There’s nothing better this time of year than a nice hot cup of spiced cider. Here is a super easy, slow cooker apple cider recipe with only 5 ingredients! It only takes minutes to prepare and it’s fool proof. I think this cider recipe is the perfect amount of sweetness and spice. I like to use this Cuisinart Multi Cooker for all my slow cooker recipes. You’re going to love this one, plus…wink wink, I’ve got a few fun variations for you to try below.
Place apple cider and brown sugar in slow cooker and stir to combine. Add sliced orange, cinnamon sticks, and cloves.
Cook on low 3-4 hours. To serve, ladle into cups and garnish with oranges and cinnamon sticks.
VARIATIONS
BLACK TEA APPLE CIDER – Ladle cider into a cup, add a black tea bag, and steep 3-5 minutes.
CHILLED APPLE CIDER – Refrigerate and serve over ice for a refreshing twist on this drink. Perfect on a warmer day.
SPIKED APPLE CIDER – Ladle cider into cup and add the liquor of your choice. The best options are bourbon, brandy, or dark aged rum. We used a dark aged rum and it was delicious. The amount you add is up to you.
APPLE CIDER WITH PORT WINE – My favorite! Ladle cider into cup and add port using a 2:1 ratio of cider to port.
I love beautifully wrapped gifts, I think it’s just as important as the actual gift! Even though, I bought most of my gift wrapping supplies last week, yesterday I just started officially wrapping gifts! I’m kinda late this year but this really got me thinking about how stressful wrapping gifts can be…it can be one of those dreaded holiday tasks for sure. I used to hate wrapping gifts, but now I actually love it and look forward to it, so I thought I would pass along the ways I’ve found to make it fun and less stressful.
BE ORGANIZED
You need to have your supples ready way before you’re ready to wrap gifts. You set yourself up for disaster by not being organized. Have a new roll of tape, tissue paper, boxes, scissors, wrapping paper, ribbon, bows, and tags ready to go before you start. If you try to just wing it and look for things once you start you’ll loose your mind. Another bonus of being organized is you won’t over buy.
USE PROPER BOXES
To have a properly wrapped gift you need to have square corners. Parent’s with young kids, you know exactly what I mean. Trying to wrap these plastic packaged toys with odd angles and edges is enough to pull your hair out! Yes, you could just throw it in a gift bag, and sometimes that’s the only choice, but I find most people love the thrill of ripping paper. So I recommend when you buy an odd shaped gift find a box that will fit it right away.
HAVE FUN WITH IT
I used to just grab a roll of Santa Claus wrapping paper and a package of cheap stick-on bows. This method wasn’t fun for me, it’s no wonder I hated doing it. Now I’m completely the opposite, I like to coordinate my packages and get really creative. I spend a long time buying gift wrapping supplies and holding different ribbons and tags next to each other. It’s like creating art or putting together an outfit!
DON’T WRAP TOO MANY GIFTS AT ONCE
Wrapping a ton of gifts at once is stressful and exhausting. You’ll feel overwhelmed and probably start cussing – and that’s not the spirit you should be in. So slow down and don’t overwhelm yourself. I find the more gifts I was forced to wrap up really fast the worse they looked – haha. I’m sure you know what I mean. I like to make my gifts as pretty as can be and that won’t happen if I’m wrapping 20 at once. I prefer to wrap my gifts over several days or even a week.
CONTAIN THE MESS
Gift wrapping mess is intense. I like to keep all my supplies in a large plastic bin. Make sure the bows stay on top so they don’t get crushed! Also have a designated gift wrapping area. For some reason for years I would wrap gifts on the floor. Don’t do that, it makes the process so much harder to clean up! I think a table or countertop works best. I use my extra wide desk in our guest room. After I’m done wrapping gifts I just place everything back in the bin and sweep off any scraps off into the trash can.
EXTRA TIPS
If your traveling, hot-glue your bows on. I know it sounds intense but it seems no matter how well you push those stick on bows on they always fall off. When we travel with gifts it seems we always lose bows, or they fall off and get crushed. It’s a simple fix with a dab of hot glue. This also works amazing when reusing last year’s bows that have lost their sticky.
Don’t worry too much about perfection. I try to make my gifts pretty and perfect but if you look closely a few might be a little imperfect and that’s ok. I think nobody really notices, they’re just happy with their pretty gift.
Really take time to measure and cut your gift wrap to the best size before you start wrapping. There is nothing more stressful than trying to cut those long ends off when your gift is half wrapped!
I hope these tips help you! I’m a former hater of holiday gift wrapping and now I get excited and look forward to it!
I’m so thrilled with the results of our flocked Christmas tree and I wanted to share it with you today. I’ve wanted to try this for a while, and this year when I saw the state of our sad 10 year old pencil pine I thought what better way to give this tree a little makeover? It was easy and fun! I found SnoFlock from Amazon and it made the entire experience fool proof. It’s an easy process, but it can get a little dusty so I recommend doing this outdoors or at least in a garage.
Have your Christmas tree arranged and fluffed on a drop cloth for easy clean up. I used a trash bag to keep the base of the tree clean. Fill a spray bottle with water or you can use a hose with a mister nozzle attached. Since I was working with a large tree I used the hose method to save time.
Generously spray the area your working on with water, then pour SnoFlock into a large kitchen sifter. Next take the sifter filled with SnoFlock and simply shake it over the wet branches. Continue to do this until you create the desired effect you want.
You can do a light snow effect or a heavier one. This was very easy but because I had such a skinny pencil pine I had trouble getting the SnoFlock into the layers of the branches. To solve this problem I tilted the christmas tree on its side a few times. I don’t think this would be an issue with a fuller shaped tree.
Once I was done I noticed a few bare spots so with a gloved hand I just picked up a handful of SnoFlock and sprinkled it on the tree by hand. It worked out great. I also lightly misted the tree all over just to make sure I didn’t leave any powdery SnoFlock.
Now let the tree dry 24-48 hours. I left my tree outside about 24 hours then I brought it inside.
TIPS
I would not dare try to do this inside. I think outside or a garage is best, it created quite a bit of white dust. I didn’t wear a mask although towards the end of this project I realized I really probably should have. Even outdoors there was quite a lot of airborne particles.
