"Kitchen Sink" Energy Bites

A no bake treat filled with dark chocolate, oats, flax, and nutty goodness? Yes please! I ran across a post from Gimme Some Oven (LOVE her stuff) for no bake energy bites and fell totally madly deeply in love with these. They were sweetened with agave and they had all the delicious ingredients to fuel your belly and satisfy your sweet tooth all while being totally nutritious.
I used her original recipe as a base and have been tweaking it ever sense. It has over the years become my kitchen sink recipe bites. I literally will get a craving for them and go through my pantry and see what all I can add to them at the time. This particular recipe has crunchy peanut butter, cranberries, dark chocolate, sunflower seeds, and so much more.

Coconut is one of those things that throughout my life I have learned to love. I think it was a textural thing. I wouldn't touch coconut as a child - but I am obsessed with it now. If a recipe has coconut in it - sign me up!!
I start these bites with a little extra step that you technically don't have to do but I am telling you makes all the difference in flavor. I toast the coconut and old fashioned oats. There is something about toasting the oats that gives it a nutty flavor that complements the other ingredients so well. And toasted coconut - I mean come on!!

I add the coconut and the oats to a food process and pulse it just a bit to make them into a more fine consistency. Doing this makes it easier to roll them into a ball at the end. Next I start with the liquid for the base. You can use peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, any type of nut butter of your choice. Or if you have a nut allergy you can sub sunflower butter and leave out the coconut. Next I add some honey and a little splash of vanilla- because there is just something about the combo of peanut butter, honey, and vanilla that is ridiculously delicious. Agave is a perfect substitute, however, agave is not as thick as honey so you may have to adjust the liquids to have the right consistency for the bites to roll into a ball.

After you have the base down it is all about the add-ins. I particularly love mini dark chocolate chips for this recipe. You could totally use a different type of chocolate but I like the bitterness of dark chocolate because you already have the sweetness from the honey and peanut butter.  I add in some sunflower seeds and cranberries because there is something about the salty and tart aspect that does some sort of magic to these little guys. Lastly I add in ground flax and chia seeds because that way I don't feel as guilty for eating 5 of these in a day. It's basically a health treat - right?!
I mix all of this up in a bowl and pop it into the fridge for 10 or 15 minutes to set up a little bit. Yes - you heard me right. There is no baking necessary here people. It is a quick no-bake recipe that you will get hooked on.
After about 10 minutes in the fridge it should be relatively easy to roll into balls. If it seems to dry, just add some more peanut butter. If it seems too wet just add some more oats, or whatever you want more of. If all else fails - leave the bowl in the fridge with a spoon and just go to town. I have absolutely been too lazy to roll these into balls before and have eaten this delicious mixture straight out of the bowl with zero shame.
These little energy bites give me just the boost and sweet fix that I need on a daily basis. They also make a perfect travel snack!

XO
Elizabeth

Hostess Gifts 101

Spring is almost here! So what does that mean? Parties, events, barbecues, get-togethers, lots of time spent with friends and family celebrating any and everything in the coming season. A hostess gift may seem like a simple gesture of gratitude but more and more I notice that it has become an after-thought or something only done for special occasions. Hopefully with this post I can show you how simple it is to put together a really thoughtful gesture to say thank you to whomever is hosting.

Who, what, when, where, these should all come into play when thinking about a hostess gift. Maybe its a southern thing, but my mom always taught me to never go anywhere empty handed. Baking is most definitely my love language so even if I am going somewhere that no additional food is necessary, some type of cookie stash that can be put straight in the freezer for those moments of desperation, a container of brownies, some kind of baked good is always a go-to for me. Another simple but thoughtful option would be a nice bottle of wine, or beverage that you know your host/hostess would enjoy. Make sure when you are picking out the beverage that you consider if you want it to be opened then or saved for later. More often times I have found that beverages are normally opened during the gathering, rather than after - which is totally fine with me. But if you want them to be able to enjoy it without sharing it with all the guests then you can specify that when presenting it. 

Some options for small gift ideas: a set of coasters, picture frame, some kind of small board game, or set of linen napkins are always good options no matter the type of get-together. This little spring basket that I put together was so inexpensive and most of the items came from the target dollar bin. Don't you LOVE the target dollar bin??? 

