My Caramel Apple Spice

Fall is one of my favorite times of year if I haven't told you already! I love going to Starbucks for the famous Caramel Apple Spice as they call it and I seem to slurp it down in minutes flat! One day while pinning on Pinterest (OBSESSED!) I found a photo similar to mine above for the recipe for the Caramel Apple Spice! However, much to my disappointment the link had been removed so I was left to experiment myself...

My darling husband took the wheel on this one and combined Apple Juice, with a pinch of cinnamon and cloves in a pot and heated over the stove. Once it was heated through, we poured it into mugs and drizzled caramel syrup into the mug. Delicious!!! My afterthought was we should have topped it off with a bit of whipped cream and THEN drizzled caramel syrup on top...Next time!!
Until then, enjoy making your very own Caramel Apple Spice!

T-Shirt Bag

So, my husband was cleaning out the closet and had a few old T's he didn't want anymore so I quickly snagged them up and attempted the T-shirt Bag! I think it turned out pretty cool! Its super easy, no sewing required and fun to toss anything into and go! Wish I would have done this sooner to use as a pool or beach bag but for now, baby essentials will get stowed in it! Here is what I did:

1.) Trim off with scissors the sleeves, neckline, and bottom of the T at the seams. I like to make the neckline into a V-cut, it looks better once the bag is done.

2.) Next, cut 5'' strips up the bottom of the T all the way across the bottom about a rulers width apart. Be sure to snip the side seam to get open strips.

3.) Now, hold the T with one hand on the table and pull down on each strip to stretch them out so they coil up.

4.) Lastly, tie double square knots all along the bottom of the T with the strips you made. I start on one side and go half way, then switch to the opposite side to finish it out.

5.) And, waa-laa!!! You have your T-Shirt Bag!! I'm sure there are endless possibilities with this patten and any shirt. Have fun!

When Life Gives You Ripe Bananas...

Make Banana Crumb Muffins! With these last few hot summer days, I seem to have trouble keeping bananas from going ripe too quickly. So, I turned to my trusty muffin recipe from Allrecipes.com and made Banana Crumb Muffins! These are divine!!!! I swear you will want to eat the batter alone!

A few changes/additions I made:
-I use whole wheat flour instead
-Add a dash of cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg to the batter

The crumble topping is completely irresistible!! Enjoy!!

The Precise Pony

Wow its been awhile since I've done a post but I'm happy to announce that my husband and I have welcomed our new baby boy into the world on June 23rd! So, I've been a busy new mommy but always thinking about the newest and  greatest as well!

Falling forward into thinking about fall trends, I've stumbled upon the greatest, simplest hair style,...The Precise Pony! Its looking to be the hottest trend on the Runways for big name designers for this Fall 2012.

I've chose a few of my favorite images from Google to show you what inspires me for this coming season. I will try to post a picture of my own soon to show you how much I love this style as its suitable for any adventure, meeting, outing, playground, date, etc!!

Some celebs in here too that I think got it right! ;-)

Dress to the Maxi!

One of my favorite go to pieces already and for this summer season is, "The Maxi Dress"! I love a Maxi's comfort, versatility, ability to flatter any body type, and the wide variety of colors and prints they come in.

To add or change up a Maxi:

• Add a belt to cinch in the waist to create more shape.
• Add a blazer for a more sophisticated look and a snappy necklace.
• Add a cardigan for the cooler evenings out or when you don't feel like exposing those shoulders.
• Dress it up with some espadrilles or heels.
• Dress it down and pair it with flip flops and a floppy hat and head to the beach!

The possibilities are endless with the combinations you can do with a Maxi Dress! Here are some of my favorite styles below however, I must add the I have had incredible luck finding lots of great Maxi's at my local TJMaxx! Check those discount stores! I've seen adorable designer styles for prices you just can't pass up!


Jessica Simpson Maxi at Zappos.com. SALE!
 

Old Navy Maxi in Almond Butter. SALE! Bargain Buy!!

Target Maxi in Blue/Multi.

Shop to the Max!! :)

Shape up with fruit!

As I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy, lets just say food had become pretty important to me!!!
So, why not make it even more fun and appealing even when its the healthiest!
We have a BBQ today and I was in charge of bringing the watermelon so I used cookie cutters to cut it into bite-able fun shapes! See how I did it below! Can't wait to see what else I can do with other fruits and veggies!

Slice the watermelon into large disks and grab the cookie cutters!

Punch out your shapes, making sure you get all the way through the watermelon slice.

Wa-laa!! Edible shapes!!

Chill for a little while in the fridge and serve! Yummy!!!

Greek Layer Dip

Cream Cheese, Hummus, Veggies, Spices? Yes please!!! My Mother in Law found this awesome recipe for a 7-Layer Greek Dip and I loved it so much I requested she make it at my Birthday this year. It is simple, delicious and can be modified completely to you liking. While I like Greek flare I don't always love every ingredient such as Feta. My husband doesn't love cucumbers so I only put them on half of the dish. The recipe I mimicked was from the fantastic site Our Best Bites! Find the recipe HERE.

Here is how I assembled my Greek Layer Dip! Not sure how many layers I ended up with but it was AAAAHHH-MAZING!!!!!!

1-8oz Pkg. of Cream Cheese (softened)
1 tsp. dill weed
2-cloves of minced garlic (add more or less depending on your liking)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1.5c hummus (I used regular but sprinkled a little Mrs. Dash seasoning on top of the hummus layer)
1c seeded, diced tomatoes (I used cherry tomatoes, they are a little sweeter)
.5c Kalamata olives
2 stalks shopped green onions

I love to eat this with pita chips, crunchy flat bread, and celery. I'll be honest, it was my lunch today!!! It's so addicting! Enjoy!! Let me know how you alter yours!

Sending food love your way! <3 <3 <3 <3