Rachel McCarthy, Author at A Blonde's Moment

Falling for Back to School Essentials

August 24, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Wednesday! I guess this week should have been declared “Back to School” week here on ABM {you can read yesterday’s packable lunch recipe HERE}! And whether you or your kids are heading back to school or college or you are just ready for a new season, there are a few staple pieces that every girl needs in her closet. And the best part about these pieces is that they can be mixed and matched to create several different looks. Super helpful if you are in college and have limited space. Do you remember how tiny your closet space was in your dorm??

**The above picture was from a post last year when we were back visiting my alma mater! You can read that post HERE. I’ve updated all the outfit details so you can find some similar pieces 🙂

long cardigan {available in 7 colors} | striped tee | chambray top

cropped jeans | skinny jeans {only $9.99!} | black leggings {I wear these all the time!}

Two of my very favorite tops in my closet are a striped tee and chambray shirt. Not only can they be worn in multiple seasons, but they look perfect with blanket scarves {I just ordered THIS one and cannot wait for it to arrive!} or layered under sweaters and cardigans. Speaking of cardigans — it’s all about the layers in the fall and having a few cardigans on hand is a great way to achieve that cozy fall look, and stay warm!

My go-to pants for fall are skinny jeans and black leggings. I’ve mentioned this before, but THESE leggings are my very favorite. I have one pair for working out and another for dress up. They are a little thicker than most leggings and they are perfect to pair with oversized sweaters and tunics. As for jeans, I will always love skinny jeans {can you believe these are under $10?!} but I have already jumped on the “cropped jean” bandwagon! I have a pair in black that are similar to THESE, but I’m thinking about adding more colors to my cropped jean collection. Wear these trendy jeans with flats or ankle boots. And speaking of shoes, that leads me to my next category…

ankle booties {available in 10 colors!} | pointed flats {under $50} | comfy heels | lace-up flats

When it comes to shoes, I have a serious weakness. Especially if they are fall shoes. Since this is a back to school/fall essentials post, I wanted to break down my favorite styles that are a necessity in any closet. You can never go wrong with ankle booties because they can be styled so many different ways! I have loved THESE ankle booties for over a year now {they come in several other colors, too} but I ended up buying THESE perforated booties during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale {since they were less expensive during the sale}. I love the ones I bought, but THESE are still calling my name!

Comfy heels are definitely a necessity if you have a 9-5 job and these are already on my wish list! I had a similar pair of heels {with this chunkier heel} that I wore for years. They were my very favorite, but I literally wore them to death. THESE would be the perfect replacement!

Lastly, you can never have too many flats, since they are the ultimate in comfort. I love THIS pointed toe solid shoe and couldn’t resist sharing THIS cheetah lace-up flat! You can never have too much animal print, right? 😉

winged satchel {available in 3 colors & under $80!} | leopard pencil case | wool hat | color pens | hanger paper clips {aren’t these cute?!} | 17-month agenda | laptop case | watch | acrylic stapler & tape dispenser | marble iPhone case

Growing up, I always loved back to school time. I obviously loved shopping for clothes, but my very favorite was picking out school supplies and accessories! I am actually in the process of re-organizing my home office, so a lot of these office accessories are already on my wish list. How cute are these hanger paper clips?! And I love the acrylic stapler and tape dispenser. When it comes to clothing accessories, a fall hat is always a must in my book and a large satchel or tote scream back to school and fall. THIS faux leather and suede satchel is also available in cognac/black and eggplant/black. A seriously hard decision!

What are some of your back to school and/or fall essentials? Have a wonderful Wednesday!!

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Quinoa Salad with Pesto: Packable Lunch Idea

August 23, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

It’s that time of the year again! As kids are heading back to school, it’s time to think about back to school clothing and fall staples {more on that tomorrow} and packing lunches. I always had a packed lunch throughout elementary, middle and high school {I wasn’t a huge fan of cafeteria food!} and I still pack my lunch most days for work. But, coming up with packable lunch recipes can be difficult. Even if you aren’t heading back to school, this is a great time of the year to hit the “reset button” on packing your lunch for work!

