post #11 - F5: Pacific Blue, Danielle Bradbery, Ultimate Organizer Bag, Birthday Coupons, & Zucchini Pasta!

Linking Up Again - my favorites this week!

Happy Friday, friends! I am so ready for the weekend! This is the first weekend that we haven't had plans in quite a long time. I'm so ready to catch up on studying, puppy playtime, and things around the house!

 It has been a bit of a dull week around here, filled with too many video lectures and too much rain. But, there are still some things that I'm loving this week and that have helped to make the gray Carolina skies a bit brighter!

1. New Color, Y'all!

My nails stink. They will never look this pretty. But after I saw this polish on one of my friends a few weeks ago, I had to try it! After all, this is probably the last summer that I will professionally be able to rock blue nails. These are clearly not my nails - I bite and pick at my nails and they're certainly not fit for a picture. But this color is fantastic, and I love it. [[Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Pacific Blue]] And it makes my abused fingernails just a little bit happier. That's all.

(picture credit here)

2. Danielle Bradbery

Monday and Tuesday nights have been a little intense in our household lately. My husband and I started watching The Voice last season and are completely hooked. Last season, I loved Cassadee Pope...but this season, I am a huge fan of 16 year old Danielle Bradbery! Y'all...this girl can SING! She reminds me a lot of Carrie Underwood when she was first starting out on American Idol. (Yes, I watched that season 100 years ago). I love her voice and am constantly impressed with her performances week after week. Not to mention, she's absolutely precious. And her coach is Blake Shelton. 

Don't watch The Voice? Check out some of my favorite performances of hers here or here. Disclaimer - Shake the Sugar Tree might be stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Sorry I'm not sorry.

3. Samantha Grace "Ultimate Organizer" Bag

My fifth annual 21st birthday is next week, and I received an early birthday gift from my in-laws on Monday. Since Jo and I are going to Vegas in August (one of my favorite places and I'm soexcitedsoexcitedsoexcited) to celebrate our first anniversary and being finished with the bar exam, my sweet step mother in law gave me this Samantha Grace "Ultimate Bag". It is see through with a cute pattern on the top. Mine is the yellow and white striped one pictured here, but there are lots of options. My favorite feature (and the reason for the gift) is that it can replace a Ziploc bag in carry on luggage and will effortlessly make it through security. (Is that possible? That may be an exaggeration. I don't think going through security is ever effortless) I've never seen these before, but I will definitely be keeping them in mind now for future gifts! And they can go in the dishwasher. Need I say more? (Ahem, conditioner or lotion spill that will literally never stop feeling greasy no matter how many times you try to wipe it out)

4. Birthday Coupons

Ok, I'm not going to pretend not to be loving these. With all the rain, and bar prep, and stuff, I haven't felt like making lunch this week. (Or usually ever, oops). Awhile ago, a sorority sister from college posted on her blog (The Reedy Review) about restaurants that send coupons or give discounts on your birthday. I signed up for several of my favorites then, and had forgotten about them until this week! I plan on cashing in my McAlister's this afternoon, rain permitting ($5 off, not too shabby) and will be enjoying a free Cupcake at Cupcake sometime soon. Probably tomorrow, since they have Salted Caramel Chocolate on Saturdays. Noms. See Laura's post here to see if any of your favorite restaurants do special birthday treats!

(as I said, 5th annual 21st? lets be serious...I will probably be in bed by 10:00 on my bday. mornings come early, yo)

5. Still wanting more Zucchini Pasta...

Can I make this again next week? Is 3 weeks in a row too much? Maybe next time I'll substitute tomatoes for the red pepper. Or add chicken? Or feta cheese? And sub the sauce for lemon, poppyseeds, oil, & vinegar? Hmm. Possibilities are endless. See my post from Tuesday here. Mouth. Watering.

Thanks for reading! If you want to see more, please like Makeshift Margaritas on Facebook and follow me on Blogger to stay up to date. It's so easy! And, as always, I love reading your comments! They brighten my video-lecture filled day!

And, a big thanks to the blogs below for providing such a fun link-up!

MBC

www.the-good-life-blog.com

www.alizadventures.blogspot.com

www.northcarolinacharm.com

www.hellohappinessblog.com

post #10: Asian Zucchini Pasta

Asian Zucchini Pasta...Husband Approved!

