ROASTED VEGGIE AND GOAT CHEESE TART

We had another barbecue last weekend, which meant another appetizer to prepare and bring!  (I think everyone's cramming in the barbecues before the end of summer.)  I've mentioned before how much I love semi-homemade recipes.  Well, this veggie and goat cheese tart is super easy because it uses pre-made pie crusts. Plus, I love the rustic look of it. I just warn you the shell is a bit fragile, so careful when serving it.  The recipe makes two tarts, which is good because they went quick! You can find the recipe here at Recipe Girl.  (And yes, once again I took a quick picture before I left. So, please excuse the crooked pan.) Bon appetit!

DIY YARN BANNER

If you love fringe, you'll love this DIY project from creativebug.  Don't you just want to run your hands through all that yarn??!  Cut with different trim, this project makes a fun element to add to your wall decor, but would also be a lot of fun for a party! Find the full tutorial here.

COLORFUL DIY ROBOT PARTY

With a little love along with some nuts and bolts, this mom and grandmom put on a fun robot birthday party for one lucky boy! Just a few of the DIY details include thank you baskets made from metal cans and random lug nuts to create unique robot faces.  The amazing party hats were designed with scrapbook paper and embellishments. Even the large robot mascot was built with household items like cardboard boxes and spray paint.  Huge thank you to Love It Forever Photography in North Carolina for photographing the details and sharing it with us!

Lovely Vineyard Wedding

If you're hosting a wedding or celebration with a wine theme during harvest season, you're probably in major planning mode, since it's only a couple of months away.  This beautiful wedding photographed and submitted by IQphoto Studio marries vineyard sophistication with personality.  I love the intimate touches like the Raiders cake and display of personal photos. And of course, the venue itself is just beautiful! Cheers!

Easy Tortellini Pasta Salad

We went to a friend's house for a barbecue last weekend.  When I asked her what I should bring, she just answered, "Bring something Italian. My husband loves your Italian cooking.".... Okay... I don't really think of Italian food when it comes to barbecues, but of course there's a good ol' pasta salad.  So, I decided to make a tortellini salad.  I love the different colors - red, green, white - kind of like the Italian flag. ha! (I took a quick photo on my kitchen table before walking out the door!)  Let me tell you - there were only 3 couples there and this whole bowl went arrivederci! My poor husband was hoping for leftovers.

I got the easy recipe from The Alchemist.  Before you jump over there to check it out, just two notes on what I did differently:
- I only used about 1/2 bag of baby spinach
- I used Ken's Northern Italian salad dressing

Now go to the recipe here and make it for your next barbecue! :)