Off to the Sale

I leave today for my trip to PA!! My best friend and I will be attending the Lilly Pulitzer warehouse sale!! I can't wait! After that we will be heading to OBX. NC for a week :) Pictures to come...

Banana Pudding to Die For!

My mother and I made this Banana Pudding over Memorial Day weekend, and let me tell you it is to die for! Now this isn’t your regular pudding, when you add that sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese, something magical happens. I promise if you take this to any BBQ or summer party it will be a hit; gone before the burgers are even out and friends will be asking you for this recipe!

Ingredients:

8 oz Cream Cheese

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 Large Pack Instant Banana Pudding (You can use Vanilla for a more subtle taste…but I’d go all out with the banana!)

2 Cups Milk

1 Cup Sugar

8 oz. Cool Whip

Bananas

Vanilla Wafers


Beat softened cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add condensed milk and mix well. Add Pudding, milk, and sugar. Mix Well. Blend in Cool Whip.

Layer Vanilla Wafers on the bottom of the dish. Cut up bananas and layer to cover the wafers. Spread pudding mixture over bananas. Continue layering to desired amount!

Make-Ahead Hint: The custard pudding mixture may be frozen for use at a later time! (But I don’t think it will make it to the freezer! He he he)

Enjoy this one ya’ll. Like I mentioned we made this over the long weekend for our own family BBQ . My Dad loves Banana pudding and this stuff was gone before the next afternoon! We literally ate it for breakfast too!

OMG! I am so excited :)

I actually won a giveaway! I had just been to the park with my family, where we listened to a tribute band of the Beatles, and dined on fruit, cheese, and pita chips! Not to mention we danced a lot and my mother taught my sister and I how to do the Twist! he he he... To make the night even better I won this A.Tierney Bangle from the Pink Tutu! Could it get any better?? I leave for the Lilly Warehouse sale on Monday and then I am off to OBX, The Outer Banks, NC. This is really turning out to be quite the week! Thanks again to the Pink Tutu for hosting this preppy giveaway!! Ya'll should all really go check out her blog, it is so fun, classy, and preppy!! Thanks again!!

Fondue Fun

Yumm Yumm! This weekend a lot of my old girlfriends from high school have finally all returned from college! In celebration we had a little fondue party...perfect for sweet treats and catching up on the past year at school :) If you are in of some need catching up with close friends I would definitely suggest fondue...enjoy!

Hope you are all having a wonderful long weekend!

My Dilemma

I will be turning 20 years old next month and my boyfriend keeps asking me what I want! Of course all year I can name a million gift I would love to have and when it comes down to the wire (like now) I can never decide on something I want! I wanted the starfish Tiffany's necklace, but that seems to be a little out of price range. I know he wouldn't mind getting me the "mini mini" charm, but I am not sure I want the mini mini, I like the larger starfish better. I have suggested new Pandora charms because you can never have enough! But considering he has bought me that for at least the past 5 holidays, he wants me to get me something different! (Here are a few that I like...) So what should I tell him?? Do ya'll have any suggestions?? Any cute things you have found recently?

A Healthy Kick

Bathing suit season is here....and that means trying to eat healthy. TRYING being the key word here! On that note I headed to grocery store yesterday, market basket in hand, on the pursuit of only healthy foods. This included yogurts, fresh fruits and veggies, and only whole grains. I even bought a little basil plant to grow fresh herbs. All of my choices were pretty good for me (considering I could live off sweets and believe desserts a staple in any diet)! This all brings me to the pita chips I made; paired with hummus it was a delicious and healthy snack. (I swear they tasted better than the picture makes them out to be!) All I did to make them was: cut whole wheat pitas into small squares and unfold them a bit so they could crisp. Spread them evenly onto a greased baking sheet and add a little extra virgin olive oil, a hint of garlic salt, and a few sprinkle of parmesan. I baked them at 450 for about 4 mins. and then flipped them and finished baking for about 3 more minutes. It was soooo yummy!
Each pita was only 130 calories and made about 25 chips after they were separated a bit. Quite a low cal. option compared to a bag of chips! Try it out, they were great and my family loved them!!

My Summer Essentials

Summer by Kab07g on Polyvore.com

I am counting down the days till my trip to the Outer Banks, NC (OBX)! I have been every summer for quite a few summers now visiting my best friend! Her Grandmother has a house there close to great restaurants, perfect little shops, and of course the beach! Yes, I live on the beach at home, but it is nice to go to other beaches as well! Every beach has its own unique features, although the white sugary beaches at home could never be beat! Before heading to the beach we will be in Philadelphia and hopefully a quick trip to New York City for my birthday~ But we will have to see how it all works out! In my time daydreaming I figured I would try out Polyvore to get a head start on packing :) I have never done it, but had seen it on quite a few other blogs...it was pretty fun. This is was the result... My summer essentials: A Lilly Swimsuit (of course), Costa Del Mar sunglasses + my monogrammed croakies (not shown), my Columbia for all those days fishing, and my favorite nail polish (OPI Chapel of Love). Add in a few star fish and some great summer tunes and I am set! All the above lead to a perfect day at the beach, which always leads to a Salty Kiss, can't wait till my trip ;)

Can You Feel the LOVE tonight??