I’m definitely glad I went with the hose nozzle method, I was able to flock the entire tree in about 20 minutes start to finish. If the hose method isn’t an option for you the spray bottle will work just fine, it may just take a bit longer. You could also have a helper and and extra spray bottle to make this go quicker.
The Snoflock thickens quickly so if you notice spots that are too heavy for your liking shake them off as soon as possible before it starts to dry.
I’m really pleased with the look! It’s given this old tree new life! You could easily do this with any Christmas tree, real or faux, and don’t stop there…try this with garland and wreaths as well! I have a lot of SnoFlock left over for future projects.
I absolutely adore the snowy tree branches. It’s Christmas tree love! If you’re looking for that snowy tree look or just trying to breathe new life into a old tree, try it and I know you’ll be pleased!
Christmas decorating confession here…I’m an early Christmas Decorator. I mean like really, really, early. I’m one of THOSE people, the ones you probably roll your eyes at. The funny thing is every year I tell myself I’ll get better, that I’ll wait longer until the house goes into full Christmas mode. But as I sit here typing this, I think I’ve realized it’s impossible for me to ever wait because I’m a Christmas junkie…an addict really.
Poor little Thanksgiving, it gets shoved into Christmas a little bit but as we like to joke, we’re thankful for Christmas. I do decorate for fall, usually in September, but honestly as soon as Halloween is over I just want all the pumpkins to go away and Christmas to come out. It’s the first week of November now, the house is about half decorated, and the garage and guest room are full of Christmas stuff. It feels like a dirty little secret sometimes. I make sure as soon as it’s slightly dark outside to close the blinds so neighbors can’t see inside to the few trees and sparkly lights I have up. When the UPS man has me sign for a package I just crack the door a little so he can’t see inside. Yep…this is definitely junkie behavior, they hide everything.
It seems like there are 2 types of people, those who decorate before Thanksgiving and those who wait until Thanksgiving weekend..or even well into December. I think the early decorators get a bit defensive (and sometimes hello..embarrassed) about it and the ones who prefer to wait get annoyed by the early birds like me.
But on the other hand is it such a big deal? My husband and kids chuckle a little but they certainly don’t object when our house looks like the north pole 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. The heart wants what it wants, but the truth is I have many reasons why I love decorating so early.
THE BUBBLE EFFECT
The world is getting scarier and more violent by the day and sometimes all the negativity in the world will consume me. But in the Christmas bubble the world seems better, people seem happier, and life just seems better. I love the Christmas bubble, and what’s wrong with having it last a few more weeks?
I’M A SLOW DECORATOR
Ok, this is a big one. I can’t be rushed when I decorate, period, or I end up stressed out and in tears. Every year I switch up our Christmas decor a bit. I have a few dependable things that stay in the same place every Christmas, but I get bored easily with my decor and that includes holiday stuff. I simply like to relax, play around with things, and take my sweet time.
I HAVE A LOT OF STUFF
Another big reason is the sheer volume of stuff I have to put up. I have boxes and boxes of stuff to put up, then there’s packing the regular home items away. It’s a tremendous amount of work and why go to all that trouble just to take it down 4 weeks later? If I do the work I want to enjoy it longer.
THERE’S ALWAYS A PROBLEM
Decorating for Christmas is never drama free for me, it’s never like it is in the movies. It seems there is always some kind of problem. None of the lights work, or something is lost or broken. Another advantage of being an early decorator is I have time to work this issues out in a relaxed environment, and because its early I get first pick of everything sold in stores.
I DREAD IT
I love being in our decorated home, but I always dread the actual decorating part. I think a lot of us do, it’s a hassle. It creates a lot of work, makes a mess, and my back always gets sore. So yeah, I kind of hate doing it, but once it’s done I’m ecstatic.
So, should I really be embarrassed? I’m thinking no, not anymore. Here I am world…I’m an early decorating Christmas junkie and I’m proud of it! So, what type of Christmas decorator are you?
While I was organizing & moving around some older blog posts I realized I never talked about our main room, one of my favorites, our family room. I have so much to say about this space so I realized I immediately needed to get this blog post up. Looking back at these before photos I literally want to scream at myself!
This photo was taken when we were still renting. This living look was the result of me trying a little to improve the space without spending any big money because I still thought we might build or move to another house. The result was not good.
Warning: ugly, blurry, old iPhone before pics are below. I can’t believe how much cell phone cameras have improved.
First off let’s talk about everything that is wrong with the room. The most obvious problem is the furniture doesn’t fit in the room correctly. That’s a major downside about renting. What worked in our last home didn’t at all work in this house. The media console is way too small for the wall. But the small media console – as awkward and unbalanced looking as it was – left us room to walk around our loveseat.
The room is also in my opinion brown and depressing, it just seems so heavy. Many people love and decorate beautifully with earth tones. I realized they weren’t for me. I also needed more contrast from the coffee table and media console, soI tried to solve this problem by adding some red into the room, which as you can see is a little bit too much. And the candles? I have way too many candles in the room!
The ceiling fan was hideous, it didn’t add any beauty to the room and we never turned it on. What actually motivated me to improve this room was when my sister Sarah asked to have a small wedding reception at our home. I instantly felt sick to my stomach and downright embarrassed to have people over. Literally everything was in its before stage. She ended up moving the reception to another location but the initial panic of other people, strangers, seeing our ugly decorated home is what got me going hardcore on our family room.
Shortly after this panic I feel in love with this light from Ballard Designs. I realized I couldn’t tolerate the ceiling fan another day. Brian said he would install the light, and if we moved we could put the ceiling fan back up. We decided to deal with the consequences later on, we knew there was a small chance we would buy this house anyway.
From that point I started to improve things a little more. I ordered the Thurston Wing Chair from Ballard Designs because I knew if we moved I could always find a spot for it. Then I added two parson chairs on each side of the media console to balance the big wall. I realized how much I was craving a lighter tone in the room, so I added lighter pillows.
It certainly helped…but it needed more, and the sofa and loveseat were still a wrong fit for the room. I have to say this has been a frustrating room to arrange furniture in. Let’s see…I have a wall of windows, an angled stone fireplace, a massively large blank wall, a bar counter, and I must have both space behind the sofa and loveseat for foot traffic. It’s enough to frustrate anyone.
