by steph_egan | fun finds
Anyone out there win Powerball?
I’ll admit I got caught up in all the hype and purchased a few tickets. And of course I’m taking the time to write this because its Wednesday night and they haven’t done the drawing… Which means I haven’t darted off for my own private island just yet.
And really the best part of the whole thing is really the DREAM of it all. What would you do with all that money?! Retire. New house. New car. Take care of family and donate a portion. Go on the trip of a lifetime (or a few!) and then fill the rest of your days with who and what you love.
I overheard countless conversations along those lines.
Are you someone who thinks that amount of money is scary? Have you seen the documentaries on past winners? Some just aren’t capable of handling such extreme wealth; they say winning was the worst thing to happen to them.
I guess I decided to take my chances.
Plus, it’s fun to imagine!
by Mandi | recipes
This Thanksgiving has been great for me! I was able to spend a lot of time with my family and I have been able to spend a lot of time with my sister.
She has been great helping me focus on being more healthy. I am learning what to eat at different times of the day as well as what to eat at different time of the year. It is a big change from my pizza and beer nights, but I am really enjoying it and loving all of the new recipes I am trying! In the winter it is good to eat a lot of warm vegetables, so we have done a lot of roasting. Roasted brussel sprouts and broccoli with nuts – ah-mazing!
On top of it all, I have to add that the Mister is being very supportive and is eating healthy with me! I think we may have had our favorite meal so far the other night! We had the brussel sprouts and an amazing salad with goat cheese and avocado. The star of the night was a fresh artichoke. We started out with the artichoke and was not only easy to make and delicious, but it was so fun to eat. We sat down at the table and had a wonderful conversation while we slowly picked away at the vegetable!
This was my first time cooking an artichoke and it was SO easy – anyone can do it!
1. Slice off the top third of the artichoke with a sharp knife and cut off all of the points – I took about a 1/2 inch off each one.
2. Cut off the stem – no need for this part!
3. Rinse the artichoke with the cold water.
4. Get a large pot and fill it with water. I added lemon juice and a garlic clove to my water. Insert a steaming basket, add the artichokes and cover.
5. Bring the water to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25 to 45 minutes or until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off.
6. For a dip, I took a spoonful of mayo and added some balsamic vinegar, just enough to taste and it really went well!
I encourage you to grab an artichoke, maybe a bottle of wine and have a conversation night!
by jenn_davis | creative tips
I don’t know about you, but I am pretty much a sucker for festive cocktails. Regardless of the season, a pretty drink always puts my senses in overdrive….especially the eye candy that exists only in holiday cocktails!
Here are a few that stood out as main contenders for Cocktail of the Season, but be warned because one too many could leave you ending up on the naughty list….
1. Jess Potter featured her beautiful creation, Lady Alexander, on The Grid. 2. Single Minded Women featured this appropriately named cocktail, The Grinch. 3. Nicole from The Plunge Project featured this delicious Smirnoff Marshmallow Fluff Hot Chocolate 4. The sparkle in my eye…The Amore Frizzante 5. Kori from Real Moms Guide featured this festive Chocolate Peppermint Cookie along with 6. this Seven Layer Cookie!!!
Many of these cocktails would be just as delicious (and slightly less naughty) if you left the alcohol out or replaced the Prosecco with sparkling cider – so don’t drink and drive folks (unless of course you are being pulled by 8 tiny reindeer, then I suppose they are technically driving – but in that case you should probably lay off the alcohol anyway because people will start to talk. I digress…)
Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are gearing up for the Holidays!
xo
