Recipes Archives - Dear D'Arcy

Spinach & Tortellini Soup Recipe

Spinach & Tortellini Soup topped with Parmesan cheese & served with a slice of homemade garlic Bread. So delicious, your Family will love it.

Tortellini soup

1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce

1 15.5oz can butter beans rinsed

2 cans water (rinse out tomato cans)

1 14.5oz can chicken broth

1 16oz bag chopped spinach

1 8oz bag cheese tortellini (save until about 15 min before serving)

1 tablespoon garlic herb seasoning

1 Tablespoon dried chopped onion

1 teaspoon of salt & pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

Parmesan cheese for topping

Add all ingredients to a soup stock pan and simmer on med-low until boiling (except Tortellini and Parmesan)…. turn to low add tortellini let simmer 5 -10 min or until Tortellini is cooked. Dish up and top with Parmesan Cheese.

Serve with a loaf of garlic bread or crusty Bread

I created this soup a couple of years ago with items I had in my pantry, trying to create a yummy fast dinner. It’s been a quick go-to meal ever since. My Family loves Pasta and soups which make for a great combo. This soup makes a great comfort meal and is a great way to add some nutrients. It makes a big pot and is great for leftovers as well. I serve it with my Cheaters Homemade garlic bread! Recipe below.

Cheaters Homemade Garlic Bread! This Bread is so dang good I have to Make two loaves for this Family of 7!

Cheaters Homemade Garlic Bread

1 Loaf Rhodes Frozen Bread

1 cube butter

1 tablespoon of minced garlic

1 tablespoon Garlic Seasoning

1/2 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning

NOTE: This Bread is not for someone on a diet 🙂

First, Place the frozen loaf on a cooking sheet lined with a parchment paper, cover with a linen dishtowel.

(or cheesecloth) let rise. (follow directions on bag) Bread rising usually takes ALL day. I’ll get this ready at about 9:00 am to make for dinner around 6:00 pm. When risen bake at 350 until golden brown. (follow the direction on packaging.) While Bread is baking melt cube of butter in the microwave, then add garlic and seasoning and mix. When Bread is out of the oven, brush on a heavy coating of the Butter mixture. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes slice (Bread will still be warm and will sink, it’s ok), then coat each slice with more of the butter mixture. Serve hot and almost gooey

This Bread is a family favorite, and when my Family sees it on the counter in the morning, they literally jump for joy. They’ll eat two full loaves and if I would make three that would get eaten too. It’s so rich, soaked in butter and garlic it’s heavenly! I serve this Bread with soups, Pasta, and even salads. If you watch my instastories and I hope you do, you’ve seen me make it several times while stay at home was in place. ( heck probably one of the reasons I’ve gained 10 pounds!) 😛 How did it get its name? Well…Cheaters because well, your cheating and not making the loaf from scratch! Nobody’s got time for that! Insert Giggle! Hince, I named it My cheater’s homemade garlic bread.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s blog post, and I would love for you to leave a comment below if you tried this recipe or are going to try it. Have a beautiful rest of your week! OX, D’Arcy

Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe

Ben’s Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo! “This is so good it’s dangerous:)” say’s my mom. Thank goodness it’s so filling you can’t eat a full bowl…. Unless you’re a Vandenberg boy! 🙂

Bens Alfredo

For a serving of 4

1 cube of real Butter

1 heaping tablespoon garlic

1 Pint Heavy whipping cream

1 cup Asiago shredded cheese

1 cup shredded Romano

1/2 cup Parmesan

Salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in sauté pan when melted, add garlic, then cream, bring to a slow boil then start to add 1 cup of cheese at a time, first Asiago, the Romano lastly Parmesan cheese, and it gets to thick you can add a little more cream. Salt ad pepper to taste.

1 box Fettuccine noodles cooked per box direction

Dish up and serve with Asparagus or a salad and garlic bread. My garlic bread recipe is coming to the blog soon, it is on my Instagram in the highlights.

