Favorite Things Friday

Minnesota Summer 

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Laura and I both love summer time! Whether that is relaxing up north at my families cabin near Canada, or staying in town and hanging out at the lakes in the cities, summer is a special time! I love nothing more than meeting up with friends to enjoy a dinner al fresco or spending time at home playing corn hole in the backyard with P. Because we love summer so very much, L and I will be taking next week off from the blog! P and I are headed on a getaway for our anniversary, and L and her hubby will be moving...so here's to a much needed week off and enjoying summer! 

Seattle Summer

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With Love,

A

Homemade Pizza on the Grill {Food}

P and I love to make homemade pizzas! It is an easy and somewhat healthy weeknight meal that we enjoy with a nice glass of cabernet and good conversation. Only recently did we get up enough courage to try homemade pizzas on the grill. The first time we made them the bottom crust burned to a crisp...but we still ate it :) Since then we have learned from our mistakes. Make sure you try this fun summer experience - it makes delicious pizza! It is our new favorite! 

: : Ingredients : : 

Homemade pizza crust (or store bought)

Garlic

Olive oil

Red sauce (whatever is your favorite)

Any leftover veggies from your fridge: peppers, onions, kalamata olives, tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.

Fresh basil 

Any meat you like (pepperoni, leftover chicken or beef, pork)

Mozzarella

Parmesan

: : Recipe : : 

Preheat your grill on high heat. 

To make garlic infused olive oil, combine 1/2 cup olive oil with two garlic cloves and cook on the stove for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Save for later. 

Roll out the dough in an oblong shape so it is approximately 1/2 inch thick. 

Once the grill is heated, brush some of the garlic infused olive oil on the grates of the grill. Place the dough on the grates. 

In about 3 minutes your dough will start to bubble and the underside will begin browning. Remove the pizza from the grill using two spatulas. Flip over so the browned side is facing up and place on a cutting board that has corn meal on it so the dough doesn't stick. Quickly place your ingredients on top: brush with garlic infused olive oil, red sauce, toppings, and end with cheese. 

Place the pizza back on the grill and cook for a couple of minutes, checking occasionally. Once the cheese has melted and the underside is brown, remove the pizza.

Allow the pizza to sit for a couple minutes, then serve! Enjoy!

With Love,

A

Photos by Preston Anderson

Summer Reading List {Book Club}

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Remember the days of dreaded summer reading... being assigned mandatory reading over the summer only to wait until the week or even day before school started to begin. Well, those days are long gone as I now crave a good book especially over the summer when I can soak up the sun while reading it. 

Books I've read and loved...

The One & Only- I am a huge fan of Emily Giffin so when a friend mentioned she had a new book coming out I was thrilled! I thought the book was okay, not my favorite in comparison to her others but a good light summer read. 

Revenge Wears Prada- I have to admit, I never actually read The Devil Wears Prada but I do claim the movie as my all-time favorite so I thought that gave me enough grounds to read the sequel. Loved the book- the ending was bittersweet but overall a fun read.

Where'd You Go Bernadette- This is a witty read and it's based in Seattle so it made it all the more fun to read. I have to admit I grew a little bored by the end but the authors writing style kept me in my toes. Fun and a very fast read. 

The Fault in Our Stars- AMAZING, I have yet to see the movie but have heard excellent things about it. This book had me in a puddle of tears but so worth it.

Three Weeks with my Brother- This is an older book but was the only book I hadn't read by Nicholas Sparks. I naturally had to add it to my list. I wasn't thrilled about reading it as I knew it wasn't going to be a love story... that being the primary reason why I'm a huge fan of his books. I ended up being pleasantly surprised by the book and found myself bummed after getting through it so quickly. If you are a Sparks fan make sure you get your hands on this one, like all his novels you will not be disappointed. 

Gone Girl- This book is weird but oddly enough intriguing as ever. Over the course of the first half I just needed to know what was happening and once I finally found out I then just needing to know how it ended. I'm dying to see the move coming out this fall, check out the trailer here. 

I'm always adding new books to my library cue so please pass along any titles that you have read and loved. Also, stay tuned for more {Book Club} reviews. 

