12 Days of Christmas: Christmas Whoopie Pies

As much as I love working with pumpkin in November I really love working with peppermint in December.

One of my favorite tricks is to take my favorite whoopie pie recipe (something like this with buttercream filling) and roll the edge in crushed peppermint.

Instantly creating a Christmas worthy treat.

What's your favorite way to eat Peppermint?

Some nights

When I start feeling like I'm going to get sick and Jus wants pancakes for dinner it seems like the perfect excuse to go to my parents and dirty up their kitchen.

For the record, we made this recipe and it was deeeeeelicious 

Cause it melts.

If you know me you know I love ice cream. When we started dating Jus said he never knew a family that ate ice cream as much as my family does. I tend to live by a simple truth when it comes to ice cream.

There's Always Room For Ice Cream from Two For Joy Paper Studio $20.00

My favorite flavors are raspberry, peach, coconut & vanilla with caramel sauce and malt powder. 

What's yours?

#OperationLayla

Good morning darlings!


I wanted to fill you in on a project that's been going around the blogosphere.


Operation Layla is a project founded to help Layla, the beautiful woman behind Wish Fulfillment Everyday.


(Now bear with me, I stole this part from the Operation Layla website)

One month after her 30th birthday, Layla was diagnosed with early stage cervical cancer (1A Adenocarcinoma). She was extraordinarily lucky that it was caught early, and had a simple surgery to remove the cancerous cells.

Layla on her wedding day

Three years later, Layla was in horrible pain that affected nearly every aspect of her life. Temporarily uninsured due to a job change, she paid out of pocket last October to go to the doctor and make sure the cancer had not returned. Thankfully, it had not. However, her doctor believes that she has pelvic adhesions and Endometriosis due to the previous surgery, but it can’t be diagnosed until an additional surgery (laparoscopy) is performed. The doctor also found out Layla has cervical stenosis, which basically means her cervix has completely shut down due to the scar tissue from the previous surgery. These issues make her miserable most of the time, making simple things like going to the bathroom and menstruation horribly painful, and sexual intercourse impossible. He stated that if she wanted to have children one day, even sperm could not pass through her cervix, and she would have to have intrauterine insemination.

The doctor wanted to schedule surgery as soon as the insurance at her new job went into effect. Her company fired her the day her insurance became valid, ten days before Christmas, plainly stating that it was because of her health issues.

Fortunately, she got on her husband’s insurance, which went into effect February 1st. As soon as she could, Layla scheduled surgery for March 22nd. Then her insurance company dropped a bomb: because she went to the doctor (even as a self-pay patient) within a three month period prior to her enrollment date, they were considering her health issues to be a pre-existing condition, and would not insure any doctor visits, medication, or surgery for 388 days.

When you are in near constant pain and can’t work, 388 days is a long time to wait. The sooner Layla can have this surgery, the sooner she can return to work (hopefully with a nicer company!) and start living her life again. Her doctor has been nice enough to work out a deal with her if she can pay as a cash patient: he decreased the amount of her surgery to $4,000, and the cost of the anesthesia to $500, with additional fees for biopsies of removed tissue to be determined.

The problem is, Layla is unemployed due to this, has used her savings to pay for living expenses and medical bills, and has been denied loans for the surgery because of her unemployment status. She does not have close family, so she can’t ask them for help. Surgery is scheduled for March 22nd, and Layla and her husband are still trying to secure a loan through several banks.

As someone that suffers from Endometrosis I can attest to how painful & sucky it is. As someone that has had trouble getting health insurance I know how sucky & frustrating it can be. When I read about Layla & watched her VOTMC rant I knew I had to do something to help.

At Christmas this year my grandparents gave everyone in our family $100 to donate to a charity/cause we thought was worthy. I held on to my money, not sure where to donate it but when I read Layla's story I knew there was no question.

Operation Layla has raised enough to cover the cost of Layla's surgery but she will have lots of tests & follow up appointments but once Layla's costs have been covered the left over money will be donated to help aid Japan.

If you're looking to donate head over to the Operation Layla site or if you're feeling hungry check out the bake sale!

The Operation Layla bake sale runs all day today, bids start at $15 and can be increased in increments of $1, you're extra lucky you'll end up with some of my homemade whoopie pies!

And be sure to stop back by this afternoon when I feature Layla & her husband, Josh, as my Real People in Love!

Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

I thought I'd take a break from Real People in Love to share some real Christmas love with you. If you're looking for a last minute tree to share with your family & friends this holiday season look no further. This recipe is one that I made up a couple of weeks ago while trying to create a holiday dessert.

Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

3 cups finely crumbled Oreos (I stick mine in a food processor)

3 Tablespoons Butter

Mix together by hand and press into a 9" spring form pan, press the sides three quarters of the way up the side of the pan, bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

For the Cheesecake:

2 1/2 pounds cream cheese

1 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons flour

1 Tablespoon vanilla

1 cup sour cream

4 large eggs

2 cups peppermints chopped up (I used the softer, round kind and put them in the food processor for 10 seconds)

Step 1:

Cream cream cheese well (Stand mixers work the best but hand mixers will work, but if you don't have a stand mixer be sure to add that to your Christmas list).

