Blackberry Smash

Hi, friends! It's been a hot minute and it seems like I have a mile long list of recipes to share. We are definitely living in some strange times right now but we are all making the most of it around here. I never mind a little slow down from time to time so for that, I am thankful. I know that we will look back on this time with memories of precious family moments. If anything, it's taught us how to enjoy the little moment each day that much more. Not to mention the doodle is loving having all of his people home all day every day right now. 

The world seems to be coming together in all kinds of ways right now and I'm loving seeing all of the new thing that people are making and new skills they are trying. I knew that I was going to go all in on quarantine cocktail hour and have been having tons of fun mixing and matching what I have in my liquor cabinet and coming up with new simple syrups and fresh mixers. If anything, we have had weather that has been beyond amazing the past month and a half, making happy hours on the patio extra festive. It's my favorite time of year to sit out there and the weather has just been perfect.

I have been missing my girls nights and happy hours at some of my favorite happy hour spots in Charlotte and was really craving a blueberry smash from The Summit Room! I pulled up the cocktail menu and with a little tweaking, was inspired to recreate my own with some fresh blackberries I had on hand. The result was SMASHING and I'll for sure be making this again. I love the refreshing taste of the club soda but for added sweetness, I think that ginger beer would be a tasty addition.

BLACKBERRY SMASH

2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. mint simple syrup
handful of fresh blackberrie
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 lime, juiced
club soda

In a cocktail glass, place 4-5 blackberries and muddle at the bottom of the glass. Top muddled blackberries with crushed ice  In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, simple syrup, lemon juice, lime juice, and ice. Shake shake shake! Pour over muddles blackberries and ice and top with a little club soda. Garnish with blackberries and lemon rind

SMOKED PAPRIKA COUSCOUS SALAD

This cous cous salad is having a major moment in our house this summer. I love the colors, the flavor, and the addition of paprika is just SO GOOD and unexpected. I've made this for a few Summer gatherings and it's been a huge hit. This recipe makes a ton and it is equally as delicious leftover. It makes the perfect side to chicken and fish, and can be served at room temperature which is great when you are trying to prep a meal for a crowd. This would even be good to make on a Sunday and eat for lunch for the week- just add some protein. 

Giada is one of my OGs and never steers me wrong. Her recipes are mostly effortless and with the right flavors and a few simple ingredients, you've got something restaurant worthy that everyone will love. I tweaked her original recipe a tad and am craving now as I type it out. I love the couscous, but you could easily swap out for quinoa, moroccan cous cous, or even orzo! The perfect Summer side that can take you well into Fall grilling.

SMOKED PAPRIKA COUS COUS SALAD
recipe adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis

DRESSING:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP white balsamic vinegar
1.5 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

COUSCOUS:
1 TBSP olive oil
1 1/3 cups Israeli couscous
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4-1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds (if I have them)
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves, chopped or whole
1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste

To make the dressing, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl and set aside to let the flavors marry.

For the couscous, heat oil over medium heat and add the couscous. Toast until golden, about 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups of water and salt and bring it all to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cover, simmering about 10 minutes or until the cousscous is cooked through and fluffy, and all of the water has been absorbed. Mix together the veggies, cous cous, and pour the dressing over the mixture, tossing it all together. 

BASIL JALAPENO SIMPLE SYRUP

I hope everyone had a great week! We are over here soaking up the last few weeks of Summer. Routine is nice, but I'm just not ready for the busy-ness that Fall and back to school season brings. Summertime is just the sweetest.

Patio happy hours are my favorite and our cocktail game has been pretty strong this summer if I do say so myself. If there is ever a spicy tequila drink on a restaurant's cocktail menu, I will almost always order it- and then try to recreate it at home! Restaurant menus are a great source of inspiration when looking for different flavors and Liquors to mix and match. I honestly like to keep it simple with just some good tequila, lime seltzer, and a wedge of lime most of the time, but there are other times that you just want a little something extra.

A friend of mine dropped off a TON of fresh basil from her garden. I made pesto, caprese, and more caprese, then saved out a handful for this simple syrup. Basil and jalapenos work so well alongside each other and this simple syrup provides the perfect backdrop to even the simplest of cocktail concoctions. The fresh jalapeno really stands out here, and even more so if you drop a few slices of fresh jalapeno in your drink! I love the spicy kick. 

