Food/Holiday Decorating

Halloween Chocolatines

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 0 comment

It was raining this past Friday and the girls and I were stuck in the house so we decided to do a little holiday baking. These chocolate cakes were a huge hit. Not only were they delicious, but they were also lots of fun to decorate. My girls helped me bake the cake and make the little fondant spiders, but older children could even help make the chocolate spider webs because the technique is fairly simple. Inspired by watching lots of The Great British Baking Show this summer I decided we should make miniature cakes. Who doesn’t love an entire mini cake to themselves? There something about getting a fun dessert like this that just makes you smile. These would be so great to take to a Halloween party or to share with friends. The chocolate ganache is easier to decorate with than regular frosting since you just spread a small amount on the top of the cake and if you are pressed for time you could even use a small plastic spider ring. So have some Halloween baking fun, because the only thing frightening about these little cakes is how fast your family and guests will gobble them up.

Chocolate Cake (The cake base is adapted from a recipe created by Rebecca Rather)

Makes one 9 x 13 inch sheet cake which when cut makes 6 individual chocolatines

  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Chocolate Ganache 

  • 5 oz semi sweet chocolate chopped into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/3 cup of heavy cream

Spider Web and Fondant Spiders

  • 2 oz white chocolate
  • 1 small container of black fondant
  • Dragees or sprinkles for decorating your spider
  • 1 plastic pastry bag
  • Toothpicks

Preheat to oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your cake pan by lining it in parchment paper and greasing and flouring the sides or spraying them with Baker’s Joy.

Then in a heavy saucepan combine the butter, water and canola oil and set over medium heat until the butter is just melted. Meanwhile in a large bowl of your mixer add together the sugar, cocoa and flour. Then pour the butter mixture into the sugar and flour mixture and beat until smooth. Mix in the eggs one at a time then mix in the buttermilk. Next add the baking soda, salt and vanilla all at once and mix one final time. Pour your cake batter into your prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes.

Once your cake has cooled remove it from the pan and then place your sheet cake on a flat smooth surface. I cut my individual cakes by using a wide mouthed glass. My glass had a three and a quarter inch diameter, but you could use a jar, glass or cookie cutter of a roughly similar size. I found it helped to lightly spray the inside of the glass and edges with butter flavored cooking spray. Once I pressed the glass down to cut out the cake I lifted the glass up and put my hand underneath it to catch the cake as it slid slowly out of the glass. I used the same technique to cut out all six of my small round cakes

Next in a small sauce pan over medium low heat heat your chopped semi sweet chocolate and your butter. Cutting the chocolate into smaller chunks helps it melt evenly. Meanwhile heat your cream in the microwave until it is warm. I microwaved mine for 40 seconds. Then keep an eye on your chocolate. Give it an occasional stir as it melts and as soon as it does pull your pan off of the heat and slowly pour in your warm cream while stirring your chocolate mixture. You want to stir until the chocolate and cream come together and you get a glossy looking mixture.

Then while the ganache is still warm spoon a small amount on each cake and spread it evenly using a separated spatula or a butter knife.

Then while your chocolate ganache is still warm heat 2oz of white chocolate in a microwavable bowl. I heated mine for 30 seconds and then stirred it and then heated it for another 20 seconds. You want the chocolate to melt but you want to make sure it does not burn. Then take a plastic pastry bag (they are easy to find at any craft store) and fill it with the melted white chocolate. The trick I like is to put my pastry bag inside a tall narrow glass and then fold the plastic edges of the pastry bag down. The glass will hold the pastry bag and make it easy for you to pour in your white chocolate.

Then cut a small hole at the very tip of your bag and then you are ready to pipe your spider webs. To make your web pipe a white chocolate spiral on each cake.

Then while it is still warm take a tooth pick and lightly drag it from the center out to form a web. I had a paper towel near by and I cleaned my tooth pick end off after each time.

Here is a close up so you can see the little lines from the tooth pick. These chocolate tops may look fancy but once you get going it is fairly easy to assemble.

Here you can see my cakes and the pastry bag with the white chocolate.

Next comes the fun part for my girls. Making things out of fondant is like playing with play-dough. First roll 6 little balls of black fondant, which you can buy pre colored and ready to go from your local craft store. Then roll out some long thin snake like pieces. To make your spider legs cut four even pieces of your rolled snakes using scissors or a knife. Then make a bow tie like middle by pinching your legs together so you had 8 legs with four on each side. Then put the little balls on top on each set of spider legs. I had some colored sprinkles we used to make stripes on our spiders and I used some white dragees to make eyes. If you are running short on time then get some small plastic spiders.

