Big Game Celebrations with French's® @ Kroger (Jalapeño Pretzel Dogs Recipe)

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of McCormick & Company. The opinions and text are mine. #RealFlavorsHaveCrunch #Frenchs

Looking to make Game Day even more special? Offer guests these French’s® Jalapeño Pretzel Dogs, and everyone will be asking for the recipe! Your home may just become the new entertaining spot for football games this season.

I had a blast creating this recipe, which I found on the French’s website, here. Better yet, there is a recipe video that made this recipe extremely easy to follow. I love when things work out like that, especially when I am prepping to host people for football games or any other occasion.

Below, I served the French’s Ketchup and Classic Yellow Mustard in mini red cups, which I thought was so appropriate for a football party.

I was also able to shop at my local Kroger for everything, which made for a one-stop shopping trip – also a win! Starting on January 21, 2018 there will be coupon inserts in your local newspaper for the French’s products.

I love the taste that the French's Crispy Fried Jalapeños, French's Classic Yellow Mustard, and the French's Ketchup added to this recipe. This was my third time using these crispy fried jalapeños, and WOW, they were so perfect for this (and great for so many other meals too).

They added a crunchy, spicy kick because they’re made with real jalapeños! Be sure to let guests know that they are a tad bit on the spicy side, and possibly even use the French’s Crispy Fried Onions if you are not partial to spicy foods.

Jalapeño Pretzel Dogs

INGREDIENTS (Makes 12 Servings):

USER RATING:

❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉

Prep Time: 15 Minutes  Cook Time: 10 Minutes

1 Can Refrigerated Pizza Dough (11 oz.)

12 Hot Dogs (I used the ones with cheddar inside)

3 Tbsp. baking soda
water
5 oz. French's Crispy Fried Jalapeños , crushed (I used almost one whole container)
 

DIRECTIONS:

1.) PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.


2.) BRING a large pot of water to a boil. Add hot dogs and boil for 3 minutes. Once hot dogs are cooked, allow to cool enough to handle.


3.) WHILE cooking hot dogs, roll out pizza dough and cut into 12 - 1/2 inch strips lengthwise. (There may be dough leftover; twist into bread sticks and bake – I coated these breadsticks with butter when they came out of the oven and they were great). Spread the crushed jalapeños in a pie dish.

 

4.) LADLE one cup of the boiling water from the hot dogs into a bowl big enough to fit hot dogs. Add baking soda and stir until dissolved.


5.) WRAP each hot dog with one strip of dough, twisting it around and back. Leave a 1/2 inch space at each end. When hot dogs are wrapped, carefully dip each into water mixture being sure to cover. I rolled the hot dogs around in the baking soda water and it worked great.


6.) GENTLY roll each hot dog in crushed jalapeños and place on baking sheet. Bake for 10-13 minutes. Bake until browned on top. Serve with French’s Ketchup and Classic Yellow Mustard.

 

I loved how these Jalapeño Pretzel Dogs turned out and I hope you do as well! I consider them the more interesting version of pigs in a blanket, and they made for a wonderful solution for a unique and tasty game day recipe. With French’s Ketchup offering qualities like non-GMO, no high-fructose corn syrup, no gluten and no artificial flavors and preservatives, you can actually feel good about your condiments and what you are offering guests.

PLUS leftovers are always delicious! French’s Classic Yellow Mustard is considered America’s best loved mustard, and is made with #1 grade mustard seeds – perfect to pair with these Jalapeño Pretzel Dogs and so many other delicious game day treats.

So many people have asked me for this recipe, and I was more than happy to share it with them.

Enjoy this recipe for game day, after school, other occasions, and more!

PIN IT FOR LATER...

Making Game Day Cleanup A Breeze with Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection

This post has been sponsored by Glad. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This football season, make Game Day cleanup a breeze! Glad has a NEW and improved version of their already superior trash bags called Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection – now available at Target! If you’re looking for a trash bag that will not leak, and will hold ALL of the mess that can accumulate during a Game Day celebration, then Glad can help. Featuring reinforced side seams, RipGuard™ AND LeakGuard™ I am happy to introduce Glad’s Best Bag Ever!

I styled the most gorgeous Game Day party last Sunday, while watching the playoff games, and had so much fun decorating and hosting friends. I used an aqua and red color scheme, but feel free to use your favorite team colors. The Target party aisle provided nearly everything I needed to keep the color scheme looking perfect throughout all of my décor.

Entertaining friends and family can be a bit of a mess afterwards, but I was not at all concerned with cleanup, because I had made a Target run the day before to stock up on everything. From Glad bags to treats and party décor, I was set to host the cutest celebration of the season.

Target had almost everything I needed. I first headed to one of the aisle labeled Trash Bags, and grabbed a box of Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection trash bags. Next, I perused their party and celebration aisles and their Dollar Spot at the front of the store (my favorite area of Target) and found red and white cake stands, aqua colored paper plates, red cups, clear treat bags, and aqua colored napkins. I thought that a non team-specific color scheme would be fresh and exciting. I also found my juice bottles to cover with paper, and a few other food items as well.

Since these Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection bags are so new to the market, click any of my images or the graphic below, to buy now! 

I’ve always used some form of Glad ForceFlex trash bags in the past, so I was super pleased to be able to feature such a high quality product in this celebration. I can’t stand when a garbage bag breaks on me, because that’s seriously no fair! I have to take the super full garbage bags all the way outside (let me tell you, we stretch them until they’re FULL at our house – (I call it being conservative, not lazy), and if anything were to get on my clothes from the bag, I get all squeamish. I am sure I’m not alone on this one? So, these Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection trash bags are always in my house.

Back to the festivities! I also provided some super delicious football-inspired food at this party. I was so happy when I found cookies at a bakery called San Francisco Cookies! They were already shaped like footballs, so I simply outlined them in chocolate decorator icing, and then I drew the football laces with white decorator icing. It was way easier than making them myself and it saved so much time to not bake cookies.

I also found little chocolate creme sandwich cookies and used that same white icing to draw threads on them too.

I always try to incorporate chocolate desserts for football parties because I love how the color of chocolate reminds me of the football itself. So, I offered guests a few more bakery items like a chocolate layer cake (perfect to feature on the middle cake stand), plus mini chocolate muffins with chocolate chips in them.

I made some wings in my crock pot and found an awesome homemade BBQ sauce recipe that contained brown sugar, ketchup, red wine vinegar, stone ground mustard, and soy sauce. When they were ready to serve, I placed them on another cake stand, and sprinkled sesame seeds on top.