Step 2:

Add sugar, flour, vanilla, and sour cream and blend well.

Step 3:

Add eggs one at a time, make sure mixture is well blended in between.

Step 4:

Stir in peppermints by hand.

Step 5:

Pour mixture into baked crust and bake cheesecake at 315 degrees for 2 hours. (I find baking a cheesecake is a little tricky, when the cheesecake is done the top will rise above the edge of the pan and will jiggle a little but be firm to touch.)

Step 6:

LET CHEESECAKE COOL COMPLETELY (Approx. 2 hours) before releasing the spring form. When cheesecake has been released it is ready to be decorated (I drizzled mine with chocolate syrup, piped on some whipped cream and decorated with peppermints)

Step 7:

Enjoy!

Book Report: Eating for Beginners

This summer has been slow reading for me. We've been hanging out with our friends several times a week until midnight or later which doesn't leave much energy for late night reading. Recently my nightly reading has picked up a little as I struggle to fall asleep with thoughts of the wedding racing around my head.

Two nights ago I finished reading Eating for Beginners by Melanie Rehak. A couple of months ago Houghton Mifflin Harcourt publishers contacted me and asked if I was interested in receiving a copy of Rehak's book. While I would never want to sell out I am too much of a reader to ever turn down a book and I was interested in Rehak's story.

Eating for Beginners tells Rehak's story of learning to prepare, value, and enjoy seasonal, local food. In this time of corporate farms, debates about genetically modified crops, and the many options at the grocery store I think it is beneficial to expand your knowledge on where our food comes and what you're really putting into your body.

While researching Eating for Beginners Rehak worked in the kitchen at applewood, a New York restaurant that focuses on using sustainable, local, and seasonal foods. During her time there she travelled throughout New England learning where the restaurant's food came from and how the people that harvested it lived.

I imagine that my grocery shopping trips are like many women's these days, I try to shop around the edges, buying fruits & veggies and skipping the overly processed cookie aisle, but many times I struggle with justifying the cost of organic food over the cost of the standard produce. What Rehak has taught me is that while organic produce certainly trumps pesticide filled produce there are many other elements that go into buying food.

Choosing foods that are grown locally are not only important for the environment (just think about the gas that goes into shipping produce across the country or even across the world!) but it's also beneficial for your regional economy.

The benefit of a sale is much greater for Micro farms (small, family run operations) than to large farms that deal with produce all over the county. Smaller farms employ local people that take the time and care to sustainably maintain the land.

Rehak doesn't use Eating for Beginners as a platform for demonizing imported, out of season food but rather as an opportunity to present the benefits of focusing on adding local foods to your diet.

Realistically I would love to be a member of our local food co-op but financially it's just not in the cards right now, but by buying from our local farmers market and roadside stands I can help change my habits to become a more sustainable consumer.

Eating for Beginners was incredibly educational for me, and if you'd like to learn more about sustainable eating I'd definitely recommend it.

PS Don't forget to enter the giveaway! And for an extra entry leave a comment telling me what you're planning to have for dinner tonight!

This is a sponsored post.

Success!

Last night we had our new friends over for dinner. We had delicious food (which I'll share later), but for now I'm going to share the recipe that kept us laughing all night. (Sorry I forgot to take a picture).

Pear Sangria from this month's Glamour

2 bottles of cheapish Sauvignon Blanc (mine cost about $8)

3 cups cranberry juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 sliced pears

1/2 pint each of raspberries & blackberries

Let this mixture sit for at least ten hours

I normally don't like sangria but I absolutely loved this recipe and in the end we finished the entire batch.

I think I might experiment with using peaches instead of pears but I'll definitely keep the raspberries and blackberries as they didn't soak up as much of the wine as the pears did and were able to keep their flavor a bit.

This pear sangria is the perfect summer drink and I think I might need to keep a batch made up in the fridge just in case I get thirsty this summer.

What's your favorite summer drink?

Two Things To Know

Happy Monday! Sorry I missed this weekend's "Weekend Wedding," we were busy doing wedding things. (Hint hint: ENGAGEMENT PICTURES!)

And now, on to this week's Two Things to Know, as always, if you'd like to share your two things leave a link and I'll be sure to check it out!

1. An apple has more caffeine than a cup of coffee. I think this is fairly common knowledge but on my especially sleepy days I try to eat an apple before downing my usual 3 cups of coffee.

via

2. If you want a song or two that will make you smile be sure to check out She & Him's "Volume Two." I know I don't need to exalt the wonders of Zooey Deschanel but this album puts me in an instant good mood. Volume Two has been in my car's cd player for a couple of weeks and isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

I'm spending the morning at the doctor getting some blood work done but promise to be back tomorrow with our engagement pictures!

Haha, you didn't think I'd totally leave you hanging, did you? Here's the picture our photographer texted me Saturday night as a sneak peek.

