Making Apple Pie

Every holiday I am responsible for making the apple pie. I take this on happily, because I get to make it with my mom. It's one of my favorite desserts to eat on Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family. My mom cuts up all the apples into slices, because let me be honest, I still haven't properly learned how to peel apples with a knife. Other than that, making apple pies are a breeze to make, and such a classic holiday dessert.

Peel and cut about 8 apples (6 cups) and add to a large bowl. Next, add a 3/4 cup of sugar.

Add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, 1/8 of teaspoon of nutmeg, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix all the ingredients together.

You can make homemade crust or you can buy rolled up crust at the market. Next, pour apples onto the crust covered pie dish.

Roll out top of pie crust to lay over and tuck edges under. This time around I cut the pie crust in strips to make an overlaying pattern. You can also cut decorations in the crust using mini cookie cutters.

Put pie in oven for 45 minutes at 425 degrees.

Enjoy the warm pie with ice cream. 

What's your favorite pie?

Santa Pancakes

I am sure you have seen these cute santa pancakes circling around in Pinterest and I found it on the Taste of Japan blog. When I saw them I knew it would be the perfect Christmas breakfast.

These are so easy to make.

What you need

Whipped Cream
Fresh Strawberries
Chocolate chip morsels
Pancakes

How to assemble

I made my favorite pancakes and then added two little eyes with the chocolate chip morsels.

Fresh cut strawberries to the top half.

Add whipped cream to the bottom half, added a strawberry slice for the nose and used chocolate syrup for the mouth, and I realized after the mouth wasn't even necessary.

Have a Merry Christmas!

Santa and Reindeer Oreos Covered in Chocolate

Santa and his reindeers are ready to take off on their sleigh on Christmas Eve. These Oreos covered in chocolate reindeers and santa make sweet treats to enjoy on Christmas Eve night with a glass of milk.

What You Need

Oreos

Chocolate

Sprinkles

M&Ms

Chocolate covered pretzels

Shredded coconut

Chocolate morsels

How To Make Chocolate Covered Oreo Reindeers

1. Dip the oreos in chocolate.

2. Place the oreos on a cookie pan lined with parchment paper.

3. Dip the tips of the pretzels in chocolate and place them on top of the oreos.

4. Add the eyes with morsels or any other candy and place the bright red M&M for the nose. 

How To Make Chocolate Covered Oreo Santas

1. Dip the oreos in white chocolate.

2. Place the oreos on a cookie pan lined with parchment paper.

3. Place red sprinkles on top half of oreo and put shredded coconut on the bottom half. Use colorful sprinkles for eyes and mouth.

Christmas Tree Pinata

I love making piñatas, take a look at some of my previous piñatas here, and these Christmas tree might be one of my favorite piñatas I have ever made. These can be used for Christmas party decorations, favors, stocking stuffers, or unique way to give a gift.

I hand made these mini Christmas tree piñatas with cereal boxes and filled them with little chocolates and used them as favors to place at the table so guests could take them home.

What you need

Green crepe paper (streamer)
Cardboard box (cereal boxes)
Tape and scissors
Glue
Constructions paper in various colors


How to make your Christmas Tree Piñata 

Draw the outline of a tree on cardboard (use packaging boxes, cereal boxes or any other cardboard you may have).

Cut the tree out of the cardboard and cut thinner strips of cardboard (these thinner strips will be used to tape the two tree cutouts together).

Next, tape the cardboard pieces together using the strips of cardboard.

Add any treats or little gifts before closing the tree.

Fold streamer paper and cut small vertical slits on one side of the streamer paper. 

Cover the top and bottom of the tree with the crepe paper and then glue the fringe on the cardboard tree. Continue to the top of the tree overlapping each fringe.

Lastly, decorate the tree with small paper stars and ornaments. I used a hole puncher to cut out some "ornaments" from construction paper and made these mini stars using sparkly gold ribbon.

What would you do with the Christmas Tree piñata? Any other Christmas themed piñata ideas? I am thinking stars and snowmen.

Merry Christmas!!

Holiday Gift Bags

I've been working on some gift bags to give to friends and colleagues. This year I used A Delicate Gift tags to make these cute little pedicure gift bags. I included some cozy socks, nail polish, nail filer, and foot cream.

I put them all in a cellophane bag with some sweets like candy canes and chocolates.

The gift tags are available at A Delicate Gift Etsy shop.

What type of gift bags do you make for colleagues and your girlfriends?

Holiday Gift Ideas for the little guys

1. Moose Hat

How fun is this hat. This snugly moose hat is designed in France and hand knit by artisans in Nepal. 

2. Holiday Cookies

From Dean & DeLuca, these cookies are amazing for children and adult alike. They include gnomes, trees, toadstools, candy canes and a cute owl.

3. Baby Sophie La Giraffe Teether

One of the best teethers I have witnessed been used on a child and it is all natural. It's cute and the size is perfect for babies to pick up and hold on to.

4. Glow-In-The-Dark Christmas Lights Pajama Set

Soft, cozy, and they glow in the dark? Do they make them in my size?

5. Playhouse

what child doesn’t love to play in their own fort or playhouse. This is the perfect size for them to walk into and enjoy a little world of their own.

6. Oeuf Taxi and Greek Coffee Cup

How cute is this is stuffed alpaca taxi and greek coffee cup. Also made in Bolivia by indigenous women.

7. Baby beanie and booties

It is hand knit in Bolivia and the perfect little baby beanie and booties. It comes in tan and gray. And, it’s Bolivian, so you know I give it two thumbs up. I love that it is handknit by women in Bolivia, and this helps them provide and care for their families. Now, I just wish it came in my size.

