Simply Nice! Revamped Snacking + Boho Decor Ideas For Your Next Party

I was so thankful to be asked by Carusele to participate in the #SimplyNice campaign, sponsored by Walgreens. Although I have been compensated, all opinions are my own.

Hosting a casual and elegant get-together is my favorite way to host friends and family. My friends sure know how to snack, so I always make sure to have extras on hand, too. I have always enjoyed the Nice! Products from Walgreens, and I have been noticing a few ch-ch-ch-changes lately in their packaging and ingredients. They are making a huge effort to offer products that have the best ingredients available. I appreciate this so much, because our local Walgreens is open 24 hours, so a lot of people are depending upon them to offer the very best.

With the recent change in weather, going from extreme heat and humidity down to nearly 70 degrees, I am seriously using any excuse to have friends over. We all love to let our dogs play outside, which somehow makes us hungry – that’s when I know it’s time to bring out the snacks and get ready to feast! I feel good about snacking with the new line of Nice!® products from Walgreens.

I like offering guests a wide range of options, and if you’re looking for baking ingredients, look no further – the Premium Raw Mixed Nuts, shown above, feature unsalted cashews, almonds, pecans, and walnuts. I love the idea of baking fresh items for guests, that way the house smells amazing when they arrive!

HOW TO REVAMP YOUR SNACKING

If you are looking to replace those unhealthy or rather boring snacks, head to the snack aisles at Walgreens and you won't be disappointed. Their snacks all have great flavors that are unique to their products, and IU just love them! I also cannot believe how many organic options they have!

Begin by reading the labels. The new Nice!® packaging, available among many departments in the stores, showcases easy-to-reference icons at the top right of the front of every item. This nutrition info is right there to help you make the best decision for you.

SIMPLE - HONEST - DELICIOUS

Above, their motto and also mine! 

I could not believe how many new items they have available locally, and I’m sure I will start seeing even more soon. In this post, I featured newly packaged options like Magic Trail Mix, Chili Lime Cashews, Sesame Sticks, Tri-Colored Tortilla Chips (note - WITHOUT yucky food coloring like the traditional tri-colored chips I've seen), and Root Veggie Chips shown below. I just love the variety of colors in the last two options!

HOW TO REVAMP YOUR PARTY DÉCOR

If you want to impress guests with snacks AND décor, then I created a cute party look that would fit into my life and hopefully yours. I love the idea of casually sitting on floor pillows, so I found the cutest rugs ever and used them for inspiration! I laid down two woven style rugs, and one furry white rug. I also laid out a piece of this amazing crushed velvet material, which I thought would be cute to tie even more color into the look.

Next, I added some cute pillows – the more the BETTER, so use everything you can find J I love the Bohemian aesthetic, but you could use a more rustic or woodland look for a cozy and inviting theme.

I wanted a low sitting table, and did not exactly have one, so I created one myself! On top of a large wooden crate, I simply added a piece of stained wood I already had. This could be made from just about anything sturdy enough to hold your food and drinks without tipping over. I then laid a table runner across the top.

For the flowers, and if you’re planning a beer + snack tasting night, I thought it would be adorable to fill some brown glass growlers with water and fresh flowers (they traditional come from breweries so you can travel home with their beers). I also love how the brown glass and the color of the flowers really make it look more like Fall up in here!

Another fun way to dress up your party would be to provide guests with reusable, cloth napkins rolled up and wrapped with ribbon. I love the Eco-friendly aspect of this, and guests will love the oversized tea towels for their snacking adventures.

The video below really does a good job of describing the new Walgreens Nice products and makes them very relatable! 

Another fun item I added to the party was a fuzzy, very light pink colored stool. The whimsical nature of it says so much and really compliments everything well.

Hopefully I have given you some insight on how to revamp your snacking and your party décor! For more ideas, visit me on Pinterest or Instagram. Happy snacking, friends!

