3-Cheese Risotto

Friends, I'm currently in a "creation" frenzy. I've been churning out the recipes here at home, night after night. Which has been unusual as of late. The hubby returned home from work the other night and exclaimed, "You made dinner again? Wow!". Ha ha. And the next thing he said? "You must be running out of back-up posts on the blog." 

He hit the nail on the head. Sometimes I go through weeks-long phases where all I want to do is write. Sometimes the phase is creating the recipe and taking pictures, and that's where I am currently. Taking lots and lots of pictures, and wracking my brain for any ol' little thing to write. In truth, I'm trying to create a big backlog because my parents are coming to visit next month! It's going to be a longer visit and I know I won't be doing any work while they are here. 

So, that's where my head is at. Must. Take. More. Pictures!!

25 Things You May Not Know About Me: October 2015

Happy Wednesday friends!

I was all set to post a roundup of 25 chocolate recipes. Yummy, right? Then, I had a change of heart. We can get to those chocolate recipes at anytime. I decided to do something fun instead. Everyone likes to get to know the blogger behind the blog. I actually haven't done a post like this since June 28, 2013. I really tried to dig deep this time. So, enjoy! I'll be back with a new recipe on Friday :-)

Product Review: CoverGirl Tone Rehab Foundation and More

How I like to wear my makeup is an ever-evolving affair. For most of my young adult life, my attitude towards makeup was 'the more the merrier'. I liked a very dark, smoky eye, lots of eyeliner and mascara, perfect skin with a thick layer of foundation, and no chance of an oil-slick with pasty powder. Somewhere along the crazy ride, my tastes have changed. I like my skin to look like I'm not wearing foundation or powder, and I like my face to be a bit dewy. I'm very into a natural eye, wearing a shimmery skin-colored eyeshadow, smoky liner, and a thin coat of mascara. I like to leave a lip stain on my lips for 10 minutes and then rub it off, and wear chapstick the rest of the day. I really like a fresh look in the dead of summer, which it definitely is here in Kentucky (it is 7 am and 75º already!). My point? The products I'm reviewing today probably wouldn't have floated my boat 10 years ago. They do now though :)

1. CoverGirl Tone Rehab Foundation

I've really been impressed by CoverGirl products over the last couple of years. When I was first discovering cosmetics, CoverGirl was easily one of the most affordable lines for a teenager. It was a line that showed little quality, though. I tried their eyeshadows, lip glosses, foundations, mascaras, powders, etc. I hated everything. I stuck to Revlon, Maybelline, and L'Oreal in my younger days. Recently however, I've been foraying back into CoverGirl. I like some of their primers, foundations, eyeshadows, and nail polish. I really like this foundation. It reminds me a lot of CoverGirl's NatureLuxe foundation, which I really liked as well. The foundation itself is creamy, smells fresh, and is nicely pigmented. I've applied this with my hands, and also with cosmetic sponges, and both techniques result in a nice finish. This foundation really covers any random redness, or flaw that my skin might have, but still looks and feels like my skin. The formula is pretty long-wearing, although I usually need a touch-up mid-day. Some online reviews have stated that this foundation clogs pores immediately, but I haven't had any problems with that. None. And I have really acne-prone skin. The verdict? I would purchase this again. I've got 3-4 go-to foundations, and I would make this one of them.

2. CoverGirl Flamed Out Eye Pencil in Melted Caramel

It's all about the taupe, baby. Seriously. You might be disturbed by the amount of taupe eye products I have in my collection. Way more than I have any business having, that's for sure! I'll get right to the point, which is I. Love. This. Pencil. Love it. There is nothing not to love about this pencil. It's a wonderful, shimmery light-colored taupe. The color looks like my skin, but dewier. I've worn this over concealer on my lids, over eyeshadow primer, over MAC primer, and under powder eyeshadow. It's all good. The formula slides on creamy, blends easily before it sets, and does not move. I love that the glitter doesn't travel. I love that this shadow looks creamy all day, and doesn't crease. I've come back to the mirror after 10-12 hours to find my eyeshadow perfectly pigmented, in place, and uncreased. I like this pencil so much I've already bought the white and pink colors to test out as well. My only complaint about this pencil is that you have to use a manual pencil sharpener to sharpen it. I only complain about this because all my pencils are self-sharpening, and I didn't own a manual pencil sharpener previous to this product. The verdict? Love, love, love this! I would buy this again, and I may be purchasing even more colors soon.

