Happy Earth Day

plant a tree.  or a garden.  recycle.  turn off a light.  ride a bike.

just a few of the ways that make a difference.

{pic via here}

Happy Easter!

pic via here

Have a lovely Easter Sunday!

An Etsy Easter Basket

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven

Easter is on Sunday, and what better way to celebrate it than by buying baskets and filling them with goodies for the kids! You can always choose to buy the pre-made baskets from stores, but I love personalizing them with heartfelt gifts, school supplies, and lots of yummy treats.  Besides, aren't these Etsy goods much cuter than those store-bought baskets?!

With 11 nieces and nephews, buying treats for everyone gets pretty expensive so I usually try to make them colorful eggs filled with confetti, sugar cookies with elaborate decorations, and then buy funky erasers for school from Target's dollar aisle along with little metal pails or felt baskets.  They never seem to mind what's in the basket as long as there is lots of candy.  Then of course, we all get ready for the big hunt and hide eggs all over the yard for them - eggs filled with candy, confetti, money, and even hard-boiled ones.  Last year, our littlest niece ate the entire hard-boiled egg, shell and all!  It was absolutely hilarious and no one had even noticed until she was almost done with it.  How about you - do you have any fun Easter memories?

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

It seems strange to me this year to say goodbye to 2011 - it was a year of life changes that looking back required a world of courage and one giant leap of faith.  If this were last January, I would have been taking stock of IRS forms, preparing 1099s and mentally prepping myself for tax season.  Instead, I am sitting at my desk after two weeks of school vacation searching through the web for bakeries and restaurants in Austin that may peak my interest.  My boyfriend of 7 years is at his parents' home two hours away (that sometimes feels like oceans away), and tonight we will have the pleasure of spending New Year's Eve together in San Antonio with his childhood friend Phil and his precious family.

Looking back, I would have never foresaw the big changes 2011 would bring.  For almost 11 months I pondered quitting my job and going to pastry school, talking to different admissions counselors and discussing the possibility with my close friends and family.  I wanted to, but was ridiculously scared to leave my job - I would be giving up financial security by quitting, moving to a different city (still undecided at the time), and wondered if the change would strain my relationship with my boyfriend.  I began saving as much money as possible just in case and numbed my mind with the craziness of tax season.  Then in March I received a call from an admissions counselor at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin. She said they had an opening for the classes beginning in early May.  Although I wanted to go, my lease was not over and I would not have enough time to pack and find a new apartment in Austin because of the hours of work tax season required.  She did say, however, that a new set of classes would begin in early July and for some crazy reason I said, Sign me up! 

That weekend my boyfriend and I came to Austin, signed a lease with the first apartment we saw and went home to start packing.  I gave my notice in late April and my last day at work was June 10th.  My apartment complex at the time let me out of my lease a month early and on June 16th I moved to Austin to begin preparing for pastry school.  It was undoubtedly, the best decision I have made thus far.  I am still scared, though.  In April I will begin my externship and I still haven't picked a place - I worry about finding a good fit, but have faith everything will work out in the end.

All of that aside, my Dad moved to Arkansas in October to take a new job, leaving the place I had grown up.  Only one of my three brothers remain in McAllen, making it no longer feel like home.  It seems a distant memory, a place where a life was lived but could not end.  Knowing I may never go back feels as if I am surrendering my childhood, but the memories of our life there in the hot & humid land filled with palm trees 10 minutes from the Texas-Mexico border sustain me.  I honestly do not know where I will be at the end of 2012 or what job I will have, but I have faith that it will be a year filled with success and love.

May you have a wonderfully magical New Year's Eve night!

{First picture found here, second picture found here}

Christmas Time is Here!

It's officially the first of December, the beginning of the Christmas season.  Have you decorated your tree, hung your stockings, and started your holiday shopping?  I am so far behind and am hoping to do lots of it this weekend, depending on whether or not I'm still under the weather.  Hope everyone's having a great Thursday!

