October Favorites!

1.  Starbuck’s Ham and Cheese Fold-Over = OMG I absolutely love these.   The perfect breakfast treat.  The crust is light and flaky and the cheese is yummy.  This is a quick breakfast for the person on-the-go.  Also it is only 240 calories…not too bad. 

2. & 3. It’s boot season!!!  I found the two cute pairs of boots at Kohl’s and used my Kohl’s Cash to get them.  The ankle combat boot looks really cute with my skinny jeans.  I also couldn’t resist the calf boot…the look of it is classic yet chic!

4.  I love active wear especially the hoodie.  The blue is bright and vibrant and the fit is perfect.  I bought this exact blue at Target.  I wear it not only for running, but if I go out to do errands or just any casual setting. 

5.  L’Oreal True Match Lumi foundation-  I usually do not wear full coverage foundation, but this one is so light in feeling and blends very well.  I am partial to L’Oreal products such as their blushes and skim primers.  A very good produce for a low cost when compared to higher –end products.

6.  I’m a reality TV junkie.  I’ve watched Survivor for 31 seasons now…wow I am old!!  But I can’t resist this show.  I was so excited when it started its new season in September.  Good season so far!!

7.  Apple cider- it’s fall and it’s the perfect time for apple cider.  I love warming it up at night, sitting in a comfy chair with a comfy blanket and relaxing.  It’s just the perfect way to enjoy the autumn season, my favorite season.

8.  Chicago sports- I’m a huge Cubs, Blackhawks, and Bears fan and this October all three of these teams were playing.  Yes the Cubs lost in the playoffs, but just making it to NLCS series was fantastic to watch.  The Bears stink this season, but I love them anyways.  It’s just something about watching football on Sundays…its tradition…one that I enjoy with my whole family.  Always great food and great entertainment.  The Blackhawks….Stanley Cup Champions 3 times in the last 5 years…pretty awesome!  I grew up watching the Blackhawks and going to their games with my family…my dad played hockey in his youth, thus he instilled the love of the game in his kids.  

Words to Live By (7)

Home Made Peanut Butter Cups!

This recipe was from an old issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray.  These candies were very easy to make and tasted delicious!  I'm not a huge peanut butter fan, but I did love these.

Enjoy!


Ingredients:
8 oz. of milk chocolate- chopped
4 tbsp. of unsalted butter- softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup honey

Directions: Place 12- 2 1/2 inch liners on a baking sheet.  In a double boiler, melt the chocolate. Reserve the pot of hot water to keep the chocolate liquid, if necessary.

Place about 2 teaspoon of chocolate in a baking cup, swirling to coat about half way up the sides. Repeat with remaining cups and then refrigerate until set.  

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter for two minutes until fluffy.  Beat in peanut butter and honey. Beat for 1-2 minutes.  Transfer mixture to a resealable plastic bag, and snip off the corner.  

Fill the chocolate cups from the refrigerator to 3/4 full with peanut butter mixture, smoothing the surface.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Then top each cup with the remaining liquid chocolate to enclose, smooth out the top if need be.  Refrigerate until hardened. I lightly sprinkles some kosher salt on tip to give it some add depth to the flavor.  

Moment in Nature (#8)

Photo from the National Geographic

Elephant herd near Kilimanjaro

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie

This was a post from a blog I use to have before this one.  I'm going to re-post all my favorite past posts onto this blog before closing down my old blog.  Enjoy!

What makes this apple pie memorable it the crust...it is made out of sugar cookie dough. 

With a crumb topping, caramel, and a drizzle of icing, this apple pie is a winner!! 

Words to Live By (4)

Painted Halloween Pumpkins

I've never painted pumpkins before, and this year I want to try it.  I made the little clown pumpkins for my niece and godson. 

I bought my acrylic paints at Hobby Lobby when they were on sale for only $.52 a color.  I bought a bag of red pom poms for $1.99, ant the Halloween ribbon on the big pumpkin was 40% off.  Great deals!

The only issue I had was getting the white paint to be bright and vibrant...I had to use 3 coats of paint.

I did have a lot of fun making these.  I usually hate clowns, by these little clown pumpkins were just too cute not to make!

Moment in Nature (#7)

Bottom of the Grand Canyon. Photo from the National Geographic

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

Halloween Cupcake Ideas!

I keep every issue of my food magazines.  I love to go back a peruse the old issues for any good tips and ideas I might have missed before.  Below is a collection of super cute cupcake ideas from EveryDay with Rachael Ray.  Her October issues are always full of so many great Halloween ideas.

Enjoy!!

Words to Live By (9)

Easy Chicken Parmesan

Season chicken with S&P

Breaded chicken

Browning in the pan

Easy Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
4 Boneless chicken breasts- pound out to a ½ inch thickness
1 large container of your favorite tomato sauce/ marinara
1 box of Panko bread crumbs
1 bag mozzarella cheese (8oz)
2 eggs- lightly beaten
Flour
Salt and Pepper
Parmesan cheese- optional

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 375⁰F.  Set aside 9x9 baking dish. Rinse your chicken, pat dry with a paper towel and salt and pepper thoroughly both sides…set aside.