If you can boil water, you can make simple syrup! Trust me here and have at it. Use this in a margarita, or just with a splash in a vodka soda. We made margaritas and they were a HUGE hit. So much flavor here and a perfect drink for Taco night- or any night of the week to be honest. Enjoy!

BASIL JALAPENO SIMPLE SYRUP

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

handful fresh basil leaves

1/2 sliced jalapeno 

Place sugar and water in a small saucepan on medium high heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and drop in the basil and jalapeno slices. Let this all steep until the syrup is completely cooled.

Once syrup is cooled, strain into a glass container. This will last in a sealed glass container for quite a while! 

BASIL JALAPENO MARGARITAS

2 oz. Tequila

1/2 oz. basil jalapeno simple syrup

lime seltzer water

lime juice

jalapeno slices + lime wedges for garnish

Prep your glass with a salt rim if desired. Fill glass with ice, tequila, and the simple syrup. Finish with a pour of seltzer and a splash of lime juice. Give it a quick stir and garnish with a lime wedge and a couple of jalapeno slices for heat.  

ZUCCHINI, CORN, + PESTO PIZZA

If you've been following along here for awhile, you know that most Friday nights are homemade pizza nights in our house! I perfected my dough recipe YEARS ago and the only thing I've changed since then is making the switch earlier this year to organic flour. Hear me out on this one- something about the organic flour makes the dough SO MUCH BETTER. I can't explain it, but it's worth the extra few dollars at the grocery store. Also worth investing in? A pizza stone! This makes all the difference when cooking a homemade pizza at home. You just cannot beat it. 

This pizza was inspired by one they serve at a local organic farm here in Charlotte. My friend raves about it and I decided to give it a whirl. Mark Moore was skeptical at first, but I made him a believer. Corn on a pizza may sound odd, but trust me on this one. The sweet kernels add a little something extra and I am here for it. 

I layered the pesto on this one and it was just heavenly. There is nothing like fresh homemade pesto in the Summer. I was out of walnuts and pine nuts, so I made a quick batch with just basil, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil and I think this is what I will do from now on when making pesto for pizza. It was lighter and fresher tasting to me and without the nuts, the basil really shines through. That intense basil flavor on this pizza is what makes it so good. (besides the little pops of sweet from the corn) If you wanted to add some meat, I think prosciutto would be amazing on this one! 

It's like Summer on a pizza. 

ZUCCHINI, CORN, +  PESTO PIZZA

For my homemade Neapolitan pizza dough, follow the recipe HERE

1 ear sweet corn, cooked and cut off the cob
Handful of zucchini "ribbons" (I used a veggie peeler and shaved about 1/2-1 cups worth!)
Pesto (store bought or homemade)
Shredded whole milk mozzarella

If you are using homemade dough, preheat oven with pizza stone inside to 500 degrees. Once the oven comes to 500, remove the pizza stone and immediately prep your pizza.

Roll out dough and place on preheated stone. Spread a layer of pesto and then a very thin layer of mozzarella. Top with zucchini ribbons and sprinkle on the fresh corn. Add another layer of mozzarella.

Bake for 8 minutes on 500, or until nice and melty and bubbly! Hit it with some red pepper flakes for heat. 

CAJUN GRILLED COD + SUMMER VEGGIE SAUTE

I will forever say that Summer cooking is the best kind of cooking. Everything is lighter and fresher and the colors make everything pop and look so pretty on a plate! The best kind of Summer meal in my mind is just picking up whatever is fresh in the produce section and grilling a good piece of fish or other meat. Done and done! 

This dinner is basically no recipe at all- my favorite kind of dinner to make! I was inspired by the fish special at one of our favorite beach spots last weekend (The Wild Olive) and decided to do my own take on it. These Summer veggies are my new favorite combo and the best part is that you can add whatever you like. Just a little garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper is all you need. The cherry tomatoes burst a little as they warm and make their own tasty sauce for another depth of flavor. I hit it all with a generous shake of red pepper flakes before serving- give me all the heat!! Wild caught Cod was on sale this week, but you could use whatever fish you like! I tried to tell my kids we were eating chicken, but they didn't buy it. We typically eat fish one night a week throughout the year, but the Summer is the best because you can always grill it! It's just so much better on the grill. For this dish, I put together a quick cajun rub and let it sit on the fish for about 15 minutes before Mark put it on the grill. 

