I can always tell how chaotic my life is when I open up my makeup drawer. Same goes for my purse… my car…and the inside of my fridge. Oof. I was checking out my old High Straightenance on Homefries and couldn’t believe that it’s been almost 2 years since I cleaned out/reorganized my makeup drawer. YIKES. Time to remedy that!
A maxi dress is my secret weapon during the summer months. It’s one article of clothing that covers the whole body…. which means there’s so much less to coordinate! One of my favorite dresses this year has been this black maxi dress from Old Navy. It’s super versatile and I’ve found it to be great for traveling because I can create so many different looks with it! I simply add a statement necklace and wedges to fancy it up or wear a maxi dress with flip flops, a denim button up shirt and a long necklace for my favorite casual look.
Right now, I’m looking to add another maxi to my wardrobe. Perhaps one of these striped numbers? Number 3 is begging for a chunky yellow necklace and number 5 wants a flawy scarf with neon pink splashes. Number 2 looks like a good option to slip into after you’ve been in a bathing suit all day and I’d totally wear #1 with my red salt water sandals for 4th of July!
What I love about this selection is that any one of these dresses could easily transition from a long day at work to poolside living with cocktails and friends. And really, nothing should stop us from making that happen as soon as humanly possible.
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I have a super long list of recipes I want to make but every now and then I get super indecisive and can’t make up my mind. When I’m stumped, I simply ask Casey what he’s in the mood for. I always know his reply will be something in the hearty/creamy/meaty/warm spectrum. Last week it was:
“Cream of Artichoke Soup. Yeah. Make that.”
OK. Decision made. That was easy.
I never had Cream of Artichoke Soup until I went to Duarte’s Tavern in Pescadero with Casey and his family. If you haven’t been there, GO. It’s a real treat. When it’s a cold and foggy day, nothing tastes better than their creamy artichoke soup with torn hunks of warm sourdough bread. For Casey, it reminds him of his childhood. It’s because it’s a bowl of comfort. I totally get that.
We had this soup last week for dinner. It’s perfect for a chilly Spring night. A night where you feel a little bit of wind and you’re not quite ready to go sleeveless. A night when you are partially excited for warm weather but content with being inside, enjoying artichoke season.
Here’s what this past week looked like:
I think this is one of my favorite pictures of Cooper. EVER.
Alexandra Whitney adapted my Goat Cheese & Arugula Pizza
Leighto Greato made my Homemade Ricotta
Dip a strawberry into cream cheese (room temperature works best) and dunk it into a small bowl of brown sugar. Look at you! You’re on your way to makeshift strawberry cheesecake-land. Now let’s add a graham cracker (or crumbs?!) to this this situation and maybe a drizzle of nutella? Mind blown. You just created a perfect snack/dessert!
A few months ago my sister-in-law made some chocolate cookies that had a healthy dose of almond meal in them. I thought they were incredible while my husband and his brothers complained that they tasted “too healthy!” Too healthy?? What?! They tasted indulgent to me. It got me thinking… do I like desserts that taste healthy? If there are healthier substitutions in a recipe does it easily trick me into feeling OK with eating dessert?
Disclaimer: I sometimes have paralyzing food guilt.
(I’m working on it!)
When I substituted coconut oil for the butter in this recipe, I wondered if it was too healthy. But then I gave some to my dad, brother, and husband and two out of the three asked for more before they were done with their first helping. I guess we’re cool then!
So here’s this Dairy Free Mixed Berry Crisp for you! It’s super easy to make (because it’s deconstructed!) and can be made well in advance. The berries have been mixed with balsamic and a small amount of sugar so they’re bursting with juice. They’re not baked! When you spoon them into a bowl, the berry juice will saturate some of the crumbly topping. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. The crumbly topping is slightly savory and nutty because of the almond meal. It mimics graham cracker crust but without the butter. Dollop some whipped coconut cream on top and you’re GOOD TO GO. Dessert for breakfast. Breakfast for dessert.
