Mint – 2 Sprigs, 4 if you’re a mint fiend like me.
1/2 Watermelon (medium sized)
Bubbly Strawberry Flavored Water.
Vodka – 1 to 2 Oz per glass.
Substitutions
Sometimes you don’t quite have all of the ingredients for a recipe or drink mix. Luckily, you can make quite a few adjustments for this drink.
Mint- If you don’t have a mint plant, you should reconsider that. They’re hardy and easy to keep. If you don’t, you can swap out basil for a more upscale-city flavor.
Watermelon- The refreshing crisp flavor of this drink changes if you swap out the fruit, but you can try strawberries & cucumber together, or honeydew and extra soda. The watermelon is heavy in water content so make sure to adjust the soda or add additional water-heavy fruit if you make the swap.
Bubbly Strawberry Flavored Water- Honestly you can swap out any flavor. If you have ginger beer, make yourself a watermelon Moscow Mule. If you have sprite, add a bit of water to tone down the sweetness.
Vodka- It’s alcohol. Easy… pick your flavor. Rum, gin, white wine, tequila.Does it really matter?
Step 1
Scoop out and blend your watermelon. I used my Ninja, use whatever blender or food processor you have. Add 3/4 of your mint and blend in too. Save the remaining mint for garnishes.
Step 2
This is a per- glass drink mix. Keep your blended watermelon stored in the refrigerator, covered, until you need it. Add 1-2 Oz of vodka per glass, over ice. Top vodka with approx. 1/4 cup watermelon mix. (We have huge glasses so just use your noggin and change it around if your cups are smaller)
Step 3
Top with flavored water. This is a very light, refreshing drink.
Not too sweet, but just a touch of bite from the watermelon. I mixed in
strawberry flavored water for a twist with the mint.
Oh yeah. Garnish.
Throw on a cube or two of watermelon and mint. Make it pretty.
Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am
I love this drink. It’s mindlessly easy and a great way to impress when you have guests over.
After all- that’s the whole point. Easy things that make us look really cool but it was just.. easy. Ha. Oh, and it tastes
I am beyond excited to introduce you to this season’s summer box by Decocrated. If you want the whole scoop of what’s inside, every detail. check out the video below. Basically, I came across this subscription box last fall and fell in love.
What’s Decocrated?
Basically-
They send you a box every season, full of one of a kind and timeless decor items.
They take the guess work out of what goes together, crate them up, and send them to your door. You can’t get these pieces in store.
This box is all about summer dinner parties, entertaining, enjoying the sun, and so much more. However, it’s quite diverse. So far I’ve had the items in my living room for remotes, a catch all for come home with keys and what-not. For picnics, in my guest bedrooms… You name it. Tested and approved.
Nine! And each box always has at least 2-3 interchangeable pieces that reverse for a whole new look!
How Often?-
Four, one box forevery season. Right to your door with curated and timeless pieces. You can order one at a time or save and order the yearly package.
How Much?-
Each season’s box is just $79.99. It’s a killer value because you couldn’t buy all that in store for that price. Plus you can’t even find these pieces in store. Use Code CHELSEY10 for $10 off (that’s my name) and get your first box for $69.99 plus a free gift too.
Final Verdict & Review
LOVE!
Love how the pieces come right to my door every season and takes the guess work out of decor.
We love how much we save decorating our home, each piece is basically under $9 each if you do the math. Can’t find that value in store.
The pieces are unique, you literally cannot find them in stores. Nowadays, store bought items are so mass-produced that this is a great way to get unique items.
The pieces are so nicely made, hand crafted, and designed by designers like this season’s Jazz Doodle.
The versatility of each item is awesome, from double sided decor to pieces that can go into almost any room.
They do a beautiful job with the design booklet showing you how to decorate, how to use your pieces, they make it easy.
The Decocrated Summer Box Get’s A Definite Seal Of Approval From The Mama Guide.
Xo, Chelsey
– The Mama Guide
The summer box was gifted to me from Decocrated for testing and review purposes. All of the opinons and statements are my own and my true beliefs about the product. I do not receive any compensation for my review. I simply share a product that I love so much and hope you will too.
I get into these kicks, when I really love something and just keep making it. Lately, that’s donuts. Sure I can make my favorite recipe that takes over a day to prepare… but I prefer the quick and easy route. Enter, 15 minute donuts using Pillsbury Crescent dough! You know those little blue tubes with the dough boy on front? Fry those up and they make delicious donuts. Especially when you cover them in cinnamon sugar. Here’s how to do it.
Make Your Donuts
Some people roll the dough out and use a cookie cutter to make the donuts… but that’s a waste of time. Instead, just tear off the pre-cut sections, pull and shape them into 9 donuts (depending on the size of your crescent can). Told you this was easy. Then, heat your oil in a tall pan to medium-high heat. Your oil should be at least two inches deep, so add more oil to your pan if necessary. The tall pan will give you a little protection from oil splash, and help keep your kitchen clean too. (I hate oil splatter cleanup) You’ll know the oil is ready if you drop some water inside and it splatters back.
