Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread

One of the (many) great things about pinterest is that I've been discovering all kinds of new recipes that I wouldn't have come across otherwise.  This pin for Cinnamon Pull Apart bread caught my attention right away, and despite my inadequacies in the baking department, I thought I'd give it a whirl.

This bread was, by no means, easy to make.  I had trouble stacking the dough and ended up kind of shoving it into my loaf pan.

A lot of the cinnamon and sugar mixture fell off in the process, so I just scooped it up and threw it on top.  You can never have too much cinnamon and sugar, right?

Right.  This bread was gooey and delicious, but didn't feel as heavy as a typical monkey bread type breakfast.  Served with my favorite cup of coffee it was a great breakfast treat.

I decided to post these shoes because I (1) love that Gucci is bringing back the t-strap for spring and (2) think the color is reminiscent of the bread (bear with me, peeps, sometimes a good segue from food to shoes is hard to come by)!

Gucci via Saks

Now if only I could wear the shoes while eating the bread, we'd be set.

The Saturday Sip: Jazzed up Coffee

On the heels of my Keurig post, I thought it would be appropriate to share my favorite morning coffee concoction with the world (or, at least, my 10 followers.  Good morning!).

This is after I've taken a sip, so there's a little gunk on the inside of the glass, but it is explained thusly:  this is a combination of 2 Tablespoons of hot chocolate mix, one cup of dark roast coffee, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  I am not a milk drinker, and the hot chocolate mix has calcium that's great for me in the morning.  Cinnamon has been said to aid with digestion, and the coffee gives me the morning pick-me-up that I need!

This little number could provide a great pick-me-up for any of my (typically all-black) ensembles:

Jimmy Choo via Net-a-Porter
That shade of (neon) yellow is calling my name, loudly.  Anybody know where to find a more economical version?

Favorite Things Thursday: Caffeinator

As promised, I'm introducing another new type of post for your reading pleasure.  Every Thursday (or the Thursdays when I feel like it, anyway) I will do a little post on my favorite things.  Keep in mind, of course, that I am NOT being compensated (I'm not big time like that) and these are things that I legitimately love and use on a regular basis. 

Keurig B60 via Kohl's

The F and I (well, technically just the F) received this Keurig brewer for Christmas and I LOVE it.  At first I didn't want a Keurig . . . it seemed inconvenient to drink my normal pot of coffee by using individual cups (AND it was my experience that the coffee was never hot enough).  Now, however, I have cut back on the amount of coffee I'm drinking (not a bad thing) and get to experience as many types of coffee as I want in one morning.  Not a bad gig!

My K-Cup via Dillard's

This little guy has made all of the difference, as well.  The K-Cups for Keurig brewers can, in my opinion, get a little spendy.  This allows me to buy my coffee in bulk and still use the K-Cup brewer.  Genius! 

Parmesan Potato Puffs

I promised ya'll that I'd be doing a lot more cooking, what with the new job and all, so I have been cookin' up a storm because, as always, I aim to please. 

As I have shared on numerous occasions previously (here and here, for example) I am not a fan of potatoes.  But, because the F loves them so much, I try to make them from time to time.  I tried these parmesan potato puffs and didn't loathe them as strongly as I typically loathe potatoes (which is saying something) and the F liked them.  That is potato success.

As all potato puffs do (or so I've been led to believe), this recipe starts off with mashed potatoes.  Mine were leftover and garlic-laced, which I thought would give a nice depth of flavor to the puffs (I was, of course, correct).

Because I knew I'd be trying the puffs, I knew they needed to be extra cheesy, so I added an extra . . . oh . . . 1/3 of a cup of cheese (I used a combination of sharp cheddar and parmesan). 

Despite excessive buttering, they were a little difficult to get out of the muffin pan (and I apologize for the terrible picture).  We had our puffs with steak, broccoli, and spinach salad, and they weren't terrible!  I wouldn't go out of my way to make them a part of my diet, but for a potato, not bad.  If you like potatoes, however, I'm sure you'd be whistling a different tune than I!

Speaking of people who whistle different tunes, the F and I seem to live on different fashion planets.  To celebrate my new job, I bought these:

Dolce Vita via Saks

When I placed these beauties upon my feet, the F informed me that, prior to our fabulous years together, he had never seen anybody wear a wedge.  WHAT?!  How could that be possible?  On what fashion planet does one live where nary a wedge is to be found?  I can hardly talk about it, I find it so upsetting.  If you are aware, peeps, of a place in this great nation where wedges are nonexistent, please share this post and spread the wedge-love.  I can't handle knowing that wedge-free universes exist.

