mini doughnut magic

no wonder the movies make fun of cops and doughnuts.  those suckers are good.  especially when they are homemade, like in my case.

i used wilton's mini doughnut pan (currently available at sur la table - love that store).  required for this baking adventure: patience and a lot of time.  these suckers are in the oven for 10 minutes and then cool for a minute in the pan before you pop them out.  let them cool any longer, and you risk a doughnut catastrophe - trust me, you don't want this.  that's why i recommend getting two pans, so you can have one in the oven at all times.  

next time, i might try red velvet with cream cheese or a ganache coating.  or the standard cake doughnut but with some fancy schmancy decorating, like these.  

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wine wednesday: nostrada tempranillo

holy cow.  this wine is ah-mazing.  and its only $7.  if you are a newbie red wine drinker, i would suggest getting in your car right now and driving to your local wine store.  purchase 5 bottles - heck that's not even $40.  you won't regret it.


i first discovered this wine back in december when we hosted our holiday party.  ryan and i went to total wine {our local wine warehouse} to get some wine for our party.  the criteria, a good red and a good wine for under $10 a bottle {after all we bought close to 20 bottles for this shindig}.  our wine consultant was this snotty white haired man, who appeared like he couldn't be bothered with our measly budget.  but according to our dave ramsey envelopes, $200 was all we had to spend on wine.  luckily he actually did a pretty darn good job recommending some wine.  one of the brands was this nostrada tempranillo.  


wine: nostrada tempranillo
price: usually under $8




this wine has a smooth palate, full of cherry and plums.  its a great everyday wine and can stand up with a meal or without one.  very freshing and medium bodied.


have a favorite red wine?  please do tell.  i'm always looking for recommendations!

outdoor dining

got some extra sod laying around?  why not use it to top your table with, like family chic did.  i simply adore this idea.  what a fabulous way to "go green" with your decorating!

california dreamin

today i'm loving this pink bungalow in california.  spotted on house beautiful, the playful patterns and bold colors are right up my alley.  look at that adorable white sea turtle table, perfect for a beach bungalow.  

i love this couch - wonder if that would fly in my house?  
i've saved the best for last...

i die over this pink refrigerator!  

composting has commenced

you may recall, composting research had been appearing on my goal lists for a few months in a row.  well, naturally the one time i don't put anything about it on my goals, is when i actually do it.  inspired by john and sherry @ younghouselove, my dad and ryan i set out to create my own compost bin.


last weekend, my dad drilled the holes into the bin for me.  this weekend, ryan loaded it with dried leaves and soil.  i dumped the scraps i'd collected for a few days into the bin, and then ryan went to town mixing it all up.  ta-dah, the compost bin was born.

all in all, this project cost less than $10.  the bin was free from my dad.  the leaves were free from my neighbor who piles them in the back area for everyone to see but her.  the only costs were the airtight container to store food scraps in {roughly $7 from target} and a few bucks for some soil.  i know, i was pretty shocked we could find enough free soil too!  


what green ideas have you implemented into your home?

baker's best friend

if you find yourself struggling with your "nonstick" cookie sheets then you need to meet a baker's best friend: the silpat mat.

i received mine a few years ago as a birthday gift and use it regularly.  i use mine for everything, from cookies, to granola, to pizza crust.  the best part, it never needs greasing.  its a great substitute for parchment paper and can be used thousands of times {saving money and the environment at the same time}.  the best part, you can wipe it clean with a damp cloth and then shake the excess water off to dry.  

the makers of silpat, have also made roul'pat.  according to their website, this mat is best for working with doughs when rolling/kneading is called for, as it has a specially designed side that prevents it from moving around on counter tops.  i'm putting this on my wish list - and saying goodbye to flour dusted counter tops, floors, and aprons!  

cup cookies

in honor of my mom's birthday, i made her some cup cookies.  i don't mean to toot my own horn, but they were incredibly good.  the idea came from one of my new favorite blogs, the decorated cookie.

