Tag Archives: Biscoff Spread

A Fabulous, Delicious Weekend

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Hi everyone!! Happy Tuesday and I hope you’re having a great week so far :)

I most definitely am – much better than last week – especially since coming off from such a fabulous, delicious weekend! And with that, let me go ahead and recap it for you all…

As I mentioned in Friday’s post – my sis, her boyfriend, Todd, and I had big plans to all get together to go out to our absolute fav place and get into some shenanigans ;) I’m so bummed I didn’t get many good pics from the night (too busy having fun!), but the evening started off at our place with a champagne toast courtesy from our Chandon shipment and some venison Todd cooked up – it was the actual venison that Todd hunted for while we were back in New York for Thanksgiving. Thoughts? This was my first time trying it and I admit, I wasn’t a huge fan. I’m a huge texture person, so while the flavor was good, the texture just wasn’t my cup of tea – a lil too “gamey” for me. I think for now I’ll stick with the cow…and the thought of eating bambi gets to me…sorry!

Oh and first, can’t leave out a pic of my outfit for the evening!

I have to say – knee high boots (my new ones!), a flowy tank, skinny jeans, and a leather jacket is at the top of my list for all time favorite outfits…

So after our champagne and venison tasting, it was off to B Street & Vine for some more fabulous good times and deliciousness.

Again, didn’t snap any pics except for some of the usual shenanigans that ensued…

in the cab…

And our foodie aftermath…

And the delicious wine that was consumed…****

Saturday was filled with more fabulousness in that I got to spend the day with the lovely Shanna. As always, we had great conversations together and I love spending time with her. I especially couldn’t wait to see her baby’s nursery and I am in love – so precious and it’s just absolutely perfect – hop on over to her blog to get a sneak peek of it in picture and video form :)

So, not only has she reignited the baby fever (that was already) in me, but she also sparked quite the baking and doggie bug in me, so much so that I was about to kidnap her fur baby (absolutely precious!) ;) And then we got into baking up quite the deliciousness…pecan pie cookies!!!

Given the fact that there are now only 4 cookies left in that container goes to show just how delicious they are. And the deliciousness and fun continued onto Starbucks where we got our fav Skinny Peppermint Mocha’s and a special treat of Gingerbread Biscotti that we shared – to which Shanna had the great idea of dipping it into our Mocha’s – amazing. I even had to get it again with Todd on Sunday – I’m hooked.

And Shanna and I had some interesting entertainment at Starbucks in the form of some strange men who kept looking over at us – I said to Shanna I felt like I was in the twilight zone, haha. Do you ever have that where everyone around you is just acting…weird? I blame it on the full moon that made it’s appearance that night ;)

And I have a feeling this delicious trend is going right through into this week since the adorable Ashley and I are doing a little barter.

So in exchange of me sending her a jar of this…

and a new jar of this…

That’s my jar that I made overnight oats in – highly recommended!!

…I’ll be getting some homemade cookies from her – can’t wait! They’re her hubby’s fav and I believe that any cookie that’s favored by the husband is a definite winner in my book ;)

Oh, and can’t forget, I found these beauties while in Mollie Stone’s getting the Biscoff…

I had never tried them before and I’m a definite fan – they’re just as delicious as you’d imagine

It was such a great weekend, a fabulous and delicious one indeed ;)

Hope you’re all having a great day and I’ll see you all back here soon! xo

Questions:
How was your weekend a fabulous or delicious one?
What’s your all-time favorite outfit and what pieces does it consist of that makes it your favorite?

Holiday Shopping – For Me?!

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Hello all! How is everyone’s Tuesday Wednesday going? For some reason all today I’ve been thinking it’s Tuesday – it’s nice when you realize it’s actually a day later than you thought – don’t you love it when that happens? ;)

So with Christmas now less than a month away it’s time to gear up as Santa’s little elves and start holiday gift shopping for your family and friends. Though I believe the holiday’s should be a time to cherish and celebrate moments with family and friends and to remember that Christmas is a day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, it’s also one in sharing joy with others through gift giving, and I admit that I already got holiday shopping on the brain. So much so that I’ve already started shopping for none other than…me!

Am I the only guilty one here who has high hopes of buying gifts for friends and family, only to leave the store with a gift for yourself? I think we all deserve a treat now and then and I like to believe it makes dealing with all the crazy mall crowds and traffic that much more bearable when you got a special lil something for yourself ;) And how can I not pass up the adorable penguin themed goodies that are especially on display during Christmastime. Like these adorable penguin mugs I found at Target that I absolutely could not pass up…

They also came with matching placemats and plates but hubby said no – good for my wallet but sad for the soul, haha

And Trader Joe’s – don’t even set foot in there if you don’t want to come out with a bag full of holiday goodies that they got going on right now. Like these gems I found there the other day…

Everything is absolutely delicious, but the Cookie Butter? Um – amazing!! Just like Biscoff Spread but a lot thicker and more dense – delish!

