Must-Have Neutrals

These are some of my favorite, must-have items for the summer. You can't go wrong with neutrals. I believe whites, browns, and blacks are all neutrals of course, but I also believe that turquoise and leopard print can work as a neutral too. I'm loving the texture in the shorts with the embellishments and the texture of the romper with the lace. I'd pair them with a slick bomber or camo jacket. And how cute are these shoes?! I love both these pair because of their versatility and that you are able to wear them in summer and fall. Also the sunglasses, ring, and bag are perfect to pair with anything in your wardrobe as finishing touches on your outfit. Rings are one of my favorite accessories to wear…I usually wear a couple on each hand. The "Feed" Tote is adorable, can carry everything, plus it's for a great cause: Feeding hungry children all around the world.

White Lace Romper  //  Free People Sweet Jane Sunglasses  //  Thunderdome Tusk Ring  //  Feed Bag  //  Embellished Shorts  //  Sam Edelman Leopard Booties  //  Black Gladiators  //

Shop more of this look here! 

xo

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Chocolate Crepe Cake

One look and I was in love. I saw this recipe in a Martha Stewart Magazine and new right then that I had to make it. Isn't it beautiful?! Okay but one warning: this cake is super labor extensive and takes an eternity and a half. So my recommendation: only make this when you need to impress at a dinner party, wedding shower or date night with your man. Recipe and instructions are below. 

Ingredients: 

1. 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus melted for pan
2. 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4. 1/3 cup sugar
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 2 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature
7. 6 large eggs, room temperature
8. 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
9. Hazelnut Filling
10. Chocolate Glaze

Instructions: 

1. Bring 1/4 cup water to a rolling boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking to combine after each addition. Remove from heat; stir in chocolate until completely melted. Set aside.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla in another medium bowl. Gradually add milk mixture to flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Add chocolate-butter mixture, whisking until smooth. Pour through a fine sieve into an airtight container; discard lumps. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
3. Lightly coat an 8-inch crepe pan or nonstick skillet with melted butter. Heat over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Remove pan from heat; pour about 2 tablespoons batter into pan, swirling to cover bottom. Reduce heat to medium-low; return pan to heat. Cook, flipping once, until edges are golden and center is dry, about 30 seconds per side.
4. Slide crepe onto a plate. Repeat process with remaining batter, coating pan with butter as needed. Crepes can be refrigerated, covered, up to 1 day.
5. Place a crepe on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Spread with about 3 tablespoons hazelnut filling. Top with another crepe. Continue layering with hazelnut filling and crepes, using about 32 crepes and ending with a crepe on top. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
6. Spoon 1/2 cup glaze on top of the cake, spreading to edges. Spread remaining glaze around sides of cake, coating completely. Refrigerate until glaze is firm and set, about 20 minutes. Cake can be refrigerated up to 3 days.

Click the links to the hazelnut filling and chocolate glaze when you are ready for those steps! (shown in the ingredient list). Okay let me know if anyone makes this! Let me know if you have any questions! 

xo

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Love LIFE

Hi! Today I’m giving you a little summer outfitting insight. Here’s what you need to know- 3 tips on how to build this look! I gave 5 tips to my girls over at Beauty Glam Now! If you want two extra tips, click on the link and go read! I'm so excited to be guest blogging for them for the week :).

Tip 1: Keep it simple. Grab your favorite pair of high waisted jeans or shorts and pair it with your favorite summer tank. Since I am wearing high-waisted jeans here, I tied this colorful tie-dye tank in a knot. You don’t want a super long shirt with high-waisted anything—it defeats the purpose of showing the high-waist!

Tip 2: Now you have your base outfit. It’s time to accessorize! I love to stack my bracelets and wear lots of rings. When you are stacking bracelets, be sure to have one statement piece, then some simpler ones to stack on top. Make them varying in size to balance your wrist. Also to complete this look, I wore my super funky, super hippy glasses from Free People and grabbed my favorite bag of the summer—the Shoreline Walker Tote by Cleobella.

Tip 3: Tie your hair in a side bun! It is such a simple hairstyle and it is great because it’s out of your way, off your back, and still super cute and chic. To know how to do this bun, visit my blog. Here’s the link to do it if you are not quite sure how!

Here's What I wore:

Sweet Jane Sunglasses  //   1199 Janey Flare Jeans  //  Tie Dye Shirt by LIFE Clothing Co.  //  Another Similar Tank: The Laundry Room X UO No One Cares Muscle Tee  //  Indian Bell Set  //  Stacking Ring Set  //  Shoreline Walker Tote By Cleobella  //

If you love the Tie Dye Tank I'm wearing, then head on over to LIFE Clothing Co. They are a Los Angeles based t shirt desighn company, started in 2009. They offer an array of graphic tees for all ages and interests. They can be found in a variety of retail channels- including Urban Outfitters. Love LIFE!

If you're more of a visual person, shop the Look Below!

