I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
For your next beach getaway, don’t waste time in the last-minute packing frenzy; think of this post as your checklist for everything you need for a fun-filled day in the sun. From beach umbrellas to floaties, safe sunscreen and insulated cups, these are your essentials you won’t want to hit the sand without.
Preparedness always pays off on a day at the beach, so remember that more is more when it comes to your comfort. Think large beach blankets like these from the shoppe, a couple of hand-held fans, as well as a light and portable sun umbrella that you won’t mind carrying for a few blocks for much-needed relief from the strong rays. Don’t forget a well-stocked cooler bag, along with insulated cups that just so happen to be ice cream cones to keep your drinks cool and refreshing all day long. And of course, you’ll want to bring plenty of fun floaties like this one and this one, and a good old game of bocce ball, am I right?!
Scroll down for more ideas on what to pack for the beach, and tell us what items you can’t be without! Cheers, Kat
Spread out in the sand with a bright and bold beach blanket. This one is perfect because it’s light, extra large and a perfect backdrop for your vacation ‘gram.
Another vital way of protecting yourself from the sun: stylish sunnies! This pair won’t break the bank, and has a fun and playful silhouette fitting for your OOO.
This straw tote is an absolute beach day must-have. With multi-colored cotton tassels and leather handles, it also features a cotton-lined interior that doubles as a drawstring closure. This way, all of your goodies will be protected from the sun, sand and travel!
How fun are these tumbler cups?! Having an insulated cup on the beach makes a world of a difference with keeping your cocktail or H2O cold throughout the warm day. And in these adorable ice cream cones, how can one resist?!
Lazy days on the beach are not complete without a set of playful games. This beautiful wood bocce ball set is always a bestseller this time of year for good reason. It also makes for a great summertime gift at a reasonable price point!
This lightweight, water-resistant sunscreen is a WOM team favorite; it’s formulated with non-nano zinc oxide to blend seamlessly into skin without leaving white streaks, protecting you against both UVA and UVB rays. A lot of other safer sunscreens don’t blend well into the skin, but this one does. It also has aloe to help hydrate skin, and antioxidant-rich green tea and blood orange work to extract fight free radicals.
This flamingo-shaped pool float has a tube-shaped base that holds 5 cups. The spacious interior compartment has a Velcro lid, which will keep your drinks cool and safe inside.
Don’t forget to bring this spacious cooler tote in a bright, vibrant pattern. We love the top-zip design and the insulated interior that keeps our drinks cold on a sunny day. Depth inside is a little over 12 inches.
This portable beach umbrella with its timelessly chic stripes is another must-have for a long day in the sun. It weighs about 12 lbs, and comes with a carrying bag and pole…everything you need to set it up in the sand.
This AM/FM radio is designed with a short handle for convenient, grab-and-go use. The interior compartment has a small storage space and an auxiliary cable which plugs into a phone or MP3 player, all while keeping your phone safe from the sand!
There’s nothing worse than stashing a wet bathing suit into your beach bag to ruin everything else inside. Pack this adorable bag into your tote next time in advance; it has laminated, ticking-striped lining with a zip top and pom-pom pull that does the trick, in style.
Is there really anything better than floating around on a giant rose gold flamingo float? This new color is an instant team favorite from the shoppe; snatch it up while you can!
So today’s Sriracha Chicken recipe was kind of an accident. But don’t some of the best recipes start out like that right?! It all happened as a happy result of peeking into my fridge, looking to see what I had on hand, and getting a little creative with some of my tried-and-true, favorite flavors. Say hello to my Molasses Glazed Sriracha Chicken with Roasted Corn, Beans and Cilantro Lime Rice.
Those tried and true flavors include chicken roasted to perfection. Sweet and spicy BBQ sauce; I like all of my BBQ sauces with brown sugar, so I kept things simple. Sriracha, my favorite spice, to infuse the homemade sauce with a little heat. And since I was out of honey, I grabbed the molasses. The result was absolutely FIRE. There was just something about the way the molasses crystalized on the crispy spicy sriracha chicken.
And don’t let me forget about the pairing with the cool cilantro lime rice from this recipe, and the sweet roasted corn with baked pinto beans and a squeeze of fresh lime…words barely can do it justice.
If you’re intimidated by the steps and different components of this recipe, don’t be. It may feel like there are a lot of moving parts, but in reality you can make the sides ahead of time, or do it while the chicken is roasting. You can also totally use store-bought BBQ sauce if that’s what you have in your fridge…make this easy! That being said, I’ve included my secret equation for moist, succulent chicken below; it always involves roasting the chicken with the simple ingredients, and finishing it with the final flavor or the homemade BBQ sauce in this instance.
Also an important thing to note when you’re using your sauce: whenever you’re using a sugar-based sauce like BBQ, you want to baste it on the chicken only near the end or even after it’s done roasting. Otherwise, the sugar crystals will burn off, leaving your chicken with too much of a charr flavor and taste. If you wait and do it at the end, it will crystallize just enough to give you great texture to enjoy.
As for serving; if you’ve been following along, you’ll recognize that I love plating like this. Here, everything you need is on the plate in several sections. This way, you don’t have to grab from all over to get a little bit of each flavor. As you can see, the corn and beans run through all three areas. I’ve found that plating like this is great for large servings, and it ensures that everyone gets the best of each bite! Truly, MKR
P.S. Here’s another great trick for this recipe: when you’re cutting the corn off the cob, use a bundt pan. By placing the corn cob in the center hole, you’re able to easily shave off the kernels with a knife. It’s then all collected in the bundt pan!