So, the improved family room sat in this state for a while, awkward furniture and all. The room still wasn’t right, but it was much better at this point. Cut to about 6 months later we decided to buy the house. Even though the house wasn’t officially ours yet, the plan to purchase was in motion and we had everything decided on with our landlord. So I decided it was time to deal with the furniture in the room.
Because of all the challenges in this room that I needed to address, I went online for help. I googled furniture placement and awkward room designs, and I posted to lots of home decorating forums. Every bit of helpful advice I got confirmed exactly what I knew. The media console was too small and the love seat didn’t fit well in the room.
So I sold everything in the room. Well, I sold the sofa, love seat, rug, and coffee table. The console table and striped end table are up in Brian’s office. The red mirror was moved to my office. The first thing I bought was a much larger media console to balance the overwhelming wall. I needed a really long media console and managed to find this perfect one at Restoration Hardware. This was definitely an investment purchase, but it was really worth it.
I decided instead of a shorter sofa and loveseat the room needed one longer sofa. I knew I was craving the room to be light and bright so I ordered light fabric samples from Pottery Barn. I first mutilated the samples to make sure they were truly stain resistant, which they were. So I ordered the large Chesterfield Grand Sofa in buckwheat. You can read more about this in my Review: Pottery Barn Chesterfield Sofa and Performance Velvet. After I ordered the sofa, that night I woke up in the middle of the night having a panic attack. It was a custom order non-refundable purchase that would take 3 months to make. There was no going back.
When something truly scares me it gives me panic attacks – always in my sleep. That’s how freaked out I was afterwards, but I managed to calm myself down. I had measured so carefully and was completely sure before I ordered it so I told myself to just relax and trust my decision. When the sofa was delivered Brian accepted the delivery while I hid scared in my bedroom. The moment was finally here 3 months later and I was terrified to see it. He eventually got me out of my room and I loved it.
I was ecstatic, and was now ready to finish the room.
I ended up using the Pottery Barn rewards I earned from the sofa towards the purchase of the glass top coffee table and new side tables. Then I purchased the Celine Cheetah Rug from Ballard which I had my eye on for a while.
Rug sizing in this room has been difficult. A good rule of thumb is usually bigger is better. Most people choose rugs way too small for a room. This is the largest rug I could get to work in the room. I know in a perfect world the complete sofa would sit on the rug. It’s preferred, but it’s not a perfect world and it didn’t work out. At least the front legs of the sofa are on the rug, so that helps anchor the area.
Around this time I had gel stained our stair rail, and then I decided to do the mantel. I switched out the art to this Cognac Monnet print that I had always admired. I love the dramatic contrast as it leans up against the stone. I spent a long time looking for the perfect candle sticks and I actually found these in a design store when we visited Belfast in Northern Ireland. I managed to squeeze them in our luggage!
Next up I needed another chair. The sofa and media console were my big ticket items, so I was lucky to find this smaller accent chair from Pier 1 that matched the sofa and it was on sale. I still had the chair from Ballard but I needed another. I played with the arrangement and moved stuff around a bit.
I added some plant life into the room, the splash of green was much needed. I’m great with gardening outdoors, indoor plants…not so much. They kinda hate me, but they’re hanging in there.
The pillows on the sofa are a mix from Restoration Hardware, Ballard Designs, and Pier 1.
I like how the glass coffee table creates a lighter effect in the room. It feels almost invisible and creates the feeling of a larger space. The old dark brown coffee table really weighed down the room. Clutter on the bottom shelf quickly became a issue so I used trays from The Container Store to contain the clutter and make it easier on the eye.
I also switched out my fireplace screen to this Pottery Barn one. I like how this one is flush with the stone so it creates a little ledge to sit on and gives the illusion of more space.
These faux fur poufs were ordered on sale from Horchow. Not only are they super cute, they’re so useful! We move them around all the time to be used as an ottoman or extra seating when necessary. The faux fur covers are easily removed and they’re machine washable!
Pottery Barn lamps were added to the media console as well as other accessories. Thank goodness I learned there are other ways to accessorize a room besides just candles! I also added a larger silver mirror and ivory linen curtains from Pottery Barn.
The large wall combined with the high ceiling has always been a challenge for me. After a lot of thought I realized it’s ok to have blank wall space. Not every blank wall needs to be filled.
I did decide to hang something small over the TV because the straight line of the TV bothered me. In the spring and summer I hang a gold bee, in the fall and winter I hang our gold faux deer head. My deer head I named Goldie Fawn, which I realize makes no sense at all. I knew I wanted a golden deer head but the ones I found were too expensive. I just spray painted gold this cheaperbuck deer head off Amazonand I love it! They add a bit of whimsy to the room.
I think the only things that stayed in the room were the TV, music speaker, barstools, and few framed photos. Out of all the rooms we have redecorated or remodeled, I by far think this was the most challenging. I had many stressful moments over this space but the end result was worth it. I love this room, it’s the heart of our home.
Thanks for reading. If you have any questions or comments send them along, I love them!
Since Thanksgiving is quickly approaching I wanted to share with you my favorite pecan pie bars recipe. I love pecan pie but hmm…dare I say I love these pecan pie bars even more? Yeah, I’m going to say it. I love these more. Usually for Thanksgiving I make these bars over a traditional pecan pie, for several reasons. First off, if you make your own pie crust, then you’ll find this recipe so much easier! The pie crust layer of this dessert can be whipped up in minutes. Another reason I like this recipe better is because it serves more people than a typical pie, due to the smaller square portions and also because these bars travel so well!
We start with making the crust. You either need a pastry cutter or 2 forks, and you want to have the butter nice and cold, cut up into small chunks. Take your time blending the butter into the flour mixture, you’ll need to stop now and then to scrape off the butter chunks that get stuck into the pastry cutter.
You know the crust is done when you no longer see any big butter chunks and it begins to look like course sand. Once it takes on the sandy appearance you should be able to squish it between your fingers to make a paste. That means it’s done.
Place the ingredients in a 9×13 greased pan. I like to use this metal pan from Williams Sonoma. It has nice clean corners and I have no trouble removing my bars. When you place the crust mixture into the greased pan it will still have that sandy appearance. Using your fingers press the mixture firmly into the pan so you get a compact crust. You can also use the back of a cup to get that perfectly flat crust appearance. Now pop the crust into the oven and let’s get to work on the good stuff… the filling!
