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Fun Ways to Organize Let's Get Cooking

Recipe Organization and Planning

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday! I can’t believe we are one week away from Thanksgiving. This month has flown by. I am looking forward to the bonus time with family next week, the delicious food, and getting into the holiday spirit after Thanksgiving. The older I get the more I cherish the time my whole is together because I know it won’t be that way forever. I’m feeling extra grateful this holiday season. Speaking of the holiday season, it also leads to more time in the kitchen.

One of my favorite hobbies that I have developed over the past year or so has been cooking and baking. I always enjoyed helping my mom in the kitchen as a child, whether it be helping bake cookies or with dinner.  As an adult, I have continued to love to spend time in the kitchen both baking family-favorite foods or trying new recipes.  I love finding new recipes from blogs, Pinterest and cookbooks. However, it can get overwhelming when you find recipes and then don’t get a chance to try them if you misplace or don’t save them. Over the past few months, I have developed a system when it comes to finding new recipes from cookbooks and blogs, saving them, trying them out and saving the recipe in my own cookbook.

I love finding new cookbooks and trying new recipes

Here’s how my system works:

  • Browse and tab recipes- Whenever I get a new cookbook or I’m reading a recipe blog and I see a recipe I like, I immediately tab and save it. I use sticky notes for cookbooks and then for blogs online I will save the page. On Pinterest,  I have a food board that I save all recipes I like. 
Browsing a cookbook
Using sticky tabs for my favorites
  • Add recipes to Notes in my phone- When I am done browsing a cookbook or after I find a recipe I want to try online, I add it to a note on my phone. I have a note saved of a list of all the recipes I want to try divided up by season and where I can find them.  For example, a hearty dish from one of Jessie James Decker’s cookbooksk would be under the winter or fall sections. I only keep meals on this note, not drinks or desserts. I only use this for cookbooks and blogs, not Pinterest, I will check that occasionally for specific recipe ideas. This way when I am looking to try a new recipe, I have a list of things I want to try and I know exactly where to find them, whether they be in a cookbook or online.
Some of the recipes I was to try and where I found them.
More recipes to try!
  • Time to Cook or Bake- Once I have settled on my recipe, I get my ingredients and cook or bake it and (hopefully) enjoy it!
The final result
  • Save the Recipe- If the meal is a success, I do a few things. First, I took it off my notes list since I have already tried it. If I found the recipe in a cookbook, I was replace the sticky note with a new color, so I know for future reference that I have tried it, and it was a success and I want to cook it again. If I find the recipe online whether it be on a blog or Pinterest, I will type up the recipe, with a photo of it and add it to my own personal cookbook. I got this cookbook from Simplified, and I love it. I have it filled with family recipes and recipes from blogs or Pinterest. I have each recipe typed up and in a protective cover and organized by course of meal (appetizer, breakfast, lunch, dinner etc.) From there, recipes are organized by the type of meal (for example under main courses, I have a section for chicken, pork, pasta, beef etc.) This keeps all recipes from family members or online in one spot that’s easy to find.

This system has worked great for me over the past year. I love how I have a whole slew of recipes at my fingertips and then I have a place with them all saved to make again in the future. Although this system may seem complex and tedious, it has become second nature to add recipes I want to try to my list and then type them up when I am done. I keep my personal cookbook with my other cookbooks in one spot, so they are all easy to grab and cook.

If you love being in the kitchen as much as I do, what are some of your tips and tricks when it saving and trying recipes? I would love to hear them! Enjoy your time in the kitchen!

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Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #58

Happy Friday friends! We made it through the first full week of September. How was your week? Productive? Relaxing? Getting adjusted into a new routine? No matter how your week went, I hope it is ending on a high note and you have something fun planned for the weekend. If you are a football fan, then I’m sure you are gearing up for a big weekend as the NFL season officially begins! I’m hoping to catch some of the game this weekend.

As we say hello to the weekend, here’s some things that I’ve been loving as I link up with Erika and Andrea for another edition of Friday Favorites!

Cuticle Lotion– I love doing my nails and through the years, I have tried different brands and tools and colors while giving myself my own at-home manicures and pedicures. I have been using this cuticle lotion by Burt’s Bees and have really been loving it. I use a cuticle oil when I don’t have any polish on, and I have been using this lotion on my cuticles as well. Typically, I will change my nail color once a week and on the days when I don’t have any polish on, I will put on the oil in the morning and the lotion at night (or whenever I have time through the day). I like that the lotion isn’t too thick or heavy and I have found that it has strengthened my cuticles. I have used it with polish on but prefer to use it without polish. I only have been using the travel/ sample size and it’s been working well. After I finish the sample size, I will see about investing in the full size, I’ll keep you posted.