Add this to your meal plan ASAP for the perfect weeknight Summer dinner! (you can even skip the fish and make these veggies as a side!)

CAJUN GRILLED COD + SUMMER VEGGIE SAUTE

Wild caught cod (I estimate about 1/2 lb. per adult)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. fresh okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 small zucchini, chopped
2 ears sweet corn, cooked and cut off the cob
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

CAJUN RUB-
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cumin

To prepare the fish, pour a little olive oil on top and brush all over. Rub with the cajun seasoning and let the fish sit for 10-15 minutes.

While the fish sits, chop veggies. In a large saute pan on medium heat, saute garlic and olive oil until the garlic is soft and fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add zucchini and okra and cook until the veggies become a little soft and toasty, about 8-10 minutes. Add in tomatoes and corn towards the end and wait for the tomatoes to get soft and a little saucy. Season with salt and pepper at the end to taste.

For the fish, grill for 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish you may need more time. When it's nice and flaky its done! You can also do in the oven at 400 for 15 minutes. 

Plate a big pile of veggies with the fish on top. Hit it all with some red pepper flakes if you like heat and a squeeze of lemon! 

GRAPEFRUIT + BLOOD ORANGE TEQUILA SPRITZ

It's about time we add another cocktail to the recipe files around here! Not even 9:00 on a Friday morning and I'm still chugging coffee with happy hour on the brain.

We've always loved making these Markaritas, but we have really gotten into Tequila over the past couple of years and love trying new types and brands. Many years ago, when Mark was reading tons of Paleo books, so many of them talked about how Tequila is one of the cleanest liquors that you can drink since it comes from a plant. "CLEAN DRINKING" I call it. Sign me up!  We drank margaritas together on our first date so this only seems fitting that this is what we really gravitate to! With the good tequilas, we love it with a splash of lime La Croix and a wedge of lime- it is really my favorite way to drink it. I LIKE TO TASTE THE TEQUILA.

This drink was inspired from my birthday dinner at one of our favorite Charlotte restaurants. It's refreshing and flavorful without being overly sweet. This Blood Orange Liqueur is a new favorite and a great one to have on hand. Just a splash adds a touch of sweetness and that bold blood orange taste. I cannot get enough of this Spritz. 

GRAPEFRUIT + BLOOD ORANGE TEQUILA SPRITZ

2 oz. Good Tequila 
1/2 oz. Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur
A few dashes of Orange Bitters 
Top off with Grapefruit Spindrift
Squeeze of fresh grapefruit + grapefruit wedge for garnish

I make these individually in the glass. Combine Tequila, Blood Orange Liqueur, and orange bitters and give it a little stir. Add ice and top off with Grapefruit Spindrift and a squeeze of fresh grapefruit. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge!

Cheers! Hope everyone enjoys the Summer sunshine this weekend! (and some tequila of course) For more cocktail inspo, you can follow me on Instagram (@ninanmoore) and check out the hashtag #DRINKMOORECOCKTAILS

TROPICAL SALSA

I love everything about Summer. The slow days and the late nights. The sun and the sand. Happy hours on the patio and even the HEAT. And give me all the fresh Summer produce. Summer is just the best. And so is Summer cooking! 

I've been hoarding all of my food pics on my phone with then intent of rapid fire posting this Summer because I have missed sharing on this little space. 

If there was ever an official salsa for Summer, this would be it! The original recipe comes from Tiffani Thiessen's Pull Up A Chair, but I tweaked it a bit and added some more spice! And because I was feeling EXTRA, I pulled up a YouTube video and taught myself how to cut out a pineapple and use it as a serving bowl. This salsa was a huge hit at a cookout two weeks ago and I think it's even better when it sits overnight! The flavors are insane and I will be making this on repeat for the rest of the Summer. Not to mention it's just so freaking pretty in this pineapple bowl! 