When the crust is finished baking, add the filling and bake another 35 minutes.
What you didn’t know is that during these 35 minutes of cooking time the house had an insane smell of brown sugar and pecans. Better than any scented candle, so when these came out of the oven I immediately wanted to lick them. Ugh…but I must wait. Why is this so hard? Cool these pecan babies off 15 minutes and then cut into squares.
Combine flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar; cut in 3/4 cup butter with a pastry blender until crumbly.
Press mixture evenly into a greased 9×13 inch pan. Bake for 15-17 minutes.
Instructions for the filling:
Combine 1 cup brown sugar, eggs, dark corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla and salt, and mix well. Stir in pecans, then pour filling over baked crust.
Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on a wire rack at least 15 minutes, then cut into bars.
I usually cut these in a row of 3 horizontally and then a row of 5 vertically. Making 15 bars total. Take that pecan pie. 15 slices in a single pecan pie? I don’t think so!
So easy! No crying over torn pie crust…no drama. It’s a little square petite sized pecan pie. Make life easy this year and go for the Pecan Pie Bar! Aren’t these leopard plates simply gorgeous? Here’s the link to my leopard accent plates, aren’t they gorgeous? They’re an absolute favorite of mine!
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I had so much fun this week playing with my new leopard dishes, I came up with so many combinations to use year round. With Thanksgiving quickly approaching I thought I’d talk about my favorite EASY ways to fold napkins. More advance napkin folding can be a fun project but with the crazy holidays coming up we need simple ways to have a beautiful place setting. I’m all about simplicity!
We don’t use cloth napkins at every meal of course. However, when we do it’s such a real treat and I’m going to make it a point to start integrating cloth napkins more into our meal times. Nothing says elegance and style like a real cloth napkin, plus its reusable so you save money!
I want to show you my 8 favorite easy ways to use napkins in a place setting. I like my table settings to be simple but also have some style! Some of the ways I use napkins are pretty simple and I’m sure you already know about some of these, but I’m also going to share my tips with you.
TIPS
Have your iron handy! I have a small table top ironing board I set up in my kitchen when pressing my napkins. The most simple napkin folding techniques really shine when they look tidy and neatly pressed.
Napkins are kind of like scarves in a way. Sometimes after folding or arranging your napkin it will need a little adjusting and fluffing, just like a scarf. For more stiff formal napkin folding, take care that the corners and edges line up. For that more relaxed napkin look I’m happy with a little asymmetry.
Get creative and use fresh herbs to decorate your napkins and place settings. I especially love using mint, parsley and rosemary as an accent.
Cut the tags off the napkins. The hard crunchy napkin tag will not feel nice on your legs and the tag can stick out when folding your napkin. I recommend removing all the tags and writing down the washing instructions somewhere handy.
Always wash, fold, and put away your napkins soon after using. If you delay washing two things can happen, stains can set in and you may forget about them. There is nothing worse than needing clean napkins and you realize they’re dirty.
Be sure and click on the smaller photos in the tutorials if you need a better view.
THE CLASSIC FOLD
Yes, it’s basic but it’s still a beautiful classic choice. I know you know how to fold a square napkin into a rectangle shape. But I still wanted to include this because we live in a complicated world and sometimes we forget about the basics. I folded my napkin half horizontally, then again in half vertically and again one more time.
Ways you can make this classic fold even better is to make sure the corners and edges line up as well as possible and then iron until your napkin is perfectly crisp.
THE CLASSIC ROLL
Again like the fold, this is a wonderful classic choice. Fold in half, then into a quarter, taking care that the edges are lined up. Then simply roll up.
THE POCKET FOLD
I could not get the folds on the red napkin to show up in the photos very well, so I used a different color.
I can’t believe how crooked this napkin is! Luckily once it’s folded up we won’t be able to tell. Start with the napkin face up, starting at the bottom fold about quarter of the napkin up, then fold it again about a third or half way up. Now flip the napkin over and fold in sections either 3 or 4 times, depending on what size width you want to achieve. Be sure and press with an iron for a nice crisp look!
THE KNOT
This one works best on a thin relaxed napkin. I purchased these years ago from Pier 1, I’m not sure if they’re available anymore. Start with the napkin square, fold into thirds with the seam down, then simply tie into a knot and adjust.
THE SIMPLE NAPKIN RING
This is one of my favorites and so super easy to do!
Start with your napkin face up, in a diamond shape. Simply place the napkin ring in the center, pull through and adjust.
THE TRIANGLE
This is a more formal version of the simple napkin ring. Start with your napkin folded in half to make a triangle, pointed end down. Fold the left point down to meet the center point, take the right point and also fold it down to meet the center.
Your now left with a small diamond shape, simply thread the napkin ring through and and adjust.
THE FLOWER
This one looks a little complicated, but it’s so easy! You’ll need a small glass or bowl with a wide rim. Start by folding your napkin in half to make a triangle. Starting with the wide end roll it up to look like a rope.
Now, roll the napkin rope around in a circle, just like a cinnamon roll. Then tuck into the glass or bowl and adjust.
Next, add some fresh greenery to your flower. Herbs are perfect. I used mint from my garden here.
THE LAYERED NAPKIN
Just like the simple napkin ring above except with two napkins.
This starts out just like the simple napkin ring except the 2nd napkin layer is rotated 45 degrees. Simply pull through the napkin ring and adjust.
You can get creative and have fun through different colors, patterns, and textures. Aren’t these leopard dishes AMAZING? I think leopard is always a good idea, and I’ll be using these accent plates year round.
If you can’t decide on just 1 napkin ring then you can layer 2 together.
You can also mix up the direction of your napkins for a different look. Here’s the triangle pull upside down for a twist.
This looks so pretty and fancy, but it’s just the simple napkin ring, sitting up on the bottom, fluffed a bit.
Some napkins will work better than others when folding and arranging depending on the material and the size. You may need to play around a little bit to see what napkin works best with what style of fold.
The combinations you can come up with are endless!
So are you ready to start playing with your napkins? Dig those babies out of storage, or maybe it’s time to do a little napkin shopping? Now is the time to watch for those holiday sales coming up. Have fun and thanks for reading!
