Spicy Sausage Soup

Happy Hump Day readers!

Can you believe it!? I'm posting TWICE in the same week! I may also try and link up for the Friday Five in a couple of days...hoping to be back to my old blogging self!

Today I am excited to be sharing a super yummy fall and winter recipe with you.

Bryce and I are making a conscious effort to make more soups of late. They freeze so well, that we can always get at least 2 meals out of a batch, which is a win in my book as it saves time and money!

I've been going to Pinterest, as usual, and actually went ahead and organized all my soup recipes onto one board, you can check that out here.

This past weekend, I chose this recipe from Damn Delicious and it was so tasty that I am re-posting for you here, today. As always, my notes are italicized.

Ingredients
1 tbs olive oil
1 lb spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/2 tsp each, dried oregano & basil (as usual, I just used my farmer's market herb seasoning)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I never measure out spices, rather just load up!)
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
5 c chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 lb red potatoes, diced
3 c baby spinach
1/4 c heavy cream

Directions
Heal olive oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage, cooking about 3-5 minutes until browned. Make sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks (I used a potato masher for this step).

Stir in garlic, onion, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in spinach until it begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately with a warm crusty bread!

As mentioned, this recipe was so flavorful! It was also very easy and fast; one I will definitely be adding to the arsenal!

Any favorite soup recipes I should try?

What are your go-tos for quick, but delicious dinners?

Have a great day!

Update: I LOVE My New Job!

Happy Monday friends!

I hope you have been doing well. I can't believe that we're already nearing the end of October. This is my favorite month and time of year.

I have really wanted to post at least once a week, but it just hasn't happened. I make no promises for the next few months, BUT, have high hopes of getting back on track in 2016.

I have been meaning for so long to do a big update post on my job.

First and foremost, I must share that I am absolutely loving it. While I felt very excited this summer when I made the leap to resign from teaching, I was also very scared about what the next months would bring. I wasn't sure how long it would take to get hired...or to find the right career fit. I fully expected that this first job would likely be a stepping stone job and a way to gain some experience while searching for my exact niche. I was very lucky, however, to find a job not only quickly, but to find my niche quickly too. I can honestly say that the position I am in is such a perfect fit, and is no stepping stone, but the real deal!

I am working in development for the local chapter of a national charity organization.  We raise funds to better our local community in the areas of education, income, and health. All of the funds we raise get funneled into local organizations through a strategic and intense grant process. Every day as I learn more about the programs we fund and the agencies we partner with, I feel more and more inspired. I come home so excited to tell Bryce about the work we do and feel so proud to get to be part of such an impactful organization. As you can imagine, the work we do in education is most near and dear to my heart, and believe it or not, I feel like I am doing more now to positively impact education than I was when I was in the classroom. While teaching I saw the problems in the public education system day in and day out, and now I am seeing solutions every day. It is a great change in perspective.

My job can be best compared to a sales job. I have a growing portfolio of accounts that I work with to run workplace campaigns in which companies ask their employees to give. A lot of the job entails public speaking to groups of employees about the work we do, but it also involves coordinating volunteer opportunities for their employees, managing distribution of marketing materials, helping to facilitate and attending events the companies put on as a part of their campaigns, linking employees to resources in the community that can be helpful to them, and much, much more. Every day looks a little different and I love that. I am also really enjoying the flexibility. Teaching was so regimented and every day followed a strict schedule. Now my hours vary some day to day according to the meetings and events that are going on. I'm in and out of the office frequently and enjoy how quickly that makes the days go by.

And last, but certainly not least, my coworkers are amazing. We are a tight-knit team and my transition onto the team has felt very seamless. Everyone in the office has been so welcoming and always willing to help or answer questions as I learn about this new field. We have so much fun at work every day and I find myself constantly smiling and laughing. My boss (as well as  her boss) makes sure to always acknowledge the work we are doing and until now, I didn't realize just how under-appreciated teachers are. Being in an environment where you are praised and appreciated really makes a huge difference.

I've received a lot of emails since taking my leap of faith and all I can say (especially to those of you who are struggling in the teaching world), is that it's not worth it to be in a job that doesn't please and fulfill you. I knew I was unhappy, but now being in a career that makes me happy, I realize just how miserable I actually was. All aspects of my life are better now, and it is so nice not dreading work every night or on Sundays. I also come home and have energy. Teaching was so draining that oftentimes, I felt I couldn't even piece together a coherent sentence, and now, I come home energized for whatever the night may hold.

