Hash It Out

Happy Monday! Now, is it too early to start thinking about the weekend? Lucky for me I've got a short week ahead and a fun weekend to follow. Two of my favorite girls from the east coast are leaving the cold behind and coming to the warm west coast, and I am so excited! Not only do I get to show Brittany and Katie around LA, but we are also going wedding dress shopping soooo lots to look forward too!! 

Maybe your upcoming weekend isn't quite as exciting, but the good news is there's always brunch to look forward too. Brunch is a great weekend tradition. Saturday and/or Sunday rolls around, the fridge and pantry are basically running on E, but somehow there's enough the scrounge up a fantastic brunch. A few weeks ago I posted a recipe for Hot Chocolate French Toast, and today I've got another breakfast/brunch recipe for you: Potato & Zucchini Hash. Chop everything up, throw it in the frying pan, and serve it with a fried egg. Done and yum. 

XO –– Courtney

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Potato & Zucchini Hash

INGREDIENTS

· 1 Russet Potato

· 1 Small Zucchini

· 1 T Olive Oil

· Salt & Pepper

· Rosemary & Basil (optional seasoning)

· 2 Eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash & dry potatoes. Slice thinly and cut into quarters.

2. Heat oil in a skillet on medium high. Add potatoes and seasonings. Cook for about 15 minutes until potatoes are almost cooked through. Stir frequently. 

4. Reduce heat to medium and add zucchini. Cook for about 7 minutes until potatoes are cooked through & zucchini is soft.

5. Serve with fried eggs.

Makes 2 servings.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

follow on bloglovin

Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

Between the new job & wedding planning, I haven't had much time for sitting, waiting, or wishing. But it's been a good kind of busy. Sometimes work is just work, but other times I get a really fun design that I get to lose myself in, and wedding planning, well that's just plain fun. Currently planning our engagement shoot here in LA, "interviewing" photographers in NC, and searching for a coordinator. If you have any recommendations, show me some love in the comments. :)

With all the hustle & bustle, I've had my boyfriend jeans and tees on rotation. Give me a cardigan to throw on for the cooler days and a comfy heel so I can feel slightly put together, & I'm ready to conquer whatever fills my schedule. But no matter how busy your week is, make sure you do set aside some time to just relax. Even if you have to pencil permanent marker it in. 

XO – Courtney

follow on bloglovin

[photo credit: zack hardy]

DIY: Love's Brewing

One of my goals this year (as I touched on here) is to do more DIY projects. I love crafts, but I don't always have the time (or make the time) for them. Binge-watching Netflix is great, but it's called multitasking.  I've also mentioned that I want to start some DIY blog posts (and have done a couple), so I'm officially making it my goal to do at least one DIY project (and post) a month. Some will be simple, some might be more involved. I know I'm not the only one with a Pinterest board full of ideas waiting to be tackled. 

Today's DIY is brought to you by Valentine's Day. Or more accurately, because Valentine's Day is this weekend. Zack and I always celebrate in some way, shape, or form. We never do extravagant gifts or anything...but I always have one request (demand): chocolate. Valentine's is the perfect holiday for DIY gifts. First off all, cards. From the time we can write our names (which may or may not be legible or spelled correctly), we are handing out cards to our classmates. So whether you're celebrating with an S.O. or your BFF, nothing gets you in the spirit of love like a cheesy (punny) card.

Up next: the simplest (and really darn cute) heart-shaped tea bags. Zack and I don't do coffee, but we love hot tea. I saw this idea on Pinterest and knew it would be a fun addition to the usual chocolate heart. Also thinking this could be a perfect party (or wedding) favor. Scroll down for the tutorial.

Also probably should have started this post with a spoiler alert cuz these are actual cards for some of my friends so...hopefully you checked your mail? And yes, Zack's getting the Harry Potter card because A) it's punny and B) we may or may not have just had a marathon recently. Oh yea, and I told him he's not allowed to read this blog until Saturday so...no spoilers for him. 

XO – Courtney 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUPPLIES

• Tea

• Coffee Filters or Tea Bags

• Thread

• Needle

• Scissors

• Colored Paper

• Funnel

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut out a heart shaped in the coffee filters for the tea bag. It may be easier to use a piece of paper as a stencil. 

2. Sew 2 hearts together, leaving a small opening for the tea to be poured. 

3. Use a funnel to fill the tea bag. Sew shut. 

4. Cut small hearts out of colored paper to use for the tag. Use thread to attach the tag to the tea bag. 

5. Wrap in a cute DIY box. (I used this one). 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Let's Taco Bout It: Roasted Chickpea Tacos

I love tacos. Buying them, making them, just as long as I get to eat them. One of my favorite recipes is this crockpot chicken taco recipe (whether it's in a crunchy bowl or a soft tortilla), but recently I've discovered (more like realized the potential) of using chickpeas as a taco filling.

