Holidays

Homemade Conversation Heart Candy for Valentine’s Day

January 25, 2011
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I don’t like the chalky taste of store bought conversation hearts, but still buy them every Valentine’s Day.  I found this super easy recipe online.  Once I mixed the dough, I watched La Jolla Girl do the rest. They taste so much better. Conversation Heart Ingredients: 1 tsp gelatin (1/2 packet) 1 tsp light corn syrup 1/4 cup of water 1 lb of powdered sugar, plus a little extra for dusting Vanilla or almond extract [...]

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New Year’s Eve Sparkling Wine Advice

December 29, 2010
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Since New Year’s Eve is in a few days, you’ll likely be hosting a party, attending a party or drinking sparkling wine somewhere.  Therefore, I want to tell you about two inexpensive, delicious sparkling wines that I recently tasted.  You might be surprised by one item I recommend you bring to accompany the sparkling wine.  Read on. Last month the San Diego Wine Mafia blind tasted 22+ bottles of Sparkling Wine.  These are some of [...]

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New Year’s Eve Party Favor: Send Guests Home With Breakfast

December 27, 2010
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My friend does this every year at her New Year’s Eve party. I hope she’s feeling no pressure to do the same this year by reading this, but I think it’s a fabulous idea. As a party favor, she sends guests home with huge Cinnabon cinnamon buns to eat for breakfast the following morning. Here are a few other ideas depending on your crowd. Food: It doesn’t have to be cinnamon buns. How about a [...]

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How to Make 3 Different Reindeer Cupcakes

December 13, 2010
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You knew this was coming right?  Once we tackled the Thanksgiving turkey cupcakes, I knew it would be easy to move on to Christmas reindeer cupcakes.  La Jolla Girl was very helpful because these reindeer cupcakes use a similar process. We used Ina Gartin’s Banana Crunch Muffins (they make fabulous cupcakes) and buttercream frosting. You’ll need: 1. Cupcakes 2. Frosting tinted brown. Leave about 1/4 cup white if you don’t have a white frosting tube/pen. [...]

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Red Envelope Holiday Gift Guide (Giveaway)

November 20, 2010
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Red Envelope is the perfect place to start your holiday shopping. I have independently ordered several things from this San Diego based company over the last few years. I love the site and everything that I’ve received. My next purchase is going to be the Night Before Christmas Activity Kit (pictured in post photo).  It’s a great way to get kids excited about welcoming Santa and includes activities for the entire family.  They have an [...]

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Why Brine a Turkey? An Awesome Recipe & Opportunity

November 17, 2010

Brining makes it moist. Why are brined turkeys so juicy? Salt causes the meat tissues to absorb water and flavorings. It also breaks down the proteins, resulting in a tender-seeming turkey. This means that – despite the moisture loss during roasting and the long cooking time – you end up with a juicy bird. The real trick with brining is finding a container that’s large enough to submerge the turkey. Try a clean cooler and [...]

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