Have a lovely, happy and safe 4th of July!!
xo
Happy Independence Day
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Category Archives: Holidays
Happy (belated) Cinco de Mayo
Oh Monday! Here again so soon?!
After a really awesome weekend visiting my sister, I’ve got a bit of the Monday blues. Especially when it’s so warm outside and I’m stuck inside! How easily I could go back to riding bikes around town, wine tasting, and sipping a few margaritas in honor of Cinco de Mayo – a Mexican “holiday” that only American’s celebrate. Gotta love that!
Sacramento is one of my favorite cities, because it’s so un-city like. Everyone is so nice, no one is in a rush to get anywhere – it’s all about local establishments, and unique spots. Of course, once you get outside of the city proper, it’s all about Walmart, outlet shopping, and I kid you not, there is an Applebees on every corner.
Getting out of the city is such a treat, My sister and her husband have a tandem bike, along with my mom’s 3-speed. I hopped on the back of the tandem with my brother-in-law, and while it was scary at first, it’s so fun! Since the person in the back has no control over breaking, turning, etc, you just have to petal, and take in the sights. I wish San Francisco had fewer hills – I’d love to toodle around town on a bike!
Anyway, a little Cinco de Mayo Margarita inspiration – thinking of making one of these bad boys in about 15 minutes or so. It’s that or head to the gym, which I just don’t see happening 🙂
The Ultimate Spicy Margarita:
Begin by adding ice into a pint glass; pour in an ounce and a half of good tequila. Add an ounce of Grand Marnier, along with an ounce of fresh squeezed lime juice. Drop in a thin slice or two of jalapeno, and a dash of chili powder. Finish with a tablespoon of simple syrup (can substitute agave nectar if you have it), stir it up, and enjoy! This cocktail can also be strained if you are feeling fancy!!
Happy Valentine’s Day
Picture Courtesy of Style Me Pretty
Happy Valentine’s Day to the smartest, kindest, most wonderful man I know.
I love that you sing over every song on the radio… with your own lyrics. I love that you eat whatever I cook for dinner… no matter what. I love that your butt looks cute in your jeans. I love your boyish smile, and the laugh lines around your eyes. I love that your feet find mine in the middle of the night. I love that you love my family. I love that you know how to make me laugh, comfort me, and love me.
You are the love of my life, and I am so lucky I met you that fateful night 5 years ago… and again two weeks after that.
xo
Valentine’s Day: Sweet Treats
If you aren’t looking forward to Valentine’s day, here are some sweet treats that will change your mind. They are pretty, pink, and oh-so-adorable. I so wish I had the time to whip up a few of these confections!
An assorted marshmallow pop bouquet! What could be cuter (and easier)?!
From MommyGaga:
Cake pops are all the rage right now. But they take so long to make, and even after many attempts at the art, my pops end up being a bit lumpy (even though delicious)! If you would like the cute cake pop look for a baby shower, birthday party or a Valentine’s Day treat but you don’t want the hassle, make Marshmallow Pops!
- First cut a small slit in the top of the marshmallows to allow you to insert your straw. If you skip this step you just might mash your marshmallows!
- Insert the straws or Popsicle sticks and put them in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes. They do not take long to freeze and by doing this, the marshmallow is adhered more securely to the straw.
- Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in the microwave on medium heat and stir every 30 seconds. White chocolate seems to burn a lot easier than regular chocolate so watch it closely! Add your food coloring if desired.
