3-2-1 Frozen Margarita Recipe

We have been making so much vegetarian food lately, and the majority of it has been Mexican food. So since we had a few limes in the fridge, we invited our friend Chris over to create his favorite cocktail for us. He styled it really well and it tasted awesome. I loved the lighter flavor, and this recipe is amazing because it will give you a substitution for traditional margarita mix that is so high in acid and calories that I avoid it all together! 

Here is a delicious and traditional 3-2-1 Margarita, which I hope you enjoy! When you read through the ingredients, you will see that it's 3 parts tequila to 2 parts triple sec, to 1 part lime juice. Because this is a higher gravity margarita than if you were using a store bought mixer, it's best blended with ice to tone it down a bit (but that's totally up to you!).

Ingredients (serves 1, or serves a pitcher if scaled up)

  • 3 parts tequila (6 ounces for example)
  • 2 parts orange liqueur triple sec, Grand Marnier or Cointreau (4 ounces for example)
  • 1 part fresh lime juice (2 ounces for example)
  • Simple syrup or agave nectar to taste (4 Tablespoons)
  • Kosher salt for rims of glasses
  • Fresh lime slices (keep as circular slice) for garnish
  • Optional: zest of lime, and cilantro for final garnish
  • ice: add 3-4 cups, optional

Instructions

  • In your blender, add ice, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and agave nectar. Blend thoroughly until all ice pieces are fully blended. 

  • Use spent lime to apply lime juice around rim of glass. Dip into bowl full of salt to apply to rim.

  • Fill glasses with 3-2-1 Margarita. Use a spoon to help serve from blender.

  • Garnish with lime slice and optional cilantro and enjoy! 

Parmesan Garlic Knots Recipe - Easy and Delicious

These deliciously easy and impressive parmesan Garlic Knots are sure to please just about anyone! I used only a few ingredients to create these high end appetizers, perfect for so many occasions!

Prep Time 5 minutes // Cook Time 20 minutes // Total Time 25 minutes // Servings 12

Ingredients

1 11 ounce can breadsticks found in the refrigerated section

5 tablespoons butter melted

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley can also use 1 teaspoon dried parsley

3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.

  2. Open the can and place it onto a floured cutting board. Use a rolling pin to even out the dough, and use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 12 even slices. Tie each breadstick into a knot shape, tucking the ends underneath each roll. This techniques makes the knots look way better!

  3. In a small bowl, mix together the butter, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley. Reserve 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter mixture for later use.

  4. Brush the remaining butter mixture over the rolls. Then, sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.

  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Optionally, brush with reserved butter mixture, then serve. I did not do the second butter part, which did reduce the mess. 

Recipe Notes

1. You can use biscuit dough instead of breadstick dough if you prefer.
2. If you're a big garlic fan, you can increase the amount of garlic powder to 3/4 teaspoon or substitute 1 teaspoon of fresh minced garlic.
3. I like to serve my garlic knots with a side of marinara sauce for dipping.

Adapted from this post, from Dinner At The Zoo, found here.

What To Do As A Blogger During Down Time

If you're anything like me, you may have noticed a bit of a dip in opportunities and campaigns around the first quarter of the year. Remember, we all have those time when it seems like we will never be accepted to any campaigns ever again. Well, remember all the times last year when you felt the same exact way? It’s just the ebb and flow of being an independent contractor, and having to follow along with brands’ timelines, budgets and marketing schedules.

The good news is that Spring is nearly upon us, and no matter what topic(s) you blog about, most every brand and company does advertise a lot for Spring. It's a time that makes most people happy and it will be here before we know it. Until then, I have a few ideas of what to do to keep your spirits up and your workflow productive during Jan, Feb, and March. As I look back at my archive of projects from 2017, it looks like April was a very busy month for me, then July, September, October, and lastly, December. This means, once the end of March and April are here, you might want to be prepared before hand!

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS...  

Travel or take “Photography field trips” to gain photos and inspirations for upcoming non sponsored posts.

Keep applying for more projects. While it can definitely feel hopeless to be applying for projects while you’re not actually being accepted to any, it may just take 1-2 months to even hear back about these jobs. So, here’s to planning for the future! 

