A Delicious Bite of the Big Apple

I am so very excited that this weekend is upon us! A few years ago my husband sent me to NYC for culinary classes and I had an absolute blast and learned so much. He surprised me with a class again this year and I am finally going up today! I will be spending the weekend with a good friend of mine and it is funny how things come full circle as I took her to NYC and played tour guide for her first ever trip to the city, a little over 4 years ago. Now I am anticipating seeing the city through her eyes now. I am also so pumped to see my friend Megan who blogs at Fashionista Momma, I haven't seen her since last year at Blog U!


I am going to eat and eat and probably eat some more. We are having Beechers Macaroni for lunch and basically, that's all I really care about at this point. We're gonna have some rooftop libations and then tonight we are headed to a comedy show.

Tomorrow is my class and I am excited to learn but also a little bit intimidated and nervous! Wish me luck that I do well and mainly have fun. I am very confident and self assured in a kitchen, but this is a little different.  After I am done, we are heading for drinks at The Bowery Hotel before heading off to a birthday party for one of her friends. Who happens to be the first person we met up with when we visited last time.


Sunday we are headed to Brooklyn to take in the food haven that is known as Smorgasbord. I die. I am already so hungry that I may die of anticipation before it gets here. I have followed them on instagram for a while and I plan to do some damage!

The rest of the weekend will be planned my favorite way while in NYC, by ear. I just love stumbling into places and gaining new experiences while there.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!



Peanut Butter Gelato, Brownie & Oreo Pie

I have made quite a few peanut butter and oreo pies. This was my first using gelato and a brownie base over the graham cracker crust. Oh my word is it rich. And delicious. Oh, and did I mention rich? The best thing about this peanut butter gelato, oreo and brownie pie (other than the taste. because, hello!) is how simple it is to put together! It took about 5 minutes of prep and ten minutes to make. 

You could also switch up the oreos to match any flavor of gelato and ice cream. The possibilities are really endless. I am looking forward to making a peppermint version towards the holidays. You can use homemade graham cracker crust and brownies or use pre made version of both


Ingredients

graham cracker crust

1 cup chopped brownies

1 cup chopped pb oreos

1/4 cup caramel sauce

1 pint pb gelato/ice cream

oreos/reese's for topping


Place chopped brownies and oreos in graham cracker crust. Melt the caramel and pour over the oreo brownie mixture. Set the gelato out and let soften for about 15 minutes. Scoop onto the brownie/oreo  mixture and spread out evenly over the crust. Top with oreos and reese's cup. Caramel sauce is optional. Freeze for at least 2 hours. 

Enjoy!


Weekending is Fun

and exhausting! As I mentioned in Friday's post, the mister was out of town. My mom came down and after a quick meetup with my former neighbor, my mom and I had dinner and then headed over to my usual Friday spot in the summer, the NCMA for their outdoor summer movie series. To Kill A Mockingbird was this week's movie and it was packed! They made an announcement that it was one of the largest crowds in their history and it showed!

I also got to chat with my girl Meghan for a few minutes! I also think that half of my facebook was there too!





Saturday I hit up the new Ross that opened up down the street and man, dangerous! My mom headed out and I got busy making goodies for a birthday party. I made a few sangrias, a beer cheese macaroni with a pretzel crust and a peanut butter gelato, brownie and oreo pie. It was all really good!



Yesterday I headed to Durham to get some shopping in and celebrated National Ice Cream day in grand fashion with a creme brulee milkshake that had a little bourbon added in for good measure. I also may have paid a little visit to Sephora and Nordstrom. Gift cards for the win!




Then last night I finished cleaning and caught up on Sense8. I am addicted to this show, so freaking good!

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun?

linking up with Meghan and Ashley

I'm Not Jealous Or Anything

Or maybe I am the exact definition? My mister is in San Diego right now for one of his best friend's bachelor party and I am trying to not be bitter. I mean, I am glad he's having fun, but...I am countering this by having my mom down here and we are having a good ole time. 

While he is away I am concentrating on a few of my favorite things of the week to make me quite happy! 

One of my biggest squeals of the week is when I found these Toms on sale for 30% off at Nordstrom and they arrived in a jiffy and oh. my. gosh. They are so comfortable, even more so than regular Toms!! I think my little piggies just prefer a little height!

Tonight is another outdoor movie at the Carolina Art Museum and it is To Kill a Mockingbird. I am so freaking pumped. Especially since my book club is reading her new book, Go Set A Watchman this next month. There are a lot of opinions about this book and what she wanted or didn't want. I am just really intrigued and my thought process is if you don't want to read it, then don't!

I am counting down to a week from today when I am back in NYC for my culinary classes that Wiki got me for Christmas. It's been almost a year since I have been to the city and that is the longest drought I have had in probably ten years. I usually make it at least once and usually twice a year. I am getting to hang out with one of my close friends who moved to the city. Four years ago I played tour guide for her as she had never been before, it will be so fun to now see it from her "local" eyes. 

Bras, yes, that's right...my over the shoulder boulder holders have been on crazy sale at Dillards and I have bought 11. And I spent less than a hundred bucks on them total. All over 80% off. I still cry with each purchase bc my boobs have reached an all time hugeness and let's just say I am longing for the days when I thought a size G was too big. I have cruised way past there and want that size back, but hey, at least these beasts have plenty of new bras to keep them in check. 

Our weather has been perfect lately! Upper 80's/lower 90's and blue skies for days. This is my favorite part of summer. The mornings of walking outside and just breathe easy because it is so lovely outside. I snapped this picture on my way to work the other day and it just makes me realize how much I love my commute to the country each morning. 



