Black Bean Quinoa Bowl with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

So I decided to take a different take on my salad recipe this week and decided upon a black bean quinoa bowl that I saw on Pinterest. Not to mention my husband is tired of my "bunny" food and thinks I am trying to starve him with all the lettuce, kale and arugula. Haha!

This salad is all over Pinterest so I decided to make it. The recipe originated on the Veggie and the Beast Feast. The recipe on the website is vegan and gluten free but I adapted it slightly. I noted below where I switched ingredients, or added additional ingredients.

Black Bean Quinoa Bowl Salad Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons of canola oil
• 1/4 diced onion
• 1 cup quinoa 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 red onion - cut into thin slices (I just diced)
• 1/2 red pepper - cut into this slices (I just diced)
• 1/2 yellow pepper - cut into this slices (I just diced)
• Cilantro, for garnish
• Optional Toppings: Sliced avocado, grilled chicken, mango, crushed tortilla chips, monterey jack cheese with jalapeños

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon of honey (I used agave)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 lime, juiced and zested
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/ teaspoon salt 

Directions: 

• Heat 2 tsp of canola oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped red onion and cook until starting to soften (2-3 minutes). Pour in the dry quinoa and toast, stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes. Add 2 cups water and salt, bring to a boil and cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Set aside. 
• Toss together the cooked quinoa with the black beans, red onion, peppers in a bowl. 
• To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. 
• Pour the vinaigrette over the quinoa and toss well. Add additional toppings such as grilled chicken, avocado, cheese!

I forgot to mention that I added grilled chicken that had a mexican rub on them. Just to give the salad more flavor. I served the meal and forgot to take a picture of the finished product! My apologies!!

This salad made a lot so I was able to re-use the salad and served it with tacos (see tomorrow's post) the next day. The only thing I did notice about the salad is that it dried out. So to make it fresh I added another juiced lime and it perked the salad right up. 

What else would you add to this salad? 

Happy Pinning!

By Jennifer Shelton

Friday Favorites - Summer BBQ Recipes

Today I am joining a linkup from Meet @ the Barre!! So excited to be part of a new linkup!

This past weekend we had friends over for a lake day! Hanging out in the lake, boat rides and then a bbq. So I knew I had to make things in advance, or come together easily. I have to say the homemade BBQ sauce was soooooooo good! Here is a sample of the menu I made for us! These recipes are also perfect if you are attending a BBQ and want to bring something or you can even use the pickles or bbq sauce as a hostess gift. I apologize in advance for my pictures! I just took a few quick snaps with my iPhone!

one... Homemade BBQ Sauce
I found the recipe on epicurious.com and it is amazing. Most sauces are too sweet for my husband, so I was looking for something that had a little more kick. Did I mention how easy it was to make the homemade bbq sauce too? Basically you just put everything in a pot and let it simmer! Click here for the recipe, for a spice rub I used Penzey Spices Galena Street Rub. If you haven't checked out Penzey Spices definitely recommend. Perfect for grilling! Remember when you are grilling the chicken add the BBQ sauce later on in the process, otherwise it will scorch and look black!

two... Homemade Pickles
This recipe was originally found by our Miss Kate via The Dabble! She made this years ago for a party and since then all of us girls have been making it for every picnic and party. Homemade pickles are SO easy and not to mention it is fun to experiment with different kinds of veggies. Over the years we have used everything from traditional cucumbers, to white asparagus and green beans. The one thing we do change in this recipe is using ground coriander seeds and black pepper.  Reason being then you don't have to pick the seeds off your veggies as you eat.

three... Penne with Green Beans & Tomatoes with a Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette
I was sitting in my mother-in-law's living room flipping through the July issue of Southern Living and saw a recipe for a lemon-shallot vinaigrette that looked delicious! And they used it with a penne with green bean and tomato salad. Don't get me wrong the pasta salad was delicious but the vinaigrette was SOOOOOO good! I am definitely adding this one of my go to salad dressing recipes. It would be great on a kale or arugula salad. I love the citrus kick along with the dijon mustard. I adapted the salad slightly and also added some red and orange peppers since I had them in my refrigerator and needed to use them!

