Raspberry and Lime Rosé Sangria Popsicles: My Diary of Us

Summer is wrapping up quickly and I have to say that on one hand I am kind of sad, and on the other hand (the hand that is tired of sweating everyday) is getting excited for fall. I will miss the fresh melons and peaches, the laid back feel that summer brings with it, and the long days full of sunlight. But I am beyond ready for some cooler weather, my boots, and fall dishes. To make the most of these last summer days, I figured there was no better way than with refreshing and boozy raspberry and lime Rosé sangria popsicles.

These would be great for your Labor Day celebration and will make the heat a little bit more bearable. You will fall in love with popsicles in a whole new way after just a bite. Who doesn't love a frozen, fruity, made from wine treat?

PostedAugust 28, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesCocktails

Tagspopsicle recipes, boozy popsicles, Rosé Sangria, Sangria Popsicles, Labor Day Recipes, Labor Day, Raspberries, Lime, Last Days of Summer, Gluten Free

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Breakfast Tacos with Andouille Sausage and Queso Fresco: My Diary of Us

School has started, so I am guessing that your weeks have just gotten that much more complicated and hectic. Even if you don't have kids to get to school in the morning, traffic has increased and your morning time has in turned decreased, which can sometimes mean that breakfast gets eliminated or you might tend to grab something unhealthy. Make ahead breakfasts can be life savors for the morning rush and my breakfast tacos with Andouille sausage and queso fresco are the perfect solution to a happy belly.

You can prep all ingredients the night before and in the morning have a fresh and satisfying breakfast on your plate in under a minute. I don't know if you are like me, but if I don't have a good breakfast, I am not very productive and can get kind of hangry. No bueno friends.

I picked up some local Andouille sausage from the farmer's market on Saturday, and I knew right away breakfast tacos were going to be on the menu for the week. The prep is easy, and it's everything that I love about breakfast. Fluffy eggs, spicy sausage, fresh pico, creamy avocado, and crumbled queso fresco...it's perfection wrapped up in a soft tortilla.

You can swap any ingredients for ones that you prefer or have in the fridge and stuff those bad boys with whatever makes your taste buds dance.

They will quickly become a family favorite and you will love the extra minutes you have in the morning and the fact of knowing that you fed your body what it needs to get through the day!

PostedAugust 26, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesBreakfast

Tagsbreakfast taco recipe, breakfast tacos, andouille sausage recipes, fresh breakfast, make ahead breakfast recipe, Healthy, savory breakfast recipe, back to school, breakfast

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Canean has always told me that I live in a fairytale world, the one where the good guys always win and the prince always finds the princess. For the most part he is right, I am definitely a glass half full kind of person, and try to find the positives in every situation. I am not naïve though and I do realize that life happens, and the fairytale doesn't always go as planned.

And for that reason Canean and I have somewhere along the way created a bubble for our little family that consists of the two of us, our two dogs and our little pink house. Here, the world seems to be an okay place where we can avoid most objects that try to pop our little bubble together.

PostedAugust 25, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLife

TagsLife, Trust, The Bubble, Family

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Caprese Macaroni and Cheese: My Diary of Us

It's Friday and all I want to do tonight is watch a movie in my pj's with Canean. We haven't really seen each other very much this week and I have been looking forward to the weekend since Monday for that very reason. But of course we also have to eat and what I'm really craving is some comfort food to eat while I have my stretchy pants on. Sexy I know. My caprese macaroni and cheese is maybe my new favorite comfort food and way to eat mac n cheese. It has pesto and roasted tomatoes in it and I have somehow convinced myself that it is kind of healthy...

I mean, it's basically grown up mac n cheese (but your kids will love it too) and you are probably going to want to make it this weekend at some point. I am secretly hoping for a thunderstorm to roll in just about the time we settle in for the night while we stuff our faces with cheesy pasta and drink red wine.

Sometimes a girl wants to get dressed up and go out on the town, and other nights we just want our pajamas, some snuggly pups, our best guy, and a big bowl of cheesy pasta.

Tonight I'm feeling option two. But even if you are making up for my lack of a Friday night, which I hope you are, you will still need this mac n cheese to be part of your life sooner rather than later.

I promise you will want to eat ALL of it. (Hence the need for stretchy pants.)

PostedAugust 22, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesPasta

TagsMacaroni and Cheese Recipe, Caprese Mac n Cheese, Homemade mac n cheese, Friday night plans, Cheese Lovers, Pesto, Whole Wheat Pasta, Side Dishes, Casserole

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Cucumber Mint Cocktail with Honeysuckle Vodka: My Diary of Us

Summer is coming to a close, and while I'm beyond ready for a touch of fall weather, I am not ready to give up refreshing cocktails on a hot day. And I might not. This week has been strange because I started my week on Tuesday after getting back in town on Monday and my whole week has been thrown. A great cocktail is always needed on weeks like these and this cucumber mint cocktail with honeysuckle vodka is going to get me through to the weekend.

I have a new obsession with Cathead Vodka's Honeysuckle Vodka. It's perfect to make a light and tasty drink and can be mixed with as few or many ingredients as you like. It's also really good with just club soda and lime. Nothing wrong with that at all.

Sometimes I like to be fancy though.

I am a cucumber in my cocktail kind of girl and thought that the flavor combination would pair nicely with the honeysuckle notes of the vodka. I was right. I also added some fresh mint and lemon juice and the result was a super refreshing drink that I think you are going to love!

I hope you aren't tired of Thirsty Thursdays around here. I love starting my weekend a day early with a yummy cocktail, and I'm pretty sure if we are friends, you do too.

Cucumber. Mint. Lemon. Honeysuckle. Booze. Yes. I'll take two.

PostedAugust 21, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesCocktails

TagsCucumber Cocktails, Cathead Vodka, Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, Honeysuckle Cocktails, Cocktails, Cheers, Drink Recipes, Cocktail Recipes, Gluten Free, Thirsty Thursdays

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A Girl's Weekend in Arizona: My Diary of Us

Somewhere between college and now, my best friends have sprinkled themselves across the country. We all got older, each moved to a different state, and don't get to see each other nearly enough for my liking. We get to see each other about once a year if that, but when it does happen it's amazing. We revert to our 20 year old selves, or in some cases our 15 year old selves. Things pick right back up where we left off and it feeds my soul in the best way possible. Last weekend I headed to Arizona to see my friend Teresa, a friend from college who from the moment we had the same class together we became inseparable. A girl's weekend in Arizona was totally necessary for both of us.

We hiked gorgeous routes Saturday and Sunday, got pedicures, laid by the pool, ate Italian food and cooked some serious meals for her to freeze.

It was a quick trip and neither of us were ready for it to end, but I'll take what I can get! I'm already ready to go back and it's only been two days.

We started out Friday by shopping (of course) and then ended the day with chips and guacamole, a margarita for me, water with lemon for her, and then grabbed yogurt on the way home, because I'll use any excuse to get yogurt. Excuses like my friend is pregnant and she NEEDS me to eat yogurt with her.

PostedAugust 20, 2014

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesTravel

TagsArizona, friendship, travel, hiking, Italian food, Scottsdale best eats, Cooking, meal prep, girl time, Girl's Weekend

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