Stacked Pear Salad

I made this Stacked Pear Salad to go with our Christmas dinner. I had it last year at Christmas dinner party and loved it. They look so pretty and taste great too! You can make the salad with many different variations.
This year I made a spinach salad with toasted pine nuts, goat cheese, and a lemon vinaigrette. Last year my friends served it with a spinach salad with feta, chopped pecans, and a raspberry vinaigrette. You serve the salad stuffed inside a cored pear that has been cut into thirds. And you can drizzle honey on top or a little extra salad dressing. The honey looks really pretty on top, I forgot to do that to these in the picture. It also helps the pear sit flat on the plate if you cut a small slice off the bottom.

Champagne Cocktails

Frozen Champagne

Ingredients:

• 4 scoops lemon sorbet
  
• 2 ounces chilled vodka, citrus vodka or limoncello (Italian lemon liqueur)
• 2 ounces prosecco or other sparkling wine or Champagne
• 2 sprigs fresh mint

Directions:

Blend lemon sorbet on low speed and pour in vodka or lemon liqueur in a slow stream. Add prosecco or Champagne. Pour cocktails into a chilled martini glass and serve, garnished with a sprig of mint.

Recipe by Rachel Ray

White Nectarine and Raspberry Champagne Floats

Ingredients:

• 3 very ripe white nectarines, halved, pitted and cut into eighths
• 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
  
• 2 pints vanilla ice cream
• 1 bottle chilled Champagne, Prosecco, or sparkling wine
• 1/4 cup Chambord
• Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

Combine nectarine slices, raspberries and sugar in a small bowl and mash with a fork.

Add scoops of ice cream to 4 large glasses and divide most of the nectarine and raspberry puree among the glasses. Top each with a few more scoops of ice cream then the remaining puree. Fill the glasses to the top with the prosecco and drizzle each with some of the Chambord. Garnish with mint sprigs.

 Recipe by Bobby Flay

Kids Cape

Tonight we celebrated Christmas with two families that we love. It was a fun and crazy evening with all three boys running around. Alexis made Capes for all three of the boys with the first letter of their name on the back. They loved wearing them and looked so cute. It is such a great gift idea for little ones. Wish we would have gotten a picture of all three of them in their new backpacks Fallon got them from Potterybarn Kids (also with their names on them) so cute!

Converse Kids

I love the Converse kids shoes for Hudson. I usually can't find them on sale, but today I found them on sale at Gap Baby. I didn't even know they sold Converse. They are marked down to $19.99 with an additional 25% off, making them only $14.99! They usually cost around $30.00. They have them in black with velcro, the ones pictured above, lace up ones, and they have girls ones too.

North Pole Pancakes

We made some North Pole pancakes this morning with the mold from Williams Sonoma. I half expected them to not turn out as cute as they advertise, but they were very easy to use and came out perfect. Hudson loved them. The pancake pen they sell comes in handy for filling the molds and you can also use it to make other shapes and letters. The pancake pen costs $9.95 and the molds are $19.95

Christmas Dinner Menu

Riesling Onion Soup with Herbed Croutons
Brined Roast Chicken with Wine Jus
Green Beans with Almonds
Classic Mashed Potatoes
Creme Brulee

Riesling Onion Soup with Herbed Croutons

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 4 large yellow onions, about 2 lb. total, thinly
    sliced
• 2 leeks, including pale green tops, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 2 Tbs. fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
• 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups Riesling
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  
  

For Herbed Croutons:

• 1/2 baguette, thinly sliced
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbs. chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as
    tarragon, rosemary, thyme and flat-leaf
   parsley, in any combination
• 1/2 lb. Italian fontina cheese, cut into
    small cubes

Directions:

In a large, wide saucepan or soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, leeks, garlic and tarragon and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and golden, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes more. Pour in the wine, bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Pour in the stock, return to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until reduced slightly, about 45 minutes. (The soup can be made up to this point up to 24 hours in advance and stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before continuing.) Season with salt and pepper.

To make the herbed croutons, preheat an oven to 300°F.

Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. In a small bowl, stir together the olive oil, butter and herbs. Lightly coat each bread slice on both sides with the oil mixture. Toast the bread in the oven, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. (The croutons can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, tightly covered, at room temperature.)

Preheat a broiler.

