Piña Colada Cookies

The other night I had a dream that I was on the beach on somebody’s island. I was clearly enjoying myself as I was sipping on my tropical beverage as well. I then had an epiphany, as I often do, about a new dessert idea. Piña Colada cookies!! Why hasn’t anyone every thought of this!?! I immediately woke up and jotted my idea down. This is what I came up with.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup of AP flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. of salt

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) of butter

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

3/4 cup of light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup of shredded coconut

1/2 cup (approx. 4 oz.) of dried pineapple

2 tbsp. of light coconut rum

 

 

Directions

Cut dried pineapple into small bite sized cubes. Place pineapple chunks into a small bowl and soak them into the 2 tbsp. of rum. (Soak for at least 30 minutes). In a separate medium bowl sift or whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Put to the side. In a large bowl use a stand or hand mixer to cream together butter and sugars. Add eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are combined. Add half of flour mixture. Stir until flour is no longer visible. Add remaining flour mixture. Stir until flour is no longer visible. Fold in coconut and pineapple bites. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.

 

Preheat oven to 375. Take dough out of the refrigerator. Using tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, place dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Take cookies out of oven. Allow cookies to cool.

 

Devour and Enjoy!!

Gluten Free Eggnog Muffins

I was perusing Pinterest today as I usually do during my downtime when I came across a recipe for eggnog muffins. I became intrigued because as I do every year, I bought too much eggnog and have leftovers. I decided to take on the challenge of making them healthier and gluten free. Here is my adaption of the Eggnog muffin recipe.

 

 

Ingredients

1 cup quick oats
1 cup eggnog
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1 teaspoon xantham gum
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tbsp rum
1/3 cup all natural applesauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400. Line a 12-cavity cupcake pan with paper liners. Sift together the oats, flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, mix applesauce and eggnog. Lightly beat the eggs. Stir the eggs into the eggnog mixture; mix in the vanilla and rum. Pour the eggnog mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack.
Devour and Enjoy!!

From A White Tee to a BRIGHT Tee

I recently noticed that this past Summer and this Fall’s fashion has been featuring a new intriguing take on the classic tee. The majority of these upgraded shirts feature a plain front with a modern twist on the back. These shirts feature sheer back panels, contrasting fabrics, cutouts, sequins, etc., etc. I thought this new approach to the t-shirt was so chic and yet simple to recreate. I decided to try and upgrade my own t-shirt. Here is how I did it:

 


 

 


 

 

 

 

 

Materials Needed

1. Oversized, slouchy t-shirt (preferably Rayon material)

2. 1/2 yard of fabric of your choice

3. Seam ripper

4. needle and thread in color of your shirt (sew machine is better choice if available)

5. Fabric pen/ chalk/ eye liner

6. sewing pins

7. scissors

8. Iron

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instructions

1. This first part is very tedious. Take your seem riper and remove the back panel of your shirt detaching it from the collar, sleeves, front panel and bottom hem

*whew that part is finally over

2. Unfold hem on back panel and iron flat

3. Place back panel unto fabric

4. Pin in place

5. Trace back panel unto fabric.

6. Remove pins and shirt from fabric

7. Hold and iron hems onto fabric in the same place where original hems are on the back shirt panel

8. Pin hems down

9. Sew all hew in place and remove pins

10. Turn remaining shirt (collar, sleeves, front panel, bottom hem) inside out

11. Pin hemmed fabric unto inside shirt with hems facing out (make sure seams of front and back panel match)

12. Sew fabric to remaining shirt

13. Turn shirt right side in

 

 

* To make matching fabric pocket for front of shirt

1. Take remaining fabric and measure out a 5″ x 4″ rectangle

2. Fold and iron a 1/2 inch hem around all the sides

3. Pin hems down

4. Sew hems in place and remove pins

5. Pin rectangle unto front of shirt in your place of choice

6. Sew sides and bottom of rectangle onto shirt (do NOt sew down top of rectangle)

 

You now have a fabulous, new, original shirt!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

OOTD: Snakeskin and Boots!!

