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A Life From Scratch.

A Life You Adore Around A Table You Love.

Archives for December 2014

December round up.

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Ho ho ho… things are getting pretty festive around here. And hey, did you see? It’s snowing on ALFS! So cute.

Anyway, from now until the end of the month it’s going to be Christmas GO mode around here. I hope you’ve been enjoying my holiday gift guides! They have been so fun to put together! Obviously, I love to shop.

As far as cookies go, I have some awesome ones from last year. Like these salted caramel thumbprint or these chocolate mint cookies. And let’s not forget the browned butter meltaways.  They literally melt in your mouth. Christmas bark is oh so fun with the kids and omg the video! See, this is why I blog. For memories such as those.

A fun update to the bus stop cookies? Swap out the rainbow colored sprinkles for holiday colors. See? Festive.

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I’ll also be posting lots of tips to holiday entertaining on Facebook and Instagram, so be sure you’re following along. I host Christmas Eve Eve every year and I could not be more excited to get to working on the menu. I mean, how gorgeous does this salad look? I also make mushrooms which, I’ve been told, are dream inducing. Stay tuned. 

This wine is perfection when paired with prime rib, or any red meat for that matter. As far as setting the table goes, I find these napkins oh so charming along with handmade name cards by L. I’ve saved them for a few years now!

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For our big holiday party I’m pretty sure I’ve decided on this dress although, yikes, it’s a bit outside my comfort zone. What do you think?

B will be rocking these Grinch pj’s (score! on sale!) Christmas Eve Eve and on and I’ve got my eye on these. Love that they come in tall.

 I can’t wait to share some of my favorite holiday recipes and traditions with you this month and would so love to hear about yours!

xoxo,
C

*The fine print: this post contains affiliate links which means that if you use these links to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make your purchase but please know that when you do, it supports my blog and for that I thank you.

80 to 15.

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wintery sausage stew

When going from 80 degrees to 15 degrees, it’s important to keep things applicable so you aren’t jolted into a state of shock.

Thick sweater? Cozy socks? A fire? Glass of Pinot?

Check, check, check, check.

All that’s missing is this wintery sausage stew complete with garlic, wilted spinach, and cannelloni beans to thicken it up perfectly for pita bread dunking.

Smoked paprika sprinkled over it all sends it over the top and for just a brief moment, an oh so brief moment, you’ll be blissfully happy amongst the 15 degrees.

Who am I kidding? Get me back to fish tacos and Sauvignon blanc!

Wintery Sausage Stew
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Ingredients
  1. Italian sausage with evoo.
  2. Sliced onion
  3. 4 cloves minced garlic
  4. 2 cans drained cannelloni beans
  5. 2 cups chicken stock
  6. Splash of white wine
  7. Salt & pepper
  8. Fresh spinach
  9. Smoked paprika
Instructions
  1. Cook up some Italian sausage with evoo.
  2. Sauté one sliced onion in 1 TBS evoo and 1 TBS butter.
  3. Add in 4 cloves minced garlic after 8 min.
  4. Pour in 2 cans drained cannelloni beans, 2 cups chicken stock, splash of white wine, simply bc you are drinking some.
  5. Smash up some beans to thicken the sauce. Season generously with salt & pepper.
  6. Add in a few handfuls of fresh spinach and your sausage.
  7. Serve in deep bowls sprinkled with evoo and smoked paprika.
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Holiday Gift Guide: for the guys.

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Courtney FOR HIM Collection

Last but not least, let’s hear it for the boys! Here is my holiday gift guide, filled with great ideas for that well deserving man in your life. I know mine would be happy with any or all of these.

1. Why should girls have all the fun when it comes to candles? Give him this super manly Italian Leather candle (shhh – you’ll enjoy it too!).

2. Oh my. This product. Let’s just say I’ve made hour long round trips to Lush to purchase it in bulk, before I knew Amazon offered it shipped directly to my home. M is obsessed with this product. Obsessed. Basically, to sum up, he calls it “the gift of time”. You know in winter when your skin is super itchy and dry? Well M, like most guys, really doesn’t have time to apply lotion after each shower, plus it just feels a tad… girly. Enter this king of skin product. You rub it on in the shower (no rinsing!) and that’s it. It’s like a shower lotion. Blows our mind and keeps him super smooth (hint hint – stocking stuffer)!

3. Sunday is more of a fun day with these plastic reusable red cups for the big game. So cute – and eco friendly!

4. Is your lad a scotch or whiskey drinker? These ice ball molds just make it all that much more fun. It also make the perfect mold to ice a toddler’s bumped head. I’m just saying. 

5. Ray Bans. The ever classic eyewear that spans the generations a la Don Draper. You’re welcome. 

6. Just in case he forgets… home, in longitude and latitude.

7. Swap out his ratty travel bag (ew!) for this sleek initialed one.

8. You can’t go wrong with a super soft flannel. Bonus that you can borrow it when you are freezing. Which seems to be always lately.

What do you think? Do you have any other fabulous gift ideas for guys? Share them with me in a comment below!

P.S. Be sure to check out all my holiday gifts guides here!

*The fine print: this post contains affiliate links which means that if you use these links to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. Of course, you are not obligated to use these links to make your purchase but please know that when you do, it supports my blog and for that I thank you.

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