I’m kicking off the 5th year of my annual reading list post! It’s my favorite way to keep track of everything I read each year, and a fun place to record quick little book reviews to share with you! See everything I read on 2018’s list, 2019’s list, 2020’s list and 2021’s list for more book inspiration and then scroll down for my 2022 reads, mini reviews and what’s up next in my reading queue!
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Last week we were hosted at Inn at Diamond Cove for a fun, family-friendly Maine summer getaway trip! The Inn at Diamond Cove is located on Great Diamond Island, one of the many small islands in Casco Bay about 30-minutes by boat from downtown Portland, Maine. We took the ferry over and had a few days of good old fashioned summer fun, from time in the pool to beautiful al fresco dining overlooking the bay.
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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BUBBA burger. All opinions are 100% mine.
I’m excited to be partnering with BUBBA burger on a tasty burger recipe series this summer (check out the other posts here!) and we’re continuing our collaboration today with a super easy, and exceptionally fast summer dinner idea: Grilled Cheeseburger Pizza!
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One of my all-time favorite summer treats is an ice cold creamsicle pop! My friends at Fancypants Baking Comake an Orange Burst cookie that has all those citrus-y orange and sweet vanilla notes of that classic, nostalgic summer treat. Recently after taking my first bite into the Orange Burst cookie, I got a spark of inspiration for combining the cookies and the creamsicles into an over-the-top sundae that tastes like warm sunny days of my childhood!
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I’m excited to share the launch of a new collaboration with my friends at Feather + Finn – a limited edition citronella candle collection designed for al fresco summer nights! The candles are handcrafted and poured by a local, woman-owned small business, and they’re made with nontoxic ingredients and eco-friendly 100% recycled glass vessels. They’re the kind of entertaining pieces that I use on my own summer tables, and am so excited for them to be on your patios and in your gardens this season too! We collaborated on a bright, fresh scent of orange blossom and lemongrass citronella, I love how the notes bring out the summery smells of my garden and subtly compliment the food I serve when I’m hosting friends and family. The scent was so delightful, that it inspired an Orange Blossom + Lemongrass Fizz cocktail that I created to match the candles. Shop the patio collection on the Feather + Finn website, and scroll down for the full cocktail recipe – cheers! 
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Last year we threw an end of school party for Jane and all her classmates to celebrate surviving what could only be described as a wild year – for the parents, the teachers, and the kids! As this school year winds down, we talked about making this a tradition, and inviting classmates over for another after school celebration with some simple, old-school summer fun. I visited my local Christmas Tree Shops to stock up on all my party supplies and wanted to share a few of the fun finds and ways we’re celebrating the kick off of summer.
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I’ve been making this fresh, easy whipped feta tzatziki dip on repeat recently for friends and family. All it takes is four ingredients: store bought tzatziki, feta cheese, a pinch of fresh parsley and drizzle of olive oil, combined in the food processor for a minute or two until the feta dip is well incorporated and smooth. It pairs so well with crisp fresh veggies for a crudite platter, fluffy pita spears or crunchy pita chips are also a winning combination for dipping, and I’ve even used it as a spread on a Greek-inspired sandwich wrap. The flavors are creamy and tangy and bright, a perfect entertaining dish for the season! Get the full recipe below:
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My #domestikatehappyhour series is feeling the summer vibes this week with the most refreshing and simple cocktail! This blueberry vodka lemonade is as easy as pouring an infused blueberry vodka over ice and topping it with fresh lemonade and some delightfully fragrant blueberries and mint leaves. I used Van Gogh blueberry vodka for the recipe – Triple Eight blueberry vodka is another favorite – and bought fresh squeezed lemonade from the grocery store. If you like your drink a little bit less sweet and tart, you can also top it halfway with lemonade and finish the rest of the glass off with unflavored soda water. The result is crisp and refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day! 
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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of BUBBA burger. All opinions are 100% mine.
I’m excited to be partnering with BUBBA burger on a tasty burger recipe series this summer (check out the other posts here!) and we’re continuing our collaboration with Turkey burger recipe that’s going to be on non-stop rotation at our house this summer: a grilled Greek turkey burger served on warm pitas with all the toppings. And the best part, it’s an easy summer dinner that will be on the table in 20 minutes!
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It’s been awhile since I’ve made a tasty shrub for cocktails, but I was inspired by the beautiful English thyme that’s popping up in my garden and had a moment of motivation to mix something up for a fresh, spring drink. Shrubs – let’s review – are a syrup made of a combination of fruits, aromatics, sugar, and vinegar. Compared to a basic simple syrup, this mixture has a bit of acidity and depth that makes it a really nice way to balance a drink recipe. I used this strawberry and thyme shrub to dress up a bottle of Prosecco, but it would also taste great with a gin and tonic, or in a non-alcholic drink with plain soda water. Scroll down for the full recipe! 
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