Happy Friday!
Let’s get right down to it!
In Case You Missed It
- On my latest Catch Up With Christina I shared the quiet thing I’m carrying and lots of other stuff (a little heavy, and a little happy).
- A mix of practical, thoughtful, and fun Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men and a list of Gifts to Send Your Valentine for yourself!
- Everything I made this week for dinner!
- If you love my Chai Martini, you have got to try it with this chocolate chai!!!
- A round-up of my favorite game day apps for Super Bowl!
Recipe Spotlight: Pepperoni Bites
A perfect Super Bowl appetizer, these cheesy, savory bites are tucked inside crisp pepperoni cups and are SO good dipped in a little marinara. These travel well, sit out perfectly, and are a great app to have in your back pocket for summer gatherings.
Bonus: they freeze beautifully, making them perfect to prep ahead and keep on hand for parties or last-minute snacks.
Ingredients (makes 48 pepperoni bites)
- 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 12 oz grated Parmesan cheese
- ~48 large thin-sliced deli pepperoni (about 2 lbs)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- Optional: ⅔ cup chopped mushrooms or olives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix spinach, ricotta, parmesan, oregano, salt, eggs, and optional add-ins.
- Gently press a slice of pepperoni into each cup of a mini muffin tin to form a little shell.
- Spoon filling into each pepperoni cup.
- Bake for ~15 minutes or until the pepperoni edges are crisp and the filling is set.
- Remove gently and serve warm. Optional: serve with warm marinara for dipping!
To Freeze:
Assemble the bites in your mini muffin tin, then pop the whole tin into the freezer. Once frozen, transfer the bites to a freezer bag. When you’re ready to serve, return them to the tin and bake as usual.
Top 5 Reader Favorites
Your top 5 items from this week…
- My go-to tween boy gift I’ve purchased twice this week for upcoming birthday parties.
- The next best thing to taking an Epsom salt bath without actually getting in the tub is this soothing muscle lotion – it helps my sore muscles and achy joints so much! And y’all loved it so much they sent me a code! Use CHRISTINA15 for 15% off.
- The jumbo pillow Caroline is obsessed with is on SALE! It’s huge, soft, and somehow both hilarious and genuinely cozy.
- The Target plate bowl!!!!! It really is the perfect hybrid dish for anything and everything.
- The laundry detergent upgrade I can’t shut up about. Psst — start with Italian Bergamot!
1. The Snow Week We Will Never Forget
If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you know Charlotte got a massive snowfall last weekend — around 11 inches, which ranks as one of the biggest snow events the city has seen in decades! It was the kind of snow that turned our golf course greens into ski slopes. The kids spent hours and hours sledding with all sorts of makeshift sleds, launching snowballs, and then warming up in the hot tub after. And we absolutely could not get Mabel to come inside.
2. Banana Pancake Bites
These banana pancake bites I made for a sleepover breakfast earlier this week were a huge hit. I literally just dipped banana slices into pancake batter and fried them in lots of butter. I served them with berries and a drizzle of honey and every single one disappeared.
3. Book Review: Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden
Rating 4/5 stars: Used my Audible credit this month on this powerful memoir about the unraveling of a 20 year marriage. It pulled me in right away and is honest, messy, thought-provoking and beautiful written.
Book Teaser: It was a great love story, one for the ages. The speed of our beginning and the speed of our ending felt like matching bookends. They both came out of nowhere. He wanted it, he wanted me. And then he didn’t.
4. Girls Night In
Last weekend while Thomas and Matt were out playing laser tag, Caroline and I had our own little girls night and it was absolute perfection. We grabbed salads and fries from our favorite fancy restaurant, cuddled up on the couch under a cozy heated blanket, and watched Bride Wars, which was honestly a 10 out of 10. If you need a feel good, funny movie to watch with your tween daughter, this one is such a win.
5. Valentine’s Decor, But Make It Easy
Our Valentine’s Day tradition is a cute breakfast for the kids, usually donuts or heart pancakes with lots of sprinkles. I wanted to re-share last year’s $3 XOXO balloon garland because the kids thought it was so fun and festive…but it was also incredibly simple to put together and has such a great wow factor! I also love these inexpensive Valentine plates for pancakes and heart bowls for fruit!
Also seen here for my Valentine mahjong!
February Promo Codes
- ShopMy: The affiliate platform I love for linking products. If you’re a creator looking for an affiliate platform, I have a referral link that can help get you in the program!
- Earlybird Gummies: They’re a great replacement for a glass of wine, and my go-to for winding down, sleeping well, and waking up feeling rested and energized the next morning. Use code CHRISTINA20 for 20% off.
- Greenlight Card: The debit card we use for Caroline! If you’re interested in getting a Greenlight Card for your tween or teen, I’ve got a referral link that earns you $30.
- Nuuly: Get $30 off your first month’s subscription. Love using this subscription for vacation and holiday party outfits I wouldn’t normally splurge on.
- Skin Pharm: My go-to for skin treatments, but my absolute favorite? The Moxi laser. I just finished a series and WOW—it’s completely transformed my skin. My complexion is brighter, smoother, and more even, and I’ve been getting so many compliments! If you’ve been thinking about a treatment to refresh your skin, this one is so worth it. Use code CHRISTINA-322793 at checkout to get $50 off your first visit!
- Middle & Main Mahjong: Use code CAROLINACHARM10 for 10% off anything at Middle & Main Mahjong—I’m obsessed with my sunshine tiles!
- Cozy Earth: Highly recommend the Calf Socks! They are so thick and comfy, and available in lots of colros. I actually love the extra cushion for the gym. Use code CE-CAROLINACHARM at checkout!
