Let's Talk Salad

With Charlotte's hot humid days the last thing I want to do is stand over a stove to cook dinner.  I'm thinking a nice crisp salad sounds perfect!

There are so many ways to make a salad.  I can come up with thousands of different combinations of veggies and fruit that are perfect together.  But when I think of the Mac Daddy of all salads I always come back to the 1905 Salad by The Columbia Restaurant.

I can guarantee this salad will fill up even the manliest man! :)

 
Recipe modified from Columbia Restaurant


Salad Ingredients

4 cups iceberg lettuce, broken into 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" pieces
1 ripe tomato, cut into eighths
1/2 cup baked turkey, julienned 2" × ⅛"
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, julienne 2" × ⅛"
“1905” Dressing (see recipe below)
1/2 cup Romano cheese, grated
2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 lemon

Preparation

Combine lettuce, tomato, turkey, and Swiss cheese in a large salad bowl. Before serving, add “1905” Dressing, Romano cheese, Worcestershire, and the juice of 1 lemon. Toss well and serve immediately. Makes 2 main course salads or 4 side salads.

“1905” Dressing

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin Spanish olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
⅛ cup white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Salad Dressing Preparation

Mix olive oil, garlic, and oregano in a bowl with a wire whisk. Stir in vinegar, gradually beating to form an emulsion, and then season with salt and pepper. For best results, prepare 1 to 2 days in advance and refrigerate.  

Cookouts Watermelon Milkshake Redo

July through August, my favorite time of the year.  Yes I absolutely love summer.  The hot weather, beaches, summer clothes, bright colors... and the list goes on.  But from July 1st until the last day in August, Cookout has there famous watermelon milkshakes!!  OK so I'm with you if you have never had the watermelon milkshake and you just hear the name you're thinking watermelon plus milk.. umm no thanks I think I'll pass on that one!  But trust me it's Heaven in your mouth.  Once the weather is hot enough for it to be considered summer here in North Carolina and that happens around May I start my count down until July 1st.  Then when I pick out my first watermelon of the year at the local farmers market I start my count down again... I just can't stop thinking about when Cookout will finally have the watermelon milkshake!! 

So it's June and I really don't think I can make it one more month.  I started looking around on the Internet for different watermelon milkshake / smoothie recipes.  I decided if I'm going to try one at home that mine will be just as delicious but I'm going to give it a healthy twist.  I found a few recipes, combined and put my twist on them.  It's creamy, it's refreshing, it's healthy, it's bright, and it just screams SUMMER!!

It's also vegan friendly :) :)

On to the recipe:


Watermelon Milkshake

Servings: 2

2 cups fresh seedless watermelon
1 single serving of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt (I used the Dannon Oikos. I think it was about 5oz)
2 Truvia packets
1/4 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk
2 handfuls of ice cubes

Place the yogurt, watermelon, sugar, milk, and ice in blender and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.  Then add a few more pieces of the watermelon and blend only about 10 seconds.  This will give you chunks of fruit in the milkshake.  Pour into a tall glass and enjoy!

This milkshake is just the right thing for a summer evening!


Side Note:
You can use plain yogurt but your results will not be as creamy.
You can also substitute regular milk for the almond milk.  But why would you when almond milk taste great, has way less calories, and is so much better for you??



 Hope y'all enjoy!!!

Girl About Town

I have fallen in love.  It happened fast and might only be a Summer fling but it's still defiantly true love.....

