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Christmas

How to Make a Christmas Dessert Board

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One of the best parts of the Christmas holiday season is all of the delightful desserts! But what do you do with all of the cookies, candies, and baked goods that people give you? Before you know it, you have bags and boxes of them on your kitchen counter. A Christmas Dessert Board is the solution! A beautiful assortment of sweet treats, the board is the perfect way to bring winter cheer to any holiday happy hour or family gathering.

The brilliant part of assembling a Christmas dessert board is that it only requires opening packages and artfully arranging ingredients on a surface. Just as you would design a meat and cheese charcuterie board, you want to vary color, height, and textures as much as possible. I combined soft cocoa truffles alongside crunchy shortbread cookies and I let cinnamon gummy bears nestle up to a river of holiday popcorn.

Not sure what to include on your board? Use my list as a helpful shopping guide or gather your favorite sweet confections and just have a blast making your own desert board:

CHOCOLATE:

COOKIES:

  • Decked Out Tree Cookies (Trader Joe’s)
  • Peppermint Pretzel Slims (Trader Joe’s)

NUTS:

POPCORN:

COCOA BOMBS:

  • They were a fabulous gift from a friend, but you can find them at many bakeries and gift stores.

Other items you could include chocolate spreads, mini cupcakes, assorted berries, marshmallows, or gingerbread men cookies.  However, I should warn you about something. If you leave the dessert board on your kitchen counter, you will eat from it at EVERY passing. I highly recommend you gift this Christmas Dessert Board to someone or serve it at a party unless you don’t mind the holiday weight gain. ::laughing:: I didn’t!

Christmas is about showing kindness to others and I can’t think of a better way to bring the joy of the season to someone else than by serving them a gorgeous assortment of sweet treats! I hope you enjoy your Christmas Dessert Board as much as I had making mine.

Happy Holidays, friends!

5 Ways I Spoil Myself + Self-Care Tips for You

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Sometimes you have to put yourself first.

Pampering yourself is necessary to regain perspective, to boost your confidence, and to hit the reset button now and then. If that means that you spoil yourself by splurging on a night out with friends or restocking your closet with a new wardrobe, then by all means – celebrate you!

I used to do nice things for myself only when I thought I deserved it. For example, if I passed a major college exam or got a raise at work, I would convince myself I had “earned” the right to do spoil myself. As I matured, I realized that self-preservation doesn’t mean I have to justify buying a new spring wardrobe or a vacation somewhere. Giving back to yourself is a part of self-care.

Is it time for you to pay it forward to yourself?

I bet you’re like me in that you give so much of yourself to work, family, and your household that you seldom give thought to yourself and how you’re feeling. Time constraints keep so many of us from giving back to ourselves. Check out 5 Ways I Spoil Myself below and I’ll bet you discover at least one way you to pamper yourself without spending a ton of time doing it!

  1. Birthday Meal. I always treat myself to a delicious lunch at one of my favorite restaurants on my birthday. Even if I have to dine alone, because all of my favorite people are stuck at work, I’ll dine on my city’s best nachos, fattoush salad, or pizza. In my twenties, I once filled an entire table at The Mad Greek in Lawrence, Kansas with a spread of Mediterranean  favorites including a cocktail on my birthday! Why? Because I was celebrating me!
  2. StitchFix. Life is too short for me to spend another minute hating myself for having to cut through crowds at the mall to find staple clothing items. Enter…StitchFix! Every month I receive my “fix” in the mail that includes five clothing or accessories to add to my closet. I’m like a kid on Christmas when the green and white box arrives with hand-selected items from my personal stylist. If I don’t like something, I simply mail it back. It’s great!
  3. Hair Color. The first time I had an Aveda stylist color my hair and give me a scalp massage at the shampoo bowl, I was hooked. I didn’t need to spend another minute contemplating hair color options in the drugstore aisle. Now my trusted stylist colors my hair and you can see the difference. The cost of paying a professional to color my hair leaves it feeling soft and looking healthy.
  4. Flowers. Ain’t nobody got time to wait for someone else to buy them flowers! Buy them for yourself! Every month I purchase a bouquet of marked down flowers to add to our home. It makes me happy to see bright colors across the room and that level happiness is worth $5 any day.
  5. Gourmet Food. You know me, I love yummy food. So it’s no surprise that I would spoil myself by throwing some fancy cheese or a few expensive condiments into my shopping cart. Why deny yourself sushi or fresh mozzarella? Just buy it every once in a while and relish in the satisfaction of your purchase while you devour it!

