Pineapple & Cucumber Salad

One dinner we make once a week over the warmer months is tilapia. It's so easy to cook and my three year old will actually eat it. Although, we fib a bit and tell her it's chicken. Whatever works. I love making fish with a salsa to go over top or fresh fruit and vegetables as a side. 

Last week I had both cucumber and pineapple in the fridge and decided to combine them to made as a salad to go with our tilapia for dinner. Cucumber pairs well with a variety of fruits so I figured it would be just as tasty with pineapple. I was right. The combination with fresh squeezed lime juice was flavorful, which made it a great pair for the fish we made. Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

1 cup chopped pineapple 

1 cup quartered english cucumber 

1 lime 

1 tbs cilantro (chopped) 

Directions: 

Mix together pineapple and cucumber. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the mixture and stir. Top with chopped cilantro. 

Pecan crusted tilapia with riced cauliflower and cucumber pineapple salad. 

A perfect summer dinner! 

Sweet Heat Pork Chops

My husband is a really good cook. If he's in the kitchen I know I'll enjoy a delicious meal. The thing about his creations though is he doesn't use a recipe. He somehow manages to combine different ingredients, using just the right amount to create a dish that not only leaves me wanting more but also wanting him to recreate it again. That is where the problem comes into play. He usually can't remember what all he puts in to make it again. 

So when he made this pork recipe a few weeks ago, I made him tell me what and how much he used as he was cooking. I'm glad I did because not only is this pork recipe simple, it's delicious. Just the right amount of sweetness with a touch of heat from the chili powder.

Summer is almost here, this would go perfectly on the grill with some veggies! 

Ingredients: 

2 thin boneless pork chops

2 tbs breadcrumbs

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp chili powder

2 tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt and pepper

2 tbs olive oil 

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, cinnamon, chili powder, brown sugar and 1 tbs of the olive oil. 

Salt and pepper the pork chops. 

Cover the pork chops in the sweet heat rub. Make sure all sides are covered. 

Cook in a skillet, grill pan or on the grill. If you're cooking on the oven, use the remaining

olive oil. Pour the tablespoon of olive oil into the pan, heat to medium and cook the pork chops for about 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness.

DIY Tutu Wreath

For Avery's second birthday, we decided on an ice cream and sprinkles birthday party. At the time we were living in Texas but decided to throw her party in Florida while we were on vacation visiting since that was where our most of our friends and family were. It was a bit tricky planning and executing a party in another state and at my parents house, but the day was completely worth it! 

My parents have a great entryway that I knew I wanted to decorate for the party. After a little time spent on Pinterest, I decided on a tutu wreath with a 2 in the center. Since it was an ice cream and sprinkles party, I covered the 2 with sprinkles. The wreath took less than an hour to make and cost less than $10. 

Materials: 

styrofoam wreath- 10 inches

tulle- I used two 25 yard rolls 

scissors

Directions: 

1. cut 14-16 inch strips of tulle, separating the colors into two piles

2. tie the pieces of tulle around the wreath, making a double knot. I did about 5 pieces of orange and 8 pieces of pink in a pattern. 

3. cover the entire wreath with tulle make sure the knots line up. I moved mine a bit towards the back of the wreath. 

4. trim the edges if needed to get the desired length you'd like and even things out. 

To create a fuller look, you can move the knots towards the front and fluff up the tulle. 

To see the rest of the party details, go here.