From our home to yours, Ben’s Heavenly Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo, You’ve been asking for it, and it’s finally made it to the blog. Rich, and creamy Alfredo, made with the best ingredients. Real Butter, heavy whipping cream, and tasty cheeses. Ben Started making this dish for me when we started dating. He learned how to make it from a friend, his family-owned, an Italian restaurant in Del Mar California that was known for making the Best fettuccine. Ben then started playing with the recipe and found this combination is the winner. This dish is decadent, rich, and oh so good. It’s a BIG request at our home, and if we have family in town, they request it as well.

With Quarantine in place, I know you have all been cooking way more than you usually do, I know I have. Hopefully, this will be a fun new recipe for you to try and maybe a little something different that can become a family favorite at your home. Quarantine has been the perfect time to share some of my favorite recipes with you, and I still have a couple more of your request to post. I promise I’ll get them up in the coming weeks even though it looks like we’re going to be getting relief from our kitchens as we start to see part of the country opening up if you’re like me you’ll still like to cook for your family just not as much. I sure am looking forward to a break.

Please let me know if you plan on trying this recipe below or if you do make this recipe, please come back and let me know how your family liked it.

Love this recipe? Try our oldest sons Bucca de Beppo’s copy of Spicy rigatoni Here.

Mother’s Day is less than two week’s away, and I’ve been sharing gift idea’s over at my LIKE TO KNOW IT, Here

Stay tuned for a Mother’s Day post next week. Have a beautiful day! OX, D’Arcy

3 Easy Soups and 1 Hearty Comfort Recipe

Our Family favorites. You guys asked on Instagram for me to share these recipes with you. I love sharing things that our family enjoys and brings us comfort. Thank you for being apart of my following and caring for me to share a part of our family favorites.

Food is just some of the things that are helping our family get through these emotional times. With STAY AT HOME in place cooking, every meal has been a consistent thing in our home as well as yours, I am sure. I thought I might be able to help by sharing a few of my personnel recipes with you that my family enjoys and brings some comfort. Mealtime has always been important to our family and now more than ever. I hope you enjoy our favorite go-to soups. Even better, these are easy Crockpot soups, with items you probably have on hand to make a delicious dinner your family will love.

Easy to make Hearty Vegetable soup! I love you can use any veggies you have on hand with this soup.

Easy veggie soup
1 box chicken broth
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup of water
2 Lg potatoes
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
2 chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup peas
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt & pepper
1 tablespoon real butter
1 tablespoon chicken garlic Bouillon

Place all in a crockpot on low stir occasionally. I prepare in the morning, and it’s ready for dinner when we get home. Serve with warm rolls or a grilled sandwich.

(You can use whatever veggies you have on hand.) Green beans, broccoli, spinach, asparagus, etc. Make it a Minestrone by adding a kidney bean and small noodle.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup! One of My boy’s favorite soups.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup! One of My boy’s favorite soups. Served with Homemade rolls or Rhodes rolls.

Cheesy Potato soup

3 cans of chicken broth

1 can milk ( I use chicken broth can) I use a little more if looks like it need a little more liquid

5 large potatoes chopped

1 can of cheese soup

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup shredded cheese

1 1/2 cup chopped carrots

1 cup of chopped onions

1 cup of chopped celery

1/2 cup green onion (can add more as garnish)

1 tablespoon Pepper (or to your taste) my family likes heat!

1 tablespoon no-salt seasoning salt,

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons of dried chopped onion

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 of Wondra quick-mixing flour (save until you emulsified)

Throw all in a crockpot on High for 3-4 hours, then emulsify with a mixer, emulsifier, or meat chopper! ( I keep it pretty chunky, so I use the pampered chef meat chopper)

Add flour (important to use Wondra). It thickens without clumping! Then turn on low and let simmer another hour or until dinner time.

Garnish with more cheese and green onion, some like a dollop of sour cream! Salt and pepper again to taste:)Ps: It’s so good the next day, you’ll need to add a touch more milk to thin it out before heating up.

Homemade Cheesy Potato Soup!

