Happy Holidays!

It looks like we survived the end of the world!

2012 has been an incredible year. An engagement, a new home, travel, and lots of time with family and friends. Thank you for sharing it with me!

With all the craziness going on in the world, cherish the time with your loved ones and have a wonderful holiday.

See you on January 2nd.

Hockey is Ours

The NHL has cancelled all games through January 14th and the rest of the season isn't looking good. This commercial made me smile.

Wantful

Have you heard of my new obsession, Wantful? It's a website that helps you shop for the hard to buy for (Dad, I'm lookin' at you). You say who you're buying for, answer a few questions about them, and it gives you a big list of products that person might like.

If you can't decide, you can make a catalog of 12 items and the recipient can choose an item for themselves. I love that the gift suggestions include donations to organizations the person might like. Very cool.

Ahh the Weekend...

Such a great weekend! We celebrated Charlie's first birthday. Where did the year go?!

Eric's parents came over for dinner on Saturday. I made braised short ribs which turned out perfectly. Phew! We ordered some wedding invitation samples to take a look at. I never thought picking invitations would be so hard, but there are so many styles to choose from!

On Sunday, a few girls got together and celebrated Michelle's (of Toque Girl fame) birthday and the holidays with a spin class at One Cycle, sweatpants, and pizza. Our favorite things gift exchange was a huge success. We all walked away with amazing loot!

This Anthropologie gift wrap made for some fun (albeit frustrating) wrapping for my favorite thing: the Corksicle.

I hope you had a great weekend. Can you believe that Christmas holidays are only a week away?!

Twinkle Twinkle

I love Nails Inc. polish. It's so saturated with glitter, it only takes one coat to completely cover your nails.

Glitter polish in Chelsea Square

It'll be perfect come New Year's Eve.

Have a great weekend!

Favorite Things Exchange

As a fun alternative to a Secret Santa, some girlfriends and I are doing a Favorite Things exchange. Instead of drawing one person's name, you pick one of your favorite things between $10-$20 and buy it for each person involved.  This way, each girl walks away with more than one gift and probably something they had no idea they'd love. Here are a few under $20 gift ideas in case you'd like to do the same:

Monogram Mug- Anthropologie $6
Paddywax Candle- Stealing Home $16
Slippers- Old Navy $12

Magazine Subscription- Elle Canada $14.95/yr
Nails Inc. Glitter Polish- Sephora

Ahh the Weekend...

We were in Banff for a Christmas party and to celebrate our friend Rando's birthday.

We may have had a bit too much fun.

Eric and I picked up our very first real tree on the way home and spent the evening drinking hot chocolate and decorating for the holidays.

Blogger Bake Sale

We're off to Banff for a Christmas party, but if you're sticking around the city, make sure to check out the Food Blogger Bake Sale on Saturday.

Jen, from Food Three Ways, told me what she'll be making and it sounds delish!

Have a great weekend.

Homemade Holiday Gifts- Eggnog

Truth be told, I've never been a fan of eggnog. Every year someone buys it for my brother's sake and I always think 'This is the year. This is the year I'm going to see what all the fuss is about,' only to mix it with milk and choke down as little as possible while still being polite. But 2012 really is the year. It's a Christmas miracle!

Homemade eggnog is a holiday changer. It's like- if you could make ice cream using all the joy of Christmas and then let that ice cream melt, mix it with rum, and top it with nutmeg- you'd have this stuff.

I know some people are squeamish about raw eggs so I made a cooked version. You could also add more rum (at 3 oz. you can't even taste it) or omit it entirely to make it family friendly.

Eggnog
adapted from Alton Brown
4 egg yolks
1/3 c. sugar, plus 1 tbsp.
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. milk (fat content optional. I used 1%)
1 c. heavy cream
3 oz. rum
1 tsp. nutmeg
4 egg whites

In a mixer, beat egg yolks until they lighten in color. Add 1/3 c. sugar and vanilla until dissolved.
In a medium saucepan, heat milk, heavy cream, and nutmeg until just boiling. Slowly temper the hot mixture into the yolks. Return everything to the saucepan and heat until 160 degrees. Remove from heat, stir in rum and chill.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar and continue to beak until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into chilled mixture.
Keep refrigerated and shake well before serving.