I am so excited to see where this adventure takes me next.

Thanks for all your words of support, as well as those of you that reached out to specifically help me with my search. I most certainly would not have had the courage to take the step I did, were it not for the support from my loved ones and friends.

Have you ever gone through a similar period in your life?

Have a great day!

House Tour: Bedroom

Happy Tuesday readers!

It feels good to be back into even the teensiest bit of blogging consistency.

I haven't done a House Tour post in nearly a year and a half, so it is definitely time. Our house is always evolving, so it is tough to feel like spaces are "finished" enough to post. You can take a peek at glimpses from around the entire house on my House Tour page, here.

Today I am excited to give you a closer look at our bedroom, though. While there are a few things I would change if I could, overall this room is as finished as it probably will ever be, and it just might be my favorite room in our house.

So, without further adieu, come on in...

This is my absolute favorite view of our bedroom. It so perfectly captures who I am, and my design style. Those that have followed along for a while, know that I am a big fan of mixing: Mixing patterns, old and new, traditional and modern, neutral and bold...

I've always been a fan of white bedding and think it provides the perfect blank canvas to incorporate individuality. It is so fun to add pops of color and funk to an all white bed with pillows and this pillow combination definitely fits the bill. The Catstudio Virginia pillow is very special to me as it was on my wish list for several years before my parents gave it to me as part of my UVA graduation gift.

Also, if you haven't noticed the trend: I really like green trellis. The swoon-worthy fabric used to make my shams and bedskirt is Kravet Xu Garden Veridian. The ikat pillows were an Etsy find, bought here, and the bedding is old Garnet Hill, but a similar style can be found here.

Another very special part of our bedroom (perhaps even the most special) is this bench. My grandmother petit-pointed it as a teenager in the 1950s. It was in her home while I was growing up and I was honored when she passed it down to me when she downsized a few years ago.

I also love my nigh stand area, which is guaranteed to always have a book resting on top. It also usually is cluttered with jewelry!

Believe it or not, the tablecloth is actually a shower curtain I found at HomeGoods a few years ago. It was meant to be a temporary fix, but feels so right in the space that I've never been tempted to change it.

I also love this view from the bed. The photo of Bryce on a pheasant hunt on this nightstand is one of my favorites.

My one criticism of our bedroom, is that sometimes I feel like it has a bit of an identity crisis. What I've shown you so far feels very cohesive, but the rest of the space isn't so much. Alas, though, this is our first home, and I must accept that not everything is going to be perfect, or exactly the way I want it to be.

This antique desk belonged to Bryce's grandfather and I think will be perfect in his "gentleman's study" someday, as will the black leather chair and plaid ottoman. 

Below you'll see the part of the room that could use some work. In a perfect world, I would update the rug in this room and make this a couple's seating area by framing the window seat with a matching pair of comfy club chairs. I would put this blue & white garden stool in the middle and maybe even add two Moroccan poufs for lounging. BUT, for now, in this imperfect world, I'm okay with accepting the room as is. 

Thoughts?

Do you ever feel like your home is finished?

How would you characterize your bedroom style?

Have a great day!

Bonjour, Y'all! - Lemon Squares

Happy Friday readers!

I hope you have had a good...errr...month?!?

I can't believe it has been an entire month since I have posted.

I guess that's what happens when you quit your job and start a new one all within a little over a month's time. Things have been crazy, but SO good! I am love, love, loving this new adventure. More details coming soon...

Today I am excited to be sharing a recipe from a cookbook I received for review earlier this summer.

When I first heard the name of said cookbook (Bonjour, Y'all!), I immediately knew it was likely to have lots of recipes that would appeal to me. And boy was I right! The cover alone has me salivating!

When I first received the book, I enjoyed flipping through each and every page. There is a photo to accompany every recipe, which is huge for me when looking through cookbooks. The book contains 8 sections: Libations, Breads, Starters, The Main, Brunch, Cookies, Encore, and Pantry with recipes that are sure to strike your fancy.  Many recipes stood out and I had a hard time deciding which one to try first for the blog.  My "To Try" list currently contains the following recipes: South Carolina Peach & Blueberry Sangria, Gruyere Puffs, Peach Pork Tenderloin, Bacon & Tomato Jam, and Triple Chocolate Mousse.