Easy to make Chicken pot pie. Comfort in a bowl so easy to make

you’ll put this yummy soup on your go-to list.

Easy chicken pot pie

2 14.5oz chicken broth

2 cups shredded Chicken

12oz peas & carrots (frozen)

1cup of chopped onions

1 cup of chopped celery

2 cup milk

1 Tablespoon onion

1 1/2 tablespoon salt seasoning

Salt & pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup flour

Salt & pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of butter

2 cans of buttermilk can biscuits

Throw all in a crockpot on High for 3-4 hours or longer (except the biscuits) Stir every so often. Place mixture in a casserole dish (buttered or sprayed) Top with the biscuits placed tightly together. Depending on the size of your casserole dish, you could have enough for two dishes. (one for a neighbor)

Homemade Chicken noodle soup. Hearty and full of flavor, this easy crockpot soup is always a home run.

Easy One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

2 14.5oz chicken broth

2 cups shredded Chicken

12oz peas & carrots (frozen)

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped celery

2 cups of water

1 Tablespoon onion salt

1 1/2tablespoon salted seasoning

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 chicken bouillon cube

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tablespoon dill

2 handfuls noodles I like Country pasta (large bag at Costco)

I place all in my crockpot except for the noodles. And let simmer on low all day about 30 min before serving I’ll add the noodles. This soup is a rustic recipe I created years ago, and my family loves it! I’ve even substituted out some of the veggies for others I happen to have on hand. The Dill is the secret ingredient to this soup and truly makes it!

I hope you enjoy some of my family’s favorite go-to dishes. Please leave a comment below and let me know which one you’re trying. OX! D’Arcy

Christmas Tablescape & Holiday Tips w/ a Few Favorite Recipes!

Easiest Bruschetta & Toast Recipe

Bruschetta & Toast Recipe

This dish is perfect in the Summer especially made with homegrown tomatoes and fresh basil! A light Summer dish everyone will love. My family could eat it a couple nights a week it’s so good!

Bruschetta & Toast Recipe:

Bruschetta:

4 large tomatoes chopped

1 onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic crushed

Fresh Parmesan cheese grated or shredded to your taste (we use about 1/2 cup)

1/2 balsamic vinegar (if you like more juice for dipping add more)

1 bunch of basil

1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and serve with slices of fresh baguette or my garlic cheese toast below:

Garlic Cheese Toast:

8 slices of fresh Sourdough bread sliced

1 cube of butter

3 cloves of crushed garlic

1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning

1 cup of Mozzarella shredded cheese

Melt butter, add garlic and seasonings brush generously on each piece of toast and top with cheese. Please in oven at 350 until golden brown or cheese is melted. (my boys likes it softer & gooey and my hubby crunchier)

You can serve this as an appetizer or make it a meal served with a salad. The bruschetta is also great served on the top of a grilled chicken breast.

Here is some of my favorite serving Trays {HERE} {HERE} {HERE} Bowls {HERE} {HERE} {HERE}

I hope you try this recipe and if you do please leave a comment, or even better snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@darcyvandenberg), I’d love to reshare! Have a great week OX, D’Arcy

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The Ultimate Summer Bucket List

With Summer arriving this week I thought it would be fun to share my Summer Bucket List with you. It seems Summer comes and goes in a blink of an eye! It is one of my favorite seasons here in Utah, it is also my favorite time to be out enjoying our state, plus our town is just beautiful this time of the year. Here is my Summer bucket list… I hope some of them make your list too:)

Summer Wildflowers: Free People Dress similar {HERE} Purse similar {HERE}

Summer brings the prettiest wildflowers which make for some very scenic drives along with all our beautiful lakes and mountains…. So making my list is a Scenic Drive to Mirror Lake, Bear Lake, Little Cottonwood Canyon and Sundance. I love a weekend drive in my hubby’s convertible to take in the sights and get some fresh air.

Skyline Trail Hike here in our town of Eden (Ogden Valley).