What an eventful weekend I had! Let's just say wedding season has officially started for me! ha ha ha. With a party Friday for the Bridal Party and Friends and the Wedding on Sunday, plus 2 more in the coming weekend I have felt the love! I love weddings and all things related to love. I love watching the groom as his bride walks down the isle, the decorations and tablescapes, the Bride's dress, I just love weddings! I always leave weddings happy and completely in love :) It is just all so romantic! This weekend's wedding was held at the oldest church in Florida, it was absolutely beautiful! They used the colors sage green and blue, with whimsical lanterns on the tables, as well as the invitations and programs. It fit in perfectly with the historical atmosphere of the church and downtown area! They even rode off on a vintage bicycle built for two! These are two pictures of the Chapel where they were married.

Speaking of love...the new season on The Bachelorette starts tonight! I loved last season (until all the drama happened) and loved Jillian, this season's bachelorette from the first show. So I can't wait for tonight!!

With all this love I have to put a picture of my boyfriend and I dancing at the wedding! We danced all night :)

Last night my mom had a dinner party and Bunko at our house! She has been in the same bunko group for over 10 years now with 12 different ladies from all around our area. Every month they rotate and play at each others' homes. Every meal is exquisite; I wish I could go just to taste their dinners! Out of all the ladies my mom is known for always having the best desserts (and of course lots of Chocolate)! Well, I had the honor of helping make the desserts last night! We made a puff pastry together filled with a chocolate cream, topped with melted chocolate and caramel sauce, and then sprinkled with pecans (pe-cawn, not pe CANs ;) ). A chocolate covered strawberry adorned the place as well. It was soooo delectable; it was gone before I could even take a picture of the final product! But the reviews were great and not one morsel of chocolate or pecan was left! All the ladies raved about it and honestly it was quite simple to make; so I thought I would share the recipe with you all!

The Pastry:

1 cup water
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

1. Heat oven to 400 F. In a medium saucepan, heat water, butter and salt to a rolling boil. Add flour all at once; stir vigorously over low heat for about 1 minute, or until mixture leaves sides of the pan and forms a ball ( this happens fast!)


2. Remove from heat; add egg, one at a time, beating well. (Make sure the dough has cooled slightly to avoid scrambling the eggs! yuck!) Drop mixture into 12 balls on ungreased cookie sheet. ( I used an ice-cream scoop covered in Pam to make perfect balls)


3. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. While warm, cut the tops off and reserve. Remove any soft pieces of dough from inside the puff. Let cool.

Chocolate Cream Filling:

1 and 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa powder
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. 
   In a medium saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt; stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, until mixture boils. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in one cup of the chocolate mixture into the eggs ( this prevents them from cooking). Add the egg mixture back into the pan. Cook over low heat stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add butter and vanilla, stir. Pour into a bowl, cover, and cool until cold and thick.


2. Fill puffs with Chocolate Cream Filling. Replace tops; drizzle with chocolate and sprinkle pecans! (Refrigerate until serving time.)
   
   ENJOY!!!
   

Not Just a Boring Science Post... I Promise!

Yesterday, in Cape Canaveral, FL, the Atlantis Space Shuttle was launched into orbit to repair the 19 year-old 'Hubble' telescope. The Hubble needs new batteries and gyroscopes, as well as, cameras and other equipment.

I have always been interested in space since I was a little girl. Of course living close to 2 major NASA Space Centers ,Cape Canaveral being one, and Huntsville, AL the other ( I am in the somewhere in the middle). Not to mention my boyfriend of 5 years is studying Mechanical Engineering with hopes of going into aerospace. I hear so much about the launches and the current happenings of NASA. But what truly sparked my interest so long ago was my first trip to Space Camp in 1999! (I can't believe that was 10 years ago!) I was able to ride in simulators, try on spacesuits, flip lots of switches, build rockets, and learn more than any 5th grade brain could ever absorb. I had gone with a group of kids from my area, although I didn’t know most of the kids. This leads me to the point of this whole blog... I met my Best Friend Katie at Space Camp!

We came from 2 different schools and had never met, but had a few friends in common. But after that week, it was like destiny for us to become friends. We both went to different middle school but attended the same Youth Group and Church, so we stayed close. But it wasn’t till high school till our friendship truly blossomed. We both discovered our love of shopping (Tiffany's, JCrew, Lilly... of course) and took many trips together solely for that purpose! We hosted the BEST parties. I am not talking typical birthday parties or potlucks, but formal Christmas parties with table scapes and color coordinating invitations and Birthdays on Boats, with sundress and ‘mocktails’. Our high school experience is not what most would consider "typical". We both decided on different Universities and pledged different sororities, but I can honestly say I think we are closer now than ever! I visit her family in PA and OBX ever summer and we make trips to see each other throughout the semester. She will be one of my bridesmaids when I get married and I will always consider her my best friend.