Ps.  Parks & Recreation definitely made me smile tonight.  I am totally crushing on Ben. :)


{picture via here}

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving holiday

{photo via here}

Recipe: Caramelized Onion & Herb Stuffing

Caramelized Onion and Herb Stuffing

 ****

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish and foil
• 1 large loaf Italian bread (about 1 pound), cut into 3⁄4-inch pieces (about 16 cups)
• 6 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Divide the bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets and bake until dry and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Add the bread, broth, eggs, chives, thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt to the onions and toss to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Cover with buttered foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. 

Serves 8





{Recipe courtesy of Real Simple}

DIY Reindeer Tag or Postcard

PAPER REINDEER POSTCARD 

courtesy of Amy Moss

What you will need:

• A4 Kraft card
• A4 White, textured card
• 4 craft brads
• Double-sided tape
• Scissors
• 3mm (or smaller) circle craft punch
• Color Printer
• Postcard Back design (download PDF by clicking on link)
• Paper Reindeer Postcard design (download PDF by clicking on link)
• Hobby knife
• Ruler
• Cutting board

Instructions:
Download the 'Paper Reindeer Postcard' PDF from the link below and print out onto white card stock using a color printer. Using a pair of scissors, cut around the separate parts of the reindeer leaving some white around the edges. (Tip: You don't need to cut perfectly straight. In fact, a slightly irregular edge just creates a more whimsical, handmade feel.) Position the legs, antler and tail on the correct areas of the reindeer body and attach by punching holes and inserting and fastening craft brads. Cut out the 'happy holidays' banner, also leaving a white border around the edges.
Download the 'Postcard Back' PDF and print onto kraft card. Use a hobby knife, ruler and cutting board to cut to correct size.
Using double-sided tape, stick the banner to the bottom of the front of the postcard. Place a bit of double sided tape to the middle of the reindeer body to attach him to the center of your postcard.

For the downloadable images used here to create the Reindeer Tags & Postcards, click here.

{all images and downloads are copyright of Amy Moss}

Top 5 Christmas CDs for the Season

There's no better way to get in the mood for the holiday season, than by listening to some great Christmas music.  Every year artists release new albums singing their versions of Silent Night and Winter Wonderland resulting in a few bad remakes, or a few winners.

For me, Christmas music is a necessity during the holiday season - they are the sounds I listen to while baking thousands of cookies, hanging various ornaments on the tree, and cleaning up the guest room for out-of-town guests.  So of course I have a folio filled with Christmas music (yes, I still buy CDs rather than MP3s) and this year, I'm planning to add these 5 to my collection.  Click on the links to enjoy...

 

Christmas Is Coming: A Tribute to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" 

Every Christmas my boyfriend and I set aside time to make some hot chocolate and sit down to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas.  We love the music, the sad little Christmas tree, and especially Charlie Brown.  So, when I noticed this CD, I had to preview each of the songs.  It is an excellent album and the Lori Mechem Quartet does an amazing job of capturing the wonderful sounds of A Charlie Brown Christmas.  Vince Guaraldi would be so proud.

 

Christmas Symphony

 Seven years ago, I had never heard of Mannheim Steamroller.  I'm not even entirely sure of the Orchestra's history, but what I do know is that ever since that first Christmas with my boyfriend and his family, they have become a staple in my stereo.  Their music is absolutely wonderful, but even more important, their music has created a unique memory for me, a reminder of my boyfriend and his loud Italian family on Christmas morning exchanging presents, icing Charlie Brown cookies and chasing kids around the house.  Great album, priceless memories.

 

Christmas

Oh, Michael Buble, how sexy is your voice?!  I would happily listen to anything by M.B., but this album truly is magical.  I love his "rat pack" voice and those big band sounds.  "Holly Jolly Christmas" makes me want to snap my fingers to the beat, "Santa Baby" makes me feel like I'm living in Mad Men times, and "Ave Maria" gave me chills.  Definitely one of my favorite Christmas CDs.  Ever.