Here is a close up of of our spiders and of the finished cake. Once you are done decorating keep your cakes in the fridge until you are ready to share them.

So I have to tell you the rest of the story. After my family tried these cakes the leftovers became a highly coveted item. We had one cake left on Sunday that my husband thought he had claimed until we realized that my three year old had snuck in the fridge and made herself a secret snack. My husbands face was so sad looking when he realized the cake was all gone, so it looks like I will be baking another batch soon.

Want a printer friendly version of my recipe then click this link to Pioneer Woman’s site Tasty Kitchen where these Halloween Chocolatines are featured in a printable format.

 

Food

Pumpkin Spice Crumble Cake

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 5 Comments

Now that it’s October I thought I would share something pumpkin inspired. Nothing says fall to me like pumpkin and sweet spices like cinnamon and ginger. So when I was thinking about what pumpkin inspired dish I would like to create, a coffee cake came to mind. There was a time where it felt like my husband and I were making lots of baked treats to share with our friends at various office breakfasts. One of my favorites to both eat and bake is a blueberry crumble so I thought it might be wonderful to have a pumpkin spice crumble. So I was busy this week baking and perfecting my new recipe and the great side benefit has been that my house has smelled amazing. There is nothing like the smell of a fresh spice cake baking in the oven. This cake has a good balance with the crunchy cinnamon streusel and the moist pumpkin spice cake. This recipe is definitely one of my new favorites. It’s easy to make and I know I will be sharing it with my friends and family this holiday season.

Cinnamon Streusel Topping

  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1 stick of butter melted
  • 1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Pumpkin Spice Cake

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and get your 9 inch cake pan ready by cutting a parchment paper round for the bottom of your pan greasing and flouring the sides or by spraying them with Baker’s Joy. Then put your parchment paper on the bottom of your pan. The parchment paper will help ensure you cake comes out of the pan without an issue and you will be able to easily peel it off when your cake is cool.

Next, make your streusel because you want it to cool a bit before you crumble it on your cake. In a medium mixing bowl mix together your sugar, cinnamon and flour then pour in your melted butter and mix it well. Then if using nuts, add in your pecans. I like to place my streusel in the fridge while I make my cake batter. I find it makes a better crumble when the butter cools a little bit.

Then in the bowl of you mixer mix together your pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and vanilla. Then add in your eggs one at a time making sure they are incorporated. Then mix in your oil and finally add in your baking soda, salt and flour making sure that all the flour gets scraped off the sides and is mixed in.

Then pour your batter into your prepared pan.

Next crumble on your streusel topping and pop your cake into the oven to bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

If you want to check to see if the cake is done then use a toothpick and stick it in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean your cake is baked. Allow your cake to cool and then carefully flip it out of the pan. This is were the parchment paper really helps.

If I am making this cake to share with others than I like to cut it into triangular wedges and pile them on a platter or in a basket lined with a pretty dish towel.

My recipe for Pumpkin Spice Crumble is now available in a printer friendly on Pioneer Woman’s Site Tasty Kitchen.

Home

Incorporating Family Photographs In Your Design

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 0 comment

“I’ve always believed our homes tell a story of who we are, they represent everything going on in our lives.”

Nate Berkus

There is something about old family photographs. They tend to draw you in and make you remember the people you love. I am definitely one to completely loose track of time going through an old album or stack of photos. However, I have found that there is something special about taking some of those photographs and actually displaying them. Usually adding pictures and accessories to a room is kind of an afterthought. It’s something you add to a shelf or table top, but when I wanted to give my bedroom an update I decided to make styling and adding some old family photos as a part of the design and I loved the difference it made.

The photo above is my master bedroom and the furniture is one of those martial compromises made years ago.  It’s a department store pine bedroom set my husband had before we were married. We always talk about replacing it but things happen. Its been eleven years and that never seems to be the item that makes the top of the budget list. So when we moved, I decided to restyle what I had with some old photos of Paris that belonged to my grandfather.

These photos show snapshots of Paris before the Second World War. They are special because they remind me of my grandfather and of my French heritage. I love the beautiful city scenes they feel like a passport to a different time and place.

Since the photos were black and white and I had other touches of silver in the room I decided to hang them in some frames with an antiqued pewter finish. I didn’t wanted the smaller photos to get lost on the large wall so I hung them in vertical pairs above each nightstand with a larger starburst mirror above the bed. Then to finish the vignette I added some paper whites in a pretty glass vase and to add something at a lower level I topped off a stack of favorite books with a small porcelain bird dish. I just love the sweet little bird and the green and white colors work well with the paper whites.

