Monday gets a bad wrap, but man, Tuesdays. That’s where the drag really is. A good brain-dump blog post always perks me up, so I’m sharing some new recipes, what’s on my reading list (including a few cookbooks I’m loving) and all the spring-things on my mind! Read on, friends:
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If there is one must-have on my menu for an Oscars viewing party (or really, just for sitting at home and watching the red carpet alone in my jammies) it’s a fabulous cocktail. I’m a fan of a batch cocktail like a punch so you can prep everything in a pitcher and bring it with your snacks to have in front of the tv — no running into the kitchen for refills during commercial breaks! This punch recipe was actually what I served at Jane’s birthday party and it was a hit with my friends. It’s since been rebranded from the Curious George-themed “georgie juice for moms” to an Oscars-appropriate: Ruby Red Carpet Champagne Punch. The flavors are the same though: tart grapefruit juice, orange notes from Aperol, and a splash of red from the grenadine. The whole thing is topped off with a bottle of champagne for that bubbly touch you need to watch the most star-studded night of television — get the recipe below to make your own batch! 
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Recently I made a big batch of roasted chickpeas using this peppery new seasoning I got for my birthday and served them on top of a chicken and rice dish. Since then I’ve been dreaming up ways to add them to other meals. My newfound love for these spicy little legumes inspired a pretty appetizer idea that is a perfect addition to my Oscars viewing party menu: Roasted Chickpea and Hummus Cups. 
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Puff pastry has to be my all-time favorite entertaining secret! I always keep some in the freezer and you can pull it out to make an endless combination of easy desserts, brunch treats, and appetizers. I was brainstorming some new appetizers to make for the Oscars next Sunday night, and I always love to include a puff pastry snack (because you know all of those skinny actresses LOVE buttery, flaky pastry dough — ha!). This puff pastry creation has just 5 ingredients: asparagus, prosciutto, black pepper, and an egg wash over that buttery, rich dough. Check your frozen puff pastry’s ingredients for real butter and you’ll know it’s the good stuff, it makes a huge difference when you bake these these savory little snacks off for your celebration. Get the full recipe below: 
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One of my favorite occasions of the year is coming up next weekend: The Oscars! It’s the best excuse to snuggle up on the couch, live-tweet my expert opinions about ball gowns and celebrity hairstyles while wearing a sweatshirt and yoga pants, and of course: eating special on-theme snacks! I had so much fun sharing my Valentine’s Day Grazing Board, that I thought I’d create another one full of movie-theater sweets and red carpet themed snacks. I’ll be accepting my Academy Award for Best Supporting Snack Tray any time now, don’t you think?
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Oh boy guys, I’ve had this week on my calendar for almost a year now! This week marked my TENTH anniversary of starting this little ‘ol blog. I’ve sat down to write about a dozen variations of blog posts to commemorate the occasion, but funny enough, I’ve been at a loss for words to explain it. Partly because it feels like any other week — after a decade of working on this site, it’s one of the most steady parts of my routine and life. And partly because it also feels SO monumental.
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We are just about a week away from Valentine’s Day and I have all of the sweet, heart-shaped, pink and red, love-dovey inspiration to share today! My husband and I don’t generally make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day. We usually exchange cards, and use it as an excuse to abandon healthy-eating for the night and replace our usual meal-plan with something a bit more delicious. The idea I wanted to share today definitely falls into the delicious category: a Valentine’s Day grazing board.
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My goal of sharing more Instant Pot recipes this year is going well (you can check out a few more in my Instant Pot recipe collection) and I have one more to add to the line-up: Green Chili Beef Tacos! Tacos are the most-requested dinner in our household, and even more so since we got a tortilla-maker kit for Christmas (they’re so delicious). I’m constantly brainstorming recipes that I can quickly throw in the Instant Pot and then walk away from until it’s time to put dinner on the table — these easy green chili tacos are one of those dishes.
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I feel like January has been a bit of a struggle for just about everyone I know. It can be hard to find your rhythm again after the holidays and the quiet days around the New Year. On top of that, I find that parenting toddlers during cold winter weather is about 100x harder than warmer months – we have been cooped up, and I’ve just about run out of play-doh. By the time bedtime rolls around I’m ready for a vacation. Tropical getaways aren’t in the cards for me this week, so my solution for resetting is a little bit of hygee and indulgence after she goes to bed. I’ve been curling up with a good book under a warm fluffy blanket and having a little sweet treat to take the edge off a crazy day. My friends at TruMoo just shared their new After Dark line with me and it’s been a perfect fix for my sweet-tooth while I flip through my latest chick-lit novel. 
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I have a nagging resolution that I have made for the past few years and never really did anything about: updating my make-up routine. I’m slightly embarrassed to say my make-up bag contents are nearly identical today (at 34 years old) to what I was using in college. Those products that I’ve probably been using for the better part of a decade are about as simple as they get, and I keep telling myself that I’m going give my routine a revamp to feel more age-appropriate. My friend Amanda is a talented make-up artist and esthetician, and she offered to give me a little make-up therapy session to finally tackle this resolution of finding a refreshed make-up routine. I learned SO much from our lesson that I had to share her wealth of tricks, tips and favorite products here – it was too good not to share!
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