Etee Review

Everything Touches Everything Else.

ETEE.

I don't know about you but I'm starting to really try to reduce the amount of plastic in my life. It's not good when it's all up in our food and it's not food for the planet! In general I've also been trying to reduce my amount of waste and use more re-usable products. Which is why, when I spotted Etee on Instagram, I knew I HAD TO HAVE IT!

Etee are reusable food wraps that are non-toxic, sustainable, reusable, biodegradable, compostable, and plastic free! They preserve food naturally with beeswax, tree resins, and essential oils infused in organic cotton cloth.

AKA they can replace plastic wrap, plastic produce bags, and even plastic sandwich bags (they actually just came out with reusable food bags and ahh I want them!).
They're crazy easy to use-the first time you get them you have to "activate" them (which means you just crumple them up in your hands and press-the heat from your hands helps activate them and make it so it sticks to itself. Umcrumple and start using!)

Then you can put them on tops of bowls and containers-just pressing around so the wrap is sticking to itself, then using the heat from your hands to "seal" it. You can also put food inside them and twist it up around them. And you can even wrap them around produce. There's a ton more info. over on the Etee site, it's awesome!

As far as the reusable part-you just wash them using cold water and an eco-friendly soap (I use method brand), air or towel dry, then they're good to go again! I've honestly used them a TON since receiving my samples and I'm crazy obsessed. I highly suggest you check them out---they come in 3 different sizes, are super reasonably priced, and they even ship free to the US and Canada! Not to mention that you can try them risk free for 90 days, so really there's no reason not to help yourself and the planet out and get on board with the Etee revolution!

Disclaimer-I was provided with Etee wraps to review. However, I was under no obligation to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.

World Vision Gift Catalog-Giving the Gift of Giving Back!

Rosemary's family were given 5 goats through World Vision Gift Catalog, and that changed their lives

Thanksgiving is this week. And it's the time we think about all the things we have to be thankful for. But-we should also think about all of those who aren't as fortunate. That is why, today, I'm going to chat with you guys about World Vision and the amazing work they do--and how you can help families in need merely by ordering from a selection of beautiful, handcrafted, gifts via the World Vision Gift Catalog! You can pick from over 250 poverty-fighting gifts, ranging in price from $16 to $39,000, and as a result you're improving the quality of life for struggling children and families in the U.S. and around the world. The money raised from the purchase of these handcrafted gifts goes to the Where Most Needed fund, which supports a variety of World Vision’s programs around the world. (Of course there are also TONS options to just straight up donate or sponsor as well!) Last year alone, more than 650,000 people were helped through funds generated by the catalog-now THAT is the holiday spirit! <3

This video helps give you the run-down on the gift catalog and how it works! (Plus...it's a cute video)

Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread Stuffed Blondies #Chocmeister

Ok sooo....I've documented that fall is not my favorite time of year. I know I know, everyone else in the world loves it. Sorry, all-it's not for me. HOWEVER-one small perk about the cooler weather and fall is that it's time to LET THE RICH FOOD COMMENCE! Bikini season is over? Eat all the yum yums! Plus we have Halloween and Thanksgiving--holidays largely known for eating an excess of food. And this is a thing I'm totally down with. SO, in the spirit of EAT ALL THE FOOD I made us some brown butter blondies stuffed with rich and gooey dark chocolate hazelnut spread (My new fave=PB & Co's Chocmeister). You're welcome :) 

Admittedly, I made these blondies in my old house. BUT I still have to gush about how much I'm loving baking in my new kitchen-the counter space is downright intoxicating. There's the big old island that is the perfect workstation for all of my masterpieces-making even more complicated treats fun to make. Of course...these blondies are so far from complicated. I would have been able to easily whip them up even in my super tiny New York apartment kitchen, So gather 'round bakers with kitchens large or small....you're going to want to give these blondies a try.

So these are essentially deliciously chewy, yet somewhat crisp, brown sugar cookie bars made with browned butter (aka the thing that makes all other things better), studded with chocolate chips, with a layer of gooey chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella, Nocciolata Rigoni, or-my choice-Chocmeister!) And then I topped the whole thing with some sea salt. 'Cuz that's what we do here.

