Monday, February 27, 2012

Obsessive Monday

Have you seen all the creative things people are doing with Peeps??  I am truly amazed!!
Travel through "Peepland" with me!!


Source: gerberadesigns.com via Cassandra on Pinterest

 Could it get any cuter??? I think not!! 
Happy week!!

Renée




Saturday, February 25, 2012

Photo Shoot

I know I've been talking quite a bit about Green Table Gifts, it's just that I'm so excited to be a part of it!
 
 
Before they officially opened, the artists had an opportunity to have a mini photo session with Carlee from Oh Snap Photograpy.  She took product and head shots of us for the use of both Green Table Gifts and our own business use.  I had briefly meet Carlee at the Believe Boutique in Chandler as she would go from vendor to vendor "snapping" photos of all the lovely things we had for sale!  She was so much fun to work with and has a great eye!!
Here's what she came up with for me :)

 (As you can see, these were taken at the same time I did my Pink Champagne Cupcake post.)





I'm so thrilled with how they turned out...
Here are a couple of shot she took of my things at the Believe Boutique
this past November.


Thank you Carlee!!  You're a doll!

Renée

Monday, February 20, 2012

Obsessive Monday - Macaroons

I've fallen in love with French macaroons.  I had my first real one a couple of years ago when my Husband's cousin, Gil, brought some for me when he came for vacation from France.
They were SO good!

Later we heard about a local bakery where the owner had extensive training from some of the top pastry chefs in Paris.  My dear Husband gave me some for Christmas that year.  I cut each one in half and froze them so I could make them last longer.  He then bought me some for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, my Birthday and Christmas this past year.  Shhh..don't tell, I was hoping to get some for Valentine's day this past week but....hmmm....no such luck.  I may just have to sneak over and pick up my own this week.

Enjoy these beautiful pictures of macaroons!


Ladurée are suppose to be the best of the best!





I may have to make a stop on my way home from work, I'll keep you posted!!

Happy week!

Renée

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Butter Pecan Cookies

Last Monday night I needed a quick and easy desert to take to a meeting.  I was going to make an amazing pie cookie I had seen on Pinterest but I was too tired and didn't have all the ingredients.  I did have two boxes of Butter Pecan cake mix that I had picked up by mistake whe I was making cupcakes for my daughter's graduation party.  So I did what any internet savvy chick would do and looked for a cookie recipe to use my cake mix in.  I tell ya, it couldn't have been any easier and they were quite tasty too!


So here ya go.

  
1 box butter pecan cake mix
2 eggs
1 stick butter
1/4 cup flour
pecan halves 
Soften or melt butter (not hot). Add eggs and beat slightly.Add cake mix and flour mix well (batter will be stiff).
Drop spoonfuls, I used a small cookie/ice cream scoop, and pressed on a pecan half.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 10-12 minutes.




There you have it, what could be easier??

Happy baking!

Linked to:
Tip Junkie handmade projects  

Renée

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Spring Has Sprung!!

Spring has sprung in my Etsy Shop!

Where I live, the sun is shining and it's around 70 degrees give or take.  I'm seriously NOT bragging, I know what's around the corner (115 degrees) and I DON'T like it!!  However, this weather makes me start thinking of Spring and Easter and since I've been feeling a little creative, I've pulled together some Spring hair jewels!!  By the way, St. Patrick's Day is less than a month away and Easter is April 8th this year.  This year is already going by quickly!

Here are some of my new goodies!
 
 




From now through St. Patrick's Day, I'm offering free shipping with the code SPRING12.

Have a fabulous week!!

Renée

Monday, February 13, 2012

Obsessive Monday - Shoes

Shoes...what girl doesn't love shoes??  
Cinderella found her Prince Charming because of a pair of shoes (or half a pair).  

Thank you Pinterest for helping me to fill my "closet" with shoes!!
I'm just going to drool now!!



Source

Source

Pretty snazzy!!  I would be happy to accept any of the above shoes as gifts:)  Valentine's Day is tomorrow!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Renée

Friday, February 10, 2012

Easy Peasy Three Step Chicken

I have the worst imagination when it comes to dinner, plus I don't like to cook!!
When I was in Starbucks yesterday, they had a free iBook download for "Quick & Easy Recipes 1-2-3" by Roxanne Gold.  Did someone say "quick and easy"??  Right up my alley!! 


