Pita Pizza

Whenever I make tomato sauce, I try to make different dishes rather than just your typical pasta (like the Lasagna Rolls I made here). I decided to use some of the leftover sauce I made last week to make Pita Pizzas. So simple and quick, and they tasted like perfection. I didn't follow a recipe. I just used store bought pitas and topped them with tomato sauce, slices of mozzarella and fresh basil, and cooked them in the oven at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, and voilá!

Lasagna Rolls

Whenever I'm cooking for others, I always make something Italian, preferably with sauce. My grandma taught me her secret sauce recipe a couple of years ago and I've perfected it. Over Christmas break I had a dinner party with some girlfriends and made these amazing Lasagna Rolls. They were such a big hit that I decided to make them for Pat's family. I modified the recipe a little... took out the spinach & prosciutto, and used my grandma's sauce recipe instead of Giada's. They were so delicious and filling! Everyone loved them. 

Onion Tomato Focaccia

A couple of weeks ago I went to a Memorial Day barbecue where a friend made the most delicious focaccia ever. So naturally I asked her to send the recipe my way so I could give it a whirl. I've been on a sort of cooking streak this week so I decided yesterday to give it a try. It didn't seem too hard until I started making the dough. I can officially say that I hate making dough. It was an extremely frustrating experience but in hte end my dad helped me fix it. It turned out great. The Onion Tomato Focaccia tasted perfect, an overall success, but I'm not sure how soon I'll be making it again. The recipe she gave me is from the cookbook Lidia's Italy: 150 Simple and Delicious Recipes from the Ten Places in Italy Lidia Loves Most.

Photos: 1

Getaway with Girlfriends

This past weekend I took a trip out to the Hamptons with my two girlfriends for a relaxing getaway. I have to say, I love girls weekends. We had the absolute best time. On Friday we spent the day in the exhaustingly hot weather at the Atlantis Marine World Aquarium in Riverhead, New York. (Checking this off my Summer Checklist!) Despite the heat, we had so much fun. We saw the sea lion show, watched the sharks, played with starfish and stingrays. I love going to the Aquarium. It's definitely one of my favorite pastimes. And after that we stopped in Ralphs for much needed water and creme ices to cool us off. For the rest of the weekend we lounged around by the pool for hours, reading magazines, swimming and listening to an awesome 90's playlist. We barbecued, baked, and indulged in way more delicious food than we probably should have. And at night we roasted smore's (I would check this off the Summer Checklist also except we did it over the stove, so I don't think this counts), watched movies and played games. It was a perfect mini vacation. I can't wait to do it again! 

Photos: 1

Insta-Sam

{Cool photograph of me & Pat lounging by the pool.}

This past weekend was mine & Pat's two year anniversary, so we headed out to the Hamptons after our original plans got cancelled. We decided to stay for two days to relax and have fun. We had such a great time doing such simple things like playing board games and eating outside in town. It was very us and ended up being the most amazing anniversary ever. Here's a few Instagram photos from our weekend...

{Pat having a glass of Chardonnay during dinner at Barristers in Southampton.}

{My incredibly delicious burger from Barristers. Seriously, it might have been the best cheeseburger I've ever had, and that says a lot coming from me.}

{It was so hard to pick which two flavors of gelato we wanted from Sant Ambroeus.} 

{Our cups of gelato! I ended up getting vanilla and chocolate chip, and Pat got strawberry and banana.} 

Chicken Parmesan Grilled Cheese

I have to say that I make a mean Chicken Parmesan. So when I came across this recipe I was super excited to give it a whirl. Instead of using her recipe for tomato sauce, I used my own, which I'll include below, but you can use whichever you prefer. I think making this a melt turns it into the perfect meal for lunch.