Saturday I hit the mall needing to stock up on some of my MAC favorites.  I do the recycling program there which you should be doing too if you're not already!  If you aren't familiar with MAC (who isn't?) every time you use six of their products up instead of throwing them away you turn them back in.  Your six empty makeup containers score you a free lipstick of your choice.  How sweet is that????  I go through six pretty fast since I use their mascara everyday of my life.  Even if I'm having a no makeup day which I try to do once a week I always need that little bit of mascara.  But back to your free lipstick!  How wonderful is that?  It's a great way to try out new colors that you normally would never buy for yourself.  So I'm standing at the MAC counter lusting over everything there... I know it's bad but I just love MAC makeup.... anyways I'm picking out color after color asking the hubby what do you think of this one?  Finally I narrow it down to a coral color and a pink color.  The hubby says the pink is brighter then anything I have, so I go with it.  As soon as we leave the counter I pull out my little wallet mirror and apply.  It's love at first sight!  Bold, vibrant, luscious, hot pink!!!  If you do not own this little tube of Girl About Town stop what you're doing and go buy it!  The hubby complemented my new pink kissers multiple times that day so did everyone else.  I'm in love with Girl About Town.

This color looks so good on so many different people!  Here are few celebs just to show it off...





Beyonce Knowles

Kim Kardashian

Sandra Bullock

 Ashley Greene

I was asked how long this color will stay true on your lips.  Well I woke up the next morning after washing my face the night before with pink lips.  So I hope that helps show you the staying power of MAC.

 

Me in my new summer love lipcolor Girl About Town by MAC

humming bird

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful mothers out there today!!!

I got to spend Saturday grilling out with the family to celebrate my beautiful mother!  It was a nice relaxing day which was much needed.  We have been in the process of moving this past month.  Note the lack of blog post :(  .  But we are here in our first home together now yay!!!  And things are starting to get settled in.  Except the mishap of our living room furniture not being finished yet... just let me say doing a custom design and the place running out of fabric just a few days before your move in is not ideal!  But that's another post entirely.  And once I get around to taking some pictures I'll post them!

So for Mother's Day I wanted to find a special dessert recipe to fix.  I love finding and trying out new desserts.  I have the biggest sweet tooth ever.. thanks papaw and mom!!  I blame it on them for passing it down to me.  No matter how full I am or how healthy I try to eat I always fall surrender to sweets.  I get cravings and nothing can satisfy me until I get it!  I swear I would be 10 pounds lighter if I didn't consume sugar.  During the week I try not to have any sugar or white flour what so ever, I'm a strong south beach diet follower.  But on the weekends that's my cheat days ;)  so bring on the sweets!! 

While searching the Internet I came across a recipe for a hummingbird cake.  I've never had a hummingbird cake but reading through the ingredient list it all sounded very yummy.  So after doing some research on different varieties I decided on a Paula Deen recipe.  Her desserts never seem to fail.

Hummingbird cake is a Southern layer cake said to have gotten it's name because each bite makes you hum with delight. :)  The hummingbird cake was first published in Southern Living Magazine in the February 1978 issue, submitted by a Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, N.C.

Ingredients

• For the cake

  • Nonstick vegetable spray
  • All-purpose flour, for pans
  • 3 cups self-rising flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 2 very ripe large bananas, mashed
  • 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, with juice
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 large eggs, beaten

• For the frosting

  • 1 pound (1 box) confectioners' sugar
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk, or more if needed
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.
2. Prepare the cake; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pecans, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon, and eggs.
3. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes.
4. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
5. Prepare the frosting; in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer also works, combine sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk on medium speed until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve the proper spreading consistency.  I added around 3.
6. Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate. Place the first layer on the cake plate. Spread the top of the first layer with 1/4 of the frosting. Place the second layer on top and repeat process with another 1/4 of the frosting. Place the remaining layer on top of the second layer bottom side up. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with pecans. Remove parchment paper strips; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!  This cake is defiantly a keeper in our family.  Everyone loved it!!

Happy Mother's Day also to my mother and best friend!!

My Top Summer Beauty Products!

Bikini?  Check.  Cute beach bag?  Check.  Flip flops?  Check.  Everything you need to look H-O-T this summer right?  Except your beauty must haves to make you glow from head to toe!  Summer beauty products are already in stores and these are the ones I spend my hard-earned cash for.

My Top Summer Beauty Picks:

Nars Blush in Orgasm

This blush has became my favorite summer blush.  It has a golden peachy pink tone and the perfect amount of shimmer.

