Fresh Berry Salad with Whipped Cream: My Diary of Us

It's hard to believe that June is almost over and it's already time for July 4th! This year is speeding by and just like that we are halfway through the year. Before you know it Halloween will be here and then Christmas...which is maybe a little dramatic, but seriously it will be here in the blink of an eye! Do you have big plans for the 4th? We have friends coming into town and will probably find some fireworks to watch, head down to the water for the day, and of course will be eating lots of yummy food (duh). One item that will be on my 4th of July menu is my fresh berry salad with whipped cream for dessert! It's the easiest, no bake dessert and you don't have to feel as bad about eating it either!

After all, we will all be indulging a little more than usual with all the BBQ and celebrating that will be happening over the course of the weekend, so it's kinda nice to have a light dessert option! Berries are still gorgeous just about everywhere right now and to me, they just go with the 4th of July!

PostedJune 29, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDessert

Tagsfresh berry salad, homemade whipped cream, berries with lemon and mint, fresh fruit salad, 4th of July dessert recipes, no bake desserts, easy recipes, easy dessert recipes, seasonal desserts, healthy desserts, gluten free dessert

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Summer has arrived guys. The heat is rising and it is HOT out there. Our poor air conditioner hasn't been able to take a break and I wish I could tell it how much this pregnant lady appreciates being able to stay cool. The thought of going to buy a baby pool to put on the back porch for me to sit in, maybe with ice surrounding me, is becoming more and more appealing with each passing day. The only other thing that makes Summer more tolerable is a refreshing cocktail which is totally necessary in order to survive the heat. I'll have to stick to mocktails for now, but for you...for you I bring you the cherry French 75! Perfectly refreshing and summery, and sure to help you forget about your sweat drenched bra.

And don't pretend that you don't know about the sweat drenched bra. It's a thing, and there isn't anything sexy about it. For you guys who probably aren't wearing bras, I'm sure you can still relate! Good thing for you if you are holding one of these cocktails, not only will you forget about your sweltering body, but others around you will too.

PostedJune 25, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesCocktails

Tagscherry french 75, cocktails, thirsty thursday, french 75, baby shower cocktails, wedding shower cocktails, party cocktails, mixed drinks, summertime cocktails

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Yesterday my morning started out kinda rough, and I was in a blah mood all day long. Later in the afternoon, I was checking my email and I saw where I won an Ergo baby carrier from a blog giveaway! I never win anything, EVER, and was beyond excited because I had just registered for one and they run about 170.00. It was just the pick me up I needed to change my mood for the afternoon. Do you ever have days like that where you just have a hard time getting out of your funk? If you are human, I am sure you do and there is nothing better at the end of one of those days than a big bowl of comfort food. My easy baked ziti is just the sort of meal that will make you feel better in one bite.

It's funny how food can do that, transform your mood after a long day. It's one of the reasons I love to cook. For me, it's healing and to be able to serve others a meal that makes them feel better too is such a rewarding experience.

PostedJune 23, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDinner

Tagsbaked ziti, easy baked ziti, comfort food, easy dinners, Italian food, dinner, family meals, kid friendly meals, pasta

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Watermelon, Coconut, and Lime Smoothie: My Diary of Us

Tropical Storm Bill delivered us heavy rains all week long. Today is the first day since Sunday that there isn't a 100% chance of rain all day. It has been gloomy and wet and I am in need of a dose of sunshine and a long walk outside asap! Even though the rain has stopped it doesn't look like the sun is going to make it's appearance just yet. Whon whon...so in the mean time, I will just be over here drinking my watermelon, coconut, and lime smoothie pretending that I am somewhere outside on a beautiful day!

Y'all already know that one of my top pregnancy cravings lately has been watermelon. We go through at least two a week because I can't stop my hands from grabbing a few pieces every time the fridge door opens. I've been eating it plain, with salt, in salads (like my watermelon, cucumber, and mint salad), and lately my new favorite is putting watermelon in my smoothies!

PostedJune 18, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesBreakfast, Lunch

Tagswatermelon smoothie, healthy smoothies, watermelon, watermelon coconut and lime smoothie, gluten free, clean eating, healthy snacks, on-the-go breakfasts, breakfast

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Open-Faced Egg Sandwich with Arugula Pesto: My Diary of Us

Did anyone else's weekend fly by? I don't know why this comes as a surprise to me week after week, but it never fails every Sunday night I find myself moping around at the fact that the weekend is coming to a close again. It's not even that Mondays are really all the bad for me. They consist of meal planning, email responses, and shooting recipes. All of which I don't mind doing one bit and one important step to my weekday productivity is always a good breakfast. If I don't start out the day with a good meal, I can pretty much kiss my chances of my brain working properly goodbye. My open-faced egg sandwich with arugula pesto is just the kind of breakfast that will fuel my day!

PostedJune 15, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesBreakfast

Tagsbreakfast, brunch, egg recipes, arugula pesto, healthy, breakfast recipes, open-faced sandwich ideas, breakfast for dinner

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Peach Sweet Iced Tea with Bourbon: My Diary of Us

In the South, you grow up drinking sweet iced tea. It's a staple at everyone's house and more than likely if you go and visit someone, sweet tea will be offered to you. In my opinion, you should never pass up homemade sweet iced tea. It's so refreshing, tooth achingly sweet, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't keep sweet tea in the house at all times because Canean and I would drink entirely too much of it, but I thought this week a peach sweet iced tea with bourbon sounded like the perfect cocktail to dive into summer and to channel my Tennessee roots.

If ever there were a trio that was meant to be together, it is sweet tea, peaches, and bourbon. The flavors pair effortlessly together creating the ultimate refreshing cocktail! Peaches are just coming into season meaning they are getting sweeter and sweeter by the week and that means I am entering my peach obsession phase. Which apparently I have had since I was a little girl. My mom will tell you that I would eat as many peaches as she would give me and not much has changed!

PostedJune 11, 2015

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesCocktails

Tagspeach iced tea, sweet tea, peach sweet iced tea with bourbon, bourbon iced tea, thirsty thursday, bbq cocktail recipes, outdoor party cocktails, summer drinks, cocktails

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