When I put together some type of hostess gift I try to think of a theme that makes sense - or at least think of the things I know the host/hostess would like. For this basket I centered it around indulgence, because who doesn't love a nice glass of wine and some double chocolate chip cookies? 

I love this little tin - it would be the perfect vessel for condiments or utensils at a BBQ, It would hold some succulents or flowers beautifully. It could even be an Easter basket if you needed one for the upcoming holiday. 

I chose a rosé to put in this basket because I think rosé screams Spring. I nestled it into the basket and added some stemless wine glasses. I told you that I rarely turn down an opportunity to give people baked goods so for this particular basket I added some double chocolate chip cookies with icing and festive spring-colored sprinkles. I had originally found a sweet little linen table runner that I added to the basket but I felt like it might be too much so I took it out. But you could easily take a small table runner and wrap up a bottle of wine, tie it with a bow and call it a day. 

Lastly, and probably my favorite find and gift since I discovered them were wine glass markers! How genius!! I know the whole craze of marking wine glasses with rings, straws, and little things that hang out of the glass but how do you drink with all of those? I found these markers at target and was sold!! Also - if you are anything like me and only have one type of wine glass because you like things to be uniform and you like what you like - well, these little guys will make your heart happy! No more trying everyone's glass to find your drink, or having 1234835034 different types of cups/glasses because no one knows whose is whose. I love to take these markers and write little things on each of the glasses as people arrive so they feel special when picking their drink of choice. This girl right here loves to add personal touches to as many things as I can.

 

That is it people - it just takes a little thought and effort. I can promise you that whoever is hosting and whatever they are hosting will be more than appreciative for the creativity or effort that you put into saying thank you for having them.

Let's Party - Happy Spring!!

XO

Elizabeth 

Lunch At The Lodge

If you have ever wondered if Ree Drummond aka The Pioneer Woman was as beautiful, sincere, funny, and charming in person as she is on TV I am here to tell you she is not. She is MORE than all of those things- she is an actual dream! She graciously opened her lodge to some ladies of the Thunder for one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten - no surprise there. I could just hear the intro music from her TV show on Food Network playing in the background as we arrived on the ranch. I have to say that driving down the dirt road my heart was beating nearly out of my chest. I can remember an exact conversation with my husband the day he put living in Oklahoma on my radar. It went a little something like this.

Jarell: "How do you feel about Oklahoma?"
Me: "To be honest I don't even know where that is on a map" - yes I understand that is embarrassing.
Me: Googles Bristol, VA  to Oklahoma City OK  - 967.9 miles/14 hours.
Me: 14 hours from home. Not thrilled about that
Me: WAIT! The Pioneer Woman is in Oklahoma
Me: Googles Oklahoma City, OK to Pawhuska, OK - 147.3 miles/2 hours 20 minutes
Me: I think Oklahoma would be great idea!!

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be in her home - eating lunch that she prepared - talking about our beloved Thunder basketball, all things BRAVO, and how browned butter makes the world go 'round.

It was a magical day with Ree and her sweet assistant Haley. We came, we ate, and we laughed hysterically. She showed us around the lodge, talked about her love for cooking and how her brand has evolved throughout the years. It was so inspiring to see that behind the camera she was mostly importantly mom and wife, a well-respected ranch assistant, and downright lovely. I may have blacked out at some point during the day, probably right after I forgot how to speak during the introductions - but I could have sworn that she invited us back for a sleepover? So Mrs. Drummond, I'm holding you to that one of these days ;)

Hope you enjoy these photos as much as I enjoyed taking them!!

This is the moment all my food dreams came true and she asked me if I wanted to help plate dessert!! I may have fumbled my words when we first spoke at the beginning of the day but I know my way around a brownie sundae so let's just say I had this one in the bag :)  So thankful for my girlfriends who know what this moment meant to me and caught it on camera!! 

XO,
Elizabeth

Distressed Demin D I Y

Who doesn't love a good pair of distressed jeans?? But where does the line fall between too distressed/not distressed enough...I think that jury is still out. For me personally - working in a elementary school makes that determination relatively easy. I wanted to find a way to create a subtle distressed denim look that was work appropriate but could also give a certain outfit a bit of an edgy feel.