Organic Rustic Grilled Salsa & Hand-Cut Tortilla Chips

A Rustic Grilled Tomato Salsa is a great way to use 100% fresh and organic ingredients in a recipe that is just perfect for summer! Mission Organic Tortillas were the perfect ingredient to use and compliment my salsa oh so well. I am beyond happy with how these cute little hand-cut tortilla chips turned out, and I hope you enjoy them!

Choosing organic ingredients is of top priority when it comes to preparing and serving any recipe. I have been watching a few very inspiring cooking shows lately, and they’re showing me the possibilities of creating everything from scratch, from fresh, local, and organic ingredients, and I just love it! So happy to be partnering with a brand I have loved for years, and I am so glad they have a delicious line of organic products!

This post was not sponsored, it was actually one of two ideas I had for the brand. See which post they chose instead. 

SALSA (Makes 3-4 Servings):

Choose Organic Ingredients When Possible

1 container of colorful or red mini tomatoes

2-3 Jalapeno Peppers, cut in half lengthwise

2 Larger Red Slicing Tomatoes, cut into slices

1 Lime, cut into wedges for the juice

Cilantro, chopped

Garlic (1-2 cloves, chopped)

HAND CUT TORTILLA CHIPS

Mission Organics® Tortillas

Cookie Cutters

Spray Butter, Spray Coconut Oil, or similar

Large Grain Sea Salt (Regular will do)

OTHER MATERIALS:

Toaster Oven or Regular Oven

Grill

Skewer Sticks

Food Processor

Knife

1.)  (For The Salsa) Prep your veggies! Cut jalapenos in half lengthwise, and remove any seeds and interior material. Next, add mini heirloom tomatoes (in various colors or in all red) to skewer sticks. Lastly, slice larger tomatoes into slices that are thick enough to handle.

2.)  (For The Chips) Simply use any shape cookie cutter and use your palms to press the cookie cutters into the Mission Organic Tortillas. Coat them with butter spray, and toast them in a toaster oven on 300 degrees for about 2 minutes, until edges are browned. Lastly, sprinkle with salt and enjoy, with a side of homemade salsa, guacamole, cheese dip, and sour cream!

3.) (To Make The Salsa) Once your veggies are all ready, turn on your grill to a higher heat, and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add all veggies to your grill (carefully – I use a pair of tongs to do this step). The sliced tomatoes cannot be on for long, so make sure to keep them on for a minute or so each side. Below, you can see all of the grilled veggies, ready to be blended with the other ingredients.

After you have processed all of your ingredients, your salsa should look like the photo, below. What a cute pairing for my little hand-cut tortilla chips!

I also just love how everything in this recipe is organic! I am not sure if the salt I used would be, but everything else is a yes J I hope this post helps you see just how easy it is to use 100% natural and organic ingredients in your upcoming recipes.

Delicious Root Vegetables - Vegan Recipe

If you are looking to incorporate more vegan meals and more colorful ingredients into your routine, then here is a delicious, healthy meal you can make in just a short amount of time! Grab your veggies, and fire up the grill.

1.) Head to the store, or to your garden, and grab an assortment of sweet potatoes, red or yellow potatoes, and Chioggia beets. Below, I found an image of the beets, so you can see how "normal" they look on the outside, and how they appear to have rings or stripes on the inside. 

2.) Turn on your grill to medium high, and thinly slice all root vegetables, and set them on a baking sheet, so they are not overlapping. Brush on a light coating of olive oil or melted coconut oil, and add a generous sprinkle of seasonings to both sides. Use a pair of tongs to flip the slices if you do not want to get your hands messy. Make sure seasoning is applied evenly. 

3.) Take your baking sheet and pair of tongs out to the grill, and use your tongs to add each slice of root veggie to the grill. Try to make sure not to let the oil drip down into the grill, or it could be a bit messy and cause larger flames. Feel free to let the veggie slices touch, but not overlap, so they get those beautiful grill marks on them. Close the lid of the grill, and wait 4-5 minutes until the pieces have a nice grill mark on them. Flip them and let them over for another 2-4 minutes, until soft, and they're ready to eat!