four... Oven Baked Beans
When I first registered for the Le Creuset Heritage Bean Pot my husband thought I was insane and that I would never ever use it. I told him that I would use it all summer long. Then we actually received it and I couldn't wait to start using it. Le Creuset provided a bunch of recipes on ways to use it, and for our BBQ I decided to make the oven baked bean recipe. Let me tell you how floored my husband was when I put the pot on the table! Haha! The recipe is super easy and basically you just dump all the ingredients into the pot, give it a stir and bake covered for 1 hour. Voila you not only have oven baked beans but it is quite the serving dish to impress your guests with too! I couldn't find the recipe online so please see ingredients below!

• 15 oz Kidney Beans, 15 oz can Pinto Beans, 15oz can Great Northern Beans, 28 oz can Pork n Beans, 15 oz can lima beans (I used frozen), 1/2 cup onion chopped, 1T chile powder (I used cayenne pepper for a EXTRA kick), 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup brown sugar packed, 1/2 cup molasses, 1/4 cup mustard, and 1/2 cup hot BBQ sauce (I used the recipe above!)

Preheat oven to350 degrees. Drain beans and rinse, Combine all ingredients in bean pot. Bake covered for one hour.

five... Marinated Zucchini Salad
This recipe was found on Pinterest! Again, this is super simple to make. The recipe calls for 4 zucchini thinly sliced. However, I think they are referencing 4 extremely small zucchini! I think two zucchinis are more than enough, and I would double the recipe for the dressing. I followed the recipe exactly and then had to go back and make another batch of dressing since only a small portion of the zucchini was covered. What is great about this recipe is that you can make this ahead of time and the dressing needs to marinate on the zucchini for over an hour. So great if you have to travel someplace, or to prepare ahead.

And appetizers were kept super simple with salsa and chips, homemade guacamole, and veggies with dip. All of which were prepped/prepared beforehand so we could enjoy every minute of sunshine on the lake! Dessert was fresh watermelon!

Would love to hear what you are making for summer barbecues! I am always looking for new recipes to try out!

Mango, Pineapple Coconut Water Smoothie

Happy Thirsty Thursday! Is it me or the summer days just flying by? It feels like just yesterday I was writing a Thirsty Thursday post.

Today, we had to bid adieu to my smoothie maker. I bought it at Kohl's for $20 and I should have just splurged on the higher priced model (my blender is in storage!). It never worked 100% but I was determined to use it because it was such a "deal". I could never get it to work with frozen fruit or ice, and  really it's only purpose was for smoothies that used fresh fruit. Regardless, I still used the lil guy!! This morning I went to plug it in and immediately it started to smoke. Grr!!

So instead out came the hand blender and a mason jar to make this drink! Which by the way not sure why I never thought of this before! SO much easier!

Ingredients

• 5-6 cubes of frozen mango
• 5-6 cubes of frozen pineapple
• 1 banana cut in chunks
• 1 cup coconut water or coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut

Just blend the first 4 ingredients and top with shredded coconut!

And voila! You can also add some flax seed if you want to make it a little healthier. I would also try to use coconut milk next time to make it creamer, but I didn't have any in the house! And it is way too early to go to the store! 

Happy Pinning!

By Jennifer Shelton

Lemon Artichoke and Asparagus Pasta

I am not going to lie, I am starting to get lazy about cooking indoors. It is SO much easier to throw some grilled chicken or steak on the grill then messing up my clean kitchen. Also, my husband does the grilling so that leaves me time to set the table and maybe catch up on my blog reading! Haha! But, when it recently rained I feel guilty sending him out into the rain to grill. Which meant that I had to come up with a quick dinner for us.

The recipe for Lemon Artichoke and Asparagus Pasta I found via Pinterest but was originally on Creme De La Crumb. Speaking of which this is a great blog and love her recipes! I made a few tweaks to the recipe which I called out below. I highly recommend using Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper Pappardelle if you live near one. I also really like a lemon taste in my food so I increased the amount of lemon in the recipe. Depending on your love of lemon adjust accordingly!

