Quick Eats: Macaroni Salad

I have a handful of recipes I turn to when we've got a busy day ahead. The recipes that fall into this category are those that can be made ahead of time, and that I usually have all the ingredients ready in my pantry. So when I know we've got activities scheduled up until dinner time I whip up one of my Quick Eats early in the day. When we get home and we're starving and/or having meltdowns dinner is ready and waiting in the fridge.

Here's a little recipe for macaroni salad:

Granted, I used Farfalle and not macaroni, but that's all I had. That's the beauty of this recipe. Use what you have and keep it interesting. Cook the pasta, drain and rinse with cool water. While the pasta's cooking toss all the other ingredients in a large bowl. I don't measure...I just keep throwing stuff in. The more the merrier, right? Cut the pickles and cheese into bite-size chunks, and don't forget to drain the tuna and the olives. I know Miracle Whip vs. Mayo is a really scandalous issue, so use whichever you feel more comfortable with. Put it in a separate bowl, thin it down with some milk until it reaches a consistency you like, add some salt and pepper, then dump it in the bowl with everything else. Add the cooled pasta and stir it all up. Cover and refrigerate until dinnertime. Bonus points for using fancy serving bowls. ;)

P.S. Naturally my kids won't eat this meal. Waaaaay too many things touching each other here. I usually cook extra pasta and save some plain, bare naked noodles in a separate container before I let all the ingredients start touching one another. We can heat up a bowl of boring noodles for the kiddos when it's time to eat.

This is great as a meal by itself, or serve as a side dish...either way, it's quick easy and you don't have to think about another meal until tomorrow.

Style at Home's ABC's

Moving to a new home is like the grown-up version of a fresh notebook on the first day of school. So clean and perfect. So full of possibility and promise. That's exactly how I'm feeling about our new place. I love so many things about it, and I've got so many ideas and intentions. But sometimes I get a little overwhelmed by all the possibilities.

I've really enjoyed reading Style at Home's ABC's of Summer Decorating. It's just the back-to-basics reminder that I needed. Take a peek. You'll be glad you did.

She Wears it Well...

...and I LOVE it!

I've got some pretty awesome friends at Anastasia Beverly Hills. But they've really outdone themselves with the new She Wears it Well fall palette.

Every single shade in the collection is perfect. Each one is so easy to wear and blend; it's the most wearable, realistic palette I've ever encountered. My favorite part? Each shadow can be worn wet or dry. It's been years since I've worn a wet/dry shadow. I forgot how much fun it is to play with wet shadow. It kind of feels like you're water painting on your face. :)

I made several heroic attempts at getting photos of me wearing my favorite looks. Sadly, my puffy bloodshot eyes from back-to-back all-nighters with Baby Nolan aren't very photogenic. My eyes may be scary, but my makeup looks great. Promise. Instead, I'll entertain you with these great shots from the look book.

Each She Wears It Well palette includes:

• Deluxe mirrored compact with professional dual brush that features 9 shadows for day and evening looks
• Illumin8 formula featuring Youthful Synergy Complex® is clinically proven to illuminate, firm, and hydrate the skin
• Long-wearing Crease-Free Can be worn wet and dry

I'm gonna grab a backup so I won't cry when the first palette is gone.

P.S. I totally forgot to announce the winner of the Anastasia giveaway last month. I think I forgot to unpack my brain when the moving truck left. But Congratulations Keri! I'll email you shortly to get your address. :)

Giveaway: Sora Designs

I'm SO excited about this giveaway. My friend, Wen, is the beauty and the talent behind the wildly popular Etsy shop Sora Designs. I sincerely have never met anyone with a better sense of style or a more artistic eye. Wen has so generously offered to give one lucky reader her Simple Silver Circles necklace. This necklace is so perfect for everyday, for both casual looks and special occasions. It's beautiful on its own or it would be so much fun layered with other pieces.

So how do you win? Here are the different ways you can enter:

1. Visit Sora Designs. Leave a comment here telling me about your favorite piece in her shop.
2. Favorite Sora Designs on Etsy.
3. Like Sora Designs on Facebook.
4. Follow my blog
5. Like my page on Facebook.
6. Help me promote the giveaway: tweet about it, or share it on Facebook or google+.

You can earn one entry for everything listed above. Just make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry, and don't forget to make sure I have a way to contact you when you win!

The giveaway will end on Tuesday evening August 14th around 11pm PST.

The Want List: Tiny Flowers

I spent many summers and Saturdays of my teenage years working at my parents' store. We did a lot of special orders for customers, and we kept track of them in what's called the WANT book. When someone wants something, you write it down in the book. Pretty great system, if I do say so myself.

And that's the theory behind my new series--each month, I'll have a new WANT list filled with goodies often appearing in my daydreams. This month, it's sweet little flowers. I'm not usually a floral person, but I can't resist these diminutive little blooms.

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