Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs!!!!!!

Thank you so much for sending your holiday traditions and recipes and please please please keep them coming, I would love to continue this through the new year!

I have some great recipes for you this week, have a fabulous weekend!

The first holiday tradition comes from Cara: The recipe for Maggie's Favorite Cranberry Cookies is found in the children's Christmas book Cranberry Christmas - a 70's classic children's book my mom used to read me in the winter.  We first made these easy sweet and tart cookies together when I was really little.


Maggie's Favorite Cranberry Cookies From “Cranberry Christmas,” by Wende and Harry Devlin, 1976  

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
2 Tblsp lemon juice
3 cups fresh (or frozen) cranberries, stemmed and chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375. Measure flour, baking powder, soda and salt into a bowl; stir with a fork to mix.

Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl till fluffy; beat in egg, milk and lemon juice. Stir in flour a little at a time, until well blended; stir in cranberries and walnuts. Drop dough by teaspoons full, about one inch apart onto greased cookie sheets.

Bake 15 minutes, or till firm and golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes about 8 dozen cookies. 

Blue Cheese Orzo

Ingredients:
2/3 cup of orzo
1 can of fat free chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
2 heaping tablespoons mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons blue cheese
1/3 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and wrung out
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1- Heat the butter in a small skillet. Add the orzo, stir until some pieces are browned.
2- Pour in the chicken broth, cook until most of the liquid absorbs and the pasta is cooked.
3- Add the spinach and cheeses. Stir until well combined. Taste- add seasonings as desired.

Easy-Five Mexican Dip

1/2 lb. (8 oz.), Velveeta 

VELVEETA Pasteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 oz.  (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed

1/2 tsp.  ground cumin

1 tomato, chopped 

Mix all ingredients except tomatoes in microwaveable bowl.  

Microwave on HIGH 4 min. or until VELVEETA and cream cheese are melted and mixture is well blended, stirring every 2 min.  

Stir in tomatoes. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

And last but not least is from a fellow blogger at YAMS Designs.  Lindsay unknowingly holds a special place in my heart because she was my first blog friend and I think she rocks.

Lindsay's cookies

Every year growing up, about a week - 2 weeks before Christmas, my mom would set aside a Saturday and bake her face off. My absolute favorite recipe of hers was the Kolaczki recipe she made. They were her mom's favorite cookies and a Christmas tradition for her since she was a baby. When I was little she would let me help her spoon in the jelly filling or sprinkle the powdered sugar on top. Her mom, my grandma, died Thanksgiving 1995. Ever since then, baking of these cookies has been especially important to me. My mom continues making her own recipe. Matt (the better half) and I have adopted his mom's recipe as our own to keep the kolaczki train rolling. This is her recipe that she brought over from Poland when she came here at the age of 18 :)

• 1 pound butter
• stick of cream cheese
• pinch of salt 
• 1 and half cups flour. 
• Mix all of the above & refrigerate for two hours. 

-Roll out to about 1/4" thick - Dough will be very sticky (this is good!) you will need A LOT of floor on the rolling pin and the surface you roll it out on. And you will need to keep adding it. 

-Cut out circles with a cup or glass, about 2" in diameter. Create a small indent or well in the center of each with fingers or the back of a teaspoon.

-Add jelly of your choice (small jar of raspberry, strawberry, apricot, etc), about 1/2 - 1 tsp each

-Bake 30 mins or so at 350 degrees. The rims will just be beginning to brown. Let cool.

-Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Blazers- not just for suits anymore!

Hey lovebugs! Happy Thursday to you!  I hope you had a wonderful week and are planning an even better weekend.

I wanted to ask if you might be interested in sharing some of your holiday traditions with me for Friday Foodday.  I would just love to include them tomorrow and over the next couple of weeks.  Recipes, stories, outfit ideas, outfit flops, whatever comes to mind please just send it on in!

Today we're going to talk about blazers.  If you watch TLC's What Not to Wear, Clinton and Stacy are obsessed with blazers and jackets and for good reason! They complete any outfit and add another layer for a transitional climate.  Blazers are truly as versatile as accessories.  You can pair them with jeans, LBDs, work wear, you name it.  Here are some of my picks:

Aryn K., Chain detail blazer, $99

I'm obsessed with this single button blazer. It's so soft but with the chain detailing projects a rocker edge.  

