Monday Musts - Thanksgiving

As today is the Monday before Thanksgiving it is only fitting that this week's post have to do with the big day. While I will not be preparing a big meal this year I feel that if the task were placed in my hands that I would be fully prepared. It seems that every show on TV for the month of November has revolved around the preparation of the big feast. Many of the shows have been giving the same tips over and over so they must be key in preparing the perfect dish. Many of you might not know these so I thought that I would pass along my new found thanksgiving knowledge to you. I hope the following five hints help you out this season or at any time of year, because a good meal should not be saved for just the holidays but enjoyed year round. Happy cooking to those of you who are taking on the task and for us who are just coming to indulge do not forget to thank the chef!

{If you choose to put out appetizers keep them light with a simple Antipasto platter}

{Be sure to keep plenty of stock at hand, you will use it in many

dishes and can pour over a turkey that turns out a little dry}

{Use a nice whole loaf, from a bakery, for your stuffing bread cubes, sandwich

bread will actually become moldy before they become crispy}

{Canned Cranberries are a must at any table, even if they are simply for nostalgia}

{When making a pie crust make sure your butter is nice and cold to get a flaky crust}

Penny Pinching Tip

As the holidays approach everyone is looking for a way to save to some money. I thought that it would be a good idea to share with you how I will watching my pennies so that you can also stretch your dollar. My first penny pinching tip is for all of the bakers out there. If you are like me you find baking to be very therapeutic, and makes the house smell good. While baking usually consists of simple ingredients i.e. flour, sugar, and eggs, stocking up on spices can get quite expensive. If your recipe calls for two or more spices your once $3.00 cake can turn into your most expensive meal of the week. My advice is to buy in bulk, not 5 lbs bags, but rather in the bulk food section. If you are fortunate enough to live in a metropolis like Houston then you can visit Central Market or any other speciality market. If you live outside of Texas I recommend first looking for a Whole Foods in your area. Buying in the bulk food section will allow you to purchase just the amount that you will need for whatever you dish of the day is. So instead of having to buy an entire jar of cloves for $6.00 you can purchase the 3 tsp. that you need for $0.50. If you are not an avid baker I would not only buy my spices this way but sugar, flour, and vinegars this way as well. So the next time you are thinking of baking a delicious gourmet cake to cheer yourself up, go for it, it might be the cheapest thing you do all week. Let me know what techniques you use to stretch your dollar! Happy Baking!

{Some Balsamic Vinegar and Honey}

{You can buy spices, nuts, and even pasta in bulk}

Renaissance Festival

Last weekend we took a relatively short road trip to the 43rd Annual Texas Renaissance Fair. Having never been to a Renaissance fair I was very interested to see what all was involved. I knew about the giant turkey legs, people in costumes, and jousting but did not realize the magnitude of the event. Unlike all other festivals, this is not just a fairground with tents set up, but rather an entire city built in the middle of the forest. The food is in abundance ranging from fair favourites such as elephant ears and chocolate dipped cheesecake on a stick to giant hickory smoked turkey legs and fried alligator. There are games, shows and a jousting competition. Overall the road trip was a success. If you have a free Saturday I would recommend going. Dont' worry if you arrive and are short on cash because believe it or not there are plenty of renaissance period ATM machines strewn across the city.

{John with his giant turkey leg}

{One of the very elaborate costumes}

{The Jouster representing France}

Apple Crisp in the Fall

Fall is a season unlike any other. I feel that there are two fall seasons. There is the fall that starts with back to school and leads up to Halloween and then there is the Harvest fall. As we transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving I wanted to start testing out my baking skills so that when the big day comes I will be ready to wow everyone. I decided to start out with a simple and fall inspired apple crisp. I used this recipe and hope that you will enjoy it as well. Let me know what your favorite dish is to bake during fall.

{Apple-crisp hot out of the oven}

{Instead of ice cream I like to add some Cool Whip on top}

Monday Musts - Halloween Movies

Happy Halloween my blog buddies. I apologize for not being as faithful to the blog as I should be. But as today is Halloween I thought it only fitting that you give you some good ideas for your night of terror. For those little ones who will be hitting the pavement be safe, dress warm, and hit as many houses as possible, and remember to check your candy before diving in. But those of us that do have as extravagant of plans and plan on staying in, passing out candy, and putting on a movie, I thought I would give you my top 5 best Halloween hits. Let me know what you like to watch at this time of year.

{It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown}

{Hocus Pocus}

{The Birds}

{Beetlejuice}

{The Addams Family}

Monday Musts - Pumpkins

Last week I admittedly went pumpkin crazy. The weather finally cooled off a little and I felt like I could finally embrace fall. Here are my five ways I recommend incorporating one of my fall's favorites into your routine. Let me know what your favorite fall indulgence is.