Across the room on the dresser you can see another vignette with some family photos and another starburst. I happen to love and collect starbursts so I decided to use a the shape of the mirror and clock to pull these two vignettes together. I decided to add a new abstract painting which relates to the modern clock and and still fits with the black and white photos.  These small details give the eye something to look at and it helps lighten up the weight of the pine furniture. I am continually amazed at the difference that styling can make when you are adding in personal touches like photographs and a small collections. So if you have a set of old photos you have thought about displaying here are a few tips on how to incorporate them in your home.

Styling Tips For Adding Personal Photographs To Your Home:

  • Establish the style of your photo(s) by choosing a picture frame(s) that you love and by using a frame(s) that relate to the colors in your room

  • Think about creating layers vary the sizes and of your frames and accessories. You want a mix of heights so if you have a small collection of frames add in a taller vase, a clock, a lamp or a plant.

  • Think about mixing other collections with your photographs. Mix in some small boxes, or travel mementos. It’s those personal touches that make a great vignette.

  • The locations and groupings matter almost as much as the items you use, so take everything off of a table or shelf that your are styling. Then take the time to find the right mix.

  • Sometimes you need to take a step back and edit your collection a bit. Does it feel too busy? You don’t have to display every meaningful photo in one room. Determine what your absolute favorites are and work around those things.

  • Finally, don’t underestimate the difference that styling can make. If you want a house you love on a small budget then start by curating the things that you already have.

Hopefully this series has inspired you to pull out some of you favorite photos and mementos and take a little time to display them in your home. It’s these small details that can make all the difference in how you feel about your house. Sometimes photographs and small accessories aren’t the first things we think about, but if you aren’t designing a whole new space then I like to start with styling what I have. So if you have a room like my master bedroom or a table or shelf you are just not thrilled with, then take an hour or two to arrange and add in some favorite accessories and photos. When you base your design on the things that matter to you it makes all the difference.

Want to see another great project with a vintage family photo at the heart of a design? Then check out this link to Designer Genevieve Gorder’s living room.  She incorporated  a wonderful photograph of the boat her Croatian grandmother took to arrive at Ellis Island. What a powerful image to share with others and a special story for her family. So find a vintage photo you love and make your history apart of your home.

Food

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 0 comment

Sometimes in cooking the preparation is less important than the shopping. The offerings at grocery stores keep getting better so why not take advantage of the wonderful ingredients you can find. One of those items that I love is gourmet pasta. Fresh pasta cooks in less than five minutes so why not shop your way to a simple and wonderful meal.

In Chicago there is a brand of refrigerated pasta made by Giovanni Rana and I really think this brand is a cut above the rest. I know I am not the only one because when I was in the checkout lane my friendly cashier saw the package and without even a comment from me she was raving about how much she liked it too. I should note that I have also found some other great locally sourced gourmet pasta at Whole Foods. This is one of those things where you tend to get what you pay for so go with the best you can find. So what should you do with this fresh pasta? I suggest that in the Italian style you keep it simple.

The first time I had butternut squash ravioli with sage brown butter was at classic Houston restaurant called Pregos. It was truly love at first bite. The slightly sweet and earthy flavor of the squash was complimented by the nutty flavored brown butter with crispy walnuts and sage and the slightly salty Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

It was so good that I still remember it and I thought I would recreate that dish at home. My husband has an aversion to all things containing squash, so I have also made this dish with cheese ravioli or cheese tortellini. I have also made it without the walnuts and it is still good so if you have an allergy the nuts are optional. So here is my five ingredient five minute main course.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter- Serves 4

  • 2 (10 oz) packages of fresh butternut squash ravioli or your favorite flavor
  • 6 tablespoons of salted butter
  • 8 fresh sage leaves
  • 1/4 cup of freshly shaved or grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (Get the good imported cheese.)
  • 1/4 cup walnut pieces (optional)

First in a large pan get your water boiling and ready of your pasta. Then cook your pasta according to the package directions. Be careful not to overcook it because it can get mushy and loose its filling quickly. Then remove your pasta from the water with a large slotted spoon or a spider strainer.

Meanwhile in a large skillet melt your butter over medium heat and when it is melted and starting to bubble add in your walnuts and whole sage leaves. Continue to cook your butter turning your sage leaves over at least once until the butter turn a golden brown color.