- Next up is the fun part: decorating! Dip the frozen marshmallows in the white chocolate. You will want to tap the excess white chocolate off. The frozen marshmallow will make the chocolate harden quickly so don’t wait too long before dipping them into the sprinkles
Adult Lemonade – not for the kiddos! To make: 2 oz. strawberry infused vodka | 2 oz. simple syrup | 2 oz. fresh lemon juice | Top with sparkling wine | Garnish with strawberries and mint
Don’t even try to make these – they will never be as cute. Just pay $30 for the professionals to “handle” these handlebar mustache cookies – LOVE
Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (15 squares)
pinch of cinnamon
1/2 stick butter (melted)
16 ounces (2 blocks) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups sour cream
2 cups sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
food coloring – pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, and red
Supplies Needed:
stand mixer or a mixing bowl and hand held mixer
rubber spatula
Wilton Heart Shaped Silicone Molds
fine tip paint brush (new or food only brush)
roasting pan big enough to fit your heart shaped molds
stand mixer or a mixing bowl and hand held mixer
rubber spatula
Wilton Heart Shaped Silicone Molds
fine tip paint brush (new or food only brush)
roasting pan big enough to fit your heart shaped molds
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. You will need a water bath to bake your cheesecakes, so place your roasting pan in the oven filled with enough water to go half way up the sides of your heart molds -allow the water to heat along with the oven. Combine graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon, and melted butter, stirring until it looks like sand. Spoon out about a tablespoon of crumb mixture into each heart cavity. Press the crumbs down making an even crust. Refrigerate until ready to fill with cheesecake mixture. Note: If you are only making 12 cheesecakes, you will have some of this leftover.
In the bowl beat the cream cheese on medium high until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add sugar and beat for one minute. Add eggs and beat until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl once. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix just to combine.
Equally divide the filling among 6 bowls. Add food coloring to create the colors you’d like. It took between five and eight drops of color to achieve the colors of my cakes. For orange, mix yellow and red together. If you prefer, you can add fruit purees instead.
Pour colored cheesecake filling into the heart shaped cavities in your Wilton silicone mold.
If you are making 12 larger hearts, then fill the cavities to the top, if you are making 18, then only fill them about 3/4 full. If making 12, you will have a few tablespoonfuls of each color left over. Bake for 15-28 minutes, depending on the size of your molds (45 minutes for a whole cheesecake.) When finished baking, the center of each cake should still jiggle but look set, not soupy. If you fill them 3/4 full, then go with 20-25 minutes and about 15 minutes for the mini cakes.
The easiest way to get these cheesecakes out of the molds is to freeze them for a few hours. They pop right out. I only broke off a tiny piece of crust from one of my hearts after allowing them to freeze for two hours. Squeeze a few drops of red food coloring into a small bowl. Use a fine tip paintbrush to paint conversation heart sayings onto each cheesecake heart.
Pink Ombre Swirl Cake – courtesy of Glorious Treats. I don’t have the talent or the patience for this one –
gorgeous though it is. My advice, put in a custom order at a bakery!
.
Magnolia Bakery’s Famous Sugar Cookies. Order them online or make them yourself:
Sugar Cookies:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups vegetable shortening
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, beaten
4 1/3 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tsp. orange zest (not flavoring) optional
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the sugars and shortening using an electric mixer.
- Mix on slow speed 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
- Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
- Slowly add vanilla and beaten egg while mixing.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, mixing on slow speed until just blended. Do not overmix.
- Scoop with an ice-cream scoop if decorating with sugar only
- Place directly on cookie sheet.
- Bake at 375° for 9-10 minutes. Cookies are done when small cracks appear and are pale golden. Ideally, the edges do not brown.
Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 to 8 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On the medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Valentine’s Day Shoes
I sort of LOVE the idea of outfitting your feet for the holiday, and once again Polyvore saves the day! The great thing about most of these shoes is that they are not Valentine’s Day specific (well with the exception of the ever fabulous Vivienne Westwood Heart pumps which I Love, love LOVE!! Imagine these shoes taking you year round – red’s and pinks can be hot in the summer and do double duty as holiday festive!
Enjoy!