I placed football shaped bowls of BBQ potato chips around, and also filled little clear treat bags with snacks like popcorn and pretzels, then tied them up with a twist tie and football printed ribbons. Everyone likes something a little different, so I offer as many flavors as I possibly can!

I always love seeing customized refreshments, so you can remove the original drink wrappers, and simply cut a piece of scrapbooking paper into 2.5” tall strips, and cut them to fit around the bottles. I used a brown and white football printed design!

I also found the cutest “chalkboard” paper bunting that I wrote on with chalk. I used a pencil to sketch out footballs and “GO TEAM” then went back over that with chalk. They turned out so cute!

Thinking about all this food and décor might sound like it makes for a messy house afterwards, but I know thatGlad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection trash bags can hold a ton, and won’t leak or rip  – YAY!

I hope I have inspired your next Game Day gathering, and if you share any photos, feel free to leave the link(s) in the comments below! I would LOVE to see how you celebrate and decorate for the big game.

Remember to shop at Target for all of your Game Day and clean up essentials! 

PIN IT FOR LATER...

The BEST Popcorn You Will Ever Eat (Plus Football Party Ideas)

This post was sponsored by Funky Chunky® Popcorn as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. You will score big with this deliciously decadent popcorn this Sunday or any day! #FunkyChunkyParty #IC

If you're looking for an over the top gift or crowd pleasing snacks, check out the Funky Chunky®  website to learn more about all of their wonderful offerings. Shop today, and get 20% off site wide, and FREE shipping for orders over $30.00!

** Also, get the Funky Chunky Halftime Tin for $12 off through Sunday, February 4 **

One of my favorite childhood memories is visiting family in the Chicago area, and standing in line to buy that famous Chicago popcorn downtown. That smell of fresh buttery or caramel corn is so nostalgic. Do you have any fun memories related to popcorn? 

I'm here helping share one of the more delicious snacks I have had in some time. My Funky Chunky popcorn arrived in the mail recently, and I could hardly open it fast enough! The large tin was inside of a box, wrapped in bubble wrap t keep it safe and free from scratches. There was an adorable white bow on top, which I thought made it such a thoughtful gift idea. 

I opened the tin's lid to reveal FIVE medium sized bags of popcorn mixes and also these wonderful sourdough pretzels. Each of the five bags contained different flavors, like Chocolate Popcorn, Chip-Zel-Pop, Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn, Sea Salt Caramel, and lastly Chocolate Pretzels. 

Bring this popcorn tin to any party, and everyone will devour this popcorn FAST! I added my own purple bow on top to keep the yellow and purple color scheme going!

CUTE FOOTBALL PARTY DECOR IDEAS!

Below, check out their Chocolate Pretzels. They are drizzled with white chocolate, milk chocolate, and caramel. What an awesome combo - I just love the sweet and salty together.

Funky Chunky® is a fun/unique gourmet snack featuring buttery caramel popcorn drizzled with different types of chocolate with unique combinations of pretzels and nuts. I truly loved it!

Funky Chunky® Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funkychunkyofficial/

Funky Chunky® Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funkychunky 

Funky Chunky® Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/funkychunkyinc/

Funky Chunky® Twitter: https://twitter.com/FunkyChunky 

Get your very own Funky Chunky Popcorn ASAP!

You have GOT to try this stuff!!!

Fort Myers Beach, FL (And Sanibel - Captiva)

Well we are spending time in Fort Myers Beach, FL for January and some of February and I’m loving the views! We were originally set to stay at the same house as last year on Summerland Key, but it had been slightly damaged during Hurricane Irma and it was still under repair. Luckily, everyone was alright and the only things damaged were some missing shingles and screens on their lanai being replaced. So, at the last minute, Beth, Bobby’s Mom found an alternate house to rent in Fort Myers Beach. It was built around 1951, and is very well appointed. We are also around SO many more stores, so working on projects is definitely a lot easier. Although the fishing here is nothing at all like the Keys, Bobby is still having fun and we are finding places to explore. Everything around here, on Estero Blvd is exceptionally well landscapes and there are SO many palm trees. It’s really fun to get out and walk the dogs early in the mornings or at sunset. We are really close to several beach entrances so that’s also been great! 

It’s been pretty chilly since we arrived, but it’s finally warming up now to where you can wear short sleeve and capris at least. By chilly I mean highs of mid 60s and lows of 40s/50s :) I keep seeing friends back home in Illinois and the Midwest posting snow pics, so I’m NOT at all complaining, haha! 

Being in this part of Florida really does bring back childhood memories. We are only a short drive from Sanibel and Captiva, which is where my grandparents had a time share ever summer when I was younger. It was right on the beach and was always a lot of fun. I plan on driving by to visit next time we are over in Sanibel. Below, you’ll see the dessert offerings at The Bubble Room, which was my grandma’s favorite place ever. Man, the Rum Soaked Pound Cake with Homemade Whipped Cream was life changing! And their orange cake was also divine but I’d always go back for rum cake! 

Below, me at The Bubble Room. Their outdoor seating area was pained all in rainbow colors and had lots of pretty palms.

more fun things to do in the Sanibel area are collecting shells near Blind Pass. Imagine a huge section of the beach co weed in tons of shells instead of sand! The sound is amazing :) I grabbed a few to bring home, but people fill hives boxes full and send them home in flat rate boxes. 

Shopping on Sanibel is fun too. The shopping plaza on the 200O block of Periwinkle Way, including Lily Pulitzer, Fresh Produce, and Simply Boutique was so fun! While the prices are definitely on the higher end, and it’s hard for me to spend $150-200 on one shirt or dress, I still love seeing the new trends and will never be get tired of shopping in small boutiques! 

Bunche Beach, shown below, is also fun! It was not at all crowded, and since the sand was so compacted, it was easy to walk across the beach. I enjoyed laying in a towel while Bobby fished in the channel that leads out to the ocean. It’s fun bird watching there, and throwing a casting net to catch bait. 

Below, you will see the view from our upper back deck at sunset! It’s really beautiful with that palm tree, docks, and channel in view! It’s definitely been a goal of mine to keep updating my blog with my travels as well as my current projects, so I’ll try to share more soon! Happy Sunday, friends!  

How To Host An Elegant Homegating Party with NFL and Lime-A-Rita

Thank you NFL for sponsoring this post. Can’t wait for my next Homegate!