Hair Drying Bow– Another beauty product for you this week, I shower at night and try to have my hair fully or mostly dry before bed. I got this hair drying bow and I have been using almost every day. I like how it absorbs the water in my hair after I’m done washing it. There are also essential oils infused in the wrap which leaves my hair smelling good too. Plus, it doubles has a headband which holds my hair back if I’m doing things before bed like reading or watching tv. I think I got this one from Marshall’s or T.J. Maxx, but I have seen ones similar at those stores and Target and Walmart. It’s a fun beauty accessory that has a purpose.

Rice Cakes– I know I am late to the game with this snack item, but I recently discovered Rice Cakes and I have really enjoyed them as a lunch snack. They aren’t super flavorful, so I typically add a spread on top. Since I have been eating them at lunch when I am home, I have been spreading some peanut butter and my homemade strawberry jam on top. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty and low calorie too! I know people eat them for breakfast a lot or even as a snack. Since I am new to the rice cake group, tell me, if you are a fan, what do you eat them with? What’s your go-to spread and flavor? I’m open to trying everything!

An easy go-to lunch or snack!

Ear Bud Cleaning Kit– Whether you have Air Pods, Wireless headphones or even regular ear buds, a cleaning kit is a huge help. I got this ear bud cleaning kit a few months back and it has all the tools to clean out headphones, earpieces, even smart watches. There are so many different brushes, fine toothpicks, and other items to really give your headsets a good cleaning. I wear an earpiece for work every day and use some of these tools to clean them out. I have done a thorough cleaning of my Apple Watch and its band and used some of the tools as well. If you use headphones daily, I highly recommend getting a little tool kit to keep things clean. 

A must need for headphones or earbuds!

Sunday Scroll– I mentioned before how I have really been enjoying following some of my favorite bloggers and writers on Substack. It’s a writing platform that has brought me so much joy to read posts from some of my favorite people! Emily Ley recently launched a Sunday Scroll series where she shares some of her favorite books, links, articles, and favorite things. You can learn more here. It only takes a few minutes to read, but it’s been fun to learn new things and find new items. Definitely a light read/ scroll during the weekend.

This week has been a fun one with lots of fun favorites too! I hope you have a great weekend! See you back here on Wednesday!

Categories
Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites #2

Hey guys!

I have another edition of Friday Favorites! Once again, I’m teaming up with Erika and Andrea for a second edition of Friday Favorites! Here’s some things I’ve been loving this past week!

  1. New Blogs- I have my go-to blogs that I love to follow and read every day, here’s some of my favorites. But, recently, I’ve been finding some new ones that are right up my alley. I started reading Ashley Brooke’s blog and I love how she shares about lifestyle, fashion, home decor and motherhood. Definitely a fun read to add to my daily blogs!

2. New Facial Cleanser – I was out of town for a few days and like I posted a few weeks back in this post, I tried some sample products! I love how this facial cleanser smells and how it leaves my skin feeling refreshed.. I love my current facial routine at home and won’t be switching it but this was a fun change up for a few days!

3. Summer Sandals- I jumped on the trend with these shoes. They kept popping up while I was browsing stores online and while I was doing window shopping and I decided to bite the bullet and get them. I love the platform sandal and how you can pair them with shorts, skirts or sundresses. A summer fashion favorite for sure!

4. Columbus Zoo- I love zoos and animals and I got to go to the Columbus Zoo for the first time last week! It was so well laid out and fun to see so many animals, definitely worth a day trip. The weather was perfect for a day at the zoo!

5. Avocado Toast-I know I’m late to the party, but I’m been enjoying avocado toast this summer. One of my friends made it for me when I was visiting and I loved it. I’ve been enjoying for breakfast and brunch a few times this summer! Not only is it tasty but also filling.

That’s another edition of Friday Favorites! I hope you have a relaxing and fun August weekend! What are you loving this week?

Categories
Fabulous living

Blog Anniversary

Hi everyone!

Happy Wednesday…I can’t believe I am typing this, but it’s my blog-anniversary.

I’ve been sharing bits and pieces of my life for the past four years, from college musings, to first time jobs, outfits, ways to organize, travel diaries, fitness routines, friends, family moments and more. 

When I first started my blog, I used it as a way to keep busy and have a creative outlet and it has given me that and so much more! It’s been fun to look and back and read some of my earlier posts to my posts today. In some ways I haven’t changed at all, in other ways I have grown a lot. 

In honor of my four years of blogging, I’m sharing some of my favorite posts of the past year.

Throughout the past year, my life has revolved around work, family time, trying new hobbies like reading and cooking, continuing to build friendships and relationships and of course the pandemic. 

Here are some of my favorite posts from the past year. 