Christian Louboutin nude pumps, $625
Melissa shoes, £120
WALTER STEIGER high heels, $1,075
Steve Madden high heels, $110
Carvela Kurt Geiger high heels, £120
FS NY ballet flat, $198
Paul Joe ballet flat, £145
Zara platform heels, $90
Dorothy Perkins boat shoes, $35
Flat, $130
Valentines Gifts for Her
JEWELRY:
Kissing Birds necklace – it’s as charming as it is lovely, and at $42, its extremely affordable!
vivianfeilerdesigns.com
FLOWERS:
What girl doesn’t love flowers – whether it’s sent to her at work, or brought home at the end of the day, think outside the box of the standard dozen red roses. I hate red roses. The show The Bachelor completely ruined red roses for me forever, so now I see a red rose and think, “Cliche!” “Tacky!” “Standard!” White flowers are timeless and classic, and a tulip is much less common than a rose. Teleflora delivers nationally, but my recommendation would be to find a local florist – you will get a better quality arrangement for your money. Some other less thought of blooms to surprise her with? White Orchids, White Peonies, and White Lillies (Stargazer or Calla).
A WEEKEND AWAY:
Surprise her with a weekend getaway – whether you live a few hours from the seaside, the mountains, or the wine country, look into making reservations at a cute bed and breakfast that caters to couples without children. If you have kids, book a baby-sitter well in advance, or bribe the grandparents into watching the babes over night. Pop some bubbly, book spa appointments, have a hotel room picnic with cheese and chocolate in front of the gas fireplace!
kenwoodinn.com
A HOMEMADE CARD:
It’s small, it’s sweet, and it shows that you put time and thought into telling your sweetheart that you love them. I always find the cards at the drugstore so cheesy. They usually involve too much glitter and a photograph of two wine glasses, two hearts, or two small children holding hands, and you KNOW that one million other people are getting that same card. Skip it, and save yourself the $3.50 – Martha Stewart has some fun tutorials on pop out cards, or if you are really feeling creative, get some thick gorgeous linen paper (you can get this at Staples or another business supply store), and make a cool potato stamp. Make a heart, kissing lips, or an X and and O. Use red paint on creme colored paper, keep it simple, and you will come out on top.
marthastewart.com
Potato Stamp Tutorial via polkadotdesign.com
PRIVATE COOKING LESSON:
If you live in a rural or small town, this could be tricky, but for most people within an hour of a large city, this is simple, intimate, and fun! Have a chef come to your home with the fixings to make a fabulous dinner. Not only do you not have to worry about finding all the fancy ingredients on your own, but you get to learn – hands on – how the pro’s sear a steak, or make homemade pasta. A lot of these places let you choose the type of cuisine you want to make, and some even let you hand pick the dishes! No fussy dinner, no overpriced menu – just good food, good company, and an opportunity to surprise yourself! And guess who will be able to make Beef Bourguignon for the next anniversary? 🙂
privatechefsinc.com
A ROMANTIC EVENING IN:
Light some candles in the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen. Draw her a bath, or set up a small table for two in the living room. The secret to a romantic night in, is doing things you wouldn’t do on a normal night. Make it a rule to keep the TV off, the lights low, and candles going. Even if it’s Chinese takeout on the menu, use the good dishes, and think outside the box.
TWO AIRLINE TICKETS:
Where have you both been dying to go? Is it a long weekend in Mexico, or a lavish vacation in Bali? Has she been dying to visit her family across the country, or visit her best friend one state over? Plan a few months ahead, and buy two plane tickets to make it happen. Booking in advance minimizes the risk that she won’t be able to get the time off, will have conflicting plans, etc. With the tickets booked, you two can plan the rest of the trip together, and have something fun to look forward to. 
A GORGEOUS RING:
If you aren’t married but have talked about it, you know it’s going to be on her mind, but if you really want to surprise her, pop the question the day after when her guard is down. 
tiffany.com
Happy Valentines Day!!
Groundhog Day
Valentines Day: What to Wear
Whether you are cooking a romantic dinner at home or going out with your sweetheart, doing dinner with friends, or going out dancing, doesn’t everyone want to feel pretty and feminine on Valentines day?
I think so! Whether you are going for sweet and demure with a higher neckline, confident and sexy in a body con dress, or if pretty ruffles is your thing, I’ve got you covered with a where to buy guide!