4.) Transfer slices back onto the baking sheet, and bring back in to serve. These are amazing by themselves as a vegan meal option, or serve them as a side dish. They're absolutely delicious!!!

If you're new to eating beets, then try to slice up 1-2 beets for every 5 potatoes, so you have more potato than beet. Enjoy!

Fall Tailgating With Coleman


Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Coleman but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. #TailgateWithColeman

Gearing up for some Fall Tailgating with Coleman! I am excited to head to Walmart tomorrow to grab all the necessary items. I am going to give this tailgating post a more upscale experience by thrift shopping in the adorable town of Bozeman, Montana for lots of soft textiles, cute plates, dishes, and fresh foods to enjoy during the day. I will also head to Walmart to grab some tailgating essentials from Coleman, like this 25-piece set of red Enamelware Plates, mugs, and flatware. I have had my eye on it for a while now. I would also love to find the perfect cooler, so I can transport food and drinks to the tailgate, as well as a portable stove or grill, to make the best food imagineable! Hmmm....what recipes shall I make? We will see soon :)

Shop the entire collection here. 

Thank you so much for helping me prep for the best Fall Tailgate experience ever! Cannot wait to share everything with you soon. 

Carbondale Farmer's Market

We are so fortunate to have such a vibrant Farmer's Market for still being in s pretty small city. I shot these photos in late May. It's interesting how some produce is only available a week or two, and I am sure even a few weeks later, the market looks completely different. It's definitely my goal to visit the market as many times as possible this year, especially before those mornings are a balmy 95 degrees with a very high % of humidity. 

Also, this year, our weather has just been kind of odd, so I believe that growing seasons for early growing produce was severely shortened and stunted. But, now, the weather has gotten a lot warmer, it's not raining excessively, and the sun is definitely shining and feeding all of those plants! 

Here is a sneak peek of the Market, I will share lots more photos later. 

Fire Up Your Grill with Smithfield® Craft Collection™ Yuengling® Brats!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Smithfield®. The opinions and text are all mine.

I love the taste of a rich lager beer during summer, and I have been on a real grilling kick lately. When I learned that Smithfield® came out with a new product, brats that are infused with Yuengling® beer, I got pretty excited! Bringing my love of good food together with tasty beer is a specialty of mine, and I wanted to share a way to grill and serve these brats that you’re going to love. I wanted to added lots of vibrant color to this meal with fresh toppings and flavors you and your guests are going to love. Learn more about my experience with Smithfield® Craft Collection™ Yuengling® Brats, they’re such a great excuse to celebrate summer!

I found my Smithfield Yuengling Bratwurst at my Kroger. You can purchase your own by shopping at your local Kroger or Kroger banner store like Ralph’s, Smiths or Food 4 Less!

- Smithfield Yuengling Bratwurst (Make 1-2 per guest, I always make extras to have as leftovers)

- Colorful Bell Peppers

- 1 package of Pearl Onions (I fit about 12 per skewer)

- At least 1-2 (12 oz) Beers (for boiling brats) – Try Yuengling Lager for extra flavor!

- Buns

- Condiments (see below for ideas)

- Small, Colorful Heirloom Tomatoes or similar

- Olive Oil

- Seasoning of choice for peppers

Checking labels and ingredient lists is really important to me, so when I looked at the back of the brats packaging and found only two ingredients – pork and beer, I was sold That shows you how fresh and natural these brats are. The casing stayed together very well during cooking, and the taste of Yuengling was definitely present. Yuengling is America’s oldest brewery (located in Pottsville PA) and Smithfield (located in Smithfield, VA) is the ham capital of the world.  Both come from towns with a slower, more thoughtful pace – grounded in tradition with a pride for their heritage.  With that heritage comes an appreciation for quality, flavor and family; why Smithfield & Yuengling make the perfect pair.

