Sweet and spicy roasted almonds

(To the tune of Scotch, Scotch, Scotch by Ron Burgundy) Nuts, nuts, nuts. They are delicious. In my mouth. Yum yum yummmmm. okay...and scene.

Maybe you're thinking spiced nuts are a more appropriate winter time snack, and to that I say, blasphemy! Spiced nuts are delicious all year long. They are high in protein, crunchy, full of good fats, and packed with flavor -- especially when sprinkled with lots of exotic (ooh la laa) spices from your spice cabinet. Honestly, I'll give you my recipe, but it's going to be a total crock of bologna, because when I make spiced almonds it's basically like a little of this, a little of that, a dash of this one, and voila! Spiced nutty goodness. But since you're insisting on the recipe, and I hear you mumbling, "just shut up already Marissa and give me the damn recipe".... here you go.

Chicken salad recipe made with little or no mayonaisse

In my humble opinion, chicken salad is the quintessential summer food. It can be served cold or at room temperature, on crackers, in a sandwich, or just straight up with a fork. It takes minimal time to put together and requires only a handful of ingredients. So, as we head into the last weekend of the summer (I know, I know, summer technically goes until mid-September, but for me, summer really runs from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend.) I thought I would share my tried and true Chicken Salad Recipe that requires the use of very little, like less than one tablespoon of mayonnaise. It's the perfect mix of sweet and salty with lots of herb flavors mixed in. It would be a wonderful addition to your Labor Day picnic. 

Beach bumming in Rockaway

Can you tell me something that's better than hanging on the beach with your friends all day? I bet you can't. Because no such thing exists. This past weekend we packed up the car and heading up to Rockaway, Queens because our friends recently moved into a fabulous townhouse that's just a block from the beach!

Made in America Festival: Fashion inspiration

The Budweiser Made in America is rapidly approaching. This is the second year the festival is being held on the Ben Franklin Parkway in Philly on Labor Day Weekend. I think this festival is kind of hard to dress for because the music selection and audience is so eclectic. There's also the issue of the weather. It's Philly, it could be cold, it could be hot, it could rain, you just never know. Forecast right now says 85 degrees and sunny both days, so I planned these style inspirations based on the warmer weather. Keep your fingers crossed! 

For all my suggested looks, I made sure to consider foot comfort and staying hands-free. This way you can hold on to your refreshing Bud Light while eating a sausage sandwich. Score! 

Cider glazed lamb chops

This is an oldie but a goodie. I'm not sure why I never posted these photos or this recipe but I think it's so delicious that you deserve to have it -- 10 months later... 

My sincere apologies for the photos taken in my old apartment with my crappy old point and shoot camera. I figured since fall is quickly approaching (I mean holy crappola, September is less than two weeks away..) and that's when you can find cider in the grocery stores, it is as good a time as any to share this recipe with you.

Philly is Ugly

Philly Is Ugly from Nathaniel Dodson on Vimeo.

Philly has its fair share of haters, but this video truly captures the beauty that this city has to offer. It's a place that I have come to love and call my own -- it's full of real people and amazing culture. I vividly remember the day when I was walking down the street and realized that I considered Philadelphia my home.  

Nathaniel Dodson is a Philadelphia photographer that created this awesome time-lapse video highlighting different perspectives of the city, the lighting is totally phenomenal. If you're wondering how he came up with the name, learn more about the project here. 

Things to do and see in Cape May, NJ

We recently got back from another long weekend in Cape May. It's so hard to come back to "real life" after a few days of fun in the sun. Our typical day consists of waking up and putting on our bathing suits and packing the cooler, then we head out somewhere for breakfast and hit the beach after. We usually stay on the beach until 4 or 5 p.m. and then go home, get showered up, grab a late dinner, and find a spot for some music and drinks in the evening. 

After a few summers of vacationing in Cape May, we feel right at home. It's so easy to navigate around and the little beach house we rent is a little bit off the beaten path, so it's allowed us to discover even more of the quaint vacation town. Below is a list of my recommendations, although I'm sure that some folks who've been frequenting Cape May for more years than I, will have some things to add. Let me know if I left off anything that's worthy of doing, seeing or eating! 

Happy birthday BryGuy!

I would like to take a moment to say happy birthday to the coolest guy in town. You are the kindest, goofiest, and sexiest person I know, and I am so happy to call you my best friend and husband. 

Thanks for being my partner in crime, my workout pal, my drinking buddy, and my fellow beach bum. I'm so happy your parents decided to get down and dirty 26 years + 8 months or so ago, so that you could be created and be stuck with me for the rest of your days. 

Happy birthday! I love you! 

Homemade ricotta cheese - it's so easy!

You know when you pin some recipe on Pinterest and you think it's really cool, but in the back of your mind you know you're probably never gonna make it? Well, this was one of those things. I liked the idea of making ricotta cheese at home, but I didn't actually think I'd ever do it. Honestly, I probably don't even buy ricotta cheese more than once or twice a year, but something came over me and I just had the incredible urge to make cheese! 

I looked at the recipe I had saved on pinterest and realized I didn't have the ingredients needed. So, I did a little googling (yep, that's totally a verb) and found that the patron saint of cheese-making had a recipe I could get down with: Martha Stewart's Homemade Ricotta 

It's not all perfect. In fact, it's not even close.

Man, life is hard sometimes. I feel like I'm juggling a dozen balls right now, and when you're doing that, it's probably not going to end well. Between work, this here blog, the new camera, getting to the gym, visiting friends from faraway lands, and trying to cook and keep a clean house, something is bound to slip through the cracks. That something is the cleanliness of my home. See exhibit A (the photo above.)

Lakeside relaxation with my oldest friend

I'm a little late on this post, but that's only because I was waiting for some photos from Ms. Lindsey to post on the blog here. You'll see them at the end. It wouldn't be the same without them. 

First, I need to introduce you to Ms. Lindsey. She has been my friend since middle school! The unfortunate thing about this chick right here, is that she lives half way around the world from me. I'm very sad just thinking about it. For the past, what is it, five years off and on? Lindsey has been working as a journalist in Cairo. (Check out her blog here and her newest business venture here) 

You can imagine this is a prime time to be a journalist in Egypt, with all the political happenings. But it's a scary time for her family and friends stateside that are hoping and praying that she stays out of harms way. 

The most perfect Sunday ever

As I sat down on the couch at 8:59 p.m. with a glass of wine in hand, I put my feet up, looked at Bry and said, "this was like the most perfect day ever." And it was, so that's not even an exaggeration. After a few weekends of having jam packed weekend plans or traveling, it was nice to wake up, in the comfort of my own bed, with no agenda, and the sun shining. 

A need for more kindness

It might just be the most meaningful commencement speech I've ever heard read. A link to this New York Times article, George Saunder's Advice to Graduates was circulating on Facebook and it piqued my interest. Maybe I was feeling a little mushy to begin with, Fridays have a way of doing that to me.

Lobster lovers unite

We got ya fresh lobstahs right he-ah! 

Okay. I'll stop now. 

On a whim of spontaneity -- and because we were asked by our friends Josh and Abbie, who we truly adore -- we decided to get wild on a Wednesday night and head on over to the Oystah House. Sorry, Oyster House. For their twin lobster dinner special.