A couple weeks before Christmas I headed over to my Mom's and we had a full day of cookie baking to prepare for Christmas Eve. Including some of what we made as separate items here because I have links to the recipes, the others I'll just add at the end. Here's an Instagram post I did of our baking day:
Christmas Lofthouse Cookies
You know those horrible sugar cookies at the grocery store that you can't resist and enjoy eating anyway? Well these are a better version of that!
Spritz Cookies
My Mom needed a new spritz recipe this year becasue the one she used the past couple years never turned out right. We went with Sally's recipe and they came out great! After they came out of the oven we added the cute star sprinkles (last year we put them on before baking and they melted, haha!)
Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
I've made these a couple times before and they're always tasty! They also look very impressive and they aren't that hard to make. It was definitely easier to have someone help this time though. Rolling them in the pecans is always a little tricky with one person. With help I was able to coat them in the egg whites and my Mom got the pecans on. Way less messy!
Others we made: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Rugelach and Biscotti! We also made Snickerdoodles
Snowflake Shortbread Cookies
I used my snowflake shortbread and cake pan again, this time to make shortbread. They came out with much more detail than the cake I made with it last time!
Blossom Cookies
We did a cookie swap at my Mom's the Saturday before Christmas and I made these fun kiss cookies. The recipe has 3 flavors but my brother is allergic to peanut butter so I didn't make that variation. These are chocolate, sugar cookie and gingerbread!
Christmas Light Hostess Cupcakes
I made my version of Hostess Cupcakes with some M&Ms to look like Christmas lights for our Christmas Eve celebration. I used the cake recipe I have used in the past which is a couple recipes mashed together and then baked in cupcake tins instead of cake pans. Funny going from cupcakes to a cake inspired by those cupcakes and then back to cupcakes with the inspiration recipe, hah!
Chocolate Mousse Cake
And so 2024 comes to a close. I barely shopped this year, which is good and bad. I miss going out and trying on clothes, even if I'm not going to buy anything. But lately I just haven't felt like shopping for fun. Anyone else feeling the same, or just me?
THE (modified) RULES
- Be mindful of purchases
- Quality over quantity
- Basics are best
MY PROGRESS
Clothes:
- C&C California Tropical Print Linen Dress via Marshalls ($13)
- Cynthia Rowley leaf print dress via Marshalls ($13)
- AllSaints Jayda dress in black splash print (polka dot) via Roundabout Resale ($16.80, retail $260)
- C&C California tropical print tee (similar) via Marshalls ($10 on clearance)
- Disney Mickey Mouse Holiday Pullover Sweater via Target ($52.49, retail $69.99, used gift cards)
Basics:
- Joie long grey vest via Marshalls ($14, retail $68?, used gift card)
- LC Lauren Conrad High Rise 5" Rolled Cuff Shorts in Doria ($24.99, retail $36.99)
- Sonoma Goods For Life Premium Roll Cuff Jean Shorts in medium wash ($14.99, retail $24.99)
- Nicole Miller orange linen cargo pants via Marshalls ($16 on clearance)
Shoes:
- None
Handbags:
- None
Accessories:
- None
Activewear/Swimwear:
- Colorfulkoala High Waisted Yoga Pants with Pockets in Deep Teal ($20, retail $30, used CC rewards)
Gifted from Brands:
- None
Spent in December: $0
Spent in 2024: $108.69
Spent in 2024 - counting ad money: $0
I wore this to help Christian with a Christmas photoshoot for my brother and sister-in-law. We went to our favorite park and I roped Christian into taking some outfit photos for me too. We took some at the park and also the local historical society. He had his camera and was in photo mode, so why not?
It was a very chilly day but this Burberry sweater coat is always so comfy and warm! I just needed to block the wind from my face a bit. It's been a while since it appeared on the blog but it still gets plenty of wear in the Winter.
Cardigan Coat: Burberry Brit (Net-a-Porter)
Sweater: Everlane The Fall Seed Stitch Raglan
Jeans: FRAME 'Le Skinny de Jeanne' (Shopbop)
Shoes: Splendid Harvest Mules in Tiger/Cheetah Print (eBay)
Bag: Chanel Classic 2.55 Double Flap (Madison Avenue Couture)
Ombre Hat: Disney World
I took a little unplanned break from baking new things the past few months. You'll also notice I didn't really post anything all of November. I was on a bunch of trips on the weekends and some personal stuff came up where I wasn't really in the mood. I tried to get myself back into it but most weekends I was home I didn't bake. Then towards the end of November I started back up again for various holiday gatherings.
