Apparently early May showers bring late May flowers because the gardens at Casa de IGE were off and running this week, including my very own lilacs – huzzah!
I kid you not, one of the things that sold me on our new home when we were moving last year was the two enormous lilac bushes in front of the house. When they didn’t bloom along with the rest of the neighborhood’s earlier this month though, I figured I had a couple of bunk bushes. Guess they just needed a little time and rain, both of which late May has provided us with, because I walked out my front door yesterday and could smell the blooms before I even saw them.
Better late than never!
Everyday this week in between rain storms, my assistant gardener and I have gone out to check on our plant’s progress at least once or twice. Or three or four times, if I’m being real. Sometimes when you’ve run all your errands, taken all your walks, and played with all your toys, there’s still two more hours left until bedtime!
Anyway, the basil I planted last week looks fantastic and the leaves are getting big and fat. I see a Margherita Pizza in my future.
The Sweet 100 cherry tomato plant I potted over Mother’s Day weekend has at least 10-15 flowers waiting to bloom into candy-sweet tomatoes. Can’t. Wait.
Even the potted parsley (which I told you was cilantro – wrong-o) which I nearly drowned last week is doing well. Fingers crossed the trend continues!
This weekend should be a busy one. I have a baby shower for one of my best girlfriends, Laura, to go to on Saturday – I told her I couldn’t wait to give her all my unsolicited advice about having a little boy and she was genuinely excited. That’s true friendship. – then Saturday Ben and I are attending a brunch to celebrate the Principal Charity Golf Classic. Nothing puts me to sleep faster than watching golf on tv, but the thrill (thrill?) of watching it live is always a trip.
Anyway, wherever you are and whatever you do have a wonderful weekend and in the meantime please enjoy my favorite find 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 indulge: Ultimate Brownies. Tessa at Handle the Heat (whom I got to meet in Monterey last year!) went through 6 batches of brownies in order to bring us her Ultimate Brownies. Wasn’t that nice of her? I love how she explains the science behind the recipe in her post, too!
Favorite travel: Havasu Falls, AZ. This picture is equal parts barf-inducing (don’t look down!) and exhilarating. Havasu Falls inside the Grand Canyon has been on my must-see list for a few years now, and this is by far the coolest view I’ve seen of it.
Favorite wake-up: Country Style Eggs Benedict. YES. Ben (and I) would go absolutely nuts for the over-the-top breakfast. Think I’ll make it for him on Father’s Day, muwahaha!
Favorite truth: Ten Boy Mom Musts. I cried for 10 minutes from laughing so hard at this post about being a mother to four boys. Ahh, I can’t wait. On second though, yes I can.
Favorite fresh: Pita Cheese and Veggie Grill. Loving the colors, simple ingredient list, and even simpler instructions to enjoy this grilled dinner. Yum!
Favorite find: Home Office Makeover. This is the office inspiration I have been waiting years for! This blogger has the same basic room layout in her office as I do (position of closets, doors, windows, etc.) but has made much better use of the space than I ever have. Think I’ll pick up some of those bookshelves at IKEA this summer and get stated!
Favorite spin: Creamy Caprese Quinoa Bake. I am all over this recipe which combines my love of Caprese flavors and quinoa in one creamy, cheesy dish.
Favorite tip: Ripen Bananas in 30 Minutes. I always seem to have cheetah bananas on hand until I need one and then I…don’t. Great tip for getting that over ripe banana texture and flavor from under ripe bananas in this easy tutorial.
Favorite freeze: Chicken Parmesan Casserole. This easy layered dish looks like a great one to pop into the freezer to pull out any night of the week. Great for new moms or a friend who could use dinner delivery!
Favorite sip: Watermelon Beer. Um, yes. Totally making good use of the 3 tubs of chopped watermelon currently chilling in the basement fridge from Memorial Day weekend and making this refreshing bev for happy hour tonight.
Favorite flashback: Tortilla Pinwheels. I used to make a similar recipe for tortilla pinwheels in my early 20s that I made all. the. time. for parties and potlucks but lost it and could never remember the exact ingredients years later. This one looks extremely similar. Can’t wait to make it to share at our next BBQ or grill out!
Favorite “fashion”: Mossimo Lightweight Hoodie. It feels a tad ridiculous to tell you about a lightweight hoodie I recently bought at Target but I freaking LOVE this thing. It’s just t-shirt fabric so I don’t get too hot in it, but it’s the perfect weight for warming me against the chill of the AC. I hardly take the thing off inside my house!
Favorite decadence: Snickers Bars Cinnamon Rolls. Enjoy one or 12 of these for me, please?
Have a great weekend!
Taylor 05.30.2014
I am one of those extremely weird people (at least for a female) that not only loves to watch golf live but also on TV. So I’m definitely in the camp that it’s thrilling you’ll get to see it live! Very jealous!
Thanks for including my watermelon beer :) Hope you have a great weekend!
Christine 05.30.2014
I love your Friday posts!!! I end up pinning the majority of the items on your list!