Kim Kardashian wearing Orgasm.

Smashbox Photo Finish primer

I love this primer and wear it daily.  It's oil free so it keeps your t-zone shine free and makeup in place on those hot humid days.

Mac Sheen Supreme Lipglass in Mangosheen

I actually just found this lovely lipglass by Mac this past weekend, it came out March 1st.  I apply it before work touch up once on my lunch break and have pretty pink kissers all day long.  I love this stuff!!  By the way it's a limited edition so stock up!!

 

Luster Now!  Instant Whitening Toothpaste

Blue toothpaste that makes my teeth several shades whiter with one use?  Yes it's not to good to be true it's Luster Now!  This toothpaste contains a technology that creates the optical effect of whiter teeth that last for several hours.  Fights stains and makes teeth permanently whiter over time.  I use this and make the hubby use it and it truly works!  Great before pictures or a night out!

Mac Haute and Naughty Mascara

This is my all time favorite mascara.  It makes lashes extremely fuller and longer.  I layer three coats and it looks like I've applied fake lashes.  Love this stuff!!!

Maybelline Great Lash waterproof mascara in Very Black

OK so I can't wear my Haute and Naughty Mascara to the beach, but I can sport Maybelline's Great Lash and look almost as good.  This mascara will not run or bleed even after swims in the ocean!

Sephora by OPI nail colour in High Maintenance

Shades of coral are every where this season and this is one of my favorites!  High Maintenance is an opaque bright orange red.

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch sunblock SPF 30

In aesthetic school I learned that anything above a SPF 30 the increased sun protection is only minimal.  So I always pick a 30 block for my face.  I'm a sun lover but I do NOT want any more freckles on my nose!  This oil free block is perfect all summer long.

Jergens Natural Glow Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer

Even when applied haphazardly, the color looks natural, with no streaks or stained palms.  I use this product year round every other day.   And it doesn't smell bad!  Available in Fair to Medium and Medium to Tan.

What's your must have summer beauty product?

     

Creamy Grape Salad

This is one of my all time favorite summer desserts.  Every time I make this recipe and take it anywhere everyone loves it and ask how to make it.  It is so light and creamy and with the crisp grapes and crunchy walnuts you can't go wrong.  I was first introducted to grape salad when I met Justin's family for the first time.  His grandparents live on the lake and were cooking out.  His grandmother had made grape salad and served it in small plastic cups.  The first time I tasted it I was in love!  Needless to say there wasn't any to take home that day.  There never is anywhere you take this dessert.  I later called and asked for the recipe.  Now I make it for my family, for my friends, and for my work family.  Everyone loves it!

I have altered the original family recipe to make it a healthy dessert.  And being completely honest you can not tell!!  I love this dessert and every time I make it I probably eat way to much so I had to lighten it up some how!!  Not to mention summer time means less clothes which means everything you eat can show!!  The first time I decided I was going to alter the recipe I made sure not to tell my hubby.  I knew this would be the real test!  As I fed it off of my spoon to him I was holding my breath waiting on him to say what did you do to this?  Haha good thing for me he didn't say a word!!  Except Mmmm!!!  I have told a select few that I've made this into a healthy recipe, but for the others who wouldn't take that to well... well they never have to know!  You really can not tell it has less then half the calories of the original!

Now that my mouth is watering thinking about my grape salad here it is:

The ingredients:

8oz reduced fat cream cheese

8oz Greek fat free plain yogurt

1/2 cup of Truvia Baking Blend

1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract

1 lb. green grapes

1 lb. red grapes

Walnuts- enough to cover the top

The recipe:

1. Take the room temperature cream cheese and using a hand held mixer beat with Greek yogurt, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.

2.  Stir in your washed and dried grapes.

3.  Cover with walnuts.

How easy was that?!?

The original grape salad recipe calls for 8oz regular cream cheese, 8 oz sour cream, and 1 cup of sugar.  Everything else is exactly the same.  But trust me you will love the lighter version just as much!