The Christmas We Hoped For

I am not actually acquainted with Vanessa Peters' music, but happened to run across this CD on Amazon when searching for holiday music.  Not knowing exactly what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised by her laid back voice.  It feels like Indie Pop music, her voice not anything exceedingly special but it has a familiarity & warmth to it that makes me want to keep listening.  My favorite tracks are: Oh Holy Night, What Child Is This, and Winter Wonderland.

A Very She & Him Christmas

The second I saw this CD on the store shelves, I wanted it.  I just knew it would be great, and it definitely is.  She & Him mix up the arrangements making them sound new and whimsical.  Absolutely love every song on here, but a few of my favorites are "The Christmas Waltz", "Baby It's Cold Outside", and "The Christmas Song".  Can't wait to roast marshmallows while listening to this album and cuddling with my boyfriend.

Stock Up: Dinnerware for the Holidays

Since the holidays are just around the corner, it's time to dust off your China and get it ready for entertaining.  Of course, if you are anything like me then you are perusing the internet to find new dinnerware right now.  I think all together I have about 8 dinnerware sets - ridiculous, I know - but I just can't help myself.  Every year new patterns are released and I feel as if I need to update my kitchen just as I would my closet.  I started to feel bad about my collection, but then I visited my future mother-in-law's house and she had more dinnerware sets than I could possibly count on two hands!  So, if you happen to be in the market for dinnerware, here are 4 amazing sets to ponder.

This set by Kelly Wearstler for Pickard is so chic.  I'm not even a huge fan of gold, but this set makes me want to put on a cocktail dress and invite all of my friends over for a fancy feast.  The lines are modern, but not harsh and the gold colors make it feel feminine.  Love it.

You can never go wrong with something this simple.  Although the shapes aren't groundbreaking or special, the color keeps it feeling modern and encourages you to showcase your food rather than your shopping sensibilities.  And, it's Vera Wang.

How fun are these?!  Missoni is a master at mixing patterns and colors, and this dinnerware set is no exception.  It's incredibly whimsical, feminine and modern.  Although hot pink isn't for everyone, it would make for a stylish table setting.

Every woman has that one outfit that makes her feel flirtatious and feminine.  This dinnerware set is just like that - the scallops feel so girly but the mint color keeps it fun and different.  You have to love Anthropologie and their selection of oh-so-pretty finds.

Recipe: Baked Spinach & Gruyere

Absolutely love a cheese & spinach dish!  This particular recipe is listed as a side dish on Real Simple, but if you're like my boyfriend's family, make this first and serve it as an appetizer with bagel chips.  We usually make a version of this every Sunday the family gets together and always end up fighting over it.  Super delicious.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for the dish
• 6 shallots, thinly sliced
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 4 10-ounce boxes frozen leaf spinach, thawed
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups grated Gruyere
• 1 cup dry white wine

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Coat a shallow 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with oil; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper.
4. Squeeze the spinach to remove excess liquid. Stir the spinach, shallots, Gruyère, and Parmesan into the egg mixture. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake until bubbling and the top is golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes.

Serves 8

{Recipe by Kate Merker via Real Simple}

Holiday Season

It's officially beginning to feel like Christmas.  Although I still have Halloween decorations up, and Thanksgiving is in 15 days, commercials are filled with holiday jingles and Santa's helpers.  Stores are filled with Christmas decorations, cold weather is fast approaching (some areas even received snow already!), and holiday gift guides are arriving in the mail.  It's kind of crazy.  I still have a turkey to buy, and scarecrows to hide, but it is on its way - the time of year that makes even grown-ups giddy inside.  Are you ready for the holiday season?

{photo via Pinterest}

Happy Halloween

Hope everyone has a safe & fun Halloween!

