Red❤️, White🤍, & Blue💙 Olympics Recipe Roundup🥇

I can’t believe we are just days away from the 2024 Paris Olympics! We absolutely love the Olympics in our house! So many incredible athletes, great stories, and inspiring moments!

If you want to go all in on the Olympics like we are, we wanted to give you a recipe roundup of our favorite patriotic recipes to make while we cheer on Team USA as well as all our favorite appetizers and snacks for munching while you watch! What events are you the most excited to see?

Team USA Treats❤️🤍💙

Fireworks Pretzel Snaps — Red, White and Blue Jello Poke Cake — Red, White and Blue Strawberries

Patriotic Popcorn — Red, White and Blue Red Velvet Cookies — Fruit and Yogurt Waffle Cones

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies — Red, White and Blue Ice Box Cake — Reese’s Firecracker Oreos

Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Sandwiches — Patriotic Trifle — American Flag Cake

Favorite Appetizers and Snacks

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Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m ready for as much time outdoors as possible, fun foods shared with family, and all the games and storytelling we can fit into our days. Half of July has flown by in a blur and it feels like the end of summer is right around the corner. I want to soak up as much relaxed time as possible over the next month, despite having so much travel on the calendar. We can manage both, right?

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK:   This simple yet irresistible recipe has already become my favorite snack this summer – watermelon fruit salad features a refreshing, colorful mix of watermelon, cherries, and berries tossed with a handful of fresh mint in a sweet, tangy honey lime dressing.

Chicken scallopini is a flavor-packed dish that requires minimal effort for an easy weeknight dinner. Baked with garlic and mushrooms in a white wine sauce, the chicken comes out of the oven fork-tender.

Simple seasoned asparagus is one of our favorite ways to eat asparagus and the flavors turn out great every time. 

Crunchy greens are tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette before being topped with roasted almonds to make this copycat recipe for Chick-fil-A’s Kale Crunch Salad.

When vegetables are so tasty you eat them right out of the pan, you know you have a winning dish! My youngest son and I stood at the counter eating at least half of the vegetables right out of the pan the last time I sauteed zucchini and mushrooms.

There aren’t many things that top a cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day, but this strawberry lemonade is one of them. And if you’re like me and prefer your drinks a bit less sweet, homemade is the way to go.

Imagine the sweet flavor of ripe mangoes blended into a creamy, dreamy scoop of ice cream – mango ice cream is a refreshing summer treat.

What I’m CRAVING: GORP – “good old raisins and peanuts,” plus some extras for fun. As we’ve been getting ready for our annual family reunion camping trip in Arizona, I’ve been craving our favorite camp foods and snacks. 

And speaking of our favorites, if you haven’t yet tried Green Apple S’mores, put them on your must-try list. Campfire hand pies are another kid favorite, and these Peach Campfire Pies loo

Hi friends! Happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? Today is my nana’s birthday! So we’re absolutely looking forward to a celebration with the birthday girl. Other than that, Liv and I have a volunteer event, and we’re just going to chill and swim around here. I’m going to catch a quick TSS workout today, too!

(Missing our Spain feasts so I made some paella and croquetas last night. Next Spain recap will be up on Modnay!)

I’d love to hear what you have going on!

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party! This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below.

7.19 Friday Faves

Fashion + beauty + random:

SO many amazing finds still in stock at the Nordstrom Anniversay Sale.

Here are some of my top picks:

The best pajamas

Cute and comfy joggers.

Like a more flattering version of a Nap Dress.

Ordered these flare jeans.

Obsessed with this athletic dress.

These are my favorite black pants of all time. I wear them when I need to dress a little more business casual and they’re super flattering, and look cute with heels or flats.

The perfect time to stock up on Bombas!

Love this dress for everyday or travel.

The best no-show socks!

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I’m so excited to be chatting with Seed Co-founder Ara Katz today.

Here’s what we discuss:

– The microbiome and how we can best support it

– The creation of Seed

– The importance of the vaginal microbiome and supporting this delicate ecosystem — we’re going to hear more and more about this

– Her tips for being Healthy in Real Life

and so much more.

