Winter Wonderland

The experience of watching snow fall is mesmerizing. Delicate flake after flake dances gracefully down. As everything becomes blanketed by the pure snow, you attempt to capture the mental image of an immaculate world. Snow crunches under your feet. A wisp of hair blows astray. Inhale the crisp air. If only for a moment, everything is unblemished. Take it all in. After all, the sun won't wait. 

-

This past week it has snowed a couple of times! We received quite a few inches in fact. For Virginia, this is not an every day occurrence. Needless to say, I had to take the opportunity to capture the gorgeous snow. I can't guarantee that my shoddy photography skills do the snow any justice though.

the first snow fall

greeted by the radiant morning

my facial expression is priceless!

How is the weather where you live? 

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Thomas Keller Oreos

In the month to diet, I choose to make oreos; not just any, but the incredibly rich, chocolatey TKOs. Rebel! C'mon now, no one is perfect. We all need a splurge sometimes. Why not on oreos? 

Thomas Keller's version from his bakery, Bouchon Bakery, features the rich chocolate flavor. Salty cookies are bound together by a delicious whipped ganache. It doesn't sound too appealing; however, the elements combine to create my dream oreo. The sweetness is toned down while the chocolate is intensified. Indeed, it is just a grown up version of the original treat. 

Homemade TKOs

adapted from Tiny Urban Kitchen

Cookie

3/4 cup sugar

15 Tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature

1 1/2 cups plus 3 Tbsp all purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp salt

White Chocolate Ganache Filling

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp butter

8 oz. white chocolate, chopped

For the White Chocolate Ganache Filling

Place the chopped chocolate into a bowl with the butter. Bring the cream to a boil in a pot. Pour the cream over the chocolate and butter. Let it stand for a minute. Then, whisk the mixture until smooth. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and thicken. It should take six hours. Refrigerate if you need to speed up the cooling process. Afterwards, whip the mixture until it is aerated and holds it shape. Refrigerate until needed.

For the Cookie

Preheat the oven to 350F. Using an electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy with a paddle attachment. The rest of the dry ingredients need to be sifted together in another bowl to remove any clumps. Add this to the creamed butter and sugar. Divide the dough into two pieces. Wrap the dough up in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough to 1/8" inch thick between two large pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Cut the cookies and place them 1/2" inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes and allow to cool. 

To Assemble

Pipe the filling onto one cookie and top with another cookie. Otherwise, spread the filling onto one cookie with a knife and top with another cookie if you do not have a pastry bag. If the filling has become runny, refrigerate the finished cookies for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

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Postivity!

I apologize for having been MIA of late. Things having just erupted recently! Hopefully, you all had wonderful holidays filled with joy. 

This year I have just one goal for myself. It is summed up in the quote below.

LIVE POSITIVELY!

No matter what happens this year I would like to remind myself the importance of remaining positive.  Begin looking for the lights in every situation! 

Although this is pretty late, what are some of you're resolutions?

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Cozy Nights

The winter produces way too many cold and lonely nights! Beat them away with this recipe proven to zap away all of the above. I'm likely to be participating too often. What obligations? 

Be warned, you might not be able to resist the temptation to get nothing done!

1.

Comfortable pajamas are a necessity! This pair from Target serves practical purposes as well as cosmetic ones. How can you resist plaid? The price is also unbeatable.

2.

Nice and warm socks are irresistible in the winter. Why not go for cute ones while you're at it? Happy socks from Madewell are great! 

3.

Lastly, you need something to occupy your attention. I personally would choose some great novels. Whatever floats your boat! Update your nail color. Catch up on that television show. Finally watch that film. Finish that craft. It's up to you!

Enjoy!

Now, how do you fill your winter nights?

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DIY Glitter Ornaments

Christmas is right around the corner! Decorations bring the holiday cheer to life! In preparation, I made a couple of glittery ornaments with a friend. I got this idea from the brilliant Ornament Girl. This was one of the simplest projects to complete. Honestly, don't be intimidated by this. Declared non-crafters can even complete this with ease! You end up with gorgeous ornaments that look exceptional without a whole lot of work involved. Let's start!

All that is required: clear ornaments, glass or plastic, floor finish, and super fine glitter. We used a mixed of silver and gold glitter. The glitter will be inside; therefore, the outside can be decorated will anything that you’d like. You can use sharpies to draw on the exterior of the ornaments. We choose this route, because it was the easiest. A no fuss method was the best!

First the caps of the ornaments are removed. Then, mix your glitter together if you plan on mixing colors. Afterwards, floor finish is poured into the clear ornament. Ensure that the entirety of the surface inside the ornament is covered. Glitter is then spooned into the hole. Move your ornament around until the glitter covers the entire surface area. Allow the glitter to dry before putting the the cap back on. In the middle of the glittery mess, I’d forgotten to take pictures to document the process. More detailed pictures and instructions can be found here. 

You can now decorate the outside with whatever you please! We chose to make some simple designs around the cap. Then, we wrote different quotes and messages like Joy to All.

My favorite was actually an ornament with one of Shakespeare's quotes. It says "It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves". If you have dreams, then pursue them. The ability to achieve those marvelous dreams are within you. And with that, have a wonderful holiday season!

How are you preparing for the holiday season?

Shared here, here, here, here, here, and here. Thanks for hosting awesome link up parties!

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