This recipe takes about 20 minutes to make and is enough for 2 people and leftovers for lunch!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces bow tie pasta (I used Trader Joe's Lemon Pepper pappardelle) 
• 1 - 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed (I used Trader Joe's frozen artichokes)
• 12 asparagus spears chopped into 1 inch segments
• 1 tbsp lemon juice + 1 teaspoon lemon zest (I used juice of one lemon and zest of 1 lemon)
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced (I used 2 tablespoons - I LOVE garlic!!)
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• 2 cups milk or fat free half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• shaved parmesan

Directions: 

• Spray a large pan with cooking spray. Add artichoke hearts, lemon juice and lemon zest and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Add asparagus and cook another 2-4 minutes until tender, stirring throughout. Remove artichokes and asparagus with a slotted spoon and set aside. 
• Add butter and garlic to pan and stir for one minute until garlic is fragrant. Add flour and stir until mixture forms a ball or clump (you are basically making a roux). Slowly which in milk until mixture is smooth. 
• Add pasta and stir to coat. Stir in artichokes and asparagus. Season with salt and pepper to state and garnish with shaved parmesan cheese. 

Since I wasn't planning on making this for dinner originally I didn't have shrimp on hand, however next time I would totally add some grilled shrimp or possible some grilled chicken. 

The other thing I would add is some 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes with the butter and garlic. Only add the red pepper if you like a little spice with your meal!

Let me know your thoughts if you make this!

Happy Pinning!

Technique Tuesday - Salt Block Cooking

Last fall my husband and I stumbled upon The Spice and Tea Exchange in Charleston. We walked in and my husband saw these pink salt blocks and instantly started asking the salesperson a gazillion questions on what they were, how to use them, what to cook on them, etc. If you are going to be using your salt block on the grill you want to make sure that you buy a higher quality one that is thick. The thinner salt blocks are used for serving and won't withstand the heat of the grill over a long period of time. By the way these are super heavy so make sure if you purchase one it is your last stop on your shopping trip!

Needless to say we came home with one and it say in the closet for almost a year before we tried it out. Even though it did sit in the closet for almost a year, we did manage to buy a cookbook on Amazon to learn more about salt block cooking.

If you are going to invest in a salt block I definitely suggest the cookbook. Not so much for the recipes but more for the science and technique behind it! It was extremely helpful for us to reference while we were testing out the salt block.

A few key things to remember about cooking on a salt block that we learned from the book!

• PATIENCE IS KEY
• Heat cookware grade salt blocks only
• Slowly warm up the salt block
• Do not touch the salt block when heating and use proper hand protections
• Do not soak the salt block in water to clean
• Damp sponge and scrubbing will clean the block

So, the first thing to know about salt block cooking is patience. You have to gradually warm up the salt block in 15 minute increments. Starting with low flames and gradually increase. 

Also, when you are reading directions it says to heat to 300-500 degrees, the thing to remember this isn't the temperature inside the grill it is the actual salt block. Our book had a great tip to see if your salt block is hot enough and ready for food. Just in case you didn't have a infrared thermometer laying around! 

• Place your hand about 1.5 inches away from the salt block. If you can barely hold your hand there for 2 seconds then it is hot enough!!!

To prep the food make sure to spray your food with olive oil or the oil of your choice. For our first test we did Tuna Kebobs. Looking back we should have just done tuna steak since this was our first time experimenting with the block! The Tuna kebobs came out fine but we had to rotate on all four sides!

When the grill is hot enough and you can't hold your hand near the salt block you can place your meat on the salt block. Cooking times will vary based on what you are cooking. Depending on what you are cooking you might actually turn off the flames, or turn them down lower so not to overcook your food. This is another reason the cookbook can come in handy for direction on how long to cook your meats/fish!

Our meal came out excellent and we can't wait to try other recipes!! 

Other then that cooking on the salt block is super easy and no different then your grill. After we were done cooking we left the salt block on the grill overnight to cool. Remember this was heated to over 500 degrees so you want to make sure it is fully cooled before handling. 

