Taste for Tuesday: Pepper Chicken

What's cooking? Pepper Chicken! This super easy meal can be prepared in about 35 minutes tops! Well, after preparing the meat and veggies. Originally, I was inspired by Campbell's Pepper Steak recipe on the back of the beef gravy can, but I did a little modifying! Give this quick and healthy recipe a try:

Saturday Swipe: Express Purchases

My credit card has been taking some hard swipes in-stores AND online lately. To justify, I've been coming across some AWESOME deals that can't be passed up! Today's deals? EXPRESS! This weekend only, get $50 off your $100 purchase OR $75 off your $175 purchase! You heard that right, it's basically getting HALF OFF your purchase. Of course, I had to get something. And on top of this promotion, the items I purchased were 40% off. Can't get better than that, can you? In 5-7 business days, these three items will be officially added to my wardrobe:

Friday Favorites: bareMinerals

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. This week, let's switch it up to Friday Favorites! I bring to you bareMinerals. I purchased the bareMinerals "Try. Believe. Love." kit from Ulta a few weeks ago during the Beauty Steals for $10 instead of $20. This was perfect because I've always wanted to give these products a try but strayed away because I wasn't sure if I'd get the bang for my buck. So I found this trial kit to be the perfect way to test it out. So this is what I got...

Thought for Thursday: The Way I See It

In honor of Throwback Thursday and the first day of Starbucks' Frappuccino Happy Hour, I'm bringing back a favorite quote that I once found on my very own cup...

Years and years ago, I purchased a Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks. Not only did I enjoy the delectable warm content inside of the cup, I indulged in the wise words on the outside of the cup. Believe it or not, it actually helped me through the times of doubt. And to this day, I still have that exact cup sitting on a shelf in my room! It reminds me that even when people do not invest their time into you, it doesn't mean you shouldn't invest your time into yourself. Because in the end, you are worth it.

The Way I See It #17 - Keith Olbermann

Wear it Wednesday: Two-Piece Flats

Please welcome the newest addition to my wardrobe: Apt. 9 Cutout Two-Piece Flats in Bone! Let me tell you, I have been looking EVERYWHERE for the perfect pair of pointed-toe two-piece flats. I found one online at Target that I really liked but, of course, they weren't available online or in stores. Moving on... I checked Nordstrom, Steve Madden, DSW, etc. and still couldn't find a pair to my liking. Thankfully, my friend Erin suggested that I check out Kohl's, and I am glad that I did! I was debating between the pair by Apt. 9 and Vera by Vera Wang. 

Taste for Tuesday: Turkey Enchiladas

Who's in the mood for tacos this Tuesday? Well these Turkey Enchiladas are pretty darn close! I promise you, these will become a favorite in no time. There are two key ingredients that will make these enchiladas stand out from the others, and they are: hard se and cream cheese. Okay, now let's get to it!

My baking dish was too small, causing the individual enchiladas to want to all become one. Haha. Plus, I loaded those bad boys up really good!

Make it Monday: T-shirt to Tank

Off the top of your head, can you tell me how many T-shirts are in your possession? Whether they've accumulated from high school, college, or random events you've participated in, I think it's safe to say that we all have quite the collection! Now, if you were to look in my closet, you would find a hefty stash of T-shirts from all sorts of occasions. And if you were to ask me how many of them I actually wear, I would probably say about 5!

Today's DIY features the “too big for you” T-shirt. If you have any T-shirts that you are swimming in and not putting to any use but collecting dust in the back of your closet, this post can help you out! I originally found this idea on Buzzfeed, so I decided it was about time that I gave it a try! So, I pulled out this old MSU T-shirt that was, of course, WAY too big on me! And in about 5 minutes, it transformed from a T-shirt into a tank!

Thought for Thursday: Fight Your Way Through

Whether you're just graduating, starting a new career, or pursuing a dream -- please keep these insightful words from Ira Glass in mind. And if you're having a bad day, dissatisfied with your work, or looking for a reason to quit... DON'T. Simply reread these words and use them as absolute encouragement to FIGHT your way through.

Taste for Tuesday: Jambalaya

What's on the menu tonight? JAMBALAYA! In the past, I have used boxed Jambalaya only because it was a lot more convenient and less time-consuming. But after making it myself, I must say I have given Zatarain's a run for their money! And I will NEVER resort to the boxed stuff again! This recipe is pretty easy, the only reason it is a LITLE bit time-consuming is because of preparation. Okay, and rice in general takes a bit to cook. Let me tell you, this is worth it and was a total crowd pleaser!

Thought for Thursday: It's Never Too Late To ________.