Plate your ravioli and drizzle the sage brown butter on top. Then sprinkle on your Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. You can grate it with a microplane or shave off small pieces using a vegetable peeler.

There you have it a simple gourmet dish you can make in minutes and for a really fabulous restaurant style meal I like to serve mine with a seasonal side salad like my Apple Curry Walnut Salad.

Family/Home

Defining Details for a Memorable Photo Wall

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 0 comment

When putting together a gallery wall the first thing I like to do is to decide what photos I want to include. Are the all color photos or black and white or are they a mix? Are they formal portraits or are they more casual snapshots? When I am looking for frames and putting a project like this together I like to let my photographs help determine the style of my picture frames and scale of the project. Generally, if I have a mix of photographs then I like to keep my picture frames similar in color and style. It grounds the grouping and makes the photographs stand out. However, if you have all black and white photos or a similar style of color photos then I tend to look for something a little more interesting when I am shopping for frames.

This is my sister’s gallery wall where she has a mix of color photos. I love how she centered her grouping around a personalized papel picato banner she had at her rehearsal dinner. The paper cutout adds such a great personal touch. What a wonderful way to remember that special day and tie this group of photos together. The the color of the sign and varied photo sizes look great in these classic white frames. The white frames and simple matting keep the focus on the pictures and as an added bonus they even make the doorbell speaker fit with the group. These are the kind of details that give a gallery wall a polished look.

Next, when considering a gallery wall layout, I like to take some cues from the space where I plan to hang my photos. Is it a hallway, bedroom, family room or entry way? What is in that room is there a certain style or color I want to pickup on? What kind of feel do I want it to have? This Summer I worked on the gallery wall that I have in my family room. I knew I wanted to create a wall around our television so it wasn’t the only focal point on that wall. The whole wall was empty so I wanted to make the television feel like it related to the gallery wall. Our TV is black and I had a real mix of photographs that I wanted to be able to change out as our girls grow, so I decided to go with some simple black frames. This way I could easily add and change my look over time. I found my black frames at Hobby Lobby, but when I lived in Texas I loved Aaron Brothers, an art supply and framing store that has a wide variety of styles.

Once I had a general idea of what I wanted to do I began looking for some decorative accessories to give my grouping some more depth and a personal touch. I wanted to hang something above the frames to add some height and to pull the group of frames together. I found a great custom sign company on Etsy called the Lizton Sign Company. I looked through their different styles and I found a font and size that I liked. I have no affiliation with this company. I was just impressed with the quality of their work and how quickly my custom order shipped. I also added in a custom calligraphy canvas with a number four from Lindsay Letters. Then came the fun part laying out the design.

I measured my television stand and it was about the size of my coffee table so I used my table as a guide for the layout of the frames. I decided to mix up the sizes of my frames to accommodate the different pictures I wanted to use. Once I had the layout decided I measured my group and I got some painters tape so I could mark my wall and prepare to hang my photos. I know some people make paper templates but since I don’t have wallpaper or an unforgiving wall covering I like to make my markings on painters tape and just place my nails based on those markings.

I hung my sign first since I centered all of the other frames on it. I like to put a long piece of painters tape up that is the length of my grouping. Then I get a yardstick and a level and I drawn a level line with a pencil on my painters tape. Then I measure and mark my other frame centers and on that level line. The tape helps me mark everything without writing on my wall.

Here you can see the second row as I was hanging it. The trickiest part was centering the smaller square frames so I waited to add them till the end. I tend to measure and hang my outside pictures first and then move to the center.

Here is the finished grouping. After I had it all hung, I decided to add in a painted heart that my youngest daughter made because its larger scale fit better on this wall. In the end, it was those little extra details like our family sign, the painted heart and the graphic number four canvas that really pulled this gallery wall together and gave it a finished look.

Sources to Style Your Own Gallery Wall

Inspired to create your own gallery wall or add some decorative details and interest to your family photos? I had so much fun putting together our wall that I thought I would share some sources and inspiration for finding your own gallery wall style.

Classic Black and White

Want a classic black and white gallery wall then check out some of the sources I used. I love my custom sign, but you can design your own. The Lizton company has a wide variety of styles, sizes and colors to chose from. Another source with great customizable calligraphy prints is Lindsay Letters. She is a talented artist who has a wide variety of canvases and art prints. Want more black and white photo wall inspiration check out this beautiful wall by Joanna Gaines on her Instagram.