Bloomingdales, vintage havana knit-fleece lined blazer, $75
I like the relaxed feel of this blazer with the dropped breast pocked and slouchy feel. And the color is very understated so I would pair it would something feminine like a dress.

Forever 21, allover sequin blazer, $25
If you haven't noticed sequins are rocking this season.  Let them play off a traditionally professional piece like this blazer and party like it's 2011.

Modcloth, Lace in the morning blazer, $85
The other trend is lace. In any color.  Look a this sweet blazer- I like it with a chunky turtleneck now and with a colorful sun dress later.

Ann Taylor, Deluxe velvet blazer, $89
I've saved my favorite for last.  There is so much awesome going on in this piece I can't even stand it.  Double button to lock-and-load the girls, full length sleeves, darting at the slimmest part of the waist, perfect waist crop, slit side pockets, in a glorious chocolate fudgey brown velvet.  

Holiday 9-5

My good friend asked me yesterday what she should wear to her during office hours holiday party.  And while we could go on and on about the perfect holiday party dress, I thought, what does one wear to a 9-5 party?  So, after some looking here is what I came up with that I think is professional and festive!

Also- I know you have an awesome Christmas recipe you want to share! Send it in to me for Friday Foodday1

Anne Klein, Ribbed Sweater Dress, $88

How cute is this? some patterned tights and you're good to go!

Urban Outfitters, Cooperative Velvet Bow Blouse, $58

I love this top and I would pair it with velvet trousers or....

White House Black Market, red crepe skirt, $29

Pairing this with the Urban blouse.

Ann Taylor, Signature Velvet Trousers, $69

Be not afraid of velvet in the winter time! So luxurious and chic!

Forever 21, Chunky Collar Necklace, $12.80

When in doubt for holiday couture, accessorize!

Guest Post- Saving time, money, and your sanity this holiday season!

Thanks so much to The Millennial Housewife for doing a guest post swap with me! Enjoy!

A big thank you to my host today - The Capital Barbie!  She was gracious enough to guest post for me last week over on The Millennial Housewife and has invited me to guest for her. 

 Saving time, money, and your sanity this holiday season!

Since The Capital Barbie and I decided to guest post for one another, I have been racking my brain to come up with a fresh post about saving tons of money this holiday season.  Who am I kidding??  We all go overboard every year when we think we won’t.   It is just hard to plan for all of the trinkets and gadgets - especially for those of us with small children - their interests change on a daily basis.  So, while I would love to tell you that I plan ahead and have my shopping done in August - I don’t! 

Now wait, that doesn’t mean the The Millennial Housewife doesn’t work hard to save during the holidays.   I do have a few simple tips to help you save a little here and there! 

Tip #1 - Save at the Grocery Store:

Now is the time to stock up on your holiday feast ingredients.  I have already hit TWO sales at our local grocery store on chicken broth and cream soups.  I use both of those ingredients a lot - so when I can stock up on them, it really helps the grocery bill.   Watch your sale ads carefully, and have a rough idea of what your holiday menu is going to be.  When you see an item go on sale - grab it!  Not only will you have saved a little bit on your bill, but you will have that chore done when it comes time to start cooking!

Another advantage to doing this now - if you haven’t begun couponing, this is a good way to break yourself in.  You will already be training yourself to watch the store ads and you will know when a  price is good or GREAT!

Tip #2 - Earn Money while you shop

Even if you only do a little shopping on-line - sign up for a cash back program.  I’m sorry that I hadn’t signed up earlier last year while doing my shopping.  There are several different cash back programs out there, but here are two that I am familiar with:

Ebates

Shopscotch

I use these programs EVERY time that I shop online - and yes, I actually have received a check!

Tip #3 - Slow down and enjoy the season

I know that it is easier said than done, but take a breath and enjoy yourself!  Up until last year, I found myself stressed to the max about the holidays.  I would freak out over money, not enough gifts, would I get everything done….I could go on.  I ruined Christmas for myself every year, because I never took the time to really enjoy the season with my family.   Here are a few fun ideas to help make the holidays special for you and your family:

1.  Bake Cookies

2.  Drive around and look at all of the beautiful lights

3.  Visit Santa

4.  Sing Christmas Carols and drink hot cocoa

5.  Start a new holiday tradition

Always remember the reason for the season and have a Merry Christmas!

The Millennial Housewife