Now that Fall is here I find myself thinking about soup a lot. Mmmm…..soup. I love soup anytime of year, but I especially love it in the weather is cool outside. Today I want to share with you my kale sausage & white bean soup. It’s one of my very favorite soup recipes. Not only is is very satisfying and filling, it tastes amazing!
A bowl of good soup soothes my soul and comforts me, it satisfies me, and it makes me happy, sometimes in a way no other food can. This soup is full of vitamins and protein, and if you’re using your own made from scratch chicken stock it’s even more nutritious. It’s also extremely freezer friendly, just thaw and reheat when you need a quick meal!
I always try to find ground Italian pork sausage, if you can’t find this you can use Italian sausage in links, just cut and remove the casings. This recipe can be very easily adjusted to your needs. If you hate carrots leave them out, if you love celery add more! You can leave the beans out and reduce the carrots if you’re eating low carb. If you hate beans you can try adding diced potatoes.
The fennel seed in the sweet Italian sausage really makes this recipe amazing. I’ve also substituted Italian chicken sausage with good results, and I’ve also tried hot Italian sausage, although the sweet is my favorite. I also use my own chicken stock, I never salt my chicken stock so I definitely need to add some salt to this recipe. I didn’t include this in the recipe because the salt varies in store bought broth or stock. So once the soup cools down, just add salt to taste. I ended up using about 5 cups of broth, it’s not a bad idea to have a little extra on hand depending on how soupy you like your soup. Make sure you simmer the vegetables long enough until they’re soft. This recipe falls into the you can’t screw this up category, and aren’t those recipes the best?
This soup is great tasting as is, but I love sprinkling the top with parmesan cheese. It turns into a melted cheese blob….mmm.
1(15 oz)can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
1(14.5 oz)can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1bundleof kale, center stem removed and leaves sliced or torn
shredded parmesan cheese
French bread for dipping (optional)
Instructions
In a large soup pot crumble and cook Italian sausage 5-6 minutes, until done or almost done. Spoon or drain any fat off.
Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic powder. Cover soup pot with a lid, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock, tomatoes, beans, parsley, and kale. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until vegetables are soft and kale has cooked down. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Place soup in bowls and top with parmesan cheese and serve with warm French bread.
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Hey everyone, I still have pumpkins on my brain still so I thought I should share my favorite pumpkin bread recipe. I’ve been making this recipe for what seems like forever. My kids were raised on this bread and they’re always asking me to make it. I can’t remember where I found the original recipe. I started making it 18 years ago right after I married Brian, it’s probably from an old church cookbook or the newspaper. Honestly, I’ve changed so much of this recipe over the years I think I can call it my own.
It’s an easy recipe and it makes 3 loaves of pumpkin bread! It’s very flavorful and I love it that way because to me there is nothing worse than pumpkin bread that’s just sweet and bland with a hint of cinnamon. No! I want to taste all the yummy pumpkin spices!
This pumpkin bread is so good it’s certainly worthy of serving for Thanksgiving if you don’t feel like making a pie, just add whipped cream! It goes fabulously with coffee for breakfast, it freezes incredibly well, and it makes a great gift (just wrap it up and add a pretty bow).
To start, take a large mixing bowl and a medium mixing bowl. Add all your dry ingredients to the large bowl and whisk until they’re blended. Using a whisk to blend dry ingredients is great because it removes any lumps in the flour or sugar. Next, in the medium sized bowl mix all the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.
Then simply add the wet ingredients into the dry bowl. I like to make a center hole in the dry ingredients to pour the wet mixture in. This has always helped me blend things easier and helps dry ingredients to not stick to the bottom of the bowl. I do this when making pancakes too.
Once the wet and dry ingredients are blended together I add the batter to 3 greased bread pans. I use these bread pans. You can also use 2 larger sized bread pans if that’s what you have, you’ll need to increase the cooking time just a bit though. Wow, these bread pans sure have some miles on them, I’ve had them 10 years!
I like to place my 3 bread pans on a larger rimmed baking sheet to make the oven transfer easier. This is optional. I usually bake at 350 around 1 hour. All ovens are different, I have a double oven and the bottom one cooks faster. The first time you make this keep an eye on it, set the timer for 50 minutes. Like I tell my girls, you can always add baking time but you can’t take it away! I ended up baking mine exactly 55 minutes. Previous ovens I’ve cooked a full hour.
If you’re making 2 larger bread pans watch them and increase maybe about 5-10 minutes if needed.
You’ll know the bread is done when you’re able to push on the top and it springs back up. If it dents increase bake time a little, maybe 5 minutes or so. You can also try the knife in the center trick. If the top cracks that’s ok, we call that pumpkin bread character! Quick breads are known to crack on top, and most of the time mine do.
I like the taste of this pumpkin bread warm from the oven but I also think it tastes better the next day. It’s like Italian food, I think the flavors deepen. Or maybe I just crave it more the second day…who knows.
To store I usually wrap in saran wrap or in a large gallon size zip lock bag (I can fit 2 loaves in those) and I store on the counter. If I know we won’t be able to eat them within a few days I’ll throw a loaf or 2 into the freezer. I just thaw at room temperature. I like to bring out a frozen loaf to thaw out overnight for breakfast.
Hey y’all, in case you don’t know, the State Fair of Texas is going on right now! There is so much to see and do, not to mention EAT! It usually runs from last Friday of September and most of October, and it’s 24 days of pure fun!
The State Fair of Texas is known for its super powers to deep fry just about anything and make it taste incredible. The food choices are not only delicious but also incredibly creative, with food contests and winners each year. This year we decided to take my Mother and Sister in Law because they’ve never been to the State Fair, and we just can’t have that!!!
The morning started out cool and cloudy, and we arrived right when gates opened. I love early mornings at the Fair, it’s nice and quiet. We all arrived hungry with empty bellies ready for a day of feasting. There is so much food at the Fair but sadly we couldn’t eat it all! Below I’ve listed all our 2017 food favorites and activities!
Drum roll please…..Here’s what we ate
Deep Fried Cuban Roll, filled with slow roasted pork, ham, swiss cheese, pickles and a special dipping sauce. This was the first thing I ate and it was absolutely incredible!
Deep Fried Twinkie, delicious and everything you’d expect it to be.