 

 

 Don't forget to go see my Intro Post at Beauty Glam Now and the two extra tips I give here! 

 xo

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George Strait Junkie

My mom and I went on a road trip last week to Colorado to pick up my sister Kat from the grandparents house. My mom and I had so much fun on the trip! We could be doing anything and have fun. Oh my gosh, one time we went to Las Vegas and on the way home there was a terrible accident and we were in traffic for four hours! Okay and we had nothing to eat and we were stopped in the middle of no where. I remember we kept sucking on cough drops and vitamin c because that's all we had to eat. Oh my gosh we laughed and laughed, it was the best memory! This road trip we stopped and did photos. The drive from AZ to CO is the most beautiful drive...there are limitless spots to stop. I just love the drama and colors of the desert. 

This post I'm featuring an outfit from Rockin P Ranch. Okay ladies. If you live anywhere near Ouray, CO you have to stop and go to this boutique! It is gorgeous. They carry lots of Double D, which is always beautiful. They also carry the cutest tees, including the one I'm wearing--It's hard to see but it says, George Strait Junkie. The layered necklaces are also from there. 

George Strait Junkie Tee  //  Beaded Necklace  //  Lace Shorts   //  Blue Horse Scarf  //  Cross Bracelet (Rockin P Ranch)

xo

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Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Caramel Filled Muffins

 When first glancing at these muffins, you may think they are just your ordinary chocolate chip muffins...but no... bite after biting into one of these chocolate chip soft and chewy muffins, you find a little surprise of ooey gooey carmel candy goodness in the middle. The dense and cakey texture of the muffin is perfectly paired with the warm and chewy caramel texture that waits for you in the middle. 

Okay funny story. A little fact about me. I'm obsessed with the cooking channel. I can watch cooking shows all day. Bobby Flay is my fav. And Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives...I mean come on. That show is awesome. Well, I also watch The Next Food Network Star and my family has been teasing me every time I cook, telling me to describe my dish to them as if I am competing on the show. I feel so dumb but deep down I feel so cool, like Bobby. So if in my descriptions I start to sound like a complete pro or Food Authority as Alton Brown would say...it's okay, cause I totally am ;). haha just kidding, but seriously I wish.

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

2/1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk chocolate chips 

12 Ghiradelli Caramel squares

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin pan or deep dish cookie pan and set aside. (I used a muffin pan)

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside. 

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy, about a minute. Beat in the egg and vanilla to combine.

4. Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Once dough has come together, stir the chocolate chips in by hand with a wooden spoon.

5. Drop a Tablespoonful of dough into the bottom of each cavity. Gently press it to cover the bottom of each cavity. Top with an unwrapped square. Top the candy with an additional Tablespoonful of dough and gently press the top dough ball to cover and enclose the candy. After completed, muffin tin should be 3/4 full.

6. Bake the cookies for approx. 12-15 minutes or until the centers are set and the edges are golden and lightly crisped. After cooled for a few minutes, the muffins should come out nice and easily.

Recipe by the Domestic Rebel. Love her.

Hope everyone has a great day! 

xo

Desert Chic

Somewhere in the Desert. 

Keepin it simple. I paired this FP Tunic with my Frye Harness Boots and threw on a floppy (mostly because my hair is super greasy). 

Make this look your own by shopping my similar style picks below! 

Free People Tunic (Similar here, here, and here)  //  Frye Harness Boots  //  Rancher Felt Hat Similar here, here, and here.

xoxo

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Fried French Toast

Fried French Toast? Yes, you read that correctly. And yes, this French Toast is crusted with corn flakes and fried. Yes, dreams do come true. 

I just love being home because for one, I have all the ingredients in the world to cook with, and for two, someone always eats it. I love breakfast more than anything in the whole wide world. When I fall asleep at night, I can't wait to get up and eat breakfast. Is that weird? 

Well for today's breakfast, I was inspired to create something I've never done before. Turns out, this is now my family's favorite breakfast. Okay let me re-state that...it's my dad's new favorite breakfast. I sadly can't eat it because of the flour and it seems like my sisters and my mom are dieting...it is bikini season, so I can't blame them. (This isn't gluten-free, but definitely could be made to be.)

Read below for instructions and ingredients. 

Ingredients: 

2 Slices French Bread

1 Egg

1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream 

11/2 Tbl Sugar

1 Tsp Cinnamon 

2 Tsp Vanilla

1 Cup Corn Flake Cereal

Instructions: 

1. Take your egg, cream, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla and whisk together until thoroughly mixed. 

2. Take a skillet and heat about a cup of canola oil on your stove at about medium. You want it hot so the bread can fry.

2. Slice your French Bread with any desired thickness...the thicker the better though because that way it is soft and chewy in the middle and crispy on the outside. I'd say slice it 3/4 inch thick.

3. Dip your bread in your mixture. Let it soak there, then flip it. Make sure it is completely soaked in. 

4. Then take your corn flake cereal and crunch it into little pieces. Usually you can just grab a handful and crunch it. Put the pieces onto a plate. 

5. Now dip the soaked french toast into the cornflake cereal pieces. 

6. Take the now crusted french toast and lay it in your hot oil pan. 

7. Watch out for the hot oil! 

8. Let fry for a couple minutes each side until golden brown. 

9. Serve hot. I dusted my French Toast with powdered sugar, laid on some butter, and poured hot maple syrup on top. It's also good with sliced strawberries. 

xoxo