Links to My Sources:

Pottery Barn Gallery Fames

Lizton Sign Company

Lindsay Letters Customizable Canvas

Vintage Craftsman

Erin Napier of HomeTown on HGTV has a beautiful craftsman home and in her entryway she has one of my favorite family photo walls. You can see this wall and a tour of her home at Hooked on Houses. It is definitely worth a click to check it out. What I loved about her wall is how she used candid black and white photos of her family. She also incorporated the pictures into her entry way by hanging a coat rack below them. Want a vintage craftsman look then try incorporating the style with a mix of warm rustic wood frames, a vintage travel sign or a wooden peg rail.

Links to My Sources:

Pottery Barn Rustic Wood Frame

Lizton Sign Company Lake House Sign 

Craftsman Coat Hook from Land of Nod

French Antique Pewter

Looking for something a little more elegant then check out these pewter frames from Restoration Hardware. I think a set of black and white photos would look lovely in a grouping with this French antique pediment hung above them. However if you want a slightly less formal look then you could hang two vertical pairs of frames on either side of a french styled boxwood wreath or a round mirror. The symmetry and classic lines would definitely give you a polished look.

Pewter Frames from Restoration Hardware

Antique FrenchPediment From Etsy

French Boxwood Wreath From Sur La Table

Modern Metal or Canvas

Finally, if you want a more modern feel then hang your prints in a tight graphic pattern using a simple metal frames or consider having your favorite pictures printed on canvas. Shutterfly and Snapfish and other companies offer lots of size options and ways to customize your canvas. If you wanted to make it a more casual mix then you could add in a canvas prints like these from Lindsay Letters.

Shutterfly Canvas Prints of Your Photos

Lindsay Letters Thankful Canvas

Lindsay Letters Love In All Things Canvas

It’s the artistic details that can take a collection of photos and turn them into something that really makes a statement in your home. So start with pulling together those photo you love and then think about how you want to style them. There are so many options out there when it comes to picture frames so find some that truly reflects what you love. If you have a mix of photos you can go with a more daring frame just use the same style for all of your frames. Then spend some time finding the right arrangement. Don’t be afraid to layout lots different designs out on your floor till you get the right mix. Think about adding other mementos like a wedding decoration, a souvenir from a trip or a child’s drawing. These are the personal details that will have you smiling every time you look at your wall.

Finally, consider adding in some decorative details that can pull a group of frames together. Designer Nate Berkus is an expert at this I love a grouping of frames that he did for a family loved the beach. He topped the arrangement  with a single starfish. That small detail really made that wall. Here is a link to Barri Leiner Grant’s house so you can see it and I can avoid any copyright issues. So add a starfish, an antique pediment, a sign, a framed sports pennant or your own decorative piece to pull a group of frames together. It’s those small details that will make your collection something memorable.

Uncategorized

And The Winner Is…

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 2 Comments

Comment Number 5: Shayla

To keep it as fair as I could I had my husband help me draw the lucky winner. Thank you to everyone who left a comment and to each of you who stop by to read my posts and recipes each week. Sometimes I can get so caught up in the creating and writing each week, that it is helpful to have some feedback beyond numbers so thanks again for your comments. There is a huge learning curve when it comes to blogging and I feel like I have come a long way since my first post, but I definitely want my work to continually become better. I am looking forward to the holiday season and sharing more cooking and holiday decorating ideas with you. As always if you have an idea or question leave me a comment I love hearing from you.

Baking/Food

Bourbon Carmel Banana Pudding

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 1 Comment

Going out to eat for our family can sometimes be quite an adventure. Last Saturday as we were trying to leave a restaurant our girls suddenly decided that it might be fun to turn our outing into a track meet. We were racing to catch up with our our girls as they made a fast paced loop darting between the tables. Dining with preschoolers is always unpredictable. My girls attention span for the dinner table is still a bit limited. So usually if we are dining out as a family we don’t even consider desert, but a couple of weeks ago we were having a good night at one of our favorite places, Fuller House. The table next to us had ordered the mason jar banana pudding and my husband loves banana pudding so we decided to get a dessert to share. Banana pudding can sometimes be a bit bland, but this pudding was wonderful. It had hints of bourbon and bits of carmel swirled in, which made it a more a delicious version of this classic dish. So good that it has forever changed how I will make banana pudding. So for the last two weeks I have been working on creating my own easy to make version. My husband the banana pudding expert helped me test and perfect this, so now it’s one to share.

