Friday lists is here. Also great […]
Megan 04.18.2014
Cafe Rio is the BEST! Seriously. Find an excuse to come out west and try it. My husband and I eat there at least once a week. If this pork is anything like the real thing, we’ll be making it all the time!
Tia 04.18.2014
Have a great time with your family! That’s great your brother is coming all the way from Denver.
I haven’t celebrated Easter with my family since high school. I went to college in Chicago (where I’m still living) and my family lives in Atlanta. I’ve never been able to justify the short trip.
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl 04.18.2014
Checking out that taco recipe ASAP! Thanks for sharing :)
Margaret 04.18.2014
I found it interesting that the “90-year-old woman” is actually in her 50s and compiled these in her 40s. It seemed that some of these are pretty modern/common sayings for a 90-year-old.
Kristin 04.18.2014
I know, that was kind of weird but I still liked them anyway. :)
Tiffany@CremedelaCrumb 04.18.2014
Hi Kristin! Thanks so much for including my Copycat Cafe Rio Sweet Pork in your Friday Favs today! Before I started blogging almost a year ago, your blog was one of the first I started reading :) Thanks for sharing the love and happy Friday!!
leslie @ definitely not martha 04.18.2014
I should not have read this before breakfast. I actually drooled at the sight of that margarita (it is too early for drinks, right?) and those parmesan-potato stacks look amazing!
Yammie @ Yammie's Noshery 04.18.2014
If you’re looking for a gluten free flour tortilla, here’s my recipe: http://www.yammiesglutenfreedom.com/2013/04/gluten-free-flour-tortillas.html
:)