Wishlist

Its been so much fun redecorating/reorganizing my apartment- I found some really inspiring things at the antique store over the weekend, but I still have so much more on my wishlist. What a perfect time to link up to Love Stitched's wishlist post linky! I'll be linking up and sharing all (ok, just a small few) of my wants on my wishlist. A girl can dream, can't she?!?

Source: theglitterguide.tumblr.com via Emily on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Ali on Pinterest

Source: whatsforlunchhoney.net via Jelena on Pinterest

Source: lalipourie.blogspot.com via Jessie on Pinterest

Source: 1.bp.blogspot.com via Jen on Pinterest

Vacation to Sorrento, Italy... yes please!

Source: anthropologie.eu via Hannah on Pinterest

To wear on that vacation!

Source: target.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: brightbazaar.blogspot.com via Julie on Pinterest

*sigh*... i want to go shopping... but I just bought a Kindle so my budget's a little too tight for now. Oh, the pain :)

Have a wonderful day!

\

Inspiration Monday

Here's what's inspiring me this week!

Source: decordeprovence.blogspot.com via Rosalie on Pinterest

Source: rcartwrightdesign.com via Rosalie on Pinterest

Source: elephantsonthehorizon.tumblr.com via Rosalie on Pinterest

Source: oncewed.com via Luiza on Pinterest

Source: hea1thfirst.tumblr.com via Chavah on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Tracey on Pinterest

Cake: Or How I Impressed Everyone I Work With

I am so excited that one of my friends from my church at school is getting married this weekend and I was so thrilled when she asked me to make a regular sized cake to help out with their reception. The biggest problem I had with that was deciding which cake recipe to try! 

And it didn't take me long to decide on this Chocolate Blackberry Cake from Always with Butter. 

This cake was AMAZING. The chocolatey cake part was moist, the filling was rich and delicious, and the chocolate marshmallow frosting was unexpected and perfect for the cake. Although I'm not sure why it looks like there was no center and the filling isn't showing up, but it was there and it was fantastic.

And, like a good cook, I just couldn't serve anything that I hadn't made before, so I used it as an excuse to bake up a tester for my co-workers. 

Everyone raved about it and I've been getting compliments all week on it. Yay! I have a place to take all of my baking now- living alone is so difficult when you want to bake up something yummy and not eating all of it!

But other than my baking a cake (and checking off one of my to-do's for the year: bake and decorate a cake- frosting is more difficult than I really want to deal with on a regular basis), I've been doing a lot of the same thing for dinner:

Start: Rice

Then, add veggies

Then, add protein.

Eat and repeat! I really love eating my meals in bowls- I'm not sure why, but it just makes some elements feel more cohesive. 

How has your summer routine shaped up? Mine's still crazy, but I've at least got dinner basics handled! Have a great weekend! 

Technical Issues

I really think that today's post was slated for disaster- my internet decided to take a nice, long break this afternoon when I sat down to write and then, when I went back to it in the evening, I couldn't find my camera connector cord. I know its somewhere, so I will be able to post later today (fingers crossed). 

Despite all of that, I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing summer day (as I head off to my crazy-busy-great internship!). I'll be back later!

Inspiration Monday

Sorry I've been MIA... its taking longer to get into the swing of things this summer than I realized. I promise I'll be blogging more regularly! I think this week will be better for my time management- its only taken a month to get used to working all day and cooking dinner and relaxing! Yay for a real world job- but I'm glad I still have one more year of college life to enjoy the more laid-back schedule!

Here's what's inspiring me this week!

Source: bumpsmitten.com via Rosalie on Pinterest

Vintage balloon party

Source: centsationalgirl.com via Rebecca on Pinterest

Herb garden planter

Source: noemimounier.tumblr.com via Rosalie on Pinterest

Source: blackeiffel.blogspot.com via Tracey on Pinterest

Picnic party

Source: google.com via Michelle on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Nandita on Pinterest

Heirloom tomatoes

Source: kokocooks.blogspot.com via Carissa on Pinterest

Strawberry mojitos

201st Post: My Own Smores

So Monday's post was my 200th post... oops! I forgot to mark it as something special!

So I've got something better: personal smores under the broiler. And it was sooooo delicious.

First: gather 1 dark chocolate candy bar (will make 2 smores), 1 graham cracker (or 2 squares) per serving and a bag of mini marshmallows. Also grab an individual baking dish. I used my mini gratin dish from Le Creuset. 

Crumble the graham crackers and put in the bottom of the buttered dish.  Then add the chocolate and place your preferred number of marshmallows on top.

Then, broil for 5-8 minutes on high, with the door slightly opened and watch for the marshmallows to brown on top.

When the marshmallows are browned, pull the dish out.  While still warm, smash the marshmallow into the graham crackers and chocolate and enjoy!

It really satisfied my craving for smores and had very few calories to boot! 80 for the chocolate (half the bar), 65 for the graham crackers and 50 calories the marshmallows. Extra delicious.

Yum.... I'm craving another one right now! I hope you try this- maybe after your dinner is done in the oven, you should stick it in and take advantage of the leftover heat. Just broil a little to brown the tops and it'll also be delicious.

Well, I think that'll satisfy my smores craving (for now). Have a wonderful day!

Inspiration Monday

More inspiration for this lovely, warm week!

Source: oncewed.com via Joy on Pinterest

Source: shabby-chic-charming.blogspot.com via Rosalie on Pinterest

Source: thepartydress.net via Nandita on Pinterest

Source: blog.craftzine.com via Carissa on Pinterest

Source: forkspoonnknife.com via Julie on Pinterest

Peach Cardamom Buckle

Source: style-files.com via Julie on Pinterest

Farmer's Stand Inspiration

I'm so lucky to be in a town that values farmers and fresh food!

On my way to dinner with my mom, brother and boyfriend last week, we noticed the farmer's stand that the city opened a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't wait to go back after they left for some inspiration.

And I'm so glad I did. Its open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, while the larger farmer's market is open on Wednesday and Saturday. *I'm in heaven*

I'm in the process of making some refrigerator bread and butter pickles (more later today when they're done) and whipped up some sauteed yellow wax beans. They just looked so pretty that I couldn't resist!

And some pretty pictures of details in the downtown area. I'm really enjoying exploring my new home for the summer! And I CAN'T WAIT! for the farmer's market Saturday. 

What are your favorite dishes inspired by fresh ingredients?

Smores!

I am kind of addicted to smores. Hard core. They remind me of childhood- although I'm not sure who decided smores should be summer food because its TOO DARN HOT to make a fire in the South in the summer to roast them! Here are some ideas I've found on recreating the smores experience in a different way!

(I'm waiting to show you what I've actually done in the kitchen because its in hibernation in the fridge for 48 hours!)

Source: bakingblonde.blogspot.com via Julie on Pinterest

Smores bars

Source: une-deuxsenses.blogspot.com via Julie on Pinterest

Smores Oatmal- more dessert than breakfast, but why not eat dessert for breakfast?

Source: justjennrecipes.com via Julie on Pinterest

"smores" trooper cupcakes... hehe

Source: keepitsimplefoods.com via Julie on Pinterest

Campfire cookies

Source: thesweetestoccasion.com via Julie on Pinterest

Smores cake

Source: ellesnewenglandkitchen.com via Julie on Pinterest

Chocolate smores muffins

Do you have any food obsessions?! Let me know! I think its fascinating how people are turning old favorites into new items to cherish and love. And I just love smores, so any way I can get them, I'm interested in!