What has been your favorites of the week, anything you are looking forward to?

Linking up with Amanda

Caramel Russian

One of my favorite drinks is a mudslide and I have tried to like White Russians, but..they're not my favorite. Enter the Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Milk drink (I mean, is it a milk, is it a cream, is it a beverage. or all of the above. what do I know?)  The caramel twist of the popular drink has now become my go to. I have made it a couple of different versions already and decided this is my top pick. 

For now at least;)


I chose to make ice cubes from the caramel macchiato so to lessen the taste of it being watered down. It is really tasty and I think it only enhances the flavor. 

4 oz SCM milk
1 1/2 oz Kahlua
1/2 oz whipped vodka
crushed oreos (optional)


Dip the rim of the glass in some milk and then rim it in the crushed oreos. Fill with coffee cubes. Pour in the Kahlua and vodka first and then pouring in the SCM milk. I prefer to stir it and sometimes I even add a little cream, this is only bc I prefer a creamier taste. And I'll be honest...I usually double this recipe, but you know, for work nights and all, we'll leave it like it is. 

I will also note this is a very sweet drink and so you may want to use regular vodka to cut down on the sweetness a tad. 

I will also note that this freezes quite well if you only use 1 oz total of the Kahlua. 

Very delicious. I promise!

A Little Wayward

I have been so very busy the past few weeks that I am lacking in doing separate posts on all of my activities, but am working on the wine weekend and my beach trip. I can hardly believe that it is July, how is this even possible? It was January and I blinked and it was July!

These are a few trips/shows/items that I have been loving on lately.

Wayward Pines. I am strangely addicted to this show and I am waiting on books from the library, it kind of blows when you get stuck waiting on a book and the person is a slow reader. Hurry up, people. I am impatient! has anyone other than Stephanie read them? I know she is a big fan!



We went to Pawley's Island for the 4th and then spent one night with my family at a campground. I miss them so much already. It was a great time to hang out with my girls. Not to mention we had perfect weather minus the one moment that lightning struck about ten feet away from us. I really wanted to cry but my friend's daughters cried first and well, being an adult sucks. I will cry if I want to. (only I really won't) And then after we left...my brother caught a mini shark. It was so cute, but I mean, where baby shark is, mama shark is.

I forgot how much I really love my spicy bacon and popcorn recipe. I made a few batches for our trip last weekend and oh. my. gosh. It was so very delicious and I ate way too much of it. Stop me, please.



This song is not relatable to my life at all, but I am addicted. It is so very catchy and I listen to it over and over and over. I keep dancing to it and getting caught at lights and look over and people are laughing at me. It's quite alright, too fun to stop.

Wine weekend. I am definitely planning a whole post on my trip with my best friend, but I cannot say enough how great of a time we had. Tony and I have gone to the area various times but Joja and I hit up wineries I hadn't been to before and I am so glad we did. If you live within a few hours of North Carolina, I cannot impress upon you enough how much you need to get your bum to the Yadkin Valley for a wine trip!



linking up with meet @ the barre

Nordstom Sale Is Calling Your Name


Until July 15, I'm teaming up with some of my favorite blogger girls to give away $250 to Nordstrom to celebrate Champagne & Suburbs' 2nd Blogiversary. Enter using the Rafflecopter below and be sure to show my girls some love by following their links.  Each link gets you one step closer to winning and buying everything on your wish list from the sale!  The giveaway will run from today until 6:00AM on July 15.  Good luck, y'all!  

Winner will be announced by July 18 and will have 24 hours to claim prize.  If prize not claimed within 24 hours, another winner will be randomly selected.


Hosted by Meghan from Champagne and Suburbs 

Co-Hosted by: 

Mia from Make Me Up Mia // Angela from Head to Toe Chic // Biana from B Loved Boston 

B & M from The Sequin Notebook // Maddie from The Whimsy One 

Kate from Sara Kate Styling // Kristina from Medicine & Manicures // Owen from The Davis Duo  
Shelby from Recent Somethings // Natalie from HashtagFABLife


Butterscotch Sugar Cookie Bars

I need to find a better name for these rather than "hey, specific ingredient bars" but for now, that's where we're at as Butterscotch Sugar Cookie Bars fill the role. These bars are really easy, they're really good and you can either make these from scratch or box it. I've done both and they were quite tasty both ways.  I have played around and used chocolate chips and peanut butter frosting, there's no really wrong way to do make these.

They're perfect for a party or just because, which is, quite frankly, the only real reason you need to make these! 

Ingredients

1 roll sugar cookie dough (or make your own)

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 can cream cheese frosting ( or homemade frosting)

1 jar butterscotch/or caramel sauce

1 cup pretzels, crushed

Directions

In a well greased baking dish (I used 8 x 13), flatten out the dough til it reaches the edges, add your butterscotch chips on top, use your hands to press into dough.  Bake at 350' for about 12-14  minutes or until edges begin to brown. Set aside to cool. 

 Scoop frosting into a bowl and add in about 1/3 a cup of butterscotch sauce. I microwave mine for about ten seconds just to make it easier to stir and combine. Once the frosting is the butterscotch flavor you desire, spread the frosting over the bars. 

Crush up the pretzels, not too small and spread over the top of the frosting. 

You can enjoy these right away but I honestly think they taste much better after a night in the fridge! Everything melds together and the bars have a nice crunch on the outside and are really chewy on the inside!

Keep in mind that these are really. really sweet with a little salty kick. You can always use a chocolate/butterscotch mix to cut down on the sweetness. 

Enjoy!


linking up with Kate and Emily!

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