busygirl

try this: summer trifle

As promised, a double-feature today of try this tuesday!  When my family was over last week to sample our grilled salmon, I pulled out the trifle dish that my grandmother gave me for my bridal shower.  Having never made a trifle before, I decided to start with the basics, angel food cake, fruit and something to hold it together.  So here's my experimental trifle that actually turned out to be pretty tasty.  I'll definitely be making these in the future, no baking is required and all you do is layer!

Ingredients

1 store-bought angel food cake (mine was from Giant Eagle)

2 pkgs of banana cream instant pudding (need milk to make)

1 container of Cool Whip

Kiwis, strawberries, blueberries, peaches

Directions

Prepare banana cream pudding as directed. 

Place pieces of angel food cake along the bottom of the trifle dish.  Spoon on a layer of pudding.  Layer on the cut up fruit.  More cake.  More pudding, more fruit, more cake, more pudding, and then I just sprinkled some blueberries. 

Top with Cool Whip and garnish with fruit!  Must be refrigerated until served, then just scoop into bowls!

try this: soy-glazed grilled salmon.

As I mentioned last week, we had my family over for dinner.  In an effort to try something new, we went the fish route instead of our normal steak or pork chops on the grill.  It was DELICIOUS!  This marinade calls for fish fillets, but if your husband happens to bring home half a fish like mine did, you can either cook the salmon, skin side down first, or just clean it into fillets.

Ingredients

2 lbs of Salmon

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

splash of lemon juice

1 tsp seasoned pepper

garlic powder to taste

 

Directions

Mix and marinate fish for 20 min to 2 hours.  Grill and enjoy!

miscellany monday: cough cough.

1. We had yet another crazy busy weekend.  I really need a weekend-cation one of these days.  One that doesn't involve me waking up at 5am on my day off.

2. I have my first 4's volleyball game tonight.  I'm a little nervous since 1) I will be the only girl on the team and 2) I'm really too out of shape to running around even more than we do with 6's.

3. I cannot for the life of me figure out how I caught a cold in 95 degree heat.  Oh summer, so cruel.

4. My FSIL left for London yesterday.  For a whole month!  Which means I will be supplying my brother and Adam with food during their videogameathons for the next month.  Come back Megan, I miss you already...

5. I cannot believe this guy is not locked up yet.

fashion friday: i'm going solid.

As usual our weekend is jam-packed.  Out with friends tonight, graduation party tomorrow, saying goodbye to (sob) my FSIL FOR A WHOLE MONTH (I may die), birthday party on Sunday followed by volleyball.  And since this heat OBVIOUSLY is not going to let up, I'm sporting knit dresses to keep cool.

As much as I love prints, I keep grabbing up solid colors.  I guess they just seem more versitile to me?  Easy to accessorize.  Throw on a belt.  Grab some colorful shoes.  A necklace.  A bracelet.  Anything goes.  Plus these easily go day to night, which is wonderful since we don't tend to stop home for wardrobe changes between plans.  Being a boy, Adam doesn't quite understand that some outfits just don't cut it for certain parties or activities.  He just throws on shorts and a polo and is good to go!  Luckily for me though, Target has a zillion options for all day, everyday day knit dresses that are between $15 and $21!

I picked up these two a few weeks ago - simple, cute and easy to wear.  I was so tempted to get the crossback one in yellow, but played it safe by getting teal, I just couldn't help myself...I look good in teal!

I love the neckline on this dress, although I won't get my hopes up.  Those necklines tend to only work on girls a bit more, um, blessed than I.

I almost bought this dress, but showed some self control.  Come on, me...ruffles...be proud!  But it doesn't stick with my solid theme AND...I think my closet needs a ruffle time out.

So instead I've been eyeing this dress, to fullfill my ruffle and solid color needs.  Plus the spaghetti strap v-neck looks great on anyone!

And you can't go wrong with a standard t-shirt dress.  It's comfy, cozy and can easily be dressed for cooler weather with a jacket and leggings.

Any other knit dresses you've picked up on a dime?  What's your go-to outfit in the heat?

linky love for the 20-something.

 

Shoutout to my friend Hannah Katy who is JULY'S FEATURED BLOGGER on 20-Something Bloggers!

 

Go check out her blog, doooo itttt...

nom nom nom

Busy week over at the Busy Girl residence.  Not only have we had plans every single night, I am drowning in housework, design work and well, book reviews.  Not that I'm complaining, but I do have quite the build-up of shows on my DVR right now.  It's going to make for a fabulous Saturday morning treat!

via

We ventured to Mi Pollo on Monday night, home of the shadiest decor, but tastiest Mexican fare and even tastier margaritas!  If you live on the west side, I suggest you make it a point to stop by this place, you won't be disappointed.  Even my little nephew Tommy had a blast, sampling the sour cream and guacamole.  But the refried beans, those were a no go.  Although his facial expressions were priceless.  Just don't be shocked that the walls inside are painted NEON orange and yellow.  After a few margaritas, you hardly notice.

Tuesday we bummed dinner off of Adam's parents, delicious steak, potatoes, and my favorite - grilled onions with Old Bay!