3. Revlon PhotoReady Foundation

I bought this foundation after doing some pretty specific research. I'm still searching for my Holy Grail drugstore foundation. I can't seem to find one that's perfect. I purchased this after reading several reviews on the Internet that said this foundation was a dupe for Make Up For Ever's HD foundation. Ummm people, this is not a MUFE HD dupe. No, no, no. I love Make Up For Ever's HD foundation, it's probably my favorite of all time. It's really, really expensive however, and I just can't justify buying it anymore. It was my perfect foundation. The coverage was sheer, but seemed to cover everything. It made my skin look flawless. I loved that you couldn't see makeup pooled in my pores. So I jumped on this Revlon version. I was sorely disappointed. The coverage is medium to heavy, I would say, definitely not sheer. The formula also has full-on glitter in it. I hate that. People end up looking a disco-ball, or one of the Cullen's from "Twilight" in direct sunlight. Not the look I go for. Another aspect I was disappointed was the length of time needed before a touch-up, which I'd say is short. It was only 2 hours before oil starting accumulating on my face, and I needed more powder. I don't even have a particularly oily face! The verdict? Needless to say, I was highly disheartened by this product. I will not be re-purchasing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Polish Round-Up: Early Summer 2013

Deals on nail polish are abundant this time of year, and I love every second of it. I'm buying nail polish like it's going out of style right now. There are so many pretty colors out right now, I'm kind of plodding my way through testing them all out. I've found a couple of great-for-me shades, and a few "Wow, I will never buy this again!" shades. Oh, and one nail polish shade I will probably be buying until the end of time. Or they stop making it. I think we know which one of those will come first ;)

The color I've hated the most? Maybelline Color Show in Urban Turquoise.

It's a pretty color in concept, and I will think it would look good on people with a medium to darker complexion. Or tan people. I'm neither of these things. This color just ended up look kind of green on my pale complexion. It also seemed to bring out the blue in my veins which in turned made my feet look dead. I was not fond of the look, and it only lasted one day.

Colors I've disliked, but left them on for awhile? Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in So Much Fawn and Choco Latte.

The pink looked too dusty on my pale, bony fingers. The nude color is more of a khaki, but not a good khaki. I thought it just looked dirty. Also, I don't know why I continue to buy Complete Salon Manicure, they have the worst brush in the history of brushes. I hate them. Still, I continue to buy them. Sigh. Brush-hatred is so easily forgotten when you are standing in the store contemplating polish colors.

Colors I've been impressed with? Covergirl Outlast in Bronze Beauty, Reliable Red, Eternal Oceans.

I continue to be impressed with Covergirl's Outlast nail polish. I love the brush, it is the easiest to use in my collection. The polish formulas are smooth, and so pigmented that most of the time I only have to do one coat. The bronze is more of a gold glitter, but the glitter is subtle and even my 30-year old ass can pull it off. The red is much more hot pink than red, but it works well even with my light complexion. It's so summery, too. Purple's are usually a difficult polish to work with, I find most formulas tend to be clumpy. Not the case with Covergirl's, although you do need to use two coats with this one.

My favorite shade out of all the colors I've tried this summer (so far)? Covergirl Outlast in Smokey Taupe.

Holy cow, this shade has been a revelation for me! It's the perfect shade of taupe that's got a little tint of pink to it. It's perfect for my complexion. It's everything I wanted Sally Hansen's Commander in Chic to be, and wasn't. This color may not look like much in the bottle, but it's amazing on. I really hope they keep making this, because nail polish is not one of those things you can stock-up on and hoard forever. The formula goes awry with time. In any case, this is my new go-to nail color. Love, love, love it!

Next up for testing? Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure in Resurrection and Maybelline Color Show in Sandstorm.

We'll see. I'm expecting to like the nude Maybelline and not expecting to like the blue Sally Hansen. But you never know!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic weekend!

Fashion Post: Swimwear 2013

Ah yes, it is time for a fashion post. If you are adverse to my consumerism-lovin' ways (ahem, Dad), you may want to refrain from reading this post. And, since I'm just covering my favorite swimsuit trends this summer for women, this may not be the post for you.

All right, fair warning.

There are so many cute swimsuit trends this season, I don't know what I want to do. I want 5 million suits, but let's face it. Bikini's are expensive! It's so ridiculous that so little fabric costs more than a pair of shoes. Or jeans. Or a dress. I, like most of us on a budget, will probably have to pick one. Balderdash. Here's some of my favorites:

1. Boho prints

Image source: Athleta

I'm a sucker for a cute, boho print. Actually, a few of my other trends are decidedly hippie-ish as well...

2. Fringe

Image source: Obaz

I'm loving fringe tops, also a pretty boho look. My favorites are the bandeau-style tops with fringe. Now, if I only looked Rihanna in a bikini, I'd be set :)

3. Flutter-kini's

Image source: Hush and Wonder

This is a trend that's newish, I haven't seen too many suits like this until this year. I like that it's a really different trend. And I'm loving these boyshort bottoms.

4. Nautical

Image source: Love My Bubbles

Nautical is actually a pretty classic choice, and looks good every year. I love the color-banding around the edges on this suit, though.