If you are taking this to a BBQ or a summer time get together this is perfect.  If you are serving at home or want to be fancier try placing in small clear glasses. 

Hope you guys enjoy this grape salad as much as my family does!!!

   

Spring Break

Spring Break Love

Spring Break is here!  Whether your plans include lounging by the pool or heading to a lush tropical destination for Spring break your bikini is the most important item you'll be sporting.  This seasons palette for 2012 is bright, sunny, and chic.  From coral to animal print to the classic white suit, it's all in this season!  Before purchasing your perfect spring break swimwear you should get familiarized with the swimwear trends of 2012 so you make sure you make the right decision ladies!!

Colors

Cobalt Blue suit by Caffe Bikini 

Coral suit by LUXE

Citrus Green suit by Victoria Secret

Orange suit by Nicolita 

Fuchsia suit by Victoria Secret

Aqua suit by L*Space

Patterns

Animal Print suit by Mara Hoffman

The White suit by diNelia Brazil

Black & White Drama suit by Meriell Swimwear

Tribal suit by Buenos Aires

With all of the sexy suites this season the fringe is in!  Normally we see fringe as embellishments on hobo bags or at the ends of boho chic shirts, but hey why not on a bathing suit top?!

Summer is right around the corner do you have your bathing suit yet?  What's your favorite style this year?

Cocktail Friday

It's that time again and I could really use a drink!!  It seems like the week is so long and then the weekend is over before we know it!  This weekend will be filled with furniture shopping for us.  We found out our closing date this week... APRIL 27th!!!  I have just a little over a month to get everything done I already feel so overwhelmed!  So to give you guys that don't know me a little background me and the hubs are building our first house together!!  We have lived in an apartment for almost five years now and have out grown it about 4 1/2 years ago!  I can't wait to have four count them four walk in closets and a beautiful kitchen to cook in!!  I'm beyond excited if you can't tell.  Now on to our cocktail of the week! ;)

I'm a big wino!  I love wine tastings.  Saturdays in the spring and summer are my favorites when me and hubby get in the car and drive to a few different vineyards.  We are blessed to live in the beautiful state of North Carolina.  North Carolina is one of the top producing wine states in the country!  We have the beautiful Yadkin valley wine trail that has numerous vineyards scattered along the way.  During the warmer months I like wine that is more fruity and light tasting then a robust red.  Riesling, Moscato, and a stainless steel Chardonnay are my go to whites.  Warmer weather also means bikini season will be here soon so I have to watch what I'm eating and drinking.  Alcohol can really add the calories on!!  Wine spritzers are the perfect solution.  You get your glass of wine but with half the calories! 

I'm a big fan of almost all wine spritzers.  Today I decided to make a raspberry lime Moscato spritzer!  Since raspberries were on sale at Harris Teeter and all. :) 

Yum!  I absolutely love the colors of this spritzer and how it's bubbly!!! 

Raspberry Lime Moscato Wine Spritzer

Ingredients:

4-5 raspberries

2 slices of fresh lime

1/2 cup Moscato

1/2 cup Sprite Zero

Ice

Directions:

Lightly muddle 4 of the raspberries in bottom of glass.  Just enough to break the raspberries up. 

Add ice and pour wine over top

Top with Sprite and a lime slice

Garnish with the left over raspberry and lime slice.

Enjoy!

Happy Friday Yall!!!  Until next time :)

xoxoxo

Beth



Can you pass the pencil test?