{photo courtesy of DCP}

Halloween Games

This hallow's eve, there will be plenty of candy to eat, tricks to perform, and scary movies to watch but just in case that still isn't enough, here are 4 games to keep those pesky goblins entertained.  They include Bean Bag Toss, Pop Goes the Pumpkin, Bobbing for Apples, and a Pumpkin Carving Contest.  What will you be doing this Halloween weekend?

{Photo Credits L to R: Country Living, Tip Junkie, Ganz World and eHow}

Frighteningly Delicious Halloween Recipes

Since it's Halloween, food can be fun this time of year.  We can add olives to dishes as eyeballs, or serve spaghetti noodles as brains.  It's definitely a chance to be creative with food and mix different flavor profiles to find out what works best together.  Add a couple of spooky labels to the food with descriptions like "Frankenstein's Last Victim's Intestines" and "Spicy Maggots", and you've got yourself a Halloween buffet table worth sharing with your fellow ghouls & goblins.  Here are a few delicious recipes easy to impress your blood-sucking friends.

Halloween-Themed Blue Cheese Crackers

 Blood-Red Hot Chocolate & Sweet Bones

 Ooey-Gooey Eyeballs

 Cute Jack-o-lantern Quesadillas

 Orange & Black Salmon Rolls

Squash Soup served in Mini Pumpkins

Vampire Blood Tomato Soup & 

Muenster Sammies

To prepare for your Halloween party, here is a checklist from Real Simple to ensure you have a spectacularly spooky night.

Mess-Free Halloween Pumpkins

I absolutely love carving pumpkins, but will be the first one to admit that gutting them is really gross.  So, a couple of years ago my boyfriend and I started painting pumpkins instead and made them into witches, black cats, bats & spiders.  It's a great way to be creative without the mess.  Here are a few ideas in case you're interested.

{photo courtesy of The Finer Things}

Creepy Crawly How-To:

Paint black, super glue two googly eyes,

and then cut 4 black pipe cleaners in half jamming each set of 4 on

each side of the pumpkin for legs.  And oula!

Black Cat How-To:

Paint a small pumpkin and medium sized pumpkin black. (Avoid using paint with water because then you'll end up with cracks like me).  Remove the stem from the larger pumpkin and fill the area with lots of hot glue.  Then, attache the smaller pumpkin and let dry.

Using hot glue, attach 2 googly eyes and a button for a nose to the head.  The whiskers are actually 6 sewing pins pushed into the pumpkin.  For the ears, cut a black  pipe cleaner in two and jam them into the pumpkin.  You can stabilize them with a little bit of super glue or hot glue.  For the tail, take two pipe cleaners and twist together one end while curling the other end.  Stick the twisted end into the pumpkin. 

To make the tie, simply use a pipe cleaner and tie it around the cat's neck like a necklace. Then, cut a tie shape out of felt and glue to the pipe cleaner.  For added flair, you can decorate the tie with stripes or polka dots.

Etsy Tuesday: Halloween Costumes for Kids

Six frightening days til Halloween!  I finally ordered my costume - thank goodness for Amazon's 2-day prime shipping - and a grocery list is already made to begin baking some delicious treats.  How are your plans coming for Halloween weekend?  Just in case your little ones are still indecisive about what they want to be, here are a few great costumes from Etsy.  Aren't they darling?

Happy Tuesday!

Adorable Max Costume

Upcycled Roxy the Fox costume

Seriously Wise Owl

Gnomes! Happy as can be.

Wickedly Fun Ghost

Ponderous Sea Monster

Argh! A Pirate with flair

Cute as a Ladybug

Slime-free Frog Prince

Enchanted Little Red Riding Hood

Elmo & Cookie Monster

a darling little Bumblebee

Butterfly

Super Sweet Dragon

Creepy Crawly Spider Headband

Halloween Desserts

Halloween is exactly one week away, so it's crunch time here - need candy for the trick-or-treaters, finishing touches for my costume, materials for desserts, and need to rent those classic scary movies for one frightfully fun night.  How are things progressing at your home?  If you're like me, you scour the web looking at pictures for inspiration.