5. Bold Colors

Image source: All Things Stylish

Bold colors are in this season. Neons even. I love the back detail on this suit. Not something you see all the time!

6. Basic Black

Image source: Free People

Image source: Shop Style

Ok, ok, basic black is always in style. However, a corset top (via the 1st picture) is in this season, which makes it trendy. And the detail on the 2nd picture from the crocheting makes this suit very un-basic.

7. Cute One-Pieces

Image source: Obaz

So, the hubby would never let me buy a one-piece, but this suit is super cute! I'll just admire this one from afar. I don't think this one looks old-fashioned. Maybe some day.

Umm, this post has made me want to pull up a lawn chair by a pool... with a margarita in hand... sunning myself in a new bikini. Just need to find myself a pool! :)

Happy Thursday friends!

Springtime Polish Round-Up

I think, I think it's finally spring here in Kentucky. Our weather has been sunny, and 70º for the last couple of days. It's even supposed to be 80º today! I'm so excited, I've been waiting with abated breath for spring. I was soooo sick of wearing boots, or my tennis shoes, or some other version of closed-toed shoes. It's flip-flop time baby!

So being as it is time for flip-flops, what goes hand-in-hand with flip-flops? Pedicures! Time to remove your toes from their sweaty, confined winter prisons, and share them with the world. Go forth ladies, and shed your ashen heels. Moisturize to your hearts content. And for heaven's sake, pick a pretty polish!

I've actually been testing out different polish's all winter. I feel better with my toes painted. Some I've been fond of (hello Covergirl in Smoky Taupe!), and some others I feel, um, not so fond of. Here's some looks I've tried out:

1. Nude

I picked the wrong color of nude. This is Sinful Colors in Vacation Time, and it does not work with my pasty-white complexion. This polish has pink-undertones, and my skin tone was not having it. I'm a big fan of the nude look, I just haven't picked out the right color yet. With so many nudes to choose from, it might be awhile before I find the right one. Besides why not pick a color that people don't have to squint at, and tilt their head as they ponder if you're even wearing a polish? :)

2. Sparkly White

I actually really liked the sparkly white polish. Think disco nails, rather than toes covered in white-out. I bought the Nicole by OPI in It's All About The Glam, and tried it by itself in 3 coats. However, it produced more of a transparent finish rather than the solid, glittery white I was coveting. I countered this by applying Maybelline's Porcelain Party first, which is a non-translucent white. I finished the look with 2 coats of the OPI polish. The 2 polish's together combined for the more opaque look I was going for. It was a really pretty pedicure, one I'm likely to repeat.

3. Bold Purple

As many of you may know, I heart purple. Love, love, LOVE it. I've probably tried just about every purple out on the market. This was a non-complicated pedicure, and 2 coats of this thick polish will produce a perfectly opaque pedicure. Whilst the color was a complete winner (the color was Paparazzi Pleaser), L'Oreal's polish formula sucks. It was too thick, and globby (yes, that is a perfectly acceptable made-up word for describing a nail polish). It chipped and smudged immediately (and yes, I did let the polish set for 60 minutes before it smudged). You can guarantee you'll see me in another purple pedicure, however you are unlikely to see me purchasing another L'Oreal nail polish.

So, what's next? I got some polish strips I'm going to try. I love polish strips. They always look perfect, and they last forever! I got some China Glaze strips on sale at Sally's, and I'm super-excited for my next look.

And what do you know? They are gonna be purple :)

Is It Spring Yet??

So, it's mid February. That time of year when it's still winter, but you are so close to spring you can't stand it. Clothing stores are bringing out their spring collections, with light fabrics and fun colors. Heavy winter clothes in muted colors, ski hats, and scarf's have become unbelievably tiresome. You can't wait to hurl them into the back of your closet until next year.

That's where I'm at. I'm ready for capri pants and t-shirts. Sandals and shorts. Self-tanner on my ghostly white skin. Warm weather. Due to my serious online shopping addiction, I'm coveting waaaay too many spring-y items. Here's what I'm really into for Spring:


1. Boho Bracelets-

How I love Boho. I find it so easy to pull off Boho in the Spring and Summer, and much more difficult in the winter. Bracelets are one of my go-to accessories, so I am considering just going ahead and ordering these. I'm having a hard time fathoming not having them. I'm also picturing all the outfits I could pull together with them. Argh.

2. Chambray Shirts-

Chambray is a huge trend right now, everybody's doing it :) I love this look. My favorite look of the moment is a chambray shirt with white shorts, and statement sandals. I'm also picturing a chambray shirt with capri pants, leggings, cowboy boots... The possibilities are endless. I like this long version from the Gap because, well, I like long shirts. I just do. Period.

