Monday, December 23, 2013

A Holiday Break

Can you believe Christmas is in two days? I could not be more excited to slow down a little bit and really savor the season around the tree with family and friends.  I am looking forward to a little break here, I will be popping in here and there to share some of my favorite moments from the year, so stay tuned.  I hope that you have a restful and beautiful holiday season.  Thank you for making this year so fantastic! To 2014!

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Friday, December 20, 2013

Celebrating the Holidays:: Pomegranate Gin Fizz {I HAVE MOVED TO ROSE & IVY JOURNAL)

What else could be a better way to end a week filled with festive ideas and treats than with a holiday inspired cocktail? Even though I do not drink, I like to have a seasonal drink to greet company when they arrive.  This year I wanted to create a vibrant red cocktail that would brighten the season so I decided to make a Pomegranate Gin Fizz, a perfect way to incorporate my favorite fruit, the pomegranate. This cocktail is an infusion of freshly squeezed orange juice that is topped off with pomegranate juice and seeds and finished with sparkling water and gin -  I incorporated Martin Miller's Gin into this cocktail which rounded it out perfectly.  If you are looking for an easy drink this holiday season, I recommend it! And with that, I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend! I will spend mine finishing my shopping list, putting up our tree (I was sick last weekend and sadly missed our annual tradition of cutting down the tree) and having a small holiday get together. Have a great one!  Continue for more...

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Thursday, December 19, 2013

Holiday Baking:: The Ultimate Sugar Cookie

If you love to bake, or even if you don't it is essential to have a go-to cake recipe, a must-have chocolate chip cookie recipe and finally a great sugar cookie recipe to fall upon when you have last minutes guests or birthdays. I was without the latter until reading the December issue of Bon Appétit where a recipe for the Ultimate Sugar Cookie was revealed on the cover.   These cookies are beyond chewy and have the prefect ratio of sweetness to buttery goodness. I decided to tap  into my inner artist by painting the royal icing with a beautiful colored luster dust as they suggested in the magazine and the result was so pretty.  The cookies glistened under the twinkling lights and made for a great desert served alongside a cup of hot cocoa.  Continue for more...