I’ve always been fascinated by the “salad in a Mason jar” idea. You can customize each jar with the toppings of your choice, make a weeks worth by dividing the ingredients into separate jars and grab one out of the refrigerator and head to work. When it comes to packing lunches, I’m all about convenience, ease and bonus points if it’s filling and healthy!

As for the inspiration behind these ingredients, one of my favorite places to pick up a salad is sweetgreen. Not only are the ingredients fresh, but the combinations are delicious and super healthy. Unfortunately, the salads are a little on the expensive side. A few months ago, sweetgreen opened a location near my office and I knew that had the potential to be bad. One of the main reasons I love packing my lunch is because I hate the price of eating out. Thankfully, I haven’t been too tempted by sweetgreen since they opened, and now that I was able to recreate one of my favorite salads they offer, I think I will stick to this homemade and cheaper version!

Check out the recipe below. If you don’t like some of these ingredients, you can easily replace them with your favorites. I couldn’t pass up the chance to include fresh corn on the cob since summer is fading quickly. And no matter what ingredients I select, I always like to incorporate a grain, such as quinoa, to make it a little more filling.

**See THIS post on how I make my pesto**

print recipe

Quinoa Salad with Pesto

by Rachel McCarthy August-23-2016

A healthy and packable lunch idea for work or back to school.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, cooked
1 cup arugula
3/4 cup pesto
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
1 ear corn on the cob
3 quart-sized Mason jars

Instructions

Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. Once the quinoa has cooled, in a clean Mason jar, begin by layering the ingredients in the following order: quinoa, arugula, tomatoes, corn and about 1 tablespoon of pesto. Repeat the layers ending with the pesto. Secure the lid tightly and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Yield: 3 servings

What are your go-to lunch recipes that are easy to take to school or work? If you are looking for more packable lunch ideas, check out THIS cauliflower rice and THIS quinoa caprese salad.

Have a great Tuesday, friends!

This post is linked up with: Tasty Tuesdays | Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday | Two Cup Tuesday | Weekend Potluck

Fall Favorites: Olive Green & Leopard

August 22, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! I was busy cooking up some food posts to share with you in the coming weeks, so stay tuned for those! I also played some golf and tennis and the temperatures were HOT. I think it’s safe to say I am finally over these hot and humid summer temperatures!

Oversized Cardigan: Nordstrom {available in 5 colors} | White Tee: Nordstrom | Black Jeans: J.Crew | Leopard Pumps: Sam Edelman | Bag: Modalu | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Lips: #47

You may remember me mentioning that olive green is one of the colors I’m looking forward to most this fall {see THIS post}. I picked up THIS oversized, open-front cardigan during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale because I loved the color so much {it’s also available in 4 other colors HERE}. I have plans to wear it several ways this fall, but I love the contrast of the white tee with the black jeans and of course my favorite pair of leopard pumps 🙂

I hope you all have a great start to the week! Be sure to check back tomorrow for a back to school inspired recipe and a Wednesday Wishes devoted to the start of fall and a new school year. It’s hard to believe it’s already that time of the year. Thanks for dropping by!

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Perforated LBD

August 18, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Friday Eve, friends! Today, I’m sharing THE most perfect black midi dress. I wore it on the last day of the TBS Conference in Charleston and it was comfortable not only during the day but also for driving all the way back to Virginia that night. Sounds too good to be true, right?!

