Author Archives: saramackay23

Apr30

Spiral Hair Pins

Posted on April 30, 2013 by saramackay23

Have you guys seen these fun new spiral shaped bobby pins?? They are perfect for throwing your hair up into a seamless bun and it’s so easy to do! They twist right into your hair, hold firmly in place, and you can’t even see them in there! Your up-do will stay all day because they lock in very tightly (but painlessly!). How great is that? Instead of 20 bobby pins, you just need 2 or 3 or these!

You can find spin pins anywhere they sell hair accessories or online at amazon. You can buy either gold or brown for light or dark hair and either 3 mini or 2 regular sized pins depending on the length and thickness of your hair. For my hair, I find the 3 minis are best, otherwise sometimes the long pin sticks out the other side of my bun.

Gather your hair at the back of your head, but no need to use a pony tail holder. Before wrapping the hair into the bun, I find it easier to twist the “pony tail” like this:

Then, start to wrap your hair into a tight bun. Tuck any loose ends into the bun.

Take the first pin and twist it clockwise into the top of the bun. Take the second pin (and maybe a third) and twist it in from the base of the bun. Spin the pin all the way in until you can’t see it anymore.

I love using them on days when I let my hair dry overnight and need a solution for the kinks…or when I want my hair up, but looking a little fancier than just a pony tail.

That’s it! It will last all day or night!

p.s. Thanks Ashley, for taking all of these pictures for me!

Apr21

Fresh Margaritas

Posted on April 21, 2013 by saramackay23

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With Cinco de Mayo quickly approaching, I want to share with you my favorite home-made cocktail – the margarita! I did not even know I liked margaritas, until I had a home-made version with fresh lime juice and good tequila. Now, I love them! There is not a more refreshing cocktail when you make it this way. Even if you don’t think you are a fan, you should give this a try! We’ve had 80 degrees weather in Manhattan Beach the last few days, so we’ve been making them all weekend…

I think the secret is using fresh, juicy limes and good quality tequila. I like using the 1800 tequila pictured below. Both of these make a big difference, since they are 2 of the main ingredients!

Do you have a lime/lemon juicer? I use mine all the time, not just for cocktails, but for cooking too. It makes juicing so much quicker and I think you can get a lot more juice out of the lime.

If you like a salted rim, here is how to do it. Run one of the cut limes around the lip of the glass. Fill a bowl with Kosher salt. Dip the rim of the glass in the salt until the edges are covered.

How delicious does this look?? You don’t even have to wait until Cinco de Mayo if you don’t want to…

Fresh Margaritas

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 1/2 shots tequila (or 2 shots if you like a strong drink!!)
1 shot lime juice (about 1 lime)
1 shot Triple Sec
crushed ice (it’s best to buy a bag from the store)
Kosher salt for rim of glass

Directions:

Salt the rim of your glass using the pictured instructions above.

In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 and a half shots of tequila, 1 shot of lime juice, and 1 shot of Triple Sec. Add one glass full of ice. (You will want to use a different glass without a salted rim to measure the ice. If you try to salt the rim after filling it with ice, the salt with get wet and clump.) Shake it like a Polaroid picture!

Pour into the glass, garnish with a thin slice of lime if you prefer, sip and say “ahhhh”.

Apr9

Oreo Cookie Filling

Posted on April 9, 2013 by saramackay23

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It’s my roommate’s birthday today! Happy Birthday Ashley! Since our birthday’s are so close together, we have been doing a lot of celebrating around here. We threw a barnyard birthday bash last weekend and Ashley was “best in show” for her immaculate sheep costume. She made it herself!!

Ashley could argue with you very passionately that double-stuffed Oreos are the only way to go and a single-stuffed Oreo isn’t even worth eating. So, for her birthday, I made a bowl of Oreo filling to stuff a cookie with as much as she can fit between cookies! When it’s your birthday, you should have as much “stuffing” as you want!

I bought tubs of cookies from Trader Joe’s so she can make her own cookies all day long at work. She and her coworkers have gotten creative with double-decker quadruple-stuffed combinations!

Oreo Cookie Filling

Source: Cookies & Cups

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons hot water

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, beat all ingredients together for a couple of minutes until creamy. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Serve with anything you can think of putting Oreo cookie on!

Apr7

Tuna and Hummus Sandwiches

Posted on April 7, 2013 by saramackay23

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After spending a week on the beach in Cancun (with endless guacamole and frozen margaritas)…

…it’s time for some lighter meals! This is one of my favorite lunches/dinners to make when I have guests in town because I can make the tuna salad ahead of time and then quickly assemble the sandwiches when it’s time to eat. I also love that this recipe only has 2 tablespoons of mayo in it. Instead of a bunch of mayo, this recipe has lemon juice, olive oil, and hummus.