If you’ve been following me you know I belong to a woman’s hiking group and we still have quite a lot of Utah hikes we haven’t done. Here are FOUR Hikes that made my list to do this Summer: Wind Cave, {HERE} Donut Falls,{HERE} Fifth Water Hot Springs {HERE}and Cecret Lake.{HERE}

Serving Watermelon Pool side. Hat {HERE} Sunglasses dupes {HERE} Suit {HERE} Earrings {HERE}

Watermelon and Fruits of Summer is a pure pleasure and everyone loves good food and food Events. Hitting the Salt Lake City and Park City Farmers Market are on my list. Here in Utah several towns host a (Fruit Day) North Ogden has Cherry Days {info HERE}, Brigham City has Peach Days, Bear Lake has Raspberry Days, Melon Day is in Green River {More info on all 3 HERE} and Strawberry Days in Pleasant grove. {HERE}

Another great drive and has Fab Summer fruit is Utah’s Famous Fruit highway! {Here} This is always a must do!

Pool time at several Las Vegas pools kicked off my Summer! Moorea Beach club & Delano Beach Club @Mandalay Bay,

Pool time is a big Summer time pleasure and isn’t Summer without laying poolside or playing at a waterpark, am I right? Here are a few pool days that made my list: Grand America pool day, I’ve heard the cocktails are amazing and the food poolside is just as impressive as the hotel. {HERE} Cowabunga Bay Water Park {HERE} We haven’t been to a water Park in years and it always brought joy to my boys. I thought it would be fun to re-experience those playful childhood days with our boys… even though their young adults it’s always fun to be a kid!

Summer Trend Scarves and Shades! Top {HERE} Sunnies similar {HERE} Scarf {HERE}

Random things to do that make Summer fun that made my List, Bowling, It’s always fun to have something to do on a hot Summer day! A Drive in Movie (Every year I say I want to go and we never make it!) It’s going to happen this year… and I am not going to fall asleep! Last time I went to the drive in was with my Childhood friend Selena… We were in college and we BOTH fell asleep! We woke up to a dark empty parking lot at 1am! LOL!! Miniature golf because seriously who doesn’t love a good game of Miniature golf? It brings back memories of young Summer night dates! Summer Outdoor concerts we have tickets to Heart so far… but I know we’ll add more:) as the Summer plays out and it’s one of my favorite ways to enjoy an evening. Warm nights, listening to music, enjoying friends and a good beer! Some great outdoor concert venues {HERE} {HERE} {HERE} {HERE} Some are even FREE! The Rodeo one of my favorite days of the year. We love to attend the Tough Enough To Wear Pink night for breast cancer survivors! It’s a fun tradition we share with family and friends! It wouldn’t be Summer without attending this event! I cry everytime they sing the national anthem with the fly over. {HERE} This rodeo is ranked as one of the top five large outdoor rodeos in the PRCA. A weekend in Deer Valley is beautiful in the Summer. It has stunning hikes, beautiful pools, great restaurants, cooler air and great shopping perfect for a weekend getaway! A day at LAGOON {HERE} Utah’s amusement park nothing says Summer like an amusement park and we haven’t been as a family in years, so this year it’s on the list!

Purchasing the Get Out Pass if you live in Utah, Colorado, Washington and Idaho is so worth it for $149.99 with over $3,000 worth of yearly admissions per pass Save $35 with code Darcy35 My family will be enjoying several activities this Summer and Fall including Cowabunga Bay & Lagoon!

Bruschetta & Toast Recipe on Next week’s Blog post!

Summer Food: If you haven’t figured it out by now… My family are foodies! Summer means fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, BBQ’s, Summer cocktails, late night S’Mores by the fire, picnics on the boat and many Summer get togethers! My bucket list is to share more family recipes with you here on the blog. I’ve been sharing on my instastories and it has been very popular and very requested. I’ll start with my fresh Bruschetta made with Summers beautiful ripe tomatoes NEXT week….So stay tuned!

