Squarespace Blog / "holiday"
How did you spend your St. Patricks Day?
So my lucky duck boys got to spend their Spring Break in Florida with Nana & Papa. They came back on the night of St. Patricks day - and I figured after Florida... how could I compete with that??? I left work early and hit the store - trying to come up with any fun green ideas I could as fast and cheap as possible - while still putting together a real meal... Let the Montage begin...
Green Mini Pizza's: I bought Grands Jr's... Squished them out... sponged them with green food coloring... Baked them for about 5 minuts... topped them with their favorite pizza toppings and then baked for about another 7 minutes.
Sugar Free Cupcake Mix - Green Food Coloring - White Frosting - Green Sprinkles.
Instant festive treats that were the highlight of the night :)
A little green Pizza for Ms. Rozzlyn & some pears on her favorite green sectioned Nuby plate.
The boys had their green pizza - some Green pouches of applesauce - on green plates... with some green strawberry kiwi natural sparkling water. (They thought their "soda" was SOOOOO cool and little did they know it had none of the usual junk soda does.)
And they each got a goodie bag full of random green treats... I gotta say - I hit this holiday out of the park... they were SO SO happy with their surprise St. Patrick's Day "party".
Read more →
Green Mini Pizza's: I bought Grands Jr's... Squished them out... sponged them with green food coloring... Baked them for about 5 minuts... topped them with their favorite pizza toppings and then baked for about another 7 minutes.
Sugar Free Cupcake Mix - Green Food Coloring - White Frosting - Green Sprinkles.
Instant festive treats that were the highlight of the night :)
A little green Pizza for Ms. Rozzlyn & some pears on her favorite green sectioned Nuby plate.
The boys had their green pizza - some Green pouches of applesauce - on green plates... with some green strawberry kiwi natural sparkling water. (They thought their "soda" was SOOOOO cool and little did they know it had none of the usual junk soda does.)
And they each got a goodie bag full of random green treats... I gotta say - I hit this holiday out of the park... they were SO SO happy with their surprise St. Patrick's Day "party".
Christmas Wish Lists... Me first!
Its that time of year again... where i begin drooling over oodles and oodles of etsy goodies that I would just LOVE to have for myself and or the kids... Ill spend the next 4 days putting together the ultimate etsy wish lists for me and the kiddo's :) and maybe daddy too....
My favorites!
#1: Missy Industry: I WILL have this skull ring someday... and this Misfit necklace... does that count as two? Well... as long as they come shipped in the same box - its only one.... right?
2: AuntDedesBasement: This necklace holder would be SOOOOO amazing in my bedroom. Must. Have.
3: TieMeUpAprons: Omg. Omg. OMMMMGGGGG. I need this for baking. Eating low carb now I do a lot of from scratch dessert baking.... and I NEEEEED this. Need. Not want. Need. Its Kawaii. And Cupcakes. and a Panda. Enough said.
4: ReLovePlanet: Unicorns? And Rainbows? On a slouchy pink hoodie? duh.
5:Elsiegeneva - Crochet Hook Case - another NEED since they're all sitting in a wamart bag right now... would be nice to have a little organization for my new hobby!
That concludes my top 5 Etsy wish list Christmas goodies!! If anyone of you would like to do a review & giveaway here at the blog/facebook I'd love to host you!
Read more →
My favorites!
#1: Missy Industry: I WILL have this skull ring someday... and this Misfit necklace... does that count as two? Well... as long as they come shipped in the same box - its only one.... right?
2: AuntDedesBasement: This necklace holder would be SOOOOO amazing in my bedroom. Must. Have.
3: TieMeUpAprons: Omg. Omg. OMMMMGGGGG. I need this for baking. Eating low carb now I do a lot of from scratch dessert baking.... and I NEEEEED this. Need. Not want. Need. Its Kawaii. And Cupcakes. and a Panda. Enough said.
4: ReLovePlanet: Unicorns? And Rainbows? On a slouchy pink hoodie? duh.
5:Elsiegeneva - Crochet Hook Case - another NEED since they're all sitting in a wamart bag right now... would be nice to have a little organization for my new hobby!
That concludes my top 5 Etsy wish list Christmas goodies!! If anyone of you would like to do a review & giveaway here at the blog/facebook I'd love to host you!
MMmmm... Low-Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake
Low-Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake
I want to start this out saying - I absolutely HATE pumpkin pie... the gooey mushy texture, the overwhelming pumpkin flavor, just nothing does it for me. Now the crazy thing about this, is that I crave it. I just LOVE the idea of a warm, fresh pumpkin pie. I love the smell of one baking in the oven, the look of that beautiful, rich orange color... topped with some creamy cool whip. But... I just... can't.... do it! One day I went on the hunt for a delicious pumpkin dessert that would satisfy my craving but not be too over the top. (While still being low in carbs, since we eat a very low carb diet in our family) Well, let me tell you - I found it... and it BLEW. MY. MIND! Hands down my new favorite dessert no matter the party, holiday, theme, etc. Its a winning dessert that needs no excuse.
