Family time at Christmas

I am finally back to the East Coast after being "stuck" in CA. I say "stuck" because I love bein' in CA, so it didn't feel awful to be "stuck" but the first flight back we were able to catch was to DC instead of the NJ area. So our pup and car are still with the grandparents but The Husband had to make it into work.

Since i'm still adjusting back, I figured I'd share a couple videos of entertainment with you until i can write a real post... so here we go.

A Christmas Dance off between my family... i edited clips together to make one video. I apologize in advance. I used the "explicit" version of the song instead of the normal one. so please note... there may be cursing.



And here my niece says "dude" for a piece of bacon. LOL


Enjoy

we get the hint

One of our gifts included these.....

But no pressure, right?

Anybody else get some funny gifts this Christmas ???

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Merry Christmas!

En route to LA... Excited to spending Christmas with my family...  I will be dining on Tamales and Pozole and having a grand time with my family.

I hope yours is amazing too!

Merry Christmas ... from My California Based family to yours...

and from my NJ Family to yours...

whereever you may celebrate!

Christmas 2010

On a scale of 1-10, I think i scored a 7.5/8.0.

Typically, I am not one to enjoy Christmas or the days leading up to but this year - I made a concerted effort

• Decorated with a tree
• Ordered and sent Holiday Cards in a timely manner
• Baked some cookies (Gingerbread, French Macaroons with Ganache, Sugar Cookies, Haute Meal Cookies)
• Baked doggie Treats for neighbor pups
• Took puppy pics with reindeer Ears
• Finished 95% of Christmas Shopping right away.
• Finished 95% of Christmas Shopping right away and not B**tching about it. :)
• Checked out the White House Christmas Tree with my moms

While, i still have a lot to improve on (Stockings next year, perfect my cookies, do a holiday photo for a holiday card) I'm happy with how far I've come.

I'm excited this year... spending Christmas Eve with my In-laws and then flying to CA Christmas Morning to spend with my family.... And i'm Looking forward to 2011 :-)

Hope you have a Merry Christmas Eve... and a Merry Everything Holiday!!!

Wedding Channel's Top Engagement Ring Trends

As someone who loves jewelry, anything sparkly catches my eyes... and engagement rings are amongst my favorite to admire. WeddingChannel.com recently shared the Top 5 Engagement ring Trends so i had to share them with you.


Here's a picture of my non-traditional engagement ring from our Engagement session!

—ENGAGEMENT RING TRENDS—

Sapphires and Sexy Gemstones: Kate Middleton’s sapphire stunner from Prince William is right on trend when it comes to engagement rings. Believe it or not, diamonds aren’t daring enough for every woman, and colored stones like sapphires, emeralds and rubies are now being sought after by many brides-to-be.

WeddingChannel.com Ring Shopping Tip: When you’re shopping for a colored gemstone, you still need to be educated. Hint: The 4Cs (cut, clarity, color and carats) still apply.

Designing Your Own Custom Ring: Instead of opting to buy a designer setting from a jeweler, many grooms—inspired by celebs like Stephen Moyer, who customized Anna Paquin’s engagement ring—are choosing to play the role of designer themselves!

WeddingChannel.com Ring Shopping Tip: Once ordered, a ring can take up to six weeks to arrive. If your custom-designed ring has a ton of detail, allot even more time for delivery.

Canary and Other Colored Diamonds: From Carrie Underwood’s yellow sparkler to Carmen Electra’s black diamond—and who could forget the six-carat pink diamond Jennifer Lopez received from Ben Affleck back in the day, Hollywood loves the colored diamond. Extravagant as these engagement rings may be, they aren't just for A-listers anymore.

WeddingChannel.com Ring Shopping Tip: Be forewarned: Pinks and yellows will cost more than the traditional blue-white. But the champagne and cognacs can be budget-friendly!

Geometric Shapes: Is your soon-to-be fiancée a woman of tradition? Geometric shapes like the oval and the pear are just another take on the old-fashioned diamond—and they’re in high demand. Even the stars are embracing this trend—Katie Holmes has an oval diamond, while Katherine Heigl’s is pear-shaped.

WeddingChannel.com Ring Shopping Tip: Don’t be embarrassed to actively ask your fiancée-to-be what style she likes. Sneaky ways to do research: Ask her what she thinks of her friends’ rings, and feel free to enlist a best friend—the one whose style she admires. You may need help to get it right!

Homage to the Past: Vintage rings have an elegant style, and though they’re rich in history, they’re definitely not a tired idea. Megan Fox, Miranda Lambert and Christina Applegate have vintage (or vintage-inspired) engagement rings.