Summer also means for long days and a little more free time, which allows for us to explore new restaurants, read books and enjoy all the beautiful fresh bouquets from our yards. I look forward to this time of the year and soak in all the beauty Summer brings!

Summer Sunsets are the best on the lake! Paddle Boarding and boating are two places you’ll find me every Summer!

My Last Summer bucket list is to be able to make it to the BEACH! I need my toes in the Sand and the smell of salty air, it’s my inner peace and it’s calling my name! I hope your Summer brings you so much joy and you check off everything on your BUCKET LIST!

OX, D’Arcy

There’s nothing like the smell of the ocean and sand in your toes! California Lifeguard tower!

Judy’s Chocolate Kahlua Cake

Ingredients you’ll need for this delicious & easy to make cake!

Judy’s handwritten and scrapbooked recipe, something I will always treasure.

Grease & Flour the Pan

When all the batter is in the pan tap the pan 3 times to even out.

Serve with Judy’s favorite Moose Tracks ice cream or my favorite Vanilla Bean ice cream.

RECIPE: Judy’s Chocolate Kahlua Cake

1 Duncan Hines Devil’s food cake mix

1 Small instant vanilla pudding mix

1 Pt. Sour cream

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Kahlua

2 Eggs

12 oz bag Semi sweet Chocolate Chips

Place mix in bowl & whisk in the pudding mix. Add all other ingredients one at a time except chocolate chips. Mix with electric mixer. Add chips to the mix before spooning into the bundt pan that has been sprayed with pam and then coat with flour. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on rack for 20 min. Then invert pan on rack so cake will slide out. Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar. I also like to drizzle with chocolate syrup. Judy serves with Moose Tracks ice Cream, I like Vanilla Bean.

I wanted to share this recipe with you in memory of my dear friend Judy. It was a cake she brought to every event and party. Back in my scrapbooking days (if any of you from those days are following along you will remember this cake and Judy well) This cake is so decadent, rich and fit for a chocolate lover. So very Judy! You would think it took forever to make and had a million ingredients! She found out our oldest who didn’t like cake loved this cake, and she started making it for his birthday every year! One year she surprised me with the recipe! Not something she gave out freely:) It’s a recipe I will truly cherish along with her cranberry crush (I’ll share another time). I will be caring on her tradition by bringing it to parties and events. Judy was one of the classiest, talented, full of fun ladies I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I feel very blessed to have shared many scrapbooking, shopping, birthdays and holidays with this beautiful person. Judy passed away last week and I will truly miss her. We shared a lot of the same loves and had even more in common. She was a mom of boys too, and yet so girly like I am. She loved a beautiful home, decorated every holiday perfectly and loved to entertain to the fullest. She treated her friends like family and made everyone feel special. Judy just might own more pairs of shoes then me…. well maybe not!:) We sure did have fun shopping for them together and we might have several of the same pairs, we even wore the same size! She lived her life to the fullest and was one tough cookie, the last few years she gave a good fight while still looking chic! To live until your 80 is amazing to do it with her class, chicness, strength and love is a gift to all those who knew her!

I will miss you Judy Lewis until we meet again my sweet friend. OX, D’Arcy

I know she would have pure pleasure knowing her cake will be enjoyed by many, so please make it, enjoy it and share a piece of Judy with your family. OX

3 Ingredient, Quick & Easy Appetizer Perfect for the Holiday’s

Step 1 & 2 &3
unroll the crescent pack and use one section of 4 per each block of cream cheese. stretch dough out just a little and pinch the triangles together.
next: place cream cheese in center and cover with dill.

Step 4
cover the block of cream cheese with the crescent roll leave end unsealed and cut off a 1/2 inch strip from each end then pinch together the ends like shown. I really press everything together until smooth.

Step 5
cut strips into 10 smaller rectangles. Use the 10 pieces to create pedals and balls. Or create your own design. Brush with egg white if you wish. Step 6 repeat with other block of cream cheese and remaining 4 crescents.

Step 7 place in a baking dish and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. ( the egg white wash helps it brown golden)

Step 8 serve warm with crackers.