I am so excited to share my favorite party yet! I love entertaining, and football season is one of the best reasons to get together towards the beginning of the year. Even if it’s cold outside, you can still luckily bring the spirit of the game into your home with good friends and good food.

We are always so excited to cheer on the Steelers, with friends and fans nation-wide and locally. I tend to go all out when decorating for parties (not even joking at all), and I was incredibly inspired by the team colors, so I incorporated Black and Yellow in as many ways as possible. Keep reading to learn how to host the VERY BEST and most elegant Homegating party ever.

NFLShop.com, which has gear for every single team, sent me a huge array of amazing Homegating items like high end cheese boards, team logo glasses, and even a few items like blankets and the softest Steelers tee I have ever worn. Everything is so perfect for parties and general entertaining. Now I can even incorporate nicer plates and boards into my regular meals at home too!

I will definitely be serving foods and drinks on these items for every party I have this year and for many years to come. I have been using a few of the items almost daily, actually, and I loved being able to upgrade so many of my glasses, cutting boards, and party platters.

I am SO happy with how high quality these NFL items are, and I think you will be as well! The plates and platters that you display your food on can really elevate them. After spending so much time preparing food, it’s so fun to see it all displayed so elegantly on

This also adds a more upscale look to your table that guests will talk about (and share on social media) for years to come!

I have never had the chance to incorporate so many amazing items into one party, and my friends and family were beyond excited for me to have such an incredible opportunity to collaborate with NFL and Lime-A-Rita to host this upscale, elegant Homegating Party. Every last detail was considered, and I worked for days to get everything just right. Hopefully this post will help you streamline the process.


You can see the entire collection of homegating gear from the NFL Shop here!. NFL has everything you need to host in style. Their collection of homegating-ready merchandise makes it extremely easy to create a streamlined look and feel to your party without having to run all over town to try to find matching décor. I was not even able to find many high-quality football items locally anyway, so I was very happy to find everything conveniently in one place! Hooray for making life easier.

Some of my most cherished memories are related to watching the game with family when I was younger, then friends as I got older. We always appreciate team spirit, no matter who you’re rooting for. – it makes it way more fun if we have fans of different teams at our house.

Homegating is a fun way to bring the energy of an NFL game right into your own home! I use any excuse to decorate and entertain, and I was ecstatic to bring to life, a few ideas that I had been excited to try for years now. For instance, the chocolate dipped strawberries that I decorated to look like footballs turned out so well and they were probably one of my guests’ favorites. They were actually way easier than I could have ever expected. I have seen similar ideas from high-end berry companies online, and I thought it was time to try my hand at them. I started with the prettiest, largest strawberries I could find. I often search a few different stores if I am not happy with what the first store has. After that. I melted semi sweet chocolate (dark chocolate would be amazing too). Working with one strawberry at a time, I stuck a skewer stick into

When I chose my cheese for my cheese boards, I looked for cheeses that contained herbs and seasonings, or those that had green wax on them, so that I could tie in as much of the natural green color as I could. I always add a bit of curly parsley as a garnish to my cheese boards, you would not believe how much it adds to the vibrancy of the boards.

SUPPLIES NEEDED - FOOD:

RECIPE: Chocolate Dipped Football Strawberries

1 container of strawberries, 1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips, 1-2 skewer sticks, and 1 tube of decorator white icing (found near the cake mixes in the baking aisle). Simply dip strawberries in chocolate (use a skewer to hold the berries if you want. Set each strawberry down onto a lined baking sheet, with the prettiest side up (making them resemble a football). Once cooled completely, draw one line up the center of the berries with icing, let that dry, then come back and add three football threads horizontally across each strawberry.

RECIPE: Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes

1 lemon cake mix and ingredients listed on box, 5 Tbsp poppy seeds, 1 container or vanilla icing, yellow food coloring, yellow and black sprinkles.

TO PREPARE CUPCAKES: I prepared my cake mix like the box instructed, but thought that adding some black poppy seeds would be a creative way to incorporate the black and yellow team colors! I added some of the poppy seeds into the batter, and after I filled my cupcake liners with batter, I sprinkled a generous amount of poppy seeds on top of the batter before going into the oven. This really elevated the cupcakes! To decorate them, I used a star icing tip, and simply piped the vanilla icing onto the cupcakes once they were cooled. I also sprinkled 2/3 of them with yellow sprinkles, and 1/3 of them with black sprinkles. If I could do this over, I would have actually used poppy seeds instead of black sprinkles, because that would have been even more elegant and unique.

RECIPE: Sweet + Spicy Mixed Nuts + Pretzels

Wow! These were the perfect snack for a football party. I also added white icing to resemble football laces onto a few pecans, and put them on top of the cups when I served them.

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups of assorted raw nuts (Cashews, Almonds, Brazilian, Macadamia)
2 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne or chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375º. In a large bowl, toss assorted nuts with olive oil and spread them out evenly onto a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

2. In a small saucepan melt butter and combine rosemary, cayenne, cinnamon, cumin and brown sugar until dissolved and combined.

3. Add mixture to warm assorted nuts and toss until well combined. Then add salt. Allow nuts to cool and enjoy or store in air-tight container.

I had nearly all of the ingredients already, which meant I could make them a day ahead of time, store them in an air-tight container, then serve them in paper cups in black and yellow – team colors! Feel free to customize any team colors you want. I found my paper cups at a local party store and thought that they really tied the party table together. You could of course serve drinks in them, but I love being able to offer guests snacks that are portable and easy to eat.

Make sure to let guests know that this recipe is spicy, or feel free to offer one spicy option, and one non-spicy option, such as brown sugar, butter, honey, and maple

SUPPLIES NEEDED – PARTY DECOR:

NFL Items in this post include: Steelers Coasters, Stemless Wine Glasses, Circo Cheese Board & Tool Set, Enigma Platters, Bamboo Touchdown (Football Shaped) Cutting Board, and the 24” Artisan Acacia Serving Plank.

Additional decor items include:

Gold door tinsel curtains (it took 4 of them to cover a corner of my room).

Tables and white table coverings. I find that stretchy crushed velvet is the most affordable and does not really wrinkle. It’s generally $6-8 per yard at a craft store.

Black and yellow paper cups to hold Sweet and Spicy Nut Mix, napkins, and utensils for guests to use.