Take time to organize technology, clear off old pics on phone, delete masses of junk emails, unsubscribe from emails,  

Breathe! Take time to spend more hours with those around you, they’ll love not seeing your face in a phone or computer screen.

Learn a new skill, whether it’s a quick process or something more complex, learn a new skill to improve your brand or yourself! Readers are attracted to talented and u inquest people, so this could help increase traffic in the long run.

Try something different! If you’re always shooting or creating posts in very similar ways for your branded content, then see how many ways you can branch out in aesthetic and work flow on a few non sponsored posts.

Look into new Influencer marketing agencies. They’re piping up nearly every day, so begin to com through other bloggers’ posts to see their disclosure notices and blog sidebars to see who they’re representing.

Reach out to past brand representative with a little thank you note! Especially during slower times, people have more time to actually read a sentiment and process it better, thus hopefully keeping you in mind for future projects down the line.

Shoot stock images for your upcoming posts or social promotions. 

​Refresh and organize your blog. Look to make sure that if you had any missing or incorrect links that you update them. 

Create gift guides and roundup posts of your favorite Spring items, early summer ideas, and more. What activities do yo enjoy doing more in the Spring and Summer that you'd love to share with the world? You're an expert on lots of things you do in your daily life, so feel free to hone in on those topics and get creative with how you incorporate them into a blog post.

​Make art! Most of us bloggers have some sort of art background, probably due a tiny bit to that fact that if you’re in your late 20s and beyond, blogging wasn’t around when we were in high school and early college years. Well that may not be why, but I’m assuming lots of bloggers are good at lots of different things, so while I’m not suggesting that you have to go and start creating art to sell on ETSY or at markets, because that’s a WHOLE other career path, it’s fun to get out the traditional art mediums and create again, and share those images around your blog and social channels. Tell readers how this past set of artist skills got lead you to where you are today! Things like painting, drawing, wood working, jewelry making, ceramics, print making, etc. I also mention this because I’ve been following g more and more artists/creators on social media and realize they get an overwhelming response (aka likes and comments), and I know it’s because viewers can’t help but appreciate those talents! Cherish and foster growth this way too!

Try to make sure your blog is sending the right message. I recently read an article about what brands should look for in their influencers. One key point was that they should look for influencers who are not just going to promote them once and move on, just to make a quick buck. While I know that most brands don’t hire bloggers more than once, it’s important as bloggers, that we are building lasting relationships with brands and our followers. It’s important to let our readers know that we truly do believe in these products/brands, rather than posting about things we don’t agree with. 

Update your bio and headshot, and update anything else about your brand that may need a bit of a refresher!

That’s all for now! I created this list while I was in florida, and it was one of the first trips that I actually took down time to relax a bit rather than stressing about a bit of a down time in terms of work. Thanks for taking time to read through my ideas, and I wish you all a super successful year!   

The sand at the dog beach in FL was covered in happy dog prints! I just loved this place :) while I’m definitely ready to get back into the swing of things now that Spring is almost here, it was super fun just enjoying a little break some of the time we were traveling.  

Valentine's Day Candy Dessert Board

Happy Valentine's Day! Surprise your friends or gal pals with this awesome array of delicious sweets this Valentine's Day!

Whether you're doing something special for Valentine's Day, or just treating it like any other day, it's always fun to partake in the delicious Valentine's Day Candy. 

I headed to Target to find my candy, and made sure not to grab everything that was heart shaped and stuck with my color scheme. Since everyone has different taste preferences, I like to offer a mixture of chocolate and fruity sweets, and everyone loved the fact that they got to choose their faves. 

Perhaps this would be fun to do the day after Valentine's Day (so you can get all the candy on super sale), and make it a new holiday all of its own - Candy Sale Day or something, haha!

I can think of so many holidays and color schemes to use for this fun candy display, what other ideas do you have?

Giant Valentine's Day Rice Krispy Treat - a Great Gift Idea

Impress your friends and loved ones with this Giant Heart Shaped Rice Krispy treat! It's super adorable and is an awesome last minute gift idea. This gift takes less than an hour to make, and just a few ingredients and supplies! You could gift this treat atop an adorable pink plate, too!

