December 2009

Salted Hot Chocolate.

Please update your google readers! http://feeds.feedburner.com/howsweeteats/smSp As mid-afternoon hit on our snowed- in Saturday, I started to go a little stir crazy. I love being snowed in, but one can only take so many bad action movies, spazed cleaning moments, and requests to make something to eat every 5 minutes from a turkey-loving husband. I certainly think I will be well prepared for children one day. I decided to mock one of my favorite Starbucks’ drinks on the chilly day while watching the snow fall. And I really needed something to take the edge off of my . . . newlywed bliss. I knew it could only be made better with some of my best friends. I don’t like to play favorites, but three is a crowd. So I chose the Godiva White Chocolate and left the others out. Don’t worry. They’ll be put to good use. I have this obsession with fresh whipped cream. An obsession so strong, that I can whip up an entire carton and just eat it straight. With some sugar of course. I knew it would top off the hot chocolate perfectly. Like most, I love the sweet + [...]

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Snow + Booty-Kickin’ Leg Workout

Like alot of others, we were snowed in yesterday. I love the snow. See how pretty? So – how long do we think it will take before my hubby gets sick from shoveling snow in a long sleeve shirt and shorts, after his run + workout in which he was drenched with sweat? At least he had on a hat, right? I spent the entire day inside, with 3 of my best friends. I couldn’t ask for a better time or more fabulous conversation. After shopping all today, I wanted to make a few more treats before Christmas. Actually, I need to do something to take my mind off babies after shopping in the infant section this afternoon. I took a hint from 2 of my favorite bloggers – Sabrina & Erica. I made a huge batch of chocolate covered pretzels. They were so fun to make! Some covered in sprinkles: Candy canes: Toffee bits: Peanut butter cups: Snickers bars: And pecans + sea salt (my fave!): I also made some chocolate covered Oreos. ‘Twas a great day! This upcoming week is one of my most favorite times. I can’t wait to spend it with friends and family. Since I [...]

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Vanilla Oreo Balls.

Update your google reader! http://feeds.feedburner.com/howsweeteats/smSp A new spin on an old favorite! I made these Oreo balls this weekend with Golden Oreos. They came out amazing! I’ve learned my lesson that I must not make them until I can get them out of the house. I.CAN’T.STOP.EATING.THEM. I dipped some in white and milk chocolate, and did a little decorating. Vanilla Oreo Balls 1 package Golden Oreos 1-8oz block of cream cheese White and milk chocolate for dipping Crush Oreos in a food processor. Add cream cheese and mix until a dough forms. Roll into balls and freeze. Dip in melted white and milk chocolate. Freeze until ready to serve. If you haven’t made ‘em yet, you’re missing out. Join the party!

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Thumbprint Cookies.

These here are a tradition of Mother Lovett’s. I have to admit when I pulled my first batch out of the oven, I smelled her. And no, I’m not talking about her constant release of gas with every step she took. But have you ever seen someone walk and pass gas at the same time for minutes? I smelled the memories of baking with her around Christmastime. It made me incredibly nostalgic, reminiscent, and hungry. So I ate a few cookies in her remembrance. This will be our first Christmas without her. I made the dough a day ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge. It really needed to harden. She probably would have made it 4-5 days in advance, but she also used cheese on her sandwiches that was 6 months old. These cookies were so much fun to make when I was younger because they included food coloring. Do you remember how exciting food coloring (in the droppers) was as a child? I think it was so much fun for me because my mother and grandmother threatened my life if I ever played with it. So naturally, I played with it all the time. In [...]

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Trivia Answers + Winner!

Hi. Thanks for playing Friday Trivia! So glad you enjoyed it. The answers: 1. Mel B 2. Leonardo DiCaprio 3. None of it Those who qualified are: Karla Jenny Julie Kelly B Kayce Yvonne Sarah Seth Viviane Shelley Low Evan Nicole Mellissa Kelly Jess D Kristie Lynn Jamie Kay Ashlee Morgan Kittay Jennifer Lisa Melinda VeggieGirl Congrats peeps! Let me know if I missed anyone. Anyone have a suggestion for choosing a winner next time? Like last, I wrote the names down on a sheet of paper and chose randomly from a bowl. It is so.time.comsuming. Any thoughts? Anyway… Our winner is: Kelly B! Congrats, girl!! Send me your info at merchant.jessica@gmail.com.

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Trivia Friday #9.

