Monday, November 9, 2015

Gluten Free Lasagna Soup

 

I came across this recipe for Lasagna Soup on Momspark, which is one of my favorite pages to visit, and it looked so hearty and delicious that I had to give it a try. I love finding new recipes that I can add to my rotation, and in trying this one I can tell you, it is indeed a winner! Of course I made my version gluten free, but of course it was still yummy, and no one knew the difference. My recreations never look as pretty as the originals, but it sure did taste good! 

 I love Italian food, especially lasagna, but let's face it, making lasagna from scratch is practically an all day affair, and who has time for that? This twist on the classic gives you that authentic Italian flavor, but in a hearty soup that is super easy to make. This is one of my new favorites! You can link to the original Momspark post with the recipe here, and check out all their other great posts. Below is my take on the Lasagna Soup recipe from Momspark.

INGREDIENTS:
1 onion - diced
Olive Oil
1 lb. ground beef
2-3 cloves of garlic - minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Seasonings to taste - oregano, basil
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce - I used Bertolli Tomato Basil
5 cups of chicken stock
Shredded mozzarella cheese


One of my favorite things about this dish is that it can be made in one pot, which makes cleanup so easy, a big selling point for me. I used my Le Creuset Dutch Oven for this,and cooked the whole thing in it. First, heat the olive oil and saute the onions until cooked, then add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Add your ground beef, and cook through. Drain any fat, and return to your Dutch oven. 

Next add your spaghetti sauce, chicken stock, and seasonings. Adapting things to make them gluten free requires some trial and error, so that's why I called for 5 cups of chicken stock, instead of the 4 from the original recipe. I actually only used 4 for this batch, but the gluten free pasta seemed to thicken the soup a lot more than regular pasta, so next time I will be using that extra cup for sure. Sometimes you just have to wing it and adjust things on the fly. :) 


Cook on medium low for about 15 to 20 minutes, then add your pasta and cook according to package directions. This is where your soup will thicken significantly and that extra stock will make a world of difference.



Add any extra salt and pepper you deem necessary, and serve with shredded mozzarella on top. Done! So simple! We served our soup with a green salad and Udi's Gluten Free Baguette. Yum!


This easy Lasagna Soup makes a great easy weekday dinner that the whole family will love! I can't wait to make it again! And make sure to check out Momspark for more great recipes, among other things!



xo, Summer




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Saturday, November 7, 2015

Nordstrom Fall Clearance Sale Picks

It's that time of year y'all - the Nordstrom Fall Clearance Sale is happening, and it continues through November 15. There are some AWESOME deals to take advantage of! It's a great time to shop for yourself, and shop for all your loved ones. Christmas will be here before you know it! This is a great time to start checking people off your list! Here are some of my picks from the sale. MOST are under $100 as usual, but I did include a few higher priced items, only because the sale price is so great it's hard to pass these things up! Like this TO DIE FOR pink coat, and the Tory Burch tote. The links to everything shown here are listed below so you can shop directly. Don't miss out!



I mean, who else is ready to shop? If only I could......Have you shopped the Nordstom sale yet? What goodies did you snag?


xo, Summer


P.S. - I couldn't stop browsing, so I had to add some of the other great things I found! Shop here:





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Sunday, November 1, 2015

My Favorite Drugstore Concealers

When it comes to my makeup routine, I'm a quick and easy girl. I don't like to spend a ton of time layering and blending, and if I'm being honest, I'm really not good at it.....That being said, my favorite product is concealer. I have way too many on hand. Certain kinds for certain circumstances, depending on how made up I'm getting that day. And sometimes I just choose one based on my mood. Of course if you read this blog you know I'm a budget girl, so just about everything on this list is from the drugstore. There are a couple of concealers that are a little more high end that I absolutely LOVE, however I didn't include them in this post. We're sticking with drugstore brands today! I'm apparently quite the NYX and Maybelline loyalist. I didn't realize it until I actually started linking to all these products, but these seem to be go-to brands for me. 

My newest discoveries on this list are the NYX pots. I've got 2 different ones included, and they are both equally effective. The full coverage concealer is a little thicker, and doesn't apply QUITE as well as the other one, which is made with Aztec clay and coconut oil. It goes on like a dream and blends really well. I use Fair in both of these. 

The Maybelline Dream Lumi concealer is a great one for highlighting, and goes on really easily. I keep this one in my purse for touch-ups throughout the day. From what I hear it is a great affordable alternative to the YSL Touche Eclat. My absolute favorite out of all of these concealers, the one I use practically every day, is the Maybelline Age Rewind. I actually have it in 2 different colors, Light, and the Brightener, and I use them both as part of my routine. The squishy applicator makes it so easy to apply, and as I said, I'm all about speed and ease of use. I HIGHLY recommend this one. You definitely don't have to be makeup skilled to use it. 

So, I'm wondering if I'm the only concealer junkie, or are there others like me out there? What's your favorite? And if it's not concealer, what product are you hoarding?



xo, Summer




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