Set up your egg wash station- 1 bowl of ½ cup flour, 1 bowl of the lightly beating egg mixed with 1 tbsp. water, and 1 bowl of the Panko bread crumbs. Now bread each piece of chicken going though the egg wash station- lightly flour chicken, dip into egg wash, then coat thoroughly with Panko bread crumbs.  Do this with all chicken pieces.

In a skillet, heat ½ cup olive oil and lightly brown each side of the chicken.  I usually have a plate set aside with paper towels covering it and I put the browned chicken on it to soak up the residual oil.  Once all chicken is browned (chicken is still not cooked all the way through, so DO NOT eat!) get the 9x9 baking dish and pour about ¾ cup of tomato sauce on the bottom- spread it so it covers all of the bottom of the pan.  Now lay the browned chicken in the pan, you make sure all the chicken fits…if it overlaps that’s ok.  I usually season the chicken once more with salt and pepper, and then I pour the rest of the tomato sauce over the chicken.  Now cover with mozzarella cheese, I also sprinkle Parmesan cheese on it too.
Bake in the oven until cheese is melted and golden brown on the edges, about 30-35 minutes.
Serve with your choice of cooked pasta.

Enjoy!

Moment in Nature (#6)

Beautiful bird!  I do not own this picture

The cardinal!  I am luck enough to see this bird frequently where I live. Every time I see it fly by, I can't help but stop what I'm doing to track it.

Halloween Wine!

I received this wine as a gift from my friend Tina last year.  She knows how much I love Halloween and surprised me with this.  How cute is it!!  This is an apple pumpkin spiced wine.  At first I was a little leery, because truthfully…I’m over the “pumpkin in every food item” craze.  Oh was I wrong!  This was delicious.  It wasn’t too sweet and not too strongly flavored with the pumpkin.  I do not know where Tina bought this but I’m sure Binny’s has specialty Halloween wines or just Google it. 

Fall To Be Read List

I know a lot there are many many book blogging sites out there.  And I have about 25 favorite ones I check in on regularly.  Most of them participate in the “Top 10 Tuesday.”  Last week’s category was “10 books in your TBR pile”.  I love books, have a whole room, a bedroom I converted to a reading room, dedicated to books, but I must admit….I’m a slow reader.  I go to my favorite blogs and it seems like they read a book a day!  How is this possible?  I feel like I’m the tortoise compares to a bunch of hares.  But that’s okay; I just go at my own pace. I wish I had the time to read more often than I do, but I work full time and just recently went back to school doing an accelerated adult program, thus I read one book a week.

Here is my small pile of To-Be-Read for the fall.

1. The Darkest Touch by Gena Showalter- I’ve been reading this series since the spring and this is the latest installment… book 11/11 for this series.  Probably one of my favorite book series I’ve read because each book is different from the previous and is very interesting, especially incorporating Greek Mythology.

2.  Falling Away by Penelope Douglas- Book 4 in the series.  The previous books were sexy and had good storylines.  The male characters made me swoon.  And I love a story when I see dynamic change in the main character.  The female leads in the series were feisty and not ones to sit on the sideline…which I love!  I hate it when female characters are written as meek and mild and not willing to stand up for themselves.  The 4th book looks like it will be as good as the previous ones.

3-7. The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan.  Again this series incorporates one of my favorite subjects…Greek Myths.  I’ve been hearing praises for this series for years and finally decided to pick it up and read it this Fall.  When I read a series, I’m the type of obsessive person who likes to read one right after another and finish the series all at once.  I do not like the time periods of waiting till the next book comes out in the series.  I feel like I forget important tidbits of information when the new book finally comes our.  I like it when the info stays fresh in my mind. Luckily all these books are all available now. 

8. The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran- I love historical fiction.  Last year I read one of Michelle Moran books, Nefertiti, and was captivated by her writing style.  Ancient Egypt has always held my interest and to be able to delve more into that time period and culture has been exciting.  I can’t wait to read this one!

9. The Bake-Off by Beth Kendrick- My mom bought this for me years ago because it has to do with baking and I was finishing culinary school at the time.  I finally dusted it off and decided to read it this Fall.  I love the cover and the concept of the book.  I hope it’s a good one!

Halloween Décor Ideas

Halloween is my favorite holiday.  The colors, the themes, the costumes, and the candy. What’s not to love!

I have a small budget, but for Halloween, I can’t resist going all out and decorating my apartment.  During the month of October I enjoy watching classic monster movies on TCM and AMC... Haunted houses, caramel apples, black & orange, scary stories, and the perfect cool weather!  

I have so many great memories from past Halloweens and for that my love grows for this holiday!

I’ve put together some décor ideas for the holiday in the collage above.  Most are very economical and easy to put out to spruce up your place!


Items seen in collage: 

Witches Dinnerware and Pumpkin Door Mat from www.lang.com
Glass pumpkins, glassware, and spider kitchen towel from Pier 1 Imports
Spider web table runner, skull soap dispenser, and Witches Hat wreath from www.kohls.com
Spooky phone and purple table cloth from www.target.com


Start shopping early for Halloween décor, it goes fast!

