I love peaches in the summer, and I love grilling, so to me, a grilled peach is pretty much the epitome of the season. For this little recipe, I used a grill pan instead of the outdoor grill, which tends to be easier if you're just making a quick batch. Topped with goat cheese and a drizzle of honey, these make a perfect appetizer or even a unique dessert. 

Ingredients:

• Two to three large, ripe peaches
• PAM cooking spray (I used the olive oil one)
• Several tablespoons of soft goat cheese
• A couple tablespoons of honey
• Mint, as a garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat grill pan on stove, turned to medium-high heat.
2. Wash the peaches and cut each one in half. Remove pits.
3. Spray pan with PAM and place peaches cut side down on grill pan. Cook for about five minutes, then flip them over and cook for another two or three.
4. Plate the peaches and crumble goat cheese over each one. Drizzle with honey, garnish with fresh mint, and serve warm.

Leaving up to 99% less residue, PAM is your ally in the kitchen and allows you to save time during prep and clean up.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by ConAgra via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of ConAgra. 

Every summer, my family gathers 'round for a big seafood dinner at my parents' house on Smith Mountain Lake. We sit on the deck and drink wine and eat with our hands and watch the sun set. It's really good. I am so excited to be moving closer to home and making things like this just a quick three hour drive away.

The last time I was in Roanoke, I gathered my family and invited a couple of friends to come over for our annual seafood boil. It was a lovely evening and we all had a great time. I served La Crema Chardonnay--everyone's favorite--and we drank and ate and just enjoyed each other's company.

I was kind of surprised at how beautiful a table set with paper and covered with seafood ended up being, so I thought I'd share a few tips for throwing a great, shabby-chic seafood boil party:

• Use brown paper or newspaper as a table cloth--it looks festive and is super functional, since you'll be throwing it away after dinner. I cut up some brown grocery bags and topped it with a few sheets of newspaper. I think the combination looks really nice!
• White plates, crab claw crackers, and a couple rolls of paper towels are really all you need--unless you're serving a vegetable as well (we had steamed broccoli), you don't even need forks!
• Use a citronella candle to ward off mosquitos, and use some matching tea lights to fancy up the table a bit more if you wish.
• Finally, a simple vase of flowers (I cut some roses from our neighbor's yard...it's kind of an inside joke we have going) adds an extra pop of color to really make the table look put together.

One of my favorite things I've come to realize from working with La Crema over the past four months is this: details can often be really special, and nothing is so small that it isn't worth celebrating. Summer, friends, family, wine, and really huge shrimp all make life a little brighter. So get together with people you love and, for any or no reason at all, enjoy a fantastic meal together. Cheers!

This post is sponsored by La Crema. Thank you for your support as I continue to work with brands. Make sure to visit the La Crema Blog for the seafood boil recipe!

Photos by the lovely Sarah of Photo + Love.

It's been chilly and a bit rainy here in Minneapolis this week, and I've taken several morning walks around my neighborhood in yoga pants and my favorite hoodie--an old thing from J.Crew that's light blue and super thin. I must have spilled coffee or something on it at some point and never noticed, because for as long as I can remember it's had a faint little stain on the pocket that won't come out, but I don't care enough to get rid of the thing.

I've been packing this week. It's funny, what you find when you pick up and move--I haven't even been here for a year yet, but there are plenty of things to discard from last August. And yet, as usual, there are more, and better things to hold on to.

We got an apartment in Charlotte this week, and two nights ago I filled in my part of the lease online. It was the first time I labeled myself as "self-employed" on anything official. It was exciting but also a little scary--as I entered my estimated monthly income and it became really apparent that this thing I'm doing here isn't really a hobby anymore. I love it just as much (if not more) than I did when I first started out, and the goal was to blog as though it were my job during my time in Minneapolis. As much as I wanted to succeed, there was always (and is always) a part of me that kind of expects to fail.

I remember the discussion Rob and I had about me joining him in Minnesota. I was still working for a software company in Roanoke, and while it wasn't exactly what I had dreamed of doing with my life, I realized that at 24, I had a pretty good deal going (and plenty of time to make changes). My family's dog was old and I wasn't ready to leave him yet, but I also felt overwhelmed at the thought of quitting my job to live somewhere else for only a year. What would I do? I had student loans and felt fairly certain that no one would hire me to work somewhere for less than twelve months. I had always wanted to put more time and effort into my blog, but it didn't seem like a responsible decision yet. I am so thankful for Rob's support and encouragement to just give it a chance. So I gave my notice, packed my things, and kept blogging.

And here we are, almost a year later, packing up for a new city that we will, with any luck, call home for the next several years. Maybe I'll find my dream job in Charlotte. Maybe I'll continue doing what I'm doing and eventually accept the possibility that my dream is already here. I don't know what's next for me yet, but I do know that I wouldn't be where I am without the constant love and support I have had the blessing of knowing.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by State Farm via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of State Farm.