We all make mistakes. It's pretty much inevitable seeing that we are all human. But what we all must do is learn from those mistakes, those choices - we need to realize that it's never too late to fix a mistake, to say I'm sorry, to make that phone call or even to change what we want to do. Know that life doesn't stop for us. We aren't obligated to follow one strict path. Why? Because life is a tricky little thing! Without us even realizing, a new obstacle, challenge, opportunity or deviation might be thrown in our paths. So in the end, always remember that simply: It's never too late.

It's Never Too Late To...

Wear it Wednesday: What's in My Shopping Cart?

It's been a while since I last made a purchase on something other than food, gas or random necessities from Target. Not that I haven't wanted to shop for some trendy new pieces for my wardrobe, I've been having the hardest time actually finding something that I liked! The solution was to find a new source to purchase clothing from. Again, thank you Pinterest for helping me come across LookBook Store. Free shipping worldwide, no tax and I got 5% off my purchase! So the question is: What's in my shopping cart?

Taste for Tuesday: Spicy Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups

Let me start by saying that I had every intention of blogging yesterday! However, due to an unexpected hail storm last Saturday, it left me without power until late last night. Tragic, I know. No really, it was terrible! On a brighter note (pun intended), today I bring to you a delicious recipe for Spicy Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups! These are super easy to make and even easier to gobble right up.

Fitness Friday: Nike+ Training Club

Bikini season is right around the corner...

Thought for Thursday: What Do You Crave?

A craving is a hard thing to resist. Whether it's the company of someone we love, happiness, freedom or peace of mind - it comes to us naturally. We can try to fight the feeling all we want but it won't call it quits that easily. So like I've been saying, INDULGE. However, when it comes to the craving of emotions, feelings and the need to belong to someone, the only way to get it is to give it. It isn't a one way street, it's a two way street that will leave both parties smiling and delighted in the end.

If you want to find love, give love.

If you want to be happy, make someone happy.

If you want to experience freedom, let others break free.

If you want to find peace of mind, help others relieve their stress.

And if you want to satisfy a craving, indulge -- as long as it brings you no harm.

Wear it Wednesday: 4 Looks to Copy This Season

Dear Fashionistas, my ultimate closet exists on Pinterest.

If you've built your dream closet on Pinterest, raise your hand! With spring kicking in full gear, I've come to the conclusion that I need to revamp my wardrobe but I can't seem to find what I want. Luckily, Pinterest is here to help! If only these pins would take me directly to the site to purchase. At least I'm getting some ideas of what I am looking for, right? Below are four looks to copy this season and why:

(*NOTE: All of these photos were found on Pinterest and led me down a rabbit hole. Unfortunately, I do not know where the original source of these photos came from or where these items can be purchased. Sorry!)

Taste for Tuesday: Shrimp Cakes

Where are my Foodies at?

Are you tired of the same ole, same ole for dinner every night? One day, it hit me and I was like, "I want crab cakes tonight!" A few weeks ago, I had crab cakes from a nearby eatery and was not a happy customer. I like my cakes crispy on the outside and tender on the inside WITHOUT an oily residue on my plate. So I decided to search for a healthier option. I'm sure all of you (well, most of you) are probably avid Pinterest users like I am and use it as an online database for recipes.

I chose to make shrimp cakes instead of crab cakes for two reasons: the thought of the canned crab I found at the grocery store gave me an uneasy feeling & crab itself is so dang pricey! So shrimp seemed to be a more viable option. I went through dozens of different recipes and compiled ideas from all of them to create the perfect recipe! I made this for my boyfriend and his parents and it was a BIG hit. With the cakes, I made a simple spicy mayo sauce and served it with steamed broccoli and a simple cilantro lime veggie rice.

And let me tell you, it tastes as good as it looks! Now it's your turn to give it a try :)

Make it Monday: Sharpie Mug

Happy Monday, Crafters!

Here's a question for you: how many DIYs and crafty projects do you have pinned on your Pinterest board that you haven't tried yet? Don't worry, I can relate! For some time now, I've been coming across the infamous “Sharpie Mug” and think "These are so cute. I want one. It looks SO easy!" Finally, I couldn't put it off for any longer and decided to give it a try. 

Welcome to Daily Craves!

To the Foodies, Crafters, Fashionistas, Wonderers, & Fitness Pals:

I'm overjoyed to be sharing my greatest passions with you! Not one day goes by that a great recipe, fun craft, stylish trend, good thought, or motivation to get fit doesn't cross my mind. So I bring to you Daily Craves, where all of these topics have a place to call home.

As the days go by, you'll begin to notice a trend with my topics. Here is a sneak peek of what to expect:

❀ Make it Monday
❀ Taste for Tuesday
❀ Wear it Wednesday
❀ Thought for Thursday
❀ Fitness Friday

Don't worry, you can expect some fun surprises too! Daily Craves is the guilty pleasure you MUST indulge in... and you won't even have to feel guilty about doing it, hehe. Stay tuned for this week's posts because I am more than excited to get this going!

XO