Step 9 Spread it on a cracker of your choice. This goes quick and doesn’t last at parties. It take about 15 mins to prepare and 15 min in oven (depending on oven)

Hello Beautiful’s!

I hope you had a wonderful week. I know I love when we get an extra week from Thanksgiving to December. It really does help you be more prepared for the Christmas season. With all the Holiday parties fast approaching, I am sure you will be attending one or two that requires you to bring a dish or appetizer to share. I wanted to share with you our families fast and easy appetizer! Crescent dill cream cheese spread. You’ll whip this up so fast and people will think you slaved for hours. It’s been a favorite in our home for twenty something years and I always have the ingredients on hand so I can whip it up on a moments notice! A great tip if you have visitors popping by.

You’ll need:

1 can of crescent rolls

2 cream cheese blocks

Dill seasoning

and 1 egg for egg whites, brush on top before baking

9×9 baking pan

butter or spray to grease pan

Follow the steps above. I love you can pre make a day or two before hand (Non- baked) stick in fridge. Bake right before you’re heading to party.

I hope you’ll try this yummy dish for one of your Holiday parties and stop back by here and tell me how everyone liked it! Here’s to a perfect and easy Holiday season! OX, D’Arcy

Thanksgiving Dining Tablescape

Vintage silverware, gold and silver china, gold and silver accessories, woodland accessories, bristle trees, bottle trees, place settings, antlers, woodland.

Vintage pearl& gold silverware {Similar HERE} & {HERE}, gold and silver china, {SIMILAR HERE} gold and silver accessories, woodland accessories, {SIMILAR HERE}&{HERE} bristle trees, bottle trees, {HERE}&{HERE}place settings, antlers, woodland place card holders, layered table clothes{SIMILAR HERE} &{HERE} and gold dipped steam wear glasses {SIMILAR HERE} {HERE} adorn our table top.

Our kitchen coffee & coco bar. Who doesn’t love a warm drink in the winter?

Happy Thanksgiving from our home to yours!

I wanted to share our Thanksgiving table setting with you. It’s not the traditional Fall feel with leaves and pumpkins, I went with a winter white, silver, and gold theme. It feels elegant and warm don’t you think? To give it a Thanksgiving feel I picked up this fun silver pheasant from Target and added antlers and wooden details. TIP: for adding layers to your table-scape find items around your home that work in your color/theme. Pay attention to heights, find items from low to high, but not too high that you can’t see around it. I love pieces that are general and don’t scream a certain holiday so you can use them more often. Items like glass, mercury glass, and solid colors like gold, silver, white, and red (red works for Christmas, Valentines day and Summer). Pieces that give your table a glow like candles, votives, and candle sticks are great pieces to collect. Another TIP I love to share is layer your tablecloth, this works great if you don’t have the perfect size for your table. Here I used a large plain white tablecloth that fits the table and to add a pop of design. I used the gold stripe tablecloth that was meant for a smaller table but you would wouldn’t notice it doesn’t fit the table because of the layering. I also like to layer different tablecloths of different sizes if you don’t have one that fits! Just remember they need to be in the same color family for it to work. Our table is for 8, yet I always buy everything in sets of 12. I do this in case anything breaks or if I have extra people we can make a kid table for 4 at our kitchen island. It is also because I am a little bit of a collector….(my boys are going to hate me when I die!)

I just love collecting things to entertain and make life beautiful, I can throw any kind of party on a moments notice because of the pieces i’ve collected over the years! So If you’re wanting to build your entertaining collection keep following along with me. I plan on sharing more of my entertaining tips and collections with you as I have had so many of you ask for me to share this part of my life. Would you like a list of my basic entertaining starter kit? This would be the must have items and then be able to build from that. *If so please leave a comment below.

I love Thanksgiving and spending time with family and friends over good food and I know you do too! So next time make it a beautiful experience and share your love over a beautiful designed table, there is no better way to show off the hard work you spent in the kitchen. TIP: You can build your perfect table-scape weeks before to take the pressure off.

