Takeover Thursday : Eat Drink & Be Mary

We're switching  it up a bit this week  and moving the Take-Over to Thursday

so I can introduce the cooking, crafting, camera slingin' Mary.

Be sure to check out her blog and her Delicious Dish Tuesday Link-Up 

Name: Mary

Blog name: Eat Drink & Be Mary

Where are you from? I'm from Cali, just like Brittany, but I now live in the good ole Tar Heel State (aka: North Carolina).  And no I'm not a tar heel fan, I could care less about Carolina basketball.

Favorite Quote: I don't have a favorite, but I'm currently loving these...

How'd You Pick Your Blog Title? "Eat Drink & Be Mary" actually wasn't the first name of my blog.  I disliked the first name I came up with, but was just excited to start blogging.  Now that I've changed it I LOVE IT!  I feel like it captures what I post about on my blog, eating, drinking & being me.

Why Did You Start a Blog? I love taking pictures and baking, and this here blog gave me a place to document it all.  I read blogs for a while before starting one, and just loved the community they seemed to be apart of.

Gorilla Bread Recipe

Favorite Part of Blogging: Having all my thoughts, recipes, and adventures documented.  Plus the connections I have made with other bloggers is amazing and was unexpected.  I absolutely love the friendships I have made through blogging.

Where Do You Find Inspiration for Blogging: I look for inspiration everywhere.  Pinterest, mainly.  Man I love that thing.

Do You Have Any Special Weekly Posts: I tend to keep a general "schedule" for my blog {recipes, fashion, five on friday}.  But as far as special goes, I post recipes on Tuesdays, and just began co-hosting Delicious Dish Tuesdays {a recipe link up}.  Join us next Tuesday :)

What is Your Favorite Post: Currently my favorite post is The Look.

Why Do You Read Fabulously Faint:  Brittany posts the most delicious looking recipes weekly that always have me excited to try them in my own kitchen.  The post where she shared her recipe for Turkey Meatballs & Churro Cupcakes was a double whammy, and my personal favorite so far.  I can't wait to try both of these recipes!

3 Blogs You Love to Read:
 + The Grits Blog -- Ashley is a down to earth girl that has a great sense of style, amazing hair & I love reading her posts about her wedding.  I can be found reading her blog daily.  #noshame

+ Little Baby Garvin -- Jessica has a tell it like it is attitude that is absolutely captivating and has a great sense of humor.  That combined with her beyond adorable toddler & bumpdates have me hooked.

+ Hope in a Blog -- Hope is girl who truly loves life, and you can tell after reading just one post.  I absolutely love reading her blog, and find myself going back daily to read more.  Her personality and charisma is contagious, and she is a true girly girl.

5 Random Facts About You:
one | not a fan of chocolate, but I bake with it all the time.
two | in a long distance relationship with my college sweetheart.
three | a clogger.
four | could live off of bagels & cream cheese.
five | currently obsessed with all things gold.

Mary Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest

Oscars Fashion: Better Late than Never

Yesterday was spent being poked and prodded like some experimental lab rat so I did not have a chance to share my infinite Oscars wisdom with you. So here it is:

BEST DRESSED : Charlize Theron in Dior

The neckline, the mermaid silhouette, her bangin' body, and that surprise sheer portion of the dress made it my absolute favorite of the night. Not to mention her styling is always right on the money.Minimal jewelry , yet an enormous diamond necklace and her perfect pixie hair pair perfectly with the dress.

RUNNER UP: Kate Hudson in Atelier Versace

Joan Rivers should seriously put out a PSA about wearing capes. If you want to be on the best dressed list this year ROCK A CAPE. Lupita did it at the Golden Globes and Kate Hudson did it Sunday night at the Oscars. I mean, she always looks stunning but her Atelier Versace Gown was beyond perfect! Look at the draped cape ahhhh!

BEST RED CARPET SEASON: Lupita Nyong'o 

FACT: Lupita Nyong'o is one fierce lady! She is killin' it on the red carpet this season. I have been wanting to see 12 Years a Slave for a while now but lets face it her red carpet choices are what have made her ridiculously appealing this season and her Oscars look was no exception. Although her Ralph Lauren Cape Gown is my all-time favorite the icy blue Oscars gown by Prada is a close second. Besides, her brother jumped in on this star studded selfie and I love how non nonchalant he was about it I am totally qualified to be in this shot full of Hollywood's finest. Clearly he has a shit ton of confidence and I love that! 