To display the cups, I found a cute black and white striped photo storage box at a craft store, which represents the referee, that raised the snacks up off of the table to create visual interest. I have seen people incorporate stripes into their football parties before, but I have never seen this idea before, and it cost me under $4.00 The box will perfect for storing party supplies for the next Homegate we host. I can’t wait!

In addition to the rough edge cheese board / cutting board, I absolutely LOVED the round cutting board, shown below, with the pull out utensil tray. This was the most elegant and useful items I have ever been blessed to use for a party, and when I showed it off to friends at the party, I got lots of “oohs and aahs”! That is so rewarding.

Shop your favorite football gear on NFLShop.com/Homegating

MORE PARTY DETAILS:

One idea I’ve had for a while and could not wait to execute was incorporating wheat grass into my décor for a football party! I love how it represents the turf and also added a natural element that coordinated so perfectly with my décor.

I found two containers of wheat grass at a local health food store, and replanted them into small, galvanized metal buckets. While it would have been fun to try to make a game day green smoothie out of it, I thought that the Lime-A-Ritas were WAY more delicious :) I did make a delicious “Island Time” cocktail from a few simple ingredients! Keep reading to get the drink recipe.

DELICIOUS DRINK RECIPE

Each drink contains: 4 oz. Lime-A-Rita + 4 oz. Seltzer, a splash of grenadine, and a lemon garnish on each glass. That’s it! This drink is super tasty, and went down very smoothly.

Also, follow Lime-A-Rita on Instagram Here!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Stay Comfy + Warm Clothing for Winter and Beyond

If you're anything like me, you love and cherish comfortable clothes that fit perfect and look great. I am not one to wear super baggy clothing, but I do enjoy clothes that have an easy fit and still look flattering. If you have seen some of my posts from late 2017, you will have seen a few that we shot for Kohl's! Here is my fourth of five sets of images for Kohl's, which I think turned out so well! 

You will likely notice that this is of course more of a winter / Christmas theme, but I was SO happy with it, and just had to share it while it was still cold out :)

Above, you will see some of my favorite new leggings, which are more of a long john material, in the prettiest pale light blue color. They fit super well, and I even went down a size from what I would normally get so that they had a more snug fit. I have also worn these under my yoga pants to take the dogs on a walk while it's so cold out.

Find these fun thermal leggings and more, online here, or at any Kohl's store.

These cute slippers are only $9.99 and they're adorable! Get them right here.

And, if you're looking for the coziest, softest blanket ever, try this one, shown below, and in a few of the other photos. I got the plaid variant, available here for $29.99.

And, I adore this Cuddl Duds robe too. I featured the Fair Isle print, which is reversible, and grey on one side, and the cute grey print on the other. I seem to always be cold, so I have really been enjoying this comfy fleece robe way too much :) It's on sale for $36.00 right now too!

We are shooting our final post for Kohl's this coming weekend and I am SO thrilled about it. I went with more of a dressy look, and we will be working in Fort Myers Beach for this one, so look out for palm trees, friends!

I have really enjoyed getting to know so many of the beautiful brands from Kohl's like LC Lauren Conrad and Cuddl Duds (not exclusive to Kohl's but they DO have a huge selection there). I also love the higher quality of Cuddl Duds items even though they are not really expensive at all. And, I love how Kohl's offers Kohl's Cash, which I have been utilizing quite a bit during all of these photoshoots. I also got myself a few pieces of Fiesta Ware with my bonus coupons (they're always 25-30% off each week). 

Unique Ways To Upgrade Your Hard Boiled Eggs (A Healthier Appetizer Recipe)

This post was inspired by Great Day Farms Hard Boiled Eggs. All opinions and content are my own.

An Easy and #Eggceptionally Great Way To Enjoy Hard Boiled Eggs, this fun update only takes a few moments, and it looks like you spent hours making these delicious treats. This is a rather healthy recipe, and is high in protein, making them an excellent choice for snacks, pre and post workout meals, meal prep, feeding your family something delicious in just minutes, and also great for serving at parties or gatherings. Bring THESE to any party, and everyone will be asking you for the recipe!

I love finding recipes that look like you spent a TON of time on them, that only take a few minutes to prepare. I was beyond thrilled when I was chosen to create a fun and exciting way to update traditional hard boiled eggs, and I knew that I had to elevate them into an appetizer that looked like it was from a very expensive restaurant. 

Serve them on a rustic wooden cutting board lined in parchment paper, or any large platter will work! You can find cute plastic platters for just a few dollars, or find a ceramic one for closer to $15. I am starting to get a really beautiful platter collection started and I just love their versatility!

No need to worry about trying to make the perfect hard boiled eggs, THEN get the shell off without messing up all of your hard work. I always try to remove the shells from my hard boiled eggs, then they look like such a mess. They still taste good, but these ones from Great Day Farms are already so perfect and SO easy, that it's hard to pass them up. 

They stay good in the fridge for a little while too, so these are not an ingredient that you have to use the day you buy them, luckily. Perfect for meal prep, quick snacks, salads, and these unique Upgraded Hard Boiled Egg appetizers! 

I was able to shop at Walmart for my Great Day Farms Hard Boiled Eggs plus most of the other ingredients too. Find the hard boiled eggs in packs of two or a half dozen, in the Walmart deli, near the pre-made sandwiches, packaged cheeses, and more.

Simply cut eggs in half lengthwise...

Then create the toppings and garnishes...

TOPPING IDEAS + INGREDIENTS:

Guacamole + Sliced Radishes (I used Easter Egg Radishes, thinly sliced)

Mayonnaise + Sriracha + Sliced Cucumbers

Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise + Sesame Seeds + Sliced Scallions

Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise + Prosciutto + Sliced Cucumbers + Scallions

Pickled Anything + Honey Mustard Mayo 

Any spread + your favorite topping!

Having hard boiled eggs on hand really makes for an emergency boost of protein too! When you don't have time to cook a proper meal, or feel like snacking on something unhealthy, then try keeping a few packages of Great Day Farms Hard Boiled Eggs in the fridge. You can even add a bit of salt and pepper, or a sprinkle of your favorite seasoning mix to the eggs for a SUPER quick meal.

CONNECT WITH GREAT DAY FARMS...