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 ½ cups almond meal
½ teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon
4 Tablespoons melted butter
4 Tablespoons Splenda
Filling:
3 8 oz packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups Splenda
1 can (about 15 oz) pumpkin
1 Tablespoon vanilla
5 eggs, preferably room temperature
½ cup heavy cream
Preparation:
Heat oven to 375 F.
Prepare springform pan: I like to put a piece of parchment paper over the bottom of the pan -- no need to cut it to size, just snap it into place when you put the tighten the sides. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in heavy-duty foil. You'll be baking the cheesecake with the springform pan set in a baking pan half-full of boiling water, so you want to protect from leaks.
1) Combine ingredients for crust, and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown.
2) Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl and beaters. This step will be repeated several times and is important. The mixture will gradually become lighter, and the denser stuff has a tendency to cling to the bowl. You won't be able to incorporate it as well later, so keep scraping.
3) Add spices and sweetener. Beat again, scrape again.
4) Add pumpkin and vanilla. Beat well, scrape.
5) Add 3 eggs. Beat well (about a minute), scrape.
6) Add the other 2 eggs and cream and beat another minute. Pour mixture into pan over crust.
7) Place pan in a baking pan and pour boiling water around the sides, about halfway up. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F. and bake for for 60 to 90 minutes, checking often after an hour. When the cake is firm to touch but slightly soft in the center, or the center reaches 150 to 155 F, remove from oven.
8) Remove sides from pan. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, or up to 3 hours. Cover and chill, ideally for another 3 to 4 hours.
Nutritional Information for full fat cream cheese, at 16 servings: Each serving has 4 grams effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber.
We borrowed this recipe from: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbthanksgiving/r/pumpkncheescake.htm
Read more →
I want to start this out saying - I absolutely HATE pumpkin pie... the gooey mushy texture, the overwhelming pumpkin flavor, just nothing does it for me. Now the crazy thing about this, is that I crave it. I just LOVE the idea of a warm, fresh pumpkin pie. I love the smell of one baking in the oven, the look of that beautiful, rich orange color... topped with some creamy cool whip. But... I just... can't.... do it! One day I went on the hunt for a delicious pumpkin dessert that would satisfy my craving but not be too over the top. (While still being low in carbs, since we eat a very low carb diet in our family) Well, let me tell you - I found it... and it BLEW. MY. MIND! Hands down my new favorite dessert no matter the party, holiday, theme, etc. Its a winning dessert that needs no excuse.
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 ½ cups almond meal
½ teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon
4 Tablespoons melted butter
4 Tablespoons Splenda
Filling:
3 8 oz packages cream cheese at room temperature
2 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups Splenda
1 can (about 15 oz) pumpkin
1 Tablespoon vanilla
5 eggs, preferably room temperature
½ cup heavy cream
Preparation:
Heat oven to 375 F.
Prepare springform pan: I like to put a piece of parchment paper over the bottom of the pan -- no need to cut it to size, just snap it into place when you put the tighten the sides. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in heavy-duty foil. You'll be baking the cheesecake with the springform pan set in a baking pan half-full of boiling water, so you want to protect from leaks.
1) Combine ingredients for crust, and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown.
2) Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl and beaters. This step will be repeated several times and is important. The mixture will gradually become lighter, and the denser stuff has a tendency to cling to the bowl. You won't be able to incorporate it as well later, so keep scraping.
3) Add spices and sweetener. Beat again, scrape again.
4) Add pumpkin and vanilla. Beat well, scrape.
5) Add 3 eggs. Beat well (about a minute), scrape.
6) Add the other 2 eggs and cream and beat another minute. Pour mixture into pan over crust.
7) Place pan in a baking pan and pour boiling water around the sides, about halfway up. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F. and bake for for 60 to 90 minutes, checking often after an hour. When the cake is firm to touch but slightly soft in the center, or the center reaches 150 to 155 F, remove from oven.
8) Remove sides from pan. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, or up to 3 hours. Cover and chill, ideally for another 3 to 4 hours.
Nutritional Information for full fat cream cheese, at 16 servings: Each serving has 4 grams effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber.
We borrowed this recipe from: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbthanksgiving/r/pumpkncheescake.htm
PLUSH RIOT!!
My girl Mandy surprised us with one of the most awesome baby gifts thus far for Ms. Rozz, a Punk Chick from Plush Riot. She is perfect size for squishing... matches Rozzlyns room PERFECTLY and is filled to the brim with plushie awesomeness... If you havn't yet had the pleasure of finding Plush Riot - I suggest checking them out... And stop by and fan their facebook page, too! Mandy gifted us with this adorable chick you see in the top left... Such a lucky girl... this basket is filled with oodles of handmade awesomeness!! Thanks again Mandy!!
Note to Self Saturday: Xmas Success!
