Five on Friday - January 30, 2015

Guess what today's post is?  It's my 100th blog post!  I have to say, I've enjoyed writing each one of them.  Thanks for sticking around and it's been fun gaining some blogger friends!  I'm learning as I go and am truly enjoying the journey.

Now, back to business.  Here's my Five on Friday for this week.

1.  St. Louis Cardinals Spring Training
I booked my flight to Spring Training this week!!  So excited!!  It's been an item on my bucket list for years to go to Florida for some Cardinal spring training games and it looks like this year I'll get to move it over to the "done that" column.  Two friends from work and I are headed down in March and I couldn't be looking forward to it more.  Go Cards!!  Anybody else going?  We need some recommendations on places to stay near Jupiter.

2.  Apricot Pork Chops
On Monday, I posted about Apricot Pork Chops.  These are not only delicious, but oh so good.  They can also be made in a freezer bag ahead of time and frozen.  Makes a great gift to give a new mother, someone recuperating, housewarming -- you get the picture.  I serve them over rice.  Here's the recipe:

6 pork chops

1 (1 oz.) package dry onion soup mix

10 oz. Russian-style salad dressing

1 cup apricot preserves

1.  Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2.  Place the pork chops into a casserole dish.
3.  Mix onion soup mix, Russian dressing and apricot preserves together.
3.  Pour mixture over chops and bake uncovered for 1 hour.

Apricot Pork Chops

3.  Harney & Sons Earl Grey Imperial Tea
I have a new love for hot tea and am digging this Harney & Sons Earl Grey Imperial tea.  It's available to purchase at Barnes and Noble.  This may sound really silly, but one of the things I love about it is the precious silk tea bags!!  Makes me feel so fancy when I make a cup.  They have lots of different flavors, but I haven't ventured out to try any of them yet.  Maybe soon -- we still have some winter left and I love curling up with a book and cup of hot tea on a cold day outside.                        
                                        
4.  Alex and Ani
My friend, Tracy, gave me a skeleton key charm bangle bracelet from Alex and Ani and I love it!  The one she chose represents power, choice and liberation.  The description says to wear this bangle to help propel you toward greatness.  These are excellent gifts and they have a bangle to go with about anything you could want (sororities, sports teams, zodiac signs).  You might have seen them in Cosmopolitan, Real Simple or Lucky magazines.  If you're looking for a gift that has some meaning to it, check them out.

                                              
5.  Super Bowl Humor

                           

Enjoy your weekend!  I'm having the girls over for lunch on Saturday and Sunday is book club.  I also hope to get out my Valentine's decorations and spruce up the house a bit.  And, of course, we have the Big Game on Sunday.  We're having our son and daughter-in-law over to watch the game and enjoy the commercials and half-time show.  Hope to see you back here on Monday for the weekend recap.

Linking up with:

Rebecca at XOXO Rebecca

Jennie at The Diary of a Real Housewife

Amy at The Farmer's Wife

Amanda at Meet At The Barre

Erika at Little Bit of Everything

The Grits Blog

Simply Sweet Home
High Five for Friday
5 on Friday 
The Jenny Evolution