Visit Their Website

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Delicious Slow Cooker Honey Ginger Chicken Drumsticks Recipe with NAKANO Rice Vinegar

This post was sponsored by NAKANO® Rice Vinegars as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. #NAKANONewYear, #NewYearSwaps, #IC

I am thrilled with how these chicken drumsticks turned out. My family is STILL raving about them, and I cannot wait to make them again soon. Perhaps for Sunday football this weekend?! The Big Game is near :) I am really excited to be able to utilize Rice Vinegar in more recipes lately. It really enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. I was able to incorporate a delicious ingredient into this recipe, which I know really made a huge difference in depth of flavor, NAKANO® Rice Vinegar. 

Visit the NAKANO Swaps website here, and get the NAKANO coupon here!

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp soy sauce (low sodium or regular)

2-3 pounds chicken drumsticks

3 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1-2 Tablespoons NAKANO rice vinegar

1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (2" piece) minced fresh ginger (I peeled an actual piece of ginger and then minced it)

1-2 teaspoons black pepper

3-4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (I found mine already toasted in the baking aisle)

2-3 chopped green onions

Other materials: slow cooker, non stick cooking spray, serving dish for final recipe

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Mix NAKANO rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and black pepper in a small bowl, and set aside.

2.) Spray non stick cooking spray into slow cooker, and heat to low. 

3.) Place chicken into slow cooker (I used tongs), and pour sauce evenly over the drumsticks, and make sure the chicken is covered completely. 

4.) Cook on low for 4-8 hours, or overnight on the lowest setting on your slow cooker. Feel free to flip the drumsticks every couple of hours with a pair of tongs. When the chicken begins to fall apart, it's almost ready! 

5.) 30 minutes before you are ready to serve, turn slow cooker up to high, and let the sauce thicken. It will be thin before this step. Sautee the drumsticks in their sauce for 30 or so more minutes, and then to serve, place the drumsticks onto a cute serving platter, spoon the sauce over top, and then top with toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Enjoy! 

NAKANO Rice Vinegar is available nationwide in seven clean-label varieties and two organic offerings, NAKANO is a flavorful ingredient to have on hand in the kitchen and to use as a healthy substitute following the indulgent holiday season., and help you find healthier ways to incorporate good ingredients into your meals.

The Roasted Garlic variety has real minced garlic in the bottle - yum!

MORE BENEFITS OF USING RICE VINEGAR

+ WHERE TO FIND

When preparing winter meals, splash on any of the NAKANO Seasoned Rice Vinegars as a savory, low-calorie alternative to high-fat dressings, marinades, oils or butter.  

Available nationwide in seven delicious and tangy varieties, you can purchase any of the NAKANO Rice Vinegars clean-label and organic offerings at Kroger, Publix and Walmart.  

King Crab Legs Recipe (Alaska Seafood Health + Sustainability) #AskForAlaska

This post was sponsored by Alaska Seafood and Influence Central, to encourage my readers to choose sustainably caught Alaska Seafood. #AskForAlaska

Looking for a beautiful and unique dinner to serve for those special occasions or just because? I was so lucky to recently prepare Alaska King Crab Legs for the very first time and they tasted better than in a fancy seafood restaurant! My family LOVED this meal and I was so happy to be able to provide such a delicious and memorable meal for them. We went all out and chose sides that truly complimented the beautiful, sustainable Alaska King Crab Legs and I am SO excited to share this find meal with you today. 

If you have been a bit hesitant to make King Crab Legs at home, this is a great chance to branch out a bit and try something new. They were SO easy to prepare, and although we baked the crab in the oven, you can also boil or grill the crab. It was already cooked when we bought it, and I chose to bake it in the oven so that I could keep the crab legs in tact, to showcase their beauty. I had a large enough baking sheet to hold the crab legs, and I was able to actually serve the crab right off of the pan I baked them on. 

OVEN BAKED GARLIC BUTTER KING CRAB LEGS

(serves 2-4 people)

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 lb. King Crab Legs (Look for the label in the seafood counter that says Alaska Seafood)

1/2 C. Butter (or more if desired)

5 Cloves Garlic - Minced (we used a garlic press and it worked SUPER well!)

2 Lemons Cut into Thin Slices (also used on asparagus, below)

1/8 C. Olive Oil

1-2 Tbsp Creole Seasoning (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 375*. In a saucepan, melt butter, add garlic, lightly sautee, squeeze in lemon juice.

2.) Turn heat to low to let flavors mesh together.

3.) Add Creole seasoning, add olive oil, and turn off heat. 

4.) Place King Crab Legs onto baking sheet (sprayed with non stick cooking spray), and brush butter mixture over crab legs.

5.) Cover pan with foil (very lightly cover, or make a fold in the foil to create a "tent" above crab. )Bake legs for 25 minutes, and enjoy!

GARLIC LEMON BUTTER BAKED ASPARAGUS RECIPE

(recreated from this recipe, found here)

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb asparagus washed and trimmed

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 garlic cloves slightly smashed

zest from 1 lemon about 1 tablespoon

salt and pepper to taste (I actually used margarita rimming salt to get a coarser grain - it worked great!)

juice from 1 lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 425.

2.) To trim asparagus, hold each end between your fingertips. Bend the asparagus, and it should brake about 1-2 inches from the bottom. Repeat with entire pound.

3.) Place asparagus and garlic on a sheet pan.

4.) Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on lemon zest, salt and pepper.

5.) Toss to coat evenly.

6.) Keep asparagus in a single layer on sheet.

7.) Bake for 10 minutes, until the ends are crisp and the asparagus is slightly tender.

8.) Toss with lemon juice.

SLOW COOKER OR PAN SEARED RED POTATOES

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 Tbsp olive oil

2 lb. small red new potatoes, halved

1/4 Tbsp sea or kosher salt

pinch of freshly ground black pepper

3-4 cloves garlic (we pressed ours in the garlic masher)

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Put the oil into the cooking pot of the slow cooker, set to Brown/Sauté at 350*.

2.) Once the oil is hot, add the potatoes (cut side down), salt and pepper. Let the potatoes sit in the hot cooking pot, then toss after about 3 minutes. 

3.) Once the potatoes are browned, cover and let potatoes cook for about 30 minutes, or until fully cooked. We stirred the potatoes so they did not burn.

4.) When 5 minutes are remaining, add the garlic and rosemary, and toss to combine. Cover again and allow to cook for a few minutes to soften the garlic. 

5.) Serve immediately. 