To clean you can run under water and wipe with a paper towel. However, I am not going to lie that you really need to put some elbow grease into cleaning. 

Next time I am going to make sure I spray our food better so it doesn't adhere to the block. I am also going to attempt the first wipe/clean when it is cooling on the grill. 

Other salt block items you can buy our bowls (great for ceviche) and shot glasses (high quality tequila)!

I will definitely work on more recipes using the salt block but just wanted to share what I have learned!

Happy Pinning!

By Jennifer Shelton

Kale, Strawberry & Avocado Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Okay, I decided to limit myself to one salad recipe a week for the blog. There are just so many great recipes out there I can't help myself. Not to mention they are super simple and don't require hours in the kitchen. Today's recipe was inspired by Two Peas and Their Pod kale, strawberry & avocado salad with lemon poppy seed dressing recipe.

This salad is super simple and great for lunch as well! I had to stop myself from eating the entire bowl. 

Salad Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped kale
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup feta cheese

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey (I used agave)
• 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1/8 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper

Directions: 

• Put the kale in a large bowl and massage with a pinch of sea salt to soften. Massage until the leaves are darker and tender. 
• Add the salad ingredients and toss lightly. 
• In a small jar (I used a mason jar) add salad dressing ingredients and shake!
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat!

You can also add grilled chicken or shrimp to this salad as well! I just didn't have any chicken prepared!

Happy Pinning!
By Jennifer Shelton

Five on Friday - Anthropologie Tag Sale

Yes my friends, it is time for the semi-annual Anthropologie sale and my cart is beyond full. I decided to dedicate my Five on Friday to all my favorite items. These items are up to 50% off and going fast! I found an adorable textured tank dress for $39 and while I was shopping for the rest of my items it was sold out!! So act fast!

I need help trying to decide what is a must have verses nice to have. Here are five of my favorites that are must have items!! What are you thinking about getting?

one...

Chambray Circle Dress for $79.95

How adorable is this dress? You can wear it with espadrilles or flip flops. Not to mention all the fun summer jewelry you can wear with it.

two...
Speaking of fun summer jewelry how is this necklace only $29.95? This must be marked wrong. I am so obsessed with this necklace. The blue is perfect for spring/summer, love the gold and not to mention the sparkles. Definitely a must have.

Gilded Gerbera Bib Necklace for $29.95

three...

I don't know what it is but I love this blouse! I think it is perfect to wear with white or navy shorts, a pencil skirt, jeans, etc! I feel like I would get so much use out of it. I love the bright colors in the floral pattern

Sai Open Blouse for $29.95

four...
I love ruffles and can't get enough of them. And I especially love the ruffles in this shirt! Great casual shirt that would like great with some fun bright pink or red jewelry. I love the navy color but it also comes in orange, and solid ivory.

Tiered Ruffle Tee for $29.95

five...

Everything can't be for just me! I thought these stuffed animal bunnies are adorable for kids who have summer birthdays! They come in the color below, blue which is a boy bunny, and grey/yellow!

Beach Bunny Stuffed Animal for $14.95

Okay, this is just a sampling of what is in my cart. Let me know what else you find, just in case I missed something!

Happy Shopping!

By Jennifer Shelton

Raspberry Syrup and Raspberry Lime Rickey Recipes

Well, this Thursday Thirsty post is sponsored by the sale on raspberries at Harris Teeter last week. Haha! Not to mention I was looking for a way to make some Thirsty Thursday drinks and not have to start from scratch.

So I decided to make raspberry syrup and keep it in my fridge. This way I can add a tablespoon or two to my drinks or sparkling water. So refreshing and easy to do.

Raspberry Syrup Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup water
• 2/3 cup white sugar (I didn't say this was healthy!!)
• 1 cup raspberries (I used an entire pint!)

Instructions:

• Boil water and sugar in a sauce pan until sugar is dissolved (5-10 minutes)
• Take off heat and toss raspberries into the sauce pan, mash raspberries (I used a muddler), and let steep for 1 hour
• Drain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a container, and seal
• Make sure to keep this refrigerated!