And random side note but speaking of Biscoff Spread, if you ever come across buying a jar and have emptied it in a week like we did, then I highly suggest you make Overnight Oats in it – purely amazing…

So back to holiday shopping, I also got my eye out for some over-the-knee boots. And with the help from Ms. Shoe Fashionista Shanna, she told me about the awesome shoe website that is Endless.com and I already got my eye on a couple beauties…

Chinese Laundry – Kingdom

Franco Sarto – Social

And I love flat boots too – especially with hardware on it…

Madden Girl – Ravia

And you may be asking, why not ask Santa for a pair of boots? (Yes we still have “Santa” in this household ;) ) Well, since my laptop is kaput I’ve asked Santa for a new iPad (!!) So excited…

(source)

Speaking of iPad’s – are they blogging friendly? I know all you ladies are pretty tech savvy so please leave me any input/advice you may have on the iPad!

The holiday season is about spreading cheer and love to family and friends – but I also thinking showing your love through food, cards, or gifts is something so special and what makes this time of year so wonderful :)

Questions:
What’s on your wish list this holiday season?!
Do you still play “Santa” with your family? For our Xmas Eve family holiday party, my dad plays Santa for the little kids and it’s the most adorable thing ever – it’s an awesome tradition that I love so much <3

Christmas Eve 2009 – sis, mom, Santa (dad!), Todd, me (wow with short hair!)

Simple and Satisfying

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Hi everyone and happy Thursday! Hope you’re all having a lovely day so far :)

In regards to Tuesday’s post, I want to say a huge thank you to you all for not only your support, but for sharing your particular fears in regards to food and your own personal experiences. I enjoy reading each and every one of them and learn so much from you all, you all are such amazing, strong, beautiful women. I also related to some fears that were mentioned from some of you, for instance eating outside from your normal routine during the week or your fears of fat. To this day I still struggle with eating out of my “normal eating schedule” during the work week…at first it gives me anxiety but I remind myself that I can’t stay in my little bubble forever. Life is about enjoying the company of others and the simple pleasures of food…I have to remember that food is food, and to not tie it with my emotions. It’s a big part of our culture and society to enjoy food in the company of others…it’s to be celebrated and to be bonded over with either your significant other, coworker, family member, or girlfriend…and the more I remind myself of this, the more I can embrace all types of food situations and to never fear it again :)

****

Today I want to share with you all a couple simple and satisfying meals Todd and I have made this past week. One is the pasta dish I made Monday night and had shared the picture with you all on Tuesday’s post.

It’s adapted from Giada’s Farfalle with Turkey Sausage, Peas and Mushrooms. It’s absolutely delicious and super easy to make – a definite winner.

I had made this once before with ground turkey (not ground turkey sausage) and it was good but pretty bland so I wouldn’t do it with that again. This time around I still didn’t use ground turkey sausage, but instead used chicken sausage and it was pretty darn fantastic.

First get your water boiling and ready to cook your pasta…I used Barilla Plus Farfalle Pasta

For the chicken sausages I used Al Fresco Spinach and Feta Chicken Sausages, and slice them up and heat them through until golden brown…

Once browned and heated through, about 8 minutes/4 minutes per side, I removed the chicken sausages from the pan and using the same pan add 2 tbsp. of olive oil and two packages of sliced mushrooms. Salt and pepper the mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes…

Once that’s done, add a 16 oz. frozen and slightly thawed package of peas and heat through for about 4 minutes…

Then add your chicken sausage back to the pan and heat all together for about 3 minutes…

Then add your cooked pasta to the pan, mix together, and then add 1 heaping cup of shredded/grated parmesan cheese and mix together…

****

In Tuesday’s post I had also mentioned turkey burgers were on the menu for dinner and that’s exactly what we did.

Back to the topic above, I at one time used to fear fats and would only buy fat free meats, cheeses, you name it…and the sight of olive oil or butter used in cooking would leave me with anxiety. Now, bring it on. Love love fats…I have the hubby to thank for that as he taught me not to fear them…they add so much flavor to anything and everything! And nowadays I buy only 90/10 or 93/7 ground turkey or meat, but for some reason Safeway only had 99% fat-free ground turkey so that’s what we used. But you know how bland and dry that is…well Todd’s secret is to add about 1 tbsp. of olive oil to the ground turkey meat while mixing it and it makes the meat absolutely moist and perfect. He also mixed in about a cup of shredded cheddar cheese and Cajun seasoning…the burgers were amazing!

Grilling up…

Finished product…

Turkey burger with tomato, ketchup, and olive oil mayo on Columbo sourdough bread – with a side salad

And dessert was a new staple in this household – sourdough bread with Biscoff spread – yum. Todd and I shared this…

And that’s about it for today! The boss is out of town so I have fun lunch plans with my coworker…don’t you love it when the boss is away?! ;)

Hope you’re all having a great day and I’ll see you all back here tomorrow! :)

Questions:
What’s a simple and satisfying meal you’ve been making lately?
What’s your favorite pasta dish? I love love Spaghetti Alla Carbonara (with peas!)…I’ll never forget the one Todd got when we were on vacation in San Diego – it.was.amazing. And my mom’s classic homemade meat sauce and spaghetti, simply amazing and delicious. I think both are pretty worthy of being on Food Network’s Best Thing I Ever Ate ;)
What’s your current favorite dessert/sweet treat right now?