{No Bake} Chocolate Hazelnut Tart--Chocmeister Review

I love Peanut Butter & Co. It is well documented. So when I heard they were coming out with chocolate hazelnut spreads...I nearly jumped up and down, I was so thrilled! And, lucky lucky me, they sent me a jar of their new Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread to play with!

Before I tell you about all the deliciousness you are presently gazing upon, let me give you the 411 on Chocmeister Chocolatey Hazelnut Spreads. First of all they come in 2 varieties, milk and dark chocolate. And they're made with 25% LESS sugar and 50% MORE protein than the leading chocolate hazelnut spread brand. Which is pretty amazeballs. And, as someone who immediately tried some: it tastes even better! The hazelnut flavor really comes through and it's perfectly delicious. Just the thing to eat on toast, with fruit, or ya know...in a perfect no-bake tart.

It's summer. My favorite season. I love it. And it's hot-which I'm totally cool with but maybe we don't reeeeally want to use the oven if we don't have to, you know? That's why I wanted to make you guys a super decadent no-bake dessert. And the Chocmeister Dark Chocolatey Hazelnut Spread was so rich and had such a great hazelnut flavor that I knew I wanted to play that up. And I DID. This tart seriously just embodies chocolate and hazelnut-in every way.

First, we have a chocolate cookie + hazelnut no bake crust: tastiness. Then I made a ganache with the Chocmeister and heavy cream. And topped it with chopped hazelnuts. You chill the entire thing and it...is...just...perfect. The texture of the filling is so silky and perfect and the crust and hazelnuts give you a bit of crunch. So good. SO SO GOOD. 

Hershey's KISSES Deluxe "Say More"

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Hershey’s KISSES Deluxe. I received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

For me, memories of family and the holidays are mingled with Hershey's KISSES (the #1 holiday chocolate): holiday themed Hershey's KISSES in the candy dish on Christmas Day at my Grandma's, the creamy little chocolates studded in the centers of the peanut butter blossoms my mom would bake for Santa and for our families, and sneaking the sweet treats to my little brother and cousins as we waited impatiently for dinner. 

As time has passed and we've all grown up...those smaller moments seem to get lost in the shuffle. We don't take as much time to enjoy each other. Get-togethers and game nights and birthday parties have turned into quick texts or facebook posts. Even within my close family, we're beginning to move apart. I moved to NY and, even though I'm back now, my brother is leaving for the airforce after Christmas. And it's so wonderful that we all have the technology to be able to keep in touch but we need to do more. And we need to "Say More"--which is exactly what Hershey's is encouraging us to do. We need to make the most of our time together and really speak with each other in meaningful ways, more than just the usual small talk. Hershey's is sharing videos of people saying more on their social media channels, including this completely adorable video of a family showing their mom how much they care. This holiday season, and beyond, I am vowing to really show the people I love how valuable they are to me. I'm going to spend as much time as possible showing my brother how much he means to me before he leaves. I'm going to make sure my mom knows how much I appreciate all she does. When I see my cousins I'm going to do more than just have a little bit of casual chit-chat, I'm going to find out what's going on in their lives and have a real conversation. And I'm going to take the time to enjoy my husband, to talk to him and spend time with him without our heads buried in our phones or our stares trained to the TV. I'm going to "Say More".

I'm also going to do the unthinkable and share some of the new Hershey's KISSES Deluxe--now that is real love. They're twice the size of original KISSES, creamy, decadent, and they contain a whole roasted hazelnut and tasty little crisps enveloped in layers of chocolate. Delicious, and the perfect way to show someone you care!

And you have the chance to win a Hershey's KISSES Deluxe 75 piece gift box (valued at $35)!

Hershey's KISSES Deluxe Giveaway

*I-C will randomly select fifty winners from all program entries and will handle fulfillment of the winning prizes.

Brown Sugar Lava Cookies-T-Sugars #BakeTheDifference

These might not be the prettiest things I've ever made but...haven't we learned that sometimes the tastiest foods are the ones with a bit more...character? Yes, I think we have. Sooo instead I ask that you focus on the moist brown sugar-y goodness of these cookies, and the melted chocolate centers, and the lovely powdered sugar dusted over them like snow.

