Casear Salad - Classic & Just a Bite + Sponsor Spotlight

Happy Tuesday, everyone - one day closer to that holiday weekend.  Today I'm sharing a favorite in this house.  A simple and regular Caesar salad is probably both mine and Derek's favorite salad - I mean, it's classic!

Caesar Salad - Just a Bite:
I can't even remember where I originally saw the idea to make these but anything bite size is a favorite of mine.  This will be a repeat appetizer for us I'm sure as the weather gets warmer and a staple at summer BBQ's.

Ingredients:
romaine lettuce
croutons
cooked chicken - cubes
parmesan cheese - cubes
caesar dressing
toothpicks

Directions:
Mix the caesar dressing in with the lettuce in a mixing bowl.  Put a lettuce wedge, chicken cube, parmesan cheese cube through a toothpick and then gently push it into the crouton.  You might have to push the first three ingredients down the toothpick a little to get them to stand right on the crouton (pushing the toothpick only halfway into it is the best way to not have it crack).

*You could also just drizzle the dressing over each bite once finished.

Classic Caesar Salad:
Derek and I usually cheat and just get the lettuce, croutons, fresh parmesan and sometimes grilled chicken and mix it all together with store bought dressing.  However, my step-dad makes the most amazing homemade salad (originally from Rachel Ray, I believe) so if we're having dinner at my parent's house or having them over, we will frequently request that they bring/make this.

Sorry for the terrible photo, it was hard digging through to find one! 

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
4 anchovy fillets
1 hard-boiled egg yolk
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/3 teaspoon each salt and pepper

2 head romaine lettuce, torn
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
croutons

Directions:
Chop up the garlic clovers and anchovy fillets.  Add in the hard-boiled egg yolk, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon dry mustard and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.  Mix until all blended smoothly.  Toss the lettuce in a large serving bowl with the dressing and parmesan cheese.

Sponsor Spotlight:
Lastly, I'd like to introduce you to a new sponsor today, Kelsey from The Peacock Roost.  Kelsey is a newlywed who blogs about many aspects of life including starting a business! She's shared some great recipes including crockpot beefy cheesy tortellini (photo below).  I'll let Kelsey share a little bit more about herself.  Be sure to check out her great giveaway at the bottom of the post.

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Hi, I'm Kelsey, lifestyle blogger at The Peacock Roost!  I'm 27 and live in Kentucky with my husband!  I work at a financial advising firm and also run The Green Peacock, an organic lawn care company, with my husband and have my own consulting business on the side as well.  I love spending time with my husband & family, church, reading, Pure Barre, Netlix binges, cooking, shopping, decorating, organization and anything southern!  I blog because I love having a diary of our lives and I absolutely love the blogging community and connecting with new people!  My lifestyle blog, The Peacock Roost, focuses on our married life, recipes, favorite finds, organization, fitness & more. Hope you'll come visit and follow along!

Favorite posts: Louisville + Springsteen, Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Crockpot Beefy Cheesy Tortellini, Living Room Renovation, Fitness Updates

A few fun facts:

Favorite food:  Pasta.  Give me all the pasta!

Place wanting to travel: I would really love to visit all of Europe, Ireland and Scotland, and travel back to Africa!

Favorite cocktail: I love a good glass of Moscato, champagne or a mimosa!  I'm a sweet wine and champagne girl :)

Favorite TV shows: Blue Bloods, When Calls the Heart, Scandal, Grey's Anatomy, RHOBH, RHONJ, all the Chicago shows (PD/Fire/Med) and I'm a total sucker for the CW shows (Reign, The Vampire Diaries and The Originals)!

Favorite Store: Nordstrom or Target!

Favorite Sports team: College - Louisville Cardinals, Pro - Dallas Cowboys!

Favorite Holiday: ​Christmas!  I already have several gifts and new decor purchased for this year and have plans to double our decorating!  I want to enjoy 2016 but I'm really excited for this Christmas and all the new and fun things I have planned :)

I hope you all enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about Kelsey, make sure to pop by her blog and say hello.  Also, don't miss her fabulous giveaway below - a Lilly Pulitzer wine glass set (a girl after my own heart!) The giveaway will run through Friday so don't miss out! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* if you're interested in being a future sponsor of Christina Lea Loves, click here for more information.

Weekend Whereabouts

It's been a while since I've done a regular old weekend post (and these are the ones I most enjoy looking back on).  This was one filled with lots of catchup, relax and family gatherings, so here we go...

We kicked off the weekend celebrating my brother's birthday!  We did a local Italian restaurant (delicious) and went back to his house for drinks and such afterwards.  I love celebrating birthdays (hello, cake!) and it was a great night full of many laughs.

similar sleeveless blouse style

After some early morning errands including dropping my car off for service, Derek was off for the golf course and I had a long overdue day at home complete with a long Stella walk, a nap and the ever important - closet clean out/switch.  Even though our weather this weekend wasn't quite spring like, I wanted to be prepared so it was out with the heavy sweaters and in with the spring tops and dresses - luckily the weather will be getting warmer later this week.

