Saturday Snapshot:New Orleans Food

Because, let's be honest, food is a way of life in NOLA.  Respect must be paid.

From beignets to pralines, I don't think I've ever eaten so many sweets... and that's saying something!  Three kinds of butter served with dinner, beautiful desserts, seafood mac and cheese from Miss Linda, oysters, waffles as bread... the list goes on and on.  This is my last New Orleans post until I visit again, so I wanted to be sure and highlight all the good eats we had :)

DIY Tassel Sandals

I am loving the tassel trend!  So, I went on the hunt for some sandals with an ankle strap, and I lucked into a pair of $10 Ralph Lauren shoes from TJ Maxx.  I found a string of tassels at Michael's, and sewed them on!

It was so easy!  I made sure to run the needle between the two strips of leather that make up the strap.  This way, if I change my mind about the tassels, they can be removed with no noticeable damage.

What do you think?  What summer trends are you excited about?

Orzo Salad with Peas, Broccoli, Radish, and Havarti

I love a chilled pasta salad when the weather gets nice!  This tasty little dish is so easy to make, and it's full of great flavor.  The sweetness of the peas, the spicy pepper flavor of the radish, and the smooth havarti all blend together so well.  A little acidity from a champagne vinaigrette finishes it off perfectly!

You will need:

• 1/2 box orzo pasta, cooked and run under cold water
• 7 radishes, thinly chopped
• 1 small head of broccoli, broken into small florets
• 10 ounces sugar snap peas, shelled
• 5 slices of havarti cheese, thinly chopped

Mix all of your ingredients together in a large bowl.  Then, in a jar, combine 2 parts olive oil to 1 part champagne vinegar to make your dressing (we used 2 T olive oil and 1 T vinegar).  Shake well and pour over the salad.  Toss to evenly coat the salad.

Enjoy!  Best served outside ;)

What are your favorite summer foods?

Saturday Snapshot: Ruby Red

Okay, I have no idea what this is... but it's so cool looking!  Anyone able to help me ID it??

Beg, Borrow, Steal: Classic Shortbread

I don't know why, but shortbread has always been something that sort of intimidated me.  Something about the pretty shapes, the little holes, it just looked daunting!  Plus, it's so buttery and crumbly, that I figured it was a fine line between doing it right and ending up with a big old mess.

When I found this recipe for shortbread by Add a Pinch on Pinterest, I figured... okay.  I can try this.  And man, it was easy!  There are only four ingredients, and the hands-on time is super minimal.  I was able to do the dishes and get a workout in while I was making these!  The only thing that went "wrong" is how quickly I ate it all... #sorrynotsorry

If you are like me and have been scared to try your hand at shortbread, let me assure you: it couldn't be easier!  In fact, making this was so totally doable that I'll be using this recipe as a base for some fun shortbread flavor combinations.

Vodka Basil Gimlet

I love this time of year!  The weather is warmer, the breezes are beautiful, the trees are leafing out... It's perfect for a cocktail on the patio.  I am loving this drink right now.  The tart lime along with the fresh basil is a perfect compliment to some stoop sitting.

To make your own, you will need:

• 1 1/2 parts vodka
• 1 part Rose's lime juice
• 2-3 basil leaves per drink

Simply muddle one or two basil leaves at the bottom of a glass.  Top with ice, vodka, and lime juice.  Stir gently and garnish with a fresh leaf of basil.

What is your go-to summer drink?

Saturday Snapshot: Mother's Day Celebration

I wanted to share with you some of the other photos from our Mother's Day celebration.  We had my mom, dad, brother, and sister-in-law over for asparagus grilled pizza, salad, and cupcakes.  We all enjoyed the white wine sangria as well :)

I love this picture below- in it is a framed photo of my great-grandma, my grandma, and my mom.  It was taken in the greenhouse at my great-grandma's place.

My gift was a mother-daughter day of her choosing

I wanted to make the day special, so I dug up some old pictures with my mom and put them around.  I also decked out the table with multiple vases of flowers.  We had a really lovely time!

Me and my fur baby

Moscato Sangria Recipe

This was a tasty little concoction I made for our Mother's Day celebration.  It was super simple, and absolutely delicious!

You will need:

• Large bottle (1.5L) Barefoot Moscato
• 7Up or Sprite
• 2 cups green grapes
• 2 peaches
• 1 orange
• 1 blood orange

Chop up your oranges and peaches, and cut your grapes in half.  Add the cut fruit to a pitcher and top with moscato until the fruit just begins to float.  Let this sit in the fridge for 2-4 hours.  Then, when you are ready to serve, top with 7Up or Sprite.  Stir it up, and serve it up!

Seriously good.  Do you have a go-to sangria recipe?

DIY Cupcake Banner

Well, Mother's Day has come and gone, but this banner is too cute not to share.  And, you can make it work for any celebration!

You will need:

• Paper straw
• Embroidery floss
• Washi tape
• Paper
• Markers
• Scissors
• White glue

Cut your paper straw in half- this will be the stakes for your banner.  Then, unravel a length of embroidery floss.  Fold washi tape in half over the floss.  Use your scissors to cut a notch in the tape. You can repeat this process for the entire banner, or you can personalize it by cutting strip of paper the same length as the washi tape.  Fold the paper over the floss and write a letter or symbol on the paper.  Cut a notch in the paper, then use a dot of glue to secure.  Finish the banner off with two more washi flags.

Tie the ends of the embroidery floss  to the straws.  Then, simply place them in the tops of your cupcakes!  Such an easy way to add a custom touch to a celebration :)

How did you celebrate Mother's Day this year?

Saturday Snapshot: Dew Dusted Rose

Mom: The Gold Standard

I think most people would agree with me that moms are solid gold.  So, to celebrate that, I made this fun and shiny card.  To make your own, start with a plain card that you can layer paper over.  I like this for a few reasons.  1) you don't have to worry about cutting out a perfectly straight card, and 2) you can use up the old cards that you don't like anymore :)

Using some plain white paper, draw the outlines of the letters for MOM.  Cut them out, then overlap them slightly on a piece of gold foil paper.  Trace, then cut the letters out.  And, because one layer of gold is definitely not enough for Mom, put the gold letters on top of a piece of gold glitter paper.  Glue the layers down on the plain card and add a little message inside.  "You're the gold standard, Mom!"

What are your Mother's Day plans?  How do you plan on celebrating Mom this year?