WeddingChannel.com Ring Shopping Tip: One of the many charms of vintage or antique engagement rings is that they’re available in a wide range of price points—from as little as a few hundred dollars to as much as $50,000.

My engagement ring falls into trendy unintentionally... With a fancy light yellow color and a cushion cut shape, my husband found me something that was uniquely me. Although we got a designer ring (Parade Designs), we had it customized from horizontal to a vertical center setting which really does make my ring uniquely ME! While that was not our intent when we found my ring setting, it definitely came out well suited!

A picture of my engagement ring, with my wedding band on top of my husband palladium wedding band.

Has your engagement ring followed the newest trends, or are you more the classic and traditional (never out of style) type? What made you decide to go the route you went!? Check out more trends here!

Almond Macaroons w/Chocolate Ganache

I recently had tried these amazing cookies from the Penn Quarter FreshFarm Market. It is from this bread place that has the greatest breads... Almond Macaroons.

I decided to try to make them... and it wasn't too hard, and while it did not taste Exactly the same, it was still good in its own right.

Here they are spread out on parchment paper. I wasnt sure at this point if this was gonna work out

Fully Baked... YUMMY!

Added Some Chocolate Ganache....

Husband doesn't like Chocolate, but he does like Chocolate fountains, hot chocolate, chocolate milk... or a snickers... but yes, he says "I don't like chocolate". He snuck a cookie while I wasn't looking. Turned around with his mouth full and gave me two Fonzie Thumbs ups!!!

Here's the recipe I found here:


Chewy Amaretti Sandwich Cookies
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, January 2009

1 (7-ounce) tube pure almond paste (not marzipan; 3/4 cup)

1 cup sugar

2 large egg whites at room temperature for 30 minutes

Filling (optional):

3 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 – 2 Tablespoons heavy cream

Preheat oven to 300°F with racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Line 2 large (17- by 12-inch) 4-sided sheet pans with parchment paper.

Pulse almond paste and sugar in a food processor until broken up, then add egg whites and pulse until smooth. Transfer to pastry bag and pipe 3/4-inch rounds (1/3 inch high) about 3/4 inch apart in pans. Dip a fingertip in water and gently tamp down any peaks.

Bake, rotating and switching position of pans halfway through, until golden and puffed, 15 to 18 minutes.

Wearing an oven mitt, rest 1 pan in sink at an angle. Lift top edge of parchment and slowly pour about 1/4 cup water between parchment and sheet pan so that all of parchment is lightly moistened (water will steam on pan, moistening bottom of cookies to help them stick together later). Repeat with remaining sheet pan. Cool cookies in pans on racks.

When the cookies have cooled, make the chocolate ganache. Melt the chocolate chips with the cream in the microwave and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.

Peel cookies from parchment, frost the bottom of one with the chocolate ganache and sandwich the bottoms of cookies together.

Yield: ~48 individual cookies or ~24 sandwiches

Doggie Mini-Cupcake Treats

For our building four-legged friends, I made some special treats. After seeing how much the pups enjoyed their birthday cakes, I simply made the same recipe but just used mini-cupcakes instead of a cake pan...  It's really a human and dog friendly recipe composed of peanut butter, wheat flour, honey, shredded carrots. The pups love it and since its the holidays, I wanted their friends to enjoy some of the delicious goodness.

Here they are in the oven.


Here the recipe that I got from here.
1 cup white or whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup honey
1 egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)

Mix together flour and baking soda. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a ring mold sprayed with a nonstick spray for 40 minutes.

Frost this cake with low fat cottage cheese and decorate with carrot pieces. Store in refrigerator.

Ready for the heat to start cookin'

Fully Baked goodness

In the holiday bags with little labels for the various pups in the building. 

 

My husband and I noticed some of the carrots were this dark green color... almost chive like. We googled it and realized it is NOT mold but rather that is what happens when there is too much baking soda or the baking soda isn't mixed well throughout... it is completely fine to eat. :)

Gotta hide these from my friends. many of them love these little treats that I make especially for our little guys.

Do you have any pet friendly recipes you do?

A$$ Kicking Boots

So i recently got an amazing pair of awesome knee/thigh boots. I needed a pair of flats that could go with jeans and the husband gave me them for an "anniversary" present. The are super cute...


But... they squeak. REPHRASE: the Right boot squeaks. i bought them originally at Macy's. I had to exchange them, but ended up returning them b/c the other pair i tried on at Macy's ALSO had a right squeaky boot. BUT, I found them on DSW for 60 cheaper than Macy's... and almost 90 cheaper than the sticker price of $235. So I got them online, praying & hoping that these wouldn't be faulty.