Bourbon Carmel Banana Pudding- Serves 6

  • 2 (3.4 oz) boxes of instant vanilla pudding
  • 3 cups of milk
  • 3 cups whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 box of Nilla Wafers
  • 3 bananas sliced into thin rounds
  • 1/3 cup bourbon (optional)
  • 3/4 cup carmel sauce

First in a medium sized mixing bowl mix together your instant pudding mix and 3 cups of milk using a whisk to make sure it is all well mixed. Then let you pudding sit a minute and it will firm up. Next in a separate bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer pour in three cups of whip cream and 1/3 cup of powdered sugar. Whip the cream on high speed until it forms firm or stiff peaks. In my stand mixer it took about 2 minutes.

Then whisk in 1/3 cup of sour cream in your pudding. Next take 1 cup of your sweetened whipped cream and fold it into your pudding mixture. Folding means you want to gently incorporate your light whipped cream into the heavier pudding. It is easier to do this using a rubber spatula or large spoon. Take the spoon or spatula and carefully run it down the far side of your bowl and then flip some of the pudding on top of your whipping cream so it slowly gets incorporated. Turn your bowl slightly and keep mixing your pudding this way until the whipped cream is fully incorporated.

Now it’s time to assemble your desserts. I used six wide mouth (13oz) jelly jars. I have some Bonne Maman jelly jars that I have saved because I like to use them for desserts like this. I happen to think they are a great size, but any smaller wide mouth mason jar or glass will work.

First I put down a layer of four Nilla wafers and then I took a teaspoon of bourbon and I sprinkled that over the Nilla wafers. Next, I lined the sides of the glass with banana slices  so you could see them through the glass and I put a couple of slices in the middle.

Then I spooned in a layer of the vanilla pudding and then I put on a layer of the whipped cream. Then on top of the whipped cream I put a tablespoon of carmel sauce.

Then on top of that I made a final layer of Nilla wafers, a sprinkle of bourbon and then vanilla pudding.

As you can see above I put banana slices on the sides of half of mine and Nilla wafers on the other half. If you wanted to make some without the bourbon you could use this as a way to easily tell them apart.

Then for the final decorative touch I used a large star tip to pipe on some whipping cream. Then in another pastry bag I put some of the carmel and I cut a small opening so I could evenly drizzle the carmel on top, but you could just spoon the whipped cream on and then use the tip of a large ziplock bag to make a pastry bag for the carmel. Then I put in two Nilla wafers to top and there you have it. If you are making them ahead of time refrigerate your puddings until you are ready to serve them.

These are easy to make since the base is made with instant vanilla pudding. However the layered individual glasses and the bourbon and carmel sauce take this banana pudding to a whole new level. They are definitely a fun and delicious dessert to share with family and friends.

Just a reminder that today is your last chance to enter the Painted Pumpkin Giveaway leave me a comment about what you like or want to see more of on the blog. I will announce the winner next week.

Family/Home

Homes With A Story To Tell

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 0 comment

This week my daughter and I worked on her “All About Me” family photo project for school. I selected some family photographs and then I began talking with her about what she liked and what she wanted to share with her class. I pulled out a bunch of scrapbooking supplies I had from past projects and my daughter instantly went for some bright flower cut outs. She loves flowers, so she quickly began punching out the paper petals and she was all smiles as we began adding the flowers to her collection. We added a few stickers to talk about her favorite things like the beach and ice cream and in the end, I must admit her little poster really does look like her. I think she really had fun with the project and she couldn’t wait to show it to her dad when he came home.

I believe that each of us has a story to tell and one of the most important thing you can do when decorating your home is to have pieces that spark memories and meaning.  When we first moved into our home in Chicago it took months before our house really began to feel like home and I must admit that one of the game changers for my husband and I was getting the gallery wall hung in our hallway. My husband isn’t one to talk much about decorating, but the night they were all on the wall he immediately noted the difference. That little collection of photos has grown over time, but been it has been a part of all of our homes together.

I started that collection when I moved into my first place after college. My mom’s Aunt Winnie has the most amazing gallery wall in her hallway. Winnie has quite a collection of photographs, but to me what always made hers so unique is that she framed and added in some special mementos as well. A fan from one of her son’s wedding and family treasures that make it more than just photographs. It’s a collection and the story of her family. I have always loved her home and her beautiful gallery wall. She was way ahead of the trend but her collection is still one of my favorites.