Since work was a huge part of my life, it only makes sense that one of my favorite posts was about a day in my work life. To get a sneak peek into my work life, you can read about it here.

Working the anchor desk this weekend.

Sticking with news, December marked one year since I started working in news, so I did a post about what it’s been like along with some of my favorite stories. You can learn more about that post here.

New year, new head shots

Something that goes along with work is fashion. Since I have to dress up every day, I’ve enjoyed shopping for cute and affordable outfits and dresses. During the pandemic, Amazon was a huge help for finding dresses, here are some of my favorite looks. You can see them here.

One of my latest Amazon finds.

One of my favorite hobbies this past year has been learning to cook and bake. You can check out my Instagram stories to see my latest recipes. In the fall, I went apple picking and made a ton of apple recipes. Here are three of my favorites.  

Lots of apples equals lots of recipes.

Organization is another big part of my life. Establishing routines and habits are a game changer for a smooth day. I shared some of my favorite routines that you can read about here.

Staying organized keeps my life in order

The biggest thing that dominated my life both personally and professionally was the pandemic. I shared what the past year was like for me here.

The new normal while working, masks and all

And last but certainly not least, I was so happy to finally give my blog upgrade thanks to my friend Marley! You can read all about the upgrade here.  

New logo and branding

This year has been very different than I planned but I was so happy with everything I did this past year. In the next year, I’m hoping to have more travel diaries, more recipes, more adventures and more time with family, friends and loved ones. 

Thank you to everyone who has read, followed along and supported me. Whether this was your first time or you have been reading since Day 1, I’m so happy to have you along with me. Here’s to a new year!

Categories
Fabulous living

My Favorite Blogs

Hey guys! Happy Tuesday! I have just a short post for you today. I’m currently in Rome for Spring Break! I can’t wait to share all about my trip when I return.

However, today, I have a fun post for you all about blogging. For those of you who are new here, I have been blogging for almost two years and I have loved every second of it. I love sharing fashion and organizational tips, healthy life hacks, and overall, my experience in college. I’m so glad to have you all here with me on this journey. However, I didn’t get here alone, I get a lot of inspiration from a lot of strong and powerful women who have paved the way in the blogging world. Today, I’m going to share with you my favorite bloggers and a bit about them. This post is not sponsored-I just wanted to give some love to my favorite girl bosses and bloggers! I read their blogs every day and I love to learn different things from them whether it is recipes, skin care, day in the life or travel. If you are looking for some other blogs to check out be sure to give these ladies a follow! Let’s get to it!

Mix and Match Mama

I love following Shay Shull and her whole crew. Shay shares everything from recipes, adoption, children, travel, faith, and family. I love how real she gets with her readers. She also has a few cookbooks out that has the most delicious recipes. I love to read her travel posts and her day in the life posts as well as her book reviews. She has been at blogging for over 10 years and always comes up with new content all the time. Such a fun blog to follow.

Laura Likes Design

I found Laura’s blog a few years back and I love following her healthy lifestyle, fitness, and personal development posts. She always keeps her posts positive but also honest-two things I love in the blogs I read! She recently just had her first baby and he is cutest thing ever! I love reading all her latest posts especially balancing life with a new baby and getting into a new routine. 

A Little Bit of Everything

I found Erika’s blog through Shay’s blog. The two moms work together and are close friends. I love reading all about her travel posts, running around with her children and online shopping finds. Her posts about Q&A’s and surveys are my favorite to read. She also keeps it real and anyone who is a mom will find her relatable. 

Carly the Prepster

I found Carly’s blog through a friend. The first thing that drew me to Carly’s blog is that she started it in college-just like I started my blog. She writes all about her college experiences, being homesick and how she grew from those experiences. A few years ago she quit her intense job to blog full time, it’s been great to see this transition. Now, Carly blogs about fashion, accessories, and life lessons. I love her refreshing personality. 

The Chic Mamas

I found Abby on Instagram after I watched her husband in one of my favorite shows, SEAL Team. Abby is a blogger, dermatology nurse, and a mom of three! She does it all. I love her posts about Amazon and Target finds, her beauty and skin care treatments and above all else keeping it real with being a working mom. I can’t get enough of her posts!

Emily Ley

Okay, by now you know I love Emily Ley based on how much I talk about her on my blog. I love how she strives to live a simplified life and lead a life of grace not perfection. She is also the Founder of Simplified, her own boss, and a mom to three. Her posts always make me energized and positive. She is such an inspiration to anyone looking to simpliify their lives. 

If you are a huge fan of blogs, I hope these are suggestions of blogs to check out. If you aren’t a fan of blogs then I hope this gives you some insight of women who inspire me in the blogging world. 

I hope you all have great weeks! See you soon!