I love brown sugar…there is something so delicious about the warm, caramel like flavor that nothing seems to compare to. One day while watching the Food Network (of course) I saw a recipe being prepared with simple syrup when I had an “ah-ha” moment – Brown Sugar Simple Syrup!
I made the concoction which is so simple – by combining 2 parts light brown sugar to 1 part water. Simmer in saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has melted. Add a dash of salt and voila – a yummy, delicious syrup with a warm, caramel flavor.
Some of my favorite ways to use this syrup is over oatmeal, breakfast quinoa, in coffee, yogurt, salad dressings and so much more. I would definitely try it. I store mine in the refrigerator and use it all the time. Enjoy!
Ah, tis the season for all those amazing Holiday parties! It is so fun to dress up, celebrate the holidays and catch up with friends. I try to be a thoughtful gift giver, but it can be hard and when it comes to hostess gifts. I have found that if you have a stash it is an easy way to look fabulously put together (not to mention thoughtful) without much effort at all. Prior to the holidays gearing up I make sure to have a stash of little gifts that will be sure to please just about anyone.
Gift #2: Lip Gloss – Stila Lip Glaze Trio $15; NYX Butter Gloss Lip Set $10 – Who doesn’t love Lip Gloss? I have to say that this is an amazing gift for almost everyone. This was the first hostess gift I gave someone and they actually stopped me to thank me for the fabulous lip glosses. I game myself a little pat on the back….
Gift #5: Sur La Table Mason Jar Shot Glass Set of 4 $9.95: These adorable, tiny mason jars are so on trend and the perfect way to invite holiday cheer in a fun way.
Happy Holidays!
Catherine
I was in Ulta the other day browsing for nothing specific when I cam across a new line of cosmetics from the Kardashian sisters. I have to admit that I do watch the Kardashians. I love their hair, makeup and clothing and well, as far as mindless, trashy tv goes – it is pretty awesome. I didn’t know that they were coming out with their own line of cosmetics, but when I saw this nude lip set, I decided to give it a go. Let me start by saying that I am a nude lip junkie. I probably have close to a hundred lipsticks and the better part of them are some sort of nude.
What drew me to this product was that it was a liner, lipstick and gloss all in one. The retail was $14.99 and Ulta had a buy one get one 50% off deal going so I decided to try the mascara out as well – more on that in a later blog post. I have to say that I there are aspects that I really like this product. I got the “In The Nude” shade and it really is the perfect nude. I found with this product you really need the set to achieve the perfect nude lip as the liner and lipstick are both very matte and the gloss is very sheer. Here is a picture of what my lips looked like:
I love bread and I especially love baguettes. There is something so warm and comforting about a fresh, crusty baguette that is warm out of the oven with a healthy slathering of butter. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
Although I love to bake, I have avoided making bread because I always thought it was too daunting, but on a recent trip to Costco I saw that I could buy a HUGE amount of yeast (about 3 cups worth) for about $4, so I thought I would give my bread making a try. Boy was I glad I did! First off, homemade bread is SO delicious and it is SOOOOO cheap! I am amazed at how cheap it is. For just pennies, you can make bread that is more delicious than what you would pay several dollars for in the store. I also have to add that it is easy. With the help of my Kitchen Aid, which does all the kneading for me, the only hard part is waiting for the bread to rise. Seriously, that is it. Here is my recipe for baguettes. I hope you give them a try.
Super Easy Baguettes
Ingredients
1-3/4 Cups Warm Water (Approximately 105ºF)
1 tsp Active Dry Yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
4-1/2 Cups Flour Plus Extra for Dusting
2 tsp Salt
Vegetable Oil for Greasing
Directions
Combine the water, yeast and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and blend well with a fork until the yeast is completely dissolved. Wait about 5 minutes until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour, salt and mix the dough hook on low speed just to incorporate. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, 10-12 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Fold the dough gently, then let rise for another 45 minutes. It will look like this:
Fold the dough over on itself, pressing gently to release the gas. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, cut into 4 equal pieces, and round each piece into a smooth ball, pinching the seams together at the bottom of the ball. Cover the dough and let rise, seam sides down, until relaxed, about 30 minutes.
To shape the baguettes, on a lightly floured surface, press each ball of dough into a rectangle. Holding the short edges of the rectangle, lift and stretch the dough until the rectangle is as long as you would like. Roll the dough into a cylinder, pressing the seam closed with the edge of your palm. Transfer the dough, seam side down, to a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover the loaves and let rise until increased in volume by three-quarters, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425ºF. Score each loaf in several places by making diagonal slashes just through the outer layer of the dough with a very thin blade.
Transfer bread to the parchment lined baking sheet. Just before baking the bread, brush or mist each baguette lightly with water. Brush or mist the bread 1 or 2 more times during the first 5 minutes of baking time. Bake until the loaves are golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, about 30 minutes. Remove the loaves from the oven and let cool on wire racks before serving.
This September a major hurdle has come in my life – both of my boys are in school full time. Like most moms I have had days when this day couldn’t come soon enough and I have also dreaded this day like you can’t imagine. Someone once told me, “the days go by slow, but the years go by fast” and boy is that true. I remember tripping over countless squeaky toys while stressing out about whether or not my newborn infant was getting enough tummy time to have a strong neck and how will I ever get them to sleep through the night. Now, it is so much different. Will they be OK at recess? Will they have someone to play with? If they fall, who will kiss their scrape and hold them?
My babies are growing up and I have some sad days. Today was one of them, so I decided to make myself a special treat to warm my insides up. It is a Cinnamon Café au Lait with Spiced Whipped Cream. It was nothing close to having the arms of one of my boys wrapped around me, but for now, this will have to do – and it is pretty, darn good.
Cinnamon Café Au Lait with Spiced Whipped Cream
1 ½ cups low-fat milk
3 cinnamon sticks
5 whole cloves
4 cups strong coffee
2 T sugar + ½ T. Sugar
1 ½ t. pure vanilla extract + 1 t. pure vanilla extract
1/3 c. very cold heavy whipping cream
¼ tsp. grated nutmeg
Directions
Bring the milk, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the milk mixture to steep for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture, discarding the spices and bring it back to a simmer. Add the brewed coffee, 2 T. of the sugar and 1 ½ t. of the vanilla, and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar melts and the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. It will look like this:
Meanwhile, beat the cream, nutmeg and remaining sugar and the remaining vanilla in a bowl, just until soft peaks form.
Pour the hot coffee into the heated mugs and add a dollop of the spiced whipped cream. Garnish with more nutmeg or cinnamon if desired.
Also, I had to add a picture of the angels I miss so much. They are the best…
