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!)
Favorite sip: Berry Pineapple Cooler. Speaking of perfect for summer… Why yes, yes I DO want a pitcher!
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.
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.
Favorite party: Mojito Jello Shots. How fun would it be to surprise guests at a summer BBQ with these babies?
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.
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!)
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?
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!
Favorite funny: Wet Dog. Cracking up at these pictures of wet dogs mid-bath. Poor poochies!
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?
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!
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?
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!
Favorite must-have: Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Pie. I think the intro says it all. Must. HAVE!
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
I made the vegan peanut butter pie! A friend of mine is vegan and did me a HUGE favor, so I figured a pie would be a great way to say THANK YOU! I followed the recipe to the T, the only change I would make would be to replace the carob chips with vegan chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s brand is vegan, a few others are as well) basically if they aren’t milk chocolate chips, you should be fine. The pie was delightful, I’d say give it a go!
Hi Kristin,
Browsing through your Friday Favorites and came across the stick of butter rice and had to tell you my family has been making this stuff for years and is a staple at every cook out (especially with ribs …yum). I promise it IS the best rice ever! Normally we use beef consume and regular french onion soup, not sure if it makes a difference though!
Love your posts, have a great weekend!
-Jessica
the dogs. the poor, poor dogs! hahaha!
Some of them look angry, some look confused, some look betrayed.
I’m with you on being gone and then being “off” for like 5x as long. I’m in one of those “off” stages right now and need to get out of it!!! Love your Friday Favorite posts always.
I have planted the root end of “living” lettuce of butter lettuce from the store and about half the time it grows another head. I have green onions in the garden and I have started harvesting them by digging down a bit and using kitchen scissors to snip them right above the root and they do regrow. I tried the celery end, it sprouted but later died. I am a terrible gardener so one try doesn’t prove anything one way or another. These techniques are worth the try!
I love all of your recipes….but the bedspread you pictured in your post about the DIY Floating Rustic Shelf caught my daughter’s eye….can you tell me where you got the bedspread? Thanks!
Hi Mary Beth! That’s actually not my image (if you click on the link it will take you to the Shanty 2 Chic website and post.) I did look though and she mentioned she got all the bedding at Target. :)
Thanks Kristin! Also, I can’t say enough how much I enjoy your recipes! So far I have loved every one I have tried. My husband’s family is from Iowa, and I can tell you although their food is good (ie. hamburger hot dish, ham buns, etc) it is nothing like yours!!! :)
I have that suit!! It’s fabulous… just the right amount of both spunk and class (and perfect for nursing mums, my son’s about a month older than yours)! I got a polka dot rash guard from Lands End to go over top when I’m having a “too lazy to apply sunscreen to myself” moment… or twenty!
Ok yay! I’m totally going to get one then! :)
Great round-up! I am in love with that photo map idea. Flipping awesome!!
Love Late July chips! I get mine at Marshall’s and Home Goods believe it or not :)