Salted Caramel Latte {Recipe}

Salted caramel is pretty much a sure fire way to cheer anyone up. (well probably not someone who doesn’t like caramel….or salted things. –ok moving on.) Now add it to espresso and well, you are set for something glorious! It’s almost Fall which means everyone is like, Pumpkin Spice this and Pumpkin Spice that…while I’m over here like, Have you had my Salted Caramel Latte? Holy Yum!! This salted caramel is so rich and delicious, but so quick and easy to make. And the hint of fleur de sel gives it the sweet and salty flare that you won’t want to skip. This caramel is of course perfect for your espresso drinks, on top of ice cream and I’ve even used it while baking!

Ok, let’s jump right in to this yummy recipe!

In a small saucepan, melt 3/4 of a stick of unsalted butter with 1 cup of DARK brown sugar (not light brown.) on medium heat. Do not stir it. Do not mix it. Just leave it until it starts to bubble up. {about 5 minutes.} While you are waiting feel free to jump on Instagram and look through my lovely pictures. But don’t walk away because you don’t want it to burn! Once it is bubbling and the butter is fully melted, remove from heat and whisk in 1 cup of heavy cream and a few pinches of fleur de sel. I usually do 2-3 small pinches but you can add more if you’d like. I recommend starting with 2 and then tasting it and going from there.

Transfer it to a mason jar {because I put EVERYTHING in mason jars!} and let it cool for about 30 minutes. Then put it in the refrigerator. It will be pretty thin when you first make it, but once you let it sit in the fridge it will become thicker. You can keep it in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I always make sure to buy a heavy cream with the latest date so that you know you have plenty of time. You don’t what it expiring in a few days! ;)

Chances are you are going to want to make a salted caramel latte with this because….well that’s what I’ve been telling you about, right?

Here’s the recipe for my world famous {well maybe not world famous, but everyone who tries it loves it.} Salted Caramel Latte. I’ll tell you how to do it iced and hot. But iced is my preferred way to drink this…and every other drink. I pretty much only drink iced drinks. :)

What You Need:

-something to drink it in. obviously I drink mine in a mason jar cuz it just tastes better ;)

-salted caramel {make sure you’ve already made & refrigerated it, or it will be too thin.}

-milk {whatever kind you drink. I drink Organic 2%.}

-ice

-espresso

-squeeze bottle {for easy drizzling of caramel}

Directions:

If you have an espresso machine this will obviously be a lot easier…but if not, well….I’m not sure how you’re making this. ;) First, pour about 1/4 cup of milk into your steam pitcher. You are not looking to heat up the milk, you are wanting to create foam. More specifically, micro foam. {If that isn’t something you know about, it’s how they create latte art. You can google it.} Once you’ve steamed some foam, set it aside.

-Pull your shots. {single, double, quadruple….I’m not judging}

-Drizzle caramel in glass

-Put your shots in glass

-Scoop foam into glass (yes, even on an iced drink. it really is delicious, trust me you’ll love it!)

-Add ice

-Add milk

If you want you can put another dollop of foam on top and another drizzle of caramel. It’s all up to you.

If you would rather this be a hot salted caramel latte, all you need to do is;

-steam your milk

-pull your shots

-drizzle caramel in cute mug ;)

-pour shots into mug

-pour in steamed milk

-drizzle top with more caramel

-if you want sprinkle a dash of fleur de sel

If you make this, I’d love to hear what you think! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram.

xo,

Elizabeth

Comparison is a Jerk

Comparison. Plain and simple, is a jerk. Sometimes we get so caught up in “creating the perfect life” that we forget to just LIVE our life. We try to create a life that is pleasing to look at from an outsider’s view. But ask yourself, are you making the view for all involved on the inside as pleasing? Think about that for a minute. It is way too easy to start comparing our lives to other people’s. (strangers on the internet, people you pass on the street or see on tv, without truly knowing anything about them.) We get ideas in our head of what our lives (and ourselves) “should look like” and then we forget what living a good life truly means. Continue reading →

How to keep a clean home-doing a little each day.

