What's For Dinner? 6.8.15

Because today is my husband's birthday, I've picked a week of recipes for his favorite meals. Is this the healthiest week of meals? Nope. But sometimes you gotta live a little. We love these recipes in our house, and I hope you will too.

Monday: Barbecue Chicken Pizza from The Kitchn

Saying Stefan and I love pizza is like saying the sun is warm. Any food based on bread and cheese is going to score high on our list. Stefan's favorite is a new school staple that's become old school: barbecue chicken pizza. I usually add thinly sliced red onion to ours, but I love how this version adds cilantro for extra freshness.

 

Tuesday: Caesar Salad from Bon Appetit

My idea of a great salad is one chock full of different greens, veggies, nuts, fruits, and whatever else I can find to add texture and variety. But like so many men, my husband loves a good Caesar. This classic version takes it to the next level with homemade dressing and croutons.

 

Wednesday: Dallas Burger from Bobby Flay
My husband has a man crush on Bobby Flay. Actually, Bobby's food to be more exact. Whenever we visit his family in Massachusetts, we have to make at least one or two stops at Bobby's Burger Palace for some seriously delicious burgers. The ingredient list for this burger is long, but it's worth it!

 

Thursday: Salsa Verde Enchiladas from Kevin & Amanda
We love enchiladas and this 4-ingredient version looks like a great way to incorporate a favorite meal into a busy week. Using pepperjack cheese for additional flavor is genius.

Friday: Crispy Chicken Fingers from Food52
What is it about men and buffalo wings? After years of me choking down chicken smothered in hot sauce (not my fav), we've come up with a compromise and make a few different dipping sauces whenever Stefan whips up this childhood favorite. I love this recipe for chicken tenders - they turn out crisp, never oily or soggy. Make sure to sprinkle a little salt on each tender right when you pull it out of the oil. Serve with hot sauce, barbecue sauce, honey mustard, and/or ranch.

And for dessert? My mom's blackberry pie! It wouldn't be a birthday in our family without it. Recipe coming later this week.

Green Smoothie #2

I'm a die-hard cereal girl, but after Kaitlin introduced me to green smoothies a while back even Honey Bunches of Oats can't compete with my new favorite breakfast. I've lately started making a version that's a little different. It combines spinach with banana, peanut butter, whey powder, almond milk, and cinnamon for a creamy, protein-packed drink that actually keeps me full and satisfied for more than an hour. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients
1 banana
2 cups spinach
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 scoop vanilla whey powder
1 cup almond milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
5-10 ice cubes

Directions
Blend all ingredients except ice until smooth, adding additional almond milk if needed. Add ice cubes and blend until you reach the consistency you like (start with just a few cubes and add more as needed...I like this smoothie thinner than usual).

5 Minute Makeup with Hanna

Meet our beautiful friend Hanna. She's a super-busy mom to three adorable boys (including twins!), makes everything she touches look effortless, and is a makeup genius. Seriously. The time she did mine is probably the most glam I've ever looked.

Lucky for us, today she's sharing how to apply five of her favorite products in under five minutes. The result is a gorgeous, natural look that even the most cosmetics-challenged among us (aka me) can pull off. Just watch to see how easy looking great can be--even on the most insane mornings.

Hanna's Fav Five:
Mornings are rough. At least for me they are, and having 3 young, active boys doesn't make it any easier. I always choose to sleep a tiiiiiny bit longer which turns into me frantically jumping out of bed to get ready on time. I always resort to the 5x5 method: five-minute face using just five products. It's fail-proof and seriously anyone can do it.

1. Foundation: Revlon PhotoReady
I have been loving this foundation. It isn't too heavy but gives you the option to build it up if you want more coverage. The key to this step is to pick a good quality (and quality does not always mean expensive) foundation that gives good coverage so you are not wasting time getting a flawless face.

Tip: Use a slightly damp beauty blender sponge to apply for a light dewy finish. Then apply a bit more to problem areas/dark circles. Easy peasy!

2. Neutral Eye Shadow Palette: Urban Decay Naked Palette
This bad boy is a staple in my makeup collection. It is amazing. You can create so many different looks using just this palette. That being said, there are also wonderful alternative palettes that could accomplish the same things. Just use whatever natural/neutral palette you have on hand or prefer.

Tip: Filling in my brows is a must for me. The color Buck in this palette is perfect for most brunette brows and the Naked color is great on lighter brows. So skip the extra product and fill away using one of those.

3. Blush: MAC Mineralize Blush
During the summer, I love a good shimmery rose gold blush. This is Gentle by Mac. On these get ready quick mornings, I usually always skip the bronzer and focus on a pinky cheek.

Tip: When applying blush, always remember to start at the apples of your cheek and sweep back and up towards your temples. No one likes the crazy clown look. Blend ladies, blend.

4. Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes
My trusty Voluminous Mascara. I have tried a lot of mascaras. I mean a lot. And I always go back to this one. It lifts and separates and just gives the perfect fluttery lashes. I'd say my next favorite is the "they're real" by benefit. Also a must-have.

Tip: DO NOT pump your mascara when you go to apply it. I dries it out much faster and can take weeks off the life of your mascara.

5. Lip Gloss: MAC Lustreglass
I find that people either love MAC lipgloss or hate it. They are a tad on the sticky side, but I just love the way they look and all the fun colors. This is Flashmode, which is a MAC Lusterglass so it's super shiny. I personally love it but use whatever gloss makes you wanna pucker those babies up!

And there you have it. Fast. Easy. Flawless.

Thanks Hanna!

Palomino's Spicy Rigatoni Bolognese

I'm a huge fan of pasta. That carb goodness mixed with rich Italian sauces is complete heaven to me. A yummy local restaurant serves a Spicy Rigatoni Bolognese that ranks pretty high on my list of favorites. And since we're not able to visit as often as I crave this yummy meal, I had to find a copycat recipe that was worthy of the name. Not only is this one delicious, it can be made in about 30 minutes! I'll even share it with you.

Ingredients:
1 lb Hot Italian Sausage (I go to a meat market for this to make sure the sausage is top quality)
1/4 tsp. Crushed Red Chili Pepper Flakes
1 can Crushed Tomatoes (I'm with Ashley and like to use San Marzano)
2 tbsp Minced Parsley
2 tbsp Minced Garlic
1 small jar roasted red peppers chopped (drained)
2 tbsp Dried Oregano
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 package Rigatoni noodles

Brown the sausage in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes in juice, garlic, chili pepper flakes, red peppers, parsley and oregano. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

Cook rigatoni in a separate pot of boiling water. Overcooked pasta is a huge no-no in my book. As a rule of thumb, I wait to pour in my pasta until the water is at a rolling boil. Pour in your pasta with a bit of salt and set your timer according to the lowest time suggested on the package. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking. Take out about a cup of the pasta water before draining.

Add heavy cream to sauce. Cook an additional 5 minutes while stirring to warm through. Add the rigatoni to your sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. In case your sauce is too thick (having to wait to serve, etc.) add a little of the pasta water, 2 tbsp at a time, to loosen it up. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Yummmmm. I know what I want for dinner...

What We're Wearing: Slightly Shady

Now that the sunshine seems to be out to stay, it's time to dig through our junk drawers in an attempt to find one of the approximately five thousand pairs of sunglasses I swear I own. And yet, every single pair seems to find its way into the Bermuda triangle each year. The upside? An excuse to grab a new pair (or two...ish) for the summer. So if you're like me, and need a new set of shades, here are a few that have caught my eye - pun intended.

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