my mom's favorite flower is a tulip, so i used tulip cookie cutters to make the "cupcake".  i also used daisy and hearts for some others.  i found the adorable cupcake liners from my local craft store.  seriously, get over to michaels if you have one in your area, they have just overhauled their baking section and have tons of cupcake liners.  its a miracle i made it out with only one style.  


this is definitely an idea i'll keep in rotation.  next time, chocolate icing! 

saving grace

my saving grace.  nothing beats cheese, crackers, and wine, in my opinion.  what do you turn too when you're stressed out, feeling sad, or looking to unwind?

happy birthday mom!

today is a very special day.  it's my mom's birthday!  

my mom is where i get my craftiness and baking skills from.  she's always willing to help me with a project or bail me out of a craft disaster.  about once a week we are sending recipes or pictures of new baking adventures we want to try together.  happy birthday mom, thanks for being such a sweet inspiration!  love you!


ps.  that's my mom's adorable dog, brody, with her.  he's a heart breaker ladies. 

love this.

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i love this kitchen curtain.  and so easy to do - just print out EAT with your favorite font and trace using a fabric market.  another option is to make an iron-on-transfer.  of course that would mean using the iron and that hasn't seen the light of day in months days. 

out with the old..

...and in with the new.  

after 5 years of driving stick shift in the worst traffic ever...

i purchased myself a new car on saturday.  its a nissan cube and i'm in love.

menu planning

let's try this menu planning thing again.  i did a pretty good job last month with picking menus and shopping, i just never got around to posting the menus.  i've found that menu planning is by far the best way for me to save money on food and time in the kitchen.  i grocery shop on wednesdays and then use thursday night to prep any items needed throughout the next week of meals.  its so nice to be able to open the fridge and see the green peppers already diced, the mushrooms sliced, and the cheese shredded - and its one less step to do after work!  


here's what's cookin' this week:
tuesday : asian shrimp salad
wednesday : chicken and white bean enchiladas
thursday : leftovers
friday - sunday : out of town

monday : grilling out

tuesday : leftovers/big salad

what's cookin in your kitchen this week?

happy birthday kelsey!

while many people will celebrate america's independence today, my family celebrates another special occasion.  today my sister kelsey, turns 20!  happy birthday kelsey!!

have a safe and happy fourth everyone!

goals: let's recap

well june was hot.  my to-do, not so much.  but what's a gal to do when the pool opens and the weather is beautiful? 

craftiness :

 
: make summer wreath - fail.  but i have the materials.
: wine cork project - in progress.  let's just say cutting 175 corks in half, isn't quite as easy as you might think.
: new piece of jewelry - see it here.

healthy habits :

: keep up garden - all ryan, but i'll take the credit.
: active 4 days a week - for the most part, this was successful.
: eat balanced meals
: menu planning

food & fun :

: new grill recipe

: entertain

: happy hour in d.c.

other :

: relax
: don't lose all my money at lake tahoe casino
: donate books to charity : ready to go but haven't made trip yet.
: clean baseboards

hopefully july bodes better for me.  between a few trips planned and hopefully lazy weekends at the pool, it could be difficult. 

craftiness :

: finish wine cork project

: new piece of jewelry

healthy habits :

: balanced breakfasts

: cut down soda consumption

: less processed foods, more natural foods

food & fun :

: make popsicles 

: entertain

: avoid getting another ticket while at dmb show

other : 

: clean windows

: organize under kitchen sink

sunflower cake pops

its summer.  its sunny.  so in honor of those things, and kelsey's induction as honored queen, last weekend, my mom and i made some sunflower cake pops.

aren't they adorable?

  

and aren't we adorable?

things you'll need to make them :

-sour baby tears {used for petals}

-yellow and brown candy melts

-lollipop sticks

-chocolate icing {used as center dollop}

-terra cotta pots

-styrofoam

-spanish moss