The holidays are going to be here before we know it. As soon as Labor Day comes and goes, most of us will start decorating for Fall and then before you know it, it will be Thanksgiving! This isn’t just a holiday cleaning list though. It is a simple to follow daily cleaning list to keep your house clean any time of the year. BUT especially as the holidays approach so that there is no need to scramble around cleaning like a crazy person when guests say they are stopping by.

Now I know there are different types of people. Some people enjoy cleaning like I do, or maybe I just really enjoy a clean house. Either way, there are us daily cleaners and those who hate it and avoid it at all costs. I would say this list is more so for someone who doesn’t mind cleaning and enjoys a clean home. But if you aren’t a fan of cleaning daily, I do suggest at least trying to stick to this schedule during the next few months as friends and family come and go throughout the holidays.

Tip: Making your bed as soon as you get up, helps get your day started on a productive note. I make mine every day!

DAILY TASKS

Kitchen; load and unload dishwasher. Sanitize sink and counters.

Pick up & put away anything out of place in all rooms.

Take out kitchen garbage.

Laundry is pretty much daily, because I never want it to pile up.

Sweep kitchen & dinning room.

MONDAY

Clean all floors: Sweep & Mop. Vacuum.

TUESDAY

Clean bathrooms: Disinfect all surfaces. Clean toilet. Wash towels & bathmats.

WEDNESDAY

Dust entire house. Dust all windowsills/shutters and baseboards.

THURSDAY

Wipe down walls, cabinets, built-ins. Clean appliances in kitchen; oven, microwave, etc.

FRIDAY

Clean mirrors/windows/glass. Straighten up bedrooms/offices/closets. Anything that didn’t get finished during the week.

WEEKEND

Wash sheets.

ONCE A MONTH

Wash all bedding (sheets get washed weekly.) Comforters/duvets/blankets. Wash all couch blankets and pillows. (if washable)

Tip: When you have the time, I encourage you to pick one thing in your home and organize it. It doesn’t have to be a big project. When I organized my spice drawer I just wanted to stare at it. You would be surprised how a simple thing can help so much.

I hope this list helps you get started with creating a cleaning routine. I truly believe that when things are clean and in their place, everything seems to go a little smoother each day.

xo, Elizabeth

Simple & Delicious Meal Planning

I feel like whenever I say, “meal planning” people either love it or hate it. haha. I think the reason people probably don’t like it is because it sounds like a lot of work. But it is just the opposite. It makes things run smoothly come dinner time. If you’re anything like me, you have found yourself looking at the clock at 4:30 only to realize that you have no idea what to make for dinner! The kids start looking for snacks, saying they are hungry and even you are tempted to start snacking. That’s why I started meal planning. Because it’s a sanity saver! Especially on busy days!

If you’ve ever wanted to meal plan, (which I assume you have and that is why you are reading this) then now is a great time. Especially with Summer winding down and school starting back up soon. So instead of getting take out or ordering a pizza, set aside some time on a Saturday or Sunday to plan out dinners for the upcoming week. Doesn’t have to be fancy. And it doesn’t have to be complicated! Ok enough pep talk, haha let’s jump right in.

Make a list of 10-15 of your family’s favorite meals. {if you can’t think of that many, head over to Pinterest, search your favorite cookbooks or heck! Ask your family what meals they love! If I’m drawing a blank, I love Pioneer Woman meals because they are fairly simple and always delicious.*

Below each meal, list out every ingredient you need for that meal.

Pick 5 of your favorites from that list. Make sure a few are quick and simple dishes that are easy to make for busy evenings. Try to make at least one meal if not a few that can be eaten for leftovers one night.

Write the 5 meals out and post on your family’s calendar or write them on a piece of paper and put it up on your refrigerator for your reference.

Shop your pantry for items needed for the 5 meals. I said 5 to allow one night to be leftovers and one night to go out or order a pizza. You can always adjust accordingly for whatever works best for your family.

Once you have figured out what you have and what you need for your meals, start a grocery list.

Grocery shop.

Repeat again next week. Switch up your list to the next 5 favorite meals.

*Don’t forget that you can switch up recipes and tailor them to meet your family’s dietary needs and likes.

