Cherishing A Sweet Life

Monday, October 26, 2015

Miss Kate's Tween Bedroom Makeover #OneRoomChallenge-Week 3

Happy Monday! Hope you all had a restful weekend, or had an absolutely fun busy weekend! Whatever you did, I hope you enjoyed yourselves! As for us, I did finish a project, worked on another, but something caught ahold of me, I was sniffling and sneezing, had a scratchy throat and cough all day Sunday! Today, I feel almost back to myself, but it was so strange. I think it's the damp weather we had, coupled with my husband leaving the window open at night!
Here's a quick update on Week 3 for Ms. Kate's Tween Bedroom Makeover!
I just couldn't quite finish painting Katelyn's room, until today! This is the reason for such a late post!

You can catch up here with

Week 1

Week 2

Here's what it looked like before,

and here's what the new accent wall looks like.

I actually went to Lowe's and picked up Valspars, Dark Truffle. The shiny spots are where I touched it up and it was still wet! It looks more red than in real life it's more a chocolate brown color!

I call this my wall of Chocolate! It must have all been in my mind, but even the paint smelled like chocolate. Yes, you could say I have chocolate on my brain, and it has inspired me to bake something

sinfully delicious! Coming soon!

My daughter is in love with this horse quote, and somehow it will be on her wall, I just have to figure out how, or where to find a projector, so she can trace and handpaint the quote herself!

remodelholic

Fun Fun Fun!!

Here are a few more updates, for her comforter, we are looking at this one,
from Wayfair by Tina Truk! Katelyn is crushing on the color Orange!

and I'm thinking of buying an IKEA desk to go with her bed and dresser!

Thanks for stopping by! Looking for more inspiration, be sure to check out what the other guest linking ORC participants over at {Linda'sCalling it Home} are up to, and if you missed yesterday, here is even more inspiration with the

Wednesday ORC participants.

Wishing you a fabulous week!

Until next time!

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Random Weekend: Pumpkin, Hydrangeas and Butternut Squash Oh My!

Happy Weekend! How was your week?

This weekend seems to be full of surprises,

and it's only just begun. Just a little bit of everything!

It's a glorious Fall day here!
Today I am busily painting away,
and trying as fast as I can to get a few projects finished up!

One you can get a peek over on Instagram, or actually two,
and since I'm not sure if the sweet friend I'm making it for,
has already seen it or not yet, I'm keeping
it a secret for now, and I'm crossing my finger's
she'll get it in time!

I know I've said it before, that I was a Summer girl
I couldn't help but not be, growing up in
Southern California! We were at the beach every day
during Summer vacation!

Now living in Arizona, we don't really do too much because of the heat,
if we do it's usually spending a day at the lake or the pool, but
really some days are too hot to do much of anything.

That is until Fall comes, and we have this phenomenon,
that happens this time of year!
Our cities fill up with, what were once called
"Snow Birds", to now the term being used is
"Sun Seekers"!

I actually like the new term, it's true!
The winter's here in Arizona, are very mild,
and since I am not a cool weather girl,
Fall has become my new favorite season!

If you are like me now, I can't get enough of Pumpkin, or Apples or Pears!

Salted Pumpkin Caramels from TheTartTart

My new found love is drying Hydrangeas!

via funkyjunkinteriors

When I saw this wreath, and couldn't get over how gorgeous it is! It's an excerpt
from this book! I have the Flower recipe book, I will do a review on one day!
I might just pick this one up to accompany it! (affiliate link)

Another one of my new found loves, is Butternut Squash!
If ever there was a comfort food, butternut squash is mine!
This recipe had my mouth watering right away!

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta from A Hint of Honey

or you might like to try my

Portabella and Butternut squash Crepes with a Creamy Parmesan Sauce

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until next time!

xo,

Please Follow Me Here! Thank you!

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Thursday, October 22, 2015

The New Sugar & Spice by Samantha Seneviratne and Cazuela Cookie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream

Happy day before Fri-Yay! I'm wondering if some of you have noticed that I have been in a little baking rut. It's been almost two weeks since I posted a mouth watering baked good. I did bake a banana bread, because I had three overly riped bananas that were screaming at me, to use them, and my husband has been asking me to make some for awhile now, ok he's been asking for a long while. Did I ever mention, that I'm not particularly fond of bananas, hence my procrastination. Other than that, I just haven't felt inspired to bake anything. Never fear, with my most favorite time of year approaching, {I absolutely love baking for the holidays}, I feel the banana bread was giving me a little nudge, and then it was the day I received the book I am excited to share with you today, (affiliate) The New Sugar and Spice: A Recipe for Bolder Baking , that boosted my baking morale. It was just the kick I needed to get started back on the baking track! The two main reasons why I was overjoyed to receive this book, was it is focused on spicing your baking up, literally with aromatic spices like Peppercorn & Chili, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove & Cardamom, Vanilla, Ginger, and Savory Herbs and Spices, and every recipe looked absolutely yummy!