Arrange individual ovenproof bowls on a baking sheet and ladle the soup into the bowls. Top each serving with 2 or 3 croutons and an equal amount of the cheese. Place the baking sheet under the broiler 7 inches from the heat source and broil until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Remove from the broiler and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma, Entertaining, by George Dolese (Oxmoor House, 2004).

Brined Roast Chicken with Wine Jus

Ingredients:

• 1 cup kosher salt or 1/2 cup iodized or plain salt
• 1 quart hot water
• 3 quarts cold water
• 1 chicken, about 6 1/2 lb., giblets reserved for
    another use
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 small celery stalk, coarsely chopped

For the Wine Jus:

• 1/2 cup crisp, dry white wine, such as Sauvignon
    Blanc
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a plastic container or stainless-steel bowl large enough to hold the chicken, stir and dissolve the salt in the hot water. Add the cold water and stir. Rinse the chicken, then submerge it in the brine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours, the longer the better.

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Rub with the butter and season inside and out with pepper. Place the thyme and rosemary sprigs in the cavity.

Place the chicken on its side on a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the chicken on its other side and roast for 30 minutes more. Turn the chicken on its back and place the onion, carrot and celery in the cavity. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, registers 170°F, about 45 minutes more. Pour the juices from the chicken cavity into the pan and transfer the chicken to a warmed platter. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the wine jus. Strain the cooking juices into a bowl. Skim off any visible fat from the surface and pour the juices back into the roasting pan. Set the pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add the stock and boil until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the jus into a sauceboat.

Carve the chicken and serve hot with the wine jus.

Serves 6 to 8.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Chicken, by Rick Rodgers (Simon & Schuster, 2001).

Craft Room Christmas Tree

I put a small Christmas tree in my craft room and decided to decorate it with some of the fabric yo yos that I had made. I have a ton of fabric scraps lying around, so I used all different kinds of fabrics, and tied knots on the ends of the branches. I also decorated the tree with some old buttons and pins that I have collected. All I used was old craft supplies, and I think it turned out pretty cute!

Recovered my Chair

Here's the chair that I finally recovered in Amy Butler fabric. I bought it at Merchant's Square and all I needed to recover it was some cute fabric and a staple gun!

Silver Christmas

I am liking all of the silver and white Christmas decorations this year! Here's how I have added some of it to our house this year for Christmas. I made a new bench cushion with Amy Butler fabric. The mistletoe topiary and wreath are from Target, and the silver ornaments are also from Target, and TJ Maxx. I found the silver branches at Pier One Imports; and they have a good selection of Christmas branches right now.

Christmas Decorating

It's officially time to start decorating for Christmas! I love all of the greens, silvers, and whites used in these pictures. These pictures are from Pottery Barn and bhg.

Vintage Rose Wraps

I spotted these cute Vintage Rose Wraps at the Cornerstone Holiday Boutique. They would make great gifts for the holidays, and are sold for $12 each.

Happy Thanksgiving

Cold air, warm fires, fall leaves, pumpkin pie, cuddling in blankets, family, games, laughing, eating...HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Anthropologie

I went shopping today at Anthropologie with Katie and wasn't expecting to buy anything until I saw this. I had seen it in their store before, however today it was on sale!!! King Duvet for only $99 and Euro Shams for $29. Originally priced at $208 for the duvet and $49 for the shams.

Alphabet Pasta

Hudson has always loved pasta, but I recently spotted Alphabet Pasta at Trader Joe's and knew instantly it would be a big hit. He was been learning the alphabet, thanks to Sesame Street, and loved saying the letters as he ate his dinner tonight!

Yo Yo Earrings

I had some more fun with the yo yos today, and decided to make tiny ones for earrings. I think they turned out pretty cute! All I did was use a smaller circle for the pattern (about 1 to 1/12") and glued a gem in the center, then glued the earring onto the back.

Amy Butler Fabric

Today I went to Create Your Own Joy Studio to buy some Amy Butler fabric. These are the ones that I picked out. I am using the fabric to make some pillows are recover the seat of the chair I found at Merchant's Square. This studio was so cute and Kelly, the owner, offers all kinds of fun classes each month. She also sells lots of cute things, like baby blankets, aprons, cute skirts for little girls, and other stuff too. She sells her Amy Butler fabric for $7.50 per yard, which is great!

Fabric Yo Yo

After shopping in downtown Mesa today I was feeling a little crafty. There's a lot you can do with all the fabric flowers and yo yos, so I thought I should learn how to make some. They are so easy to make, just a little time consuming if you're making a whole bunch. These are few yo yos that I made today. Go here to follow Heather Bailey's step by step instructions.