May you have a beautiful Thanksgiving, yummy food and a great time with your family and friends. We’ll be having a Friendsgiving as all of our family is out of town. OX, D’Arcy

PS: Are you excited for Black Friday or do you stay home and put up Christmas? This is my first year not in retail for the Holidays and I can’t tell you how excited I am! I’ll be staying home to decorate and enjoy my family. I will be shopping a little online and I can’t wait to share with you all the deals I found this week for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday! My DEAL post will go live tonight at MIDNIGHT!

This post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are my own and I appreciate your support.

October Favorites

October Favorites!

I am a little late to the game on posting October Favorites! But better late than never right? October was a crazy month and It’s one of my favorite months too! (maybe because it’s my birthday month?) Anyway posting a monthly round up of my favorite things from that month featuring anything I loved, from fashion to podcast I am listening to. On Instagram it has been a popular posts of mine so I thought I would share a more detailed favorites from the month here on the blog! This will be a NEW monthly post (hopefully closer to the end of the month)! This will feature any random things I loved through out the month including products I used up! October brought us all the Fall feels with cooler temperatures and pumpkin spice starting to make its way into everything! So here is what made its way into my heart, home and body this last October!

October Favorite: Fall Fashion

One of my favorite things is dressing for fall! I love the layers and finding fun pieces. This jacket I found last year at Nordstrom rack and am linking a (similar one DEAL Here and Here) pants and sweater are linked in photo below.

all black outfit, fall outfit, fall vibes, photos,

Fall leaves are gorgeous this time of the year and perfect for stunning photos! Loving all the Fall vibes. Outfit details: Sweater {here} {similar here} black jeans {similar here} Another October Favorite: over the knee boots {similar here and Here}

On my Instagram I shared this post with my feelings on aging, read it here. October is my birthday month and I always enjoy the beauty of Fall and the feelings you get from the cooler temperatures and color change. Outfit details: Duster {similar here and here}, distressed jeans {similar here and here}, tee shirt {here}, and another one I love {here}, plus a killer deal {here}. Let’s not forget these supper cute booties {here}, October favorite for Sure! My leopard cardigan made the cut as well for a October favorite {here}, and this Sweatshirt {here}, plus these pj’s {here}.

October Favorite Books

One of the books I read Wildchild is my months fav! I couldn’t put it down! Here are a couple more books I read: Good, Better, Best by Sue McCarthy, Audacious by Beth Moore and The Participation Game by Norty Cohen. I love to read and I love a real book to hold, not a fan of my kindle except for travel. How about you? I normally don’t get 4 books done in 1 month either but being a teacher you read when the kids do! I enjoyed each book and was excited to learn business techniques, more about faith and a book for the joy of reading and taking you somewhere different with a story line you could relate too. What are you reading? On my nightstand right now is Joanna Gaines book (I have had since she released it! Maybe a year or two?) In my school bag is The Career Code.

A book about the photographer, model and magazine world. Was such a fun read I couldn’t put it down!
A quote from the book Wildchild that I loved and couldn’t have said better! ” Style makes you different, fashion makes you the same!”

October Favorite Products

I used up, well maybe my hubby helped a little! Wink wink! Loreal Revitalift Intensive Overnight Mask: wear in the evening after cleaning face. really moisturizes but feels really thick. Glo Hydra Radiance Moisturizer: daily moisturizer that makes your skin really glow, almost dewy, I would purchase again. Hyaluronic Acid Anti Aging Serum: Use after your toner & helps even skin tone and tighten skin, I think my skin looked clearer (not that I have any kind of acne) just fresh looking. Revision Skincare Retinol Complete: use this at night only and after serum, I used around my eyes and smile lines. I feel like it helped reduce the lines. I think it’s a smart product to use in your late 30’s to 60’s. If you have been following you know how important skin care is to me and that I am always trying new products out to see what works and what doesn’t. I try to share my results with you over on Instastories and every so often I’ll do a beauty routine or round up over here on the blog. Please let me know on what social platform you want me to post results?