Tips For Staying Heathy This Year

I have been thinking a lot about journaling more on my blog, because I just love reading personal stories from talented bloggers. I also get questions all the time about how I maintain a healthy weight and sometimes I just don’t really know what to say. After thinking a bit more about peoples’ kind words about my appearance, I thought it would be fun to share updates about how I stay healthy, while working from home and also while traveling so much. Since I’m 32 years old, I realize how much my metabolism can slow down, compared to my early 20s. Here are a few simple tips I follow to keep my body feeling and looking its best. 

Consume less dairy. I used to be someone who would drink milk several times a day. Bobby and I would go through a gallon or two of milk each week, through eating cereal and just drinking milk by itself or with a meal. It was mostly me who was consuming all this milk, and I was having trouble maintaining the weight I wanted. Also, my skin was terrible! I would get cystic acne out of nowhere, even when I’d wash my face several times a day, and shower every day. I stumbled across a random article talking about getting tips for prepping for your big day. While I was not getting ready for a wedding, I still read the article and I am so happy I did! It explained that dairy can cause acne, and also cause weight gain. Well, a year and a half later, I only drink milk 1-2 times a month if that. I pretty much quit cold turkey. I’ve noticed a huge difference! I do not get that cystic acne anymore and I have maintained a weight I’m happy with, without doing massive amounts of exercise or having to change my diet much. I’m sure that the cereal I was eating was a huge source of unnecessary sugar and calories as well.   

 walk more. Luckily, our dogs insist we walk them and let them out many of times throughout the day. While I sometimes would rather stay inside because it’s cold out, or I have a deadline looming, I realize the incredible power of simply taking a walk. When I skip walks, I feel stiff - my back and shoulders ache and the dogs get stir crazy. So, we help each other out and I’m so happy about it. I have also learned that winter doesn’t suck nearly as much if you bundle up properly, and once I get out and move around even for 2-3 minutes to get my blood pumping, I’m instantly warmer and I can handle the cold much better. I found that wearing even a cheap pair of leggings under my regular jeans, yoga pants, or sweat pants somehow makes a huge difference in keeping in the warmth. I also tend to wear a long sleeve shirt, my down coat, then a rain coat over top as my outer shell, which helps insulate and also adds wind resistance. I also wear my gloves, scarf, and beanie cap and I’m ready to face the Illinois winter :) 

 

Dont let your body body become a trash can! Realize that it’s alright to not eat those last few bites of a meal if you’re already full. While that does sound wasteful, I’m putting my health first. Also, definitely don’t feel obligated to take food or drink from someone simply because they’re offering it! If you are just trying to be courteous, feel free to try one tiny little bit or sip, and if it offends someone that you didn’t eat the whole portion, don’t feel bad - always put yourself and your health first. And, be extremely conscious of what you’re eating. Even if a fried appetizer or piece of cake, or fast food burger sounds delicious, how will it make you feel afterward? I believe that thinking about the end result (a happy tummy vs. an unhappy tummy) can actually help you make healthier choices and truly enjoy them. 

Drink mostly water. I developed this love and craving for water a few years ago when I was trying to cut back on fruit juices and soda intake. One summer, we finally got our ice maker working, and found ourselves drinking huge jars full of ice water all day long. It was like we had discovered gold right in our own back yard or something! I began to crave water more than anything else and I know that also helped clear my skin and maintain a happy, healthy weight. We also invested in a case of larger Ball jars and being able to have a cold glass of water at my desk and on my bed side makes a huge difference. Bobby also got me a beautiful, mint colored Yeti Rambler water bottle this summer and I don’t go anywhere without it. It fits into our cup holder in the car, compared to my beloved Nalgene water bottle, so that makes it really convenient! We also travel with a gallon of water in the car, so we can refill the Yeti or give the dogs water when needed. 

Opt for fruit and veggies instead of crackers, carbs, and fat. I’ve always loved fruits and vegetables, but once I became a food blogger a few years ago, I began to branch out and learn new ways to enjoy fresh ingredients. I have always been a picky eater, but I realize that even when I’m shopping for groceries, I’m happiest and most at ease in the fresh section. And I used to think you couldn’t get full without meat, cheese, or bread! My biggest tip here would be that the more often you prepare fresh foods, the more you consume them! Try making an everyday snack much more enticing by simply eating a wider variety of colored ingredients and serving them to yourself and others on a pretty plate or dish. It’s amazing how much more enticing it is to eat a colorful place of fruits and veg if it’s laid out on a pretty plate! It can my be eaten ifnits not prepared! I love making a small platter of carrots and celery, ranch dip, peanut butter, carrots, apple slices, and any other fruits that are in season (grapes and strawberries are also my faves). I get full pretty quickly and I feel so happy that I actually got full from eating raw ingredients! It’s so rewarding. 

I know that many people make eating healthy a new year’s resolution, but it’s very easy to make just a few simple lifestyle changes that will ultimately keep you healthy year round.  

We are so incredibly fortunate to be spending the first part of 2018 here in Foet Myers Beach with Bobby’s parents, and I’ll continue to bring you interesting posts with healthy recipes and travel tips!  

Crudité Vegetable Wreath + Delicious Dip Recipe

Looking to offer more veggies and healthy options at your next party? This Crudité wreath is an excellent way to entice guests to snack on healthier ingredients compared to offering fried foods, chips, or something higher in fat. I made this fun appetizer during the holidays and would definitely make it again! I had so much fun shopping for all of the fresh ingredients.

Although this particular post is styled in more of a holiday theme, it can definitely be served in any setting, during any season! I was so happy to find all of these fresh ingredients in season during the winter. 

Ingredients (serves 10-15) 

FOR THE CRUDITE:

8 cups broccoli florets

3 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed

2 cups green beans, trimmed

1 cup sugar snap peas, strings removed

Greek Yogurt

Cream cheese (8 oz.)

½ bunch curly kale, washed

2 cups cauliflower florets

9 cherry tomatoes

FOR THE DIP:

1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese, optional

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried

4 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. To prepare crudité: Put a large pot of water on to boil. Set a large bowl of ice water by the stove. Blanch broccoli for 1 to 2 minutes in the boiling water. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli to the ice bath to chill. Drain well. Blanch Brussels sprouts, green beans and snap peas in the same way.
  2. To prepare dip: Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, cream cheese, shallot, dill, vinegar, garlic powder, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer to a serving bowl; set it in the center of a large circular platter or decorative serving board.
  3. Arrange kale around the bowl, with the frilly edges on the outside. Top with the broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green beans, snap peas and cauliflower. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and serve. Enjoy!