So now that we have some yummy raspberry syrup time to make some cocktails! I made a pitcher of the Raspberry Lime Rickey recipe found on Pinterest to share with everyone. However, you can also make them as individual drinks. I included both measurements below.

Raspberry Lime Rickey Ingredients: 

• 12 ounces of raspberry syrup/2 tablespoons for individual
• Juice of 8 large limes/3 tablespoons for individual
• 32 ounces of club soda/8ounces for individual
• Garnish with raspberries and lime slices
• Add vodka if desired (1 shot per glass!)

I love my new mason jar lid covers my mother-in-law bought me! Great way to take my drinks on the road (obviously not the ones with alcohol!)

So the question is what other drinks do I make with my leftover raspberry syrup? Let me know your ideas! 

Happy Pinning!!
By Jennifer Shelton

Chicken Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Kiwi and Cashews in Honey Sesame Dressing

You can tell it is summer by the amount of salads I have been making for dinner. Obviously eating salads for the sole purpose of eating Ben & Jerry's after dinner. Or on a good night being able to go to the ice cream shop and get a Reese Pieces sundae!! I saw this recipe on the Food Network (not on Pinterest I know I know) for Chicken Spinach Salad with Strawberries, Kiwi and Cashews in Honey Sesame Dressing. I wasn't 100% sure about using chicken broth as a salad dressing. So I adapted the recipe slightly.

Since I had to cook the chicken anyway, I figured I would use the dressing they have listed as a marinade for my chicken (marinade recipe below).

Salad Ingredients:

• 6 cups baby spinach
• 1lb cubed cooked chicken (see chicken marinade recipe below)
• 1 cup hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
• 2 kiwis, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch think slices
• 1/2 cup salted dry-roasted cashews

Salad Dressing Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons honey mustard
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Arrange the spinach on salad plates or a bowl. Top with chicken, strawberries, kiwi slices and cashews. Drizzle dressing on top of salad. 

Chicken Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons honey mustard
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

I mixed all the ingredients in a shaker and then poured over chicken in a freezer bag. I let the chicken marinate for about an hour before taking it out to grill. 

A few things to note!

If you can't find toasted sesame oil at your local store, try Homegoods or TJ Maxx. Every so often I can go in there and pickup flavored oils or spices that my local grocery store doesn't carry.

And my new favorite find (courtesy of my mother-in-law) are these small chicken broth containers. They are perfect for cooking. I always feel like I waste so much chicken broth when recipes only call for 1 cup or 1/2 cup. I bought these at Fresh Market but I am sure you can find them anywhere.

By Jennifer Shelton

Environmental Working Group Website

I was recently at a Beautycounter Event and they mentioned a website called EWG.org which reviews household and beauty products for safety. Most importantly they go into depth about which products say they are organic and natural but really are filled with toxic substances. 

At the Beautycounter event they spoke about how their products are approved by EWG.org as well as statistics about how lax the FDA is about approving products that the UK and Europe won't approve. Definitely check out the Beautycounter website for more information. This event made me start to think about all the products I use on my body daily that might not be the best for me. One of which is sunscreen.

Since it is summertime and we are slathering on the sunscreen and I wanted to share the EWG.org ratings. I know I have been using the Coppertone Spray suntan lotion forever because of the ease, but not anymore! Spray sunscreens have inhalation risks according to the website. They also list what you should and shouldn't be looking for in your sunscreen. Which includes...

• No spray sunscreen

• No super-high SPFs

• No oxybenzone

• No retinyl palmitate

• No combined sunscreen/bug repellents

• No sunscreen powders or towelettes

• No tanning oils

So what does this all mean? On the EWG.org website they list 149 of the best sunscreens that you should be using on yourself and your children. A lot of the products listed are hard to find, but wanted to list a few that you can pickup at Target/Walmart or your pharmacy store. You can order the Beautycounter sunscreens via the link below.