{I made this Pumpkin Orzo with Pork Chops this week and it was delicious}

{Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks always get me in the Fall mood}

{This pumpkin Bread Pudding was perfect as dessert and breakfast the next morning}

{Get a great piece of Jewelry that is Pumpkin colored. I found these earrings on Etsy}

{Treat to yourself to a homemade pumpkin facial}

Life is a Photoshoot

Space has always been my enemy when it comes to my wardrobe. It feels like no matter how much I donate, reorganize, or store I never seem to have enough space for everything in the closet. To add some extra hanging space this week I set up a wardrobe rack on an empty wall in my bedroom and I am now suggesting that everyone do this. The wardrobe rack serves many purposes and makes getting dressed fun again. Not only does it make more room but it is a great tool for displaying those certain items that you want to remember to incorporate in your wardrobe. Wither this be your favorite summer items you want to wear one more time or the great fall sweater that you bought last year on clearance and has since been tucked in the back of the closet. If you are a person who doesn't have much time in the morning I suggest picking out your weeks worth of outfits and displaying them on the rack. This way it will be very simple and quick for you in the morning. Personally I think that the best part of displaying your clothes this way is that every day can feel like a photo shoot. You never know who you will run into from day to day!

{These are the pieces that I will be wearing this week}

{This is an example of how you can put your outfits

together beforehand with accessories and all}

{You can even display some of your favorite heels using the bottom rungs}

Foods Trucks for Lunch

If you are lucky enough to live in a city that is swarming with food trucks I highly recommend checking them out. They are quick, inexpensive, and in my experience delicious. You can follow them on twitter to find out where they are parked and what they are serving that day. Let me know what your favorite truck is.

(A chicken mole taco with complimentary temporary tattoo from H-Town StrEATs and iced coffee from Inversion. A great lunch and only $5 total.

Monday Musts - Getting Ready for Fall

I apologize for not posting the Monday Musts last week. I was taking Labor Day very seriously. Many people see Labor day as the unofficial end of summer and begin to think about all the things that they love about fall. Because of where I live it is hard to get into the Autumn mindset yet so I am staring off by slowing getting into the mood with little things. Below are some of my pre-fall essentials.

{The leaves on this necklace remind me of fall and you can wear it with almost anything}

{Now is the time to really enjoy the weather so grab a good book and go to your local park}

{With the weather cooling down it is now time to spend time sprucing up the inside of your home. I like using a nice silver tray to arrange all of my everyday bathroom supplies and nice perfumes. It doesn't have to be expensive to look nice. I got this tray at the Dollar Tree}

{I think Autumn is the most inspirational season of all. Carry around a small sketchbook and some colored pencils so you will be prepared when you feel inspired or when you think of something you don't want to forget}

{A fall scented candle can do just the try to get you in the Autumn mood}

Football is Here

As many of you know football season is upon us. I am extra excited for the football season this year as I now live in the football capital of the world, TEXAS! To start out the football season last weekend I attended my first Texas football game. We drove up to College Station for the first Texas A&M game. I have been to college football games before but there is something a bit different in Texas. To start A&M has around 40,000 students, so the size of the student section was unbelievable. The stadium was filled with girls in cowboy boots, men in uniform and small kids who dream about one day playing on that field. We managed to be at the right place at the right time all day and got to see all of the highlights of the game, and the Aggies won! It was the perfect way to kick start the football season. Let me know who you are rooting for.

{Water tower in College Station}

{Members of the Core entering the stadium}

{The team entering the stadium at the beginning of the game}

Breakfast for Dinner

Breakfast for dinner is something that I used to love when I was little, as I think most children do. So last night while wondering the grocery store and trying to find something for dinner last night the Breakfast for dinner idea came back to us. We found some blueberry maple sausages at Central Market and decided to have pancakes with it. If you decide to go the pancakes and sausage route for dinner I advise putting a twist on things. Instead of syrup top your pancakes with butter and jam. I hope that you enjoy your next breakfast...no matter what time you eat it.

{Pancakes topped with Apricot Preserves and Blueberry Maple sausage}

Monday Must Do

As August is coming to an end I decided to make the second instalment of the Monday Must, a Must Do. Below are the top five must do things this week as summer is coming to an end...for most of us that is.

{A big, cold glass of sweet iced tea. In two weeks all you will want is a pumpkin spiced latte}

{Enjoy a big cold orange. It will cool you off and fill you with Vitamin C...to fight off those flu germs coming around about now.}

{Make your last summer manicure a fun summer color. This week I chose "Sunset for Two" by Nicole by OPI}

{Download "Today Is Your Day" by Shania Twain. It is a great song for all age groups and situations}

{Set your calendars! Your favorite tv show is about to premier its new session. Make a party out of the event full of friends, food, and fizz!}

Ending Restaurant Month with a BANG!

The month of August has been Houston restaurant month. Several of the up scale eateries create a pre-set menu for lunch and dinner so people have a chance to eat the "fancy" places without having to survive on Ramen for the remainder of the week. While John and I were very excited to try out some of the featured restaurants we have yet to make it out to one. However we have done a good job of making the rounds at the average man's bar. Due to the extreme temperatures that we were faced with this past weekend cooking was simply not an option. This gave us an opportunity to try some more restaurants without feeling guilty for eating out so much.

