Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad

My grandmother's recipe for Macaroni Salad is SO good. Not sure if it's because I grew up eating it and I have so many memories associated with the taste or if it's just that good. I'm sharing this with you because it's a staple at every family holiday event, but it's good for any day eats. I've said plenty of times before that you should always substitute whole wheat pasta for regular pasta... today I'm going to tell you to not do that. I've tried it before and it completely changes the dish. This may not be the healthiest of dishes, but it's delicious and I'm not messing with my grandmother's recipe. So please enjoy.

Ingredients

1 cup macaroni, cooked

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon milk (I used reduced fat)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 hard boiled egg, chopped

1/4 cup celery, very finely chopped

Directions

1. In a large bowl stir together mayonnaise, milk; vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. 
2. Add macaroni, celery, and egg; toss to coat well. 
3. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Current Obsessions

So here these are the things I'm currently obsessing over. (1) The New Year is almost here (crazy, right?!) and it's almost time for a new planner. I have been lusting over this Kate Spade planner and just about every other planner with a cute pattern. (2) Casual tees spruced up with sparkle, glitter, and whatever else catches my eye. It's such a fun way to dress up a casual outfit. (3) This lotion smells divine and it seriously makes my hands silky smooth. I can't use it enough now that the weather is making my hands super dry. (4) I got the new iPhone last week, finally. I got a case with it, but it's not up to my standards so I've been searching for the perfect case. I love this one from J.Crew Factory. There are just so many to choose from! What are you obsessing over?

My obsessions and other options:

1. 2014 17-Month Agenda - Kate Spade
   2014 Large Agenda in Turquoise Let's Cha Cha - Lilly Pulitzer
   Design your own! - May Books
2. Beaded Sequin Front Tee - Loft
   Heritage Sequin-Sleeve Top - Banana Republic
   Sequin Embellished Tee - The Limited
3. Mineral Hand Cream - AHAVA
4. Violet Fuchsia phone case - J.Crew Factory
   Red Rose Fuchsia phone case - J.Crew Factory
   Saffiano phone case - Michael Kors
   Be Dazzling phone case - Kate Spade

Cranberry Honey Butter

J's family already had the entire Thanksgiving menu planned before I got to chat with them about it. Obviously I couldn't go empty handed and I didn't want to make double of anything. This butter was a great solution! It's so sweet and delicious. It goes perfectly with a slice of toast or a roll with dinner. It's extremely sweet so just add half of the honey if that's not your thing. Cranberries are ripe this time of year, but always make sure they're not overripe. Perfectly ripe cranberries are firm, bright red, and the insides are white to pink. They also bounce all over the counter! Not necessarily ideal for chopping, but fun nonetheless.

Ingredients

1 pound of unsalted butter

1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

1/2 cup honey

Zest of 1 orange

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Let butter sit out on the counter and come to room temperature. 
2. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl with a hand mixer until combined and smooth. 
3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Chip Nutella Cookies

These cookies are actually amazing. They take a long time to prepare and you have to make sure to plan your time well, but they are so worth it. I honestly am trying not to share them. These are definitely the kind of cookies you make to impress someone. Don't worry about using a stand mixer, I used a hand mixer and they turned out just fine. Maybe I shouldn't be stuffing my face with chocolate and nutella right before Thanksgiving... just kidding, who cares! These are my treat for eating well and keeping with my usual work out routine.

You can find the recipe here. If you don't have time to make brown butter, no worries! Just melt the butter and use it that way.

Spinach Cheese Pinwheels

These appetizers are so easy even your boyfriend can make them! J needed something to make for his office Thanksgiving party so I helped him prepare these and he baked them all by himself. Spinach and cheese is always a crowd pleasing combination. It looks like you put a ton of work into making these, but in reality it's simple and you won't have to worry about doing a million things to make one dish. Try making these as an appetizer for Thanksgiving, they won't disappoint.