In Puerto Rico, cazuela is a traditional pie usually made during the Christmas season. It is similar to a pumpkin pie but uses sweet potato, pumpkin, and coconut milk and usually contains no pie crust. This may also come as a surprise to you, but another food that I really am happy with a simple bite, is Pumpkin Pie. I don't know if it's the texture, or the flavor, but plain pumpkin pie isn't at the top of my list, but Pumpkin Cheesecake is. I chose this recipe for not only the pumpkin lovers, but {and I know I am not alone} for those of us who don't dislike pumpkin pie, but I'm just not that thrilled about it. I don't know if it was the coconut milk, the sweet potato or the nutmeg, but after only one bite, I wanted more. The combination of the coconut milk and heavy cream, layered with the sweet potatoe and nutmeg flavor, really enhanced the flavor of this almost pumpkin pie dessert. It's amazing how a few simple ingredients can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary!

3 Things I like About this Book

There are several reasons why I choose my cookbooks, and it's not only just for the recipes, but a cook book must have provocative food photographs, and it must have stories that accompany the recipes that inspired them. I like to read the stories behind the recipes, it forms a connection, when I can picture why the recipe came to be, then it becomes engrained in my memory, causing the recipe to become a very memorable one for me. Take for instance the story associated with Casuela Cookie Bars, Samantah writes,

"When my father was growing up in Sri Lanka, he had a garden that sounds like something out of a fairy tale, complete with a wild pumpkin patch. The curly pumpkin vines grew with such vigor that space became an issue. The only solution was to train them to grow up the sides of the garage and onto the roof. The bright orange orbs would swell and sweeten on the roof, which I imagine was quite a sight! His prolific pumpkins were the inspiration for these bars."

Each chapter is divided up into a Spice category like Peppercorn & Chili, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove & Cardamom, Vanilla, Ginger, and Savory Herbs and Spices. There isn't a recipe I wouldn't want to miss making because of their tantalizing flavors, for instance Sour Cherry Cheesecake Bars (fresh ground cloves), Cinnamon Hazelnut and Date Buns, or an exotic recipe like Fig and Fennel Seed Biscotti, I'm not a huge fan of black licorice, but I do however love Anise. After the introduction to the chapter, Samantha gives a brief history and description of each spice, as well as where to buy it and how to store it.
What I really enjoyed about this book are the photographs are easy on the eyes, giving the reader a sensual visual of the recipes, that you can almost smell the fragrant spices, and taste how delicious each one is. The photographs are both very pretty to look at, and clean, not too distracting that showcase the ingredients in their simple and pure state! Very important to me as well as how easy it is to access the ingredients. Most of them I have in my pantry already, or an ingredient I would enjoy adding to it!

To read more reviews on (affiliate link) The New Sugar and Spice: A Recipe for Bolder Baking ; via Amazon, click the photo below.

Hardcover: 240 pages

Publisher: Ten Speed Press (September 8, 2015)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1607747464

ISBN-13: 978-1607747468

Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 1 x 10.3 inches

Cazuela Cookie Bars with Maple Whipped Cream (adapted)

Shortbread Cookie Base

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Filling

1 cup cooked or roasted sweet potato flesh
(about 12 oz. from 1 med. sweet potato)

1 cup pumpkin puree
(not pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
4 large eggs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking pan.

2. In a stand up mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, for 3-4 minutes. Add the salt and flour and beat just until the four is evenly moistened and the mixture is the texture of a coarse meal. Pour the crumbs into the pan and press down into an even layer. Bake until golden brown and set for 20-24 minutes. Let it cool, while you prepare filling.

3.Add the sweet potato, pumpkin, coconut milk, heavy cream, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt to mixing bowl. Mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs and mix just until combined. Pour the sweet potato mixture onto the prepared crust, and bake until filling is set with a slight jiggle in the center 35-45 minutes. Cool for about an hour, and then cover and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours. Serve with a dollop of Maple Whipped cream.

To make Maple Whipped Cream.

In a stand up mixer fitted with a wire whisk, begin whipping 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, until fluffy 3-4 minutes. Add 2 Tbls. Pure Maple Syrup, and 1-2 Tbls. sugar. Whip to combine. Do not overwhip.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Until next time!

xo,

Please Follow Me Here! Thank you!