Rosemary + Jalapeño Spicy Kettle Chip Nachos

These "nachos" of sorts came together exceptionally well. If you're a fan of spicy foods, then this recipe will surely delight your tastebuds. Since these turned out pretty spicy, I also served some sour cream with them, and that balanced out the heat perfectly. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 Bag of Chips (I used Spicy Chicken Kettle Chips from Kroger, but any flavor of kettle cooked chips will do)

1/2 - 1 Jalapeño sliced into thin strips

1/2 - 1 C. Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1-2 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary, stems removed, chopped up finely (or dried rosemary)

Sour Cream - optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 350* F. Place 1 bag of chips onto a baking sheet, trying not to overlap too many chips. 

2.) Simply sprinkle an even layer of shredded cheese over the chips, then sprinkle your rosemary over that.

3.) Place sliced Jalapeños on top and bake for 5-10 minutes, depending on oven and altitude.

Don’t Let the Mess Ruin Your Holiday Fun!

This year, I was more excited about the holidays than ever before. This past year has been extremely busy and crazy as far as projects and travel, but looking back, it's amazing how many more brands I got to work with compared to other years. Is it because more brands have started realizing the true power of Pinterest? Is it because I have a better relationship with brands and marketing reps than other years? Is it because my work has really improved a lot in the past few years and I am finally now getting enough of my content out that brands are starting to notice me more? Who really knows, but I love how this year's worth of projects has really helped me figure out what works and what does not. I try not to get down if I am not chosen for a certain project I apply for, I just use that energy to apply for another project! This particular post was originally created for a brand that chose not to go through with the campaign ultimately, but I could NOT stand to see this beautiful post go unpublished.

So, without further ado, I wanted to present this rather lovely holiday post and to wish you a happy Christmas Eve, friends! 

This year, I have been so excited about the holidays, I always have so much fun breaking out all of the holiday linens, red and green sprinkles, and all sorts of fun holiday décor.

Baking is always my favorite part of the holiday season, but it can definitely be messy. Don’t let the thought of a messy kitchen stop you from baking and creating lasting memories revolving around delicious foods and fun times with those you love. Plus, homemade cookies make amazing gifts.

My collection of holiday towels, linens, and other fun baking items, is slowly growing. Rather than admire them from afar, neatly folded on my shelf, I take the approach of, if they make you happy, use them! I love the festive look of seasonal décor. How about you?

While I do use paper towels for certain cleaning projects, we have two wicker baskets of kitchen towels in our pantry at all times. We use them for nearly every cleaning project, so we accumulate a lot of laundry! I want my towels to be as fresh as possible, and I’ve found the perfect way.

But, no matter how hard I try, I always seem to get baking ingredients like flour, cake batter, icing, and sprinkles everywhere!

I know it can be hectic around the holidays, and can even be a little bit challenging baking with children because of the mess. But baking is a fun bonding activity that can be done with friends and family over the holidays, and will help you create memories that will be fun to cherish for years to come.

I think that baking is something I will incorporate into holiday gatherings this year because it sounds like a lot of fun. I may even ask people to bring their favorite holiday sprinkles of cookie decorating materials, and see what people bring. When it gets chilly outside, I am in full-on baking mode, and most of my friends and family members are too.

Tackling yours or your family’s tough laundry loads can be challenging. Lysol Laundry Sanitizer is safe to use on most fabrics including whites, colors, darks and delicates.

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

Vegan Dairy-Free Yogurt Parfait Cups Recipe - Healthier Snack + Dessert Alternative

This delicious alternative to ice cream or other sweets wound up tasting delicious! Get the recipe for these Dairy-Free Frozen Yogurt Parfaits, created in partnership with Ripple Yogurt and Kroger. 

Could you ever imagine eating dairy-free yogurt? That may seem sort of the norm these days, but can you imagine eating yogurt created from peas? I had a great time experimenting with a fun recipe idea that's been on my mind for some time now - frozen yogurt parfait cups with graham cracker + oat crusts! 

INGREDIENTS:

1-3 flavors of Ripple yogurt (I used strawberry, vanilla, and blueberry)

10 Graham Crackers (choose honey free for true vegan), crushed into an even consistency

5 Tbsp melted Vegan Butter, such as Earth Balance Organic 

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

Blackberries, kiwi, and any other fruit for toppings

Other items: silicone muffin cups, muffin tin, spoon for mixing

These Dairy-Free Frozen Yogurt Parfaits are inspired by Ripple yogurts, available at Kroger!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) For the crust: melt butter in a medium bowl, and add crushed graham crackers, oats, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. 

2.) Fill prepared silicone or paper cupcake liners with crust mixture 1/3-1/2 and bake for 5-7 minutes at 350* F.

3.) One cooled, fill cupcake liners the rest of the way with yogurt. Freeze for 30 minutes, and then top with chopped fruits. Freeze at least 1 more hour, until cups are completely frozen. Remove them from the cupcake tin, and remove the wrappers, and reveal your beautiful layers of dairy-free, vegan ingredients!What a tasty snack!

In 2015, Ripple founder set out to separate the fats from peas and create a milk-lie substitute that is great for people who want an alternative to dairy (source: Food&Wine). "Dubbed Ripptein, the additive strips away plant flavors and leaves behind only protein, according to Fast Company. (That's one reason Ripple's pea milk doesn't taste like liquefied legumes.).

Now, I will admit, this yogurt does have less of a smooth texture than I was used to, but once I froze this yogurt into these delicious fro yo cups, everything was divine! Feel free to try this recipe out with any mixture of yogurt, fruit, and other ingredients that you would like!

"From a biochemical standpoint, milk is protein, and fat, and sugar," Neil Renninger, Ripple cofounder and co-CEO, told Fast Company. "There are plenty of plant sugars you can use, and plenty of plant fats. There are also plenty of plant proteins you can use, but the problem is that they all taste like the plant they derive from. We had to figure out how to make a plant protein that didn't taste like a plant protein."

The company's new pea half-and-half, which Fast Company says dissolves into coffee "like the real thing, without the calories," launches in July, while customers may have to wait until the end of this year—or possibly early next year—for its yogurt.

Renninger admitted neither the half-and-half nor the yogurt were easy to create. For example, "with half-and-half, the challenge was getting something that worked well in coffee, but also would work well in a culinary situation," he said. "It's a bit of a balance providing that creaminess and a clean taste. Protein is an important part of the creaminess in half-and-half, but if you don't have clean protein, you can't get that creaminess without adding off flavors."