So yesterday's launch of Atlantis, was interesting yes, but reminded me of the beginning of a life long friendship more importantly!

The Paper Purse

I saw this little purse made the other day on the Martha Stewart show (Thursday, May 7th). It was so simple and I am sure most everyone has exactly what you need to make it. I was able to make it in just a short time; it was fun and turned out perfect! There were two patterns I found on the website as well as the directions. I am planning on putting a gift card in it and giving it as a gift :) Gift cards can be a little impersonal, so this is a cute way to add a personal touch!

Mother Knows Best

Well, it is the end of a divine day in the South! This morning started off with a lovely church service with the family and then brunch at the country club, which I am still full from! Following brunch we came home and opened more presents with Mom. My older sister got Mom the glass lemonade stand in the right of the picture and I got her the two aprons we are wearing. The yellow one I am wearing (on the left) was from William and Sonoma and the green one (on the right) was from a local store called Pizzazz. Why two aprons...you may ask? Well, recently my mom bought ornamental hooks to put in the kitchen and said she needed new decorative aprons to hang on them. I had remembered her mentioning her longing for new aprons and figured she would love them both! Not to mention I get to wear one too!!

After an eventful and filling early afternoon I went to visit my boyfriend's Mother and Grandmother for homemade pound cake and fresh strawberries. His Grandmother had the most beautiful tea set, a classic and simple pink set. It had caught my eye when we were all sitting in the dining room enjoying our desserts; I told her how I just loved that pink tea set. She fully enjoyed telling me the history behind the tea set and her whole china cabinet, but I loved every second of it! The pink cups, saucers, and tea pot was one of her Grandmother's wedding present! How special.

Overall, it was a wonderful day and all the Mother's in my life were honored today! I hope they felt very special and loved today! Happy Mother's Day!!!

What a Beautiful Morning

Good Morning, it is a beautiful day here! I woke up early to let the dogs out and couldn't believe how lovely it was outside! There were so many people walking outside and biking around the neighborhood. As I said I woke up early...well not quite as early as my mother! She had already been working outside in her garden and new area we have fixed up for her for Mother's Day! The picture of the bench is one of the present we gave her ( a little early!). We have a splendid old oak tree with huge branches and the most intricate bark that had been neglected for quite a while. Well what better time than Mother's Day to change that, a little gift to my mom as well as Mother Nature! lol. Back to the tree... it has been over grown with vines, little pine trees, and dead branches from many hurricanes past, so we spent the whole day cutting away these huge, spiky vines, hauling away dead branches, and pulling up a lot of rotted trees. But it was all worth it...behold a magnificent tree! We laid new mulch around it and put this lovely bench beside it, as well as a few plants and a hanging display for flowers! Mom added a sweet bird house and now it is the perfect Mother's Day retreat! After walking the dogs this morning both my mom and I sat on the bench and chatted a little. The oak tree's shade shielded us from the Florida Sun and we could have sat there all day long. It was truly a perfect little picture in time. I hope we really get some use out of our new garden this summer and I hope this inspires you to do something extra sweet with your Mother tomorrow (and everyday). And give a little love to Mother Nature too ;)

Time for Tea

Just recently my best friend and I met up and went to a tea room to celebrate her birthday! Along with a few friends, we all dressed in our Lilly dresses and pearls and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon. It was a traditional "high tea" complete with 3 variaties of hot tea, scones, fresh fruit, finger sandwhiches and a variteies of small cakes! We sat for over 2 hours enjoying all the snacks and each others company! It was so nice and gave me quite the incliling to host my own tea party. Since then, I have been searching for recipes for chicken salad, cucumber sandwhiches, and lemon cakes! I have found a few and hope to test them this weekend! Here are a few recipes that I hope will work out! The chicken salad is from Paula Deen, so I am sure it has to be wonderful!

Ingredients
1 (3-pound) chicken
Salt and pepper
1 onion, quartered
2 celery stalks
1 cup chopped celery
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 teaspoons seasoning salt (suggested: Jane's mixed up Krazy salt)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons chicken stock
Directions
Place the chicken along with the salt, pepper, onion, and celery stalks in a large stock pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pot, cool, and remove skin and bones. Reserve the liquid. Dice the chicken and place in a large bowl. Add the chopped celery, eggs, seasoning salt, mayonnaise, lemon-pepper, pepper, and some reserved stock and mix well.

Hopefully I can put this into a little tea sandwhich and enjoys them with some ladies!

The reviews are great on her site, I will give you my review soon!

Schools out for Summmer!

It is finally Summer! Time to relax and enjoy the salty beach air. After being at school for the past semester coming home is more than exciting! Home cooked meals, mom doing your laundry, and of course NO SCHOOL! ha ha ha. Now all I have to worry about is the season finale of Grey's and getting a tan. I'll be on here a lot more now that I don’t have to worry about accountancy law exams, Financial accounting and reporting, so much more. I will also be traveling and hopefully making some cute things.... I will put up lots of pictures :)
xoxo, Katie