Erica 05.30.2014
I have a Mossimo hoodie from 2011 that is still one of my favorites! I may need another!
Tessa @ Handle the Heat 05.30.2014
Thanks for including my brownies Kristin! Have a lovely weekend :)
Ann 05.30.2014
From your picture, I think the lilacs you have are known as Korean Lilacs. They tend to have a smaller leaf, smaller flowers and triple the fragrance in comparison to “regular” lilacs that are so prevalent around Iowa. I usually think of “regular” lilacs blooming on Mother’s Day (though they were about 10 days later this year), and Korean lilacs, in Iowa, will bloom 10 – 14 days later than the “regulars.” It’s nice to have some of both to extend the lilac season. Korean lilacs bloom on “old wood” which means next year’s blooms will occur on the twigs that grow this summer. If you need to prune or shape, do so immediately after flowering; if done later or next spring, next year’s blooms are jeopardized. More than you wanted to know….but, they are one of my favorites!
beth 05.30.2014
all those foods look so yummy. But I thought you ate gluten free now. No?
Kristin 05.30.2014
I am! A girl can dream though. :)
Ashley 05.30.2014
You are going to LOVE the caprese quinoa recipe. At least, I hope you do. It’s a go-to recipe in our home!
Jenn 05.30.2014
I have 4 baby showers coming up! If you had to name one thing that you got that you absolutely loved (reasonably priced) for Lincoln, what would you recommend to new mommies?
Kristin 05.30.2014
Definitely the SwaddleMe swaddles and Aden and Anais blankets I showed in this post: https://iowagirleats.com/2013/09/10/5-must-have-items-for-new-moms/
Quilted burp cloths are amazing, and an extra hooded bath towel is always nice to have around!! (Random list, sorry!!)
Alisha @ Alisha's Appetite 05.30.2014
OMG I had that same desk for my office and it didn’t look nearly as awesome as this one does. Brilliant!! She decorated that perfectly. Happy Friday!
stacey 05.30.2014
my hubby and I have found the PERFECT summer beer, its a watermelon beer made by 21st Amendment Brewery and its called “hell of high watermelon” ….. if you ever see it at a store then buy it!!! its the best :)
Kristin 05.30.2014
That was the first beer I drank after giving birth last summer – sooooo good. Unfortunately I can’t drink beer anymore (celiac disease.) Enjoy a can for me!
Chicago Jogger 05.30.2014
Ooh lots of good picks today! I need that caprese quinoa and watermelon beer in my life, stat. I also have that extra same hoodie from target in light blue! Good choice :)
Rita Templeton 05.30.2014
Hi Kristin! I wrote the “Ten Boy-Mom Musts” post and can I just tell you … I totally fan-girled when I saw that you had linked to me. Because I have been HOOKED on your recipe for Chick-Fil-A nuggets forever!!! :)
Thanks for sharing! :)
Kristin 05.30.2014
Oh my gosh – I can’t tell you how hard all my girlfriends and I who have boys were laughing. Awesome post!
Susan Horvath 05.30.2014
does that sweatshirt replace your black fleece? I found a bright green hoodie this spring that replaces the black fleece i wore all winter…..
Kristin 05.30.2014
It did! It’s the spring version of my winter black fleece. :)
erin @hooleywithaz 05.30.2014
that sweatshirt looks right up my alley! happy for you that your garden is coming alive…such a good feeling.
Tieghan 05.30.2014
Those lilacs are so pretty! Love their purple color!!
Hope you guys have a great weekend and thanks for including me this week! :)
SmittyGal 05.30.2014
Love the ten boy mom musts! As a mom of 3 boys I can honestly say they apply, well most anyhow lol. Your Parsley is quite possibly Cilantro ;) because Cilantro is a type of Parsley. I plant fresh herbs in my mayan planters and there is never a need to worry about not having any on hand! Happy Friday :)
Chelsea L 05.30.2014
I made the Creamy Caprese Quinoa Bake a few weeks ago! It was SO good. I roasted my tomatoes in the oven on 200 for 30 minutes before adding them and it was so much more flavorful. :)
Laura @ Raise Your Garden 05.30.2014
Cute basil and parsley pots! I’m rooting for them.
Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes are my favorite too, they taste like candy.
I checked out an old post of yours where you showed how to build a raised bed…..but maybe that was at your old house since you moved?
Container pot gardening is my favorite though, salad in particular grows so well in pots! Arugula pizza is spectacular =)
Maryea {happy healthy mama} 05.30.2014
Okay, 3 things. #1 We had late lilacs that we thought had died, too! Such a blessing. #2 The picture of the boy hanging from the railing both freaks me out (thinking about my own kids doing something like that someday) and makes me laugh (my brother and I totally did that!). #3 THANK YOU for telling us about the hoodie–that is exactly what I’ve been looking for. :)
Brynn 05.30.2014
I adore lilacs! I grew up with a large lilac bush behind my house as a child and have such a wonderful memory of the smells all through spring and summer. My bush finally bloomed after two years!