Quickie Friday: Breakfast in Color!

I have news.  News that I have waited to share because I can hardly believe it's true, myself.  Remember, back in September, when I told ya'll about my fabulous job (and life) news and I gushed about how excited I was and woohoo!  And hooray!?  Well, peeps, once again I have job news.  I have accepted a new job.  One which will both allow me to use ALL of my degrees AND which will allow me to be home most nights during the week, and about which I am BEYOND thrilled.

via

In the spirit of such great news, I give you a sparkly smile and a quick and delicious (and colorful!) breakfast.

That is one big plate of wonderful.  I prepared, for your visual (and my gastric) enjoyment, eggs scrambled with onions and Mexican cheese, atop a toasted onion roll, covered in hot salsa and avocado.  This is a breakfast feast, one which should be enjoyed with both stomach and eyes.  Let's take a moment to enjoy everything that I've just thrown at you, shall we?
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Ahhhhhhh.  All of these wonderful things are making me positively giddy, so let's add one more:

Jimmy Choo via Net-a-Porter

Even better.  This was the perfect way to start a Friday, if I do say so myself.

The Saturday Sip: A New Year's Cleanse

It seems like everybody is doing a cleanse these days.  I've read about juice cleanse after juice cleanse, and then I read (in several places) about adding a little apple cider vinegar to the daily diet, and all of the differences it can make (appetite suppression, speedy digestion, clearer skin, decreased inflammation, and the list goes on . . .).  So I thought I'd give it a shot.

Here's what you need, peeps:  A (approximately 15 oz.) bottle or glass (I use the same bottle everyday), raw, organic apple cider vinegar (it is EXTREMELY important that it not be pasteurized.  Raw all the way), lemon juice (the bottled variety works particularly well for this), and honey.  Combine 2 tablespoons of vinegar with a splash of lemon juice and a little bit of honey, then add 12 ounces of water.  You can either drink the concoction prior to a meal, or sip it slowly throughout the day.  I drink mine mid-morning, which has worked particularly well with my schedule.  The taste is different, but I was quick to get used to it.  I definitely recommend it if you're looking for something cleansing, but don't want to commit to 5 days of nothing but juice!

There are other things, however, that I am currently committing too (besides the aforementioned cleansing beverage) that will be shared with you in very short order.  Suffice it to say, my wardrobe is going to need some updating, and I feel that an updated in the hand/professional bag department may also be in order.

Proenza Schouler Python PS1 Tote via Barneys

Not that this particular update will be possible, given the price tag, but my GOD that's a gorgeous bag.

Quickie Friday: Salsa Chicken

It is my sincere hope, peeps, that posting will be back to normal beginning next week.  With those optimistic thoughts in mind, I present to you:  Salsa Chicken!

I received this recipe through an email recipe exchange and it is scrumptious.  Combine one can cream of chicken soup with a cup and a half of salsa.  Pour it over four chicken breasts in a baking dish, then top with a thin, even layer of tortilla chips (I went with whole grain) and another thin, even layer of Mexican shredded cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes (I recommend covering it for half of the time) and you'll have a quick and delicious dish, with tons of flavor and moderate calories!

Seeing as how it has been a wee bit chilly around these parts lately (when it's the same temperature in Florida as it is in North Dakota, you know something's wrong!) I have been scoping out cute, temperature-appropriate boots like these:

via

Perfect for Florida . . . heeled boots are a definite do when you don't have to deal with snow!

Happy 2012!!!

Good afternoon, peeps, and happy new year to each and every one of you!  I'm starting off 2012 on this little 'ole blog by sharing some of my favorite things for the new year, and a few resolutions.

First, my girl Paula (formally of JC's Loft, currently of Party Like Paula) has some GREAT stuff on her website.  She sells all of her awesome stationery and I totally recommend checking it out!

I got these bowls as a Christmas gift from my mom.  I have nowhere to store them, which means I'll just have to find an excuse to use them all the time!!

Finally on the list of favorite things is the blog What Katie Ate.  The pictures are stunning and totally inspirational for a foodie-wannabe like me!

And finally, a few resolutions.  This year I will:

• Walk Arnie every day
• Brush my teeth more than twice a day and remember to floss (this is my resolution almost every year!)
• Plan the most perfect (for the F and I) wedding and not worry about how others think our wedding should be
• Achieve goals in both the personal and professional aspects of my life (no explicit details necessary) and remind myself how well things are going each and every day (regardless of whether I feel that way or not!)

How about you, peeps?  What do you hope to achieve in this (new) year?!


*2012 image here