Not only will you have a delicious taco at your fingertips, but these tacos are easy to make and a healthy (vegetarian) option. Mix the chickpeas and spices together, and bake them in the oven. While they bake, get all the toppings together (cheese, purple cabbage, lettuce, cilantro...knock yourself out). Ready for the icing on the cake? Top it off with Homemade Cilantro Lime Crema (i.e. a sour cream replacement that is a million times better & healthier). Check out both recipes below.

Now if you're feeling really fancy (and not vegetarian), try combining the chicken tacos with the chickpeas. Another yummy option in my opinion. There's also options when it comes to the tortillas. Crunchy or soft? Why choose? You can easily throw soft tortillas in the oven and create your very own crunchy taco shell. You can create a crunchy taco bowl (see how to here), or simply use the oven rack to create a taco shell (see below). So many choices, and in this case, there is no wrong one. Muy Bien!

XO – Courtney

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Roasted Chickpea Tacos

INGREDIENTS

· 2 t Chili Powder
· 1 t Ground Cumin
· 1/4 t Garlic Powder
· 1 t Sea Salt
· 1 T Fresh Lime Juice
· 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
· 1 tablespoon Water
· 1 (15 oz.) Can of Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
· Corn Tortillas
· Red Cabbage, chopped
· Lettuce, chopped
· Shredded Cheese
· Cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, lime juice, olive oil, & water in a bowl. Stir in chickpeas.

2. Pour seasoned chickpeas onto a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until slightly crispy. Stir occasionally.

3. Fill tortilla with chickpeas and toppings as desired.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cilantro Lime Crema

INGREDIENTS

· 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt

· 1/2 Lime

· 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Combine Greek yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro in a bowl. Stir well and serve. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

follow on bloglovin

Warmest Winter

Earlier this week, Punxsutawny Phil predicted 6 more weeks of winter, and with news like that I couldn't be more thrilled to live in SoCal. The days are warm, the nights are cool, and although I'm not ready to completely tuck away my winter wardrobe (just because we don't get winter weather, doesn't mean we don't do winter style...and hey, there have been a few cool days), there's one thing I am done with: pants. Ok, not completely, but I have broken out shorts and dresses every day this week, so for these next 6 weeks of whatever weather is in store, I'm going to happily merge the best of both seasons. Boots with dresses, sweaters with shorts...you get the idea.

Another thing I'm looking forward to: starting my job with Kellwood tomorrow. The "vacation" (i.e. unemployment) was nice for a while, but eventually, it just gets boring. I'm ready to have some structure back in my life (and a paycheck, let's be honest). It also doesn't hurt that I'll be doing work that I will enjoy. 

 XO — Courtney 

cardigan [forever 21] // dress [h&m] // shoes [sam edelman] // necklace [the limited]

follow on bloglovin 

Party Hardy: Popping the Question

 

It's been an eventful week. For starters, today marks 1 year since I started this blog. I'd call that an accomplishment (and a reason to celebrate/give myself a pat on the back). Next thing: I was offered a full time job as a Print Designer with Kellwood. This was pretty out of the blue for me (I was a temp for them until the end of 2014 and thought that door had closed but here we are now). 

And having a steady paycheck came at a pretty ideal time for Zack and I because (drumroll please)....we have a wedding date! April 1, 2016. And, no, we aren't fooling you with the date. More on the where and when later; today we're focusing on the who.

I knew who I wanted to be in my bridal party for a while but I made no mention of it to anyone (although as some of my best friends, I'm sure they knew it was coming). I planned on popping the question when I visited NC, and I had found the perfect idea on Pinterest (side note: how did anyone plan a wedding before Pinterest?).

So today's post (and one of the first DIY/wedding posts for the blog) recounts how I popped the question. Let's meet the maids:

Katie Allen Peters —the matron of honor. Friends since middle school, the good times go way back. 

Brittany Hall — the maid of honor. Met the first day of high school and the rest is history. 

Megan May — bridesmaid. We met in college but I feel like we've been friends forever. 

Lizie Hardy — bridesmaid. Zack's sister but we were friends before Zack & I started dating. 

I had everyone meet for dinner under the pretense that I wanted a girls night the weekend I came back into town. Everyone got a box and inside was a balloon with the instructions to "pop" it. (Get it?) Scroll through the pictures below, and you'll see how it went down. 

And in case anyone is wondering, they said yes. 

#partyhardyof2

XO — Courtney 

PS -- for those of you following who don't know me, my fiancé's last name is Hardy...hence the "Party Hardy" & the wedding hashtag. Here's the story of how he popped the most important question. Thanks for following!

follow on bloglovin