Ohhh what a day... Cali may not be "home"... and Christmas sure doesn't feel the same when its 70 & sunny... but it sure went off without a hitch! We spent Christmas Eve at the Settimis house and it was amazing... such great company... amazing Prime Rib... and BEAUTIFUL baby girls ;) (which only helped to make me want a little lady even MORE!!) But the boys were great... they had a ton of fun... and we were able to stay until almost 11pm!! My boys are usually melting down by 7pm and ready for bed! So that was definitely a nice treat... we finished off the night with champagne & exchanging presents with hubby after the kids went to bed. It was perfect. I was the luckiest girl in the world! He got me a brand spankin new sewing machine, and bad ass camera, lol Cannon Rebel XSi... two lenses and a case. *dies* I have had SO MUCH FUN taking pictures... and was so happy to have it for xmas morning... its everything i could have possibly wanted and MORE! He definitely earned the #1 hubby award, lol.
i got him a new grill and a bunch of other randomness...
hes doing a wonderful job at being excited... though a feel like a total failure next to his gifts. lol
The boys had a ton of fun opening gifts... the kitchen & felt food has been a HUGE hit. But I think izzaq's favorite is the Melissa & Doug Birthday cake... He has been with it for like 6 hours! (yay for creative play - click photos to zoom)
My girl Ailie @ Baby Boo Felt has been so generous in helping us build our felt food collection... Not sure how likes it better, the boys or myself... but I just cant wait to start buying more :)
Zavery's favorite toy was probably the Mater truck. He loves it so much he even slept with it last night, lol
After presents there was a TON of playing... lots of snuggling... and then finally napping... kinda. (i think they were just too excited) Daddy took a good nap though... *good job daddy* while zaq napped and the boys pretended to, I started prepping stuffing. Zaq's mom makes the best sausage, rice & bread crumb stuffing... and for Thanksgiving zaq took a crack at making it... fail, lol So for x-mas it was my turn... I must say (and he will agree) i did a much better job... but it still wasn't Nana's stuffing...
Zaq was in charge of the rest... he likes cooking and holidays make it lots of fun for him to prepare the meal.
(notice the Vikings apron he got from santa... i think santa is even COOLER now that i know he shops on etsy!)
For dinner zaq made big fluffy squishy yummy rolls...
a HUGE bowl of mashed potatoes... (and this makes me laugh)
Healthy Organic milk... with about 3 sticks a butter, lol
and of course... a christmas "roast beast"...
With all the playing and eating... there was bound to be lots of snuggling... Zavery went over and plopped himself right onto the floor with his "b's" it was the cutest thing in the world...
Then after some snuggling with daddy it was time for bed...
The day was great... I couldnt have asked for anything more... and now today the countdown to Santa has switched to the countdown to Nana and Papa... The should be here in about 8 more hours! Not much time left seeing as the started the 30 hour drive yesterday! We are really excited to see them... its been about 4 months :( Hope everyone else had a great holiday! Be sure to leave some comment love, id love to hear all about your day!
Read more →
i got him a new grill and a bunch of other randomness...
hes doing a wonderful job at being excited... though a feel like a total failure next to his gifts. lol
The boys had a ton of fun opening gifts... the kitchen & felt food has been a HUGE hit. But I think izzaq's favorite is the Melissa & Doug Birthday cake... He has been with it for like 6 hours! (yay for creative play - click photos to zoom)
My girl Ailie @ Baby Boo Felt has been so generous in helping us build our felt food collection... Not sure how likes it better, the boys or myself... but I just cant wait to start buying more :)
Zavery's favorite toy was probably the Mater truck. He loves it so much he even slept with it last night, lol
After presents there was a TON of playing... lots of snuggling... and then finally napping... kinda. (i think they were just too excited) Daddy took a good nap though... *good job daddy* while zaq napped and the boys pretended to, I started prepping stuffing. Zaq's mom makes the best sausage, rice & bread crumb stuffing... and for Thanksgiving zaq took a crack at making it... fail, lol So for x-mas it was my turn... I must say (and he will agree) i did a much better job... but it still wasn't Nana's stuffing...
Zaq was in charge of the rest... he likes cooking and holidays make it lots of fun for him to prepare the meal.
(notice the Vikings apron he got from santa... i think santa is even COOLER now that i know he shops on etsy!)
For dinner zaq made big fluffy squishy yummy rolls...
a HUGE bowl of mashed potatoes... (and this makes me laugh)
Healthy Organic milk... with about 3 sticks a butter, lol
and of course... a christmas "roast beast"...
With all the playing and eating... there was bound to be lots of snuggling... Zavery went over and plopped himself right onto the floor with his "b's" it was the cutest thing in the world...
Then after some snuggling with daddy it was time for bed...
The day was great... I couldnt have asked for anything more... and now today the countdown to Santa has switched to the countdown to Nana and Papa... The should be here in about 8 more hours! Not much time left seeing as the started the 30 hour drive yesterday! We are really excited to see them... its been about 4 months :( Hope everyone else had a great holiday! Be sure to leave some comment love, id love to hear all about your day!