Speaking of sugar...guys...I have GOT to tell you about T-Sugars! T-Sugars is a Belgian specialty sugar company that has been around for 175 years --!!! Guys...that is a LOT of sugar experience! AND they have just launched in the US which means all we have the opportunity to get our hands on the good stuff (currently you can find T-Sugars products at your nearest HEB store-or you can order online)!

Now...in case you were wondering what kind of sugar I'm specifically talking about...there are a few different products, but I am specifically talking about their Belgian Cassonade Sugar and Icing Sugar Mill, which T-Sugars were kind enough to send me to try!

That picture right there? That is showing off how revolutionary the Icing Sugar Mill is--seriously...I hate making a mess whenever I want to dust powdered sugar on top of a dessert and the Icing Sugar Mill (which has a sifter built right in, so all you have to do is twist) makes it so insanely easy and gives you an amazing amount of control, too. 

Now...what is Cassonade Sugar? It's like brown sugar...but BETTER. It has no additives, is all-natural, and is softer and has a finer texture than tradition brown sugar. The texture means it stays fresh longer (no more rock hard sugar!), doesn't clump up, AND it dissolves easily, so it can be used to sweeten beverages in addition to being FANTASTIC in baked goods (here are a ton of amazing recipe ideas!)

Which is exactly why I wanted to make a recipe that really lets the Cassonade Sugar shine and allowed me an opportunity to get decorative with the Icing Sugar Mill. These cookies are actually a brown butter, brown sugar blondie base (helpful note: Cassonade Sugar can be used as an exact substitute for brown sugar) with melted dark chocolate centers. They are chewy, rich, and full of that perfect sweet, caramelized brown sugar flavor--and the dark chocolate centers help offset that sweetness.

These cookies are good. T-Sugars are good. Facts.

AdoramaPix Review & GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

Fun fact: after you get married...there are a lot of wedding pictures. And you want to put them up. So you have to order prints. And I was lucky enough to be able to order the majority of my wedding prints from AdoramaPix-a staple in the photography community (based out of my old stomping grounds, NY!) with unparalleled quality and fantastic prices! (Seriously...some of the most inexpensive photo printing prices that I've seen).

Although I ordered a bunch of different prints from AdoramaPix, the biggest thing that I got myself was a canvas print to hang above our fireplace. Since this picture is the centerpiece of our house...it was important that it turned out just right! The good news is AdoramaPix gave me everything I needed to create my perfect canvas. First I had to upload a high resolution image (and I learned that most images are sized for a maximum of an 16x20 print, luckily AdoramaPix's amazing customer service were able to take the image I gave them and create a larger file size that would give me better resolution at a larger print size! Seriously...the customer service team is above and beyond, they totally went out of their way to accommodate me at every turn!) and then I chose the size--there are existing size options but you can also do a custom size! We ended up going with a custom size: 18x24, large but not too large (and then you crop the photo as needed to fit the size you choose). Finally you have to choose what you want around the edges of the canvas--you can stretch the picture continuously around the borders, have it mirrored, or pick a color (the default is black, changing it is a smidge complicated--but usually black is the best choice anyway). My initial instinct was stretched, however Michael preferred the idea of a crisp black border and I have to say...he was right!  After making all these decisions you can view a preview of your print in 2D or 3D and then you place your order and they work their printing magic!

So Delicious Dairy Free® Frozen Chocolate Salted Caramel Pie {Vegan, No-Bake}

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DairyFree4All #CollectiveBias

I'm not dairy-free but that hasn't stopped me from lusting after So Delicious Dairy Free® frozen treats. I've long seen them and made a note to myself, "Hey...those look yummalicious. You should get them sometime." So when I had the opportunity to create a dairy-free recipe using So Delicious, I RAN to the frozen section of my closest Walmart! I was faced with a dizzying array of amazing options...but my heart was stolen when I laid eyes on their Cashew Salted Caramel Cluster and Cashew Dark Chocolate Truffle. Sweet and salty cashew milk based frozen dessert with chocolate covered cashews and ribbons of salted caramel? HEAVEN. Fair trade cocoa (also cashew milk based) frozen goodness folded with fudge and shaved chocolate? OMIGOSH YES.

