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December 24, 2012

Boozy Fruity Mulled Cider


I’ve wanted a Crock Pot for a looooooooong time. Most of the magazines I subscribe to include slow cooker recipes and I always felt slighted because I never had one. In the back of my head I kept thinking about the space a Crock Pot takes up and how often I’d use it and I could never fully make the plunge to purchase one.  Would I only be able to braise meat in it? Would it be a dust collector in my garage? Hmmm.

But then I started entertaining and I realized that maybe I do need one.  Everyone who has one says they love theirs and use it often and apparently it helps you save a lot of time while entertaining. So yeah! Sign me up.

The kind people of Crock Pot offered me one of my very own and of course I said yes. They launched a new brand of customizable Crock-Pots and I jumped right on their super classy black Damask design. They have a cool feature where you can add some of your own photos to the design and while I wanted to fully customize mine…the pictures I’d put on my Crock-Pot probably would be filled with inside jokes that I couldn’t fully explain to the internet.  Catch my drift?

I came up with this Boozy Fruity Mulled Cider as something to offer my guests this Christmas. It’s kind of like a mix between spicy mulled cider, sangria and a bourbon punch. It’s sweet and tangy and tastes like Christmas time. It’s guaranteed to warm you up on a cold winter day.  What I like about this drink  is that I can plug it in, set it on a table and direct people to another place other than my kitchen. You know how everyone loves to hang out in the kitchen….while we’re all trying to work!

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My Everyday Life: Week 51

Here’s what this past week looked like:

Getting ready for bed.

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December 21, 2012

I love lists, Friday!

  1. THIS IS SO INSPIRING!!!  Yay, YOGA.
  2. Have you seen this Hipster Thanksgiving? I die.
  3. The Rebirth of  Slow Blogging. Can we really slow down? I hope so!
  4. Both of these cookies look AMAZING.
  5. Custard Orange Vanilla Brioche French Toast? *Drools*
  6. Grumpy Cat. Are you obsessed? I am…
  7. Oh auto correct….how you entertain me!!!!
  8. Avoiding Over Commitment & Enjoying the week of Christmas. YES!
  9. 20 Terrifyingly Awkward Christmas Portraits. You’re welcome.
  10. I didn’t want to like this, but I do!
  11. Shine Bright Like A Diamond.  Get inspired.
  12. Want a good read? The Web We Lost.
  13. I should be eating this salad, but all I can eat is cookies. Can’t stop/won’t.
  14. I’m hoping that this book I just ordered is gonna set me straight in 2013.
  15. 50 Things to Stop Doing Forever. 
  16. I hope one day I’m able to carve out time and make one of these necklaces.

There’s a new Joy the Baker podcast this week! MERRY EAT-MAS to you.

We’re stress eating. It’s real.

 

My Bites Around the Net:

Make it Snappy made my White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels.

Guy and His Girl  made my Candied Citrus Peels.

Cut the Cookie made my Flourless Chocolate Coconut Drops.

Stir and Strain adapted my Super Fudgy Brownies.

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December 20, 2012

Tomato-Parsley Bloody Marys

Before we all had kids, Casey and I used to go bowling regularly with his sister & her husband on lazy weekend afternoons.  What do I remember most from those times besides being able to sleep in super late? The killer Bloody Marys we used to inhale. The bowling alley we frequented had a CRAZY deal on $2 Bloody Marys during happy hour and we took welllllllll advantage of that.  To say it improved our bowling game is an understatement.

There was something about those bowling alley Bloody Marys  that sealed my love for Bloody Marys. Must have been the horseradish… I also love Worcestershire & tons of pepper in my Bloody Mary. I can’t get enough! The celery is a fun addition too.

Here’s my first attempt at making Bloody Marys. It’s ridiculously easy. I don’t think I’ll ever rely on Bloody Mary mix again! You best believe this will be on the menu for brunches yet to come. I know what we’re drinking the morning after I host Christmas at my house…

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December 18, 2012

Treat Yo’self (and others!)

Last minute baking/cooking/infusing help is HERE!!! We’re gonna brainstorm with my recipe archives.

Ready? ALL SYSTEMS GO!

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December 17, 2012

Candy Cane Vodka

While googling for fun facts about candy canes, I found out that first candy cane was made over 350 years ago and for the first 200 years they were solid white.  Can you imagine a candy cane without stripes! CRAZY.  I also discovered that National Candy Cane day is on December 26th. That means we should drink this candy cane vodka to celebrate! Take all of your broken candy canes (which should be PLENTY) and do something with them.

Candy Cane Vodka is really the simplest of recipes. Two ingredients are required candy canes & vodka. How could you go wrong? And look at that color of this concoction! It’s the most brilliant shade of red!

Can I also note how fun it is to break candy canes ON PURPOSE. There’s just something about it that delights me.

Imagine a mug full of spiked peppermint hot chocolate with whipped cream and a teeny candy cane hanging off the edge.

I just figured out what I am drinking tonight.

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My Everyday Life: Week 50

Here’s what this past week looked like:

Connecticut has been on my mind. It doesn’t make sense. How could it?

Somehow life goes on. Life MUST go on. Life DOES go on. My thoughts & prayers go out to the families who are suffering the tremendous pain of loss.

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