Warm and Cozy

Lovebugs.  I'm sick.  It's official.  Welcome to winter.  My face feels like a water bed.  Major bummer.

While I would love to offer you an adorable intro to today's post, it's pretty much this:

This is what I really want to be wearing right now.

Nordstrom, Shimera knit pjs, $58

LL Bean, Wicked good moccasins, $49.50

Nick & Nora, footed pajamas, $23

Charter Club, Super Soft Set, $18

Forever 21, warm slipper socks, $10.80

Stay warm and healthy this week!

Be fabulous today.

Guest Post- What Will You Do Differently Next Year?

Today's guest post is from LadyxMusketeer .  We are doing a blog swap about what we will do differently next year.  She rocks, go check out her blog if you get a chance.  And look for my post over on her site later today!

 

The topic is Action: What will you do next year that you’ve been putting off for too long?  So what will I do next year that I’ve been putting off for too long? 

I will learn to love myself.

It sounds simple, to love oneself,  I’m aware but in actuality it is one of the hardest things that I think anyone could possibly do.  I know for me it’s been one helluva struggle. To be able to actually like who I am  as an individual and to like what I see in the mirror on a daily basis is difficult. I’ve always struggled with fully loving myself and this year has been no different. However, I did not actively try to love myself this year. Instead I opted to pretend to love myself whenever I was in the presence of others or to sit and feel sorry for myself.

This insecurity has followed me around for some time now. There have been times where I have tried to learn to love myself but I would then turn around and allow a single negative comment to completely throw me off track. I’m here to say, not any longer. This year will mark a new beginning for me. I am going to actively work on loving myself. Not partially. Not three quarters of the way. The whole enchilada.

I WILL love myself. I WILL change what needs to be changed in order to achieve that goal. I will buckle down and make the effort to go to the gym on a more regular basis. I will look inwards to my faith for strength and deliverance when the going gets tough. I am going to do this because 2011 is the year for change. I will be happy with who I am and be comfortable in the skin I am in, once and for all. No longer will I let one persons opinion of me completely tarnish the way I view myself. After all, it is just that, one persons opinion. I will not depend upon what others think to make me happy. I will make myself happy.

So, give me your best shot 2011, try to break me down but I will learn to finally be at peace with who I am and love myself unconditionally.

Until next time,

LadyxMusketeer  

Friday Foodday

Hey lovebugs! It's Friday Foodday! I'm so excited! Today I am featuring a special recipe and holiday tradition from a fellow blogger, an awesome recipe from a great friend and a classic holiday recipe from my friends from Orlando.


If you have a holiday recipe or tradition that you would like featured, please send it along to me! I would just love to see it!!!!

Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon
c/o Stilettos and Diaper Bags

With the holidays around the corner and the snow outside keeping everything cold, I decided it was time to make my yearly savory dish of macaroni and cheese with bacon. I make this dish just once a year because it is not very good for you, but it is VERY good! I'm sure you could tweak the recipe and make it lower fat, but what fun is that?! Here's what you will need to make this dish:

Ingredients

1 box of elbow macaroni

6 slices bacon, diced

1 tablespoon butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups 2% milk

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup (4oz.) shredded colby-jack cheese

1 cup (4oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

8 slices (6oz.) american cheese 

Directions

1) pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 3-quart broiler-safe dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring a large post of lightly salted water to boiling.

2) cook elbow macaroni in boiling water, then drain. Meanwhile, in medium size sauce pan, cook bacon over med. heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Carefully pour off drippings, returning 2 tablespoons to pan. Add butter

3) whisk in flour until smooth. In a thin stream, whisk in milk. Stir in onion powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over med. heat, then reduce heat and simmer 2 mins. In a large bowl, toss together cheddar, colby-jack, and mozzarella cheese. 

4) remove milk mixture from heat. whisk in american cheese and 1 1/4 cups of the cheddar mixture. Toss bacon pieces with remaining shredded cheese. 

5) in pasta pot, combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce. Pour half into prepared dish. Sprinkle with a generous cup of the bacon-cheese mixture. Repeat layering. 

6) Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Then broil for 3 mins or until top is golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.

ENJOY! This is one of my favorite recipes. I pulled it out of a magazine a few years ago and don't remember which one. Sorry! Hope you all have a wonder holiday season! For more recipes check out my blog the week of Dec. 20-24 for cookie week. 

Cream Wafers*

c/o LPU

My family fights over them every year and they never last until Christmas!

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter                                        

1/2 cup granulated sugar

½ cup whipping cream (the real stuff)             

1 cup Creamy butter filling

2 cups flour

Directions

Mix butter and whipping cream together.  Whipping cream does not need to be whipped.  Measure flour.  Mix butter cream and flour together. Chill dough for at least an hour.

Heat oven to 375 °.

 Roll dough to 1/8". Cut into circles or stars.

 Place sugar in a pie tin.  Transfer cookie to sugar and coat both sides with sugar.

 Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Prick cookies several times with a fork.

 Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until cookies are slightly puffy and lightly browned. Put on cooling rack. They're delicate so be gentle with them.

Put two cookies together with filling.

Butter Cream Frosting

1/4 cup soft butter

3/4 cup confectionary sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together.  Add powdered sugar until the filling is stiff enough to frost cookies.  Add food coloring of your choosing to make them festive!

*Note- I had the honor of stuffing my face with about 7 of these.  They're amazing.

Marshmallow Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

c/o Ritz Carlton Grand Lakes Orlando Pastry Team

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

2 cups of chocolate chips

1 bag mini marshmallows

2 sticks of unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Directions

-Preheat oven to 375.

-Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.  Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer until creamy.  Add eggs, beating well after each addition.

-Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Scoop out about one tablespoon of the cookie dough and shape into a ball.  With your finger make a hole in the center, stuff 2-3 marshmallows into the dough and then seal back up.

-Place each ball of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet and press lightly.  Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes.

If these recipes don't warm up your holiday, I don't know what will!  I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

Be fabulous today! 

Winter Coat Perfection

My good friend asked me yesterday to find her a great winter coat.  I thought, yeah of course, no problem! But then I really thought about the winter coat.  Do you realize how important that is?  This is a staple for almost half of the year.  You wear it every single day to work, to the store, out on the town; and it's something everyone sees you in!  This is huge.

But, after some searching I came up with some pretty good picks.  She wanted a dark colored coat, not belted. Please also note that she said she is willing to drop more than $100 on it so that is why you will see some pricier options.  Let us begin...

Banana Republic, Ruffle Car Coat, $225

Hello chic and versatile.  I love this coat! I'm a huge fan of the car coat length, I have one myself, but look at this great waistline AND detailing on the sleeves.

J Crew Factory, tweed carlin coat, $138

I'm thinking Audrey Hepburn would have definitely wore this.

Nordstrom, Steve Madden toggle coat, $99

I love this coat.  Kind of sporty but that rounded collar give so much girly flare.

Dillard's, Antonio Melani Stand up collar coat, $149

I love the swing effect of this coat, and the purple would pair great with colorful scarves.

Macy's, Michael Kors standing collar, $170

Hi, my name is gorgeous.

Macy's, DKNY Julie empire waist with hood, $140

I LOVE this coat! Hooded, knee length, nips in at the waist and it comes in a bunch of gorgeous colors!

So those are some of my picks for her.  I think they're awesome because they are super warm, professional and fashionable.  Winter coats come in all sorts of shapes and sizes so make sure you know your size before purchasing.  Also, don't forget to love your tailor.  Don't love the hemline on the coat? No problem, buy it and take it to the tailor and make it fit you and your style.

Be fabulous today!