You can make the tuna salad ahead of time and even slice the radishes. Then, when it’s time to eat, toast the bread, spread some hummus, layer with tuna salad, and top with sliced radishes. It’s so refreshing and delicious!!

Source: Ina Garten’s book “How Easy Is That?”

Tuna and Hummus Sandwiches

Ingredients:

14 ounces jarred or canned Italian tuna in olive oil (I just used normal canned tuna)
1/4 cup minced celery
2 tablespoons minced yellow onion
2 tablespoons minced cornichons (little pickles, I buy at Trader Joe’s)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons good mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sourdough bread, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick
Hummus
Fresh radishes, sliced

Directions:

Drain the oil from the tuna, reserving the oil. Place the tuna in a mixing bowl and flake it with a fork. Add the celery, onion, cornichons, lemon juice, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil*, the mustard, salt, and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop.

Toast the bread and spread each slice with a layer of hummus. Spread the tuna salad on each piece of bread, garnish with slices of radish, and serve immediately.

*I used olive oil instead because I used canned tuna in water.

Mar23

ITA Matrix – Booking Airfare

Posted on March 23, 2013 by saramackay23

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Today is my birthday!!! I’m now officially 26 as of 6:27am this morning. If I was at home today, I would most certainly be making and eating my absolute favorite Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake. However, I am going to have to trade that in for a margarita because I’m currently on my way to Cancun!! Not such a bad way to spend my birthday, right?!

Speaking of traveling, have you heard of using the ITA Matrix to book your flights? If not, this will seriously change the way you search for airfare. ITA Matrix is a great website to be able to visually see all of the flights available to you based on timing, not just price.

First you fill out the airport or cities that you are traveling between. I used it this week to search for a flight to Atlanta for my friend’s wedding. I wanted to fly LAX to ATL, leaving on Friday (but could select “or day before” to include red-eyes), and my preferred times for the return flight:

In the upper right hand corner, you can select “Time bars” and the results will appear like this:

How great is that?? You can visually see what time you leave, how long the layover is, and when you arrive. For my return flight, I could use this visual to pick a flight late enough in the day to leave time for post-wedding recovery, without too long of a layover, and one that doesn’t get back to LA too late:

You can’t actually book the flight with ITA Matrix. Once you pick your flights, then you can go to the airline’s website to book. But, I think you’ll totally find it’s worth to pick out the flights here first!

Mar17

Spicy Turkey Chili

Posted on March 17, 2013 by saramackay23

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Here is one of my favorite recipes to make once and eat healthy dinners for a week! This chili has great spices and bold flavor, but stays lean by using ground turkey instead of ground beef. The best part is that it all comes together in under an hour, including simmering time!

To add a little healthy crunch to the chili, I added some thinly sliced radishes. Not quite as good as topping a bowl with shredded cheese, sour cream and crackers, but it keeps the meal light.

Spicy Turkey Chili

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground turkey*
1 onion, chopped
4 minced garlic cloves
2 cans (28oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained (you could use diced tomatoes for the second can if you like tomato chunks in your chili)
2 cans (15.5oz) kidney beans, drained (you could use a different bean for the second can, such as black beans)
1-2 zucchinis, diced (optional)
2-3 Tablespoons chili powder
1-2 Tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, crackers, radishes

Directions:

Before you begin, I suggested opening all of the cans, draining the beans, and getting the spices out because the preparation goes very quickly once you start. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Then, add the ground turkey, onion and garlic and stir frequently to break up the ground turkey. After cooking for 5 minutes, add all the remaining ingredients. Simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.

*You could double the ground turkey if you like a meaty chili – when I do this, I also increase the spices to keep the flavor up.

These Ziploc containers are my favorite for storing individual servings in the refrigerator or freezer. I will keep a few in the refrigerator to eat for the upcoming week and then I will freeze a few for some time in the future when I need a quick meal. You could also use these for bringing lunch to work.

Mar10

Spinach, Basil and Avocado Dip

Posted on March 10, 2013 by saramackay23

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The flavors are so bright and refreshing in this dip, you’ll wonder why you’ve never had avocado, basil, and lemon together until now! The combination is like a fresh bite of spring! I know that sounds silly, but one taste of this and you will forget it’s still winter.

As long as you have a food processor, it’s extremely quick to whip up. Put some spinach, basil, avocado, beans, garlic and lemon in the bowl:

Pulse a few times until you get a creamy consistency:

After you’ve had a few bites with a spoon, then you can figure out what to do with the rest :) I’ve found it tastes good any time of day.

Breakfast – I love putting it on top of my eggs in the morning:

Lunch – spread some dip on your sandwich or try these lettuce roll-ups that I’ve been making lately:

Snack or Appetizer – use as a dip for carrots and cucumbers or spread on crostini (thinly slice some crusty bread, brush both sides with olive oil, toast in a 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes):

Dinner – mix a few spoonfuls of dip into a bowl of quinoa, then you can add extra cannelini beans, chopped basil, crumbled walnuts, or a drizzle of olive oil:

You will run out of the dip before you run out of ideas to put it on!