Sugar Cookies
I made these cookies for a collaboration post with Ocean State Job Lot that I posted in November. They're super easy to make, I just need to work on my frosting skills, ha ha. This time the border icing was a little thick so I wasn't able to get super smooth lines. But the flood icing was perfect!
Muffaletta Roll Ups
Christian loves Muffuletta sandwiches so when I saw this recipe pop up on Budget Bytes I knew we had to make it! We also love stromboli so this seemed like a perfect match. The only problem I had with it was I didn't love the flavor of the Muffaletta Salad we bought. Next time I'll try to make my own like the recipe says (we wanted it to be a quicker meal and the pre-made was on sale, ha ha!)
Sweet Potato Bread with Meringue Frosting
I made sweet potato muffins with leftover mashed sweet potatoes a couple years ago so when this recipe popped up on Jenna's Instagram I knew I would enjoy it. It was a fun Thanksgiving dessert! I don't have a kitchen torch so I improvised on the toasted meringue topping with a heavy duty lighter, hah! Then when I got to my Mom's I remembered she had one so I touched up a bit. The slideshow below also includes photos of the other 2 Thanksgiving bakes I did.
Jamaican Toto Cake
For Thanksgiving #2 with my Dad's side of the family we went with a Jamaican theme for our meal instead of traditional. Fun fact: my Dad's side of the family has some Jamaican heritage (among many other nationalities, ha ha) I googled Jamaican desserts and this one sounded fun and easy. It was tasty but the family thought it could use some sort of icing.
Honey & Olive Oil Rosemary Cornbread
I don't usually make recipes that are only posted on Instagram, but this one was too pretty to resist when it came up on my suggested Reels. I made this for Thanksgiving #2 (even though it didn't really go with the Jamaican theme) because one of my aunt's is lactose intolerant and this is diary free because it uses almond milk! It could also be gluten free but I used regular flour. They were a little cakier than I like for a cornbread but super tasty!
Almond Snowflake Cake
I got this shortbread and cake pan from the King Arthur Baking store on my birthday weekend and I wasn't exactly sure what to make in it first. I decided to just google snowflake cake and see what google popped out. I found this recipe for an almond cake and then decided to search America's Test Kitchen for an almond cake recipe to see if they were similar, since I had never heard of the blog before. I was originally going to go with the Test Kitchen recipe because it used less butter but when I actually went to bake it I didn't have enough almond flour so I went back to the original recipe I found. I also only had enough butter out for the original recipe so I had to do 2/3 of the recipe. What a struggle! (AND I used almond milk instead of regular since I had a ton leftover from the cornbread)
Unfortunately it didn't want to come out of the pan nicely even though I vigorously sprayed it. I guess next time I'll flour it too even though the recipe said just spray. But the flavor was great! Just not the best fit for the pan. Most of it came out clean but it wasn't the right texture for all the intricate details to be fully visible. I think I need something denser. Guess I'll try shortbread next since that's it's main purpose!
Last week I shared one of my Thanksgiving outfits. Today I'm sharing what I wore for our small Thanksgiving celebration with my immediate family (plus my sister-in-law's brother!) I wanted to wear these super old pants because I haven't work them in years. My statement-making Saint Laurent patchwork blouse was the perfect match along with purple Proenza Schouler pumps that do not get enough wear. They also happen to match my Prada bag. I ended up taking the blouse off fairly quickly after arriving because I didn't want my brother's puppy (he's 2) to ruin it. Gotta be careful with Saint Laurent!
P.S. I am SHOCKED I was able to find a pair of these pants to share in this post. I almost didn't bother searching because they're so old.
Blazer: Sandro burgundy double breasted blazer (Roundabout Resale) - whoever owned it before me changed out the buttons to match
Pants: Glo
Purple Suede Pumps: Proenza Schouler (Roundabout Resale)
Bag: Purple Prada Cahier in Viola (Rebag via Vestiaire Collective)
Necklace: Endless Pearl Station Necklace in rose gold c/o Aurate
This was the first time in a few years Christian and I were able to attend the "extended family" Thanksgiving. Last year we were doing the runDisney 5K and the two years before we were in Missouri. I know it gets warm during large gatherings so I decided to brave the chill in the air and wear a sleeveless dress. Luckily this purple Greylin coat is super warm so it kept me toasty to and from the car (ha ha.)