The best part about this is that all of the work is in the chopping and you just toss everything into a bowl. I honestly eyeballed the amounts here and just kind of added more of what I liked- like extra jalapenos for a kick! Scrape out the seeds if you don't like the heat, but I can't get enough. We are LOVING Late July Chips in our house. I picked them up for our Super Bowl nachos in the Winter and now they are the only chips I'll buy. The lime + sea salt ones are my personal fave. 

Now, whip this up for your next Summer shindig and while you're at it, teach yourself how to craft a pineapple bowl! 

TROPICAL SALSA
recipe adapted from Tiffani Thiessen

1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup seedless watermelon
1 cup diced mango
1 cup diced papaya
1/2 cup diced english cucumber
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1-2 jalapenos, finely diced
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1/2-1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 TBSP fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and let it sit and mingle for a few hours before serving. 

BACK IN BUSINESS + PRIME DAY COOKBOOK PICKS

Hello, beautiful people and HAPPY SUMMER!!! We are back in business in these parts. I've had this post here in draft mode for a few months now and am finally sitting down to finish it! 

Somewhere in between Halloween and Thanksgiving, my domain was up for its yearly renewal and instead of automatically renewing as it had in the past, my new card information wasn't on file and my little space was sitting in a weird in between space in the internet and I had a slight panic attack. Thanks to many hours on my end and to the wonderful customer service people on my new hosting site, I was able to get it all back and up and running again! I am thankful that the years on here were not lost and that I can pick back up where I started from. 

Summer is in full swing over here and I am loving it. It's nice to slow down and soak up the days with my little people and just go where the day takes us. I live for this time of year. We spent a week in the woods of Tennessee on our very first family camping trip with Mark's extended family and just as I predicted, the kids especially LOVED IT. It was definitely "glamping" and we made a lot of fun memories. Mark and I just spent a long weekend on Kiawah Island with good friends and it was the perfect adult getaway and recharge for the both of us. In between it all we've spent many days at the pool, playing with friends and just having fun. Oh! And Will turned 6! I don't even know how that happened but it did and he's just growing up much too fast. Kindergarten is just around the corner and if we're being honest, I'm having so many mixed feelings and feeling all of the emotions. 

Summer sales are in full force and I'm feeling that it's all increasingly oversaturated each passing year. How much more stuff do we really need!? BUT! If there's anything I can always get behind is adding cookbooks to my kitchen bookshelf. It's the last day of Amazon Prime day and with the code PRIMEBOOK19 you can get $5 off all print book purchases. Anytime I discover a new cookbook, I stick it in my Amazon cart and save for later. Here are a few I have in my cart now:

Tiffani Thiessen's Pull Up A Chair

Halfbaked Harvest

Salt Fat Acid Heat

Curate: Authentic Spanish Food from an American Kitchen

The Pretty Dish

Hope everyone is enjoying the sweet Summertime! 

The Great Pumpkin Beer Tasting of 2018

I've ignored this space for too long and am back with important things...like Pumpkin Beer! I couldn't let Pumpkin season go by without sharing our faves from this year's tasting.  90 degree weather we had right around the time Fall rolled around on the calendar, Mark and I still spent the first weekend of Fall trying all of these pictured here. Halloween has come and gone but I'm still here for all things Pumpkin. I'm just not ready to race into Christmas yet and we still have a full three weeks before Thanksgiving.

I want to rank these, but the truth is that they are all so different in their own way and I just don't think it's fair to compare. 

Left to Right--------->

As always, Foothills Pumpkin Ale with Spices (formerly known as Cottonwood Pumpkin Ale) is our go to pumpkin beer each season. This has been my favorite for many years and I always go back to it. It's extra delicious if you can ever find it on draft! With just the right amount of spice to pumpkin ratio, it's the perfect pumpkin beer! 

Sycamore's Gourd Have Mercy is a local favorite for me. It's extra delicious from a keg or on draft! It's not as spicy as other pumpkin beers, is slightly sweet and very smooth. It's also not a very heavy pumpkin beer which I love!

