Currently

1. A man wrote is own obituary and it was, heartbreaking, beautiful and hilarious all at once. 
2. Daniel and Sam the best part of the movie. Lee and I watch Love Actually every year, around Christmas. We send the kids to their grandparents, make dinner and hot chocolate, watch the movie with all the lights off in the house, except the lights of the tree. It is one of my favorite nights of the year.
3. It's sad how excited I am for Pitch Perfect 2.
4. I love The Bloggess for some many reasons, but this particular post is perfection.
5. Vanilla Doughnuts, Chocolate Fudge Pistachio Doughtuts, and Apple Buttermilk Beignets. I neeeeeed all of these in my life!
6. I might need a Ginger Stomach Soother after all of those doughnuts!
7. I cannot wait for this book! I love the idea and the outlook of it.
8. Who wants to buy this for me?
9. Um... HELLO!! Dark Chocolate Macaroon Thumbprint Cookies. 
10. Loving this Harry Potter themed Christmas tree. 
11. I haven't even put up my tree yet, I usually have at least one up before Thanksgiving. I normally out up three but I think this year I'll just do the one in the living room. I know Liam is going to impossible to keep his hands off the tree and having kittens this year, I'm just praying we can keep it standing! I hope to get it up tonight and tomorrow. 
12. Double Chocolate Party Cake. I need this in my life, very soon!
13. Winter Green Salad with Orange Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. I good idea when thinking about alllll the extra calories we are all about to ingest this season. 
14. Cute ornaments.
15. I want this shirt.  

Happy weekending!

xoxo,

Ashley

Gift Guide the foodie in your life

   I decided to make you a list of all the fun things that I love in my kitchen. Many of them are basic staples that anyone who loves to cook would love to get, even if they already have one. You can never have to many tongs or whisks. Others are directed at a certain type of person, like the vanilla beans or matcha powder, but are the perfect gift for bakers and someone with adventurous taste. Of course, being the cookbook hoarder I am, I couldn't leave off a few cookbooks that I adore or want myself. Links are listed below and will take you straight to Amazon. 

Let's start with the gadgets:

Everyone needs a couple of good whisks. These three are my favorites.

Norpro Krona Sauce Master Whisk

OXO Good Grips Flat Whisk
OXO Good Grips 11-Inch Balloon Whisk

You can never have too many kitchen tongs!

OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Stainless-Steel Locking Tongs

I love love love my emersion blender! Soups, sauces, curries, whipped cream, there are so many things this little baby can do.

Cuisinart CSB-79 Smart Stick 2-Speed 200-watt Immersion Hand Blender with Attachments

Anyone who make the habit of baking cakes or cupcakes needs a set of offset spatulas.

Set of 3 - Baker Icing Spatulas, Cake Decorating Baking Spatulas, 2 Stainless Steel Offset & 1 Straight Blade

A microplane, grates cheese and spices and zests citrus. I don't know how I went so long without one! 

Microplane 40020 Classic Zester/Grater

A steamer set is a perfect gift for the cook who likes to experiment in the kitchen or likes to learn techniques from other parts of the world. 

Joyce Chen 26-0013, 10-Inch Bamboo Steamer Set

A good dutch oven is a hot commodity in my kitchen, it can go from stove top to oven and back. 

Lodge Color EC6D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven, Island Spice Red, 6-Quart

Next up, fun ingredients:

Americolor Gel Paste is my favorite icing and cake batter coloring.

AmeriColor Student Soft Gel Paste Food Color 12 Pack Kit

Matcha Powder is my go to smoothie additive, but I also love it in chia pudding, cakes, panna cotta and I even drink it like it's intended from time to time.

Matcha Green Tea Powder - ORGANIC - All Day Energy - Green Tea Lattes - Smoothies - Baking - Superior Antioxidant Content - Improved Hair & Skin Health - Now From Japan!

I have a hard time finding vanilla beans in my local stores so I order them in bulk. This would make a great unexpected gift for your favorite baker.

Premium Madagascar Vanilla Beans 1/4 lb (26-30 beans) JR Mushrooms Brand

Another avid baker turned me onto vanilla paste a while ago and I haven't looked back. While a love fresh vanilla beans, the shelf life on this is longer, the price is lower and there is much less hassle. I still use extract in some things but this is my go to for full powerful vanilla lusciousness when fresh beans just won't work or aren't on hand.
Nielsen Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Paste 4 oz

On to, the cookbooks:

Many of these cookbooks are on my want list or I already have them. I really recommend the five titles this year for the special baker/wannabe chef/foodie in your life:

Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food

Joy the Baker Homemade Decadence: Irresistibly Sweet, Salty, Gooey, Sticky, Fluffy, Creamy, Crunchy Treats

The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor

Easy Gourmet: Awesome Recipes Anyone Can Cook

Top With Cinnamon: Stylish Sweet and Savoury Recipes

Have fun shopping!

xoxo,

Ashley

Christmas Bucket List

  Are you ready for the Christmas season? I am. I've been doing my best to hold it in for a month now. I love this time of year. I love the magic and the wonder that is in my kids' faces, I love spending time with my family, immediate and extended. I love the food. The only thing that I don't love is how stressful and hectic trying to plan everything can be. My husband works in retail management and that means a ton of long hours for him and things we have to skip or not attend. Because of his busy work schedule, these days we have learned to plan ahead, make a list of the things we want to do and parties we can try to attend. I love making a list like this and keeping the magic alive for my kids.