To make your week easier, I will be doing at least one post a day dedicated to all things Halloween.  As a result, today's first post is dedicated to those yummy desserts we so crave.  Hopefully these pictures inspire you to create your own delicious treats.

Orange & Black Layered Cake

Wickedly Cool Orange, Blue & White Cookies

A Mean Monster Mash Cupcake

Nevermore, Nevermore Raven Cookies

 Pumpkin Tarts

Skulls of Plenty Madeleines 

Black Webbed Cupcakes

Creepy Crawly Cakes

Not-So-Scary Witch's Hat

 Delightful Pumpkins

A Spider Spins His Tale

One, Two, Three Chocolate Headstones

The last three are quick desserts I came up with for a Halloween Party at work.  They are very easy to make if you get in a time crunch.  For the Pumpkin Cupcake Toppers, I bought orange candy melts from Michael's (or was it Hobby Lobby?) and a chocolate mold.  You simply follow the directions on the package and let them harden overnight before placing on top.  Then using green buttercream icing, you can pipe a few leaves or even use a grass tip for the topping. 

The Spiderweb Cupcake Toppers were also made using candy melts, except I piped a spiderweb on a parchment paper and then let it dry overnight.  The next day, simply place them on top of your cupcake with a spider.

The Headstone Cake Toppers in the last picture were done the exact same way as the Pumpkin Toppers, just using regular melting chocolate and a chocolate mold I found at my local craft store.  Then place some spiders around the headstones in various sizes and you have a Halloween themed cake!  All three were incredibly easy to make.  So if you get in a bind, don't stress.  Just head to your local craft store and make a couple of toppers.  No one has to know how much work you did or didn't do. ;)

Halloween Comic

{copyright San Diego Union-Tribune}

Etsy Tuesday: Halloween Party Supplies

There's 13 haunting days til Halloween, which means it's time to fill up your shopping carts (virtual or real) with party supplies for the perfect, frighteningly fun Halloween party.  As a result, today's Etsy finds are geared towards throwing a party filled with ghouls & goblins.  Click on the links and start shopping because time is running out....!

Vintage Inspired Halloween Tags - these are perfect for attaching to party favor bags, using as place cards, or tying to water bottles.

Orange & Black Polka Dot Favor Boxes - fill these with M&Ms, candy corn or your favorite homemade treats.
 
Trick-or-Treaters Halloween Card - these darling cards are great for scribbling sweet messages inside to send to your favorite nieces and nephews

Black Raven Place Cards - even Halloween parties can be elevated with little touches like these.

"Vampire Bites" Card Stock Tags - these are a great idea as is, fill a jar with candies for your co-workers or children's classmates and wrap these cute tags around.

Orange Polka Dot Straws - for a pop of color on your food & beverage table, straws are a cheap and fun addition (and using them keeps your teeth from rotting out....something has to!).

"Spooky" Banner - hang them on your doors, fireplaces, buffets or bar to add that extra something special.

Crazy Bats Garland - I would totally hang these from the ceiling along with Martha Stewart's Pom Poms in orange & black.

"Trick or Treat" Banner - yet another banner for the mantle.

Vintage Paper Plates - these plates are so much fun that I wish they had more!

Plastic Halloween Favor Bags - perfect for caramel popcorn balls or brownie bites.

Black Raven Centerpiece - an eery raven that would make even Edgar Allan Poe proud.

Three Spooky Birds Mini Treat Sacks - make handing out candy to trick or treaters easy by using these to fill with a few pieces of candy AND a toothbrush.

DIY Printable Cupcake Picks - because cupcakes are so much more fun when dressed up.

Orange & Black Paper Garland - just one more garland.

Halloween Party Invitations - set the mood for your costume party with these classic invitations.