Purple Coat: Greylin Longline Shirt Jacket in purple (Anthropologie)
Sweater Dress: Miss Selfridge (Lord & Taylor)
Boots: IMPO Patchwork Suede Boot (DSW, snakeskin version)
Sunglasses: Michael Kors (Marshalls)
Bag: Purple Prada Cahier in Viola (Rebag via Vestiaire Collective)
Beaded Necklace c/o Aurate Destination Aura Beaded Necklace in Marrakech
I treated myself to a Disney Christmas sweater this month during Target's Black Friday sale. It was 25% off and I had gift cards from various Target Circle promos! Technically it's the men's sweater, but I never buy the women's versions because they are Minnie Mouse and I prefer Mickey. Side note: it really annoys me that everyone has "Black Friday" sales all month long now. Black Friday is ONE DAY. Just call it a holiday sale or something, but since everyone googles Black Friday they have to use those words. *sigh*
THE (modified) RULES
- Be mindful of purchases
- Quality over quantity
- Basics are best
MY PROGRESS
Clothes:
- C&C California Tropical Print Linen Dress via Marshalls ($13)
- Cynthia Rowley leaf print dress via Marshalls ($13)
- AllSaints Jayda dress in black splash print (polka dot) via Roundabout Resale ($16.80, retail $260)
- C&C California tropical print tee (similar) via Marshalls ($10 on clearance)
- *NEW!* Disney Mickey Mouse Holiday Pullover Sweater via Target ($52.49, retail $69.99, used gift cards)
Basics:
- Joie long grey vest via Marshalls ($14, retail $68?, used gift card)
- LC Lauren Conrad High Rise 5" Rolled Cuff Shorts in Doria ($24.99, retail $36.99)
- Sonoma Goods For Life Premium Roll Cuff Jean Shorts in medium wash ($14.99, retail $24.99)
- Nicole Miller orange linen cargo pants via Marshalls ($16 on clearance)
Shoes:
- None
Handbags:
- None
Accessories:
- None
Activewear/Swimwear:
- Colorfulkoala High Waisted Yoga Pants with Pockets in Deep Teal ($20, retail $30, used CC rewards)
Gifted from Brands:
- None
Spent in November: $0
Spent in 2024: $108.69
Spent in 2024 - counting ad money: $0
This month I engaged a bit of retail therapy. My mom and I spent a morning at Home Goods and Marshalls. I resisted buying anything at Home Goods even though I wanted a new comfy blanket. I wasn't so lucky at Masrhalls. I tried on a couple "fun" things I knew I wouldn't buy as well as a couple clearance finds which I ended up purchasing. Then later that week I went out with Christian and got a new blanket at Home Goods, ha ha! Of course, right after that I got approved for a sponsored post at Ocean State Job Lot and ended up with another blanket from there, so now we've got two new blankets!
THE (modified) RULES
- Be mindful of purchases
- Quality over quantity
- Basics are best
MY PROGRESS
Clothes:
- C&C California Tropical Print Linen Dress via Marshalls ($13)
- Cynthia Rowley leaf print dress via Marshalls ($13)
- AllSaints Jayda dress in black splash print (polka dot) via Roundabout Resale ($16.80, retail $260)
- *NEW!* C&C California tropical print tee (similar) via Marshalls ($10 on clearance)
Basics:
- Joie long grey vest via Marshalls ($14, retail $68?, used gift card)
- LC Lauren Conrad High Rise 5" Rolled Cuff Shorts in Doria ($24.99, retail $36.99)
- Sonoma Goods For Life Premium Roll Cuff Jean Shorts in medium wash ($14.99, retail $24.99)
- *NEW!* Nicole Miller orange linen cargo pants via Marshalls ($16 on clearance)
Shoes:
- None
Handbags:
- None
Accessories:
- None
Activewear/Swimwear:
- Colorfulkoala High Waisted Yoga Pants with Pockets in Deep Teal ($20, retail $30, used CC rewards)
Gifted from Brands:
- None
Spent in October: $26
Spent in 2024: $108.69
Spent in 2024 - counting ad money: $0
For the past few years Christian and I have been heading up to Vermont for my birthday weekend so we can enjoy some time away and pretty Autumn leaves! This year's trip had some issues thanks to crowds and rain but we still enjoyed ourselves.