Now...before I could create a recipe...I had to at least give each of the frozen desserts a try. And I can 100% confidently attest that they were RICH, DECADENT, CREAMY, and seriously insanely delicious. I think I'm a complete convert--I've gone So Delicious Dairy Free® and I don't think I can go back! It's seriously so unbelievable that they are:

• Certified Vegan
• Dairy-Free and Egg-Free
• Non-GMO Project Verified
• Cholesterol-free
• No artificial colors, flavors, trans-fats, hydrogenated oils, or preservatives
• No high-fructose corn syrup
• Always 100% plant-based
• Certified Kosher

Like....WHAAAT? Not to mention the fact that many of their products are also made with organic ingredients. Be still my good-food-lovin' heart: no wonder So Delicious Dairy Free® has been a dairy-free staple for more than 25 years! Seriously...their products are outstandingly delicious and something you can feel good about eating (or drinking...or licking..)

I decided the perfect way to highlight the 2 delectable pints of So Delicious Dairy Free® goodness that I picked up was in the form of a vegan (and, obviously, dairy-free) frozen pie! The base is a perfect, no-bake, chocolate cookie crust. Then there's a layer of the Cashew Salted Caramel Cluster, topped with a layer of Cashew Dark Chocolate Truffle. And the finishing touch? You cover the entire pie with vegan salted caramel sauce (which you are more than welcome to buy, but I have included a recipe below!) This pie is the perfect melding of flavors, everything balances so nicely and it all tastes deliiiicious together! The alternating layers of chocolate and caramel. The crunchy crust, creamy frozen filling, and gooey caramel. The perfect marriage of salty and sweet. A dessert that can be enjoyed by practically everyone-vegan or not!  Guys...this is a good one, you're going to LUHVE it. The name does not lie....it really is: SO DELICIOUS!

RawSpiceBar Giveaway (CLOSED)

I have something exciting for you today! I want to tell you about RawSpiceBar!-a new subscription service that ships 3 different spice blends to your home, every month, for only $6/month! (Update: they have quarterly spice collections available for $26/quarter or $88/year!)

What makes RawSpiceBar special?

Their spices are whole toasted, ground, and blended just a few days before they ship them to you-which means they're fresh! They're also perfectly portioned to create a dish that serves 6-10 (so they don't just sit on your shelf for-evahhhh) and each blend comes with at least 4-5 different recipe ideas that the folks over at RawSpiceBar have tested (and they also always include options for vegans, carnivores, AND vegetarians)!

I was lucky enough to get a shipment sent to my house with a lot of fun and unique spice blends and one of you lucky readers has the opportunity to win a 6 MONTH subscription!! Enter away!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Granola ~ #Oatober with PB & Co and Bob's Red Mill

Disclaimer-I was provided with oats and peanut butter from Bob's Red Mill and Pb & Co to use for this recipe. I received no further compensation and was under no obligation to review or host a giveaway. All opinions are, as always, my own. This post also contains Amazon affiliate links.

Guys...I am so excited to help ring in #Oatober with this recipe! Oh, what is Oatober, you ask? It's October....but Peanut Butter & Co. and Bob's Red Mill have teamed up to make this month all about hearty, versatile oats + delicious and flavorful peanut butter! And I'm so stoked because these are two of my favorite brands-I legit. use them all the time!

Now....there are a bjillion ways you can pair oats and peanut butter (oatmeal, cookies, fruit crisp desserts, etc.) but one of my favorites in GRANOLA. I just love granola. It's such a tasty and easy breakfast or snack and it can even be used in other things (granola waffles? granola cookies? etc.) So...I decided that was the perfect thing to share with you guys today!

Something really cool and unique about this recipe is the whole wheat flour-it creates little clumps and is part of what adds to the "cookie" sort of feeling this granola has. Oh and be prepared-it will 100% smell like you're baking delicious cookies when it's in the oven. But that's ok because, even though this granola is healthy and wholesome and filling, it's also insanely delicious. Dark Chocolate Dreams is my pb bestie-chocolatey and peanut buttery goodness. Then we have crunchy peanuts and subtly sweet honey and the chewiness that you get courtesy of oats. Perfection. Guiltless indulgence!