Santa's Little Helper Cocktail Recipe

Another fun post I created to help promote Bad Mom's Christmas! These were inspired by a holiday-themed Moscow Mule, but instead of a mule, it's a copper reindeer!

No Santa Mom should have to tackle the holiday tasks alone! Shopping for the family, hosting the in-laws, it’s intense and offers no me-time during the holidays! With the help of her trust reindeer, this Santa can actually enjoy the holidays instead of dreading them!

See how these Bad Moms handle Christmas, in theaters NOW! #BadMomsXmas

INGREDIENTS:

  1. Fresh lime wedges, to taste.
  2. 1 solid copper mug.
  3. Ice.
  4. 2 ounces gin or vodka (I used gin)
  5. 4-6 ounces ginger beer.
  6. 2 ounces cranberry juice.
  7. Frozen cranberries, for garnish.
  8. Rosemary sprig, for garnish.

LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's - Photoshoot in Montana

Not long ago, in a beautiful place called Ennis, MT, there stood a girl who loved the mountains...

This is the fourth of five collaborative photoshoots I am excited to be creating for Kohl's! I am always so drawn to the LC Lauren Conrad line, and I am always excited to see what new items she adds to her collection each season.

I can't even explain how cold and windy it was this day, but I think I pulled it all off pretty well :) The Madison Valley is known for being especially windy, but since the air is a lot drier, the cold doesn't seem to bite as bad as where it's more humid.

I especially LOVE that mint velvet purse. It's going to be an amazing collection to my more dressy purses. This was a really fun to wear for Thanksgiving as well.

A few days earlier, we headed up to Virginia City, MT, a historic mining town with wooden boardwalks, beautiful storefronts, The Pioneer Bar, and lots of history. Many miners walked the same boardwalks in the 1860s.

These boots from Sonoma were extremely comfortable, even on the uneven walkways, and across some grassy areas.

Thanks for checking out some of my latest projects, and staying with me while I catch up on posting my projects. So many fun things in the works, literally more than I can count on all of my fingers! 

Pink Hot Cocoa Recipe

I am super excited to share this fun recipe for Pink Hot Cocoa, perfect for the holidays! Think warm white chocolate with other special flavors and a bit of holiday sparkle!

I originally created this recipe and DIY Coffee Mug to help promote A Bad Moms Christmas and helped them promote the movie on Pinterest! It was a LOT of fun, and I am so happy with how everything turned out :) 

If you haven't seen Bad Mom's or Bad Mom's Christmas, I would definitely recommend it!

WATCH THE MOVIE TRAILER HERE!

Santa Mom survives Christmas Morning by dancing with sugar plum fairies, and adding a splash of booze to her hot cocoa.

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make the cutest Pink Hot Cocoa Ever, simply heat 2 cups milk, 4 ounces of white chocolate, and a few drops of pink food coloring in small saucepan. Now for the best part: add 2 ounces of rum or your favorite liquor, and top with whipped topping, light pink shimmering sprinkles, and pink marshmallows. To make the mug, I added little letter stickers and very carefully started with the middle words and worked my way out, so everything would be centered.

Happy Holidays, friends! Check out the hottest holiday movie of the year – Bad Mom’s Christmas, in theaters NOW!! #BadMomsXmas

Gift Guide For The Pendleton Lover

I always find myself so drawn to anything with a Pendleton print on it, so I guess this is a gift guide inspired by things I love :) I am sure you've all seen their amazing wool blankets, but the brand has SO much more! Recently, I even saw Pendleton's new coffee mugs and slippers. Below, you will find all sorts of amazing items that would surely please the Pendleton Lover in your life! Enjoy!! (Links below graphic)

Amazing Handmade Gifts From Amazon Handmade

This post was sponsored by Amazon Handmade as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own. #AmazonHandmade #IC

Ordering custom gifts through Bison Hill Stonecrafts on Amazon Handmade was a wonderful experience. Amazon Handmade should be on every customer's mind this holiday season! You can find something for just about everyone, and it feels amazingly rewarding to buy handmade! This is our opportunity to help to support these artists and the handmade community in general. When you order from Amazon Handmade, you get Prime 2-Day Shipping, which is such a treat!

I ordered two different sizes of a custom Black Slate Cheese Boards and I could not be happier. The arrival of this handmade, custom gift is even more special, because we had just stepped into the door from a long drive (over 2 days), after visiting the very friends I am giving this gift to. I saw the boxes from Amazon Handmade, and I was literally doing my happy dance :)

I opened the two boxes immediately, and I was greeted with the most amazing Slate Cheese Boards in the outline of Montana I have ever seen. I requested custom engraving to make the presents even more special, and I was amazed with how perfect everything looked. I can only imagine how happy these gifts will make for our good friends! 

 I emailed Andrew Church, the owner and creator of these beautiful goods, and expressed my gratitude. He quickly replied with a kind email thanking me, and letting me know he was very happy with the gifts as well. I would definitely order from him again!

NOTE: Order ASAP for all custom orders!!!

The cheese boards were packaged in strong gift boxes, with the beautiful Bison Hill logo impressed in gold. There were two pieces of dense foam inside each box, to protect the boards, which are somewhat fragile. The cheese boards are upscale, elegant, and laser cut to perfection. Each edge is smooth, and even though there were difficult, curved edges on the state outline, they are all 100% perfect! The boards also have rubber feet on the bottoms, so they are raised off the table a bit. 

Care instructions are enclosed, which made care and cleaning very easy. Using soap and water, and hand washing is recommended. After there were meat and cheese on these boards, they washed up really, really well. 

 

As an artist myself, I cherish and value handmade gifts more than any other. While I wish I could make everyone gifts each holiday season, I don't exactly have the time. I love the fact that I was able to reach out to the artist personally and let Andrew know that his handmade goods will make my friends very, very happy. The craftsmanship is much better that anything I could find locally, or really anywhere else online too!

These Custom Cheese Boards are available in a variety of materials, colors, and sizes. You can request any state or shape that you would like, and I had the option of about 15 different fonts. If I had another font style, I could have also requested that instead.

In addition to these fine goods, many other artists have items available on Amazon Handmade. The community is really inspiring. Below, the home page of Amazon Handmade - there are lots of great items, perfect for gifting!

CUSTOM STATE ORNAMENTS

I ordered a couple more non-custom items as well, and I will share those with you this weekend. Everything is really lovely, and I would DEFINITELY order from Amazon Handmade again soon.

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