A Weekend of Firsts

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Happy Monday everyone! Hope you’re all having a great day so far and are refreshed from the weekend! We have been having the most glorious fall weather here in Northern California and it’s been very unseasonably warm with temperatures 10-15 degrees above the norm. I love this warm weather, but I have to say I’m ready for cooler temps so I can routinely start wearing my boots and scarves…remind me I said this when February rolls around and it’s gloomy and rainy everyday ;)

But for now, I have to say I don’t mind these amazing sunsets…my dad sent me this photo and this is looking out from their backyard, simply amazing…thanks dad!! :)

Thinking back on my weekend, I realized it was a weekend of many firsts for me. Starting with Friday, it was the first Giada recipe I’ve made this year and it was fantastic! On Tina’s blog Carrots ‘n’ Cake, she had the amazing opportunity to interview Giada and one of the questions was what was her favorite go-to recipe to make when short on time. Her answer was the Farfalle with Turkey Sausage, Peas, and Mushrooms – it also happened to be her hubby’s favorite dish – and coincidentally his name is Todd too ;) Just the sound of that dish instantly peaked my interest, and then Tina made the recipe and raved how easy and delicious it was so right then I knew I had to make it. And on the side we enjoyed some toasted bread and had it extra fancy with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette with a small glass of red wine…

Notes:

  • It calls for ground turkey sausage but I only had ground turkey on hand which worked nicely but next time I’m definitely going to do the turkey sausage to give it more oomph and flavor.
  • I used the entire bag of frozen peas (16oz.) which was nice in giving it a sweet flavor, and if you want even more flavor add red pepper flakes like Todd did since he likes heat – I on the other hand do not!
  • Also, next time I’d use 2 boxes of sliced mushrooms instead of 1 as it seemed the ratio to peas and meat was off and I (we) personally love mushrooms :)

****
Saturday was a wonderful day spent with my family and it started off with lunch at our fav spot, Fresh Choice. Salad beasts and fro yo were consumed in mass quantities…

x2!

Peanut Butter and Cookies n Cream fro yo with chopped peanuts, cheesecake bites, graham cracker crumbles, and kit kat pieces

To anyone that lives in the Bay Area, you must must go to U Love. It.is.amazing. I kid you not, my sis and I were in absolute frozen yogurt heaven, it is to die for and our eyes kept rolling back being in pure bliss. The peanut butter was especially out of this world, the flavor was literally like real creamy peanut butter and the consistency was so luscious and creamy…it was that good!

With bellies full of fro yo, we then headed to the grocery store to get some grub for the evening. As we were walking by the beer aisle and at the perfect moment, I looked over and saw the infamous Shock Top beer that I’ve been hearing all over the blog world…my sister then exclaimed that she had tried it before and loved it. Now if you know my sis and I, we’re not true beer gals, we like our champy, so hearing how much she enjoyed it told me right there that we must buy some and I had to try it, stat!

And great minds must think alike because my sis’s boyfriend bought the Shock Top Belgian Wheat!

I couldn’t wait to give it a try!

It was my first Shock Top beer ever and I loved it! Now I know why everyone raves about it…and we of course added an orange slice to it too, my sis knows how to do it up right :)

Dinner was up next – Filet mignon and chicken skewers for boys…although you know us ladies took bites off our men’s plates ;)

Potato fries…mom did an amazing job on these!!

My plate….

And we capped it off with some Dreyer’s Mud Pie ice cream. It was a delicious night with loved ones, a perfect Saturday indeed :)

****
Sunday was spent lounging around and a couple more firsts were had…Saturday at the grocery store I also had found another infamous blog world popular item…

Biscoff Spread!! You guys, this stuff really is amazing. I had many Biscoff finger dips and it was glorious…I’ve never had the actually cookie before but it tastes just like a graham cracker.

That morning we stopped at Starbucks for our Sunday morning ritual and got a croissant (to which I spread Biscoff on) and a classic coffee cake to share…the aftermath

And the most epic egg, turkey, and cheese sandwich Todd made. Here are the ingredients we used to make it…

And the finished product…

The picture really doesn’t do justice, it was delicious and Todd is now officially the egg sandwich master :)

It was a great, relaxing weekend with the people I love the most and I wouldn’t rather spend my weekend any other way :)

P.S. Our very close family friend, we basically call her our Aunt, her daughter gave birth yesterday to a beautiful baby boy…she was in labor for 24 hours and went all natural!! I already have plans to get many tips and advice on how she accomplished that as I would like to definitely go natural, if possible. So congrats Katie and Rich, we love you lots! xoxo

And…more exciting news…my sis got a brand new car! So excited (and jealous!) for her…it’s the Jetta SEL and I can’t wait to check it out and test drive it…and it will of course be on our way to U Love ;)

Ain’t they both beauties :) Congrats sissy!!! xoxo

Questions:
Anything exciting happen over the weekend? Any firsts for you?
Have you tried Shock Top beer and/or what’s your favorite kind of beer? I love love any Hefeweizen, but now Shock Top Belgian Wheat and Pumpkin come in a close second!