You deserve to walk around in this world a happier person even if it means going the extra mile to spoil yourself. I’m not suggesting you waste your next paycheck on all of your favorite things in the name of “self-care.” Instead, select one or two activities that bring you joy and add them into your life on a regular basis. You’ll feel more delightful overall!

 

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

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Have any Bah Humbugs in your house this holiday? Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans are the cure!

Not only does the house fill with the smell of warm cinnamon (better than any candle – thank you), but I dare any bah humbugs to try and remain a Scrooge after sampling warm pecans from the oven! The spirit of Christmas is the secret ingredient in this recipe.

Tis the season to abandon your diet and go for the YUM!

The beauty of making this candy substitute is that the recipe is incredibly simple to make and one even the kiddos can help you with. So, throw on an apron and invite the kids into the kitchen!

Pecans or walnuts are good choices for this recipe so the sugary mixture bakes inside all of the nuts’ nooks and crannies. My walnuts were frozen in the freezer, so I used only pecans.

To make Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Next, simply whisk one egg white with water and pour it over a bowl containing three cups of raw, unsalted pecans. Add the remaining ingredients, stir, and ta-da! Transfer the wet, coated pecans to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 25-28 minutes. That’s it!

After removing the pecans from the oven, let them cool before moving them from the baking sheet. The toughest part of making the pecans is not eating them while they’re warm! The pecans will be naturally clumped together because of the melted sugar coating, but that’s okay.

This is what the pecans look like as soon after they are removed from the oven and before they cool.

Once the pecans have cooled, break them up with your hands and transfer them to glass jars or Ziplock bags for simple storage. You could easily gift this dainty holiday snack by tying a ribbon around a pecan-filled mason jar and adding a gift tag! If you’re going to make a DIY foodie gift, make this one! It’s a guaranteed win and you’ll love how easy it is to prepare.

Send holiday dinner party guests home with a gift – jarred cinnamon sugar pecans. They’ll love you for it!

Candied pecans also make a delicious addition to any salad or as a yogurt mix-in. I served Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans to guests in place of a heavy dessert. Rather than eating a rich dessert after our steak dinner, we enjoyed hot coffee and handfuls of sweet pecans!

3 cups

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans

As a snack, dessert replacement or on a salad, Baked Cinnamon Sugar Pecans are delectable!

10 minPrep Time

40 minCook Time

50 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 3 cups raw, unsalted pecans
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 T. water
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 T. cinnamon
  • large pinch Kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat over to 300 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. Whisk egg white with the water in a small bowl until foamy.
  4. Pour egg white mixture on pecans in a large bowl and stir until pecans are well coated.
  5. Combine remaining ingredients in separate large bowl. Then, add sugar mixture to pecans.
  6. Stir pecans until the sugar mixture evenly coats the nuts.
  7. Transfer pecans to the baking sheet and spread them until almost flat.
  8. Bake at 300 degrees for 25-28 minutes. (Check them at 25 minutes.)
  9. Remove from oven and allow pecans to cool completely before transferring to storage containers.

Notes

I did not stir the pecans half-way through baking, but you can.

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Nutrition

Calories

3383 cal

Fat

252 g

Carbs

257 g

Protein

40 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

 

Home for Christmas Cocktail

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This is my first Christmas home with my family in six years.

I know, right?! It seemed appropriate that the cocktail I created for our holiday dessert be named Home for Christmas Cocktail. Usually I travel to upstate New York with my boyfriend to visit his family and then celebrate with my parents when I return just before the new year, but this time I don’t have vacation days.

Nonetheless, we’ve vowed to make this Christmas fabulous with our families and this drink makes it all the more delightful. I love that its cinnamon flavor comes from the Rumchata which mixes well with the deep, rich flavors from coffee. The creme brulee latte coffee creamer smoothes it out so well. It’s easy to prepare and just the late night (or early morning;-) cocktail Santa needs!