166: The power of the microbiome with Seed co-founder, Ara Katz

Here’s more about Ara and her background:

You might already be familiar with Seed from their flagship product, DS-01®, which has garnered mass attention and the title of the #1 selling probiotic, gaining attention from celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Karlie Kloss, and Cameron Diaz. But the story behind Seed and Ara herself extends far beyond their acclaimed product.

Ara is a dynamic three-time founder (recently named to CNBC’s inaugural Changemakers list) who has built, advised, and invested in some of the most notable consumer brands across consumer, health, and tech. Her path to science began not in a lab but with personal challenges –– 20 years ago, her mom’s pancreatic cancer diagnosis ignited her passion for health and science. Later, Ara was introduced to the microbiome by way of a miscarriage, struggles with breastfeeding, and the realization of how little science informed the products she turned to. It was this journey that led her to found Seed Health. Seed has seen 800+% revenue growth in the last 3 years, but it isn’t just a commercial success story; it’s the culmination of Ara’s lifelong passion for technology, storytelling, and design, all harnessed to leverage science for humanity’s benefit. In addition to her role as CEO, Ara oversees the company’s environmental research under SeedLabs, and co-directs LUCA Biologics, the company’s venture targeting the vaginal microbiome for the future of women’s health.

Now, Ara is expanding Seed’s impact beyond the gut, with its first innovation targeting the vaginal microbiome –– a watershed moment for women’s health.

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How to Make Oven Baked Potatoes with Crispy Skin [ +Video]

It’s much easier than you thought to make the perfect Baked Potatoes with crispy skin and that delicious flaked sea salt. So ditch the foil, it’s your number 1 mistake!

Three ingredients and an hour in the oven is all you need for perfectly baked and crispy baked potatoes! Make it a main dish by topping it with the best chili or eat it as a side dish to round out the perfect dinner!

Best Baked Potato Recipe

I ate my baked potatoes with ketchup growing up.  I know. You think I’m crazy. Ok, I lied, I still do it. 🙂

You guys!!! It’s like a french fry if you think about it so it’s not THAT weird, ok. Might as well put it out there that my dad eats peanut butter pickle sandwiches too. NOW THAT IS GROSS!

I’m older, and while it might look like I’m not any wiser, I actually have learned a few things and the first being how to make perfect baked potatoes.

It’s time for Idaho spud harvest so I couldn’t help but talk about potatoes here. I miss spud harvest. I went to college in Idaho and my parents now live there.

The Idaho Potato Commission even took me on a tour of harvest one year. It was my favorite.

Now, I don’t know if anything has changed, but it used to be that the kids got out of school so that they could help with harvest. It was amazing watching everyone have a job from little toddlers to college students. Families and friends, farmers and their help all worked around the clock to put potatoes on your table.

I can still remember the glow of tractor lights when I was walking home from a late library session one night. We actually just bought an investment property in Rexburg, so it seems my heart will always be pulled back there.

What Do You Need to Make Perfect Baked Potatoes?

You don’t need much to make the best baked potato. Here’s all you need to make this “recipe:”

• Russet Potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Flaked Sea Salt

What Kind of Potatoes for Baked Potatoes?

There are so many types of potatoes out there…red potatoes, yukon golds, fingerlings, russets. For a baked potato, you should always choose a well rounded russet potato for baked potatoes. The fatter, rounder potato will give you more filling and that beautiful fluffy potato when you squeeze it open.

Russet potatoes have a better starch to them, which leads to a fluffier inside once baked.

How to Bake a Potato with Crispy Skin

Making a baked russet potato shouldn’t be so tricky, but if you’ve ever under cooked them, poked a million holes, over cooked it so they skin is like leather, or ended up with a bland potato, you need to read on.

1. Scrub your potatoes to remove any dirt. It seems natural, but a quick wash won’t get rid of the dirt so scrub instead.
2. Dry the p