Thanks for reading, 

L

Cotton Love

I have been on the lookout for a simple cotton dress in a basic color for a long time! I have wanted one that is easy to throw on and is cool during the warmest days of summer here in Minnesota. On our trip to Nashville (see post here) I finally found a cotton, lightweight, basic dress that I seem to gravitate towards often (way too much actually). I love to wear it simply during the day with flats and  dress it up in the evenings with wedges and fun jewelry! 

: : Shop the Post : : 

Just Female Cotton Dress (similar styles here) / / Rebecca Minkoff Handbag / / Tory Burch Wedges / / Anthropologie Necklace / / Chanel Sunnies / / Prestonmade Bangle

With Love,

A

Photos by Preston Anderson 

Navy Midi & Crop

Happy Monday, I hope you had a fun and relaxing weekend. B and I returned yesterday from a weekend in Eastern Washington. We attended a friends wedding and stayed at an adorable B&B in Chelan. The wedding was spectacular, gorgeous weather, beautiful venue, terrific food, and a glowing couple. 

I love when a particular clothing item is "fun" to wear. Well, this midi skirt and crop top are just that... FUN! I picked both up at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale after a glowing recommendation from sister. Although, I had a special occasion to wear this look I'm excited to be able to mix and match the pieces throughout the rest of summer and of course into fall/winter.

:: Shop The Post ::

Topshop Midi Skirt & Crop Top // J. Crew Sandals (similar) // Banago for Tommy Bahama Clutch // J. Crew Earrings (similar) 

Thanks for reading, 

L

Photo's By Brendan Lorentz

Favorite Things Friday

Pretty, pretty, pretty... pin, pin, pin

The catch phrase above was uniquely coined by my husband as he frequently

 catches me spending time looking and pinning pretty inspiration. I love using Pinterest to keep track of inspiration- whether its baking, fashion, or home decor its the best way to store your ideas in one place. Angela and I have been working on building our Pinterest page with the key inspiration being all things pretty of course!

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Thanks for reading, 

L

Images

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 

Easy Blueberry Muffins {Food}

Muffins are one of my favorite things to have for breakfast, I think it might have something to do with the fact they are sweet as can be and look like cupcakes... whats not to love. The best part about these muffins though is the ease in baking them. Most of the ingredients are everyday household items- with the one exception being the FRESH blueberries of course. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Happy baking!

Blueberry Muffins

{recipe courtesy of my Mom}

Cream: 1 stick chilled butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg

Add: 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, a pinch of salt, and last but not least fresh blueberries

Bake in paper lined muffin cups

Batter is stiff, fill muffin cups full

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes

Thanks for reading, 

L

Photo's by Laura Lorentz

Skirt Steak Tacos with Corn Relish {Food}

In the summer P and I love to grill fresh and easy recipes outside. Not only does it create delicious meals, but it makes it a social event as well - enjoying a glass of rose, chatting about our day, or enjoying a fun game of Kubb. This past weekend we celebrated our birthdays with my side of the family and my mom prepared any amazing meal on the grill: skirt steak tacos with corn relish and a side of cajun read beans and rice -- one word, YUM! It was an amazing meal and not too difficult to prepare, and we had so much fun doing it together! Instead of posting the recipe here on A&L, I am going to provide a link to the recipes from Epicurious, because I would not change a thing! Happy grilling everyone!

Skirt Steak Tacos with Corn Relish

Cajun Red Beans and Rice Salad 

With Love,

A

Photos by Preston Anderson

Blue + White

Dresses seem to be one of the only things I feel comfortable in when trying to beat the hot summer heat! Last week in Seattle temps hit the high 80's and this week they are forecasting temps to be in the 90's. In that kind of heat all I really want to do is lay out next to a pool. Since that's not an option, I have been on the search for great everyday dresses. This one from Old Navy is exactly the thing to wear when its HOT, the linen makes it lightweight and breathable and the embroidered flowers add a touch of style!

:: Shop The Post ::

Old Navy Dress (on sale in stores) // J. Crew Espadrilles // Tommy Bahama Clutch // Stella & Dot Necklace (similar) and Bracelet 

Thanks for reading, 

L

Photo's by Brendan Lorentz