Don’t forget to set out a bit of Ghiradelli Peppermint Bark to savor after the cocktail is gone. Cheers and Merry Christmas!

(No affiliate links in this post.)

Smooth, velvety and with a touch of cinnamon, this cold coffee cocktail is ideal for parents who are up late on Christmas Eve.
Smooth, velvety and with a touch of cinnamon, this cold coffee cocktail is ideal for parents who are up late on Christmas Eve.

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1 cocktail

Serves 10 oz

Home for Christmas Cocktail

Santa will love this coffee flavored cocktail when he stops by your home this Christmas Eve!

5 minPrep Time

5 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 3 oz. Rumchata
  • 6 oz. cold coffee (I prefer 8 O'Clock)
  • 1.5 oz Kroger Creme Brulee Latte Coffee Creamer
  • ice

Instructions

  1. Fill a cocktail glass with ice.
  2. Pour in the first three ingredients.
  3. Stir gently.

Notes

You could opt for another coffee creamer flavor such as hazelnut, vanilla or peppermint mocha.

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20 Fun Kid-Free Things for Couples to do During the Winter

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  1. Take yourselves on a Christmas light tour mission. Your mission is to find the yard with the largest holiday inflatables, park the car, and take a selfie with fat inflatable reindeer.
  2. Stop by a party decor store and buy wintertime props for a photo booth. Then head to a friend’s house, ring the doorbell, and sing a Christmas carol while wearing the props. Who doesn’t love a a couple singing in Santa hats and glasses toting a bottle of wine to share?
  3. Find matching massage chairs at your local big box store and enjoy a free 20 minute massage while you pretend to care to buy one.
  4. Bring your own travel size Irish cream liquor to the coffee shop. Spike your coffees when no one is looking. You’ll giggle like you’re a teen again. Risky.
  5. Find an empty parking lot and spin out doing donuts in the icy snow. Then, actually go out for donuts.
  6. Swing by the grocery store and buy dollar movie candy on your way to the theater. The twist is that you must not show one another what you’ve bought for them until seated in the theater. Should you choose to also sneak in beverages, say beer perhaps, but be sure to open the cans during loud scenes so you’re secret boozing goes undetected. Of course, decide who the designated driver is before you start your movie theater antics.
  7. Bundle up on a snowy day, head to the park, and make snow angels. Don’t forget your selfie stick.
  8. Go to an indoor sports park and compete against each other on the rope swings and see who can jump the wildest into the foam pit. Grab a pizza on your way home since you’re bound to work up a an appetite. You don’t want to ruin the fun should someone get hangry.
  9. Pack a gym bag and head to the YMCA to sit in the hot sauna together. Hot tub anyone?
  10. Find an area of your town that the local shuttle or trolley travels through and hop on and off at locations you’ve never visited.
  11. Attend a Final Friday art exhibit. It’s been awhile since you sat in art class. Go get your critique on.
  12. Declare today your dog’s birthday (or second birthday if you actually know their birthday) and take your fuzzy mutt on a trip to the pet store to pick out a toy and bag of treats. Happy Birthday to your fur baby!
  13. Build a snow igloo. (Everyone builds a snowman. Boring!) Think of your igloo as a fort in the snow. Better yet, build two snow walls to use as defense during an intense snowball fight.
  14. Make a cheese, meat, and fruit tray. Pour some vino and have Happy Hour by the fireplace.
  15. Go to The Dollar Store or Tuesday Morning and buy a summer landscape puzzle to complete together while your favorite summer playlists blares in the background. You’ll be dreaming of summer and conjuring warm thoughts in no time.
  16. Play a game I’ve coined called The Cheer-Up Challenge. When you’re out shopping for the holidays or in an airport, make an effort to smile at strangers. (Do it naturally when you happen to lock eyes otherwise they may think you’re unnaturally happy aka “weird.”) Make it a competition to see how many people each of you can get to smile back. The winner, at the end of the time declared, buys a sweet treat for the other. Kindness keeps giving!
  17. Watch a documentary on Netflix. Learning and lounging, yea!
  18. Search online for an all-adult tropical vacation destination. May I recommend Mexico all-inclusive resort? Book it then celebrate with fajitas for dinner.
  19. Visit Barnes and Nobles and pick out books for one another based on each other’s likes. Grab a blanket and snuggle up on the couch to read.
  20. Have a White Elephant gift exchange for two. Exchange zany, cheap gifts for one another.