Oh yeah and...continue on past the recipe for a GIVEAWAY! :D

Savor Restaurant Review {Fresh - Organic - Local} in Canton, Ohio

There's a brand new restaurant in Canton, OH (where I went to high school and I still live near), it's called Savor, and it was opened by my cousin's husband. But let me just start off this review by saying: my opinions are not colored by that fact. All of my opinions are genuine and true (and I received nothing for writing this review-I just want to share my love of Savor!)

Now, let me give you the lowdown on Savor: it is all about whole, natural foods (oftentimes organic). And this little paragraph from their website explains it best:

"You deserve to taste the food the way nature intended it to be, free from hormones, chemicals and additives - foods in their purest of forms and homemade dishes with the simplest of ingredients.  We source ingredients from local farms and farmers markets with local, organic meats and produce.  This not only insures you with the freshest, healthiest options but also helps our local economy.  We are a community driven, and look forward to serving delicious food curated in alignment with the farm-to-table movement."

Uh yeah, even if this wasn't family I would have been obsessed with Savor, it's everything that I love and want! Real, natural, GOOD food!

Kustom Kufflinks Review

I'M GETTING MARRIED TOMORROW!

And that means today is the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. And typically, at the rehearsal dinner, we give gifts to the bridal party as a big THANK YOU for everything they've done to keep us sane and to help make the wedding amazing! From day one we knew that we wanted to give out nerd/comic themed cufflinks to each of Michael's groomsmen (and one for Michael) because...well...if you know Michael or his friends and family...it would make so much sense.

When I started researching the options for these cufflinks I was lucky enough to find Kustom Kufflinks and I am SO GLAD that I did because we had the best experience and ended up with the perfect gifts for the guys!

SmileBrilliant! {Teeth Whitening} Review

My smile has been through a lot-I wore braces for nearly 3 years (I still wear retainers at night) and, although I overall am happy with it-I've always wished it was whiter. Especially with the wedding day coming up--white dress, white teeth, right? :P

Which is why I jumped at the opportunity to try out SmileBrilliant!'s at home whitening kit with custom trays!

I've tried whitening strips in the past and, although they helped a bit, they definitely didn't leave me with as white of a smile as I'd like. I was considering having my dentist whiten them but was balking at the super high price tag ($500+!) Thank GOODNESS for SmileBrilliant! Smile Brilliant provides lab direct, custom-fitted, teeth whitening trays and professional strength whitening gel (and you can also purchase desensitizing gel, which is helpful if you're worried about sensitivity resulting from the whitening. I highly recommend it!) from your own home, and for a fraction of the cost!  Plus, there's a 30 day money back guarantee.

One thing you need to know going in to teeth whitening-it cannot perform miracles. It can and will remove stains and restore your teeth to their natural color but if your teeth's natural tint isn't white then whitening cannot do anything to help that. But I was hopeful about my results. (I mean--look at all of these amazing testimonials!)

Something Saturdays (5/16/15)

Are you a girl? Then you probably know these struggles.

Have you heard of BerryCart yet? It's a new monthly subscription box that lets people try 9-10 organic, non-GMO, and just healthy products! And there are a couple things that set them apart: there are a lot more full-size products (at least 4 per box) than other “sample” boxes, and when a box subscriber finds a product they like, they can use the BerryCart mobile app to get a cashback rebate on it when they buy it in the store. I was lucky enough to be sent a box and Michael and I enjoyed all the delicious snacks--and I didn't feel guilty sending them in his lunch :) (Disclaimer-BerryCart sent me a complimentary box to try. I was under no obligation to write a positive review and all opinions are my own)

On to news from this week: Sunday went really well and was fun. Monday Michael, my mom, my brother, and I all went out to dinner for my brother's birthday-which was great! Wednesday Michael and I went to get our marriage certificate (eee!!) and did a little shopping at the outlet mall....MICHAEL GOT A LEATHER JACKET. If anyone knows me they know I'm a sucker for that "bad boy in a leather jacket" look and mmmm....I love it. And today I get to hang out with my best friend, Alex! Yay!

I should also note....I'm feeling overwhelmed and like I have a lot to do and am not doing a great job of keeping up with everything. Hopefully next week is more productive (as far as household, blog, general maintenance stuff).

Glitz and Garters Review

Something old...something new...something borrowed...something blue.