Three Step Chicken
1. 2 thick skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2. 4 thin slices of boiled ham
3. 4 slices Swiss cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray ( I used a ceramic baking dish).

Carefully cut each chicken breast in half as though you were slicing a bagel.  Pound them heavily with a mallet to create thin cutlets.  Season with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet several inches apart (Oops, I missed that step). 

Place a slice of ham on each piece of chicken then a slice of cheese on the ham.  Bake 12 minutes, or until the cheese is melted (but not running all over the pan).  I did finish ours under the broiler for a minute or two, I like toasty bubbly cheese!


I also made a cucumber vinaigrette salad.  The other night we had a Greek vegetarian dinner and I found a recipe for Greek style dressing here which I used on the cucumbers.

Add a crusty loaf of bread and you have an easy, yummy dinner!!

Enjoy!!

Renée

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Coco's Birthday Cake

My oldest daughter, Colette, turned 19 Saturday.  I know, I know, I don't look that old (LOL).  Yes, I was three when I had her.  Anyhoo....We were looking around Anthropologie a couple of weeks ago and came across a cookbook that had a pretty chocolate cake with pink frosting. 
My Inspiration -  Source

She told me that she wanted her Birthday cake to look like that.  This week she told me she wanted purple frosting. 

Here's my version...
I'm pretty darn pleased with how it turned out!!

I used a regular chocolate cake mix and substituted almond milk for the water.  I've done this a number of times and I think the cake turns out moister and not tough.  I split the batter between three 8 inch pans and reduced the baking time by about five minutes.  Always check to be sure the cake is done!


I used Wilton's 1M  tip to outline the layers and Bakery Crafts 9P tip to fill it in.  I didn't cover the entire cake but when I put the layers on, the frosting spread out pretty evenly.

By the way, here is my favorite recipe for frosting. 

1 cup butter , softened 
3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar 
1 teaspoon milk 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
1/8 teaspoon salt
Directions:

  1. In a bowl combine butter, sugar and salt. Beat till blended.
  2. Add the milk and vanilla and beat for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy.

I found a tutorial on making the "roses" at I Am Baker, as I've mentioned in an earlier post, I am lazy.  I didn't dirty ice the cake first so once again, there is a little bit of chocolate cake peaking through.  It still looked quite pretty.  I finished them off with white dragees.



Happy Birthday Colette!

Linked to:

KitchenFun




Tip Junkie handmade projects
Renée

Monday, February 6, 2012

Obsessive Monday - My Week

I've been obsessing about so many things this week.  Here's a run down...
It started with getting my "hur did" Monday
Tuesday, finishing up getting things ready for the opening of Green Table Gifts  with a mini photo session by Oh Snap Photography by Carlee.  I had lots of fun and Carlee is a doll I can't wait to see the pictures!
Wednesday, working on fundraising letters for my daughter's trip to Africa.
 Thursday, getting passport pictures taken, going to the Passport Office to get her Passport only to find that the office closes at 4 pm.  Killing time for an hour and a half before she has to go to work.  
This is when she was 9 months old...shoo shoo boo!!
Friday, going with my oldest daughter to register for cosmetology school, running out to meet with the vice-principle at the high school about my son, running back to finish up some paperwork at the cosmetology school.  Coming home to bake my oldest's birthday cake only to find that my hand mixer was at church because the men of the church were putting together a Valentine's breakfast for their families (my husband stole it).  He stopped by my parent's house to borrow theirs after I freaked out.  Baked her cake and cupcakes for the Super Bowl party.  Work with my daughter on her letters.



Saturday, go to the Valentine's Breakfast (was quite yummy), a baby shower, go shopping an spending time with my daughters (it was my oldest daughter's 19th Birthday).  Come home, decorate her cake, go to dinner, celebrate with Grandma and Grandpa.

 Sunday, church, Super Bowl, home crash!

Whew...I'm tired all over again!!

I hope you had a great week...
By the way, keep watching the blog, more to come on the yummy Birthday cake!!

Renée