Holiday Help

With the holiday's approaching we all have friends and family to buy gifts for....if you have no clue what to buy I'm here to help you! I hate gift cards unless someone specifically asks for one, I feel like they're so impersonal so throughout the month I'll help you guys with gift ideas within all price ranges and budgets. 

Moet Festive Twinkle Box $64.99
available at your local liquor store or Glen Garry Wines

Ipod Alarm Dock $30
Areaware

Macaroon Earbud Holder $3.99
Container Store

Merona Leather Studded Gloves $17.59
Target

Michael Kors Monogram Wallet $88
Nordstrom

E.L.F. Nail Polish Cube $10
Target

Holiday

It's December and the holiday parties will soon begin, of course you gotta shine bright like a diamond! Here's a few dresses, handbags and shoes to rock to your holiday functions - I actually purchased one of the dresses pictured below..can you guess which one??

ASOS Curve  $61.57

ASOS Curve was $31.66 NOW $23.75

Kardashian Kollection was $75 NOW $69

Dorothy Perkins $79

Forever 21 $27.80

Forever 21 $34.80

Fashion to Figure $36 

Aldo was $100 NOW $38.49

Aldo $80

Forever 21 $21.80

Steve Madden $149

Steve Madden $149

Lulu's $49

ASOS $52.77

ASOS $43.98

Lulu's $49

Lulu's $85

Patricia Field $68

Victoria's Secret was $88 NOW $49

Stuffing

This is my roughly my mother's stuffing recipe - she wasn't interested in sharing her infamous recipe...and because there's no written recipe I'm basically going by what I've seen her do. I love her stuffing sooooo much, it's one of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes so I HAD to share it with you guys. It's fairly easy and delicious. I've included pictures of the stuffing mix and sausage she uses. Enjoy..

Ingredients
1 stick butter
2 cups diced onions
2 cups diced celery
2 cups green or red bell peppers
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1lb breakfast sausage
1 1/2 - 2 bags of Arnold's or Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (recommended: Bell's)
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock

Directions
In a large frying pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, celery and peppers for 5 minutes. Next, add the sausage and cook until browned, about 10 more minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, mix the seasonings, eggs and stuffing mix. Then add the cooked vegetables and sausage and mix again. Finally, add the stock and mix well. There will be enough stuffing for a 10 to 15-pound bird and an 8 by 8-inch pan.

Buttermilk Cornbread

Cornbread. From scratch, it's easy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2/3 cup white sugar2 eggs1 cup buttermilk1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 cup cornmeal1 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt
  

  Directions

  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F 

  Grease an 8 inch square pan

  Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan

  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Glazed Ham

I'm not a big turkey eater on T Day I enjoy the ham MUCH more! Here is an interesting recipe from Ina Garten I haven't had a chance to make it yet but it sounds tasty, way different than anyone in my family makes it...Enjoy

Glazed Ham

1 medium smoked ham

6 cloves garlic

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon mango chutney (or orange)

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

Zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup   freshly squeezed orange juice (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. Place ham in a heavy roasting pan.

To make the glaze, mince garlic in a food processor. Add remaining ingredients; process until smooth.

Pour glaze over ham and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until ham is fully cooked and glaze is well browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Pie Crust

In case you guys didn't know I have a home based catering company and I specialize in baked goods. I strongly believe in making everything from scratch and despise boxed cakes, cookies and pies. BUT I have a secret I'm terrible with pie crust! My hands are always warm and they always melt the butter! Whenever I need to make a crust from scratch I always recruit my mom. Two crust that I can make well are the classic graham cracker crust and my personal remix the Nilla wafer crust. One night while making a cheesecake I randomly decided to use nilla wafers instead of graham crackers and fell in love. Both of them are terribly easy to make and tasty....Enjoy! 


Graham Cracker Crust

Ingredients

• about 12 graham crackers , finely ground (1 1/2 cups)
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 
  
• Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined.
• Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake until crust golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Let 
• cool completely before filling

Nilla Wafer Crust

Ingredients

40 vanilla wafers, finely crushed

2 tablespoons sugar 
1/4 cup butter, melted 
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

In a bowl mix together all ingredients.
Press into an even layer against bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree  oven for 6-8 minutes.
Cool before filling