Ahh the Weekend

Our first day of skiing didn't go quite as we planned, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. The drive to the hill was foggy, but the sun came out for a few runs before it turned into a complete blizzard. We could barely see the people in front of us! We left a bit earlier than planned and headed into Banff for dinner and a look around the shops. We were surprised to hear that the Santa Claus parade was only an hour away so we stayed and watched for a bit.

Sunday was the annual lefse making extravaganza. Six hours, five potato ricers, and forty pounds of potatoes later, we came home with a healthy pile that might not make it until Christmas.

Hope you had a good one!

Fashion Friday- Apres Ski

We're heading out for our first day on the hill this Saturday. Here's a perfect outfit for snuggling up in the lodge with a blueberry tea after a long day of shredding gnarly pow ;)

knit top,  leggings, mocassins , toque,  mug

Homemade Holiday Gifts- Bacon Jam

You heard me.
Bacon. Jam.

Seriously. This, plus last week's beer bread- or an egg sandwich, or on baked brie, or with pretty much anything- makes for a winning combo.

Slow-Cooker Bacon Jam
from Martha Stewart
1 1/2 lbs sliced bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 medium yellow onions, diced small
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. pure maple syrup
3/4 c. brewed coffee

In a large skillet, cook bacon until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel to drain. Discard all but 1 tbsp. of bacon fat. Add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent (about 6 minutes). Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup and coffee. Bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, for about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine.

Transfer to a 6-quart slow-cooker and cook uncovered on high for 3 1/2-4 hours. The liquid should be syrupy. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool. Transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 weeks.

You can freeze the finished jam until you're ready to gift it. I used small mason jars and the recipe made enough for 6.

Ahh the Weekend

My mom was in town this weekend. After babysitting my brother's kids, we spent the day doing a little Christmas shopping before getting dolled up for a night out. Eric joined us for yet another amazing meal at Avec. If you haven't been yet, you must go. The room is so cozy, the service is always great, and the food is incredible! It's quickly becoming my favorite Calgary restaurant. After dinner, we ditched Eric to sing and head bob our way through the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra's Rattle and Hum: A Tribute to U2. Outstanding show!

source

I've already got Eric lined up to see this show in the Spring.

Hope you had a good weekend!

Homemade Holiday Gifts- Beer Bread

My friend Carrie had the genius idea to package up beer bread mix. She found some super cute bags at IKEA. We filled them with a can of beer, the mix, and a print out of directions.

Beer Bread
3 c. all-purpose flour (sifted)
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt 
1/4 c. sugar
1 can beer
1/4 c. melted butter 

Preheat oven to 375. Mix beer with dry ingredients. Pour the mixture into a greased bread pan. Top with melted butter and bake for an hour.

Ahh the Weekend...

We were up in Camrose celebrating a few birthdays.

We had a small get together for my Dad who, much to my elation, is growing his mustache back for Movember. I remember the day he shaved his mustache off thinking that he looked so serious and scary. I've  become accustomed to his bare face over the years, but here's what it looked like in all its glory:

What a beaut!

The big event was my Uncle Al's 65th.  He's my favorite ski buddy. I have so many fond memories of driving out to the hill together, packing ski beers in our coats, and having picnic lunches in the truck.

He's also infamous for his naps. As you can see, he's pretty much capable of taking them anywhere.

Happy birthday, Uncle Al! See you on the slopes.

Are Your Jeans Running?

Well you better go catch them! HA!

Ok. That was super lame. Let's move on, shall we?

I bought these Naked and Famous jeans last week and completely love them.

Or I did, until they turned my new white shirt blue. Arggg. My Mom, in all her infinite wisdom, told me that the trick to keeping new dark wash jeans from running is to put a half cup of white vinegar into your washing machine where you'd normally put detergent. Run a normal wash cycle- I'd recommend the extra rinse option if you have it- and hang them to dry. If your jeans still run, you can soak them in the tub with the same amount  of vinegar for a full day. That should keep your jeans blue and your hands (and white shirts) not.

Happy weekend!