8. Cubebot

I call these the wooden transformers. These wooden blocks come in blue and pink and can morph into dozens of shapes. This is great for children development.

9. Dude Sweater

Have you ever watched the cashmere episode on Seinfeld? Everytime I see cashmere, I think of that episode and say it like the cleaning lady that George gives the sweater to. This adorable "Dude" sweater is a cashmere and it's just the cutest. I wish it came in my size.

10. Steiff Rolling Lamb

The little Linda Lamb rides on its cute red wooden wheels. I know so many children who love little animals like dogs and lambs and this is soft to touch and they can wheel it around with them everywhere they go.

Holiday Gift Guide for Expecting Moms

I know quite a few sweet ladies expecting in the next few months, so I dedicate this list to them and all the soon to be moms out there. It's always fun buying for a baby, there are so many toys, clothes, and fun gadgets, but what about the mom?

In this gift guide I included comfy and stylish clothes, natural products from Jessica Alba's Honest Company, which is a great resource of natural products for both moms and children, yoga classes, and other things that will keep her comfortable and happy.


1. Eye Mask
Sonoma Lavender Timber Lake Sleep Mask is a supersoft mask that combines the calming and restorative properties of lavender and will allow for you to have a relaxing and calming sleep experience.

2. Glass Locket Triangle Necklace
This glass locket opens up and fits two large photos. I think this would make a great gift for a soon to be mother to place an ultrasound photo, or any other little treasures.

3. Journal
A journal is a great gift to give to expecting mothers so that they can journal their progress and write notes to the baby. This journal comes in pretty colors and it is also can be personalized.

4. Pregnancy Pillow
Finding the right position in bed can be difficult to do for all of us. I know I love having a pillow in between my knees and hugging a huge pillow. Instead of having a million pillow and having your bed look like a bouncy house this pillow is perfect for wrapping around and it is supposed to help relieve sciatica, restless leg syndrome, and lower back pain.

5. Slippers

These Ugg slippers are so comfortable. Many soon to be moms I know have swollen feet and need something soft and comfy on their feet.

6. The Honest Co. Balms
The Honest Co. has a great eco-friendly body care line for women and children. It is natural, non-toxic, and hypoallergenic. It's also available in Target.

7. Manicure & Pedicure

I added this limited edition Bobbi Brown nail polish because the color is just gorgeous and most women love getting pampered and getting a foot massage. Get a gift card at their local nail salon or make a basket with nail polishes, hand and feet creams, nail buffers, and cuticle oils.

8. Yoga
The gift of yoga is a wonderful gift.  Take a look at some local classes and either sign her up or get a gift card. Yoga incorporates many things like breathing, stretching, and meditating; all things an expecting mother needs.

9. Water Bottle
A reusable water bottle makes a great gift to ensure that the mom-to-be, and really all of us, get the require daily amount. This one is 2.2 liters, which is about the 2.7 daily recommended value for fluid intake. I recommend finding water bottles that are BPA-free and if they are glass bottles make sure they have a protective sleeve.

10. Hatch Clothing
They make the most wonderful and trendy and comfortable maternity clothes, but they also make clothes for before, during and after pregnancy. I love this stripped tee with leggings, booties, and hat combination.

11. Massage (not pictured)
Get a spa and/or massage gift card so that they can get a nice relaxing massage.

12. Leggings (not pictured)
Leggings are comfortable and stretchy. These Blanqi leggings have gotten great reviews and she will wear them with everything.


Which of these gifts do you like the most?  I would love to hear below!

Holiday inspired waffle breakfast

Leading up to Christmas I love adding a little holiday to the breakfast table. I made chocolate chip and blueberry belgian waffles for breakfast with yogurt and sliced bananas.

The waffle mix is so easy to make and then you just need to pour it in the waffle maker. If you don't have one, I highly recommend reconsidering this. I use my waffle maker every week. It's worth it if you love waffles. Mine also has the ability to stand up-right, so storage is easy. This is the one I got for Christmas a few years ago and it has great reviews: Waffle Maker

Recipe

1 1/3 cups of unbleached flour

4 teaspoons of baking powder

2 tablespoons of melted butter or coconut oil

2 eggs (I used egg whites)
1 1/2 cup of milk (I used Horizon organic fat free milk)

Directions

• Heat waffle maker
• Brush coconut oil or melted butter in waffle maker
• Combine dry ingredients and then add the wet ingredients
• Pour waffle mix in maker (my waffle maker you keep the mix on one side for 1 minute and then flip it and I leave it in for another 5 minutes). We like our waffles just a bit crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside.

Walnut Snowball Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup of all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts
1/2 Tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of softened butter
1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix the 1 cup of flour,  pinch of salt and 1/2 Tbsp sugar together in a bowl. Once combined, add the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Add the 1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts.

Add the 1/2 cup of butter in small pieces and combine together.

Make small round ball with the dough and place them about an inch a part on parchment paper on a baking pan.

And bake for about 35 minutes until they are golden.

Once you remove the cookies from the over wait till they cool just a bit, enough to touch, and then roll the cookies in the powdered sugar. The powdered sugar will stick to the warm cookies.

Once you remove them from the oven let them cool enough to touch, but still warm enough to adhere to the powdered sugar. Roll the cookies in the powdered sugar.

These are my favorite holiday cookies along with the peanut butter blossoms.

What's one of your favorite holiday cookies?