Monthly Archives: June 2017

500th Post – With a Big Announcement!

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Happy Friday, everyone- and what a beautiful Friday it is! It’s also a very special occasion for ‘Legally Redhead’. This is my 500th post!

When I first started this blog back on New Year’s Day in 2013, I never thought I’d make it to 500 posts. I didn’t even know if I’d make it to 100, honestly- but it quickly became a passionate project of mine- and getting the opportunity to interact with so many incredible, insightful and talented people about a variety of subjects over the years has been the icing on a pretty amazing cake.

First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you who have subscribed to/followed Legally Redhead since it’s inception. Your support and your feedback throughout the years has kept me going- even when I sometimes wondered what the point was (it happens to all bloggers at some point, trust me…) and I have worked incredibly hard to give you all content I was proud of and hoped you would all enjoy. It means the world to me to know that other people care about this little corner of the web as much as I do.

I also want to thank the brands/companies I’ve partnered with over these past few years. You all took a chance with me- an inexperienced blogger by comparison to more established and well-known websites/figures- and I’m so honored to have had the privilege to work with all of you. Truly. I’m so, so grateful for so many wonderful opportunities that were presented to me.

But times- they are a changing- and it’s with immense pride (and a little sorrow) that I have to announce that I’m closing the chapter of my life known as ‘Legally Redhead’.

Wait- what?!

Okay, okay- so I’m not done blogging- I’m just done blogging here, is all! I’m heading on over to a sparkling new URL to start fresh and provide more frequent and more polished content (as opposed to my sporadic posting style here at ‘Legally Redhead’).

Today marks the launch of my latest project: Blondie Birdie!

But- why?!

Well, the simple answer is that I’m not the same person I was when I first started ‘Legally Redhead’- a site that was created in the aftermath of my father’s unexpected death during my mid-20s. While many of my interests and goals remain (mostly) the same- I’ve changed a lot over the past couple of years- especially with my breakup last Summer. I wanted a fresh start and the chance to really focus on blogging full-time alongside my current career path as I transitioned into the next stage of my life.

Also- I’m not a redhead anymore- and haven’t been for a while! So, you know- I needed an update to better reflect my hair color!

What’s going to happen to ‘Legally Redhead’?

Nothing at all! The site is going to stay up- just the way it is- so that people can reference my past posts about recipes, travel, makeup, fashion, etc. There just won’t be any new updates after this post. All of my new content will be over at Blondie Birdie starting today!

What will Blondie Birdie be about?

Well, in a lot of ways- Blondie Birdie will be similar to ‘Legally Redhead’. I still intend to share recipes, cosmetic/skin care reviews, travel recaps, etc. but I’m also hoping to have more structured and professional-looking posts about a larger variety of topics- many of which I’ve been tempted to post about here but just never got around to.

What about ‘Legally Redhead’s social media?

Not to worry! I’ve taken care of everything. I’ve updated my CONTACTS page here on ‘Legally Redhead’ reflecting any changes in usernames- and will also have the CONTACTS page on Blondie Birdie updated accordingly. If you’re looking for me- I won’t be hard to find. Promise!

How do I follow Blondie Birdie?

The same way you followed me here. There’s a “FOLLOW ME” button along the side-bar of my homepage. Simply add your e-mail or click the button to be logged into WordPress and you’ll be notified every time I post! I’ll also have my social media links up if you want to follow me on any of those platforms!

I think that’s pretty much everything. I sincerely hope that all of you who have been so supportive and incredible these past few years come along with me during the next chapter in my life. I’m excited to begin writing it- and I hope you’re all just as excited to read about it!

Thank you for an incredible 4+ years.

See you over on Blondie Birdie!

xx

www.blondiebirdie.com

Quick Eats: Fried Shallot Cheeseburger

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It doesn’t look like it or feel like it- but Summer is here in New England and we’re all trying to get into the spirit of things despite the most recent onslaught of torrential downpours and temperature drops. I’ve broken out my maxi dresses for work, my sandals for the weekend, and have been feverishly searching for the best alcohol-infused Popsicle recipes to make in my kitchen in what little spare time I have these days.

One of the telltale signs of the season is the abundance of cookouts and backyard BBQs on the nicer, sunnier days. Unfortunately, we haven’t had one of those in a while- so I’ve resorted to cooking up burgers, fries, and mixing some milkshakes in the comfort of my kitchen and making the best of things. I’ve been having a lot of fun experimenting with some of the recipes in my recently purchased Shake Shack cookbook- and thought I’d share a slightly modified version of one of my favorite concoctions so far.

I love anything with onions, so this recipe was a must-try the second I spotted it in the book- and the sauce I coated the potato buns with? SO good.