Homemade Holiday Gifts- Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows

I've decided not to do a ton of Christmas baking this year. Honestly, I think my sister probably baked as much as I did last Christmas and there were too many treats. It turns out that's actually possible. Who knew?!
However, that isn't keeping me from making yummy homemade gifts. Every Wednesday for the next month or so, I'll have a DIY holiday project. They're easy, delicious, and perfect for last minute gifting. First up: hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows.

I used Smitten Kitchen's marshmallow recipe and it turned out even better than I had hoped. It was surprisingly simple and mess free. Warning: after tasting these marshmallows, you're likely to become a complete marshmallow elitist.

Hot Chocolate Mix
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 c. plus two tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tbsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Mix ingredients in a resealable container. This should make enough to fill just over half a mason jar leaving you with enough room to put marshmallows on top.
To serve, mix 2 tbsp. of powder with 1 cup of warm milk (or half water and half milk).

Option: include a mini bottle of Bailey's as an extra treat. You don't have to, but it would be cooler if you did. :)

In case you're interested, here are last year's Christmas baking posts:
Nuts and Bolts
Magic Cookie Bars
Gingersnaps
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Lemon Squares

Ahh the Weekend...

007'ing Prosecco into the theatre to see Skyfall. Great movie!

Christmas crafting with Carrie.

Eric listening to very detailed instructions on how to get his niece's island to save her butterfly.

It involved throwing a rock, a mushroom, and a log into a giant pond in order to get to the crocodile forest. Quite the imagination!

Keep on Barackin' in the Free World

How amazing are these photos of Barack Obama from 1980?!

Such a cool dude.

Have a good weekend!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprints

I hadn't even put up our Halloween stuff before Christmas decorations were filling store shelves. I've promised myself to keep my Christmas baking to a minimum this year (three items max.) and these little gems are the perfect staple. They also work well if your Halloween candy stash has run out and you're in need of chocolate peanut butter fix. Chocolate peanut butter cookies filled with chocolate peanut butter ganache and top with salted peanuts.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Thumbprints

adapted from Chow.com

Cookies:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup natural-style creamy peanut butter (no sugar added)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache filling:

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon natural-style creamy peanut butter (no sugar added)
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

Garnish:

2 tablespoons roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps; set aside. 

Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the beater and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla and mix on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low, add the reserved flour mixture, and mix just until the dough comes together.

Scoop level tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet. Roll each portion between your hands to form a smooth ball and place them back on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart.  Bake for 8 minutes. 

Remove the sheets to wire racks and immediately use the back of a round teaspoon or the end of a large-handled wooden spoon to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets, about 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling.

For the ganache filling:

Place the chocolate and peanut butter in a medium heatproof bowl; set aside. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Pour over the chocolate and peanut butter and let stand until the chocolate softens, about 5 minutes. Stir until evenly combined and smooth.

Fill the indentation of each cookie with about 1 teaspoon of the ganache filling, sprinkle with the peanuts, and let sit until set, about 1 hour.

Ahh the Weekend...

Whew! I might need a detox after that one. On Friday, some people from work went for what started as a civilized holiday party and ended as a pretty epic pub crawl. Somehow, I managed to get myself to circuit on Saturday morning and then had a hilarious (and delicious) ladies night at Candela. After dinner, I met up with Carrie to see the Pack AD.
Daylight savings time had me up early on Sunday. I met a friend for brunch, made a trip to Michael's, started refurbishing a bar cart, and made cookies. Then, Deana and Cole came over to help make marshmallows for a little holiday project (which you'll hear more about soon) and we finished the night celebrating Cole's birthday over sushi.

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

Etsy Giftcards

A few weeks ago while browsing Etsy for this riddling rack (which now hangs in our dining room):

I thought to myself 'man, they should really offer gift cards.' Then BAM! The crafting Gods heard my call and Etsy announced that they're offering them-just in time for the holidays. Unfortunately, you can only buy them if you have a US billing address, but fingers crossed they'll offer them to Canada soon. That would make my Christmas list very easy. Come on crafting Gods, don't fail me now!

Have a great weekend!

Happy Halloween!

I haven't handed out candy since high school! I can't wait to see all the costumes tonight. Here's our spooky yard:

Have you seen these pumpkins by Ray Villafane? Amazing!

I feel like ours is pretty close...

;)

Happy trick or treating!