Inspired by her home, when I began to decorate my first place out of college I created my own gallery wall. I copied old family photos of my grandparents, siblings and parents and I put together my own. I wanted my house to be a collection of our memories reflecting both the past and our lives now. I have a mix of old portraits and favorite snapshots. My girls will often stop and ask us about the pictures, which is important to us because our grandparents and Mark’s dad have passed away. The photos have been a wonderful and fun way to share family memories with our daughters. We also have hung pictures of them and molds of their handprints that I made when they were babies. The girls just love seeing those and telling you which picture and handprint belongs to them. They may be little, but they understand they are a part of the story too.

So as the holiday season approaches and you begin thinking about family and getting your home ready for gatherings I wanted to share a few styling tips I have learned along the way on how to incorporate family and special collections in your home.

  • Think about framing and including sentimental items like a memento from a special trip, a post card, a wedding decoration or piece of artwork made by a child or family member

  • Add more than just family portraits. I love to mix in fun candid photos that tell a story. Pictures of a favorite moment or place.

  •  Have a pretty wedding invitation, birth or graduation announcement then think about framing them.

  • Add a painted sign with your last name, the name of a favorite place to visit, a special quote or song lyric

  • If you don’t have space on your walls then make a grouping of framed photos on a chest, table top or desk

  • If you want a way to share a few more memories then think beyond frames and iPhones and make hard copies of some childhood photos and travels and put them out in a bowl or basket so you can actually see them and share them with others.

Want a home you love? Then start by finding those special things and photos you like most and display them. Curate a group of photos and a collection of special items together. Collections often look better when they are displayed as a group. Take a collection of boxes, figurines, paperweights, beads, rocks or shells then group them together on a shelf between books, on a table, or in a tray or a bowl. One photo frame can get lost or feel small, but a group or small collection has a presence.  It’s those little details that will make you smile and add a personal touch to your home. Those are the things that truly say something about you and that make your home memorable and meaningful.

Come back next week for the part two of this three part series, because I am going to discuss few more specific ideas about how I like to group and hang gallery walls. I am also going to share my sister’s gallery wall as well as some of my favorite sources for frames and decorative elements.

Food

Tex-Mex Chili

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 6 Comments

During Hurricane Harvey my dad found himself unexpectedly stuck in his house alone. My mom was traveling when the hurricane arrived and she wasn’t able to safely return home for days.  After a couple days of crazy rain without access to his favorite restaurants the pickings in the pantry were not looking quite as good.  When I talked with my dad he told me that “in his next life he is coming back as a chef” so he knows his way around the kitchen better. We had a good laugh about it and then he made a good suggestion that I share a few more easy recipes on the blog. The truth is that even if cooking isn’t your thing, it is still nice to be able to put together a few basic meals. Let’s face it, everyone has those nights where you need something quick and simple, so I thought I would share one of my all time favorite easy meals, Tex-Mex Chili.

This soup might be easy to make but the flavors are so good I have even shared this dish at get-togethers with friends. The soup is easy because it is primarily made from canned pantry staples. Then to add a nice extra touch I like to use some fresh corn, but if you don’t have fresh, frozen corn works too. As much as I like to cook, my dad is right sometimes you just need some simple recipes.

Tex Mex Chili- Serves 6

  • 2 Tablespoons of canola oil
  • 1 1/4 pounds of ground beef
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 2 ears of corn cut off the cob or 1 1/2 cups of frozen kerneled corn
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can of plain diced tomatoes with their juice
  • 1 (15 oz) can of black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 (16oz) can pinto beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 (1oz) packet of taco seasoning
  • 1 (1oz) packet of ranch salad dressing mix
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 small container of sour cream
  • 1 bunch of cilantro or sliced green onions for garnish
  • 1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips

First prep your ingredients by chopping your onion and draining and rinsing your beans in a strainer. Then if you are using fresh corn, shuck your corn removing all of the leaves and silk. Then take the corn cob and cut the kernels off the cob with a sharp chef’s knife.

Next take a large soup pot and heat it over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Then add in your onions and cook them till they start to get soft. Next add in your ground beef and as it cooks break it up into small bite size crumbles using your spoon or rubber spatula. Then when the meat is brown and cooked through, take the pot and drain off some of the fat and liquid from the meat.

Next return your pot of meat and onions to the heat and add in your ranch seasoning packet and your taco seasoning packet and stir them in. Next add in your can of tomatoes with their juice. Then add in your black beans, pinto beans, and 2 cups of water. Finally add in your corn and let your soup simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the corn is cooked through and the flavors come together.