I also love incorporating as many fresh ingredients as possible into each recipe as side dishes and toppings, so I wound up doing 4 skewers on the grill as well, along with  slices of colorful bell peppers.

FOR THE SKEWERS

These turned out absolutely beautiful! I am learning that a bit of “char” to the veggies enhances the taste so much, and adds a certain rustic appearance to the food that I just love so very much. It’s so visually pleasing, and can take almost any variety of pepper, onion, or garlic, and transform it into a delicacy with very little oil or salt. These flavors compliment the brats extremely well.

I like to add a seasoning mix and olive oil to most veggies I cook, and this time, I peeled the sin off of each little pearl onion by slicing off the bottom, and just doing a twisting motion, until the top of the onion skin came off. These were so darn cute :) I skewered everything.

I thought the little pearl onions would be a cute and clever take on grilled onions that are traditionally served on a brat or hotdog. And they were so cute! The brat I made with stone ground mustard and pearl onions was delicious!

** Note – to prepare bell peppers for grilling, slice a couple slices from the middle part of the peppers to get the prettiest cuts before chopping up the rest of the peppers to boil with the brats.

FOR THE BRATS

These brats are made with premium cuts of pork and a special blend of sweet and savory spices. There is no MSG added, they were tasty and super easy to work with! All you need to do is pour your beer into a pot and turn on the stove to medium high. Chop up the remainder of the 4 bell peppers, and ¼-1/2 of a red onion, and add those to the beer. Once boiling, carefully add your brats to the hot liquid, and boil with a lid on for about 10 minutes. Make sure the internal temp is around 165 degrees.

Meanwhile, add skewers to your hot grill which should be sprayed with non-stick spray. Also, add bell pepper rings here too. These will take about 6 minutes to cook.

After your brats are boiled, add them to a hot grill. You’re basically looking to get those beautiful grill marks here, not really cooking them. They get such a nice flavor from the grill too!

It was so fun to dress up these Smithfield ™ Yuengling Brats with fresh ingredients I grilled myself! This would be a great way to get kids and possible picky eaters to enjoy more veggies, too. Everything is more fun in bright colors, and the peppers look stunning served with these brats. Bring everything in from the grill on a sheet pan, and it’s quite a beautiful display!

Have you ever cooked brats before? This was my first time, and had no problems at all – things went so smoothly, that I know you can do it too! What will you be grilling this summer?

Right now, you can save $1 when you purchase Smithfield Yuengling Bratwurst at Kroger! Stop by your local Kroger to grab some today!

Pinterest Trend: Strawberry Season

I went all in yesterday, and bought my first flat of strawberries. Can't wait to share photos and recipes, but for now, I could not wait to share a few of my favorite strawberry-related pins on the blog today. We prepped all the berries a few hours after market, because they were so ripe and ready, and if we weren't making so many smoothies lately, and freezing them, they would have all gone bad. A flat contains 8 pints of strawberries, and while I did not save but a couple of dollars buying them that way, these Farmer's Market strawberries are so much more of a vibrant red color, and they have way more taste than those we have bought in the grocery stores lately. 

From that flat, we basically set up with two cutting boards, both Bobby and I cut off al the green tips and the bruised or super soft parts of the strawberries, and then placed them cut end down on two baking sheets atop parchment paper. This way, they do not get all frozen together. We could have used 3-4 sheet pans, but I on;y have room for two pans in our freezer. 

After they froze overnight, we stored them in two gallon-sized Ziplock bags, and then ate out first smoothie, it was amazing! 

Elegant Way To Plate A Strawberry Dessert

Strawberry Greek Frozen Yogurt Recipe

A Memorial Day Party With Balloon Time! Get These Cute Recipes and Decor Ideas!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Balloon Time Helium Tanks. The opinions and text are all mine.