Writer's Block & a Yummy Recipe

My brain feels like this...

via

I still haven't recovered from working almost 50 hours last week. I spent yesterday working on wedding projects and getting beautified.

My hair is getting so long! (Yes, those are my jammies, and yes, that's a pretty silly face)

I've been sitting at my computer struggling to come up with today's post when I remembered I hadn't shared the recipe for the yummy asparagus I made for Easter. Jus & I (read-I) were in charge of bringing a hot vegetable to Jus's family's Easter. I've never been the green bean casserole type and was eager to try out a new recipe.

Normally I love steamed asparagus with a little sea salt but I found this recipe on allrecipes.com, changed it up a bit, and it is absolutely delish. Actually, there is some asparagus in our fridge that I'm pretty sure will get this treatment.

(PS- I know I've forgotten this month's Baked Good of the Month Club, luckily none of the recipients have remembered so I need to get on that before they do!)

Asparagus with Sliced Almonds and Parmesan Cheese

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter (or I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)

1 pound asparagus, bottoms trimmed

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Steam asparagus for 8 minutes, or until ends are tender.

2. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in almonds until they start to toast. Add Parmesan cheese and constantly stir until the cheese starts to brown.

3. Add some olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper to cheese & almond mixture and toss with asparagus.

There's nothing I love more than an easy recipe that is super tasty!

What's your favorite easy recipe?

100 Photos: Day 80

Today is a grey, rainy day. Perfect for homemade popcorn and movie marathons.

100 Photos: Day 76

Jus grilled steak for dinner, now all we need for it to feel like summer is a 70 degree day!

Baked Good of the Month Club: March

I was feeling a little uninspired this month so instead of exploring something new (I'm thinking bread next month) I thought I'd fall back on something reliable. My chocolate chip cookies are awesome and I have never had anyone not love them.

This recipe originally came from the Good Housekeeping Cookbook and has undergone a little bit of a makeover and is a tad bit healthier now with the whole wheat flour. The whole wheat flour makes them a little more dense so they taste more substantial than normal cookies.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter or margarine (or I Can't Believe it's Not Butter), softened

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar (or Splenda)

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375. In small bowl, with wire whisk, stir flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined.

Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture just until blended. (Mixture will not be smooth and will look pretty dry.)

Add chocolate chips with a spoon or spatula.

3. Form balls with your hands, at this point the dough will start to look more like cookie dough. Place balls two inches apart (dough does not spread very much).

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are slightly darker (it's hard to tell when the edges are darker when using whole wheat flour, but 10 minutes is long enough).

Let cool and enjoy.

100 Photos: Day 50

After kickboxing last night I satisfied my sweet tooth with some frozen strawberries. I can't wait until it's summer.

Roundup: Cookbooks

Since Jus and I are trying to eat at home more often I've been digging back into my cookbooks. I've got a couple of go-to cookbooks but think it would be nice to add some more to my collection. And since I don't have these in my possession they'll be lacking descriptions but will contain links just in case you wanted to send on my way...

Everyday Food by Martha Stewart

My dad has this one and loves it

Big Flavors of the Hot Sun by Chris Schlesinger & John Willoughby

My favorite pesto comes from this one

The Silver Palate by Julee Rosso

I have a little Thai cookbook but would like a real one

Complete Thai Cooking

The Moosewood Cookbook by Mollie Katzen

Is it too trendy to want a little Julia Child?

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

My favorite chocolate cake comes from Fanny Farmer

The Fanny Farmer Baking Book by Marion Cunningham

My mom just got this for my dad and I want my own copy

Gourmet Today

Jus and I love Japanese food and I would love to be able to cook some at home

Japanese Cooking:A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji and Yoshiki Tsuji

Baking bread is something that is a little overwhelming for me but I would love to learn how

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois

From what I've heard this has delicious recipes for things you can get from your garden or a farmer's market

Simply in Season by Cathleen Hockman-Wert and Mary Beth Lind

I love the Pioneer Woman blog and would love to have her cookbook too

The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond

I think this one's pretty equivalent to the cooking bible, which is why it's surprising that I don't already own it

The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer-Becker and Ethan Becker

Cause dog cupcakes are too hard to pass up

Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson

I don't have any Italian cookbooks and think it would be fun to get a good one

Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

I'm not going to lie, I really prefer baking to cooking

The Complete Magnolia Bakery Cookbook by Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey

I love me some Mexican food and I'm slowly getting Jus to come around to the idea

The Art of Mexican Cooking by Diana Kennedy

I have this one but it is definitely my go-to cookbook

The Good Housekeeping Cookbook

This is my other personal favorite, it's hard to find but oh so worth it

The Sugar Reef Cookbook by Devra Dedeaux

And last, but not least, I had to include this one as my parent's restaurant is featured and my grandma's meatloaf recipe is in it (and super yummy)

Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives by Guy Fieri and Ann Volkwein

What's your favorite cookbook?