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hey there! I'm monica 

I pride myself on making amazing style and design accessible for everyone, regardless of location, budget, or ability! My design philosophy is rooted in authenticity + attainability - If I can do it, you can too! My work has been featured in countless publications, but I take the most pride in homeowners that have been personally inspired by my DIY ideas and have tried something in their own homes!

learn more about ME + MY BIZ

Our lives have been so crazy lately. I’ve picked up a couple extra shifts at work in the evenings, my hubs has been playing 2-3 softball games per week, and we’re trying to cram in as many summer activities as we can into each day. That leaves very little time for planning and eating good meals. Remember one of my very first posts on this blog about being intentional with meal planning? Well, that idea has gone right out the window this summer. And that’s ok. We’ll get back on track when life settles down (hooray- softball ends this week!). All that to say, I miss good food.
 Anyway, every recipe that catches my eye on Pinterest makes my mouth water. Here are three recipes that I can’t wait to try, and I thought you might be interested in them too. We’ll start with an appetizer/snack, then a dinner item, and then, of course, dessert.

Fruity Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

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Ingredients(Makes 6-8 servings):
  • 1/2 cup fruit-flavored yogurt*
  • 1/2 cup natural runny peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar (or 1/4 cup honey)
  • Fruit/veggies for dipping
    *To customize the flavor, use 6 tablespoons of yogurt and 2 tablespoons of any fruit jam.

Directions: 

1. Mix together all of the ingredients completely making sure there aren’t any clumps. Move to a serving dish. Serve with chopped fruit and vegetables.
 Grilled Chicken Tzatziki Wrap
(Mmmm….makes me long for my days in Greece. Such delicious foods!)
Ingredients

  • Extra yogurt for garnish
For chicken marinade:
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice + 2 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
  • 1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
  • Pinch salt
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For cucumber relish:
  • 1 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 cup seeded, finely diced tomato
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
  • 6 tbsp coarsely chopped and pitted black olives
  • 4 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
Directions
1
To prepare chicken marinade, whisk all ingredients except chicken breasts together in a bowl. Combine marinade with chicken breasts in a large zip-lock bag, seal and gently shake to evenly distribute marinade over chicken. Place in refrigerator and chill for 2 to 4 hours.

2 Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber relish. Lay cucumber slices in a sieve placed over a bowl and sprinkle with pinch of salt. Leave for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until cucumbers soften and their liquid begins to drain into the bowl. Stir occasionally.

3 Combine the tomato, onion, olives, parsley, dill, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Stir in drained cucumbers, then cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.

4 Grease grill and preheat to medium-high. Remove chicken from zip-lock bag and discard marinade. Grill chicken breasts until cooked through, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove chicken from grill, let rest for a few minutes and slice thinly on the diagonal. Lay chicken slices on top of each pita round and divide relish evenly among them. Garnish with a little extra yogurt and serve.

Gooey S’Mores Dip
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Ingredients:

  • 1½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
  • ½ cup marshmallow creme
  • 1 box (13 oz) graham cracker honey sticks
Directions
1) In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and condensed milk on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chips are melted. Stir to mix well. Pour into 9-inch glass pie pan, spreading evenly.
2) Drop marshmallow creme by tablespoonfuls randomly over chocolate mixture. Microwave on High about 30 seconds or until marshmallow creme is softened. Immediately with knife, make several small swirls through marshmallow and chocolate, creating a marbled appearance.
3) Serve immediately with graham sticks for dipping.
And that’s what’s for dinner, folks….in a few more weeks. 😉  What’s on your menu for tonight?

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