Summer Favorites

I apologize that it has been a little quiet around here recently, work has been very busy over the past few weeks as I was preparing to attend the annual NACE {National Association of Colleges and Employers} Conference in Anaheim, California this week. I always look forward to attending because it is an opportunity where campus recruiting and career services professionals are able to connect and collaborate, share challenges, trade best practices and listen to fresh ideas and perspectives about recruiting university talent.

Speaking of Anaheim, this place is beautiful! I hope to find a few hours over the next couple days to venture to Laguna Beach, San Clemente or LA. Stay tuned but until then I will leave you with a few of my Summer favorites.

Favorite Summer Salad:
During the summer, I love a fresh salad. On the weekend, I enjoy spending the afternoon walking up and down the aisles of the Raleigh Farmer's Market or visiting our local produce stand to find the freshest fruits, vegetables and flowers. A few weeks ago, I was craving a salad but not the typical house salad that I usually find myself making or ordering. I wanted something different and I found it!

Ingredients: 

1 Green Pepper

1 Red Pepper

1 Yellow Pepper 

1 Cucumber 

1 bunch of Scallion Onions

1 container of Cherry Tomatoes

6 Ears of Corn

5 ounces of Feta Cheese

4 tablespoons of Olive Oil

3 tablespoons of Red Wine Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons of Sugar

Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Shuck the corn and place it into a large pot of boiling water. Add 2-3 teaspoons of sugar to the water. Cover and let cook for 7-8 minutes or until soft.

2. While the corn is cooking, wash all of the vegetables then dice the green, red and yellow peppers. Slice the cherry tomatoes and cucumbers into halves. Thinly slice the scallion onions. Then combine all of the vegetables into a large bowl.

3. Once the corn is cooked, drain the water and let the corn cool for 4-5 minutes. 

4. On a separate plate, cut the corn off the cob and place the corn into the bowl with the vegetables.

5. Add the Feta Cheese and mix thoroughly. Once everything is well mixed, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of red wine vinaigrette, and salt & pepper to taste. Mix together thoroughly. Enjoy!

Favorite Summer Outfit:

Don't get my wrong, there is nothing better than wearing a dress or a maxi in the summer but I also get very excited when it is finally time to break out my white pants again! Yes, I am one of those people that will begin counting the days until we can wear white. I love pairing white jeans with a bright and fun top for a date night or even during the work week - it is the perfect balance between professional and fun. 

Once I arrived in Anaheim, CA for a work conference this week, I was ready to change into this outfit for an afternoon of meetings and networking events. 

Outfit Details:

Top: Lilly Pulitzer {old}

Pants: 7 For All Mankind Slim Cigarette White Jeans

Shoes: Tory Burch Miller Metallic Gold Sandal

Favorite Summer Cocktail:

The past few weekends have been spent from sun up to sun down {literally} working in the yard. As many of you know, we have been focused on updating the inside of our home over the past 6 months. I have to admit that I have really enjoyed the entire process and seeing the transformation take place in each room. But once the warm weather arrived in North Carolina, TC convinced me that we should take a break from the inside and focus our time and energy on the yard {which also needed a lot of attention}. Our list is lengthy but I can't wait to see what our yard looks like once we are finished! 

After a long day of working in the yard, there is nothing more refreshing than a summer cocktail on the porch with beach music playing in the background, right?! For those of you that follow me on Instagram {stephaniechalk08}, this picture may look familiar. :)

Favorite Summer Quote:

source

What are some of your Summer favorites?