Perforated Midi Dress: J.Crew Factory {on clearance! Also available in bright orange} | Bucket Bag: Mark and Graham c/o | Studded Sandals: Rebecca Minkoff {on sale – 50% off!} | Monogram Necklace: Onecklace c/o | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Monogram Cuff: Mark and Graham c/o | Lips: #47, #07

I was skeptical when I first saw this dress on J.Crew Factory’s website. I love the cut-out, perforated detail, the length and the slits on the side, but because it was final sale, I was a little leery. One good way to talk me out of buying something is mentioning “final sale”. But I took a chance {living on the wild side!} and I’m so happy I did! It fits perfectly. True to size and the perfect midi length, with the slits just high enough. {For reference, I am about 5’8} It is a little low cut, but nothing a cami can’t fix! As far as I am concerned, you can never have too many little black dresses, but if you are looking for some color, it is also available in a bright orange.

I decided to stick with blush and nude accessories for more of a summer look, but with a black dress, you can really accessorize with any color. If you follow along on Instagram {rach.mccarthy}, I posted a picture of these designer lookalike sandals the other night as a peek to today’s post. They are currently on MAJOR sale — 50% off to be exact! They have been my go-to summer flat sandal and can be styled with just about anything in my closet.

As if there wasn’t enough to love about this dress, it is also great for work. I’ve actually already worn it a few times during the week and I’m looking forward to pairing it with a cardigan or jacket as the cooler air sets in {which is hopefully soon!}. You know how much I love those versatile pieces!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Thanks for dropping by and see you back here on Monday!

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Neutrals

August 17, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

ruffled blouse | black tassel earrings | sunglasses {only $12!} | lipstick {“nude kate”} | monogrammed bracelet {available in 12 colors} | leopard watch {only $53!} | saddle bag {available in 5 colors} | suede sandals {I have these in black and they are SO comfortable!} | nail polish {“picked perfect”} | black jeans {25% off with code REFRESH}

Happy Wednesday! As we get closer and closer to fall, I am always drawn to more neutral colors. Not only are neutral colors easy to transition into the new season but it’s a great excuse to break out the black and tan combination. And of course my favorite neutral, leopard 🙂

I spotted THIS ruffled blouse last week and just fell in love with it. With the crazy hot temperatures we have been experiencing the last few weeks, it would be perfect to wear now with a pair of shorts or throw a cardigan over it for fall. You have to love versatile pieces that you can wear now and once the temperatures change!

I mentioned my love for mixing black and tan and I could not think of two better tan accessories than THIS saddle bag with the cute tassel or THESE suede sandals. I received an email last week featuring this saddle bag and I became instantly obsessed. It reminds me of THIS designer bag that I’ve had my eye on for years, but not quite as expensive. And how can you not love that tassel?! When it comes to the shoes, I already have THIS pair in black patent leather {last seen HERE}, but I’m really loving the neutral suede for fall. They are super comfortable {thanks to the lower heel} and priced at only $60! I might have to add this fall version to my collection 😉

Thanks so much for stopping by and have a wonderful Wednesday!

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The Best Fall Recipes

August 16, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

When it comes to choosing a favorite season, Fall always wins in my book. There is something about the cool, crisp air and the warm and delicious flavors of the season that has me dreaming of the leaves turning during the heat of summer…like right about now! And although it may not seem like it with these temperatures, Fall is right around the corner. Today, I wanted to share some of my favorite Fall recipes that will even have the lovers of summer dreaming of these pumpkin, butternut squash and maple flavors!

Simple Pumpkin Muffins with Vanilla Glaze

{recipe HERE}

I’ve been making these three ingredient muffins for a few years now and I just can’t get enough of them. I was actually craving these pumpkin muffins back in June and considered making them. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any of the canned pumpkin or I probably would have made them in a heartbeat! The vanilla glaze is optional {and it will add a few more ingredients to your ingredient count} but it gives the muffin the most delicious sweetness. Truthfully, I would eat the glaze without the muffin. It’s that good 😉

Autumnal Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

{recipe HERE}

This salad truly captures just about every flavor of Fall in one dish! And it’s pretty healthy, too. With the roasted butternut squash, cranberries, pecans and maple vinaigrette, it may seem like a pretty sweet salad. But, the kale and goat cheese really cut the sweetness and leave you with a healthy salad that tastes like Fall in just one bite.