INGREDIENTS / MATERIALS

6 Cups Rice Krispy Cereal

4 Cups Mini Marshmallows

3 Tbsp Butter (real butter works best)

Heart Shaped Cake Pan (Similar Here from Target) 

White Writing Icing (I love the Betty Crocker Cookie Icing in White, 7 oz. pouch) - found at grocery stores, not generally found at Walmart or Target

Red Food Coloring

Colorful Sprinkles

Parchment Paper and Scissors

Non Stick Spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1.) Trace heart shape onto parchment paper, using pan as your guide. Cut out the heart out. Spray the pan with lots of non stick spray, then place heart paper cutout into bottom of pan.

2.) On the stove top in a large sauce pan, melt butter then add marshmallows and melt/stir until smooth. Once completely smooth, add 4-6 drops of red food coloring, until desired color has been reached.

3.) Add in cereal and stir to fully combine. Add optional 1/3 Cup Sprinkles and stir again. 

4.) Using a large spoon or your hands, transfer treats into heart shaped pan. Press as hard as you can, so the cereal treats get packed into the pan. This is to ensure the heart shape is a good shape.

5.) Once cooled, use a butter knife around the sides of the heart pan to loosen the treats. Flip the Heart Shaped Treat over onto a cutting board or similar surface, and tap the pan to help loosen the treat. Peel off the parchment paper and discard.

6.) To decorate, I used the white decorator icing to first outline the heart shape. I applied even pressure to the icing tube as I went around the edges, beginning at the bottom of the heart, working around the edges. Next, I free handed the word "Love" with icing, in cursive, but feel free to write any message you want! I thought of some pretty funny messages but stuck with something more traditional. 

7.) To gift, I found a plate at Target in the kids plates and dishes section for about 80 cents. You could use a cute paper or plastic plate too. I believe it would be adorable to wrap Saran wrap around the treat and secure it in back with tape, so you can see the design. Hope you enjoy!

Cute Red Kitchen Supplies

Red has remained a timeless and so very popular to add vibrant pops of color to any kitchen! If you're someone who gravitates towards red kitchen towels, kitchen appliances and other gadgets, then here are some amazingly cute and wonderful ideas for you to incorporate into your kitchen this year. 

Red is an invigorating color that encourages a healthy appetite and enlivens the senses! While I mostly gravitate towards greens and blues, and perhaps because it's almost Valentine's Day, it seems like red is catching my eye more and more!

Sur La Table SMEG 4-Slice Retro-Style Toaster

Vintage Red Enamel Mixing Bowl on Etsy

Sur La Table Silicone Edge Slotted Fish Turner

Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron 13.25 Qt. Round French Oven

Sip Sip Hooray Wine Beverage Napkins

Vintage Look Wooden "Crepes" Sign

Here is the same or similar set of red letters from the above image!

Illy X7.1 Iper Espresso Machine

Red Enamel Butter Warmer

Aeon Paris Mid Century Barstools

Red and White Retro Flour Sifters

Hope you are inspired by these Red Kitchen Items! What is your favorite pop of color to add into your home?

Time To Rethink What Your Pups are Eating

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CheckYourPetFood #CollectiveBias. We are so excited to share our favorite new pet food today!

Happy dogs, happy life - that's my motto! We are definitely dog lovers through and through. We literally don't spend a day away from them unless we absolutely have to. We cater each and every day, as well as each and every vacation to making sure our pups are happy, healthy, and enjoying the right food. Above, you can see our cousin dog Mickey, the English Bulldog. She also LOVES this food so much and could not wait for her turn to show off her new favorite food.

We care about each and every dog in our families, as well as our friends' pets, and we often get asked what sort of food we feed our dogs. That's probably because everyone knows we are such dog lovers. 

TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK

It may be time to do a reality check on your dog food. Does it contain real meat? Is it grain free? If not, it’s time for a change…for something that is a better value both to your pet and to you! Meijer has great products for your dog that are full of quality ingredients and at a great price. I love shopping at Meijer for Purina® Dog Chow and Purina® Beneful® products, and I encourage you to do the same. We brought some on our latest vacay, and the dogs were super happy about it.