Looking for a cheap, easy, healthy weeknight meal? Look no further! I originally found this recipe for zucchini "pasta" here. I was looking for something healthy, filling, and not a salad. I made a few adaptations and developed what will be a staple in our house for years to come. Hope y'all enjoy this healthy dinner as much as we do!

ASIAN ZUCCHINI PASTA

(serves 3-4, depending on how hungry you are!)

Ingredients:

• 3-4 medium sized zucchini
• 1 heaping tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder

Optional:

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced very thinly
• 1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed

Instructions:
1. Using a peeler (I used this one and highly recommend it!), peel zucchini in strips until you get to the middle seeded part. It's okay if these strips are not perfect or are not the entire length of the zucchini- just try to get thin pieces. Add bell pepper & chick peas and mix.
2. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and whisk together to make the sauce. Don't be alarmed that there doesn't seem to be enough sauce for such a large amount of vegetables!
3. Combine vegetables and sauce in a large wok or pan and cook over medium heat until hot, stirring every few minutes. (Note - This takes me around 15 minutes)
4. Serve with a little extra soy sauce or Sriracha - enjoy!

(4 zucchini, 1 red bell pepper, + garlic)

(peanut butter, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, sriracha, ginger, soy sauce, + chick peas)

(what to expect from one zucchini)

(finished peeling the zucchini)

(combined with pepper & chick peas)

(ingredients for sauce)

(what your sauce will look like when finished)

(sauce combined with vegetables)

I LOVE reading your comments, so let me know if you stop by! Please follow me on Blogger or Facebook to get blog updates - or, if it's my lucky day, follow me on both! Thanks!!

MBC

post #9 - Aztec Secret {Product Review}

Skin Secrets...shhh!

Hey friends! I hope your weeks are off to a great start!

I've been pretty blessed with skin that hasn't given me tons of problems. However, after developing an allergic reaction to my last mud mask, I've been looking for something new. I wanted something that didn't break the bank, but still got the job done.

I had almost settled on asking for GlamGlow's mud mask for my birthday. It was a little pricy, but a friend had suggested it and it got decent reviews. However, I decided to keep looking for a few more days and stumbled across Aztec Secret's Indian Healing Clay. 

Upon doing a little more research, I discovered that people who use this become hooked for life. Everyone seems to love it, and I read glowing review after glowing review. People said that it changed their skin, you could "feel it working" and that regular use keeps your skin looking almost flawless. It is supposed to be a little known beauty secret of people with beautiful skin everywhere. I had to try this miracle product...the next day.

 I know that both Vitamin Shop and Amazon carry this, but I was too impatient for Amazon, so I headed to Vitamin Shop. I went in knowing this stuff was cheap, but when I left the cash register after paying a whopping $8.55 for a giant container, I knew that if this product worked, I was sold.

I started by mixing about 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons of dry clay. Next time, I will only use 1 tablespoon of each. The clay is a powdery consistency, but mixed together with the vinegar, it becomes like a normal mud mask. When you first combine the ingredients, it foams and fizzles. Use patience to get the clumps out, ladies - it's worth it in the end! I mixed in a soft plastic bowl, and they recommend that you do not mix this together in metal.

I applied the mask using a foundation brush that I rarely use. The label says that the mask causes tingling while drying. You can feel it pulling your skin tighter and rejuvenating. I completely agree with that statement - I could feel the mask pulling at my skin, especially my forehead and cheeks. I left the mask on for about 25 minutes. I used a warm (old) wet washcloth and removed the mask, although it was already peeling off in pieces.

(hey guys!)

I can truly say that my face feels so much smoother after using this mask! First, it helped in evening out skin tone. Although my face stayed red for about 30 minutes after removing the mask, it bounced back to be much more vibrant than it was to start out with. My pores are noticeably smaller. Above all, my skin feels tight and clean. I wasn't having any problems with acne, but many other reviewers said it worked wonders for them. I know that Aztec Secret has gained one new customer today!

If any of you are in the market for a new skin care product that you can try on a budget, give this a shot. I'd love to hear about your experiences with it!

MBC