Stella frequently runs errands with us too - safety first and got her seat belted right in too.

 I love to see all the brights come back into the closet - much more my speed than winter items.

{New closet additions: Lilly Pulitzer dress / aqua floral / mint floral - 20% off}

The big yearly clean out of bags to take off to good will - feels great to get rid of and get organized.

We went to a local steakhouse on Saturday night to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and meeting eight years ago.  I ate well more than I should have but those sides are so hard to say no to!

It was so nice to both be home for a weekend and Sunday really reflected that with the usual Sunday routine - church and picking up our palms for Palm Sunday, a visit to Grandmom's, some quick returns at the mall and then picking up some delicious salads for lunch amongst fixer upper episodes. Any weekend with two naps is okay in my book (even if a quick one) and we squeezed in a quick gym session before getting ready to head out again.

Palms from the service.

Last night we met up with some of the family (some was out of town and such) to celebrate what would have been my Grandma's 90th birthday! We lost her this past September and she is still very much missed, loved and thought about each day.  She really was one of my best friends (and best wine drinking partners!) so I enjoyed a sip of her favorite - pinot grigio out of one of her wine glasses.

elsa tops / tassel earrings

We got a few snow flurries yesterday - not as much as they predicted but hopefully that's the end of winter and we can enjoy the warmer weather now that it's officially spring!

I hope everyone has a great start to the new week! xx

Loving This Week

Happy Friday, all! I'm looking forward to a nice weekend at home.  I'm also looking forward to the start of spring on Sunday which is also bringing us a possible snow - how is that possible?! 

necklace / wallet / earrings / tank top / heels / romper / sandals / straw tote

I love chunky necklaces but not usually that heavy.  I gave this mint one a try and it's the perfect mix (also available in teal / blush / grey).  In the same package - these cute tassel earrings.

Hot pink is one of my favorite colors for summer and I love how this color pops as an earring even with my dark hair (also available in teal here).  While on the note of pink - I love the style Tory Burch wallets and have been eying this pink one - 30% off right now at their website sale.  This tote might not be on sale but I love the color combos and a straw tote (or a couple) are key for the season and can  be used for so many occasions.

I've been loving the black/floral combo on many items (sharing another favorite next week) and a navy romper is a key closet item for me, I need a new one this season and this looks like the one.

I love heels, I'm short and they add a great something extra BUT I love heels that are comfortable and not too high.  These look to fit the part and come in so many colors (all here).  This pale pink Kate Spade sandal is too cute too pass up.  It's not available in stores yet but with easy returns I was willing to take a try on it (black / gold / mint / coral).

Other Happenings:
+ Tory Burch is having an online sale - up to 70% off through Monday.  You can shop here.  There are tons of things for sale (a few items that I have, love and wanted to share sold out before I could) but this pebbled wristlet, I love and it's perfect for an evening out or even bringing a few items to the pool.

+ Other sales this week... Many varieties of Ray Bans are 20% off (here).

+ Three hours is a little much for me (especially right after daylight savings time) but I love everything about The Bachelor finale - Lauren winning (perfect for Ben), JoJo as the Bachelorette (perfect for us).  This article was an interesting look at the finale wardrobe secrets.

+ Speaking of The Bachelor, I finished Emily Maynard's new book in a few days (quick for me) and was so hooked into her story... would definitely recommend.

+ Kelsey shared some great Easter inspiration this week (Bacon, ranch pasta salad - yes!) and Emily shared some fantastic book reviews (including Bread & Wine, which I've been dying to read) that anyone looking for a new read should check out!

Happy Weekend! Cheers!

The Day I Met My Husband

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everybody! We always find such joy in celebrating this holiday and it has nothing to do with Irish, green or beer.  Eight years ago I met my husband on this day! 

It was the spring trimester of my freshman year and finished up classes early in the afternoon, I dropped my stuff at the dorms, put my green on (I can still remember what I was wearing!) and headed off with some friends for a fraternity party to celebrate.

Right when we got there I saw a boy I'd never noticed before - it was Derek and he'd just transferred in (funny because my original plan wasn't to go to JWU either).  We didn't officially date in college, we more preferred to spend time with our friends (many of our friends were there the day we met AND at the wedding!) but we weren't just friends either.  A little over a year after I graduated (he had already graduated, he's three years older) we reunited and dated, spent almost two years long distance, got engaged in October 2013, closed the long distance gap and lived with my parents while our house was being build, tied the knot in September 2014 and the rest is history!

Standing out front of the house where the party was (Derek knew where it was and remembered it, I did not) on a trip back to Providence this past September for a friend's wedding.

This day always brings such sweet memories and who knew a college fraternity and this little holiday would wind up having so much meaning?! It's definitely easy to remember our "meeting" anniversary since it's a holiday (if not I'm not sure we'd even pay attention to it, ha!) but we always try to do something to celebrate around this day.  We'll be doing our celebrating this weekend, tonight I'll be celebrating with dinner & drinks with a girlfriend and Derek with a big March Madness event.

Enjoy celebrating today, if you are! Cheers!

Linking up with Thoughts for Thursday today.