NOT SO MUCH:Anne Hathaway

I'm just not feeling the whole armor thing

Obviously the ladies take the cake when it comes to red carpet looks but lets not forget about the men here are a few of my favorites and my not so favorite

BEST DRESSED : Matthew McConaughey

 Dolce and Gabbana does a body right! Love the black and cream contrast.

RUNNER UP : Chris Hemsworth

I have always been a fan of colored jackets and suits for men.

 I love the burgundy! I'm obviously impressed by the bow tie look this season.

NOT SO MUCH : Pharrell Williams

As if that hideous hat he's been wearing in every performance was not enough

 he decided to rock shorts on the red carpet. I'm cool with the decision to do an understated

 look but I can't handle his little chicken legs

What do you think, do ya agree with my picks?

?Who did you love? Who could you have lived without? 

Foodie Friday: Sausage Stir Fry

This meal is one of my families favorites and a favorite of mine to make because it's so quick and easy. It is literally a 20 minute meal from prep to table . The measurements are all guestimates because I just kinda throw it all together. We have two hungry guys in our house so I use two sausages to make the meat to veggie portion equal but you could always use just one if you wanna make it more veggie rich .

Ingredients :

2 beef smoked sausages

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 bag frozen stir fry veggies 

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 1/2 tablespoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

1/3 cup soy & teriyaki combined 

Instructions :

1. Slice sausages into rounds and heat olive oil in a skillet. Cook sausage in olive oil for about 5 minutes on each side until browned 

2. Add in stir fry veggies and spices and cook for another 5 minutes

3. Pour in soy and teriyaki sauce mix and cover . Cook for an additional 5 -10 minutes until your veggies are tender

Serve over rice and your all ready to go

Join in on the Fun and Back That Azz Up with me and my loves Danity Kane! To celebrate their new single here is a little Flash Back Friday of me n Aubs in my dance days excuse the tired eyes and tore up hair haha this was obviously after a show 

If Ya Don't Know ..Now Ya Know

Admit it, your night just got a little bit better thanks to the title of this post

You know you've got Biggie stuck in your head now & if

you don't I'm truly saddened for you ;)

What makes us ladies love Cosmo? Is it the gossip ,the tell-alls, or the quizzes?

I venture to say most of us read for the quizzes and fun extras that can only be found in Cosmo.

Erin @ Two Thirds Hazel came up with the brilliant idea to bring 

these beloved quizzes to the blogosphere

 for all of us to share . So Naturally, I jumped on board!

The Weekend Review : Himalayan Salt Lamp

                

This gorgeous Natural Himalayan Salt Lamp is made of a large piece of Pink Himalayan Sea Salt. Himalayan Salt is found deep within the Himalayan Mountains and hand chipped and then used to hand craft various types of Himalayan salt products such as Salt Lamps, edible salts, bath salts and candle holders.One of the major inconveniences of having POTS is that I have to consume 2000 mg of sodium a day which is actually a lot harder than it seems. I can't wait to try the edible Himalayan Salts since it is full of healthy minerals as opposed to regular table salt.  Could you imagine the candle holders producing this beautiful orange light while you take a nice relaxing bath....yes please!

Besides providing a beautiful tranquil light that serves as the perfect nightlight and subtle light to wake up to , this salt lamp has health benefits as well. Himalayan Salt contains 84 minerals and trace elements.  The salt lamp is a natural air purifier and the negative ions in the salt cleanse the air by removing, dust,pollen, and bacteria which can help relieve allergy and asthma symptoms . I put my Mini Himalayan Salt Lamp on my nightstand next to my bed because I spend a lot of time in my room during IV infusions and my medical treatments but this lamp would be perfect in an office or any room that needs a little more of a relaxing and zen feel. 

Every Salt lamp is a unique color and shape since they are hand chipped from the Himalayan Mountains. The color varies from light pink to a deeper red.The Natural Himalayan Salt Lamps come in a variety of sizes to fit any sized room. You may also purchase hand carved lamps and products in different shapes that will add to your rooms design aesthetic.  This would make the perfect gift for a health conscious friend, yoga enthusiast,or science and geography loving co-worker.

Disclosure: I received the Mini Himalayan Salt Lamp from YourSaltLamps.com for free, but was not compensated monetarily . All opinions in this post are my own.