So excited to share this fun post with you today! I am really looking forward to summer, and Memorial Day, to me, is the first big holiday of the summer season. It's a great time of the year to host friends, and why not embrace that red, white, and blue, Patriotic spirit into your party with festive decor and tasty, yet easy to achieve party recipes. I utilized a balloon backdrop, inflated with my Balloon Time Helium Tank, making this whole party setup a very Instagrammable moment!

This party would be adorable for guests of any age, and feel free to add a bit more of your favorite food or drinks for your friends and family to enjoy while we celebrate Memorial Day, and other fun holidays in May and the upcoming summer months.

Tie Dyed Fabric In Indigo and White (See My DIY Here)

Helium-Safe Balloons (I used red, blue, and star-printed latex ones, and 3 holographic mylar ones in star shapes)

Helium Tank (I used one from Balloon Time)

Curling Ribbon included with helium tank

Weights for Balloons (these can be made from just about anything that is somewhat heavy. Or, tape to attach balloons to the back of your table

1.) Get acquainted with your Balloon Time Helium Tank. At first, I had a bit of trouble realizing that there are two steps to working the tank. FIRST, on your helium tab, you will find a green handle, that you turn about 4 times until it won't turn any longer. SECOND, insert your balloon onto the black nozzle, and push down to release the helium into your balloon. I did not realize to do the second part, and thought my tank was empty - oopsies! It was not :)

2.) Fill your three star balloons, and about 5-10 of each of the other colors, red and blue. Adding some white balloons would also be adorable! After filling each balloon, tie about 3-4 feet of ribbon to them, and attach them to your weights, so they won't float away :) I cut each ribbon to be a bit of a different length, so they would have a more layered effect, which I just loved!

3.) Put up your tie dyed back drop behind where your table will go, and then start filling the background with balloons! I started with my stars, then worked out from there, with the other balloons. Put your table in front of that, and begin styling the party!

4.) I love displaying food at different heights on the table, to create lots of visual interest. For this party setup, I used a mixture of wooden crates, galvanized metal boxes,   

5.) Other cute items you might want to offer include patriotic-themed star plates, napkins, cute paper straws, cute sunglasses, and red/white/blue candies in star-shaped glass dishes.  

When I first learned about this project with Balloon Time, I instantly went into research mode. That's how I start every post that I create, so I can learn more about the brands and the products I am about to work with. I also love seeing what other bloggers may have done with and for these brands before, and I was so excited and very honored to be chosen, because Balloon Time has enlisted the DIY and Party Skills of many amazing bloggers that I follow pretty regularly, like Studio DIY, Hostess With The Mostess, A Subtle Revelry, and Confetti Sunshine!

I wanted to put my own spin on this project and include lots of cute dessert ideas, too!

I love these delicious red velvet cupcakes from my local grocery store, which you could use in a pinch, or bake cupcakes from your own favorite recipe. 

WHAT YOU NEED:

Red Velvet Cupcakes, Plastic Wine Glasses, Candies To Decorate

Simply fill glasses 1/3 full with colorful candies. Next, put the cupcake into each glass, and you have an elevated way to enjoy your cupcakes! This makes dessert very easy to carry around, too.

It's funny. The end of May in Illinois can offer gorgeous weather, chilly weather, rainy weather, or just plain HOT weather. Here in Illinois, we just come to enjoy those years when we get good weather for holidays, but it's never 100% for sure that we will even want to be outside. SO, I designed this party for an indoor OR outdoor gathering! 

I found this pack of 6 tiny, plastic dessert bowls at the dollar store, and then, using an ice cream scoop, I added a scoop of cool whip to each bowl. Next, I added one full strawberry to each cup, and then about 6-8 blueberries to one side. These taste SO good, and will be easy for guests to enjoy. Also, I would only recommend making these about 30 minutes before serving, because the strawberries get mushy if you wait much longer. But, I love how these turned out so much! 

Thanks so much for joining me to learn more about my latest party! I hope you have gotten lots of great party ideas too.

See all of the parties I've designed, here!

Enjoy!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Balloon Time. The opinions and text are all mine.

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