Holiday cards are ordered, tree is up, mantle is decorated and most of my holiday presents should arrive soon so I can wrap them all up…but what am I giving out for my homemade gift this year? Not sure! I have my on a coconut blondie recipe and am thinking of some type of infusion or something! I don’t know… we still have plenty of time to make homemade gifts. Let’s dip into my archives and brainstorm all the things we could easily make for our loved ones this holiday season!
A little inspiration for your weekend- And I Quote:
Here’s what My Everyday Life – Week 49 looked like:
I am obsessed with my new stars.
Cozy corner.
Reflected pajamas.
My holiday wrapping paper vibe.
She loves the new tree skirt.
Festive.
She’s a fan of the new deer.
Old Fashioned !
It rained heavily this week. It was awesome.
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Sometimes you want cake but you don’t have any. Sometimes you fantasize about driving to the store to buy a single slice of cake but then you find yourself unmotivated to do so….so you sit on your couch imagining all of the things you could eat instead of cake, but then you figure out you just need fairy toast. Fairy toast /bread is usually sweetened butter smeared on toast and hit up with a heavy dose of sprinkles. I took that idea and ran with it. I mixed a little powdered sugar in with cream cheese to make something very close to cream cheese frosting. I spread it on toast and topped it with sprinkles. Cake craving satisfied. I really should keep an extra slice of cake in the freezer….
To see more of my Thursday Snack Ideas, follow my Pinterest Board!
Let’s not forget that with all of the commotion of cookie baking, home decorating, DIY gift making and gift procuring that we need to make a real weeknight dinner. As much as I love snack dinner, my family needs a home cooked meal every once in awhile.
I was making room in my pantry for my December baking bonanza and I noticed that I had two jars of apricot jam that needed to be used. A trip to the store for chicken and not too long after we have Apricot Glazed Chicken for dinner.
The apricot glaze in this recipe is ridiculously simple. All pantry staples–soy sauce, hot mustard, apricot jam and garlic. The original recipe called for 8 chicken thighs and that amount would have been just fine…but I happen to LOVE the apricot glaze, so I downsized and left the sauce amount the same. I roasted bunch of carrots on a baking sheet with the chicken in the oven and made a batch of rice in the rice cooker . The chicken is tender, crispy, caramelized and that sauce is so wonderful spooned over the rice. If you’re looking for additional heat, a little sriracha drizzled on top makes it extra delicious.
I’m going through a transition right now. I’m starting to (big gulp) like GOLD. I KNOW I KNOW, I don’t know what happened. If I told 20 year old Tracy who was a super stubborn SILVER ONLY lover, she would never believe me. She would also never believe that I am into fancy china and feel OK about capers now. It’s funny how your tastes change, huh?
I was approached by Pier 1 to put together something Christmas related for my blog and so I thought it would be a good opportunity to test the waters on a Golden holiday. You know how much I loooooove to decorate a table & a mantle! Here’s the thing though about this gold situation— I like a lighter gold– like a more champagne-like gold. The kind that you’re not sure if it’s silver or gold… Oh and I’m also starting to really like old brass. So, that’s what we’re working with. Out of all of the Christmas Themes that Pier 1 has going on this year, I felt like their Champagne Shimmer Collection would work well with what I had in mind.