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2-3 of each, skin on chicken breasts, thighs and drumsticks
dark pure molasses (enough to cover the chicken)
1.5 cups brown sugar
1.25 cups Ketchup
1.5 T molasses
2 T ground mustard
2 T apple cider vinegar
Sriracha, to taste
4 T melted unsalted butter, to baste the chicken
1/4 cup olive oil, to baste the chicken
salt & pepper, to taste
4-6 ears of corn, cut from cob
1 large can organic pinto beans, made to directions
fresh jalapenos, sliced to garnish
fresh cilantro, chopped to garnish
fresh limes, sliced to garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Make your homemade brown sugar BBQ sauce: mix your Ketchup, Worcestershire Sauce, apple cider vinegar, ground mustard, molasses and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil then let simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add in desired amount of Sriracha. Stir and set aside.
Spray your pan (or use a nonstick pan) and place chicken into it. Baste the chicken with salt and pepper, olive oil and butter. Depending on how much chicken you have, you want to brush it with enough salt and pepper first. Then follow with olive oil and butter. This will give the chicken its crispy outer layer with moist inside.
Cook for about 30 minutes, using the meat thermometer to monitor doneness. You'll want to baste the chicken with your sauce when it's about 10 degrees from being done.
Meanwhile, cook the pinto beans per label instructions, keep warm and set aside.
Roast the corn in a medium sized sautee pan with butter, salt and pepper. Keep warm and set aside.
Once chicken is about 10 degrees from being done, baste with the BBQ sauce now. I used a basting brush to apply the brown sugar BBQ/Sriracha sauce. Then baste all chicken with a layer of molasses. You can also wait until it's completely done cooking, but I prefer to put it on with about 5 minutes left to cook.
Cook for an additional 5 minutes (or until chicken is fully cooked), and remove from oven. Plate with rice, corn, and beans. Garnish with cilantro, jalepenos and a few squeezes of fresh lime.
I’ve always thought that there’s something so special in holding a physical photograph. So today I want to celebrate the art of the photograph by sharing some of my favorite photo albums, framing services, and picture frames…hello Aerin shagreen frame! And with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day on the horizon, what better time to share a few of my picture project gifts!
I think we’ve all gotten away from the true beauty of personal photography with the digital age. I know I’m guilty of taking pictures on my phone and never doing anything with them! Whether it’s lack of time, energy or what, it’s easy to put off doing something with your photographs. But I promise you, you’ll be so happy you did it when you do.
Gone are the days when the only way to get pictures on the wall was by bringing them into the framers or printers and waiting a week plus. Now a simple trip to your neighborhood Walgreens can print frame-worthy photos from your recent vacation. And fortunately, there are several companies that make the framing process incredibly simple and seamless, with a handful of customized options available that don’t cost an arm-and-a-leg. Simply Framed is one of my favorites, and I also keep Artifact Uprising in my back pocket should I need a meaningful gift idea for family and friends.
Speaking personally, it’s been a goal of mine recently to spend the time and work on a few projects with our old family photos. See, we lost a whole bin of old pictures because of a flood several years ago. For years I said I wanted to go through them and do something with them, and now it’s too late. But going through that ordeal helped me to treasure the rest of our family photo collection, and it inspired me to find heirloom-worthy frames like this one and this one and ways to preserve and enjoy them for years to come. Plus I can’t tell you what a trip it’s been to go through all of these memories.
I’d love to hear how you enjoy preserving your family memories and check out a few additional ways to get started on your own photo projects as well as my favorite frames! Truly, MKR
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These picture frames have been bestsellers in the shoppe for years! These beautiful frames are made of wood styled to look like authentic bamboo and are truly timeless keepsakes.
This sweet frame, along with just about everything in Aerin’s home collection, is a true heirloom piece; it’s handcrafted with an embossed shagreen finish with brass hardware.
The iconic Polaroid camera gets a facelift with this 600 Instant Camera. There’s just something about the instant gratification of a Polaroid picture, am I right?! Love the idea of having one of these on-hand for birthday parties and vacations.
I’m set on bringing back the photo album trend. This fun piece holds 160 4×6 photos, which would be perfect for memorializing an entire school year, a great summer break or action-packed Euro trip!
Wood Gallery Single Opening Picture Frames in White
These timeless frames in crisp white feature solid hardwood and fine biscuit corners. They also come with bevel-cut archival quality mats, allowing you to achieve museum-quality frames on your gallery wall.
Here’s another gorgeous timesake from the shoppe; this ivory picture frame is a great addition to any bedside table or console table along with any beloved photo.
kate spade new york makes the sweetest frames if you didn’t already know. This silver one is one of those to pass on to generations to come; its intricate edges and details give your favorite photo an elevated touch.
These beautiful, minimalistic photo albums by Artifact Uprising may be my favorite. The simple lines and extra-thick pages ensure that these albums are timeless, high quality favorites long into the future.
If you find yourself hanging a gallery wall or collection of framed photos anywhere around the house, be sure to use this easy tool kit to ensure that all of your bases are covered. There’s nothing worse than getting started and realizing you don’t have the right hardware!
Known for her dazzling gemstone jewels Kendra Scott has expanded into the home decor market, and I’m so happy she did! Her stone picture frames are absolute show stoppers!
Featured image, Rustic White for Waiting on Martha