I have been known to make this soup ahead of time and then put the whole pot with the lid on it in my fridge so I can heat it up later. I have also let it sit on lower heat for an hour or so If I am serving it at a get-together. This chili would be great to serve for football games, Halloween or just a quick dinner with family.

When you are ready to serve it sprinkle the top with grated cheddar cheese and top it off with a dollop of sour cream. Add in some tortilla chips and if you are feeling fancy then garnish with some cilantro or some sliced green onions.

There you have it one of my favorite one pot easy recipes. If you have certain types of recipes you would like to see more of or if you too are coming back as a chef in your next life and would like to learn basic cooking techniques let me know. Leave me a comment and enter my Painted Pumpkin Giveaway.

Arts and Crafts/Holiday Decorating/Home

Painted Pumpkin Giveaway

Lemon Cupcakes With Blackberry Buttercream Recipe admin_AM 11 Comments

Last year between my preschoolers and the outdoor wildlife in my yard my plans for fall decor took a new turn. I love holiday decorating, but curious toddlers and hungry squirels left me no choice but to get creative.  If I was going to have pumpkins in my house, they had to be less tasty and plastic. So as these things go, when I went out specifically looking for cute less breakable pumpkins I was not seeing a lot of great options. Finally at the checkout lane at Marshals I saw these raffia covered pumpkins. They were not my favorite but the price was right and I thought they might look a bit more fun with some paint.

I had some left over house paint so I thought I would see what I could do. I decided to make mine a bit more whimsical and fun with some polka dots and green leaves.

I enjoyed making them and I loved how they brightened up my kitchen bookshelf.

This year I decided I was upping my game, because I am not loosing another pumpkin to the squirrels. So, I decided to paint a new set of plastic pumpkins for my front porch. I found these pumpkins on sale last week at Michaels and I thought they might make a fun project to share.

The first thing I did when making my green pumpkins was to trace a polka dot pattern on the pumpkins using a lid from a vinegar bottle as a guide. I used a pencil so I could erase any stray lines. Your dots don’t need to be perfect, as you can see mine were not. It just helps to have a guide so your dots are roughly the same side.

Then I used some Kilz primer paint I had leftover from another project. I liked the idea of using a higher quality paint since these pumpkins were going outside. You can buy a small quart at your local hardware store or you could use a good quality acrylic craft paint. I used a small brush with an angled edge which I thought was easier to use when painting the dots. If you are worried about the edges or you have a more textured pumpkin like my raffia one above you could use a white paint pen to outline your dot and then fill it in with paint. My dots took two coats of paint.

Then I mixed some orange milk paint with some of my white acrylic paint and I painted stripes on my large white pumpkins following the pattern of the natural grooves in the pumpkin. I had to get creative when the were drying to keep the bottoms from getting smudged. Then for fun I painted the smaller pumpkins a solid orange. I found that when I painted the smaller pumpkins it was easier if I carefully pulled out the stem before painting them. Then after they were fully dry I replaced the stem. The small dots are easier to keep even so I just free handed those dots with the paint.

Then as a finishing touch I painted some fake leaves I found at the craft store. Here is what they looked like before I painted them.

Then I attached the leaf to the pumpkin with some hot glue along with a small piece a grape vine I cut off of an old wreath. Here you can see a finished set of the pumpkins up close.

I decided to give my planters a fall feel by adding in some new pumpkins.

So here is where I get to the good part. I am going to give away the set of three painted pumpkins that you see here in my kitchen window, no crafting or painting required.

This week marks my 70th post so I want to do something small to thank my faithful readers and get a bit of your advice. I want to know what you enjoy reading and what you want to see more of in the future. I am planning new pieces and projects but I definitely want to keep my readers thoughts in mind. So to win these pumpkins leave me a comment with either a quick thought about what recipes or projects you liked most or what you would like to see more of in the future. Your thoughts and ideas matter to me!

My blog is set up so you can leave a comment by clicking on the conversation bubble icon next to the word “Comment” at the top right just below the title of this post. You have to have to enter a real email address and then a name, nickname or alias of your choice to leave a comment, but don’t worry the email address is confidential. No one will see, not even I see your address. It is set up that way to protect my site from hackers and computer viruses.

One entry per person please and I can only ship the pumpkins to an address in the United States. To keep it as fair as I can I will number the comments and pick a randomly selected number as the winner. I will keep the give away open through Sunday September 24th and I will announce the winner the following week and then ask that the winner email me so I can get an address.

Thank you so much for following along with me each week and for taking the time to leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you and to sending these pumpkins to the lucky winner.

Contact Us