Spinach, Basil and Avocado Dip

Source: Hummusapien

Ingredients:

1 avocado
½ cup cannellini beans (the rest can be used in the quinoa bowl)
2 large handfuls spinach
15 fresh basil leaves
1 large garlic clove
Juice from half a lemon
½ teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Directions:

Pulse all of the ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is well blended and creamy.

Mar3

Bruschetta and Lentil Dip

Posted on March 3, 2013 by saramackay23

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This is one of those refreshing and delicious recipes that seems too easy to be true. Not only that, but it’s also extremely healthy – full of protein and fiber! Are you skeptical of lentils? This is a great recipe to change your mind! I promise you won’t be able to avoid going back for a second dip, or fourth.

You mix together a few things from Trader Joe’s and you have an appetizer that will seriously wow the party! It’s also a perfect afternoon snack or light dinner.

Look at all those fresh ingredients! Don’t you want a bite?

To make this a super healthy afternoon snack, you can use cucumber slices instead of crackers for dipping.

Bruschetta and Lentil Dip

Ingredients:

1 package steamed lentils (refrigerated section of Trader Joe’s)
1 container bruschetta sauce (refrigerated section of Trader Joe’s)
1 handful chopped basil leaves
1 container crumbled feta cheese (optional)
Crackers or pita chips (or cucumber slices)

Directions:

Mix the lentils, bruschetta, basil, and feta in a bowl until combined. Let the flavors marinate in the fridge for half an hour if you have time. Serve with pita chips or crackers.

*To really step up the health factor, you can eliminate the cheese and substitute the crackers with cucumber slices.

Feb18

Honey Cashew Chicken

Posted on February 18, 2013 by saramackay23

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This is hands down, my favorite stir fry to make! Prior to discovering this Honey Cashew Chicken recipe, I used to just haphazardly throw stir fry ingredients into the skillet. Now, this is my go-to dish. I made it for my family over the holidays and they loved it!

One of the secrets I learned from this recipe is to coat the chicken in cornstarch before cooking. You will not believe how juicy it keeps the pieces of chicken and also helps bind more of the flavorful sauce to the meat.

Don’t be intimated by the list of sauces in the ingredients because you can find almost all of them at Trader Joe’s for relatively cheap prices!

Once you have the vegetables chopped and the sauce whisked together, the whole meal comes together very quickly in the skillet.

This stir fry reheats very well for either dinners the next few nights or packed lunches. I always love making things that last for several meals!

Honey Cashew Chicken

Source: Cooking Light

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 Tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup frozen edamame
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
½ cup dry-roasted cashews
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
3 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
Rice

Directions:

I think it’s best to prep everything first because the stir fry will cook very quickly once you start adding ingredients to the skillet. Combine the cubed chicken in a bowl with the cornstarch, salt, and pepper until the chicken is fully coated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and Sriracha. Chop up all of the vegetables so they are ready to go. Start boiling the rice depending on how long it takes to cook.

Add canola and sesame oils to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. You will want to make sure to stir the chicken so that all sides get cooked.

Increase to high heat and add broccoli, edamame, garlic, onion, and red bell pepper. Cook and continue to stir frequently until the vegetables are crisp and the chicken is done, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the cashews, pour the vinegar mixture over everything and stir again. Serve over rice.

Feb13

Popcorn Valentines

Posted on February 13, 2013 by saramackay23

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I found these popcorn Valentines on Our Best Bites and think they are so cute!! They say “Just POPPING through with a VALENTINE for YOU!” I made them for my Valentine exchange with my girlfriends, but I also think it’s the perfect Valentine for co-workers or classmates because who wouldn’t love to snack on some popcorn amidst all the chocolate on Valentine’s Day ?? They were so quick to put together, so you still have time tonight!

The best part might just be what I filled the bags with: Kettle Corn from Trader Joe’s. Have you tried Trader Joe’s Kettle Corn before? If you are nodding your head, you might also be saying “Yes, and I ate the whole bag in one sitting…” It is THAT good. It’s the perfect combo of sweet and salty, but still very light and airy so you don’t feel weighed down from eating it. Even if you don’t make these valentine’s, at least try this popcorn!

Along with the popcorn, I bought cellophane treat bags and ribbon and printed off the popcorn labels here. (If you are short on time/supplies, you could always just use Ziplock sandwich bags!)

Cut out the popcorn labels and fill in the “to” and “from”. Fill the bag with popcorn, fold over the top of the bag, and then place a creased label on top. Hold them together to punch two holes. Place one end of the ribbon through each hole on the front. Then, pull the ribbons through the backside in the opposite holes. I used thin ribbon, so added some curls with a scissors. On the Best Bites website, they used thicker ribbon, which looks pretty too.