Admittedly, these date ideas are random and that’s what makes them fun. The ideas require you to tap into your kid-at-heart spirit. Sure, you can rent a movie or watch evening television indoors with your significant other. But you’ve already done that, right? Instead, smile until your cheeks hurt while trying something spontaneous. Which date idea will you try this winter?

Let me know what ideas you have fun for a kid-less wintertime date night in the comment section below. I’d love new ideas!

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How to Make Evergreen Christmas Swag for Garage Sconces

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I’ve watched my mom make incredibly beautiful decor for the holidays on a budget my whole life. Even though our financwa were tight, somehow we had multiple theme Christmas tress in our home and color coordinated holiday decor in nearly every room. Her whimsical and creative talent for design, while watching her bottom dollar, drew many compliments from visitors. They would say, “Wow, your house looks great!” We knew that they were admiring seasonal decor that cost pennies. It felt awesome!

It still feels awesome. That love for decorating on a budget is a skill that I’m proud I have thanks to witnessing my mom’s talent. This year I decided to purchase real evergreen from Home Depot ($6 for 12′) and use it to decorate the interior and exterior of our home. So many of our neighbors use artificial holiday wreaths with bows and place them over their exterior garage light fixtures. But, I didn’t want to mimic their style and instead wanted vertically hung swags with red bows. How could I make something look classic but spend only a few dollars?

Using limited supplies from The Dollar Store and after gathering a couple supplies from around the house, I was set to create a festive display outdoors.

outdoor-christmas-evergreen-sconces2

Supplies Needed to Create Evergreen Christmas Sconces for 1 Swag:

  • fresh greenery ($6 Home Depot)
  • 2 large green floral foam blocks ($1 each at The Dollar Store)
  • red bow (Hobby Lobby 50% $4) You could also purchase one for a dollar at a big box store.
  • artificial green moss ($1 for a medium-sized package at The Dollar Store)
  • 1 wire coat hanger
  • 5-6 small glue sticks
  • glue gun
  • wire cutters
  • work gloves

Step 1: Glue both large green floral foam blocks together in a vertical position.

outdoor-christmas-evergreen-sconces4

Step 2: Glue cut pieces of fresh evergreen to the front and sides of the foam blocks. (Don’t worry about the top or back side since people won’t be able to see it from the drive-way.)

Tip: Wear work gloves when trimming the evergreen to avoid getting sticky sap on your hands.
Tip: Wear work gloves when trimming the evergreen to avoid getting sticky sap on your hands.

Step 3: Glue the artificial green moss on the areas not covered by the evergreen.

Step 4: Attach the red bow to the top/front area of your evergreen block.

Step 5: Cut off the hook section of a wire clothes hanger. Wearing work gloves, shape it into a long U-shape. Insert the pointed ends into the top of the foam block (just above the bow).

Tip: Push straight down when inserting the hangar into the flower foam.
Tip: Push straight down when inserting the hanger into the flower foam. I used a white wire coat hangar but you could also use a neutral color to blend into your exterior house’s paint color.

Step 6: Hang your awesome evergreen Christmas swag around your garage sconce.

outdoor-christmas-evergreen-sconces2

The holidays are a special time to welcome loved ones into your home . Why not greet them with the spirit of Christmas from the drive-way? This project is incredibly easy, inexpensive to make, and gives your home a classic Christmas appeal.

Don't forget to decorate the front porch too! This antique sled is a trending decor item for the winter season. This one was purchased 40% off during Shop Small Saturday this year.
Don’t forget to decorate the front porch too! This antique sled is a trending decor item for the winter season. This one was purchased 40% off during Shop Small Saturday this year.

Comment below to tell me how you’re decorating your home this holiday season. Happy Holidays!

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