Southern Tier's Pumpking is always a crowd pleaser. These are potent little pumpkin ales but a true treat! It's that graham cracker crust buttery finish. SO GOOD.

Pumpkin Pie Porter from Deep River Brewing is a perfect cozy cold weather Fall beer. Think after dinner, around a fire pit type of beer. If you like darker beers, this one's for you. 

Post Road Pumpkin Ale is another solid one. It's nothing too complex or fancy and is an easy one to sip on. I would say it's a good intro to pumpkin beer, for those that may be skeptical of what the rage is all about.

This Pumpkin Latte Blonde Ale was a special edition from Sycamore and as soon as I saw it in the store I grabbed it as fast as I could because I knew it would go fast. It's light, slightly sweet and not as heavy on the coffee as you would think. I tasted more latte than pumpkin, but I really enjoy these blonde ales with coffee notes.

Lastly, the store didn't have any of this when I went to get our beer haul early in the season, so we didn't drink it during our official tasting. NODA Brewing's Gordgeous is AMAZING. It's always delicious but whatever they did to it this year is beyond and I can't get enough. I've stockpiled it in our outdoor fridge. As of Monday, my Harris Teeter is completely out and won't be getting anymore so I high tailed it to Total Wine and grabbed some more. If you have some in your fridge, consider it that you are housing an endangered species in there. 

Don't rush into the holiday season just yet- the pumpkin still deserves a few more weeks to shine. 

#CLTforCharlotte

If there's one thing that I will always love about blogging, it's the sense of community it brings. I started this little space almost 10 years ago which is crazy to think about! Social media and the internet can be a crazy place, but I have met some of my dearest friends through blogging and for that I'm forever thankful. 

I'm popping in today to share the story of my friend April's sweet little girl Charlotte in hopes to reach more people and share a few things we are doing around the city of Charlotte and beyond to help this wonderful family. 

Here's a quick snippet of Charlotte's story below:

Our Chari-girl. 💕 Many of you have followed along on our journey and know we’ve been desperately seeking answers for why Charlotte didn’t start walking and why we’ve seen other scary regressions lately. I wanted an answer so badly. Now I wish we didn’t have it. We are heartbroken to say we’ve received news that she has Leukodystrophy, which is incurable and terminal. I don’t even know what to say. We’ve been at the hospital since Monday afternoon. We have a group of angels as friends who have stepped in and set up a designated email address to manage for us requests that have been coming in of how to love on her during this excruciating time (robsonfamilyhelp at gmail). We are respectfully requesting for privacy at this time while we just love on Char and work on getting her home.

A post shared by April R. (@smidgeofthis) on Aug 3, 2018 at 5:53am PDT

A Go Fund Me has been set up for the Robson family to help with medical and any other unforeseen expenses during this time.

Additionally, we have some super cute tees with the CLTforCharlotte logo- I can't wait to see everyone around Charlotte and beyond wearing these. The t-shirt sales end THIS SATURDAY, August 18, 2018! We originally set the goal to sell 150 shirts but sales sky rocketed this weekend and now I'm thinking we can get to 500 or beyond! Just amazing.

CLICK HERE for Adult and Youth tees.

CLICK HERE for Toddler tees and Baby onesies

All the prayers and love to this sweet family.

Grilled Okra

We spent this past weekend in the mountains of North Carolina (Beech Mountain for you NC readers) and the air up there is just so refreshing! I spent 4 years in Boone for college but I never ever spent a Summer in the mountains and I almost wished I had. It's such a nice slow pace at this time of year and although it's still warm and Summery, it's just always extra crisp. 

I have simple meals on deck this week and as I was scrolling through my iPhone photos, this beautiful plate of grilled okra caught my eye and I had to share. If you're not grilling your okra, you're doing it wrong and if you're not eating okra? Well then you're doing it REALLY wrong. I do think that okra is mostly a texture thing and any aversion to it would have to be that but I have really grown to love this vegetable. Roasted, sauteed, fried- with grilled being my most favorite at all. It's a Summer staple in our house, especially since it's so easy to find fresh at this time of year. 

This isn't so much a recipe as it is a PSA to get yourself to a farmer's market or grocery store and grab a bunch of okra and throw it on the grill. I promise you it will change your relationship with this southern vegetable. 