The beautiful boot came in.

How could I resist? So i wore them around the condo... and no squeak. But wouldn't you know - the minute i went outside and walked my "normal" walk (apparently, I was overcompensating to make no squeak)... they squeaked. AND LOUD. like I walk in the streets of Downtown DC - loud and live and bustling - and you can hear my root boot squeak! WTF. I thought, well maybe i'll wear down the squeak... NOPE!

I figured DSW won't return them. I emailed DKNY about the issue. NO RESPONSE. I love these DKNY Audrey boots... but dangit if they don't squeak and squeak loud. It's embarassin' but I love love love ♥♥♥ these boots.

Anybody else have shoe issues? Squeaky shoe issues? HELP! Anybody else have DKNY Boots that do this? I need a remedy... DKNY, Can you hear me? Your Audrey boots talk louder than me!!!!!!!!!!!

White House Christmas Tree

Moms left yesterday. Not as sad or teary as we normally are even though we do see each other fairly often, but probably b/c the Husband and I are headed to CA to spend Christmas Day with my family. (Christmas Eve with his). Before she left, I had to of course take her to the White House Christmas Tree. Not just for her, but after living in the District for almost a full 4 years and in the DC area for over 5, I felt it was time I got up close and personal as well...  It's truly beautiful and romantic. I've realized (and my mother said it time and time again), that a REAL winter does make Christmas season feel like its here. Growing up in SoCal, the only thing that indicated Christmas was sales, shopping and radio music. The weather was pretty much still sunny in the day and a little chilly at night... but this year in the District, the cold wind chills, the long winter coats and beautiful scarves... all the various things that show "phew its chilly out" help you relate to songs when they say "the weather out there is frightful"... I LOVE WINTER. I LOVE SNOW (playing in it) and I am beginning to have a warmer feelings (ironic right?) towards Christmas and all because it FEELS like Christmas. Nothing beats my home town, but there is a lot to say for setting the mood... Here are a few photos... :)



The tree from a distance... it was mighty huge.



My mom with a little head band she knitted... I  gave her my warmest jacket and pants and she was still freezing. She kept saying "oh amy, you must be so called HAHA". Now that's ♥!

Big and Small Train tracks surrounded the tree with little villages of towns set up... So adorable. the Kids seemed to love it!

There was smaller trees surrounding the Big tree to represent each state and territory.

A close up of the tree... it was drenched in lights and ornaments!

A photo of mom and I... completely bundled up taken on my epic ♥

What makes you feel like the Christmas season is here?

Louisville Slugger...

So I got a great gift from a close cousin of mine... of course it makes me think of Carrie Underwood's song "Before he Cheats"... "took a louisville slugger to both headlights... carved my name into his leather seats..." But I digress.

He had told me he was getting the husband and I this gift because we are both BIG baseball fans. Well my husband is a bigger Baseball fan (amongst being a sports fanatic) but we both love America's favorite pasttime. Things get tense in our household come October, since our favorite teams both play in the AL and we often go head to head.

Here's a pic of the awesome gift. Please excuse the messy background!


And here's what my cousin had inscribed... he came up with what to have put on the slugger on his own but i think its so awesome and clever AND appropriate! :)

Why Marriage?

A co-worker asked me the other day "Why did you decide to get married? Was marriage or being married an important issue for you?" and it gave me pause... I mean serious pause. I stumbled over my words b/c it was something I've never thought about...

In all honesty, the questions when it came marriage in my mind were more along the lines of:

Is this man the one you want to devote your life to?
What will change once you're married?
How will married life be?
What vows/commitments that come with marriage are important to you?
What qualities in a marriage is important?
What can i bring to help the happiness of our marriage?

But she asked a very deep question. And I had no answer. I mean, I answered... "We both knew it was the direction we were headed, and without a doubt it was what we both wanted." But why? I asked myself "is that really a good answer?"

Then I realized, a question like that has no "good" answer, it just has your answer - which changes for each person/couple.

So now i'm pondering, why was getting married and marriage a given to us both? We never ever questioned it. We both knew... we want to be married. It wasn't about the piece of paper, the legality of the situation, or for society's sake but for our own... but Why?

Some couples, like Johnny Depp, decide that its not a necessity. I have no problems with that. I truly believe that each couple should do what is right for them and have no judgment.

I've always wanted to be a wife. to be legally, morally, physically, spiritually and emotionally bound to another to whom I would commit my life to and vow my undying love to. I have no rose-colored glasses on. I know it will take extreme efforts. bounds of love and leaps of faith. And perhaps because my husband and I both knew it was where we wanted to end up together that there was never an issue about marriage. but I don't think saying "it just was what we knew. it was not a question. it just felt right" is always enough of an answer for some people....