Best of all? These are super easy to make!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

FOR THE SAUCE/”SHAKESAUCE”:

  • 1/2 cup Hellman’s mayonaise
  • 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 teaspoons of Heinz ketchup
  • 1/4 teaspoon of kosher dill pickling brine
  • A pinch of cayenne pepper.

FOR THE BURGERS:

  • 4 hamburger potato buns
  • 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
  • 4 tablespoons of the mixed sauce (“Shakesauce”)
  • 1 pound of very cold ground beef, divided into 4 pucks
  • 1/2 pound of thin, fried shallots
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper
  • 4 slices of your cheese of choice (for this particular attempt, I stuck with American cheese!)

OKAY, HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

FOR THE SAUCE/”SHAKESAUCE”:

1. Put all of the ingredients (listed above) in a small mixing bowl and stir until well combined.

2. Chill the sauce for about 15-20 minutes prior to use. Any extra sauce will keep, if covered and properly refrigerated, for up to one week.

FOR THE BURGERS:

1. Heat a cast-iron griddle over medium-low heat until warm. Meanwhile, brush the insides of the hamburger potato buns with the melted butter. Place the buns buttered side down and toast until golden brown (2-3 minutes). Transfer the buns onto a plate and spoon your mixed and chilled “Shakesauce” on the top bun.

2. Increase the heat to medium and heat the griddle until hot (2-3 minutes)

3. Evenly sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on top of each puck of ground beef.

4. Place the pucks on the griddle, seasoned side down. Using a large, sturdy metal spatula, firmly smash each puck into a 1/3-inch thick round patty. Pressing down the spatula with another stiff spatula helps flatten the burger quickly. Evenly sprinkle more salt and pepper on the patties.

5. Cook the burgers until the edges beneath are brown and crisp, and juices on the surface are bubbling hot (about 2 1/2 minutes). Slide one of the spatulas beneath the burger to release it from the griddle and scrape up the caramelized browned crust. Use the other spatula to steady the burger and keep it from sliding. Flip the burgers.

6. Put the cheese on top and cook the burgers for one minute longer for medium, and longer for a more well-done texture. Transfer the cheeseburgers to the prepared buns- top with your fried shallots- and enjoy!

Crispy, tangy, and with just the right amount of spice- these burgers are pretty great and are definitely something I plan to bust out at my next outdoor get together with my friends- assuming it ever stops raining!

xx

Weekend Warrior

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The weather here in New England is almost always unpredictable, to say the least- and most weather reports are taken with a grain of salt until we actually see snow/rain/sun/tornadoes for ourselves. I knew well before this past weekend that I wanted to go to the beach, regardless of the conditions- so when the scheduled sun was blocked out by the clouds and occasional showers- I didn’t let it stop me. Myself and a couple of friends headed over to Singing Beach in Manchester-By-The-Sea to lounge around on the near-empty landscape and watch the waves roll in for a couple of hours.

It wasn’t anything like laying on Ocean Beach by the Pacific in San Diego- but it’ll do for now.

Apart from a strong gust of wind every so often, it was a pleasantly warm afternoon. We had a small picnic with the snacks we had packed before eventually making our way to Captain Dusty’s Ice Cream for a couple of cones to bring with us as we headed back into the city.

Singing Beach is quickly starting to become one of my favorite Summer spots- not only because it’s impossibly clean and picturesque- but it’s also a lot easier to navigate to and less crowded than some of the other, more popular beaches in New Hampshire or down by the Cape. I’m tempted to do a write-up of the area, similar to my comparison post about Hampton Beach & Old Orchard Beach back in 2015- to assist those visiting for the first time! There’s truly a lot to see and do around the neighborhood. You just have to know where to look and how far to venture!

With Summer 2017 officially underway (albeit delayed because of the rain throughout Memorial Day Weekend kind of messing things up)– I also saw my first Summer blockbuster yesterday with my friend Stef after a late brunch during a long overdue girl date. We made it a regular women’s celebration and saw an afternoon screening of ‘Wonder Woman’- and wow. It was incredible, you guys. I’m not as big on the DC Universe as I am with Marvel- but it completely blew me away. It was powerful, action-packed, funny, sweet, AND heartbreaking- and I’m honestly just so thrilled with how well it’s doing at the box office because I would LOVE sequels.

I might even go see it again later on this week- that’s how much I enjoyed it from start to finish!

Today I’m all about work and getting things done at the office since it’s shaping up to be a pretty busy week. On Wednesday, I’ll have a really awesome and delicious recipe post to share- and then Friday is the date I’m announcing my big blogging news!

Enjoy your Monday, everyone!

xx