Fried Mac and cheese, I wasn’t expecting to like this but I really did. The center was creamy with slightly chewy macaroni noodles. Yum.
Fried Cannoli Bites, this was so good! I only got a small bite. I intended to get another before we left but I forgot, major bummer.
Gulf Coast Fish Bowl, this was just so cute and colorful I couldn’t resist. It’s complete with a nerd candy rock bottom and swimming swedish fish.
Deep Fried Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, I didn’t get to try this, it was our girls prize for letting us relax in the wine section for a bit.
Oreo Beer, hmm…this one was interesting. If your short on tickets I’d skip it.
Fried Butter, it’s a classic and it shows how serious we Texans are about our fried foods. Nothing is off limits. It’s the texture of a biscuit with a liquid butter center, topped with honey, cinnamon, and sugar. You must eat it in one bite or else risk liquid butter running down your chin.
Deep Fried Fruit Loops, I think I was the most excited out of everyone to try this. The little kid in me just had to have it. It was kind of like a fried rolled up crepe with a creamy fruity center, topped with Fruit Loops of course.
Fried Milk and Oreo Cookies, this was Brian’s favorite and my Sister in Law Amy’s favorite!
Pinot Noir Popcorn, this was addicting and very hard to stop eating!
The Fresh Pineapple Float was a refreshing and fun non-alcoholic creamy drink to try.
The Original Fletcher’s Corny Dog. This classic fried goodness was invented right here at the good ol’ State Fair of Texas. This is what happens when somebody hands me a corny dog. I instantly take a bite. It’s a reflex….then I remember I need to take a photo. Oops! Are you team ketchup or team mustard?
Fried Thanksgiving Dinner, another fun favorite from past years. Skip the gravy and go straight for the cranberry sauce for dipping!
The Tamale Donut, this one is perfect when you just can’t take any more sugar. This deep fried pork filled tamale donut is topped with a creamy jalapeño sauce.
The Fried Smores must be mentioned. It’s one of my favorite fair foods, but all 6 of us devoured it so fast there was no time to take a picture! The Fried snickers bar was also gone in a flash. Also unseen is the many Funnel Cake Ales Brian had, he really likes those. Made by Community Beer Co. right here in Dallas, it’s a rich buttery beer with a hint of funnel cake served in a pint glass rimmed with powdered sugar.
Things we did
There is so much to do at the Fair besides eat! We didn’t get to see and do everything but we certainly stayed busy all day! I think one of our favorite activities was relaxing at a table under these gorgeous trees while drinking and snacking!
The fair grounds are beautifully landscaped, clean and very well maintained. We admired the beautiful gardens and enjoyed people watching.
Riding the swan boats on the lagoon was a hit.
We watched the pig races, and the little piggies were so cute. It’s a short show, so young kids should do great.
Later in the day the sun came out and Big Tex was happy.
Over in the greenhouse we saw beautiful gardens complete with a train circling about.
The greenhouse had lots of educational information. We learned about plants and some Texas history.
Over in the corner we found Farmer Mike carving pumpkins, he’s amazing! They call him the Pumpkin Picasso.
No trip to the State Fair is complete without riding the Texas Skyway. It’s a family favorite!
These gondolas ride 65 feet up in the air so you can take in incredible views of Fair Park. It’s also an easy way to zip over to the the ride section of the fair without the long walk.
The Texas Star Ferris wheel is certainly an icon. It’s the largest Ferris wheel in America which is why I don’t ride it. Ok, years ago I did manage to ride it…..it’s all a blur. Never again…I don’t do Ferris wheels! I now admire the Texas Star from the ground.
Over in the Midway there are tons of rides for all ages and plenty of fun games to play.
My girls (on the left) always ride the Crazy Mouse ride. I skipped it this year, and I think my chiropractor would approve.
We also played with cute baby animals. There were some baby goats in the Go Texan Pavilion, which also has a market with samples of Texas-made candy, salsas, soups, dips, etc. There is also a bee colony in a display case there next to the Texas honey section. We always stop to try to find the queen and say hi. You can also check out all the show bunnies in the Pan Am Arena, as well as other prize-winning livestock like pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle over in the Livestock Judging Pavilion.
In the Creative Arts building I always like to check out the butter sculpture! I just love anything butter related. Every year it’s something different.
The Art exhibit is another fun thing to visit. There are so many different categories!
Quilts, photography, creative canned goods, and my favorite is all the funny quirky art on display!
The Texas Wine Tasting section is a cozy little shaded area with lots of charm and several wineries to pick from. Bring your I.D. because carding is very strict and each license must be scanned.
I loved the umbrellas over the tables! It was visually stunning against the blue sky.
The Texas Auto Show is fun if you’re interested in a new car or you just want to play around with them!
A Few Tips
The Fair grounds are huge. You will be walking A LOT. Wear comfortable shoes and be sure to take some rest stops when necessary. You can find plenty of benches and chairs around the grounds.
Unless watching football is your goal, avoid the Texas-OU Football game weekend, which is usually the second-to-last weekend. It gets super crazy!!
Check out www.bigtex.combefore arriving to find out about concert dates, special events, as well as admission specials.
Arrive early in the day. Afternoons get incredibly crowded, morning’s are ideal, especially weekdays.
Bring more money than you think you need, all those tickets add up quickly. Whatever your budget is double it, I promise it’s worth it. Most vendors must be paid with coupons that you buy at any of the well-available coupon booths, but some vendors only take cash, so you will need some of both. You can buy coupons with cash or a credit/debit card.
Check the weather first, you can experience some cool days at the Fair, but most likely it will be hot. Dressing for the weather and sunscreen is essential.
The Fair is fun for all ages, so by all means bring your little ones with you. There are lots of fun activities perfect for young children.
The last thing I want to talk about is parking. There are 13 entrance gates all around the perimeter of the fair with lots of parking nearby. Everywhere you can park you will have to pay, anywhere from $5 to $20, depending on the location. Arriving early is essential to getting good parking. Another option that we have tried in the past with success is the Dallas Transit. The Yellow-Line train stops right in front of the front gate #4, and you can park at any train stop (for free I think). If you park at a stop on the Yellow Line, it’s a straight shot, or if you are on a different line (even the Trinity River Express train from Fort Worth) then you can connect to a Yellow Line train at the American Airlines Center. Last I checked an unlimited day pass was $10 per person, but it could be different now. It’s a little more expensive than driving and parking at the Fair, but it’s sometimes worth it to avoid the traffic.