We treat them like family, so making sure they are fed the right ingredients makes me know they will be happier for lots of years to come. Our two beautiful girls, Porter and Cabbie are definitely food-motivated. This means that I can even give them a few kernels of dog food as a treat, so I stick to their diets properly, and I do not overfeed them. I'd be lost without these dogs, they're my everything! 

NOW THROUGH MARCH 3, 2018 - GET $1.00 OFF Purina® Dog Chow (32 lb and smaller) and Purina® Beneful® with mPerks coupons at Meijer!

Porter is only a year and a half old, so she was a bit harder to motivate to sit still. The whole time we were taking photos, she only wanted to sit near the dog food :) She kept pawing at the Purina Dog Chow making sure we knew which one she wanted! While she wouldn't actually sit there long enough to take a portrait of her, I thought this in-action shot of her giving Cabbie a kiss was pretty cute. She loved the food so much.

TREATING THEM LIKE FAMILY

Re-think What You’re Feeding Your Dog - take a closer look at your dog food, and compare its quality and value to what can be found in Dog Chow and Beneful.

Feed Them Like Family - Our dogs are 100% part of the family, too. That means feeding them quality nutrition.

Take Them On Walks and Give Them Plenty of Exercise Through Play Time - I try to walk the dogs for at least one hour, five times a day, weather permitting (basically only rain or SUPER freezing temps will keep me from doing this). While this may seem like a lot of time, I think of those hours that I may spend watching TV or playing on my phone. Time flies, so it's fun to refocus your energy and free time on your pets when possible.

Provide A Comfy Dog Bed - Our pets do need a comfortable and supportive bed. Meijer does have a ton of great options, and while some beds may be made from cute fabrics, above all else, I always make sure to look for a bed that has super thick, supportive memory foam and a washable cover.

Include Them In Travel - like I mentioned before, we always try to take our dogs on vacations with us. We make sure to stay in pet friendly hotels, go camping, or rent a rental house that's pet friendly. More and more, establishments are welcoming well behaved dogs with open arms, so do a quick search for dog friendly travel, and you may find something new! Otherwise, feel free to do a staycation with your pets, and treat them like royalty in your own home.

Take Time To Do Special Dog Activities With Them - while we humans have TONS of things to entertain us like our phones, tablets, games, conversations with other people, etc, dogs only have a limited amount of entertainment just within your home. I love taking the dogs on special car rides to the dog park, pet store, or if I will only be in a store for a few minutes, I sometimes take the dogs for a ride then too. They absolutely LOVE that extra stimulation of a new setting, smells, or environment. 

FEATURED PRODUCTS:

Purina Dog Chow Natural Plus Vitamins & Minerals Dog Food 4 lb

Purina Beneful Grain Free With Ream Farm-Raised Chicken Adult Dry Dog Food 12.5 lb

Now is the time to take advantage of the in store savings, and MPerk deals at Meijer! Here are a few more tips that make me choose Purina products! 

Quality Doesn’t Always Mean a Fancy Label - Just take a look at Beneful and Dog Chow. Both brands come loaded with quality nutrition, and they’re backed by Purina—a leader in pet nutrition with 90+ years of experience.

Every Dog Deserves Real Meat - Dogs love real meat. It’s what they seek in nature, and what they deserve. And you deserve to buy it at the prices you find when you shop Dog Chow and Beneful at Meijer.

No More Compromise - Think you can’t get real meat dog food at a price you can afford? Think again. That’s what Reality Check at Meijer is all about—finally, you can get real meat at the right price and don’t have to settle for lower-end dog foods.

Better for Them, and My Budget - Tout the benefits of feeding your dog real meat, quality nutrition like Beneful and Dog Chow, and the positive impact it has on your wallet when you save at Meijer.

What to Look for in a Label - Meat, or meat flavor? Real meat, of course. Showcase the quality ingredients found in Dog Chow’s and Beneful’s label as a part of a ‘label lesson.’

Real Ingredients, Right Prices, Remarkably Easy - Reality Check is all about finding real meat dog food at the right price, and it’s even better when you throw in Curbside shopping—it becomes super easy, too. Order Dog Chow or Beneful for pickup or shipment to your door, and you’re done. You can do it with the rest of your regular grocery shopping for even less hassle.