For this project I decided to go with a tried and true brand of jeans. I love Old Navy rock star denim! It is wearable, stretchy, comes in a variety of colors and is a great quality of jean for the price. If you haven't tried their rock star denim collection - please do yourself a favor and get to Old Navy a s a p.
There are a couple of ways to go about this process. For me, keeping the distress at the ankle is my preference. Especially for work because it is office appropriate. I also choose a dark color jean because I think it is more flattering than light wash jeans. I also think that darker denim is easier to transition from a more casual outfit to a more dressy look for night time.

Before you really get started I would suggest doing some research for the type of look you are going for. Here is the Pinterest inspiration that I found before starting.

Let's talk about the process.  It is fairly easy to do - just grab a pair of sharp scissors and begin cutting off the bottom hem of your jeans. This pair of jeans hit me perfectly at the ankle so I didn't need to take them up any more. If your pair of jeans is a little long you can adjust the amount you cut accordingly. I always say less is more - you can keep going if need be but you can't go back if you cut too much off. If you need to put them on and mark with a fabric marker where to begin cutting that can be helpful.

After cutting off the hem the fun part begins. I like to take the blade of the scissors and run it along the edge of the cut to expose the frayed pieces of the seam. I do this until I reach the level of distress that I am looking for. There are so many different ways to add character to your jeans.You could grab a piece of fine sand paper and rub it along the bottom of the jeans to give it more texture. I used a super fine piece on the bottom of my jeans after I use the scissors to give it a more "lived in" look.

Here are some other ways to customize your distressed denim:
Uneven hem is all the rage right now so cutting the back of the leg longer than the front could be an option.

You could also make a diluted bleach wash with 2 parts water and 1 part bleach and use little droplets to create an even more distressed look. This method also works with white paint. Using the two together gives a really unique look to your jeans. Just dip a brunch into the solution and flick it onto the pants for a really organic look.

The best part about this project is that you can totally customize the jeans to the the look you want for free. You do not have to pay the extra cost of a great pair of designer denim when you use some imagination a DIY attitude. So grab a pair of jeans that you probably already have in the back of your closet and get to distressing!

Happy DIYing
Xo
Elizabeth

Taco 'bout a F I E S T A!

I started dreaming about Jayden's first birthday when he was about 4 months old. I had so many different thoughts of what I wanted the day to be for him and our family.  His actual first birthday fell on a game day so we decided to celebrate during All-Star break. We also decided on a joint party with one of my dear girlfriends and her daughter Ava. Our kids are just 4 days apart and our husbands work together a n d were both off during the break so it was either go to two birthday parties in the same day OR have one together -- it was a no-brainer!

I pinterested my little tail off to find inspiration for a memorable and interactive party for our kiddos. I was browsing colorful and unique "gender neutral" first birthday ideas and came across a F i r s t  F i e s t a  post on www.theseblondewalls.com. I loved every single aspect of their Fiesta!  Truthfully, I used every idea I saw in the photos for inspiration. I loved how she made a Fiesta happen in "Winter." For some reason all the birthday party ideas I could find for February were centered around cold-weather activities. We don't have typical seasons in Oklahoma, so on party day it was a beautiful sunny 70 degrees and for that I am so thankful because we spent time a good about of time outside after the glorious cake smash. Kaila at These Blonde Walls had a beautiful outdoor venue for her son's fiesta with gorgeous table settings and personal touches throughout. After swooning over her hard work come to life - I couldn't wait to get started planning our own First Fiesta for Jayden and Ava.

It was an amazing day filled with laughter, good food, so much love and zero stress. I am beyond thankful for every person that spent the afternoon celebrating our littles. [especially for the help cleaning up]  We are beyond blessed to have so many people that were there or celebrating with us from a far. I could not have imagined a more perfect day!

Party details linked below --

Taco Bar was catered by myself and my hostess partner-in-crime. It was a delicious way to entertain our guests. Cookies made by Eileens Colossal Cookies and smash cakes were made by me. Fringe streamers, tissue paper flowers, and chalkboards were really fun projects that I took on. Truth be told, I can't pass up a good DIY opportunity. Post coming soon how to make a first birthday chalkboard. 

Invite:PetitePartyStudio/ Cupcake toppers:ChampagneConfettiCo ; WhateversHandmades/ Smash cake toppers :TenderLoveCardstock/ Cactus balloons: BrightSoSlight /  UNO balloons:Bargain Balloons/ Crepe paper:Amazon / Papel picado, Table Runners + Maracas:Amols Party Supply/ 

XO
Elizabeth.