My Tomato Sauce:

2 (28 oz) cans peeled plum shaped tomatos in tomato juice (I use Tuttorosso)

2 (6 oz) cans tomato paste (I use Cento)

1/2 onion finely chopped

5 cloves garlic finely chopped

2 handfuls of salt

1 handful parmesan cheese

1 handful fresh basil

5-6 cups of water

Directions:

Brown onions and garlic in a pan with olive oil. Pour into a pot over low-medium heat.  Liquify the peeled plum shaped tomatoes in a blender then pour in pot with onions and garlic. Add cans of tomato paste to sauce and stir until well mixed. Add water. Mix well. Add dry ingredients (salt, parmesan cheese, basil) and stir. Leave on the stove for about a half hour at medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce to low heat and cook for 2-3 hours. I like to leave it on for as long as possible because the longer it cooks the better it tastes! (This recipe makes more than enough for chicken parmesan so you can save this and use it for pasta and other dishes!) 

*The rest of this recipe is found on E is for Eat and makes 1 Chicken Parmesan Grilled Cheese

May Favorites

It's time for my monthly favorites! These are the top 8 things that I loved in May, from beauty products to songs to movies. I hope you like! 

1. O.P.I. Nail Laquer in Pink Friday: I have been searching for Nicki Minaj's Pink Friday nail polish for months! Every time I went to Ulta or any other beauty supply store, it was sold out. I finally got my hands on it a couple of weeks ago and I am in love. I'm actually wearing it right now. It's the perfect shade of bubblegum pink.

2. Maroon 5- Payphone: Currently loving this song. I probably played this song over 100 times in my iTunes during May and prayed every time I got in the car that it would be on the radio.

3. Marvel's The Avengers: Marvel's The Avengers hit theaters in the beginning of May and I had to see it. My boyfriend and I have been waiting since Captain America for this movie to come out and it did not disappoint. It was funny and exciting and full of action. Definitely a must see for anyone who hasn't gotten a chance yet. 

4. Soap & Glory Hand Food: I did a product review on Hand Food in the middle of May but I had to include this in my monthly favorites. It's the perfect hand cream and keeps your hands soft, smooth and hydrated. And it smells amazing!

5. Bobbi Brown Longwear Gel Eyeliner: I had been eyeing this gel liner for a while but it's a bit pricy at $22. Finally I decided to purchase it and am in love. I don't generally like to wear eyeliner in the summer because it gets a hot and humid and I usually end up looking like a raccoon by the end of the night, but Bobbi Brown was not kidding when she called this "longwear". It does not smudge even after hours of wearing it. It's the perfect liner. 

6. Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James: Fifty Shades of Grey has obviously been the talk of the town as of late as I'm sure most of you have noticed. It's racy and provocative while still remaining a great love story. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet. I absolutely loved all three of the books and am crossing my fingers, hoping that she decides to write another one.

7. Stop & Shop Dinosaur Snacks: Silly, I know, but I could eat a whole box of this Dinosaur Fruit Snacks in one sitting. So delicious. I really need to start eating healthier but I had to share these with you cause they are my favorite. I even pack them in my suitcase when I go to Myrtle Beach because they only sell them at Stop and Shop! 

8. J. Crew Garment-Dyed Ankle Zip Toothpick Jean in Neon Rose: I am a major fan of colored jeans. I think I have about 5 or 6 pairs now. I don't even like real jeans anymore. These might be my favorite purchase though. They're the perfect pop of color for summer and super comfortable. I love the zipper on the ankle too. 

Friday Favorites

Favorite Jeans
{The High Water from Joe's Jeans}

Favorite Tea Towel
{Proud to Lick Cake Bowls from Howkapow}

Favorite Crossbody Bag
{The Tillary Purse in Neon Coral from J.Crew}

Favorite Recipe
{Pizza Quesadillas from Snixy Kitchen}

Favorite Flowers
{Pink Peonies}

April Favorites

I constantly find myself watching YouTube videos that beauty gurus make. I love watching the monthly favorites they make where they rave about their favorite products of the past month. I follow their recommendations a lot of the time and that's how I find new beauty products to try. I currently do a weekly favorites (Friday Favorites!) but those are more generalized. I thought I'd try monthly favorites out on my blog but include an array of different categories from favorite beauty products to favorite food to favorite book. Since it's still the first week of May I decided to share with you my April Favorites, which includes everything I've been loving this past month. Hope you like!

1. O.P.I. Nail Laquer in Cajun Shrimp: This was by far my favorite nail polish color of April. My friend Priscilla wore it to school and I fell in love. I literally went out and bought it the next week. I'm a huge fan of coral and red shades. This one takes the cake though. 

2. Karmin- Brokenhearted: Obsessed with this song. I put this on my iPod as soon as I get in the car. It's just so catchy and fun! Perfect for when I'm jamming out alone in my car, singing at the top of my lungs and acting like a total fool. 

3. Voluspa Japonica Candle Tin in Santiago Huckleberry: Whenever I go into Anthropologie I find myself taking the cover off of every candle and searching for the perfect smell. This candle is a mix of spicy and sweet. It smells so amazing. 

4. Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer for Fair to Medium Skin Tones: After reading tons and tons of articles about how terrible tanning is for you, I stopped going to the tanning salon. However, I still think a healthy glow makes all the difference in the world. I'm a major fan of St. Tropez Self Tanners but I recently tried this Jergens one (much cheaper) and loved it. It works after just one use and doesn't leave you streaky or orange. 

5. The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks: I love sappy love stories that take place in small towns in North Carolina. Thank you Nicholas Sparks. For the most part I've loved every book I've read of his. This is now one of my favorites. I read it in the beginning of April right after my Spring Break and could not put it down! It sucks you right in. I absolutely recommend this. 

6. Ben & Jerry's Milk & Cookies: On the rare occasions that I eat ice cream I always buy my favorite ice cream, Ben & Jerry's Half Baked. When I went to the Hamptons a few weeks ago, my mom bought this Milk & Cookies flavor and I loved it. Literally ate the entire pint! It was so delicious. I might even like it better than Half Baked. This was definitely my favorite food of April and could quite possibly be my new favorite ice cream flavor. 

7. J Crew Classic Ballet Flats in Tawny Sand: I have an unhealthy shopping addiction but for some reason I never purchase shoes. When the warm weather hit New York in April, I had no shoes to wear. It was too hot for winter boots and not hot enough for summer sandals so I purchased these flats. They are a wardrobe staple for sure. They're so comfortable and go with everything!

8. Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Pomegranate: I posted a product review of this lip butter glaze the first week of April. It quickly became my go to lip gloss. It adds a subtle pop of color to your lips without leaving sticky residue. I've been non stop using this. This is definitely my favorite lip product of April. 

Friday Turned Into Saturday Faves: Cinco de Mayo

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I was short on time yesterday so I decided to turn my Friday Favorites into Saturday Favorites for this week. In celebration of Cinco de Mayo, I picked out five recipes that I love and think would be perfect for this lovely holiday. Hope you like!

Chipotle Chicken Cups from Gimme Some Oven

Super Nachos from Rachel Ray

Chicken Fajitas from Martha Stewart Living

Speedy Gaucamole from Martha Stewart Living

Pinata Cookies from She Knows

Weekend Work

This is pretty much how I spent my entire weekend. Not too exciting but I ended up having a great weekend. After work on Friday I headed out to Southampton with my mom and dog so that we could get some work done on the house and I could get some work done for school. I actually ended up doing a ton of work for my classes and helped my mom paint and clean and such. Doesn't sound too glamorous but we did have some relaxing downtime. We barbecued and baked and lounged outside and played Scrabble at night. I can't wait for summer to come so we can all enjoy the house together. Once memorial day weekend hits we'll be out there all the time. 

Photos: 1

Mozzarella and Basil Puff Pastry Twists

When I first started my blog I told you all what a picky eater I am and that I was working on broadening my food horizons. That was a year ago and although I've tried new kinds of foods that I've never had before, my picky ways have not changed. So even though I'm trying new things, I figured it might be time to try to make foods that incorporate ingredients I love but in a different way. I am a sucker for cheese and bread so when I came across this recipe for Mozzarella and Basil Puff Pastry Twists I was excited. Puff Pastry is something I am terrified to work with but I've heard its one of those things you can't knock until you try it. I can't wait to make these this week. I'll definitely be giving you an update on how it went!

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Unfold puff pastry dough onto a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll dough into a 9x13 rectangle (measurement is only approximate). Using a pastry scraper or a pizza cutter, cut dough down the middle.
3. Whisk together egg and water and brush the egg wash on each rectangle of puff pastry dough (only on one side) and reserve the leftover egg wash.
4. Mix together the Mozzarella cheese, basil and Cayenne pepper and sprinkle mixture over one of the rectangles. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Place the other half of the pastry (egg side down) on top of the cheese mixture and press the two halves together using your hands or roll lightly with the rolling pin. Gently press edges to seal.
6. Using the pastry scraper or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 1/2 inch strips.
7. Working one at a time, gently twist each strip and lay on the baking sheet making sure to press down the ends so that they don't curl when baking. When all of the strips have been twisted and placed on the baking sheet, lightly brush each twist with the remaining egg wash.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the twists are golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Sunny Days

I'm currently on Spring Break in Myrtle Beach visiting my boyfriend. I've been here for about three days so far and the weather has been overall really nice. Lots of sunny days. Friday we went out to lunch and then layed out by the pool. Then at night we saw the Hunger Games which was honestly incredible. I absolutely loved it. If you haven't seen it yet, you must go now! It was really good and stayed true to the book, which I really liked. Over the weekend we went to Broadway at the Beach, one of my favorite spots to walk around down here. We went to lunch and got ice cream. Yum. And today it's a little over 80 degrees out so we plan on hitting the pool or beach and enjoying the heat and sun. I love the weather here! The forecast always says there's going to be thunderstorms but those days turn out to be the hottest and most beautiful of them all. My goal is to take a ton of photos, (I never follow through on that, but I'll try) and keep you updated with all of the fun things we're doing.  Ciao! 

Photos: 1

Friday Favorites

I have been completely M.I.A. this past week. School took over my life and I had literally no time to blog but today starts my spring break! So I am back for good I hope. Here's five things I'm currently loving this week... my Friday Favorites...

Favorite Bag
{Rebecca Minkoff M.A.C. Clutch}
P.S. Loving everything abou this photo: bag, nailpolish, accesories, arm candy etc.

Favorite Hairstyle
{Ribbon Braid}

Favorite Wonderful Phrase
{Hakuna Matata}

Favorite Nom Noms
{Quesadillas}

Favorite Trend
{High-low Hem Lines}

Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5

Friday Favorites

Favorite Photograph
{Swinging Above the City}

Favorite Kitchen Table
{Teal!}

Favorite Nom Noms to Try
{Waffles and Ice Cream}

Favorite Idea
{Stitching Where You're Roadtripping Onto A Map}

Favorite Spring Trend
{Two Toned, Mint on Mint} 

Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Friday Favorites

Favorite Puppy
{Little Roly Poly Pug}

Favorite Neon Duo
{Hot Pink & Yellow}

Favorite Quote
{Orson Welles}

Favorite Nom Noms
{Cheeseburger, Always}

Favorite Nail Color
{Neon Yellow}

Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Pinspiration

Boards On My Pinterest Profile 

I've always loved saving images I find inspiring or ripping pages out of magazines of looks I like or hairstyles I want to try. I used to try to organize images in different files on my computer but it quickly became chaos. What a disaster. Then a little over a year and a half ago I stumbled across this amazing site called Pinterest. At the time it was a smaller community but I wanted to see what it was about so I sent a request to join and it took about two weeks for them to notify me that I was officially part of the community. I immediately started organizing boards and saving images that I loved into different categories. Fast forward a few months. Last year in March I started my blog, this very one you are reading right now. Pinterest became my savior. It was the easiest, fastest, convenient, and bonus, most fun way of collecting and filing away inspiration for posts. I have boards for anything and everything from fashion to food to hair and makeup. Fast forward to now... Pinterest has exploded. Every girl I know has a Pinterest or is begging one of her friends to send her an invite so she can get in on the action. Pinterest is even coming out with their own app specifically designed for iPads. I could honestly talk about this site all day. I absolutely love it and suggest every one of you get one as soon as possible. You will not be disappointed. Here's a look at some of my boards...

Interiors 

Stylish

Delicious Eats