Cruz's 1st Birthday Party

This past weekend our good friends, Jason and Jessica's little boy Cruz turned 1! I can't believe how fast all these little babies are growing up! These are pictures of the cake and cupcakes Amy and I made for Cruz's party.

Amy made the cupcake stand, and has been recovering it with different papers and ribbon for different events. She even thought of the clever idea of laminating the paper so that you can reuse it! All you need to make one is some cake boards and Styrofoam rounds (you can find both at Micheal's) for in between each level. Then you can cover it with ribbon and paper to match the cake and cupcakes. There's a step by step "How to" on Cake Journal.

I made the animals out of fondant, and had a lot of fun with it. I used the Wilton fondant, which you can also find at Micheal's and found out that the Wilton fondant it much better for making figurines and such then making them out of marshmallow fondant.

Perfect Roast Turkey

My family has been making this turkey recipe for Thanksgiving for I think a few years now, and it has become our favorite! You use a cheesecloth that is soaked in butter and wine, and baste the turkey every 30 minutes. So you can imagine how moist and delicious the turkey is when it's done! One thing we do differently is that we make our stuffing separately in another pan instead of actually stuffing the turkey.

Serves 12 to 14

• 1 twenty- to-twenty-one-pound fresh whole turkey, giblets and neck removed from cavity and reserved
• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 750-ml bottle dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• Classic Stuffing
• 1 cup dry red or white wine, for gravy (optional)
• Giblet Stock
  

Directions

1. Rinse turkey with cool water, and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
2. Place rack on lowest level in oven. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine melted butter and white wine in a bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut it into a 17-inch, four-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in the butter and wine; let soak.
3. Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a heavy metal roasting pan. If the turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a much more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Fill large cavity and neck cavity loosely with as much stuffing as they hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.) Tie legs together loosely with kitchen string (a bow will be easy to untie later). Fold neck flap under, and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with the softened butter, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and pepper.
4. Lift cheesecloth out of liquid, and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over the breast and about halfway down the sides of the turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. and continue to cook for 2 1/2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if the pan gets too full, spoon out juices, reserving them for gravy.
5. After this third hour of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so that the breast is facing the back of the oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 1 more hour, basting after 30 minutes.
6. After this fourth hour of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees.(stuffing should be between 140 degrees.and 160 degrees. and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
7. When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter, and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Pour all the pan juices into a glass measuring cup. Let stand until grease rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. Meanwhile, place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup dry red or white wine, or water, to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the pan until liquid boils and all the crisp bits are unstuck from pan. Add giblet stock to pan. Stir well, and bring back to a boil. Cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the defatted pan juices, and cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes more. You will have about 2 1/2 cups of gravy. Season to taste, strain into a warm gravy boat, and serve with turkey.

Pecan Pie

You can't have Thanksgiving without some pecan pie, as least not in my family. We always make pumpkin pie too, but here's the recipe my family uses for pecan pie.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup karo syrup, 1/2 light and 1/2 dark
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degree. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Pour into pie crust. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.

Mascarpone Mini Cupcakes with Strawberry Glaze

I made these for the first time this weekend and they are very, very yummy! The cupcakes are very moist and the strawberry glaze tastes great! They are easy to make too, you just add to a white cake mix box.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese, softened
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 box white cake mix
  
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and drained
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  

Directions

Special equipment: 4 mini muffin tins and 48 mini muffin paper cupcake liners

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the mini tins with paper liners.

In a large bowl combine the mascarpone cheese, egg whites and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix and water and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill the mini cups to just below the rim and bake until puffed and golden, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tin then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack.

Meanwhile, puree the strawberries in a blender or small food processor. Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Pour in the strawberry puree and whisk until smooth. Top the cooled cupcakes with the strawberry glaze. Let the cupcakes sit for a few minutes for the glaze to firm up, then serve.

• Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis

That's Sew Lexi

These aprons are so cute and make great gifts for the holidays! You can place an order and get more information on That's Sew Lexi. She makes full and half aprons, and even matching dish towels!

Chocolate Chip Mascarpone Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
  
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (recommended: Nestle morsels)

Ganache:

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (recommended: Nestle morsels)
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Special equipment: 2 (12-count) muffin pans with paper liners

Directions

For the Cupcakes:

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.