Last night my mom, grandparents, brother and FSIL ventured out to the west side for dinner at our place.  Adam and I took the plunge and went sea instead of land.  We made salmon, for the first time ever.  My poor grandparents, they always seem to come for dinner on our 'experimental' cooking nights.  Of course, the meal prep began with some avid allrecipes.com searching for a subtle, not too spicy marinade.  And then was topped off with Adam slapping down HALF A FISH on the counter and going, now what?

Luckily we just bought a full set of Heinkels 4-star knives, so we actually have a knife that is designed for fish.  Who knew. 

I mixed up a quick marinade, substituting lemon juice and seasoned pepper for 'lemon pepper'.  Hey, lemon + pepper = lemon pepper right?  Adam de-scaled the fish, we threw it in the marinade for a good 20 minutes, tossed it on the grill and voila!  Salmon a la Adam and Nicole!

Not bad for our first time, it was delicious!

I'll post the marinade that I threw together on Tuesday.  Keep in mind that I doubled it since we were feeding 7 people.  And well, we had a HALF A FISH to soak.  And believe me, that sucker took up almost the whole counter.

Tuesday will be a double-feature too since I whipped up a dessert as well for this meal.  A somewhat made-up recipe that was met with rave reviews and well, it's so incredibly easy to make that I must let you in on it.

But enough about food.  I'm getting hungry just remembering last night's dinner.

Design work has been pouring in, thankfully :)  And I'm in the middle of redesigning my own blog, since it's looking stale and not really, well, me.  So pardon the mess, if you stop by and notice that my headers are at the bottom of my posts or something kooky like that.

And while you're here, check out some of the awesome giveaways on my sidebar - I'm uber jealous of whoever wins these.  And check back next week - I have a WALMART gift card giveaway coming up!!  Along with another CSN Stores giveaway in the week after!

wordless wednesday: legone.

 

try this: summer sangria

Since it was a hundred degrees in the shade on our wedding weekend, my Aunt decided that we needed some liquid refreshment that was not in the form of beer.  She whipped up this Sangria in no time and it was an instant hit!  I'm planning on making my own batch this week since we have dinner plans every single night ::busy busy busy::

Ingredients

1/2 pint blackberry brandy

1/2 pint peach schnapps

1/2 pint captain morgan spice rum

1 cup orange juice

1 1/2 cups sprite

1 bottle of your favorite red wine (she used blush for one batch, but the red wine adds a bit more flavor!)

A splash of Triple Sec if desired

Directions

Mix and enjoy - just add the sprite last and garnish with fruit slices.  Try peaches, oranges, strawberries, lemons, anything you're craving!

miscellany monday: bring on the coffee.

 
1. I am tired.  As in so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.  I think I need the grande coffee today.

2. Adam and I celebrated our 1 week anniversary on Friday (mah, we're such softies) with a homemade dinner of BBQ pork chops and my personal favorite, roasted brussel sprouts.  And then promptly went to bed at 10pm.  What can I say, we're old married folk now.

3. That sleep was much needed since we went to Sawmill Creek Resort on Saturday night with my brother and his fiancee to redeem a free night.  It was, interesting.  Think wildernessresort circa 1971.  Our room was a combination of deer heaven and grandma's coverlet with a velour couch thrown in.  Davey Crockett would be proud.  We had a blast though hanging out at the pool, eating some fresh fish and mocking passerbyers.

4.  Ricki got to go to posh puppy hotelon Saturday night while we were out gallivanting around in Sandusky.  You want to know how posh?  All their 'residents' get fresh linens daily.  Oh boy, he didn't want to leave when we picked him up.

 
4. Espana won the World Cup!  Which means that Adam owes me ice cream.  And I have no idea what we are going to watch on tv until football season starts.

5. Lebron is a jerk.

6. I had a dream last night that I was elected president of the United States and my PR people were trying to put me in outfits that clearly only Blake Lively could pull off.  No wonder I got so many votes.

mo puffiness, mo problems.

My darling little sister used to sing me a song every morning...it went a little something like this:

I don't know what, they want from me

It's like the more puffiness we come across

The more problems we see.

Beautiful huh?  She's no Notorious B.I.G. but she'll do in a pinch.  The story behind this is that, I, my friends, suffer from seasonal allergies.  A condition which does, indeed, cause some uh puffiness in the eye arena.  And I have BAD seasonal allergies.  None of this oh, my nose is stuffy stuff.  More like I'm on seven medications at once and still can't even LOOK outside.

Luckily I stumbled upon the glory of allergy shots (saving grace).  And after 4 years, I am proud to say that I am allergy-free and the eye puffiness has been kept to a minimum.

Until today.

When I woke up with my left eye looking like it had been in a fight with a shellfish.

I think the shellfish won.

I have a stye apparently, which after much googling, is a blockage of one of my eyelash pores.  Obviously due to the insane amounts of makeup I had been wearing for the last week due to various wedding related activities.  This blockage leaves this tiny, very painful bump that causes your entire eyelid to swell and look, well, stellar.

And the best part, oh, it doesn't go away for at least FOUR days.  And it's very, very painful.

Luckily it's the weekend, sunny, and I can sport sunglasses to my heart's content.  Until then, you can call me cyclops.