Connect with Meijer on Social

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/meijer/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/meijer / @meijer

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/meijer

Instagram - @Meijer

Connect With Purina On Social

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/purina

Twitter - https://twitter.com/purina / @Purina

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/purina

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/purina/

Instagram - @Purina

Thanks for stopping by!

Amazing Pickled Red Onions and Garlic Recipe

If you're a fan of onions, garlic and pickled anything, chances are, you'll love this recipe! We are eating them on everything we possibly can, and they they only require a few hours (or overnight) in the fridge until they are READY to enjoy! This is such a rewarding and long lasting delicacy that costs only a few dollars to make. You may already have everything you need, so let's get started.

INGREDIENTS:

1 large red onion, sliced into small strips

7-10 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole (or cut into pieces)

1.5 Cups rice vinegar or similar

1 Cup water

1 tsp salt

1/4-1/2 tsp sugar, optional (only if you like a sweeter pickled taste but we did not use it)

1 (32 oz) Quart Ball Mason Jar (I bought this one for about $2.00 at Target)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Add onion slices and garlic cloves to Ball Mason Jar. Pack it full, up to the very top. We made sure to sort of layer ingredients in the jar so they would look pretty. You may have a few onions left over that do not fit, but you can save them for something else or toss them.

2.) On the stovetop in a small saucepan, add vinegar, water, and salt (and optional sugar), and heat until salt has dissolved. 

3.) Carefully pour the warm vinegar mixture into the jar. At first, it seemed like it wouldn't be enough liquid, but it was perfect! 

4.) Securely fasten lid onto jar and flip the jar over a few times in your hand to make sure there are not too many air bubbles. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but we checked them after about 12-15 hours and they were already ready to eat! We had them on our breakfast the next morning, and everyone raved about them!  

You can use these pickled onions to top breakfast bagels, scrambled eggs, sandwiches, or just eat them on their own! These are better than any other pickles or pickled anything I have ever eaten, and knowing that we made them ourselves might just make them even more delicious. 

You can even use them as an ingredient in your favorite recipes, like potato salad, guacamole, Cuban sandwiches, and other recipes that require onions. I would not assume that they would be super great when heated or cooked, but there are still so many ideas to play around with. Below, we topped a seeded bagel with homemade guacamole, prosciutto, and our pickled red onions. 

It's amazing how the red onions colored themselves such a vibrant purple color. They're just gorgeous and make so many recipes more elegant and colorful. And, as odd as it sounds, these would even make a good gift for someone special. 

Next, we will be making pickled jalapenos! What is your favorite ingredient to pickle?

Well, I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you wind up making some for yourself, I would LOVE to know how they turned out. Feel free to leave a comment below, or tag me on Instagram as @happysolez! 

A Romantic Outfit Idea

I found the cutest outfit, that would be great for vacation in a warmer place, or even Valentine's Day if you're somewhere a bit warmer. This jumpsuit looked way better in person than I ever could have imagined, and now I am wanting to buy nearly every jumpsuit I come in contact with! It was incredibly comfy and with a bit of a higher waist, it kind of elongated my torso. It was stretchy and would be adorable paired with any sort of jacket, cropped or longer in length.

I worked with Kohl's and Hello Society on our last of five photoshoots, and I think this is my favorite one of all. We visited a beach area near the vacation rental house on Fort Myers Beach, and I loved how the palm trees lined the boardwalk, it made for one of my favorite photoshoot locations ever!

I don't even really dress up that often, but I had a lot of fun primping and prepping for this cute outfit. I added some Dutch braids in my hair, and loved how the jewelry really brought the whole outfit together. 

These HEELS!! Something for a special occasion, like Valentine's Day or a fun date night would be great. Now, I wouldn't recommend wearing them if you're walking super far, but if you're just heading to sit at dinner, or need something absolutely adorable to wear for portraits, family photos, or more, then, these would be amazing. They are show stoppers for sure, and while I paired them with a dark grey outfit, I could see them looking great with a vintage cut dress of some sort, either right above knee length or mid calf perhaps. 

I also researched the best nail polish color to put on your toes when wearing red heels, and most articles recommended either a red that is the exact color of the heels, or nude, to avoid competing shades of red, plus, the nude nail polish elongates the look of your legs, which makes total sense!

Hope you enjoy! Sending you warm wishes from Florida!