3. Flat Sandals-

I love, love, LOVE the black sandals in the middle. I'm not huge into animal prints, but this shoe has just the right amount (minimal!). As a girl who used to exclusively wear heels, I've embraced the flat trend with open arms. Perhaps a bit too much, because my heels don't really get much use anymore... Flats are just soooo much more comfortable. I can already picture this sandal with the aforementioned chambray shirt and white shorts. That's hot. What? People don't say that anymore? Whatev's.

4. A Fun Handbag-

I'm still loving the stud trend. I think the black bag is super cute. I'm also loving fringe right now. I don't usually go with a lot of prints on my clothes, so sometimes a cute studded purse or something fringe-y can really punch up an outfit. I know I'm stuck in this chambray rut-moment, but once again, I can picture the fringe purse with the chambray shirt and white shorts. Maybe not with the animal print sandals, though. Perhaps with a cute pair of wedges or espadrilles? Yes.

5. Long T-Shirts-

Long shirts? Yes, please. Make it a graphic tee as well? Double yes please! There's nothing I love more than a cute t-shirt, but make it long and a little loose? You've got my go-to look for summer. I wear a lot of shorts in the summer, and I'm one of those girls that prescribes to the theory of only highlighting one part of the body, that part usually being some leg à la Angelina Jolie. I'm not going to be prancing around in short shorts with a tight, cropped camisole. It's just not going to happen people.

So, it Spring yet? It's still not time? Drat.

Happy Monday everyone!

Lately-ish

Dirty dog!

Our backyard is a jungle!

The diverse ecosystem that is our property :)

Tequila Pork Chops with Grilled Zucchini.

Spices for a batch of chili.

IPA: A match in chili heaven.

Bought myself a new store-coupon organizer. Stylish!

Got a new purse too!

The plowin' occurring across the fence from us.

Turquoise pedicure. Love!

25 Things You May Not Know About Me

1. I start every day with 2 cups of coffee.
2. I'm secretly a Miley Cyrus fan. I love to work out to her music.
3. I coached club volleyball when I was in college.
4. I don't like tomato based chili. I prefer mine Texas-style. With elbow macaroni.
5. My celebrity crush is Timothy Olyphant aka Raylan Givens.

6. I wear flip-flops 365 days a year.
7. I have 5 tattoos.
8. I used to have my belly button pierced, as well as my nose.
9. I worked at Baskin Robbins in college. And I ate ice cream every time I worked.

10. I hated avocados when I was a kid. Now, I would eat them every day.
11. I used to make fun of my mom for couponing when I was a kid. Oh boy, that one has come back to bite me in the butt!
12. I love salsa. I go through a 48-oz container in a week.
13. Mexican food is my favorite cuisine.

14. I have horrible vision. My eye doctor told me I'm nearing the point where there won't be a prescription for me anymore, and I will have to have Lasik.
15. The thought of Lasik makes my skin crawl.
16. My first car was a 1984 Nissan Pulsar. Baby Blue. It was hideous. I named it "Satan".

17. My second car was a black 1991 Toyota Celica that I called "The Batmobile".

18. I rang in my 21st birthday in the middle of an 8-day power outage due to an ice storm.
19. I'm super picky about purses. I haven't bought one in 2 years because I can't find one I like.
20. I'm not super picky about shoes. I gave away about 30 pairs when I left Oregon (not enough room in the moving truck to bring another 30 pairs of shoes).
21. I hate beets.

22. I've never owned a home. But I'm getting ready to! :)
23. I hate rain.
24. I love snow.
25. I'm a horrible skier. The first time I skied was when I was 24 years old. It took me 3 hours to do my first run. The hubby was maaaaaad!

Pumped Up Kicks

Confession time:

It's been a long time since I bought new running shoes. A long, long time. I'm talking, an embarrassing amount of time. My shoes have gotten to the point where I'm just mortified to wear them.

I realize when shoes get as worn out as I've let mine get, they aren't good for your feet. They don't offer the support that they should, for my legs or back. I guess I've just pushed running shoes so far down on my list of priorities, that I was bound to make it to this point sometime.

Well, no more. It's time to get some new shoes. I'm having a hard time deciding what I want to get.

These Nike's are pretty much like every other running shoe I've ever bought. In fact, I don't know if I've ever bought anything other than Nike... So you could say, I know what to expect out of my ol' faithful Nike's.

Which brings me to Aasics. I love these shoes! Very, very different from any other athletic shoes I've bought. I'm thinking, these are so bright and cheery, how could I not want to work out?

Ahh, Pumas. I've haven't owned Pumas since high school. I wore my Pumas from high school until the soles fell off. I loved those shoes. I wish they still made them... But anyways, I like these running shoes. Pretty basic, with a splash of my fave color, purple.

I think I'm going to let my choice sink in, and buy the one I want tomorrow. I'm so weird about shopping. I see something I like, think about it for days, and then when I decide I absolutely want it, it's gone. Story of my life.

I'm pouncing tomorrow.

BTW, I think it's going to be the Aasics :)