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Disclaimer: I received my copy of The New Sugar and Spice for review purposes from

Blogging for Books but all opinions are my own.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Oh My Heartsie Girls Wordless Wednesday #51

Hello dear Friends, and Happy Tuesday! Hope you enjoyed your weekend!

It was a fun and relaxing kind of weekend over here!

For the month of October,

I have some really fun and inspiring crafts and recipes coming up!

If you missed last week, here is what I have been up to

#Halloween2015 Fun with our Bloggy Friends

Nana's NewEngland Clam Chowder

source

Miss Kate's Tween Bedroom Makeover #OneRoomChallenge

{Chocolate and Cherries}

Last week's party was Ah-Mazingly so much Fun! We had over 300 links!

I love making new friends and seeing everything you have been working on!

Thank you all, so much for joining in and partying with us!!!

If you are new to the party, this is where many bloggers can link up their favorite crafts, Diy, recipes and more posts. You will find amazing and creative projects, inspiration and DIYs. This party is also a fantastic way to meet and make some new friends, as well as a great way to get more exposure and traffic to your website. I showcase and share many of your creative ideas on social media, mostly Pinning and Tweeting your posts; I also share on Facebook!
The party link will be up @ 10 am on Tuesday and runs until Saturday!
Let's get this party started!

We are looking for bloggers that want to improve traffic to their blogs, if you would like to join us in November as a Co-Host, check for details below. Our event is an opportunity to meet new bloggers and make new friends. Where do you blog from?

Oh My Heartsie Girl & Co-Hosts Welcome's you!! :❢:❢ #OMHGWW starts early ❢❢ And if you looking for something special from last week, there are so many good recipes and crafts, you can find them here :❢:❢ All The Entries Here :❢:❢

♥~ MEET THE HOSTS of #OMHGWW ~♥ And this week we are featuring tons of Halloween and Fall Inspiration!!!

♥Karren-Host // Oh My Heartsie Girl // 5 Ways To Make Yogurt Banana Bread // My yogurt banana bread is topped with almonds,chocolate chips,coconut and pecans, and there is no need for using any fat. The use of Greek yogurt gives it moisture. Each loaf I made had a different variation. Twitter | Bloglovin | Google+ | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | HomeTalk

♥Co-Host Ashleigh // Simply Wright // 'You've Been BOOed' Ghost Jar'// It's that time again for booing neighbors and friends and seeing if they know it's from you. With this cute Ghost Jar, it's easy to BOO those this Halloween season!

Facebook | Google + | Pinterest | Instagram | Bloglovin

♥Co-Host Christine // Cherishing A Sweet Life //Teacup Exchange Reveal Fall! 2015 // The Tea Cup Exchange was held in September and I eagerly waited for the day to come when I found out who the person was that I would be sending a teacup too. Not only do I like sending fun gifts in the mail, who doesn't like receiving gifts, and making new friends along the way!

Twitter | Bloglovin | Google+ | Facebook | Pinterest

♥Co-Host Evija Roberts// From Evija With Love //Transform Old Glassware Using Gold Spray Paint // I decided to spruce these glass containers up a bit using some gold spray paint. Everything looks so much better when it is gold, don’t you think?

♥Co-Host Shellie Bowdoin // The Fab Journey //This Week I'm Taking A Break From The Profound //It can be so enticing to neglect the essential stuff because we have bigger, grander things to accomplish with our lives. But sometimes, it's important to take time to handle the small stuff and take a nap!

♥Co-Host Heather Aguayo // Milk Momology // October Organization Part 1// Don't get buried under the piles of clothes your kids have - organize them the absolute easiest way possible!

Twitter | Bloglovin | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram ♥Co-Host Donna Wirthlin // Two Chicks And A Mom // Halloween Gift Jars with Halloween Puppy Chow// Delicious snack mix just right for Halloween--served in an easily decorated Mason jar!

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♥Co-Host Indah // My Purple World // Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 2015 // October is the month when we double our efforts in raising awareness about breast cancer. And I was proudly joining Making Strides against Breast Cancer 2015 in Central Park. Coming back this year, a year and a half after my diagnose, is indeed giving me such a great feeling of accomplishment and surely keep my hopes and spirit up. To all the survivors and fighters...

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♥Co-Host Pili // My Sweet Things // Vintage Lady Wall Art // Keeping up with decorating for little money, I’ll show you a cute wall art you can do at no cost using materials you already have on hand Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest