Double Layer Easter Brownies Recipe

Today was the first day of Spring, and Easter is right around the corner. I created this fun and (very) easy Easter dessert that will be a big hit. I love how chocolatey these are, and if you're craving something sweet, these will be exactly what you need. 

I wanted to share this recipe, because they turned out beautifully, but required only a few ingredients. 

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WHAT YOU NEED:

Box of brownie mix (9"x13" size)

Chocolate Icing 

Eggs, Water, Oil for brownie mix

MnM's Candies or similar (I used the Spring color mix, but any holiday colors would do!)

THAT'S IT!!!

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Bake brownies as per instructions on box. Remove from oven, and once cooled completely, cut into squares that are roughly 3"x3". 

Lay out the squares, and put a dollop of icing on half of them, leaving the prettiest ones without icing, to be put on top.

Place the top layer brownies on the iced brownies. Ice the top brownies, add candies, and you're done! Simple as that :) Enjoy!

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Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. - Gilbert, AZ

Arizona Wilderness was one of the places we had really been looking forward to. They have pretty rare beers, and even though mine was expensive (unexpectedly $10! oops!!), it was very good! The Rim Country Framboise Noir (5.5% ABV) - Sour Red aged in French oak w/ wild foraged blackberries from the Mogollon Rim! YUM!

Bobby's beer was only $3, so they DO have a good range of prices. We got lucky, it was Taco Tuesday, so we got Pork Tacos, which were very juicy, dripping in fact. They had a good spice to them, and I definitely needed some food at this point!

"WE ARE GILBERT’S FIRST BREWERY!

For years we've dreamed of bringing together our two loves: The beautiful and diverse state of Arizona together with hand crafted, artisanal ales. While backpacking the wondrous depths of Arizona we forged ideas that would one day become Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. Well, here we are! We will continue our endeavor into the remote beauties of both the Arizona Wilderness and Craft Beer.

Our belief is that beer is more than a beverage to guzzle on Sundays, just another beverage at the party, or cheap yellow fizzy stuff dad drank while wearing his dirty flannel shirts. Beer is culture and we have a true PASSION for this amazing beverage! Check out our food menu, as it was created to pair quite nicely with our fine ales. C’mon in and see what we are up to next!"

 

St. Patty's Day Recipe Roundup - Thin Mints

My absolute favorite cookies on Earth are Thin Mints. I rarely indulge in them, though, because we don't have many Girl Scout Troops in Carbondale. One of our first days here in AZ, I got myself THREE boxes of them. I intended to share, but no one took any, so I have just a few left :) Since I don't want to subject my last precious cookies to a recipe, I decided to share a few with you here today! 

I also want to share the fact that my grandma Pat's birthday was St. Patrick's Day. Happy Birthday Grandma!!!

Thin Mint Popcorn by LollyJane

Thin Mint Cupcakes by My Baking Addiction

Thin Mint Brownies by Betty Crocker

Thin Mint Cake Pops by Love From The Oven

Frozen Thin Mint Cheesecake by Chelsea's Messy Apron

Thin Mint Shake by Veganosity 

Happy St. Patty's Day!!! 

Papago Brewing Co. - Scottsdale, AZ

Another stop on our quest for craft beer was Papago Brewing Co. 

7107 E McDowell Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

We drove a little ways to get to this place, but it was really nice. We almost couldn't find it, because it was one of the few businesses still operating in this strip mall. Nonetheless, I am really happy we went! The food was decent too, not a huge menu but the Nachos with pork added were good, the Caprese Salad was fresh, and the Thai Chicken Wrap was great! 

Their food was a nice addition to the amazing beer selection! And, it is a bottle shop where you can have the bartender open any bottle in the cooler and drink it on sight! They also had quite a few beers on draught, including their own beers, 30 taps with various, rotating selections. I took a pick your 6 pack home. 

We tried the Transatlantic Kriek beer from New Belgium / Lips Of Faith. It was amazing!!! Love the tart cherry flavor and the beautiful red color of this beer. 

THE BEER

"We feature 30 beers on tap. And every time a keg runs out, a different one takes its place. You will never see the same lineup twice. We also offer over 500 different bottled beers to drink on site or to take home. We love beers from all over the world, and you can choose from a wide selection of Belgian, German, and English beers from our coolers and on tap. But our pride and our specialty is kick-ass American craft beer. We love to drink local, and we love to offer the best of the best from microbreweries around the country."

The Thai Chicken Wrap, Potato Salad, and a Pickle. 

The nachos were also good. we added pork to them, and there were all sorts of good toppings. 

Learn more about the Transatlantique Kriek Ale here. It's sour and delicious! 

About This Beer: "In a never-ending quest to create new beers and defy category, New Belgium Brewing and Old Beersel of Belgium have partnered to create TRANSATLANTIQUE KRIEK, a spontaneously fermented lambic ale made with sour cherries. The 2016 edition of Transatlantique Kriek began life in the oaken vessels of Gert Christiaens’ Oud Beersel, a 130-year-old Belgian lambic brewery. After time spent aging in wood, Oud Beersel’s lambic was blended with tart cherries and shipped across the Atlantic to New Belgium. In concert with Oud Beersel’s cherry lambic, or kriek, we blended in a portion of our own sour Felix from our foeder forest, and created a golden brew to mix in, and round out, the engaging beer. The intense cherry nose leads to a pleasing tart, sweet flash across the palate. Crisp and effervescent, Transatlantique Kriek is a trip worth taking."

I thought it was really neat that families gathered here either before or after their kids' baseball games. I saw lots of families in Papago. 

Tune Up Cafe - Santa Fe, New Mexico

We headed further west after we left the Denver area, and stayed at a hotel about an hour from Santa Fe. We decided to grab lunch on the way through town, and so I Trip Advisored the highest rated restaurants in Santa Fe.

There were SO many to choose from, and I thought the Tune Up Cafe looked good. Well, it was!

Their portions were huge, though, so we had leftovers for days following :) I would even recommend that two people split a dish here. I'd also love to try their breakfast foods, which I always regret not getting. 

And, even though it was pretty warm outside, I still got myself a hot chocolate. It was wonderful, probably the best thing I had that day. 

And, although the front part of the restaurant was packed and bustling, the back part was completely open. Looked like they had some pretty good beers on tap. 

Bobby got his current go-to menu item, the Cuban Sandwich. Their fries were also pretty darn good. Just look at all of those layers of goodness! Ham, Swiss, BBQ Pork, Mustard, Onions, and Pickles...odd but incredible combo! 

ACROSS THE STREET...

I love the architecture of the homes in the southwest. The tan adobes and the washed out and faded colors that have been blasted by the sun for years. It's ALWAYS bright here, so bring your best sunglasses! 

 

ALSO IN NEW MEXICO

- Hangar Bottle Shop in Albuquerque. This was a pretty small place, and had only been open 10 months, but they had a great selection for the size of the store. I wish we could have spent more time downtown, because it was really cute. Seems like there are a few great places to catch a concert, have dinner, or grab a drink in this college town.   

Cool Stuff To Do In Denver - Mostly Beer + Food

We recently stopped in the Denver / Lakewood, CO area for a few days on our way out to Arizona, and had a blast! Check out all of our stops below, and comment if you have been to any of these :)

Crooked Stave Brewery / The Source (Website)

This place was absolutely incredible! This building used to be an old steel factory, and it appears that they gutted it down to the bare bones. This building contains several different businesses with a communal and very open area in the middle. The ceilings are super tall, and there is natural light pouring in from everywhere. This sits in a rather industrial area, which is surrounded by lots of new apartment buildings and other breweries and restaurants, and of course a bit of construction. I would assume that this area of Denver will be finished in no time! 

Crooked Stave brews/creates mostly sour beers, which I am a big fan of these days. Their beers are definitely pricey, but worth a try! 

Great Divide Brewery (Website)

We had passed by Great Divide on the way to Crooked Stave. In fact, it was almost right across the street. The thing that really caught our eye at this place was the massive amount of barrels on display (and in use) here. They have a really amazingly decorated barrel bar, which they decorated with lots of pieces of wood from past barrels. We had a good time sampling lots of different beers, and it was fun comparing all the different styles and flavors. 

The beers are decent here, and the prices are incredible. Their samples of regular beers are $1 for 3 oz, and $3 for their barrel aged and more rare stuff. 4 of us got out of there for under $20!

Sample Beers at Great Divide. 

Our friends at Great Divide!

Some of the beers available at Great Divide.

- Mockery Brewing (Website)

I'm sure this happens a lot, but as we were sitting in Great Divide, I saw yet another brewery in the back of the parking lot called Mockery Brewing. Another impeccably designed brewery, with a smaller yet very open feel, as well as copper and cool signage behind the bar. Their beers were only $5 each and very strong! 

The Wheat Around The Bush Boysenberry Wheat Wine 

- Wynkoop Brewery (Website)

This place was pretty nice. We sat on the upper level, which had about 15+ pool tables, and lots of nice open area. This place was a bit more expensive than we would usually go for, but it was a nice place to meet friends in downtown Denver. The exposed brick (which was a theme for literally every place we went in Denver), was just beautiful. I loved the photos they displayed in this building, by photographer Patrick Andrade. He uses tin type to capture modern brewers and their process. Learn more.

- Denver Biscuit Co (Website)

My, oh my! What a great way to start the day! Everything on the menu pretty much revolves around these luscious biscuits, and they're amazing. I got biscuits and gravy, and I think everyone else got a biscuit sandwich of some sort. Each plate looked better than the last and I definitely hope to visit again soon! 

While in Denver, we also checked out Teller's and Rock Fire Pizza. Both really great! 

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And, we didn't stop there! Colorado has the absolute best beer selection of literally anywhere we have ever visited, so we found a few other places to find things to take home. Some of the places we would definitely recommend include: Mondo Vino, Grapevine Wine & Liquor - (make sure to check out the Beer Cave!!), and Applejacks near Lakewood. 

Coaltrain (Colorado Springs) (Visit Their Site)

Keep up with our travels on Instagram {here}! We have lots more of this adventure to go...

Scratch Brewing + 4 Hands Brewery + Side Project Cellar

Well, we have headed west again, and this time we explored a few great places along the way. After we finished packing up the car, we headed to Scratch Brewing in Ava, IL. Next, we went to 4 Hands Brewery in St. Louis, followed by Side Project Cellar in the Maplewood part of STL. 

We generally just choose one or two types of beer to try, but this time we decided to try a flight of everything they had! I liked most of the beers they had this week, but they are always changing their menu. 

The place is pretty dog friendly too! Cabbie loved hanging out in the sunshine with us, and the weather was amazing this day! 

The hand made, rustic wood-fired pizza is also amazing. This one had STL made sausage, mozzarella cheese, and something that tasted like buttery garlic. YUM!!!!

OFF TO ST. LOUIS...

4 Hands is another great brewery in the midwest. I had the Boysenberry Saison (which did not taste overly Belgian, luckily). I like the vibe of this place, even though it's sometimes kind of hard to get a beer. It was Saturday, though, and with the weather being that gorgeous, I knew there would be a good crowd. 

We also got the meatballs, which were also pretty good. We really liked one of the sauces, and we definitely needed a little something else in our stomaches, since the pizza from Scratch had been consumed hours before :) 

They also give tours of their facilities, which they keep shiny clean. You can see the whole brewing area behind the bar, it's pretty cool! 

SIDE PROJECT CELLAR 

We have been wanting to check this place out for a while, and were so glad we did! This place was decorated extremely well, had a great atmosphere, and had a ton of rare beers. The prices were definitely up there, but we both got a foueder beer made by them, which was amazing. Wish I could have gotten more photos in this place, but it was a bit too dark inside for that. It really added so much to the awesome ambiance, though. Until next time!! 

Amazing Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

Wow, these turned out SO well! This was our first time cooking any bone-in chicken, and it went really well. I looked up various recipes, and once I realized you could just bread them (duh!), and then bake them, I would just do that!

INGREDIENTS:

12 Chicken Drumsticks

4 Eggs

Flour

Bread Crumbs

Parmesan Cheese

Seasoning To Taste

Olive Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 425* F. Gather your ingredients. Cover a baking sheet in foil, then place a baking grid on top, and spray with non-stick spray. I guess this is also called a Cooling Grid, but I use it in the oven al the time! 

- Find 3 separate dishes (shallow pyrex work well). In one each, place flour with salt and other seasonings, in the next one put your eggs with seasoning, and then in the last dish, mix up 1 1/2 C. breadcrumbs, and 1/2 C. freshly grated parmesan cheese. 

- Now, get your drumsticks onto one plate, and et ready to coat them. Coat your drumstick in flour, then in egg, then into the breadcrumbs. Place it on the grid, and make sure to place it towards the edge. These 12 drumsticks will fill the whole tray.

- Repeat this for each drumstick, flour, egg, and then breadcrumbs. 

- Bake for about 15 minutes and enjoy1 These are amazing by themselves, or dipped in BBQ sauce or honey mustard. These reheat extremely well in my toaster oven, leave then in for about 10+ minutes at 350* F. 

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Peanut Butter Puppy Chow

Pepsi Glazed Bacon

7 Can Soup Recipe

Peanut Butter + Chocolate Valentine's Day Puppy Chow Recipe

I never really loved Puppy Chow back in jr. high when everyone else was freaking out about buying it from our bake sales at school. I love chocolate, but for some reason, it was always way too rich for me and I never got into it.

Until now! This recipe primarily tastes like peanut butter, white chocolate, and of course, powdered sugar. 

INGREDIENTS:

4 1/2 cups Rice Chex™ cereal (or any brand will do!)

1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips - I like the white chocolate chips from Ghirardelli.

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 cup powdered sugar 

1/4 cup red, white and pink candy-coated chocolate candies (like M&M's)

2 tablespoons festive sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS:

- In a double boiler over medium heat (or in the microwave), melt the butter, white chocolate chips, and peanut butter until combined and smooth. 

- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal and mix as thoroughly as you can, coating all of the cereal. 

- Now, sift the powdered sugar over the cereal mixture, using a metal strainer works well! Mix as much as you can, and add more powdered sugar as needed to coat the cereal!

- Lastly, add the sprinkles and chocolate candies, and serve! 

SERVING & PACKAGING IDEAS:

- Carry the Puppy Chow in a festive tin to the office, or your party! Encourage guests to grab a little scoop of the treats in these heart-themed cups.

- If you want individual party favors, put the puppy chow into the heart cups, and slide them into a clear treat bag. Tie with ribbon, then add a metallic heart doily to the ribbon and tie into a bow! (See below)

What is your favorite Valentine's Day snack or memory? Let me know in the comments below! 

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Yes Way Rosé

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and I think this Rosé wine would be perfect for a fancy date night. Drink something pink and you will be a happy woman! Rosé is a type of wine that incorporates some of the color from the grape skins, but not enough to qualify it as a red wine. It may be the oldest known type of wine. 

Check out these adorable glasses in rose, lilac, and clear! They would be perfect for rosé! 

Yes Way Rose Glasses

A cute and comfy crewneck sweatshirt - perfect for wearing while drinking wine. 

Tote Bag DIY

A Box Of Chocolates Is Always A Good Idea...

Have any fun plans for Valentine's Day? Love Rosé? Let me know in the comments below :) 

Football Party Craft Idea

I had so much fun with my #GameDayGrubMatch project earlier this month, and as I was shooting those images, I shot a few extras to show you just how fun and easy it is to customize your party by adding something extra special to the food you're eating!

I used these cute food containers in my project for PepsiCo and their #GameDayGrubMatch contest! They would fit your popcorn chicken, snacks, and more! Read the whole post here.

MATERIALS 

French Fry containers, Football Stickers (I like the 3-D ones), green ribbon, clear tape, double sided tape, and scissors. I found the fry boxes at Hobby Lobby, and they are so cute! 

Cut a length of ribbon that will wrap around the fry boxes. 

Attach the ribbon to the front of the fry box with double stick tape. Then, wrap the ribbon around to the back, and tape the ribbon with the regular tape. 

Simply, attach the football stickers to the front of the fry boxes and fill with your game day snacks! 

Maple Walnut + Caramelized Banana Oatmeal Recipe

Oh my, this recipe tastes SO good! Especially on a chilly morning when you don't exactly want to get out of bed but have to...this yummy oatmeal recipe would also be really great as a midnight snack! 

INGREDIENTS (1 Serving)

Oatmeal, Milk or Water, 1 Banana, 2 Tbsp Butter, 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar, 3 Tbsp. Maple Syrup, 1 C. Walnuts, Waxed Paper

INSTRUCTIONS:

- (For The Walnuts) In a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 Tbsp. butter, brown sugar, and syrup, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved, and when the liquid starts to reduce/dry a bit, add your walnuts. Transfer warm walnuts to waxed paperWhen I first created this, I did not use butter, and wow, these were so sticky and almost hard to separate from one another. The butter should help with that a bit! Set the incredibly tasty walnuts aside, and let's start on the bananas!

- (To Caramelize The Bananas) Rinse your skillet, because we are going to use it again! Melt the second 1 Tbsp. butter in the skillet and add a bit of the brown sugar (1-2 Tbsp). Slice the bananas about 1/2" thick (mine were almost too thin, but sure looked pretty!). Lay the banana sliced on the skillet, and let them begin to caramelize. They don't take long, so make sure to watch them closely. Maybe 1-3 minutes on each side. These added so much flavor to my oatmeal! 

- Heat milk or water, and add oats, as per instructions on container. I also added some sugar into the oatmeal, because sugar makes everything better. 

That's it folks, enjoy! If you wind up creating this awesome dish, add a link below, or tag me on instagram as @lilythewanderinggypsy

Nature Hills Nursery - A Special Plant Delivery, and an IZZE Cocktail Recipe!

Over the holidays, Nature Hills Nursery sent me the most adorable mini Christmas tree ever. Now, they surprised me with something much larger! This gorgeous philodendron arrived at my doorstep and I absolutely love it. It's on sale for over half off right now, Find It Here! These plants are gorgeous, and arrive at your doorstep super quickly. 

*VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT IDEA*

I think larger, more mature plants would make an amazing Valentine's Day gift! Send one to your loved one's office, or home, and brighten their day! Every time they see this gorgeous plant (it will last for years, believe me...), they will think of your love :)

Tropical Charm for Inside or Out

Split Leaf Philodendron, Philodendron selloum, is one of many varieties of Philodendron plants with tropical allure and a hardy nature. Place one of these indoors where it will have space to climb and you can enjoy watching its progress.

Split Leaf Philodendron has been a favorite of gardeners for years—as a garden plant, but also as a lovely, indoor houseplant. The heart-shaped leaves are huge (almost 3-feet long), with an appearance reminiscent of something you’d see in a rainforest.

It’s like bringing a bit of the tropics into your home! Split Leaf’s delightful green leaves are deeply-lobed with a glossy finish that easily catches the light and presents a vibrant appearance wherever it’s planted.

In optimal conditions, your Split Leaf Philodendron will reach 12 feet with a 15-foot spread. Split Leaf Philodendron is a vigorous grower and easy to care for. It prefers humidity, but will tolerate some dry conditions. There are no pest or disease concerns and Split Leaf is quite hardy.

Split Leaf Philodendron’s positive features make it easy to see why it’s so often the choice of homeowners for both inside and out. Even if your climate isn’t appropriate for a Philodendron to live outside, why not bring one indoors this year. You’ll soon view it as one of the best houseplants you’ve ever owned!

*Evergreen
*Cold hardy
*Great for containers
*Grow Inside or Out

I also thought that this fun IZZE Cocktail would look superb along side of the philodendron. 

INGREDIENTS:

IZZE Sparkling Raspberry, Frozen Blackberries, Vodka or Tequila (Optional), Cute Glasses

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Fill glasses half way with ice, pour in 1 shot of alcohol (Optional), add IZZE Sparkling Blackberry (love the fizziness of this drink!), and garnish with 2 frozen blackberries!

Note: This drink is not incredible sweet, which is nice. But, you could add a tiny bit of Agave if you want! Enjoy!

Bacon, Egg and Cheese Oatmeal Recipe

Hearty, Yummy Oatmeal! This recipe tastes as good as it looks!

INGREDIENTS:

Oatmeal

Milk or Water (for oatmeal)

2 slices bacon

Red and Green Peppers

2 Eggs

Shredded Cheese

Salt and Seasoning To Taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

- Cook desired amount of oatmeal, as per directions on container, using either milk or water.

- Meanwhile, cook or bake bacon until it is crispy. You can also use bacon bits, but I cannot resist the smell of fresh bacon! Chop up bacon into small, bite sized pieces. 

- In a separate skillet, scramble 2 eggs, and season with salt, pepper, and your other favorite seasonings. Add chopped up green and red peppers to your eggs if you wish.

- Pour finished oatmeal into a bowl, and top with scrambled eggs and peppers, sliced pieces of bacon, and finally, top with cheese!

Enjoy!

Natural Grapefruit Cocktail Recipe + Winter Citrus

These drinks tasted really incredible. This was one of the first drinks I have ever sweetened with Agave, and it was perfect.

We juiced the 2 types of grapefruits (by hand, without a juicer!). One was a "normal color, orangey on the outside, and fruity pink inside, and another type that looked like a giant lemon when you cut it open. Also, after adding just a little bit of the agave nectar, the flavors were balanced perfectly! The sugar around the rim is a fun flavor addition as well. I always love sweet and tart together. 

You can drink the juice by itself, or add a little bit of sparkling wine or gin if you wanted to. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 part grapefruit juice (we used 1 1/2 C.)

1 part sparkling wine (dry and less sweet would be better) or sparkling water

2 tsp. organic agave nectar

Jars or fancy glasses of your choice

Organic Cane Sugar for Rims

INSTRUCTIONS:

- Mix grapefruit juice, sparkling wine, and agave in a pitcher or similar. 

- Grab your jars or glasses, and add sugar to the rim. To do this, I put some water onto a plate, and dipped the glasses in the sugar. I love the way the sugar helped add even more sweetness to a tart citrus flavor. 

- Fill glass a bit over half with ice. Pour the grapefruit juice mixture over the ice, and garnish with a wedge of grapefruit. Love the color of these drinks! 

Fun Fact: Citrus is a great way to help boost your immune system! 

"This large subtropical fruit known for its slightly bitter and sour taste is called a grapefruit as it grows in clusters like grapes. High in enzymes, water content and having less sodium, grapefruit helps accelerate weight loss. It also helps in cancer prevention, boosts immune levels and aids digestion. It is rich in vitamin B, magnesium, iron, folic acids, manganese, calcium and potassium." - StyleCraze

2015 Year In Review

I had an incredible year, last year, and I think it will be great to share all of the fun things with you. Sometimes, I think I am never doing enough, completing enough, scratching a line through enough items on my endless to-do list. Do you ever feel that way? I think this post will also be an amazing way to look back at all of the wonderful places we went, and things I accomplished throughout 2015. It is so important to share the things you are thankful for, and I am thankful for health, happiness, and all of the fun opportunities I had last year. Here's to another circle around the sun!!! 

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JANUARY

In late January of 2015, I decided it was a good idea for me to move over to a .com from my long-standing blogspot blog. I am still very happy that I chose to go to a .com! My previous blog was - http://lily-the-wandering-gypsy.blogspot.com/. Throughout the whole year of 2015, I had over 150,000 Page Views on lily-the-wandering-gypsy.com, and I am so happy about that!!! I also started my super popular Group Pinterest Board, called Inspire Me. 

I also created some pretty awesome things, like my Mixed Berry and Banana Smoothie Recipe, and this Beautiful Fleece Cowl Scarf. 

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FEBRUARY

I had the experience of a lifetime in February when I went to Laguna Niguel, CA to speak at The Re/Code Media conference at THE RITZ (!!!) on a panel of "New Influencers". This was a monumental trip that you can read all about here. 

This month, I also ramped up my holiday-inspired posts by making a few Valentine's Day Posts. I had lots of traffic from my post about Beautiful Bacon Roses and still love them so much! Another super popular post was my Candy Heart Tutorial. I photographed some beautiful goodies from Brightly Twisted, too! I also started a blog called Bisque This! (which I later turned into Bisque-This.com). This definitely marked a point where I began creating some really nice recipes and posting them. 

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MARCH

Some of the posts I made in March were these Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Rings, and the Tater Tot Horseshoe. We also created some gorgeous styled photos for Alice & Marie! We got out of the cold Illinois weather this month and headed out to Arizona!!! For some reason, I was silly and didn't post much about it on my blog...probably because of the complete lack of good internet while we were galavanting around in the desert? Who knows, but we had such an incredibly time, we are going back in March of 2016! I promise I will post more along the way this time around...PROMISE! 

The places we visited in March on our Southwest Road Trip include: Truth or Consequences, NM, Saguaro National Park, Cave Creek, AZ. Read about Utah Below...

AND ANOTHER THING...

Bobby and I also got to work on an amazing project for L'Oreal Advanced Hairstyles while we were in Arizona. I could not think of a more gorgeous place/backdrop for photos! View my portfolio here. I also created a Dedicated Pinterest Board, called Style It - Change It - Own It, which I had a lot of fun with! 

OFF TO UTAH

We had an amazing time doing each and every National Park in Utah - so glad we had a National Parks Pass. Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Escalante, Canyonlands, Kodachrome Basin, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Moab, UT. What an unforgettable time!

Escalante National Park

Escalante National Park

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Bryce Canyon National Park - Click To See Larger

Our Trusty Prius At Kodachrome! 

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APRIL

In April, the weather finally started to warm up here in Illinois, and I was creating even more content. I also started (another) blog for fashion-only, called She's So Chic (which I need to revisit pretty badly...). 

Bobby and I also created some more content and a Dedicated Pinterest Board for L'Oreal Infalliable Makeup. Another incredible and honorable projects that I was so happy to create.

I also created this DIY Daily Planner post, which remains my most popular post to date! I also created this Festival Ready Flower Crown, in honor of Coachella and Bonnaroo. 

I visited the Nashville Country Living fair with my mom and sister, and had a great time! 

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MAY

Another fun month! I collaborated with Sony Pictures to help promote their movie, Aloha! We have been to Hawaii three times, so I thought this was a really fun and inspiring project. Check out the Dedicated Pinterest Board and Blog Post talking more about the project. I was also named in the Top 100 Pinners of 2015 by Daily Tekk. I also created this Tassel Earrings Tutorial, and photographed Emblem Eyewear Sunnies.

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JUNE

In June, I created a great post for HelloSociety about my Top 5 Pinterest Tips! It was shared quite a few times!!! I also created another boho tutorial, showing how to embellish the cutest boots ever! I also created some adorable onesies, and took some photos at our amazing Farmer's Market, one of which was featured on the VSCO blog! 

Speaking of Farmer's Markets, Carbondale gained a new Farmer's Market this past summer, and they had a great selection of local veggies. And, check out my favorite Bloody Mary Recipe ever! 

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JULY

This month, I worked with Nordstrom Rack to help promote their clothing on Pinterest! I created a new Tumblr site, called Wandering Gypsy Fashion Blog, to focus one site on fashion-only. I also photographed this organic lotion line from Ayushi Woods. We also gave a $100 Gift Certificate To one lucky winner! I also created this fun Raspberry Mint Spritzer Recipe. 

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AUGUST - OUR BIG ROAD TRIP + MORE

Things heated up this month with an amazing collaboration with Ulta Beauty Hair & Cosmetics. I also created an amazingly delicious No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe, perfect as individual servings! 

 The second week of August, we took the biggest road trip we have EVER taken!!! Again, I did not really post much about this on my blog, but I promise to blog more on upcoming road trips, promise! 

OUR ROAD TRIP...

We spent about 6 weeks on the road throughout August and September. We visited places in Colorado like Glenwood Springs, Crested Butte, Silverton, Ouray, and Silverton. I got a few photos, but this was when Lily was having a really hard time, so it's very hard to even go back and look at photos from this time...We lost one of our very best friends on the trip, though, and I have still never felt the same without her. Lily the AmStaff will always be loved and I am happy she had such an adventurous life. 

OFF TO CALIFORNIA

Lake Tahoe

San Francisco

Westport

OREGON

Waldport

Cannon Beach + Portland

WASHINGTON

Olympic Peninsula - Kalaloch Lodge 

Whidbey Island

MONTANA + IDAHO

On the way back home, we drove through Ketchum, Idaho, and Missoula, Montana. 

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SEPTEMBER

Some of the photos from August actually took place in September, but this month, I wanted to feature the projects we completed in August and September. We worked with Bacardi (!!!), Missouri Department of Tourism, Emma Stine, and the FYI Network for their show Style: Unzipped. 

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OCTOBER

Another pretty incredible month. While working on Halloween projects, I got an email from HelloSociety and Skype, asking me if I wanted to visit New York City (in a few days...), and help with a Skype Halloween Party for The Lower East Side Girls' Club! They flew me out, and then put me up in a (hotel). i had an amazing time and learned so many new things. Check out my tips for a great Halloween Party With Skype, and my trip to New York City! (Thanks, Skype!!!!)

I also created some amazing photos for Sony Pictures' movie, Burnt. This was one of the hardest projects I have ever done and loved learning so much from it. 

I also created a few photos for Toad&Co. 

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NOVEMBER

Going back to loving to cook, I created a great Stuffed Squash Recipe, a 7 Can Soup Recipe, took photos of Fall Ice Cream Treats at Cold Stone Creamery, and also shot some gorgeous photos for Erin Pelicano Jewelry. Her work is beautiful! I also created this gift guide, and also shot a few photos inspired by e.l.f. cosmetics for their #PlayBeautifully project. 

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DECEMBER

Wow, I did quite a bit this month! Christmas and the holidays were such a great inspiration for me, and I actually worked with Harley-Davidson! I think we got some great photos and I also made them a Dedicated Board. I also styled up a beautiful watch by JORD Wood Watches, made in St. Louis, just 2 hours from here. 

I also created some awesome DIY Gift Bags, an Ugly Christmas Sweater Dog Bandana, Pumpkin Oat Dog Treats, Holiday Decor with Nature Hills Nursery, Red Cocktail Recipes, Frozen Hot Chocolate Pie (YUM!!), Soft Gingerbread Cookies, Sugar Cookies From Scratch, styled up some more e.l.f. makeup, and also styled a cute New Year's Eve Party, which was featured here on Kara's Party Ideas.

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Whew! So, that's my last year in a big gigantic nutshell! I hope this inspires you, I know it will help me keep motivated to continue to create new things and travel to new places! 

This post was inspired by This Post from Inspired By Charm! 

Real Strawberry Muffins With Pink Icing

I wanted to make something with strawberries for Valentine's Day and here they are! The muffins don't need the icing, but it sure made them cute. I used mini muffin tins, and they were perfectly bite sized. These muffins were very moist, so make sure you cook them thoroughly. 

STRAWBERRY MUFFINS FROM SCRATCH

2 C. all purpose flour

1/3 C. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 C. milk

1/4 C. vanilla yogurt

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 1/2 C. fresh strawberries, hulled and finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix all ingredients except for strawberries. 

Here is my muffin batter before I added the strawberries and sugar. 

Below, I pureed the strawberries and added them to my batter. I also added 2 drops of food coloring to enhance the pink color for the photos :)

Bake the mini muffins for 15-18. Now, make your icing. 

I made a simple icing in my food processor. Add all ingredients, and process until combined. Scrape sides to incorporate any extra ingredients. Pour into smaller bowl to spoon onto muffins. 

ICING INGREDIENTS -  Original Recipe

1 Tbsp Butter - 1 C. Powdered Sugar - 1-2 Tbsp milk - 1/4 tsp vanilla - 2 tsp. fruit - Food Coloring

Have fun with this recipe, and enjoy!!

Quaker– Bring Your Best Bowl – And Coffee Infused Oatmeal!

This post is in partnership with The Quaker Oats Company.

I absolutely love the way a warm bowl of oatmeal makes me feel – and I personally tend to be more full than if I eat a cold bowl of cereal or a granola bar. So, I created an awesome recipe that combines the warm and cozy feeling of a bowl of oatmeal, with just a hint of hazelnut coffee! Below, you will find out how you could have the chance to see your very own oatmeal flavor in stores, and win big. 

Oatmeal is incredibly versatile, and I found a way to enhance it! I created a recipe that adds the flavor and aroma of coffee, and a dash of Hazelnut. It’s so easy, with hardly any prep work.

Better yet, Quaker is offering one lucky winner $250,000 to create a flavor of your own! Enter your own submission for America’s next great oatmeal flavor, using 2-5 ingredients. It’s that simple! Let your imagination run wild.

 As a consumer, you probably already know what you want, so let’s share that with the world.

Just think - you could have your new flavor on shelves across the whole country!

So, let’s do this! $250,000 could be yours!! Enter your flavor submission here and learn more. Ends 3/12/16.  Also, feel free to follow Quaker across the web, on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook! 

 My friends at Quaker helped me make this post possible! And, all opinions are my own. 

COFFEE AND HAZELNUT INFUSED OATMEAL RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

·       Quaker Old Fashioned Oats

·       Milk

·       Instant Coffee of your choice

·       Hazelnut Coffee Syrup

·       Brown or White Sugar

 INSTRUCTIONS: Boil milk or water, and 2-3 tsp (or more) or instant coffee grounds. Add oatmeal, and let cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit for 5 more minutes, and add 1 tsp Hazelnut Coffee flavoring, and stir. Enjoy!! 

I can't wait to see what you create! Feel free to share a link to your recipes, or a description of what ingredients you used! 

Smoothie Time! Mixed Berry and Banana Smoothie - Negative Calorie Recipe

Smoothies are so refreshing and actually filling! Here is an idea for a quick "power meal in a smoothie"! I always buy organic fruits, vegetables, and produce, and it makes me feel that I'm not getting a bunch of unnecessary chemicals from pesticides. Another great thing, is that (besides the yogurt), every ingredient in this recipe are Negative Calorie Foods! Meaning they take more calories to burn than they contain. So cool. Well, enjoy your smoothies!

INGREDIENTS for about 2 smoothies:

1 Cup Ice - (blend this in the blender before adding fruits and spinach)

1/3 pint blueberries

1/3 C. raspberries

2 bananas - cut into pieces

A small hand full of spinach, chopped or ripped into small pieces

1/4 - 1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice (or any juice you have on hand)

1/2 C. - 1 C. Vanilla or Strawberry Yogurt 

INSTRUCTIONS:

Crush ice in blender. Add fruits and spinach, and blend for about 30 seconds, or until completely combined. If you want a thinner smoothie, just add more juice.

This smoothie was very tasty. You get a nice taste of each of the ingredients, without tasting the spinach too much :) I am sure you could use frozen fruit as well. 

I hope you enjoy these, they kept me more full than expected!

Hot Chocolate With A Hint Of Bam!

I love a good hot chocolate! I would take a mug of hot cocoa over coffee any day! It's just something about steamed milk and chocolate that make me feel so warm. 

HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPES:

BASE HOT CHOCOLATE (1 SERVING):

Fill a mug with milk, and pour it into a small lidded sauce pan. Begin to warm the milk on medium-low heat for 4 minutes, with the lid on. Add 3 Tablespoons of chocolate syrup to the saucepan, stir, and heat for another 2 minutes. Wait a few minutes until is has cooled a bit, and pour the hot chocolate back into your mug. Top with a generous amount of whipped cream, and enjoy! It will be very hot, so please be careful! 

VARIATION: MOCHA CINNAMON

Add 2 ounces espresso and 1 tablespoon cinnamon simple syrup to each mug of hot chocolate. 

VARIATION: CHAI SPICE

Add 2 pods star anise, 10 cracked cardamom pods, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1 tsp grated ginger, 6 ounces strong black tea, and 3 Tbsp. dark brown sugar. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, without letting the mixture come to a boil. Strain spices, and ladel hot chocolate into mugs.  

Enjoy!!