It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year…

and I plan on embracing each moment of it. I am officially “on vacation” the next 2 weeks, as I encouraged my husband to use his vacation days, they were piling up! BTW - the shower for my brother and sister-in-law was a success, even if we had frosted brownies and cookies instead of some authentic dessert.

I plan to spend the next two weeks NOT:

• using my cell phone
• answering emails
• blogging
• watching TV (except Christmas movies and other good ones)
  

I plan TO:

• have friends over to play games
• read books (just finished A Christmas Carol, free on Kindle or Kindle for Android)
• have people over for brunch, appetizers or desserts
• drive around looking at Christmas lights
• practice my photography
• walk the dogs twice a day
• give massive amounts of household items, furniture, decorative accessories and clothes to charity

I may post a picture or two here and there if I have something good to share, and will send a holiday note next week.

Until I return, let me leave you with some of my favorite posts, things that I wanted to revisit from my archives.

Spicy Chocolate Cookies
Crafty Christmas
Amazing Advent Calendar
50 Easy Toast Toppers (for when I don’t want to cook)
2-Ingredient Chicken (for when I do)
100 Reasons To Get Rid Of It
Brunch: The New Dinner Party 
4 Champagne Cocktails

And to leave you a little musical interlude: Andy Williams singing one of my favorite Christmas songs.

Pear Crostata with Figs and Honey

  Another quick update. The red bean cake was strange. I do not confess to be a baker at all, but this was just fine, not great and definitely not what I was hoping it would be.

I was hoping I would have a winner like the Pear Crostata with Figs and Honey I made at Thanksgiving. Now granted, we had to make it twice (the first one was much prettier as we had more dough and it made wider edges), as I didn’t realize that wax paper has a lower heating point than parchment. Our oven kept smoking and we figured out it was the wax paper! Ooops! So, in trying to remove the paper, the whole thing pretty much fell apart. We put the pieces in a baking dish to eat later, and made a new one to take with us.

I took some quick pictures with my point and shoot, before we ate the crostata. It was delicious, served slightly warm, with vanilla ice cream. I followed the recipe exactly, except instead of making my own crust, I used 2 refrigerated pie crusts and rolled them together to make one large piece.

How to Have an Organized Holiday

I love expert tips and of course, The Container Store always has great ones. I miss seeing the gift wrap and stocking stuffers, and really do need to stop in and see everyone.

Whether it is to clear the clutter before the holidays (which is what I am currently doing, just took a 5 minute break), guest room organization, gorgeous gift presentation, or gift wrapping accessories, they have you covered. I can’t wait to read them all, but not until I am done getting my house ready for this weekend!

Adzuki Bean Cake

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I am attempting to make an adzuki bean cake today. Lord, have mercy, not sure why I decided that for a Japanese-themed baby shower, we needed an authentic(ish) dessert.

Here is the behind-the-scenes. My brother and sister-in-law are pregnant with triplets! And this is her first pregnancy!! Since my brother imports sake, and they loved their trip to Japan, my sister and I decided to do our version of a modern coed baby shower inspired by Martha Stewart. Less of the decorations, more of the food choices.

 
So, for dessert, I decided to try my hand at an adzuki bean cake recipe from Whole Foods. If you have ever had red bean ice cream, then you have eaten an adzuki bean.

Mad Baker made an adorable cupcake version, with green tea frosting and red bean paste inside a chocolate cupcake. Probably too involved for me right now, as I am beginning to stress about this weekend. I will let you know how the cake turns out.

Gift Ideas Under $50

This is the laziest blog post ever! I have been sick for weeks, thanks to sick foster boys, and I need to get well. We have a baby shower next week for my brother and sister-in-law and my whole family is coming into town. While at the doctor’s office, I was thumbing through a Family Circle and saw this gift guide. Now when I see ideas I want to remember, I pull out my phone and take a picture, then upload to Evernote. These three gifts grabbed my attention.

 

 

 

For even more ideas, head to Best Gifts Under $50.