Ingredients
Frozen puff pastry
10 oz package frozen spinach
1/2 cup Gruyere (or Gouda cheese)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon water
1 egg

Directions

1. Defrost one sheet of puff pastry and the package of frozen spinach. 
2. Shred Gruyere cheese. 
3. Squeeze out all the excess water from the defrosted spinach. 
4. In a bowl mix together both cheeses, spinach, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 
5. Whisk together egg and water. 
6. Flour your work space and roll out the puff pastry sheet into a 12 by 12 sheet. Brush egg wash over the entire puff pastry. 
7. Evenly distribute cheese and spinach mixture over the puff pastry leaving a small border without the mixture. 
8. Carefully roll the puff pastry and pinch the seal closed. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 
9. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
10. Take roll out of plastic wrap and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

Thanksgiving Attire

This Thanksgiving J and I are doing a double header. An early afternoon meal in Pennsylvania and a late dinner in Maryland. I started thinking early about what I wanted to wear on Thanksgiving, especially since we'll be traveling a bit and were seeing both of our families. I decided that since neither of our families do anything to upscale that a classic Thanksgiving look would be the way to go. I just bought a great Cable Knit Sweater and Pink Stone Flower Earrings from Loft that would be perfect. I will pair it with my favorite dark wash skinny jeans and knee high tan boots with a heel for a little something extra. Now all I have to do is prepare my favorite dishes!

Below are some of my other favorite looks for Thanksgiving (from Pinterest), there is a look for every family atmosphere.

Sweet Potato Cheese Fries

I love sweet potatoes. I buy them every week at the grocery store and there are so many different ways you can prepare them. I never get bored eating them. You can roast them whole, add sweet or savory toppings, roast them in chunks with rosemary, or make sweet potato fries. Adding a little cheese and bacon never hurt anyone, only makes life a little more delicious. Make these as an appetizer or as a simple side dish. I'll post more of my favorite sweet potato dishes soon!

Check back in next week for my grandmother's delicious Sweet Potato Casserole that is perfect for Thanksgiving. It's made with a hint of orange, cinnamon, brown sugar, and topped with toasty marshmallows.

Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
3 strips bacon, cooked, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Toss together sweet potato and olive oil. 
3. In a small bowl mix together salt, pepper, and spices. Mix in cornstarch with spices. Pour spice mixture over sweet potato and stir to combine. 
4. Place sweet potato on a lined baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. 
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Flip fries and increase heat to 425 degrees F. Bake for another 10 minutes. 
6. Sprinkle on cheese and bacon. Let melt, be careful not to burn. Remove from oven and enjoy.

DIY: Monogram Letter

It's time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. I love giving homemade gifts, they're thoughtful and fun to create. These monogram letters are simple, easy, and pretty. They're perfect for friends and look great hanging in your bedroom. The rhinestones are a girly touch that you can omit if needed. Also, if you can't find individual rhinestones, the ones that are attached are fine too. Just cut them to size - it's better to have them be too short than too long and hanging over the edge of the letter. Be creative with the letters! Use fun paint and rhinestone colors. You can't go wrong with these.

What you need: 

1. Wooden letter
2. White paint
3. Colored paint
4. Individual rhinestones
5. Ruler
6. Pencil

Instructions

Start by painting the wooden letter white. Don't forget to paint the edges. You may have to do two or three coats to get the white to be opaque. Let dry. Stencil stripes onto the letter using a ruler. Make the stripes the thickness of the ruler. Paint every other stripe the color of your choosing. Let dry. Add rhinestones along the line in between white and your other color. This hides imperfections and is super cute!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Yes, you read that right. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie. I always seem to have canned pumpkin left over from whatever pumpkin dessert I made that week and this is how I plan to always use my leftovers. This is such a delicious smoothie that is still healthy and fun for fall! I even added a little espresso to this smoothie when I was feeling down. If this recipe isn't sweet enough for you just blend in a little more honey until it's to your liking.

Ingredients
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp honey
3/4 cup vanilla soy milk
2 ice cubes

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until you reach desired consistency. Yum!

Shrimp & Avocado Salad

I was craving some shrimp this week so instead of throwing some into a pasta dish, I featured it in a salad. The ripe avocado and fresh cilantro make this salad refreshing. You can eat it with a fork or scoop it up with a tortilla chip (I like the latter). Here's why I like this salad in terms of nutrition - shrimp is low in fat, avocado has healthy fats, tomatoes have lycopene, and lime has vitamin C. Tortilla chips aren't exactly nutritious... but the key is everything in moderation. Look at the food label and try not to have more than one serving!

Ingredients

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deviened, and chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp of olive oil
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cook shrimp in a pan over medium heat until pink. 
2. Let cool, meanwhile add all other ingredients to a bowl and mix. When shrimp is cool, roughly chop and add to the rest of the ingredients. 
3. Serve with tortilla chips or eat as is.