The Hopeless Romantic:
Dress: Rent the Runway
Shoes: Bloomingdales
Clutch: Nordstrom
Earrings: Nordstrom
Ring: Nordstrom
The Classic and Coy:
Dress: Net-a-porter.com
Shoes: Barney’s
Bracelet: Nordstrom
Clutch: Nordstrom
Belt: ShoeMart
Earrings and ring: eBay.com
The Sexy Siren:
Dress: Rent the Runway
Shoes: Bloomingdale’s
Clutch: Nordstrom
Necklace: Rent the Runway
Ring: Etsy
Happy February!!
It’s the first day of February, and I am the quintessential “girly girl”. I love shopping and jewelry, fashion and getting dressed up. I love pampering myself, and being pampered. To me, the start of February awakens this little girl inside me that is excited to send out Valentine’s Day cards, bake sweet treats, and wear lots of pink (even though it’s really not my color).
Kris and I are pretty low key, and don’t buy into the hype of it all – the past few years we have stayed home, made dinner together, and exchanged cards with sweet notes. Regardless, I love day-dreaming about all the fun things about this totally commercialized holiday because let’s be honest, they are SO PRETTY! To kick off the countdown to Valentine’s Day, let’s talk sweets. How gorgeous are these pale pink ruffly confections above?! So cute!
What I have been dying to try are these red velvet XOXO cupcakes.
From the sound of it, these cupcakes can get messy with the red food coloring, but how cute are they?! A pet peeve of mine is TOO MUCH frosting on a cupcake (am I the only person in the world who doesn’t like too much frosting?) These cupcakes have a thick cream cheese icing X or O, so its just the perfect amount!
It’s pretty funny to me – people think red velvet is a unique flavor of it’s own, but it’s really a combination of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes (look at the ingredients). What makes them special is the red food coloring – I guess the saying is true. We really DO eat with our eyes first 🙂
I’ve hunted down a good one – no brick colored Red Velvet here! Find the recipe with instructions below, enjoy these treats, and let the countdown to February 14th begin!
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting:
Recipe from Pinch My Salt
Recipe from Pinch My Salt
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour – sift it before you measure it.
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. red food coloring (two bottles)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers (really it only makes 20 – not 24). I made 12 regular sized cupcakes and 12 mini-cupcakes.
Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside. In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda. Be careful – it will fizz up. Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Using an ice cream scoop, fill cupcake cups with cake batter (they should be 2/3 – 3/4 full). Place muffin tins on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check early and don’t over bake. In my oven – the mini cupcakes took 15 minutes and the regular sized cupcakes took 18 minutes.
Cool the cupcakes in their tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely before frosting. Frost cupcakes with cream cheese icing – recipe below.
Cream Cheese Frosting
16 oz. cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt
With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Turn mixer to low speed and blend in powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Turn mixer on high and beat until light and fluffy. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. If refrigerated, the frosting will need to be brought to room temperature before using (after frosting softens up, beat with mixer until smooth).
Et Voila! Bon Appetit!
Happy Thursday!
Gosh, this week is flying by! Monday was observed as the holiday for New Years Day, so with the four day week, the weekend is almost here!
Not shockingly, my resolution for the new year was to shed the holiday weight that appeared halfway through December, and really work hard to tone up. We are on day four, and going strong, although I did succumb to a piece of dark chocolate yesterday! Eeeps!
My “last supper” so-to-say, was a crab feast with Kris on New Years Day. It was amazing – we devoured two whole crabs, a stick and a half of butter, a whole loaf of fluffy french bread from the bakery (still hot I might add), and a whole bottle of wine. Needless to say, it was a fabulous last meal to kick off the new diet, and the first night we ate dinner in our newly re-styled dining room! With the lights down, and the candles going, it was tre-romantic!
Step two of my detox – sweat it out. Tonight I am going for a run, no matter if its dark and cold. It’s on!
Simply Styled 