Weekly Favorites

- Getting to spend this past week baking, watching holiday movies, and enjoying Christmas dinner with family -

- Celebrating my mom's birthday by making her a homemade Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting -

- Loving all the presents I received but being very excited to try out all the beauty products -

- Lastly enjoying the weekend -

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

On Christmas we also get to celebrate my mom's birthday! Yes, she really is a Christmas baby so I wanted to wish her Happy Birthday!

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

Gingerbread House 2013

Each year Jay and I decorate a Gingerbread house. This has kind of become a holiday tradition of ours. Last year we decorated a little village instead of just one house but I decided we should just go back to the traditional gingerbread house. Gingerbread houses are always fun to decorate because they can be traditional, whimsical, or modern. This year we went for more of a traditional look with just using red and green candies to decorate it. If this is also a tradition of yours I would love to see them! 

 

Merry Christmas Eve!

 

 

Lots of Love, Natalie

 

2013 Stocking Stuffers for Him and Her

Even though Christmas is two days away you still have some time to pick up those last minute Stocking Stuffers. Below are some great ideas in case you are stumped!

 

 

1. Polka Dot Hat from C. Wonder

2. Urban Decay Naked 3 Eye-shadow Palette from Sephora

3. Fancy Chain Flex Bracelet from C. Wonder

4. Studded Bow Studs from C. Wonder

5. Fresh Sugar Lip Polish from Sephora 

6. Pinch Provisions Skinny Minimergency Kit from J. Crew

7. Stamp and Ink Pad Kit from J. Crew

8. Ultimate Dessert Truffle Flight from Godiva

9. Calf Hair Pouch from J. Crew

10. Faux Fur Scarf from Piperlime(sold out now)

11. Philosophy Amazing Grace Fragrance from Sephora

12. Initial Key Fob from C. Wonder

13. Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Two Ton Tomato from Sephora

14. Pommery POP Rose Champagne

15. Printed Jewelry Case from J. Crew

 

1. Red Beats Pill from Target

2. Triple C for J. Crew USB Phone Charger from J. Crew

3. Fabric Knot Cuff Links from J. Crew   

4. Whiskey Stones from GentSupplyCo

5. English Wool-Silk Tie in Dots from J. Crew

6.  Printed Rubber Case for iPhone 5/5s from J. Crew

7. Los Poblanos Desert Sage Soap from J. Crew

8. Richard James Lightweight Socks from J. Crew

9.  Ted Baker Double Down Playing Cards from GentSupplyCo

10. Wood Sphere Bottle Opener from GentSupplyCo

11. Mustache Corkscrew and Bottle Opener from Target

12. Bleeker Slim Billfold ID Wallet in Debossed Stripe Leather from Coach

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Snowflake Sugar Cookies

Today we have the Snowflake Sugar Cookies to finish up my five different sweet treats for this Christmas holiday. Decorating sugar cookies always takes me back to being a little girl in my grandmother's kitchen on Christmas eve. I remember my bothers and I making a mess while making our very colorful sugar cookies for Santa. I just feel that it is really not Christmas unless there are some cutout sugar cookies. The recipe I used to make these was one that I found here on FoodNetwork.com. I know usually sugar cookies are topped with royal icing but I decided to make a homemade vanilla buttercream for these. Well I hope you enjoy making and decorating these cookies for Christmas!

Vanilla Buttercream Icing:

 

Ingredients:

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter (softened)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

 

Directions:

In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together the sugar and softened butter.

Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase the speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.

Adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency.

Decorate and enjoy!

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Glimpse of the Holidays

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Tousled Toffee

I usually do not post of the weekends but with Christmas approaching I decided I would take advantage of any extra days I can get. To keep the trend of my five different sweet treats for this Christmas here is the fourth recipe. This was one that I had never made before and it turned out a little messy and imperfect so I have decided that "Tousled Toffee" was an appropriate name for it. Even though it is disheveled it still taste amazing. I will let you know ahead of time you will want some milk to help wash it down because the toffee and milk chocolate make this treat very rich. I hope you enjoy how easy and tasty it is!

Tousled Toffee:

 

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

40 saltine crackers (I used as many as would fit on my baking sheet)

aluminum foil

non-stick cooking spray

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a baking (cookie) sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray

Lay a flat layer of crackers out on the foil.

Melt the sugar and butter until it boils, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until mixture is thickened and sugar is completely dissolved. 

Pour this mixture over the crackers and spread to coat evenly.

Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the toffee becomes bubbly.

After removing the pan from the oven, let it sit for 3-5 minutes.

Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, let them soften and melt, then spread them into an even layer.

Let cool, then break into pieces the size of your choice.

 

 

P.S. Remember to stay tuned for the last recipe and Stocking Stuffer Ideas tomorrow!

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Weekly Favorites

- Enjoying coffee while looking at the December HGTV Magazine -

- Finally finishing all my Christmas shopping and seeing this adorable sign at HomeGoods -

- Putting together a few different gift baskets to give for Christmas -

- Receiving my December Birchbox and loving every product in it -

- Spending two days baking to put together a variety of different sweet treats to drop off at Starkville Physical Therapy. Three of the recipes are already posted on here and the last two will be appearing next week. -

  Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Gingersnaps

 

It would not be Christmas if there wasn't at least something with ginger in it, whether it be a gingerbread house, gingerbread men, or gingersnaps. Since I am not a fan of gingerbread I prefer to make these gingersnaps instead. These cookies are sweet, chewy, and festive making them my staple cookie to make at Christmas time. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! See you Monday for the fourth cookie recipe and stocking stuffer ideas!

 

Gingersnaps:

 

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup molasses

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cloves

Additional sugar to roll cookies in

 

Directions:

Preheats oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.

In large mixing bowl mix first 4 ingredients.
Add dry ingredients and mix well.

Pinch off dough about one teaspoon size.

Roll into balls and roll in sugar.

Bake for 10 minutes or just until cookies begin to crack.

Remove from pan and let cool.

Store in airtight container.

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Chocolate Dipped Coal

If you are looking for a holiday treat that will please the children, then this is the recipe for you! As we all know nice children get toys but if they have been naughty then they get coal. Well, this recipe will allow you to make some coal to give to those children who may have been a little naughty but even those nice children will want some. Along with being holiday themed it is also very quick and easy to make. What more is there to love about this recipe?

Chocolate Dipped Coal:

 

Ingredients:

36 (1 package) Oreo Cookies

1  8oz. brick of Cream Cheese (softened)

16 oz. chocolate candy melts (I used Semi-Sweet Chocolate instead)

 

Directions:

Place Oreo Cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until completely crumbled (see blooper below).

Add cream cheese to bowl and pulse until the cream cheese and cookie crumbs are completely blended together.

Shape into 1-inch balls

Freeze for 10 minutes and if necessary reshape the balls into a round shape, remember they don't have to be perfect since they are supposed to look like coal.

Melt Chocolate in a double boiler then, dip balls in melted chocolate.

Place in single layer in a shallow waxed or parchment paper-lines pan.

Allow the chocolate to set.

Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.

Bloopers:
Sometimes when baking you just have to improvise. Well, I bought all my ingredients and had everything I needed to make this recipe but then a wrench was thrown into my plan.

See what happened was when I went to turn on my food processor to turn the cookies into crumbs it wouldn't turn on. This lead me to crushing the cookies into crumbles using two plastic Ziploc bags, a dish towel, and a hammer. Needless to say this Chocolate Dipped Coal was made with love and a little elbow grease!

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

Lemon Kris Crinkle Cookies

For the holidays I decided to make a variety of different sweet treats to take to Starkville Physical Therapy as a little Christmas present and thank you for letting my do my internship there. At first I wasn't sure what all I would make, but then I stumbled upon a recipe for Lemon Crinkle Cookies. I knew right when I saw the name that I was going to make these! These cookies might be my new favorite because they are the perfect mix of sweet and tart. I would recommend this recipe to anyone who wants to make a refreshing but still scrumptious cookie!

 

Lemon Kris Crinkle Cookies:

*makes 2-3 dozen

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cups butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 whole egg

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cups powdered sugar

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice.

Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar.

Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar.

Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte (not shiny or melted)

Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

 

Be sure to keep checking in because there will be at least four more delicious recipes to come!

 

 

Lots of Love,  Natalie

 

 

Winter Wonderland

The best part about going to Chicago in December is that there is always the possibility that it may snow. This is a big deal since I am from Mississippi and snow is a very rare sight here. I love the snow and it only makes Christmas shopping more festive. With only 8 days left until Christmas I can say that I am almost completely done shopping I just need to get started on wrapping all the gifts. I hope you are on top of your shopping but anyway here are some of my favorite pictures from my Chicago trip! See you tomorrow!

 

Lots of Love , Natalie