Combine the unsweetened chocolate and water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Whisk in the mascarpone cheese until the mixture is smooth.

Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Stir in the mascarpone mixture. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture. Stir until just blended.

Divide the batter among the prepared muffin pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out with no crumbs attached. Cool the cupcakes completely before dipping, about 1 hour.

For the Ganache:

Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Combine the heavy cream and vanilla extract in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until small bubbles appear on the outside edge of the cream. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips. Using a fork, gently stir until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Dip the tops of each cupcake in the ganache and transfer to a baking sheet. Place the dipped cupcakes in the refrigerator to set, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow cupcakes to return to room temperature before serving.

Cook's Note: For puffier cupcakes allow the batter to rest in the muffin pans for 20 minutes before baking.

*Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis

(she's one of my favorites and has lots of great Italian recipes)

Free Boxes

The United States Postal Service is offering free flat rate boxes for the holidays. You can place your order online and the boxes will be shipped to you free of charge. You can choose a variety pack of four boxes or a 5-pack of small, medium, or large boxes. When you're ready to send your boxes you can go back to their site to pay for postage and have them picked up from your home.

Nickles Pickles

I went shopping today at Cornerstone's Boutique and one of the items that I purchased was a jar of pickles. Not what I was expecting to buy at the holiday boutique, but once I tried them I had to buy a jar! They are soo good, sliced very thin and full of flavor! They would make great gifts for the holidays. Nickles Pickles.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Toasted Pine Nuts

I love brussel sprouts and this recipe is super easy to make. You will need:

• brussel sprouts
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• balsamic vinegar
• pine nuts
• lemon

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rinse your brussel sprouts, cut of the ends, and quarter them. Place them in a bowl and toss with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Next season them with salt and pepper and toss. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil. Place them in the oven for 20 minutes and toss them 2 to 3 times during roasting. While they are roasting toast the pine nuts and be careful not to burn them, they turn brown fast. When the brussel sprouts are done transfer to a serving dish, squeeze a fresh lemon over top and sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve hot.

Scallops with Wilted Spinach and Arugula

Scallops with Wilted Spinach and Arugula

Serves 4

• 16 large sea scallops (about 1 1/4 pounds), rinsed and dried, tough muscles removed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons safflower oil
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 7 ounces baby spinach (about 10 cups)
• 7 ounces baby arugula (about 10 cups)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Heat a large straight-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in skillet. Arrange scallops in skillet, and cook on 1 side until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Flip, and cook until scallops are opaque, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet. Add garlic, and cook for 15 seconds. Add spinach, arugula, red-pepper flakes, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook, tossing greens often, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter, top with scallops, and serve immediately.

I served this dish with a side of long grain rice or it would be great with risotto.

Happy Halloween

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus

I went shopping this morning at Trader Joe's. I love that store; I would shop there all the time if there was one a little closer to our house. I have a lot of favorites that I like to buy there but today I discovered a new one! Casey and I both love the cilantro jalapeno hummus at Pita Jungle and I found some at Trader Joe's and it is good! I bought some flat bread to eat it with. Hudson loves hummus too, which is great because it is a good healthy snack. If you like hummus you'll have to try this one out. I believe it costs just under $3.00. And if you have any favorite things from Trader Joe's please let me know, I always love to try new things there!

Superfood Smoothie

In a blender combine 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup ice, 1/2 cup plain low-fat regular yogurt or Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons soy milk, 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, a handful of spinach leaves, and 1 tablespoon of honey. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. Serve immediately. Serves 1.

Recipe from everyday food magazine: November 2009 issue

BLISSFEST

Domestic Bliss is hosting their annual event on November 6th from 6 to 10pm. Lots to see and lots of cute things to buy! If you've never been to Domestic Bliss, it is a boutique located in downtown Mesa on Main Street and Robson. They have so much cute stuff, very similar style to Anthropologie, you have to check it out! They sell home furnishings and decor, clothing, jewelry, baby and kids items, and they have an awesome selection of fabrics (including Heather Bailey and Amy Butler).

Pumpkin Patch

This Slatkin & Co pumpkin patch candle is awesome! My sister bought it for me and I love it. I hate when you buy a candle hoping it will make your house smell good but it doesn't smell good when you burn it. This one is not like that! It makes your whole house smell like you've been baking pumpkin pies all day! You can find it at Bath & Body Works.