Sweet and Salty Spin on the Classic Banana Split

I love sweet things. And salty things. But a combination of them both? Oh yeah. Amazing. So, I created this sweet and salty gourmet spin on a banana split and let me tell you, it's heaven in a bowl. Bananas brulee, toasted nuts, salty pretzel- you know you want one!

What You'll Need to Make It:

• Vanilla Ice Cream. (I made my own using this recipe)
• 1/4 cup crushed nuts
• A ripe banana
• pretzels

Step One- Brulee the Banana

• Put your oven on the broil setting
• Cut the banana however you wish
• Dip the top in white or brown sugar
• Place slices on a cookie sheet
• Place on the top rack of oven 
• Broil until the sugar starts to bubble and brown (Make sure the sugar gets really brown)
• Remove from oven
• Let the slices sit for two minutes then scoop them off with a spatula

Step Two- Toast the Nuts

• Coat the bottom of a skillet with olive oil and salt to taste
• Add the nuts
• Cook on medium heat while stirring with a wooden spoon
• Remove from heat once the nuts get really toasty and brown and start to be fragrant. (Yum)
• Stir in crushed pretzel pieces

Step Three- Combine it all!

• Pretty self-explanatory, just assemble your sundae however you wish! Enjoy!
  The pup photo bombing... Haha!

Fourth Of July Outfit Ideas

                     

             Have no idea what to wear for the fourth?  Search no longer! Just click below on the type of occasion you will be attending or keep scrolling to see them all.

View:
Casual
or
Dressy




May your Fourth of July be filled with watermelon, parades, fireworks, sparklers, sun... and a cute outfit.




xx, Meg
Tag me in your outfit on Instagram @ASunnyStateofMind. If you've read this, comment the American Flag emoji on my Instagram for a surprise!

Dressy Outfits for the 4th

guest alert! this outfit is by sarah beth of +BeYouBeauty12 // an eyelet skirt with a simple loose top and sperry's

scallops and statement necklaces are a good thing//jcrew dress and necklace, marshall's shoes

navy stripes and red roses // jcrew dress and necklace, hm sunglasses

printed cardi and white linen // crewcuts dress, target cardigan, etsy bracelet

ruffle collar and printed mini // handmade top, jcrew skirt

white top with a statement necklace and skirt // charming charlie necklace, nordstrom top, jcrew skirt, hm sunnies

Casual Outfits for the 4th

plain and simple with a bow // all jcrew

 pearls, graphic sweater, shorts// jcrew shorts and sweater, kate spade bracelet, jack rogers sandals

 a pretty swiss dot blouse and shorts along with some festive face painting // gap kids top

a statement necklace with a solid top and seersucker shorts // charming charlie necklace and bracelet, crewcuts top and shorts

                     

a cute ruffle collar top and red canvas shorts // handmade top, jcrew shorts

                     

the red shorts again and a polka dot top // old navy top and jcrew shorts

what's fourth of july without a little seersucker? //  jcrew necklace, nordstrom top, Ralph Lauren capris

dressed down dress // jcrew dress and necklace, gap jacket

So these are all of my casual picks!

Ten Tips on How to make the "Creme de la Creme" of French Macarons

I LOVE French macarons. Not only are they yummy, they are adorable. Last year, I tried to make some.. Let's just say it didn't go well. But with some research and more failure, I've figured out some tips that are sure to help you!

 These tips help with any recipe. I've found that a recipe from an actual cook book is way better than a random one on the internet.

1. Don't skip the sift. Sifting the almond meal and powdered sugar together makes the texture and look of the macarons perfect. It gets rid of almond skins in your almond meal and unsightly powdered sugar chunks.

2. Get the texture right. The batter shouldn't be too runny or too firm. However, when you pipe out the macarons the batter gets tossed around and becomes runnier, so when you put it in the piping bag it should be a little firmer than what you want to end up with.

3. Stick to the basics. It will work out better if you don't try to add any extra toppings or powders into your batter.

4. Keep your eye on them. They can go from perfect to burnt really quickly so keep checking on them as they bake.

5. The Silpat is your friend! Using a silicone baking mat makes the macarons come off the pan really easily. If you don't have one, parchment paper is a close second. And don't be fooled by "macaron pans"... They suck.

6. Bang them around. RIGHT after you pipe out the batter into rounds, bang the pan on the counter to release air bubbles. Be sure to rotate the pan and bang at all angles.

7. Warm up your eggs. Using room temperature eggs helps with texture. If you don't have time to set out your eggs, submerge them in warm water for five minutes.

8. The brighter the better! The batter color will fade as your cookies bake, so add extra food coloring.
9. Rest up! Before baking, let the batter rounds sit on the sheet for at least 45 minutes.

10. Give them some space. If you have two pans of macarons to bake, let one pan finish baking before putting the other one in. They need the oven to themselves.

Overall, don't get discouraged if your macarons don't look like they are straight out of Paris- it takes time to get the perfect batch! Feel free to ask me questions. Also, tag me in your macaron photos @ASunnyStateofMind.
                                                                 xx, Meg

Please notes that these are french macarons, not macaroons. They are delicate french pastries while the "two o" macaroons are made of coconut.

My most recent batch, packaged with Rifle Paper Co. labels and filled with homemade raspberry jam. 

For more tips, refer to "Beth's Foolproof Macaron Tips" on YouTube