I hope you enjoyed our adventures at the State Fair of Texas and found some useful information! There’s plenty of shopping, concerts and more activities that we just ran out of time for. With the last day on October 22nd you still have plenty of time to have your own “fantastic fried food” adventures! Have fun and let me know your favorite foods because we sure didn’t get to them all!
Hey there! If you follow me on Instagram you probably noticed we were in New York City a few weeks ago. It was a late birthday trip, since I share the same birthday with my daughter. We had a great time, and I really should have had the post up by now! I’ve been procrastinating, and downloading the Stylebook app certainly hasn’t helped me manage my time better. Stylebook is so addicting, but moving along, let’s talk about all the amazing things we did in NYC!
What we did
We walked around Times Square soaking up all the lights, energy, and chaos day and night. We stayed at the Marriot Marquis in Times Square which is very conveniently located near many Broadway Theaters, but a draw back is that it’s far from Central Park and some of my favorite shopping spots.
Below is the view from one of the lounges at the Marriott Marquis. The view is pretty amazing and it would be so awesome to be here over New Years Eve and watch the ball drop, although I’ve heard the waiting list is a few years.
We shopped at the most fabulous store ever. Like ever.
Seriously, Bloomingdales at 59th and Lexington is my happy place. With several restaurants and nearly every luxury boutique inside from Fendi to Chanel, it’s an amazing experience!
I love getting lost in all the levels and corners in Bloomingdales, I could shop and dine in this store all day!!
We saw one of my very favorite movies Waitress on Broadway. The Brooks Atkinson Theatre is full of beauty and charm.
Inside the theatre they even had fresh baked pies for sale. The smell of fresh pie was incredible!
Everything was pie themed, including the curtain and it was such a fun experience!
The cast of Waitress did a wonderful job! The set and songs were beautiful. I definitely recommend everyone go see it!
We also spent a lovely morning hanging out in Central Park. We explored just a small part of Central Park actually. Central Park is huge!
We spent a little time jogging through the beautiful trails. I like to exercise but I hate anything to do with running, but I did it for the experience. Plus Brian promised me mimosas afterwards.
I wish we could have explored Central Park a little bit more, it’s full of restaurants, beautiful sculptures, gardens, and more. We just ran out of time. I think every time we visit NYC we will explore different parts of Central Park.
We also got to watch famous New York pigeons eat bread!
Our favorite eats
Not every place we dined made the “favorite eat” list. Some places were new experiences for us and a few others we like so much that they’re repeats. Our first dinner in New York was at Tender. We did get lucky with this one. Our flight was delayed and our airport transportation was a pretty frustrating experience due to extreme traffic. We were hungry and tired and just wanted a good restaurant near our hotel. A quick google search found us Tender. The interior was dark and chic and the food was really great as well.
Last trip to NYC we never made it up to Forty Carrots but this time I’m so glad we did! It definitely played a role in meeting Miss SJP, but also I’ve heard the frozen yogurt has a cult following because it’s so incredible. Specifically the plain flavor, and it definitely lived up to the hype! The plain flavor was sweet and slightly tart, and I added sprinkles and chocolate chips to mine. Yum!
Now, Stella 34 Trattoria is a repeat for us. Located in Macy’s several floors up, it has lovely window views and incredible food!
We discovered this restaurant a few years ago when we went for Brian’s birthday. We had the girls with us and we loved it so much we ate there twice during our trip.
This scallop appetizer called the Crudo was absolutely incredible!
Food Hall at The Plaza Hotel is also another repeat for us. We also discovered this place on our last trip. The girls wanted to see the Home Alone Hotel, and it was then we noticed a sign that said Food Hall entrance. “What’s Food Hall?” we wondered.
I’ll tell ya what Food Hall is, it’s a paradise of food and drinks in the basement of The Plaza Hotel. If you’ve never visited New York before make sure you check this place out! You can find everything from amazing fresh pasta, lobster, pastries, crepes, sushi, wine, tea, caviar….the list goes on and on! We love to get small dishes and split them, that’s how we were able to try out many of these little restaurants.
Vin Sur Vingt is a favorite of ours in Food Hall. We always stop here, and it was dining here a few years ago that really started my subway tile obsession.
David Burke located on the 1st floor of Bloomingdales has become another favorite of ours. The restaurant inside is small and cozy which I find charming. It’s where we power up for a day of shopping. This kale salad with salmon was pretty excellent. We both ordered it and we both devoured it. I love kale, it gives me super powers.
I find my husband is much more relaxed and fun to shop with if I get a few cocktails in him. So he tried this one called The Rabbit Hunter. It’s made with Bourbon, ginger beer, lime and mint.
A new place we tried, and may I say we LOVED, isMax Brenner Chocolate. Wow, is all I gotta say. This place was actually recommended to us on our last trip, but I remember feeling all sugared out at the time so we skipped it. Big mistake.
This place is incredible and will definitely be on our repeat list! There was a tube of chocolate coming from the ceiling over to the bar! This is the fondue for sharing. It was just so good that I have no other words really. Just pictures, yummy pictures.
Another new place we tried that was recommended to us was The Milling Room, recommended to us by my daughter’s violin teacher who knows the chef. It was a wonderful dining experience! I completely forgot to take any pictures here so I had to use a photo from their website. I adored the modern, lively atmosphere, we sat to the left of the fireplace with comfy pillows in our chairs.
I recommendThe Milling Roomto anyone looking for a great place to eat in NYC.
Favorite displays
New York is definitely a shoppers paradise! I love window shopping and all the gorgeous clothing on display. Visually I just couldn’t get enough so I decided to put together a group of all my favorites! Enjoy!
Lessons we learned
People run really really fast in Central Park.
Alternate your shoes to save your poor feet, that means you need to pack shoes that go with all your outfits. When I just couldn’t walk anymore in a certain pair of shoes, another pair would get me going again.
We prefer taking a taxi, but when traffic is horrible and you’re short on time you’re better off taking the subway.
