senior status & a recipe

officially a senior in college! yesterday i bubbled in my last scantron of the semester and motored on home for summer! yesterday was like a marathon but i came out on top and all unpacked! for cinco de mayo we fixed upside-down salsa cornbread, homemade refried beans and homemade guacamole! it was the perfect welcome home supper (the angel food cake and fresh picked strawberries from valley home farm weren't too bad either)!

today was busy as well! i don't know why i always try to do everything the first few days when i get home but i always do! i hit up the MAC for a good workout and then it was on to running some errands, cleaning up the house and doing a bit of cooking! i also had to pack a load of things to take to my nashville apartment tomorrow. life has been a bit of a blur since i got home to be honest!

i did find time this afternoon to sit outside and paint my nails in OPI's "kiss me i'm brazilian" pink and finish allegiant by veronica roth. it was different than the first two in the divergent series in that it is told from two perspectives but it is just as gripping as the first two! this is a series that i am so glad i took the time to read! it is a great summer trilogy!

this post is short and sweet but i wanted to share that i was home from knoxville for the summer! tonight's supper is in honor of summer: BBQ pulled pork, corn, baked beans and watermelon! the BBQ pulled pork recipe is one of the easiest i have ever made and the house has smelled wonderful all day!

crockpot BBQ pulled pork tenderloin

1 trimmed 2 lb pork tenderloin

1/2 to 1 cup chopped onion

1 cup BBQ sauce (we like Sweet Baby Ray's)

garlic powder, to taste

1. cover bottom of crockpot with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and onion.
2. place pork tenderloin in crockpot and cover with remaining BBQ sauce and season with garlic powder if desired. 
3. cook on low for 4-6 hours, until cooked through and tender.
4. shred tenderloin with two forks (i just did this in the crockpot) and stir to coat. 
5. serve on whole wheat buns with your favorite BBQ sides! 

(recipe courtesy of youbeauty.com)

xoxo,

clp

wedding shower OOTD

well, less than 24 hours left of my junior year. really, where did it go? again, i feel like so much has changed once again this year. i have really tried to work on myself, especially since january. i believe that i have improved on some aspects but still struggle with some, and am still working to better myself. it feels great when people notice how i have changed as well and tell me as many have recently, so i use that as a benchmark as well. i can only hope that i continue to improve in my eyes and the eyes of others as i end my junior year and begin the last year of my college career!

last night i celebrated my sweet sister's upcoming wedding! it was such a great way to end my junior year. in addition to some yummy snacks (the meatballs - oh my goodness!) and delicious cake, sisterhood was all around as we watched courtney open her gifts... without breaking any bows! if you were like me and unaware of the breaking bows tradition, i will give you a short and sweet summary of it... the bride tries not to break any of the bows on her shower gifts - the number of bows she does break predicts the number of children she will have! the maid of honor, or any other bridesmaids, save all the ribbons and bows from the bride's various showers and then makes them into a bouquet for the bride to carry at the rehearsal dinner! it is a new southern tradition and one that i will definitely take part in when the time comes! the wedding shower really made me realize how much i am going to miss my best friends and sisters. some i won't see until july or some august, but hopefully i will be able to see some of their beautiful faces before then!

i chose to pull an oldie-but-a-goodie out of my closet for the shower! it is a few seasons old, but still in style, a benefit of tory burch and her classic silhouettes and designs! though her dresses are investments, they are timeless and can be worn season after season!

tory burch dress, dolce vita cage heels

xoxo,

clp

weekend wants & an appetizer recipe

with studying comes online shopping... right?! not sure how they relate to each other but somehow during finals week, i always end up shopping online and finding things i absolutely have to have. maybe its all the studying that does it to me? so, without further ado, here are some recent finds from my favorite brands that are making my weekend want list! 

lilly pulitzer cruiser camp shirt

kate spade hutton tropical print lounge pants

j. crew patch pocket skirt in stretch cotton

j. crew tie-back tank in stripe

j. crew silk eyelet top

tory burch schaeffer flip-flop

j. crew embroidered floral racer dress

topshop crepe scallop hem top

tonight i am attending my first wedding shower as an actual friend of the bride - not a relative or someone i know through my parents. it is really strange but exciting to see a friend getting ready to be married and start a new chapter of her life! i contributed to the shower munchies with a favorite appetizer of mine courtesy of my lovely aunt! it is perfect for any occasion and i always rave about it when she makes it!

pecan-rolled cheeseball

2 8 oz. blocks cream cheese (i used greek yogurt cream cheese)

1 tbsp minced garlic

seasonings of choice - i used an herbs de provence blend 

chopped pecans, for rolling the cheese ball in

1. allow cream cheese to soften to room temperature
2. once softened, mix all cream cheese, garlic and seasonings of choice together and form into ball.
3. roll cheeseball in crushed pecans until fully covered. chill.
4. serve with crackers, pretzels, or chopped veggies.

i only have two days left here in knoxville for the semester... i am amazed at how fast this year has gone by. i feel like i have stepped out of my comfort zone a bit and am trying to do it more often. i have had to make grown-up decisions and do things that come with growing up. i have grown closer to and found my best friends both here at school and back at home, people i know i will be able to depend on for many. many years. seeing the seniors i have become better friends with graduate is bittersweet, as i know that will be me in just one short year. these last two days will consist of studying for my last two finals (hooray!), packing up the rest of my things, and making sure i see every last person one more time! i want to leave you with a quote that really stuck in my head after i read it. it is nothing special really, but it made me think of the things i have that i am glad i wake up for each morning, even if they do require work to maintain. 

"stay close to anything that makes you glad you woke up each morning"

have a wonderful first weekend of may and enjoy the spring weather! 

xoxo,

clp

may day recipe

happy may! april definitely flew by and it is hard to believe that may is here! with may comes summer, flowers, vegetables, fruits and many other things so i am welcoming it with open arms! i am one final down, with two more to go on monday! tonight will be a bit of a study break since i may be brain dead from taking my final earlier today! for supper tonight i decided to try out a new recipe that i had seen multiple versions of on pinterest! i always love any twist on mexican and this was a great, healthy and vegetarian take on tacos!

black bean, sweet potato and corn tacos

serves 4

2 sweet potatoes, diced 

1 can reduced sodium black-beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup corn kernels 

2-3 tsp lime juice

cumin

red pepper 

garlic powder 

small corn tortillas

lettuce, cheese, salsa for topping 

1. preheat oven to 400. spray pan with non-stick cooking spray and place diced sweet potato on pan. spray potatoes with cooking spray as well. top with lime juice, cumin, red pepper and garlic powder to taste. place in oven to bake until softened and toasted brown, about 30 minutes. 
2. meanwhile, spray a skillet with non-stick spray. add onions and corn and cook until onions are translucent. add beans, lime juice, cumin, red pepper and garlic powder (all spices to taste. cook until heated through.
3. when sweet potatoes are done, remove from oven and add to skillet with beans and corn mixture. stir together. 
4. heat corn tortillas in microwave for about 15 seconds. serve tacos topped with desired toppings and enjoy!

(slightly adapted from Joy The Baker)

try this recipe out on monday for cinco de mayo! i really liked it and am looking forward to making it for others! 

xoxo,

clp