Foodie Friday : Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Pork , Creamy Coleslaw

I didn't bake at all this week, unbelievable I know! So this weeks Foodie Friday will feature two savory dishes that go hand and hand together BBQ pulled pork and creamy coleslaw.

Slow Cooker Barbeque Pulled Pork

Ingredients:

3 pound pork butt or shoulder 

1 large onion sliced

1/3 cup your favorite barbecue seasoning

1 - 1 1/2 bottles of your favorite barbecue sauce depending on how saucy you like your pork

1 can Dr. Pepper 

Instructions:

1.Rub all sides of your pork with barbecue seasoning ( I use a Tennessee style dry rub )

2. Put half of your sliced onion in the bottom of your slow cooker, set meat on top, cover with remaining onion 

3. Pour half of your sauce ( I used a whole bottle) and your can of Dr. Pepper in the crock-pot. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours

4. After you have cooked the pork take two forks and shred it. Add the remainder of your BBQ sauce

 ( I add in 1/2 a bottle at this point) and cook for 30 minutes

Creamy Coleslaw

Ingredients:

1 bag cabbage mix ( if you want to be fancy about 3 cups of shredded cabbage and 1 cup of carrots will equally out to the same thing as the bagged cabbage)

1/2 cup mayo 

1/4 cup buttermilk ( Grandma's Trick: 1/4 cup regular milk + 1 tsp vinegar=buttermilk )

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together except your cabbage mix

2. Pour over your cabbage/carrots and refrigerate for at least 1 hour

Serve it up any way you'd like . I choose extra saucey pork with coleslaw on the bun :)

Now on to the important things in life , Time to Back That Azz Up

Day 20 | A story without words

Day 20 | A story without words :Today's story 

Take-Over Tuesday: Jasmine Maria

Welcome back to Take-Over Tuesday! This week is all about the lovely Jasmine Maria.
 A blog full of all things girly : fashion, beauty, girls night, and mama life.

What’s your name? Jasmine Maria

Where are you from? I was born in New York but moved to Wisconsin when I was 12. 

What’s your favorite quote? I have a lot of favorite quotes but there is one that I plan to get tattooed on my back, “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have”. 

What is your blog name? “The Jasmine Maria” .

How’d you pick your blog name? I wanted something that would show that this is my blog. So why not name your blog after yourself. 

Why did you start blogging? I started to blog because I was bored one day and I was like this looks like fun, I wanted to share things with others and just reading peoples blogs inspired me to do one. 

What’s your favorite part of blogging? I want to say is being able to connect with other bloggers. Making new friends even though you’re so far away there’s that connection you have with them.

Where do you find inspiration for your blog posts? Reading other blogs or just jotting down ideas. My boys sometimes inspire me to write.

Do you have any special weekly posts? I don’t host any link ups on my blog. But I always link up on Fridays for High Five. 

What is currently your favorite post? Building Confidence It’s probably one of my open and honest posts I’ve shared on my blog. 

Three Favorite blogs to read and why? 

The Fitness Blondie - I love that she posts her workout routines and nutrition. I always need the help as far as what to eat and do at the gym. I’m trying to get fit again. 

Imperfectly Perfect - single mom, divorced (in the process) I can definitely relate to her. I’m a single mom and divorced too.

Kailyn Marie - love her blog posts. 

5 random facts about me? 

1. I have a phobia against ketchup. Its weird I know.

2. I love tattoos. I plan to have a full sleeve eventually.

3. Baking is my passion. I have an easy shop called Poppin Treats

4. I will be attending my first concert on March 9th. Miley Cyrus.

5. I’m scared of heights. 

Thank you Brittany for having me!

You can find me here: Blog | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Thank you Jasmine for participating in this week's Takeover Tuesday! If you would like to meet the other Take Over Tuesday girls, learn more about Take Over Tuesday, or participate in a Takeover Tuesday CLICK HERE. To read my answers visit Jasmines post  

