Bring on 2013!

It's always a sad day when the Christmas decorations come down and get packed away till next year.  Although, I plan to talk hubby into leaving them up till Easter :) 

We've had a wonderful, relaxing and very memorable Christmas week here in Harbor Springs, MI.  We skyped with Rochester, Bangkok and Cape Town.  Winslow met  Santa (and screamed in his face), went sledding & ice luging, played in the snow, rode a 2-horse open sleigh, met a dog sled team and slept/ate like a champ while up here.  Fingers crossed for an exhausted babe on our flight home tomorrow!

I'm sad to see this holiday season fly by, but I'm excited for 2013.  This was a HUGE year for us... from watching Winslow grow from a teeny lil peanut to a strong willed, smart little lady to buying our first home to travels to building our businesses. I've loved every minute of it, especially being Winslow's mom. (And, my gosh, have I learned a lot about myself!)  I've started my list of goals and I'm ready to start checking them off.  Bring on 2013 :)

Happy New Year!!  Be safe.

  

Chocolate Chip Meringues

Chocolate Chip Meringues... they're as amazing as they sound.  And SO, so easy.  

Ingredients

4 egg whites, warmed in the shell (submerge whole eggs in shell in warm water)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup super fine baking sugar

8 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.  In a medium bowl, beat egg whites, salt, cream of tartar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar (1 tbsp every 5 seconds) and continue to beat until meringue is stiff and glossy, about 1.5 minutes more.  Gently fold in chocolate chips...

Drop meringue by 1/4 cup dollops onto parchment-lined baking sheets...

Bake until dry and just golden brown, about 1 to 1.5 hours.  Let cool on baking sheets.  (Be careful not to burn, continue to check on them after an hour!)

And that's it.  So simple!

Give a little extra love to the packaging and you've got a really an easy and decadent gift for the holidays!

stella & dot arrived!

I'm completely swooning over this bracelet and ring from stella & dot that just arrived in the mail...

I'm a sucker for great packaging and they do a GREAT job.  I almost don't want to throw these boxes away.  Is that weird?!

Gift Guide: Winter White & Gold

I love all of the gift guides out there this time of year, so I thought I'd put one together.  Gifts should be thoughtful and fun... special things that make them smile and think of you years later!  These are some of my favs, in stunning winter white and gold...

Zara Studded Stretch Belt | $19.90
Free People Crochet Fleece Armwarmer | $38
Lulu Off The Mat Jacket | $178
J.CREW Giant Bow Sweater | 98
Madewell ID Cuff Bracelet | $28
Anthropologie Giltwork Pin-Fringe Clutch | $78

Hope this helps cross someone special off your list!

{ Photo Credit: zara.com, freepeople.com, lululemon.com, jcrew.com, madewell.com, anthropologie.com }

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

After a good friend made these for a pre-Thanksgiving gathering, I couldn't stop thinking about them. So naturally, I decided to make them again for a dinner party just a couple days later.  Light, moist (sorry!), delicious and the perfect amount of lemon and sweetness.  Try them.  Seriously.

Cookie Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (15 oz) container whole milk ricotta cheese

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Glaze Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside

In the large bowl combine the butter and sugar.  Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated.  Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Beat to combine.  Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spoon the dough (about 2 tbsp each) onto the baking sheets.  Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges.  Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth.  Spoon about 1/2 tsp onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread, or drizzle on top.  Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours. 

___

They'll be a hit at your upcoming holiday party... I promise.

{ Photo Credit: thepickycook.com }

 

Kaua'i Love.

Although they really should have met years before, I watched two dear friends fall in love the moment they shook hands.  It was at a Lady Antibellum concert a couple summers ago and the rest is history.  Seriously inseparable and so beautifully perfect for each other.  I couldn't be more excited for them to get married along the pristine waters of Kaua'i this Spring.

It meant so much to me, to be asked to create their Save The Dates.  Here they are, and as you can see, the images I had to work with made this project way too easy.  Could they be any hotter?! :)

Love you two so much.  Can't wait to celebrate!!