In a small bowl, mix together your cinnamon and sugar and set aside. Set a plate aside with paper towels to rest freshly cooked donuts as well. Have something ready to pull the donuts out of the hot oil, like a chopstick or skewer. Drop your donuts in two or three at a time, overcrowding the pan cool the oil down too much and you’ll have soggy donuts.
Cook for 1-2 minutes until the donuts turn golden brown, then flip them to cook the other side. Just look how delicious they look! Remove them from the oil quickly and set aside on a plate with paper towels to soak up excess oil.
Let your donuts rest about a minute before coating them in your cinnamon-sugar mixture. All in all, the whole recipe takes no longer than 15 minutes! Serve these delicious little donuts right away, they don’t keep for more than a day. Also, check the temp before feeding to littles in case hot oil is trapped inside!
Hey Mamas! Need some last minute- easy proof snacks? I love to entertain, we have parties all the time. What I have learned with hosting success is to stick to easy to make snacks and foods. I would much rather whip up something quick instead of slaving away the whole party! Here are my easy to make, but sure to fly off the plate party snacks. Tested and approved! Heads up though, you’ll want to make more than you think because they get munched up in a hurry! Here we go.
Mini Cheesy Quesadilla Bites
Quesadilla bites are quick to make and delicious with a fresh side of salsa. To really impress, use corn flour tortillas for an authentic and fresh taste. Another secret tip? Buy store-bought salsa and mix in some fresh chopped cilantro. Your guests will think it’s fresh and you save a ton of time. To get the pretty bite sizes perfect for plating, use small taco sized tortillas. Easy, peasy, but still party perfect and pretty!
Spinach & Brie Cups- Secret Ingredient Alert!
These are the all-time favorite in my house, I whip them up on the weekends, but always for every party! They’re easy to make, and are cheaper than store bought! The secret ingredient? A dollop of marmalade. You won’t taste it, just the perfect medley with a hint of sweet. This recipe makes up 30 bites, so serve them all, or freeze half to reheat in a hurry another day!
Pigs Do Fly- Off The Plate…
Surprisingly, these are the number one snack to disappear anytime I make them. Kids love them, adults love them, they just vanish. The best part, they are brainless to make- so turn on your favorite show you’re streaming and whip up a batch, or 5. All you need is a pack of smoked mini sausages and two cans of Pillsbury croissant dough. Cook them as directed on the Pillsbury package and time how long they last on the plate.
Final Thoughts
Enjoy these snacks, and your party too! Your snacks never have to be super intense, just quick, pretty, and party pleasing good! I always try to spend more time enjoying myself, and shortcuts make that possible! Do you have any favorite snacks? I’d love to hear them! Use the contact form in the menu to send me your favorite recipes so that more Mom’s can enjoy them too! You might get featured on the blog. Happy snacking!
Hey Mamas, soo… I created a free E-Book for you on how to take better pictures. A little note on WHY I created it for you, it’s because as Mom’s we have 100 job titles that go into what we do (we’re the family nurse, cook, maid, you get it). For me, I like to continue to learn and better myself. I continue to try new recipes, learn new skills, and I love sharing those with you. We all continue to learn and grow every day but I really like finding the easy ways to do them, to simplify it all. I realized that we take pictures now, almost every day! Don’t believe me, open up your camera roll in your phone. Why not do it better? Then, I realized how many of us Moms are selling things online too- to provide an income for our families. What about that picture of our little one at the playground, why not take that shot better and display it on our walls! That’s why I put this together for you. Why not add photography to our list of super-mom-skills too.
Ok Lemme Tell You About it
Photos tell a story & stop people from scrolling. Amid the algorithms and overflow of posts in our feeds, there is one sure way to get people to
Stop & Pay Attention
Scroll stopping pictures stand out and set you apart. They tell a story and draw us in. It’s because they
Capture Our Senses
Use this mini book to kick start your photog skills. To capture
What Matters Most
This is for you if
+ Want to take amazing pictures for social media that stand out
+ Want to capture the most treasured moments that you are proud to display in your home
+ Need photos to stand out on social to build your business for your family
+ You just want to take pictures like a professional and learn how to do it
If you’ve had Whole Food’s Greek Orzo Salad, the most delicious and light salad with spinach and feta, you know how addicting it is. I love it. However, for a whole family, and how much we love to eat, it gets pricey. Plus, I can’t buy everything I need at that store and sometimes can’t make it in. So obviously, I was on the hunt for the recipe. There are tons out there, but trust me when I say that none of them made the cut. They were all slightly off- UNTIL NOW! I cracked it! I figured it out, and it’s actually easy too! Plus, it’s cheaper to make at home.
Some Quick Notes
I have a few quick notes to make this a smooth cook because I’m all for easy. You’ll need your strainer, some spoons to stir, a pot and a saucepan. No biggie. Make sure to rinse the orzo immediately in cold water, and stir the olive oil right in. Otherwise, the orzo will clump. I left our the sundried tomatoes and bell peppers, they didn’t add much to the flavor and helped cut cost so why not. You can add them in if you’d like, but again, not much flavor gained there.
Let Me Know!
I would love to hear how the recipe worked for you, comment below, email me with the contact form up top in the main menu, or message me on IG! If you have any recipes you’d love to share, send them to me and maybe they’ll be featured!