To keep dinner time from getting boring, I like to add in different cuisines and proteins each night. Eating chicken 3 nights in a row is not ideal unless you really love chicken, haha. Switch things up. If you want to theme your nights to make things even easier. Meatball Mondays–you can make spaghetti and meatballs one week and the next week you can make meatball subs. Tuesday can be Taco Tuesdays and each week you can try different taco recipes. I have a lot of taco recipes. One is on the blog, search for Chipotle Lime Chicken Tacos. You can thank me later ;)

Personally I am not big on leftovers, but it definitely makes things easier when you are crunched for time or not in the mood to cook. So I do recommend planning for at least one night of leftovers. If you make a big pot of soup or chili one night, that will carry over for a leftover dinner perfectly. If you grill up a whole chicken you can use leftovers for another dish, or just simply throw it over a salad full of veggies.

Think ahead on the day you are writing out your list of meals BEFORE you go grocery shopping. If you are on a budget, plan your meals on what meats/items are on sale. Go through your pantry and freezer and try to come up with dishes that you already have most of the ingredients for. This is a money and a sanity saver. Get creative. But most of all, have FUN! This is meant to help make things easier and simplify the craziness of dinner time. Don’t just pull out a frozen pizza at 5 o’clock and call that dinner. I get it that some people don’t like to cook but there are simple things you can make with fresh, healthy ingredients that your family will love.

To give you an idea of what a week of dinners in our house may look like from time to time, here is a sample list. Hope it helps to get your creative dinner ideas flowing. :)

Monday- Mojo Grilled Chicken served over Salsa Rice

Tuesday- Rigatoni with Sausage and Peppers, Garlic bread and green salad

Wednesday- Homemade Taqueria style Carne asada burritos with chips and salsa

Thursday- Freddy’s Burgers with oven fries

Friday- Homemade Pizzas

There are no rules to meal planning. So don’t think you have to go about it a certain way. If you want to eat the same thing two times in one week, go ahead! If you want to plan to eat breakfast for dinner, heck yes! If you want to eat on paper plates because you hate doing dishes, that’s fine. I’m not judging! Planning out your dinners is meant to be helpful to save time and money and stress .

I hope this helps you get started with meal planning. If you have any questions or need recipe ideas, feel free to ask! Email me at: elizabeth@graceinhisbeauty.com or on Instagram @graceinhisbeauty

xoxo, Elizabeth

Fire Roasted Salsa

In our house, we LOVE Mexican food. So much so, that I cook it every single week at least once. I love coming up with new recipes to enjoy not only for our little family, but to share with friends and family. This Fire Roasted Salsa is one I make all the time for company and is ALWAYS gone by the time the night is over. But if there is any leftover, it saves well in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.

I call this “Fire Roasted” because….well, I roast the ingredients over the fire. haha. Clever. I know, right?! ;) I’ve done this three different ways, and they all work great. You can either, char them on your gas stove (I put them straight onto the burner.) Or you can put them on the grill, or you can heat them under a gas broiler.

Ingredients

6 Roma Tomatoes

3 Large Cloves of Garlic

1 Lime

1/8 tsp of Cumin

1/4 tsp of Salt

1 Yellow Onion (cut into chunks)

2 Jalapenos (take out the seeds)

2+ Chipotles in Adobo (you can start with 2 and taste and adjust the spice level.)

1 bunch of Cilantro (set aside a few springs to garnish before serving.)

2 Green Onions (to top at the end.)

Directions

Under the broiler, on the grill or on your gas stove, char the: Tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic and both the yellow and green onions. When charred, remove and let cool. Then add all the ingredients including the lime, cilantro and salt and cumin to a food processor. (I use my Ninja.) Pulse until chopped up but still has a nice texture. Then chop up your green onion and put on top and serve cooled.

Get Creative!

This salsa not only goes great with chips ;) but would be good on: eggs, chicken or steak. Get creative. It also makes a great hostess gift! Make up a batch and put it in a cute mason jar. Fry up some homemade chips and wah-la! Trust me, I’ve done this and it is always a hit. If you make this salsa, let me know. I’d love to hear what you think!

xo, Elizabeth

Or tag me: @graceinhisbeauty on Instagram

Living for a Purpose. On Purpose.

