SOCIAL MEDIA

Sunday, November 14, 2021

Buffalo Butterfly Shrimp With Homemade Blue Cheese Dip

 I love the holidays, but I don't love spending forever in the kitchen prepping food. This appetizer is both easy and delicious, and will give you more time with your friends and family and less time in the kitchen! Kyle was begging for me to make more, and I have to agree, I could have eaten a whole platter!


-Nicholle 

*This post is sponsored by Gortons Seafood. Thank you for supporting the companies that support Nicholle Sophia
#GortonsShrimpAppetizers #Ad @gortonsseafood
Sunday, May 9, 2021

Lake Champlain Closets




I'm so excited to share about our custom closets through Lake Champlain Closets today!

This is our second time working with them and we couldn't be happier with how our custom closets turned out. 

 

Initially, we were planning on building and the blueprints for our home had a 100sq foot space for my closet. We ended up purchasing our current home and renovating instead of building, which meant I was losing that massive closet space that I was so excited about. Fast forward to the new house and I had about 35 square feet to work with. I was so bummed, I thought there was no way I could have the closet of my dreams.

I called Cathy from Lake Champlain Closets and we set up a consultation for the following week. During our consult, Cathy asked questions about what I needed most out of the space. I shared how I have many many pairs of shoes and wanted that to be a focus. During our consult, we decided that we would also do two additional closets in the bedroom. One would act as Kyles closet and one a linen closet / more storage for me. Cathy took the time to make sure these spaces would meet all of our needs. 

Just a month after our initial consult, our beautiful custom closets were being installed. I was blown away by the quality of the materials and how good they looked! I know looks aren't everything, but seriously these closets are swoon-worthy. I was so excited to organize all of my things into the closets. I'm happy to report that my shoes do in fact all fit! 

Key Features of Lake Champlain Closets 

  • They can work around baseboard heat. For my walk-in closet, Cathy suggested choosing drawers for that area to ensure safety. What I love about the drawer section is that it also created a beautiful focal point in the closet. 
  • You have the ability to choose your finishes. For our closets, I chose white wood with oil-rubbed bronze rods. I love to have a cohesive home and all of our other fixtures are dark so I was happy this was an option. I was also able to order my own hardware and have it installed. 
  •  They create a design that truly fits your space. Cathy brought my closets to the ceiling to maximize storage and shelving, this also helped to make the space feel much bigger. 
  • Lake Champlain Closets works with you to build a closet that fits within your budget. When looking at other closet companies, the costs were almost double! 
  • Cathy and her team at LCC are very communicative. Throughout the entire process, Cathy was prompt and responsive to all of my questions. 

Overall, I can't say enough good things about Lake Champlain Closets. I have recommended them to so many people and everyone has loved their experience and products they have received. If you have any questions feel free to reach out or contact Lake Champlain Closets directly at cathy@lccvt.com 

-Nicholle 

* This post is sponsored by Lake Champlain Closets. Thank you for supporting the companies that support Nicholle Sophia.

Wednesday, January 13, 2021

Homemade Ramen

 
This cold weather means one thing...cozy food. What cozier food is there than a hot bowl of ramen!? I put together this meal in under 15 minutes and it was so delicious. I used my favorite al fresco chicken sausage & it made the perfect topping for my ramen. Follow the recipe below for a quick and easy meal.

Ingredients // 

Ramen Noodles (found in the Asian food section)

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 

Jalapeno al fresco chicken sausage

Shredded Carrots

Sliced Mushrooms

Sliced fresh jalapenos 

Scallions sliced 

Ground Ginger

Garlic Powder 

How to //

1. Heat the chicken stock over high heat until boiling- Add a dash of ground ginger and powdered garlic to taste

2. While the stock is boiling slice up your chicken sausage and sautee over medium heat until browned. Remove from heat and set aside. 

3. Once the stock is boiling drop in your ramen noodles and cook for about 6 minutes until desired tenderness. 

4. Fill your bowl with noodles and broth and top with desired toppings. I chose the al fresco chicken sausage, sliced mushrooms, shredded carrots, sliced jalapenos, and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.

Enjoy! I made this for Kyle and he was raving about how good it was! I also loved how easy it is to put together. 

Let me know if you try it. 

* This post is sponsored by al fresco chicken sausage. Thank you for supporting the companies that support Nicholle Sophia 

#NewYearWithalfresco #Ad  @alfrescochicken



Monday, January 4, 2021

New House Q & A


 Hi All!

This post is long overdue, but I thought I would finally put together a Q&A answering some of your most frequent questions about our new home. In case you missed it, Kyle & I purchased a new home at the beginning of November which was very unexpected.

We sold our previous home in September as the market was great, and we were looking to eventually get into a bigger space ( that home was under 1,000 sqft.). The plan was that we were going to build a new home which just kept getting pushed back due to building delays related to COVID. 

Fast forward to October when Kyle told me there was a house I had to see but I needed to be open minded...and here we are 3 months later! The house needed MAJOR updates. While it has great bones it was UGLY- and when I say ugly I mean it. Turqoise walls, green granite, red birch cabinets, a lavender master bedroom...yikes!

We are now 2 months into our major renovation and we are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel! 


Where is your new house? //

Our new home is located in Chittenden County which is perfect as that's where we both work. We are 10 minutes from my school and his office as well as a short drive from both of our families. I love this area of Vermont- I don't think I would be able to live in another area! Plus did I mention there's a full spa within walking distance!?

Do you still plan to build? //

I have no real interest in building anymore after enduring this renovation...I'm not sure my heart could take all of the ups and downs that come with building! That being said, I think Kyle would love to build one day so we will see. 

How big is your new house ? //

Our house is right around 3000 sqft., which is massive compared to our old home, which was 936 sqft. We now have 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. We plan to finish the basement eventually which will add an additional 1500 sqft. I don't think we could ever outgrow this home! 

Your bedroom looks huge! //

This is probably what sold me on the home- our bedroom! It has a dressing area, 3 closets and a huge bathroom. I made Kyle calculate it for you with the blue prints and he says it's about 625 sqft. With that being said, I could probably just live in my bedroom! 

Plans for the extra bedrooms? //

Good question! I truly don't have many plans for all of the extra space in this home. I'm planning to set up a guest room but other than that the spaces will be empty for now. We will probably have kiddos in the future, until then, they are nice rooms for Penelope to run around. 

Are you renovating the outside? //

Heck ya! The color is just not my style. We plan to have the outside done this summer. We will be having the siding and windows painted as well as landscaping and new garage doors. I can't wait to see how the outside turns out. 

Are you using a company for the reno? //

I'm super into home design and felt like I could take this on. We hired a contractor and I have given him all of my ideas which he has brought to life. It feels so rewarding to see it come together! I can't wait to show you the home when it's complete. 

And finally, the most asked question...What are your floors? //

I have to say, I'm obsessed with these floors. I'm so happy we went with a lighter color. It has helped to brighten and open up the space. 

The floors are Pantim Hardwoods, Palladio in the color "Whiskey". They are white oak, with wire brushing & an oiled finish. I highly recommended them. 

Let me know if you have any other questions

Nicholle