Butternut Squash & Sage Fettuccine

{recipe HERE}

I’m a sucker for anything pumpkin or butternut squash during the Fall. I have come up with countless ways of incorporating these two ingredients into main courses, but this is probably one of my favorites. Although it sounds and looks relatively complicated, the sauce is a quick butternut squash puree that is finished with the crispy sage. A quick and super impressive weeknight meal!

Roasted Fall Vegetable Pizza

{recipe HERE}

Last, but certainly not least, is one of my favorite Fall pizzas. Some of you may remember that Friday night is pizza night in our house and I love coming up with new ideas each week. I first made this a few years ago and it’s usually one of the first pizzas I make when the temperatures start to drop. With a pesto sauce and roasted medley potatoes, butternut squash, red onions and carrots, it’s one delicious and hearty pizza for those cool Fall days. Like so many of these Fall favorites, you can truly taste the season in each bite!

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What are some of your favorite fall recipes? Please excuse some of the food photos — these were taken when A Blonde’s Moment was just starting out and I frankly had no idea what I was doing with a camera! They are some of my favorite recipes though and I didn’t want you to miss them 🙂

Thanks so much for stopping by and happy Fall cooking!

This post is linked up with: Tasty Tuesdays | Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday | Two Cup Tuesday | Weekend Potluck

Chambray & Stripes

August 15, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! If you follow along on Instagram or Snapchat {rach.mccarthy7}, you may have caught a few snaps and videos from the My2K Tour we went to Saturday night. My 13 year old self was BEYOND excited to see O-Town. But let’s be honest, my 28 year old self was just as excited! If you are a fan of late 90s and early 2000s music and the tour is coming to your area, I would highly recommend it. Thanks to Richard for coming with me to the concert and putting up with my former {or current? haha} love of boy bands 😉

Although it was crazy hot this weekend {110 degree heat index on Saturday!} I wanted to share with you another fall transitional look with one of my favorite summer dresses. You may remember THIS striped dress from THIS post a few weeks ago. I’ve been wearing it so much this summer — it’s easy to throw on to run errands and I’ve even worn it for a few “casual Fridays” at work. To make it a little more fall-ready, I added my go-to chambray button-up shirt {last seen HERE} and some fall accessories: my black floppy hat and open toe ankle booties. Although these ankle booties are from last season, they are still very much in style with that block heel. Unfortunately, these particular booties are no long available, but I did link a few similar pairs above.

Do you have a favorite way to style a summer piece for a more transitional look? I would love to hear in the comments section below. Thanks so much for stopping by and have a great start to the week!

P.S. Speaking of fall, I updated some of my favorite fall pieces on the right side bar so be sure to check them out. This hot weather is getting me more and more excited for those cool and crisp temperatures!

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There Is Still Time For Summer Brights!

August 11, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

Happy Friday Eve! I cannot believe another week is coming to an end and that we are almost halfway through August! I mentioned in yesterday’s post that I was having serious season confusion this week. But, I think this bright Lilly Pulitzer number is a great reminder that there is still time to break out those brights!

Lilly Pulitzer has been one of my favorite brands since I was younger — all the bright colors and fun prints, it’s like instant happiness! I will confess though that this is the first Lilly dress I’ve purchased in awhile. I haven’t been entirely pleased with the fit of a lot of the dresses in the past 3 or 4 years — most of them were way too short for me. But since I was heading to Charleston, the quintessential Lilly town, I decided to try on a few of their dresses. The classic shift has always been my favorite, so when I saw this dress with the bright and bold print, I knew I had to try it on. I instantly fell in love with the print, fit and that cute palm tree exposed zipper. The dress fit true to size and was finally the perfect length {#tallgirlproblems}. Gold was the accessory color of choice which complimented the print and the zipper details perfectly.