If you’re like me you’ll need to bring an empty suitcase, the shopping is just too good to pass up!
Just relax and don’t try to pack in too many activities! Planning for certain activities in NYC is essential, but some of our favorite moments were unplanned.
We’re already planning another trip to go back. Possibly this spring? Have any suggestions on food, shopping or restaurants? Don’t be shy…I love recommendations from others. Leave them in the comments or on my Instagram and I’ll add them to my list of places to check out!
This blog post is dedicated to my new BFF….Sarah Jessica Parker. Maybe you’ve heard of her? The almighty Queen, and I mean the Kweeeeeen of everything that is good: fashion, shoes, sparkly things, glamorous things, NYC, movies, TV, and her hair is always perfect whether it’s curly, wavy, or straight.
Now here’s a little secret: It’s not my first time meeting the Queen. That’s right. I met her the first time a few years ago at an event at the Nordstrom in Dallas. I found out last minute by browsing the Nordstrom event page, and it was a crazy experience that I am forever grateful for. The Nordstrom meet and greet with the Queen happened so fast, though. It was more of a 45 second “Hello” followed by an autograph. No posed photo ops allowed due to the long line. I was completely starstruck when I met her and sounded incredibly stupid.
Skip to 2, maybe 3 years later to my most recent trip to New York. I was shopping at the Mothership of all things good and fabulous, the Bloomingdales at 59th and Lexington. The most perfect place in the world. Something like 8 floors of happiness, lots of nooks and crannies to explore, with restaurants and just about every designer boutique you can think of from Chloe to Louis Vuitton. It all started with my fro-yo post. Yep, if you follow me on Instagram the frozen yogurt sealed my fate. You see I uploaded my dreamy fro-yo pic and then afterwards forgot all about it and went back off to shop. But not Mr. Hubbs, AKA Brian. He was bored so he opened my instagram and he instantly saw a post from Queen SJP.
Brian: Hey…this says Sarah Jessica Parker will be here tomorrow at Bloomingdales assisting with customers and helping them find shoes.
Me: WHAT? WHAT?? WHAT???
So we frantically ran….Um…I mean we walked up very cool calm and collected to the shoe department to get details. Surprisingly the shoe department was pretty calm. I don’t think a many people knew just yet. I found that the details were SJP would be assisting with shoes sales with a line to meet her at 11 am. I was on board, but then Mr. shoe salesman said: Or if you pre-buy a pair of her shoes you can go to a private breakfast with her before she starts assisting the shoe department. Um…What??? You’re saying I get to buy something and meet my idol? Now, that’s a what I call a win-win. Oh, and you’ll feed me too? Score. Oh, and the salesman told me I could bring Brian! Some of our conversation sounded like this:
Brian: I going to say “hello Mrs. Jessica-Parker-Broderick” when I meet her. It’s important to be weird so you’ll stand out and they’ll remember you.
Me: Are you really going to say that? Just don’t say anything about Ferris Bueller.
Brian: I think you should invite her and her husband to dinner tonight.
Me: No! I couldn’t.
Brian: Why not? Just ask her.
Me: Because I’m 99 percent she’ll say no and I’m not good with rejection. Plus, it will make her feel awkward thinking of an excuse and I love her too much to put her through that.
So after trying on several SJP shoes I settle on these cuties. They are perfect for me.These are the called the Tartt. I’ll never forget the name ever again because I’m traumatized. While the Queen was being interviewed she was discussing the inspiration from the shoes she designed in her current collection. It was during this she called out to me, “those you’re wearing are called the Tartt, right?” and I reply “Oh I’m not sure of the name, I just love them though”. I sounded calm but in my head I was freaking out. Sarah Jessica Parker asks you a question and you don’t know it? STUPID STUPID STUPID! How can you not know the name of the shoes you’re wearing in front of the Queen? I am traumatized forever. I will be 90 years old in a nursing home with no idea who I am but I will be screaming “the shoes are called Tartt!”
Just like I remember, the Queen is tiny. She is charming. She is fashionable. She is adorable. I want to stick her in my pocket. She shook hands with everyone in the room. She then started to eat a pastry. What? Was that real? She’s so tiny how can she eat carbs? She’s even more lucky that I thought, or maybe she attended an emergency spin class after Bloomingdales.
We were treated to a wonderful breakfast while Miss SJP talked and answered questions. She was perfectly styled in black and looked just as fabulous as you’d expect her too. A fun tidbit I learned was about the signature ribbon on her shoes. The Queen told us the story of she and her sister growing up and how they would always wear ribbons in their hair. They had every color and they would always iron them perfectly. Cut to a fabulous grown up SJP designing her shoe line and she noticed the seam in the back. The seam really stood out to her as looking plain and she had the idea of using a small strip of ribbon which reminded of her childhood days.After breakfast and the interview we lined up where we got to actually sit down and chat with the Queen of all that is good and fashionable. This time I wasn’t ushered in and out. This time I wasn’t near as nervous because I remembered how nice she was.
I told myself to play it cool and not tell her I’ve loved her ever since I saw her dance in her nerdy school uniform in Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. So, finally it’s my turn, and naturally after saying hello I started talking about my best subject. Purses!
Seriously I love a good shoe, but I obsesses and fantasize about purses even more. I asked her if she was thinking about adding any more purses to her line. She responded yes and there is a clutch that matches my shoes!
We continued to chit chat cause ya know we’re BFF’s and everything, then I took off my shoe where she wrote her initials and a little heart on the sole. She signed my box and I put my shoes back on.
Brian stood off to the side watching and hoping I’m asking her and Ferris Bueller to dinner. Not happening.
After that the Queen of kindness and goodness lets me take more photos with her. Every time she touches me I hope I’m soaking up her fashion super powers.
Then, I asked if we can take a photo with Brian, and because she is so freakin sweet she said yes. She is just the kindest person I’ve ever met. I can’t imagine another celebrity being as humble, gracious, and kind as she is.
I spent the rest of the day admiring my shoes and taking pictures of them. A lady stopped me on the street to compliment my shoes. Thank you, I reply. My best friend designed them.
These are the called 
After breakfast and the interview we lined up where we got to actually sit down and chat with the Queen of all that is good and fashionable. This time I wasn’t ushered in and out. This time I wasn’t near as nervous because I remembered how nice she was.