Foodie Friday: Turkey Meatballs, Churro Cupcakes

I'm not the biggest fan of ground turkey because I find it to be dry and bland. Forgive my fat lovin' self but I would much rather have a juicy hamburger full of all the unhealthy stuff . But since we had some ground turkey in the freezer I thought I would make do with what we had and throw together some turkey meatballs. These actually turned out really good and juicy because of the broth that they are cooked in. These are a tasty , healthy alternative to traditional ground beef meat balls.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground turkey
3/4 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg (whisked)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1 clove garlic(minced)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 small onion chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl whisk egg and add in all remaining ingredients
2. Make sure all ingredients are well incorporated and form a large ball with the meat mixture. Form small meatballs 
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet on med-hi heat and add meatballs to skillet
5.Cook meatballs until browned on all sides ( total about 8-10 minutes)
6.Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth. cover and turn heat to low. cook until liquid is almost completely absorbed about 7-10 minutes. add remaining 1/2 cup of broth and turn heat up to medium high . cook uncovered until liquid is almost all absorbed 

Churro Cupcakes

Last week when I shared the recipe for the Reeses cupcakes that I made for my brothers birthday I got I few requests for the Churro cupcakes that I also made for last weeks festivities. So , as promised, here it is :)

Ingredients 

Cupcakes

2 egg yolks + 1 egg at room temp

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter (softened)

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Frosting

5 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup salted butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

• Cupcakes
• 1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2.Whisk the eggs in a large bowl and mix in butter , vanilla, and sour cream
• 3.In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir ingredients
• 4. slowly add in dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix for about 1-2 minutes or until filly mixed
• 5.Pour batter into cupcake liners and bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes clean. Do not over bake! Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting
• 
  
• Frosting 
• 1.Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth 
• 2. Slowly add in powdered sugar and continue to mix.
• 3. Add in vanilla and cinnamon and continue to mix until smooth and creamy.
• 4.Frost cupcakes and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. If you don't have premixed cinnamon sugar you can combine one tsp of cinnamon and one teaspoon of sugar together and sprinkle on top.

I hope you get a chance to try these recipes out and when you do let me know what you think !

Now it's time to break it down with Whit on this lovely Back That Azz Up Friday ! This weeks song Katy Perry Dark Horse. I start envisioning choreography every single time I hear the first beat drop. The breakdown is so perfect for a large group dance . Excuse my hip-hop obsessions once a dancer always a dancer.

   

Quote City

     Day 13 of #BlogeverydayinFeb is a good one folks! Favorite Quote.I love quotes inspirational ones, funny ones, biblical ones, life lessons ect. I am the type that remembers useless information such as movie lines and song lyrics and like to spew them out when I feel its appropriate...usually noone has any idea what the hell I'm talking about but occasionally I find someone that s on the same page as me and can fire back the next line of the movie or the song....it totally makes my day ...nerd alert! When I'm having a shitty day I like to look at quotes that will tell me to suck it up and move on in some way whether it be sweet and inspiring or sarcastic and blunt ( kinda depends on just how shitty I'm feeling) Seeing that I'm a quote-a-holic I figured I'd share a few of my favorite more appropriate ones.     

This is the quote that is at the bottom of my family crest. I love all that the quote stands for and I think its pretty cool that it can be found underneath my last name on our Irish Crest. So cool, in fact, that I have this quote tattooed on my left shoulder. After all it wouldn't be right if I didn't embrace my  roots... any excuse for a new tattoo right? :)

   

 It's easy to say " don't be judgmental" but the truth of the matter is we are all guilty of judging people. The way they act, the way they look, we judge what they say ...we all do it. Every once in a while we need to remind ourselves that we aren't the only ones  "going through it" . That's all there is to it.Take a step back and remember to just be kind . Period . The end. 

This is one of my favorite quotes and truly captures the reason why I went into nursing. People always ask me why I decided to be an Oncology nurse. Isn't it sad seeing people dying all day? Why would you ever want to do that? Are you crazy? Well yes, we all know I'm crazy but not for this reason. Here's why  I chose Oncology: I am not going to be able to help make every single patient get better but I can help make them feel better. Like my favorite guy who had stage 4 cancer , who's loving  and scared, and protective wife refused to let him have any sugar because it wasn't healthy. He loved Orange Fanta I mean the kind of love that makes you down a 16 oz soda in the matter of minutes. His rule breaker of a nurse (guess who) would sneak him Orange Fantas every few days , why because he wanted it and it made him feel better. When he was discharged his wife wrote me a letter thanking me for his care and in the letter she stated . "No Name insisted that I let you know that you should be the next Fanta Girl. I told him that would be weird to write but he insisted so here I am sharing this bit of information with you" . Even though his wife had no clue what he was trying to tell me , No Name and I both knew what that meant !Yep ,that's why! 

What's your favorite quote? Why do you like it so much?