A veggie grilling basket will change your grill game so if you don't have one, get on it! You can do all of your Summer vegetables this way and they always come out so good with SO MUCH FLAVOR. 

Grilled Okra

Fresh okra, washed and dried
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the okra by washing and drying it. You can remove the tops, but I always leave them on and they are fine to eat! 

In a large bowl, toss okra with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to a grilling basket/skillet and grill for 5-10 minutes, tossing frequently, until okra is charred and starting to get crispy. 

Grilled Lemon Salmon Kebabs

No better way to start off the week than with a healthy dinner recipe! My love for salmon knows no bounds and I'm always looking for fresh and new ways to prepare it. I LOVE grilling it in the Summer and getting that smokey grill flavor. Kebabs have been having a moment at our house, too. It's so easy to chop up a bunch of fresh ingredients, put them on a stick and throw it all on the grill. A one step meal that's delicous, healthy and doesn't take much prep time. 

These salmon kebabs are going straight to the top of my Summer favorites list. The flavor on the fish was INSANE from the grill as well as each piece being sandwiched between fresh lemon slices. Something about fish and lemon ALWAYS does it for me. I could be happy eating this as a meal every night this Summer. 

I found this recipe via Skinny Taste awhile ago and have been itching to make it. Also, how beautiful does the raw salmon and bright yellow lemon slices photograph!? These tasted as good as they looked. I tweaked the seasonings here a little and came up with my own spice rub for the salmon that was just perfect. It may sound strange, but don't forget to eat the lemons! This might be the best part of the meal.

I just can't stop thinking about these kebabs.

Lemon Salmon Kebabs

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 lb. boneless skinless wild salmon
2 lemons, thinly sliced
4-8 bamboo skewers 
Olive oil

Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before prepping your kebabs. I was able to fit all of my lemon and fish onto 4 skewers, and had them all pretty full. If you are serving more people, divide the fish and lemons amongst 8 skewers. 

In a small bowl, combine oregano, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, kosher salt and cracked pepper.

Cut salmon into 1 inch chunks. Beginning and ending with the salmon, thread salmon and folded lemon slices onto the skewers. Sprinkle evenly with the spice rub and add a little bit more salt and pepper on top as well. Drizzle with olive oil. 

If doing these on an outside grill, grill on medium-high heat for about 8-10 minutes, until fish is fully cooked through. Make sure you turn the skewers often. For a grill pan, grill on medium high heat, turning often and cooking until the fish is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. 

Strawberry Jalapeno Simple Syrup

We had a weekend cool- down and a few days that felt so nice, breezy and almost cool, but the hot weather is back. Truthfully, I LOVE IT. I'm a Summer girl for life and as muggy and hot as it gets here, I would take these days over gray snowy ones ANY DAY. When Fall rolls around I'll be all Pumpkin spice love yesssss the best time of year is around the corner but for now, I'm sticking with Summer.

I'm coming at you mid-week with a happy hour hack that's sure to make your 5pm cocktail a little bit sweeter...and easier! My friend April shared this simple syrup tip last week and I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner. Sure, simple syrup is simple enough on the stove, but why not make it simpler by making it in the microwave! Bonus points because you make it right in the mason jar so no need to transfer the mixture for fridge storage. That part is already done for you. I was shocked at how well this worked and how easy it was. Definitely a trick to have up your sleeve in a pinch or when you need a cocktail mixer for an impromptu night with friends.

The best part, is that you can totally add in any fruit and herb infusers that you have on hand which will allow you to get a little creative with your flavors! I did strawberries and jalapeno slices here and it was heavenly! This was extra delicious as a margarita mixer with some Tequila, lime juice seltzer and a splash of the syrup- and my sweet pregnant friend also enjoyed it in some orange la croix! Getting creative here, folks and you don't even have to enjoy this with alcohol. My other favorite way to enjoy a flavored simple syrup is with some Tito's vodka and Spindrift! PSA: If you grocery shop at Harris Teeter, Spindrift is BOGO this week and also $1 back on Ibotta! Not familiar with Ibotta? It's the easiest way to shop and get money back on things you are already buying at the grocery store. Sign up with my referral code HERE. (this is not sponsored! I just love using it, love getting cash back every few weeks and want to share with you all!)