I ultimately decided to try the Lemon Squares before the others, though. I thought they would make the perfect treat to finish out summer before the first official start of fall next week. The recipe was also very straightforward and comprised of ingredients we typically have on hand.

Aren't they elegant?

The recipe did indeed turn out to be an easy one. The hardest part for me was taking the time to juice 8 lemons. The recipe did not call for this, however, I hadn't baked all summer and was in the mood to go the extra mile. In the future, I will probably just buy a bottle of lemon juice. The end result of the hard work, turned out to be delicious, though. The squares are ooey gooey perfection and really pack a punch you can't get from a boxed mix. 

*Makes 24 squares

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 lb unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c powdered sugar
• 4 c all-purpose flour

For the filling:

• 6 tbs all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 and 1/3 c sugar
• 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 and 1/2 c lemon juice (if you're foolish enough to use fresh squeezed lemons, this is the juice of about 8 large lemons)
• 8 eggs
• zest of 1 lemon
• powdered sugar

Directions

For the crust:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Prepare a 13x18 inch baking pan by buttering the bottom.
3. Mix butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream until combined. Add flour and mix until combined.
4. Pat mixture into the bottom of prepared pan evenly.
5. Bake about 15 minutes, until golden brown.

For the filling:

1. Reduce oven temperature to 300F.
2. Sift flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder together in a bowl.
3. Gradually add lemon juice. Add eggs, one at a time, until combined (I found it easier to crack all the eggs into one large measuring cup, whisk them, and then pour into the mixture little by little). Add lemon zest.
4. Pour mixture over cooled crust. Bake for 25 minutes, until set. (It actually took about 40 min of baking time for me. The edges were slightly golden and the filling only jiggled slightly in the center.)
5. Let cool, cut into squares, and dust with powdered sugar.
6. Enjoy!

I couldn't resist eating a square for breakfast this morning, and am taking most of them with me to work today. My favorite way to serve lemon squares, if you are not individually plating, is by putting them in cupcake liners, as you can see in this post. It makes it easy for someone to grab and go without getting sticky hands.

What are your favorite go-to summer desserts?

Are you a fan of lemon?

Have a great weekend!

Lilly After Party Sale

Happy Monday readers!

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to y'all that the Lilly After Party Sale is enough to drag me out of the blogging cave I've been hiding in lately. I just couldn't resist sharing the amazingness that is this sale with you.

As you know, I've quit my job and don't have a new one lined up yet, SO, I have been pinching every penny lately. That being said, I just couldn't resist a little Lilly at great prices! My sale purchase will be the last fun purchase I make until I am employed!

Lilly changed up the process a little bit this year, to help avoid their typical site crash, and all in all, I'd say I'm happy with the process. They're only allowing a certain number of users to access the site at a time, so when you head over you are put in a virtual line. When I first checked in this morning around 8:00 am, when the sale started, I was behind some 68,000 people and it was saying wait time was more than an hour. I decided to log off, and just now tried again around 11:30. I got onto the site in less than a minute, and while a few things I had my eye on are gone, I was happy with the selection.

I ended up getting a bikini and pair of shorts, both of which I had wanted earlier in the season. I also, had tried both on earlier in the season, which was crucial as all sale items are FINAL SALE, so that made the purchases a win-win in my book!

I got this bikini top, with these bottoms.

I ordered a medium in both, and typically wear an XS/S and 4/6 in Lilly for your reference.

I also got these shorts which I have been dreaming of all summer long!

In these I wear a size 4, which is my usual Lilly size for shorts and skirts.

My order, with tax, totalled around $100, which you can't beat, especially considering the bikini alone would have set me back $136 at full price!

This Elsa sat in my cart for a while, but with a price point still at $99, 

I couldn't justify it given my current employment status.

In Elsas, I can wear an XS or S, and even have one M that I love and is a bit more flowy!

To shop other pieces I had my eye on, scroll through below!

Are you a Lilly lover like me?

Have you shopped the After Party sale?

Are you a fan of the changes they made this year?

Have a great day!