Late one night after the hubby is passed out on the couch I see an infomercial come on for a workout video.  Now I'm not one for at home workout videos.  They just don't motivate me.  At the gym other people are watching you if you slack off or don't have proper form.  At home it's just Sophie (our lhasapoo).  But when Leandro Carvalho comes on with his thick sexy Brazilian accent and he says he trains Victoria Secerets models... come on now who doesn't starve themselves after watching the VS fashion show every year!!  Ok maybe we don't go that far but I think most women would agree their bodies are insane!  They always look airburshed perfect!  I'm a big fan of Adriana Lima personaly I think she is the most beautiful women I've ever seen!  But back to the video.  Carvalho is dancing around and has such magnetic energy you can't help but watch him.  He is telling me how he can change my body, how I can have the same butt as the women of Rio de Janeiro!!  I'm hooked!  Ok ok so maybe I want to belive any workout, skin care, or makeup product that says it's going to work miracles!  But don't we all as women??

Before and after picture from the Beach Body website.




A week later my package arives!!!  Videos, meal plans, resistant bands, workout cards, measuring tape.. it has it all.  So the first step is to weigh in and take measurements.  I'm a little addicted to weighing myself if I tell the truth.  I weigh in almost every morning as motivation.  If I've had good or bad days the scale doesn't lie.  After I get everything written down it says to take the pencil test.  Pencil test?  Ok so you take a pencil it's included by the way and stick it under your tush.  If the pencil falls you pass!!  If the pencil stays in place you fail :(  You do this again on day two and day thirty.  The goal is to have a lifted, rounder, tighter tush by the end.

Carvalho keeps you motivated the entire video.  It's hard to cheat with him!!  As I'm sweating my tushy off and I really just need to stop and take a breather he keeps telling me in that sexy, energetic Brazilian accent you're only cheating yourself!!  Some of the moves he has me doing I would never  think about doing in a gym.  Carvalho works every muscle possible in your legs, butt, thighs, and abs.  I'm not thirty days in yet but I can already tell a difference.  I plan on holding Carvalho to his promise that he will change my body and I will have a Brazilian butt in the end! :)

Brazil Butt Lift works!!  It is hard very hard and you will want to quit.  You will want to yell and say things to Carvalho that are not very nice.  But if you decide to dedicate yourself and stick to it you will pass the pencil test! :)

Try the Brazil butt lift videos you wont regret the purchase!

Get your booty over here!!



Rainbow Cake

I hope everyone had a wonderful St. Patrick's Day weekend filled with lots of green!!!

My husband turned 26 over the weekend!  March 18th he was almost a St. Patty's Day baby!  To celebrate we went to the NCAA tournament to watch his Tar Heels play.  They won and we had so much fun!  Since we were at the tournament all day Sunday I decided to do his birthday cake on Saturday.  Every year I bake a strawberry cake for him strawberries are his favorite.  This year I wanted to change it up a little bit and with it being St. Patty's day I went with a rainbow cake!  I found a recipe on Martha Stewart that gave me inspiration to do a semi-homemade version. 

Here's Martha's:








Martha Stewart Rainbow Cake

My version turned out very tasty and just as bright.  My icing needs work to be that smooth but hey I'll get there!

So I started out with two boxes of Pillsbury Funfetti cake mix.  Mix following directions on back of the cake box.  Then separate mix into six different bowls.  Add your food coloring to the bowls of batter and mix well.  Feel fee to be liberal when adding your food coloring.  You want the colors to be bright!  I found that gel coloring works better. 

Next fill your six pans, I used disposable ones so I wouldn't have to wash and reuse my cake pans, but if you have six cake pans or want to wash and reuse feel free.  Then bake according to the directions on the cake boxes.

Once out of the oven let cakes cool completely before layering and icing.  When the cakes are cool you will layer starting with your red cake and working your way to the purple cake.  In between each layer you will want to spread about 1/2 cup of frosting.  This way you can see the separation between layers.  I used a cream cheese frosting.  My favorite!

After all of your layers are on spread the frosting over the outside of the cake.  Then decorate!!  I used jelly beans since it is almost Easter and of course they followed the St. Patty's Day rainbow theme.

What a beautiful cake!!  The colors will amaze when you cut into it!  And the hubby loved it!!! :)

Hope y'all have fun making your rainbow cake!  Just make sure to share it with someone special!!!