The Honest Company Sunscreen SPF 30

California Baby Everyday/Year-Round Sunscreen SPF 30+ 

Beautycounter

Beautycounter Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Face Sunscreen

Definitely checkout the EWG.org website for more information on everything from sunscreens, to household cleaning products to makeup information. I also downloaded the app which allows me to scan my products before I buy them and see the ratings.
By Jennifer Shelton

Pasta with Spring Veggies and Soft Cooked Egg

So Miss Kate is back at it again! This recipe is making me drool (was that too much information)? When we lived in Boston we used to go to a restaurant called Stella and this recipe reminds me of their linguine with poached eggs and truffle oil.

This is a great spring dish. Its easy enough for a weeknight meal, but seems fancy enough for a date night at home. It uses some fresh spring veggies tossed with pasta and topped with a soft cooked egg, the yolk runs into the pasta and makes it that much better!

Ingredients: 

• 4oz Spaghetti
• 1 C Asparagus
• 1 C Snow Peas or Sugar Snap Peas
• 1 Small Zucchini
• 2TB Butter
• 1/2 C Parmesan Shredded
• 2 Eggs

Serves 2

Before I begin, I want to say I'm a big fan of mise en place, use it! It makes cooking much easier, a few minutes of prep work will save you headaches in the middle of the cooking process. My mise en place for this recipe...

Fill a large pasta pot with water, salt generously and bring to a boil. Also fill a small sauce pan or pot (just large enough to cook two eggs) with water and bring to boil.

While waiting for the water to boil, prep your veggies. Trim asparagus and cut into 2 inch pieces, trim the peas if necessary. Using a julienne peeler cut the zucchini into slices by going length-wise around the outer edge of the zucchini until you reach the seeds in the middle, discard that part.

Once the pasta water is boiling add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente, then add the asparagus and peas and cook for the last minute, reserve about a cup of pasta water then drain the pasta and veggies. 

In the smaller pot, reduce the water to a simmer and gently lower in the two eggs. Set a timer for  6 minutes and cook the egg for exactly 6 minutes. When done run under cold water immediately and set aside.

In a large skillet melt the butter and add about 1/4 C of the pasta water, then add the pasta and veggie mixture, along with the zucchini and Parmesan, stir to create a sauce adding more pasta liquid if necessary. Season with salt & pepper.

Turn off the heat but leave the pasta in the pan to stay warm and gently peel the soft cooked eggs, then divide the pasta among two bowls, top each with an egg, leaving it whole. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

Then serve, each person can break into the egg and mix the yolk into the pasta, yum!

Okay, I am off to Harris Teeter right now to go and buy these ingredients! I have some truffle salt that I have been dying to try and think I might sprinkle a little on top of this meal!

Happy Pinning!
By Kate Lindsey

Five on Friday - Father's Day!

WOO HOO Friday! It is hard to believe last time this week I was on the beach in Hilton Head. Time flies by. Today's Five on Friday is going to focus on my 5 favorites for Father's Day!

number 1
Men's Golf Polo Shirts, Golf Shorts and Golf Pants at Target! My husband is obsessed with his performance pants that he got at a sporting goods retailer. However, they are extremely pricey and I am forever washing the 2 pairs he has. He just bought a new pair of performance shorts the other day that were almost $70. I mean I am not one to judge on buying pricey clothing but I couldn't believe that he paid $70 for one pair of shorts. Not to mention he already got a stain on them that I can't get out!!

And then I was in Target the other day and they were having a sale on all their golf performance wear. All of the Champion Golf performance wear was 40% off (sale ends Saturday). SO if your husband/Dad or significant other plays golf definitely check out this sale today or tomorrow. I was able to get shirts for $11.99 and shorts/pants for $17.99. I may have gone a little overboard but for that price it is totally worth it. Did I mention these hardly wrinkle as well? 

Here are a few of the items I purchased!

C9 by Champion® Men's Advanced Driver Plaid 10" Golf Short

Men's Golf Polo Stripe

C9 By Champion® Men's Advanced Duo Dry® 10" Golf Short

number 2

For the almost Father! How cute is this idea? Making a Daddy survival kit for the hospital or changing diapers. This is a great gift for someone to give an expectant father. Not to mention it can' make a great shower gift for a Dad as well. 