 

Outfit Details

1. Black tuxedo blazer- thrifted; (similar blazer)

2. White tee- TjMaxx

3. Black cutout leggings- The Alley (Fashion district, LA); (similar leggings)

4. Black over the knee boots- Nine west; (similar boots)

5. Scarf- Target

6. Black leather satchel- Tory Burch

7. Silver leaf earrings- World Market

8. Assorted silver bracelets- World Market, thrift store

9. Beanie- Urban Outfitters

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

Its the most wonderful time of the year. The time where you put on your flannel PJs, your fuzzy slippers, sit by the fireplace, sip on warm apple cider and nibble on homemade cookies. I found a way to combine two of my favorite Fall/ Winter flavors and pastimes with these cookies. Please enjoy:

 

Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies

Cookies

1 cup of unsalted butter (2 sticks), room temperature

2- 1.4oz. packets of instant apple cider

1 cup of packed brown sugar

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

1 tsp of vanilla extract

2 cups and 2 tbsps of flour

1 tsp of baking soda

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

 

Caramel

Click here for caramel recipe

 

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a  mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the instant cider, brown and granulated sugars, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons (or using a small ice cream scoop) onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a  spatula and cool them on wire racks. Let cookies completely cool.

Drizzle prepared caramel onto cookies using a small spoon

Devour and enjoy!!

 

OOTN from 12/08: Light Pink and Leopard

On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the LA Ballet Company performance of The Nutcracker. I had a wonderful time. This is what I wore:

 

 

Details

Peplum Leopard top- Club L (Asos.com)

Black Pencil Skirt- Asos (Asos.com)

Pink Belt- (came with pencil skirt)

Platform T-strap pumps- Kelsi Dagger (Marshall’s)

Black tights- (TjMaxx)

Black metallic clutch- thrifted

Bangles- World Market

Earrings- purchased from friend’s Etsy store (That Yellow Crate)

 

 

 

DIY Heart Shredded Sweatshirt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found this adorable sweatshirt at my local thrift store and I knew I had to add my personal touch to it. I thought this is the perfect opportunity to shred it and show you how easy it is to do. Here’s how to do it:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Materials

1. Sweatshirt (a stretchable material, cotton preferably)

2. Pen

3. Ruler/ Tapemeasure

4. Scissors

 

 

 

 

Directions

1. Lay your sweatshirt flat on the floor, inside out

2. Fold your shirt in half lengthwise making sure the seams match up

3. Trace out half of a heart on one side of the sweatshirt ( the apex should be on the fold of the sweatshirt)

4. Using your ruler and pen, trace out even horizontal lines from the top to the bottom of the heart

5. Start at the top curve, cut along on all the horizontal lines in your heart

6. Unfold your sweatshirt, stretch out all the shreds (make sure not to pull too hard or the shreds will break)

7. Cut off Collar and stretch opening enough so that top hangs off your shoulder

8. Turn your sweatshirt right side in and rock your sweatshirt

Caramel Cream Cheese Pumpkin Bread recipe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bread

3 cups of sugar

1 cup of vegetable oil

4 eggs, room temperature

1 – 15oz can of pumpkin puree

1 tsp. of vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour

2 tsp. of baking soda

2 tsp. of baking powder

1 tsp. of nutmeg

1 tsp. of allspice

1 tsp. of cinnamon

1/2 of cloves

2/3 of water

 

Caramel Cream Cheese

1/2 cup of prepared caramel (room temp.) (please see post for recipe)

1- 8oz. pack of cream cheese (room temp.)

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 x5 loaf pans. Using a hand or stand mixer, stir together sugar and oil. Add eggs one at a time. Once combined. Add pumpkin and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients and water to pumpkin mixture, alternating, beginning and ending with flour. Divide batter between two loaf pans. Set aside

In another bowl using hand or stand mixer, whip caramel  and cream cheese together.

Using a spoon drop half of cream cheese mixture onto top of pumpkin bread batter. Using a butter knife swirl cream cheese mixture into pumpkin bread batter. Repeat for second loaf.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean (cream cheese will remain wet) Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

Devour and Enjoy!!