NYC Road Trip

This weekend I went to New York City. The drive isn't terrible although four hours is still a good long drive. A lot of times it's just easier to throw on a pair of sweatpants and an old tee for the drive, but you don't have to sacrifice looking cute while traveling. Leggings should become your new best friend. They are comfortable and stretchy and still fashionable. Pair them with a striped shirt, chambray, a statement necklace, and some boots and you're set. These pieces are all staples in my closet and I know most of you have them too. Don't forget some good music and a latte to keep you going!

                                       

Looking for a new statement necklace? Here are my favorites for under $50:

Factory Layered Circle Necklace - J.Crew Factory

Factory Crown Petal Necklace - J.Crew Factory

Grey and Coral Faceted Necklace - Piperlime

Cushion Cut Stone Necklace - Ann Klein

(Another great place to look is a Loft Outlet store!)

New York City

In New York City this weekend one of my best friend's and I attended a workshop. Afterwards, we were able to walk around and go to a couple great restaurants. I've only been to New York a handful of times so it was great to spend a weekend there. There was even some amazing artwork around the city I had never seen before. For drinks and food after the workshop we went to Tiny's & the Bar Upstairs and then AOA Bar & Grill. Tiny's was actually tiny! But it was adorable and the decor was cute. At AOA I had some delicious mussels and a s'mores skillet to share, yum. I can't wait to go back for another trip sometime soon.

Bacon Mac & Cheese

Okay, so between the Crab & Artichoke Dip and this Bacon Mac & Cheese you could say I've been really craving cheese lately. But hey, that's totally fine! Like I've said before you can't just cut out everything. Moderation is key. This is even made with whole wheat pasta and reduced fat cheddar cheese so there's my excuse - a serving of whole grains. Sometimes I even add some broccoli to the mix after the cheese and bacon have melted together.

Ingredients
Box of whole wheat fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bacon, diced
2 cups half and half
1 cup reduced fat milk
2 cups reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup green onions, sliced

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook bacon in the pan and remove. Pour fat out of the pan. Let bacon cool a little then roughly chop. 
3. Place pan back on medium heat and add half and half and milk. Bring to a simmer for about 3 minutes until it reduces a little. Add cheddar cheese and chopped bacon. Stir to melt. 
4. Add pasta to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve and sprinkle green onions on top.

DIY: Pumpkin Place Cards

After going pumpkin picking on Sunday I sat down to make some fun decor pumpkins. The place card pumpkins are great for a small dinner party featuring some great fall foods (maybe some Butternut Squash Soup!) and friends. I got the idea for them from one of my favorites blogs. My way is a bit simpler and less expensive, all you need is some white and gold paint for a glittering pumpkin. With the larger pumpkins we picked up I painted them white, black, and silver for a more upscale front porch display.

What you need:

1. White paint
2. Gold paint
3. Paint brushes
4. Gold ribbon
5. Cardboard tag
6. Stamps or Sharpie

Instructions

Paint a layer of white onto the top half of the pumpkin including the stem. Let dry. Paint a layer of gold over the white. Let dry. Paint one more layer of gold onto the pumpkin. Let dry. While drying, cut a piece of ribbon for the bow. It can be any length depending on the size of your pumpkin. Stamp or write initials on the cardboard tag. Tie the ribbon around the stem on the pumpkin and add your tag.

Pumpkin Picking

This weekend J and I finally went pumpkin picking! It's one of my favorite fall activities and even though October is over (crazy, right) it's still totally appropriate to decorate with pumpkins. So we went to Clark's Elioak Farm is Ellicott City to see some cute animals and pick up some baby pumpkins. I'm so happy we went this weekend because we got the last of the warmer fall weather that is definitely gone today. Check back in tomorrow to see my pumpkin decor ideas - fun!

                 

Crab & Artichoke Dip

For the game yesterday I wanted to make something special. I generally don't make crab dip, but it's actually one of my favorite foods. If a restaurant has crab dip on the menu then I'm sold. The crab dip I made has way less calories and fat than any restaurant recipe would. It's still packed while flavor and you can feel like you're indulging.

Ingredients

8 oz light cream cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts
8 oz crab meat (preferably jumbo lump)
1 cup grated fontina cheese
1 cup grated asiago cheese
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
3 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon dill weed
Ciabatta bread

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 
2. Mix together cream cheese, mayo, and Greek yogurt until blended. Add lemon juice, artichokes, crab meat, and green onion. Stir in half the fontina and asiago cheese. Add Old Bay and dill weed. Make sure everything is mixed together. 
3. Add remaining cheese to the top in an even layer. 
4. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. 
5. Put crab dip under the broiler for 3 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden. Enjoy with pieces of ciabatta bread.