It is so easy to look back on life and think about all the things you could have done (better, faster or just done period.) Asking yourself, “What is my purpose?” TODAY I urge you to look back at things with a different perspective. I want you to look back and see your life through God’s eyes. See all the good. See all the small victories and accomplishments and CELEBRATE them! Don’t get caught up in the “what ifs” and the “should haves.” That will only weigh you down.

Continue reading →

Am I Beautiful?

As women we often find ourselves asking the question, “Am I beautiful?” We may not be directly asking someone, but I am sure at one point or another you have asked yourself that very question. Which then leads me to ask you this question. Do you think you are beautiful? More importantly, what do you think “being beautiful” truly means? Continue reading →

Elizabeth’s Cold Brew Coffee {Recipe}

Elizabeth’s Cold Brew Recipe:

8 cup French Press (I have a few different ones, but this one is great and inexpensive!)

8 Tablespoons of Coarsely ground coffee

Filtered Water

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tsp. brown sugar {optional}

In your French Press add 8 Tablespoons of your favorite coffee. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (adds flavor & has a lot of health benefits!) and 3 tsp. brown sugar. I add this if I’m wanting to sweeten it up a little more, though cold brew coffee is naturally sweeter than regular coffee. If you are going to use store bought flavored creamers, you can omit this step.

Once you have added your coffee, cinnamon and brown sugar, fill the French press almost to the top with filtered water. (leaving a little bit of room for the top to be put back on.) Stir carefully (I usually just use a straw) to combine and cover with foil or the top to the French press. Make sure not to press it down though! Store in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. Not more than 24. 12-15 hours is best. I usually do this in the evening before bed so it is ready to enjoy in the morning!

Serve over ice. Some people like to dilute the cold brew with water, though I personally don’t suggest doing so. I do love to add a splash of creamer though. One of my favorites is this one.

Tips for Success!

Use filtered water if possible. Cold brew or not, it’s always a good idea to use filtered water when making any sort of coffee or espresso drink.

Don’t Rush the process. Make sure you steep it at least 12 hours, which is why I make it the evening before and let it sit overnight. But on the other hand, don’t leave it in the fridge too long. 12-15 hours is perfect!

Cool Beans. Ok I just wanted to say “cool beans.” haha! But seriously, I always suggest buying whole beans and then grinding them yourself as you need them. BUT, make sure your beans are coarsely ground for perfect results.

Ratio to make a bigger batch. 4:1– 4 Cups of Water to 1 Cup of Coffee.

Best if: Stored in the fridge in an air tight container, like a mason jar. Use within a week for best taste. But let’s be real, it’s never lasted that long in my house. haha. The best way to enjoy it is to, invite a friend over on a warm afternoon and enjoy it together! :)

Any questions on changing this recipe up? Feel free to email me or send me a message on Instagram.

xo,

Elizabeth :)

Joyful in Hope

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase , “Choose Joy.” a hundred times before. Maybe you’ve even said it yourself. But what does “choosing joy” really look like? We have a choice every day to either have a positive or a negative attitude. Both take effort, but they each have drastically different outcomes. Perhaps you are like myself, and you struggle with fear and anxiety so you think choosing joy may seem harder. Tough times will still come, but joy will make it easier to deal with whatever comes your way. One of my favorite Bible verses says, “Be joyful in hope. Patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12. Let’s dig into that a little more and see what “choosing joy” really means. Continue reading →

The Power of a Prayer Warrior {Parent}

Being called a prayer warrior, to me is better than being called; pretty, funny or amazing. When people come to me and ask me to pray for them, it makes my heart smile. I have always had a strong relationship with the Lord. That isn’t something that just happens. It is something you need to constantly work at and I have. Now don’t get me wrong. Yes, I have ALWAYS loved the Lord, but I have not always acted like I love Him. I have made my share of mistakes along the way. But I know that we serve a loving God who wants to have a relationship with us. We have prayer to communicate with the One who created us. What could be better than calling on our Heavenly Father. So how exactly can we call upon Him? By praying and becoming prayer warriors. Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can stand against the devil’s schemes.” Curious about strengthening your prayer life? Keep reading then!