For me those things are being represented by my wedding dress (which used to be my mom's), either my veil, shoes, earrings, or tiara (all are new so...*shrug*), an old rosary that the women in my family all hold for their wedding day and...my beautiful blue garters from Glitz and Garters!

Glitz and Garters is an Etsy shop that sells, you guessed it, garters!  Ranging in price from $19.95-$39.95 (and that includes 2 garters--one of which would get tossed during the garter toss! However, if you are not doing the garter toss or are not interested in keeping a garter, you can also get just 1 garter at a reduced price) these are by far the most reasonably priced, and prettiest, garters I could find! So I was thrilled when they offered to partner with me for this review and send me a set!

Smoked Sausage Fried Rice #HillshireSausage

Michael is a guy who NEEDS variety in his food life! Unfortunately for him...I errr...don't. And I have a difficult time thinking outside of my chicken/potato box oftentimes. Which is why I was THRILLED when I was forced into some creativity by Hillshire Farms when they asked me to make a recipe using their Smoked Sausage.

And...wow...it could not have been simpler!

Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage requires like...no effort. You just take it out of the package and it is ready to be used! Whether you decide to throw it in a pasta sauce, make a chili or stew, put it on a pizza, etc! The options are endless and kind of crazy easy! For more recipe ideas check out the Sausage So Simple tumblr!

Now, I decided to make some fried rice with the smoked sausage because Michael loves Asian food and I never make it, so this was a double opportunity for changing stuff up! And it took me no time to make, which means it is the perfect weeknight dinner option!

The first person who tried this fried rice was my brother and he immediately texted me how good it was! He really loved the flavor the sausage added (which makes sense since Hillshire Farms experts have perfected the pre-seasoning of their sausage over the last 75 years!!) and the fact that it was the perfect post-workout meal (*shrug* he's pretty health conscious these days). And he hoped Michael wouldn't like it so he could have more, hehe. Michael DID like it (a lot), but we were nice and let Josh have some more also. Because when you have the option of making such a quick and perfect dinner...there's no reason not to share!

Golden Girl Granola Review

I wanna tell you a little tale about some tasty tasty granola. 

Golden Girl Granola is a family run company, started by the O'Kelly's, that began being sold at farmer's markets in Massachusetts in 2007 and is now available in stores all around New England as well as online for all the rest of us! Even though the company has grown, they still use the finest ingredients and make hand-stirred small batches to achieve the tastiest possible product! 

Need more reasons that I love this granola so much?

1. It's whole grain, wheat-free (and is produced in a gluten-free kitchen), is non-GMO, and uses the finest, all-natural ingredients.
2. Golden Girl Granola is locally produced in MA, and uses locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible!
3. It's super duper tasty!

I was lucky enough that Golden Girl Granola sent me 4 of their flavors for me to try! They sent me chocolate decadence, bluesberry, and home sweet honey. You can enjoy these granolas in a variety of ways (seriously...there's a section of their website devoted to recipes, and they also sent me a little recipe booklet!)--you can eat the granola on yogurt or ice cream, bake it into cookies (which I may do next?), eat it as cereal, use it in pancakes (that's how I used the chocolate decadence and bluesberry--for myself and Michael, respectively), and...obviously...just eat it on its own as a snack! My favorites were the original and home sweet honey to just eat for breakfast or a quick snack, straight out of the bag. The granolas are nutty and crisp and taste wholesome and real. Nothing fake. Just tastiness!

My #WeddingPaperDivas Bridal Shower Invites & Thank You Cards #IC

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Wedding Paper Divas. 

I received a product and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

(Also note that I have edited most of these photos to omit any contact information or addresses to protect the privacy of my loved ones--so that is why there are blank spaces in the pictures.)

Hello my lovelies! We have some wedding talk happening today! Do you remember when I posted about my Wedding Paper Divas sample kit? WELL now I am going to tell you all about the bridal shower invites and thank you cards that I ordered from Wedding Paper Divas!

In April I'm having 2 bridal showers: one for Michael's mom's side of the family, and one for mine. This means I needed 2 very important kinds of stationary: bridal shower invitations and thank you cards (for all the gifts I'll be receiving at the showers!) And, as always, Wedding Paper Divas delivered an amazing experience and spectacular results!

