The Blogger Recognition Award

Goooood morning everyone! I cannot think of a better way to start off my weekend than to wake up to this award nomination! Thank you SO much to A Pinch of Sea Salt , a delicious blog that is inspired by her and her husband’s love of food. Seriously, if you love finding new recipes, trying new food, and looking at gorgeous pictures of food (this girl right here!), then you will definitely want to check out A Pinch of Sea Salt.

sushi rolling tips

When I was younger and making sushi for the first time, I covered the entire face of the seaweed with rice… which is (as anyone who rolls sushi knows) WAY too much rice! Well don’t make that mistake! Here are some tips that I’ve learned over the years that I want to share with all of you:

• Sushi rice is sticky, as you will learn after making a batch of it following this sushi rice recipe! Which is why you will want to keep a bowl of warm water nearby for you to continuously moisten your hands as you go. This prevents the rice from sticking to your fingers and anything else you touch!
• I always cover my bamboo mat with plastic wrap before I start for easier cleanup at the end.
• Prep all of the ingredients by cutting them lengthwise to ensure ease of rolling.
• You don’t need that much rice! You only need as much rice as it takes to cover the bottom 1/3 of the seaweed with a thin layer of rice, and then another small scoop to spread a 1/2 inch trail along the top side to act as the “seal” for the roll.
• Layer your ingredients lengthwise on top of the bottom 1/3 section of rice. Don’t over-stuff your sushi either or you will end up with a falling apart burrito!
• Apply even pressure and roll away from you. When you get to the top, the roll should easily seal and be held together by the top 1/2 inch of sushi rice.
• Sharpen your knife beforehand and cut the roll into bite sized pieces in a gentle sawing motion.

Hope these tips help! If there is something additional or different that you do that you find helpful when rolling sushi, please share in the comments below!

Tory Burch: York Buckle Tote

So as I get ready to begin my full-time career after college, I knew that it was time to invest in a work bag – aka, bye bye backpacks! Some of the things that I looked for in my bag was for it to be big enough to carry my pocketbook, phone, charger, keys, notebook, tablet, makeup bag, water bottle, work heels, and possibly lunch – all without appearing bulky. It also should contain a compartment or two inside the bag to help keep all of my items organized. And because it is a part of my professional attire, I want the bag to look stylish, but not flashy, and sleek enough to go straight out to dinner or drinks at the end of the day. Finally, it shouldn’t break the bank! This means that I was aiming for a bag that was under $500.

After many hours of research (like 5 hours too many!) online and checking some out in-stores, I’ve finally settled on and purchased my new bag! Here are some pictures of my new Tory Burch York Buckle Tote in the color Tory Navy. Despite my love for the colors New Ivory and Light Oak, I went with a darker color to prevent the bag from showing signs of wear and tear.