Daddy To be Survival Kit

The book "Go the F To Sleep" is amazing if you haven't read it!We have definitely given this book to a few of my husbands friends who were having babies over the years. And as for music cd's for Dad check out the Rockabye Lullabies! I sometimes listen to this on my Pandora station. It takes pop/rock music and turns it into instrumentals for baby. Great way for baby to be introduced to your music! 

Rockabye Baby Michael Jackson

number 3

Free Father's Day printables. I love free printables if you haven't guessed. All you need is a printer and you can make tons of personalized gifts and items. These are great if you are having a BBQ on father's day or want something for your kids to make. I love the drink stirrers and the Dad bucks!

number 4

Let's talk about food. That is VERY important for Dad's. We need to make sure that they have a meal that is yummy on Father's day. I want to do something simple and something we can eat outdoors. A shrimp and crab boil is right up my alley! I have some shrimp spices I bought in Charleston last summer that I just found the other day in my cabinet. I will also aad some kielbasa or chorizo too the pot as well. I am not sure where you live but we have had the best corn on the cob the past few weeks in North Carolina. I am definitely going to buy extra because we are always fighting over the last piece!

number 5

Did you think I would forget about the adult beverages? I need to make sure to go to store and pickup some fun beers. I am a huge fan of the create your own six-pack at World Market. That way you can try a variety of new beers and not be committed to a whole 6 pack. 

Happy Pinning!
By Jennifer Shelton

Trader Joes Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate

Happy Thirsty Thursday! 

Today's Thirsty Thursday post is by Kate! She found the most amazing new product that I am OBSESSED with!

I don't know how long this product has been available, I just started going back to Trader Joe's. I love it there, and love that I have the time to get there! But anyway, I saw this coffee concentrate during one shopping trip and just had to try it. It is cold brewed with 100% Arabica beans and meant to be diluted with milk or water. It can be served hot or cold and is good for 30 days once you open the bottle. Its a great product for a quick coffee in the morning before the gym or an afternoon pick-me-up if you can't, or don't want to leave the house. 

I've been making it over ice with milk in a pint sized glass, I use 1/3 cup of the coffee, 1/3 cup of water and 1/4-1/3 cup of milk. The result is in between an iced coffee and an iced latte, try it! 

Let us know if you have tried this yet and your thoughts! 

Kate Spade Surprise Sale and Pinterest Fails!

First, let's talk about the most important thing! Kate Spade is having a secret sale up to 75% off. The sale ends tonight at midnight so if you are interested in buying something don't hesitate!!

Here are a few of my favorite items from the sale!

I am in desperate need of new makeup bags! Well not desperate but I need 2 makeup bags and I want them to match!!

Par Avion Small Natalie Bag $49

Par Avion Stripe Small Henrietta $29

Of course I need some jewels as well. I love this necklace with all the different colors.

Putting on the Ritz Graduated Necklace $99

And last but not least for my golfer friends they have these earrings! Kate Spade did an adorable golf line last year that I was always trying to get my golfer friends to buy the bags. Totally silly but not bad for $19!!

On Par Earrings

Also if you need a baby bag they have a few on sale for $139-$149. They are cute styles and perfect if you want something fun!

All righty, now that shopping is out of the way I saw this on Facebook and had to share. It is called "22 People who tried things on Pinterest and totally Nailed it" which was written by Smosh.com. I have been there so many times over the past few years. So remember not to get frustrated if something doesn't come out exactly like the Pinterest picture. Most of the time this is done by professionals, you have to learn from your mistakes and try again!

Haha! I love the cookie fails! This past Super Bowl I attempted to make football themed cookies and they ended up exactly like the snowman. And then I bought the colored frosting at Michael's and everything just poured all over the cookies. It looked like a 2 year old decorated these blobs. Don't worry although they weren't pretty they were still tasty!!

Would love to hear about your Pinterest fails! Send me your stories and pictures and I will share on the blog!

Happy Pinning!
By Jennifer Shelton