Thanks so much for dropping by, friends! Do you have any fun plans for the weekend? I am super excited because we are going to the MY2K Tour this weekend featuring 98 Degrees and my favorite boy band of all time, O-Town!! My husband says it’s going to be an audience full of former teeny bopper girls who are now in their late 20s HAHA! Regardless, I am ecstatic. I’ll be sure to post some video on Snapchat {rach.mccarthy7} so you can follow along 🙂 Have a fabulous weekend!

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Boho Taupe

August 10, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

dotted midi dress {under $50!} | hat | AERIN perfume | set of 3 beaded cuffs | flower earrings | lipstick {rosecliff} | nail polish {eternal optimist} | ankle booties {color: smoke cloud} | watch | tassel bucket bag, also HERE

Happy Wednesday! First, please excuse my back and forth between summer and transitioning to fall looks this week. After spending the weekend in Charleston, where summer clothes were a necessity, I am craving the cool and crisp fall temperatures more than ever, hence this post. {In case you missed it, you can see what I wore for the first full day of #TBScon in Charleston HERE.}

Although there are many things that I am looking forward to this fall, two of the styles/colors I am currently craving are boho vibes and taupe colors. The boho trend has been around for a few seasons now and I think I’m finally embracing it {exhibit A}. It’s hard not to love the boho trend when it means perforated open toe booties, tassels on handbags, and of course a cute hat — which all happen to be that taupe color I’m crushing on! And I can’t forget this dotted midi dress that is priced under $50! This style and color scheme is perfect for now and into fall. You could layer a denim vest over it for an even more boho look.

As for accessories, I love pairing this boho look with gold tones, like this set of 3 beaded cuffs {also available in red, royal blue and silver} and this watch — the simplicity of this style is perfect. Although technically not an accessory, I had to include this amber and musk scent with this outfit. I have been dying to try the AERIN fragrances for a few months now and this scent has fall written all over it.

What are you looking forward to most about fall? I would love to hear in the comment section below. Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Grilled Caprese Pizza

August 9, 2016 by Rachel McCarthy

If you have been following along for awhile now, you may know about my obsession with pizza. Every Friday is pizza night in our house and I love coming up with different combinations to try. Caprese pizza is probably one of my favorites, especially this time of the year with the fresh tomatoes and basil. But instead of using the oven for this weeknight dinner, I decided to use the grill!

I’ve been wanting to try grilled pizza for quite some time. And although I have been super intrigued by the concept, I have also been a little nervous. On Food Network, I have seen the chefs just put the pizza dough right on the grill and it seems to work perfect for them. I’m a little to cautious for that and decided that for the first time grilling pizza, there should probably be a pan involved. I used THIS pizza pan from Pampered Chef and it worked perfectly. It’s even dishwasher safe 😉

When it comes to pizza, I usually don’t discriminate: I’ll take it anyway I can get it! But I have to say this is my new favorite way to make pizza. The crust was so crunchy {complete with grill marks on the bottom!} and the cheese melted perfectly. I have a feeling I’m going to have a hard time going back to pizza in the oven once the temperatures get cold and grilling isn’t an option!

Grilled Caprese Pizza

by Rachel McCarthy August-9-2016

A classic pizza cooked on the grill!

Ingredients

1 pound store bought pizza dough
3-4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Cornmeal, for dusting
Cooking spray
Balsamic glaze, if desired

Instructions

Preheat the grill for indirect heating to medium-high heat (mine was registering about 400 degrees while the pizza was cooking). Sprinkle your work surface with cornmeal and place the dough in the center of the surface. Roll the dough into a 12 inch circle and place on a pizza pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. To assemble pizza: brush the olive oil onto the pizza, followed by the sliced mozzarella and tomatoes; top with the basil. Place the pizza pan on the grill and cook, covered, for 18-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Using an oven mit, carefully rotate the pizza pan every 5 minutes so the pizza cooks evenly. Once cooked, remove the pizza pan from the grill and top with the balsamic glaze, if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 1 12″ pizza

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This post is linked up with: Tasty Tuesdays | Tickle My Tastebuds Tuesday | Two Cup Tuesday | Weekend Potluck |