Friday night consisted of drinks, light food, and an Indian mixer at Hughes Hanger in the Washington Corridor. The food was good, however service was poor and the prices were a bit high for my liking.

On Saturday we had fajitas for lunch at Lupe Tortillas. The food was great and the inside is welcoming and very family friendly. The night was very relaxed. We had yet to explore the Heights area so we ventured to the new, old looking, Hubcap Grill for burgers. If you are ever craving a burger with a twist this is the place to go, featuring toppings such as crunchy peanut butter, Cheetos, country gravy, and the contents of the Texas famous, Frito pie. While most of the seating is outside the jute box along with the cold old fashioned soda's make the wait enjoyable. After diner it was off to Cedar Creek to meet a new friend for a drink. This was a hit for me and would highly recommend checking it out. The service was incredible and the prices are even better.

{Pyramid Apricot Ale and New Belgium Brewing Oktoberfest = $4.00 Total}

On Sunday we decided to go to Empire Cafe, which has easily become one of our favorite weekend brunch spots. While food here is incredible, the best part of the meal is the iced coffee. It comes with two delicious little cookies that are perfect for dunking. During the late afternoon we ventured downtown for Houston's 175th Birthday celebration. I was excited because there was talk of cake involved, however, the party was lacklustre to say the least. We decided to leave after taking a lap around the "party" and had a quick dinner at The Front Porch in Midtown. Overall the weekend was enjoyable but we are hoping that cooler weather is on the way.

{Hazelnut Iced Coffee with Cookies}

Midday in Midtown

After a couple of months at the new job John is finally taking his first business trip, which means I am on my own for a few days. This means that all of the "girly" places that I have been wanting to check out I will be gracing with my presence this week. Today I decided to take on Midtown. We have been to several places in Midtown already. The small community of McGowen to Grey is very cute and offers a variety of places to eat and shop. Today I decided to have a late lunch at Coco's Crepes and check out the local boutique Em and Lee (who is having a sale right now).

{Banana and Cinnamon Apple Crepe with Iced Coffee}

DIY - Easy Napkin Rings

Since being in Houston I have not done any entertaining, so when John suggested having some of our new friends over I was very excited. As I am inept in the kitchen when it comes to throwing a dinner party my job is cleaning and presentation. We were looking forward to be able to use the beautiful rooftop patio that our building has and to enjoy the rarely felt Houston breeze.Since we had just moved here and the dinner party was a bit last minute I tried to think of some inexpensive quick ideas that would still make the presentation look as though this had been planned for weeks. Being a Martha Stewart and HGTV follower, I have learned that cloth napkins with rings and place cards are easy and inexpensive ways to make an ordinary table look extraordinary. These napkin rings are quick, easy, and you should have everything at home to make them. I hope this will help you with your next impromptu dinner party.

{Materials needed: Cloth Napkin, Scissors, Colored Paper (I used an old envelope), Ribbon, Marker}

{Cut the paper into a 2.5" by 3" rectangle and a 30" piece of ribbon}

{Make a small slit in the upper left hand corner of the paper. Slide the

paper halfway onto the ribbon. Write guest names on paper.}

{Wrap the ribbon around the napkin making a bow in the front.

Place on top to create an elegant (and simple) place setting}

Monday Must Have

Many of the other blogs that I follow have some sort of a fun look what's hot now list. I decided that this blog would not be complete unless it also had a catchy list that would make readers Monday's a little more cheerful. Every Monday I will put together a short list of 5 things that, in my mind, are essential to have, see, or visit. I hope you enjoy the first instalment of the Monday Must Haves.

Fresh Flowers make a house, or apartment, feel more homey. Every time you look at the fresh flowers they will make you smile. They are an inexpensive and easy way to freshen up any room. I got these at the local Kroger store for only $3.99.

Dark purple nails are an old trend but still make your fingertips look great. The dark color goes with almost all outfits and make your hands look thinner. One of my personal favourites is Lincoln Park at Midnight by OPI.

Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate! It is a must have to have a little chocolate in your house at all times. You do not need a lot but enough to satisfy the occasional craving. You only live once so when you have that sweet tooth ache, give in. Some of my favourites are the Godiva Gems truffles.

Great bobby pins. Most women use bobby pins on a weekly if not daily basis. I for one am a bobbyholic. I use bobby pins everyday for one reason or another. The worst thing that you can do is purchase cheap bobby pins that make your perfect hairdo, undo. I would recommend going to your local beauty store for the best variety and quality.

Celebrity gossip. Ok so this one is a bit of a stretch, however, I find that checking up on the celebrity gossip sites is a nice distraction during the middle of the day. A quick five minute run through people.com will give enough juicy gossip and fashion tips to get you through that weeks girlfriend brunch/bar night.