Another store to check out is Hobby Lobby.  They have a lot early in the season!

Words to Live By (2)

Halloween Movie Faves!

September Favorites

September Favorites

1. Rosa Regale- this is an Italian Sparkling Red Wine.  I’m not a big of red wine, but this one I just fell in love with.  It has a  sweetness to it and tastes fantastic.  This sparkling wine would be perfect for a romantic night out, a celebration, or for the holidays.  I first tried this wine at EPCOT in Disney World in Italy at the World Showcase.  One sip and it became my favorite.  If I had a top 10 wine list, this one would definitely be #1.  I buy mine now at Binny’s Beverage Depot.  
~Piedmont, Italy, “has a delicate bouquet of rose petals and offers sensuous flavors of fresh raspberries and strawberries. Its effervescence is softer than that of champagne, yet it yields a persistent and delicate pink froth. "

2. Movie to watch: Dave.  Yes this came out in the 90’s, but it is a classic!  It’s well written, has a great story line, and is very funny.  I like movies that can put me in a good mood and this is one that can!  The movie is perfectly cast and the lead Kevin Kline is perfect in his role as Dave, the everyday man who is thrust into the spotlight of being president, while the real president is indisposed.  This is an oldie but goodie!

3. I am horrible when it comes to make-up and styling my hair.  There…I admit it!  Last year I started watching beauty & lifestyle vlogs online, and my life was changed for the better.  I’ve gotten so many great tips and advice that now I am feeling more confident in my look.  My favorite vlog is from Nicole Guerriero.  She gives great advice on make-up, hair, and daily facial routines.  I’ve learned a lot from her as many others have already.  She has a huge following and if you haven’t heard of her, you should definitely check her out ASAP!

4. Becca BEACH TINT® SHIMMER SOUFFLÉ- My favorite is Guava/Moonstone
This is a beautiful color for a highlight of the cheeks. Gives off a nice beachy glow and is not too dramatic…more of a natural look.  It blends wonderfully because it is a cream base…I use my fingers to blend.  I love make up with gold undertones and this product has just that.  One of my top picks for a blush.  

http://www.beccacosmetics.com/us/store/cheeks/blush/beach-tint-shimmer-souffle/
http://www.sephora.com/becca-cosmetics

5. I’ve been going back and re-watching my favorite television series recently.  Of course Veronica Mars is on that list.  This was a fun and exciting show with great story lines.  Unfortunately it was only on for three season, but it garnered a huge cult following.  Last year a Veronica Mars movie game out, paid for by fan on Kick Starter.  This is a great series with interesting characters lead by Kristen Bell.  Who doesn’t love Kristen Bell??? She is spunky & funny, with a smart mouth and great one-liners.  The chemistry between her and her main love interest is palpable.  After the movie came out a book series started  and  pick up right after the movie following Veronica and her friends.  My sister got me hooked on this show and I’m glad she forced me to watch it on our vacation so many years ago!

6. Show to watch: Fear of the Walking Dead.
I am a regular viewer of The Walking Dead and was extremely pleased that this prequel was coming to TV this summer.  I wanted the back story to how the events leading up to The Walking Dead came to be.  

7. Coach Poppy Wildflower perfume- I have a large collection of perfume and fragrances. When I was at Ulta the other day I was drawn to the fragrance department as usual.  I already own a lot of other Coach perfumes and was drawn to this one.  The bottle was adorable and the scent was perfect.  It was a good choice and I’m happy I bought it.  I don’t buy the 3.4 fl. oz. bottles and instead go for the 1 fl. oz. bottles just incase I do not like the scent when I get home.  That has happened a few times to me…smells great in the store, but not so much at home.  Coach Poppy Wildflower is one I will buy again as soon as I run out!

~”With delicate notes of orange flower and muguet, and a hint of musk at its base, new limited edition Poppy Wildflower is an intriguingly beautiful scent that captures the essence of a hidden city garden. Exotic patchouli, iris and vanilla give it an unexpected edge.”

http://www.coach.com/poppy-wildflower-eau-de-parfum-spray/B381.html
www.ulta.com
www.sephora.com

8. Capelli New York Head wraps- Ulta has a large supple of these head wraps at the store and online.  I grew my hair out this year and thus have been trying to be more fashionable.  I started wearing these cute head wraps and have gotten so many compliments on them.   I also wear them when I work out to keep my hair back and out of my face.

9. Eataly- I recently went with a friend to Chicago’s Eatly for the day.  Being a part of the culinary world, this place is my cup of tea.  Opened in 2013 in Chicago, Eataly t has been a mecca for people since.  Eataly is the largest Italian marketplace in the world, comprising a variety of restaurants, food and beverage counters, bakery, retail items, and a cooking school.  I was there for about 4 hour.  My friend and I did some wine tasting, ate a delicious charcuterie plate, and did some shopping.  It was a fun afternoon.  It was also very crowded with people.  I think that had more to do with it being a Saturday, thus next time I go I will be making the trip during the weekday.  
Check out this link for more info on Eataly 
http://www.eataly.com/us_en/

http://chicago.seriouseats.com/2014/03/the-serious-eats-guide-to-conquering-eataly-chicago.html