So what about you? Why marriage? or for those who've decided against it... Why no marriage? What was your reasons, if any (and that you can put into words) for or against?

Holiday Cookie Guide

I recently came across Washington Post's Holiday cookie Guide. For a new baker, that's me... this guide is pretty awesome. I'm used to the basics, so some of these recipes are so new to met, yet the recipes show that they aren't too hard to do.

So far I've only tried one recipe and I kind of botched it... but the cookies still came out good...
The Haute-Meal cookie from Chef Michael Richard.

Summary:

Chef Michel Richard set out to produce a cookie that would create a legacy. Because this one contains oatmeal and bacon, he might have achieved cookie immortality.

MAKE AHEAD: The dough needs to be refrigerated for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant or quick-cooking)
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 strips bacon, cooked just until crisp, blotted dry with paper towels and chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped (see NOTE)
Flaky sea salt, such as fleur de sel (optional)

Directions:
Combine the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer; beat on medium-high speed until creamy, about 5 minutes.
Reduce the speed to medium. Add the egg and cream; beat until well incorporated.
Reduce the speed to low. Add the oats, flour, vanilla extract, cinnamon, bacon and pecans; beat just until blended.
Transfer the dough to a large piece of plastic wrap; wrap well, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
Use a small scoop or spoon to form 1 1/2-inch balls of the dough and place them in staggered rows on the baking sheets; the cookies will spread when they bake. Top each dough ball with a tiny pinch of flaky salt, if desired. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, then rotate the sheets top to bottom and front to back. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cookies turn dark brown around the edges.
Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
NOTE: Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool before using.

Go check out the Holiday Cookie Guide and let me know what your favorite recipe is, I think there are at least three more on there i want to try out :)

cookies anyone?

I tried making cookies the other day. And wanted to share some pics... they arent the best, so any baking tips are welcome

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You're Kissing Who??

A friend of mine started a blog not so long ago about dating in the District, but not just about being single and dating in the District, but his honest accounts of being gay and dating in the District. It's a great blog, funny, honest, and relatable regardless of your sexual identity - so you should definitely check it out...

Today's post is about the Top Ten Social Media Signs You're in a Relationship. 

1. You're the mayor of their house on Foursquare...
2. ... read the rest go to his blog!

I assisted with one or two, but it's all Kamal... So go check out his blog Kissing Kamal now!  And comment on any extra Top ten Social Media signs you think show you're in a relationship.

Holiday Cards 2010 - Check

We ordered and are waiting for our adorable holiday cards from Shutterfly. The shipping time was quick and Free so that was definitely an easy sell on my tardy butt...  I had big plans for holiday cards, including taking a new 2010 family photo... but next year i'll have to get this plan started in October, b/c December rolls around too quick and we just didn't have time.  So time to recycle some oldies but goodies that I think our friends and family will enjoy!

So Check it out :)

Retro Ornaments Green Christmas

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

What are you doing this year for Holiday cards?

Setting new goals early...

December is full of great things. With the holiday season, we get so busy with buying gifts and planning parties that I've set some goals for myself for self- improvement.

1. Going to try Couch to 5k... the girl who can't run - let's see if i can shake off the boredom and do this! Has anyone else tried this? any suggestions or advice?

2. Going to be baking some more this season... so if you have some killer recipes for cookies, please let me know. My first batch of sugar cookies with pink frosting (i was just testing the food color dye) came out decent but I want to get better. I want people to drool over my cookies... so send me any recipes you may have! :)

Have a great 2nd day of December :-) and of course I gotta leave you with a couple pics of the pups

See more of Juneau & Kota on their very own Facebook Page :-) (I know i torture them, but they are so cute!)

A wishpot Giveaway

In the spirit of giving Wishpot and Stockn'Go have teamed up and are giving away a beauty gift basket (retail value over 250$) filled with brand name beauty products. The giveaway starts Dec 1st and ends Dec 8th in a draw.

All you have to do to enter is to go here.

I love the spirit of giving!!! So Happy Holidays y'all... here's an early gift... go and enter now!

Announcing A new Winner

for the Renaissance Esmeralda Giveaway... I never got an email for the last winner picked, so i re-randomized the entries and have a new winner.

Unfortunately, with no contact info - i couldn't even try to give the last winner a heads up - so, I was left with no choice... BUT... to the new winner. Congratulations!

 Kfloveinme is the winner and she definitely deserves it with her numerous entries. The winning entry was:

Congrats and be sure to email me by friday so i can put you in touch to collect your winnings! :)
amyjean@relentlessbride.com