First, we needed to choose which designs to get. For the thank you cards I found the prettiest, simplest, most affordable options and then Michael helped me narrow it down to the Flourish Focus Thank You Cards. For the bridal shower invites I chose about 6 or 7 of my favorite designs and let my mom choose her shower invitation from that and Michael's mom choose hers. My mom went with the Dreamy Details shower invitations and Michael's mom chose the Rose Ring ones. I loved all of them!

Healthier Dark Chocolate Brownies-Peanut Butter & Co. #MysteryIngredient Challenge

Did you know that March in National Peanut Month? Well-IT IS! To celebrate, Peanut Butter & Co. wanted to showcase the versatility of peanut butter by providing a mystery ingredient {to those of us who accepted the challenge} to be paired with peanut butter in a recipe. ((And, also to celebrate, we're having a PB & Co giveaway! Scroll past the recipe to find out how to enter))

My mystery ingredient? Espresso powder.

Truthfully, I'm not a fan of coffee. I don't like the flavor (although I ADORE the scent). However I have heard multiple times how adding coffee/espresso to certain chocolate desserts just intensifies the chocolate flavor. And...um...I LOVE chocolate. The more deep, dark, and intense the chocolate flavor the better! So I knew that I would be pairing the espresso with my favorite PB & Co peanut butter: Dark Chocolate Dreams.

In case you haven't read any of my previous posts about Peanut Butter & Co, here's why I love them (aside from the sole fact that they make a dark chocolate peanut butter...which is pretty epic on its own): their peanut butters are natural (hooray-a short and pronounceable ingredient list) and no-stir and they contain no cholesterol, trans fats, hydrogenated oils, or high fructose corn syrup (and they're also certified gluten-free, vegan, and kosher!) If I'm not making homemade nut butters, PB & Co is pretty much the only peanut butter brand I use.

Back to these brownies. I knew I wanted to use the espresso to really amp up the chocolate flavor of whatever I would make, and that Dark Chocolate Dreams would help me do that. I'm also still trying to make healthier treats since I'm pre-wedding. So I decided to adapt a recipe that I found for whole wheat brownies (which already called for instant espresso) and replace ALL the butter in said recipe with the Dark Chocolate Dreams. Oh yeah. I also significantly decreased the amount of flour (the peanut butter is much thicker than regular butter, so this worked out nicely) and slightly decreased the sugar and...well...I was pretty nervous about how they would turn out.

But omigosh these brownies came out PERFECTLY! Even Michael (Mr."I don't like when you healthify my desserts I just want brownies that taste like my mom's") adored them-especially the texture! They're dense but feel like just a classic, comforting brownie. And, as desired, the chocolate really shines. So much so that you can actually barely taste the peanut butter (it's just a little hint of that tasty peanutty specialness). The espresso really does add some smoky nuance and just lets you taste the chocolate to its fullest potential. Dark chocolate chips are studded throughout and help add to the experience even more.

To sum up: this challenge was a success! The brownies are soft, gooey, chewy, and intensely chocolatey.

And they happen to also be low-fat, whole grain, and dairy-free ((I mean...aside from the choc chips))

*happy dance*

#WeddingPaperDivas Sample Kit #IC

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Wedding Paper Divas. I received a product and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

By now, you all know that I'm planning my wedding. (Which is less than 4 months away, btw!) And I've encountered various kinds of brides and ways of approaching a wedding. I am 100% that girl who has pictured my wedding forever and the main theme and aspects of the wedding that I've always dreamed of? They're happening. I've always wanted to get married in the church I grew up in-and I am. I've always wanted to wear my mom's dress-as I am. I've always wanted lots of red roses. Happening. I've always wanted red and white as the colors-yepp. And then in the couple years leading up to my actual engagement, Michael and I had settled on various aspects of our future wedding. So...suffice it to say....we have a very clear vision and it is being realized!

And that vision is being consistently realized in every aspect of the wedding--not the least of which is the stationary! It's always super important that your stationary (save the dates, invites, thank you cards, bridal shower invites, etc.) are cohesive with your entire wedding--they're oftentimes the first (and last) impression your guests will have about your wedding so make sure you get the whole thing off on the right foot! One amazing place to turn when you're looking to order your stationary is Wedding Paper Divas.