These photos were taken at Sugarbush Farm when downtown Woodstock was swarming with people. Normally we arrive early in the morning to beat the crowds but this year we drove up Saturday morning instead of Friday night and stopped at a cute town Apple Festival so we didn't get to Woodstock until 12-ish. We skipped walking around there this year since it was so crowded.
My mom was getting rid of this cardigan and I decided to save it from the donation pile. It's cute but likes to leave little fuzzies everywhere, ha ha!
Sweater: from Mom
Dress: Edun (ThredUp)
Belt: Kenneth Cole Reaction (Marshalls)
Chocolate Pecan Pie
I've had this pie recipe saved for a few years and finally got around to making it over Labor Day weekend. Christian helped me make it because he wants to perfect making pie crust. It was delicious and everyone who had a piece said it was good! They might have been being nice, but I believe them, ha ha! There's not much chocolate in it but you can definitely taste it! Sadly you need an America's Test Kitchen account for the recipe. I had downloaded it when I did a free trial in 2020. Might be time to get it again to refresh my recipes!
Coffee Cake
We barely needed sour cream for the pie crust recipe above but I didn't want to go off recipe so we bought it and I planned to make this coffee cake with the rest! I made it on a slow Monday morning (they're usually slow for me with the end of the week being busier) and had a piece for lunch, so good! I had to freeze half of it because I was leaving for a business trip in a few days so I got to enjoy the rest when I was home!
Hostess Sheet Cake as Birthday Cake
I made this back in June and Christian loved it so much he wanted it for his birthday cake. I made it into an 8x8 square so it would be more cake-like. This did present a bit of a problem because the cake was thicker and heavier so the filling oozed out a bit. I saved it by putting it back into the cake pan, so it's not the most photogenic cake, but was still delicious! As with last time I combined two recipes My Messy Kitchenn for the cake batter and Bakerella for the rest! (my phone was not cooperating so the colors are way off in this picture)
Giant Pretzel Bread
One weekend when I was over at my parents house my mom & I decided to make her giant pretzel bread. This is always a hit when she makes it, so fluffy with a healthy amount of salt (obviously you can put less on if you don't like salty pretzels.) I don't know where she got the recipe so typed it out if anyone wants to make it. It's super simple.
- 4 - 4½ cups flour
- 1 pkg. yeast
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup water
- 2 Tbsp. oil or melted butter
- 1 egg, beaten with 2 tsp. water
- Coarse salt
- In a large bowl, mix 1 ½ cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
- Heat milk, water and oil to 120-125° and add to dry ingredients.
- Beat 2 minutes on low, then increase to high and beat 2 minutes more.
- Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough.
- Knead on floured surface until smooth and elastic (5 minutes).
- Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size (40-50 min).
- Punch dough down.
- Roll dough to 1" diameter rope (5 ½' long)
- Shape into a pretzel on greased baking sheet.
- Cover and let rest 15 minutes.
- Brush with beaten egg mixture and sprinkle with salt.
- Bake 375° for 25-30 minutes.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
I wasn't going to include these but thought it was funny! I went to a marketing convention at the end of last month and one of the exhibitors was giving out cookie mixes. Of course I had to grab one to see how they were. I ended up with shortbread cookies and chocolate chip because my client gave me his bag. I made the shortbread first with my mom & we used salted butter because I always do. Big mistake. They were SO SALTY. I couldn't even eat them after making a lemon glaze. When I made the chocolate chip cookies I decided to use my homemade butter that I left unsalted. Even that was not enough. If I took a bite of a cookie without a chocolate chip it was pure salt. GROSS! Note to self: don't trust pre-made mixes anymore. At least I have an amusing story to tell.
Birthday Cake
Saving the best for last. My birthday was last Friday and Christian insisted on making me a cake because I always make something for him. So cute! He used Butternut Bakery's funfetti cake recipe and it came out great! (he used unsalted butter and the frosting tasted a little funky to me becasue I don't like unsalted butter, haha! Funny how I don't like the butter you're supposed to use) We ate a couple slices and then froze the rest so we could enjoy it slowly.