New here? I am 47 and nobody ever guesses my age:) some of that I can thank my mom… The other is because of my skin care routine. I do a face mask twice a week (used to be once a week until I learned 4-5 months ago you should do two a week! I use a cleanser, everyday and a scrub maybe 3 times a week, I do use a toner, then a serum, retinol is new to my routine and only at night and I finish with a moisturizer. At least one night a week I sleep with vaseline all over my face because Utah is so dry! I am sharing this with you so you can understand my routine and know I try a product out for the whole month sometimes two before I share it. I want you to know I support products I love and I am not always sponsored by the product. What’s your favorite product? Will you be trying one of my October favorites? Please let me know below!

October brings the most beautiful sunrises. This photo was on my morning drive alongside the lake.

October Favorite Podcasts

I am listening to and can’t get enough… I don’t even listen to music in the car anymore!

Favorites List:

The Influencer Pod: Cast if your an influencer or in any kind or marketing its a must!
Joel Osteen: Christian.
Style Collective: Great if you’re self employed.
Wit & Wisdom: Also great if you’re self employed.
Pop Fashion: You guessed it Fashion based.

My October Favorite Random Things

This month I adored this lipstick (here), my favorite blanket to snuggle up with (here), and my favorite seasonal mug (here), both I used to snuggle up and watch Hocus Pocus at least 25 times during the month of October! My favorite NEW TV shows: God Friended Me and A Million Little Things!

And now the really good stuff! Fall means comfort food, homemade soups, mac and cheese, chicken pot pie and yummy pastas! Here’s my easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe (here) and I will continue to share our families favorite dishes with you since its some of my most engaged posts. Below is my oldest son Hudson’s easy Spicy Rigatoni Recipe! Your gonna love it, and it’s so very easy!

My Sons Easy Spicy Rigatoni Recipe:
For a quick and easy throw together meal that feels like you slaved in the kitchen. You’ll love this Spicy Rigatoni Recipe. Our family loves Buca di Beppos Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. One day Hudson my oldest decided he was going to recreate it, in a fast college student way! He did and it is really yummy.

You’ll Need:

1 box rigatoni Our Favorite HERE

1 16 oz jar of your Favorite Marinara sauce (we like garlic and basil) It’s WHOLE30 HERE

1 16 oz jar of your favorite Alfredo sauce but your only using about 10 oz (we like this one HERE)

1 half pint heavy whipping cream using 1/2 off the container (we like this one HERE)

1 small bag of frozen peas

2 tablespoons of fresh minced garlic

1 tablespoon of crushed red pepper HERE

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup parmesan cheese to top off HERE

Optional Add Ins: 3 Grilled chicken breast cut thin and pan fried or grilled.

In a large pan bring to boil water for pasta and follow direction on box. In a medium sauce pan pour in jar of Marinara sauce, add about 10-12 oz of the Alfredo sauce and 1/2 the container of the cream let simmer and add in all the seasonings. Don’t add peas to sauce until very end (about 1 min to sauce) right before you drain pasta and are ready to dish up, you want the peas to be warm but still have a little crunch. Plate pasta, cover in sauce and top with parmesan! So good and dinner in less then 20 minutes! Serve with a salad and garlic bread!

My favorite pasta serving bowl (HERE) and the best strainer (HERE)

Did you do anything from my Fall bucket list HERE?

I hope you had a beautiful October and enjoyed my list of my favorite October things! I also hope you try a couple of them maybe this November. I can’t believe it’s already the 2nd week in November and I have some exciting things planned for the blog. I love November and the reminder of all the things we should be grateful for. I will be sharing my gratitude list, easy way’s to give back and some fun shopping guides for the up coming Holiday season. I will also post shopping guides for my Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday picks along with Holiday outfits, a couple of our favorite Holiday recipes and of course my Thanksgiving table scape and peeks at some Holiday decor! So stay tuned as I have exciting things to share! Have a beautiful week! OX, D’Arcy

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