Happy Friday. Every year since I can remember, my dad has delivered poinsettias to friends and family. Since we have our own house now, we got one too. It is gorgeous and ginormous and we have no place other than the floor for it. But we love it! Thanks, Dad! In need of some appetizers for the weekend? Check out the appetizer recap! Do you do any holiday baking? One of the reasons I love our house: Counter space. And this is only 1/3 of it. Speaking of these cookies: I already need to make more, because we’ve eaten an entire double batch. Oops. And the red velvet cookies are on their way out, too. Something I don’t have? Restraint. If you’re looking for an amazing dish for Christmas, try this Lobster Mac & Cheese. It is mouth-watering, cheesy, and worth every additional 6lbs you gain from it. Today will be the last trivia for 2009! I decided to skip out on Christmas Day…just because. The winner will be randomly drawn tomorrow. And what will you win? A bottle of my most favorite balsamic vinegar from Williams Sonoma. Yum! To play: Enter you answers in the comments section. It won’t [...]

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More Treadmill HIIT.

Good evening. I’ve been cleaning and relaxing this evening, with one of my most favorite candles burning: And the trees lit: With some Christmas music playing. My favorite way to relax! I have been craving Thai food for weeks. My hubby and I used to eat it all the time – in fact we ate it on our first New Year’s Eve together. Unfortunately, someone has a habit of eating something 6 times a day everyday until they are sick of it. Hint: it’s not me. I made my own peanut sauce w/ some whole wheat noodles and shrimp. The year is winding down and exercise is probably one of the last things on your list, right? Just think – in 2 more weeks it is a new year, and time to start over! Wrong. Have many other times have we made ‘resolutions’? They obviously haven’t stuck, and it’s time to change somethin’! Think of some small changes you can make in the next 2 weeks that will make you feel better and more confident. Everyone falls off the wagon sometimes, but the key is being able to get right back on. So start eating healthier today, right now, at [...]

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Holiday Appetizers.

Subscribe here! http://feeds.feedburner.com/howsweeteats/smSp Need some inspiration? If you’ve missed any of the appetizers over the past few weeks, here they all are – just in time for your holiday party! And good news: I still have more to post, and will probably continue to do so throughout the year. Buffalo Chicken Dip Fruit Salsa Fresh Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Bacon Gorgonzola Stuffed Olives Pizza Dip Easy Cheeseball Chili Dip Mini Rye Breads Crabmeat Bites Bacon Wrapped Scallops Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheeseball Bruschetta Brie with Cranberry, Pancetta, and Spiced Pecans Cinnamon Sugared Roasted Almonds Firecracker Shrimp And you can serve these all with some Holiday Punch. Enjoy!

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Holiday Appetizers 101: Chili Dip.

Please update your google readers! http://feeds.feedburner.com/howsweeteats/smSp This dip is ugly. But it is oh, so good. Well, honestly, I can’t even say because by the time I tried to have a bite, it was gone. But who are we kidding? We all know I licked the dish. Who cares how many guests were around? I have no shame. I adapted this recipe from my friend Kelly – you know, the one with the adorable baby?? It calls for a can of chili, but I happened to have some of my own chili, frozen. Now that is true Mother Lovett fashion there. I wish you all could have seen her freezer, fully stocked with pie crust from 1994 and cookies from 2002. That she still ate. The recipe called for the chili to be layered on the cream cheese. Do you know what we (my husband and I. And the mysterious creature in the house who eats all the cookies. Who isn’t me.) decided?? We much prefer our dips mixed. So I mixed up some chili and cream cheese in a bowl. And added a few handfuls of cheddar to make it more fattening delectable. Spread it into a dish. And [...]

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Arms, Arms, Arms.

One of the biggest complaints I hear about from women is how ‘flabby’ their arms are. I normally don’t condone working 1 body part at a time (well, 2, in this case), and by no means think that one certain workout will change a person’s body. But here is a killer arm workout that I thought ya’ll would enjoy. 25 Days of Workouts WORKOUT #14 – BICEPS AND TRICEPS 20 push-ups 4 x 12 reps: Triceps Overhead Extension Triceps Rope Pulldown Triceps Dips 20 push-ups 4 sets 12 reps: Incline Biceps Curls Standing Barbells Curls Hammer Curls 20 push-ups Remember: use a challenging weight! By the 12th repetition, it should be extremely challenging! A while back I mentioned my favorite push-up trick: perform a certain number of push-ups everyday! They will eventually get easier, and you’ll feel stronger. If you can only do 1, continue with that every day until you can do 2, and so one. Set a goal to do 10 each day, and GET THEM DONE. Who’s been keepin’ up?

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