 All you need is sugar, water, flavor infusers, a mason jar and 90 seconds in the microwave. Boom. And if you want to do this on the stove the old fashioned way, that works, too.

Whether you take a short cut or 

Strawberry Jalapeno Simple Syrup 

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced
2 strawberries, thinly sliced

In a mason jar, combine the water and sugar. Place in microwave for 90 seconds. If the sugar appears to have not fully dissolved yet, microwave in additional 15 second increments. As soon as no more sugar granules appear present, add in jalapeno and strawberry slices. Let the mixture come to room temperature. Strain out the berries and peppers if you like, or leave them in the mixture. Store in the refrigerator.

Italian Potato Salad

I love Summer eating, but what I don't love is feeling full and bloated and just blah from the heat and a big plate filled with ALL THE FOOD. There are so many fresh ingredients available to us in the Summer and along with that comes many ways to lighten it up any way that we can...so we can do things like have an extra glass of wine or save room for an ice cream sandwich, am I right!? It's all about balance, after all. 

Ditch the heavy mayo based salads and get on board with this super simple Italian style number. It's so much lighter than most potato salads with bright and fun colors that look pretty on any delicious spread. Parsley adds a green punch and it's unique flavor while red peppers offer some sweetness and new texture. I love the simplicity of this dish, using only olive oil as the dressing and letting the fresh herbs and veggies do the rest of the work. Leaving the skin on the potatoes is also a key step! Adds so much more. 

I grew up eating this and everytime I make it, it's a huge crowd pleaser. Not your typical potato salad and an unexpected twist on a cookout staple. I promise if you bring this along to your next get Summer get together, everyone will thank you. 


Italian Potato Salad

3-4 pounds of red skin potatoes, washed with the skin left on
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
big handful fresh parsley, chopped
2 roasted red peppers, cut into thin strips
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Wash and chop potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on how big your potatoes are. Boil until you can pierce them easily with a fork, but not so long that they are falling apart. 

While the potatoes cook, prep your onion, garlic, parsley and roasted red peppers. 

When the potatoes are done, drain and rinse with cool water and let them sit a few minutes to cool off. Cut them into smaller chunks and place into a bowl with the onion, garlic, parsley and roasted red peppers. Drizzle all over with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss it all together and adjust your salt, pepper and olive oil to your liking. Serve at room temperature. 

Happy 4th of July!

Stars and stripes forever! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday and Happy Birthday America! 

Friday Faves

A quick little edition of Friday faves to kick off the weekend and head into July! 

I need this Tequila Rose Spritz in my life ASAP. Rose is having a moment right now and I'm loving it more and more. Not going to lie though, the tequila is what sold me on this. Adding to my cocktail que! 

image via How Sweet Eats

These Buffalo Burgers from The Defined Dish were a great deviation from a basic grilled burger. I used lean ground beef and added some green onions to the meat as well. We ate them on top of arugula with caramelized onions and some roasted okra on the side! 

Image via The Defined Dish

I've never made it a secret that I love a good neutral nail color. I recently got this Orly color (Kiss the Bride) in a gel manicure for a wedding a few weekends ago and I'm in love! I grabbed a regular bottle of it immediately. This color is GOOD. 

Meet my afternoon dream team. This Starbucks iced coffee from the grocery store refrigerator section is all kinds of magic. I don't know what they put in it but I think it's a hundred times better than the iced coffee from an actual Starbucks store. I love it with a splash of half and half and lately have been adding a quick pour of the Trader Joe's Cold Brew Coconut for a little island flavor. Seriously the best.

These Beautycounter products have been game changers for my skin- especially the Cleansing Balm and Countermatch Sleep Recovery Cream. These are both SO GOOD. 

WE HAVE BLUEBERRIES! Our favorite neighbors moved and we transplanted their blueberry bush to our house. It's been moved twice now so I was a little worried about it but we've been getting a good handful of berries. It doesn't make up for all of the berries I buy at the store every week, but it's fun to have our own homegrown blueberries! 

Hope everyone enjoys another wonderful Summer weekend!