Holidays

Mint Chocolate Oreo Truffles

1 · Dec 16, 2016 · Leave a Comment

This year, I have decided to shower Santa with non-traditional snacks. Some years, he doesn’t even get cookies and milk so I’m pretty sure he’ll be thrilled with my choice to include Mint Chocolate Oreo Truffles. And truth be told, if he doesn’t like them, that just means there’s more for me!

4 ingredients is all you really need to whip up these little balls of heaven. 5 ingredients if you choose to stripe them with red and white candy melts.

Mint Chocolate Oreo Truffles

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Prep time

30 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Aimee

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 18 balls

Ingredients

1 package Mint Creme Oreos (regular sized Oreo's, 15.25 ounces)
4 ounce (1/2 package) cream cheese, softened
12 ounces white chocolate candy melts (reserve a handful if using optional white drizzle)
Garnish: 3 crushed peppermint candy canes, or crushed peppermint sprinkles
½ cup candy melts (red and white)

Instructions

In a food processor, process Oreos until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the cream cheese and process until the dough comes together and forms a large ball.
Line a baking sheet with foil, or parchment paper. Roll Oreo mixture into balls and place on the baking sheet. Freeze at least 30 minutes, or until solid. You're going to need them solid, otherwise dipping them will create a mess!
In a microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate according to package directions. **reserve a bit if you will be drizzling additional white chocolate on top.
Working with 1 truffle at a time, coat in chocolate. I use a plastic tool used for dipping, but if you don't that, a fork will work fine. Drop the truffle in the middle of the melted chocolate. Swirl the chocolate all around it. Pick up the truffle with the fork's prongs. Don't pierce it. Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl to allow the excess chocolate to drip off. Place on the lined baking sheet.
Before the coating has a chance to set, top with sprinkles. If you're using candy melts, melt those in a plastic piping bag, in 30 second intervals, use your hands to knead and smooth out the melted candy, then snip the edge of the bag and drizzle on top. Top with the crushed peppermint.
Place the truffles into the refrigerator to continue to set, and allow them to remain there until being served.
* Number of truffles will depend on how large or small you roll them. I used a mini cookie scoop to make mine about 1" or so.

The Mint Creme Oreos are really the star of the show, here. And don’t worry about the green filling. It totally disappears into the cookies. If, for some reason, your grocery store is out of the Mint Creme Oreos, you could easily substitute the golden Oreos with crushed candy canes to get a similar taste.

Now, let’s talk about cream cheese for a moment.

I’ve seen this recipe online with varying amounts of cream cheese. I’ve seen it used with an entire 8 ounce package, and I’ve made them like that before, but for us, it’s just a bit too much cream cheese texture.

I prefer halving the cream cheese and getting a bit more of the mint chocolate cookies in each bite.

As always, you decide what works for you!

The truffles will need to stay refrigerated until served, and you’ll probably want to leave Santa a little note asking him to stick what he doesn’t eat back into the fridge, but they’re good to go for several days.

As a personal preference, I prefer eating them slightly chilled. I feel like it brings out the taste better.

And did you see the No Bake Cinnamon Roll Cookies? Santa is going to love those, too!

What are you leaving out for the big guy?

No Bake Cinnamon Roll Cookies

1 · Dec 16, 2016 · Leave a Comment

When you just can’t muster up the strength to bake ANYTHING else, or, when your Santa is tired of squeezing into his Santa suit and blaming you for needing an extra belt notch, these No Bake Cinnamon Roll Cookies are just the ticket.

Cute as a button, packed with cinnamon, it’s a treat you don’t have to feel guilty about putting out.

It’s a modified version of this recipe. If you’re wanting to be really healthy, then look into adding her cinnamon bun protein powder. Our household had no such thing, so I increased the amount of oatmeal and cinnamon and made them work.

No Bake Cinnamon Roll Cookies

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

10 mins

Adapted from Chelsea's Messy Apron- Healthy Cinnamon Roll Breakfast Cookies.

Author: Aimee

Serves: 10 cookies

Ingredients

½ cup creamy peanut butter
1½ tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup rice krispies cereal
White Chocolate Swirl:
3 tablespoons white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions

In a small microwavable bowl or 2 cup glass measuring cup, combine the peanut butter and honey.
Microwave for about 30 seconds and then stir until completely combined. Add in the vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon and mix well.
In a medium sized bowl, add the peanut butter mixture to the old-fashioned oats and rice krispies cereal. Mix until completely combined. Use a small cookie scoop and drop rounded "cookies" onto parchment paper.
White Chocolate Drizzle:
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the white chocolate chips with 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir and return to the microwave in 15 second increments until melted.
Using a piping bag with a small opening tip, add the white chocolate mixture. Or, you can use a small ziplock bag and cut off the very tip with scissors if you don't have piping tips. Pipe the white chocolate in a circle.

The humidity has been a bit challenging in these parts, 80 degrees one day, 50 degrees the next, so on the day that I used them for a cookie exchange, I popped them into the refrigerator to firm a bit. You’ll want to layer with wax paper if you’re gifting, but otherwise it’s a cookie similar in structure to a chocolate no bake cookie.

Easy!

And super cute and a bit different from the traditional sugar or chocolate chip cookie that is typically left out for Santa. They’d also be adorable for a Christmas brunch!

Fun & Festive Team Elf Children’s Christmas Table

1 · Dec 5, 2016 · Leave a Comment

I am so excited to share with you my Team Elf Children’s Christmas Table styled exclusively for inRegister magazine. Scroll along and see how easy it is to create a Fun & Festive Team Elf Children’s Christmas Table of your own.

Last month, inRegister asked area “style makers” to design a holiday tablescape. To keep things diverse and interesting, we were each tasked with a specific category; glamour, traditional, inventive and creative. I was asked to design a creative children’s table, and y’all, I had no idea how much fun I’d have with this thing! I’d hardly call myself a “style maker”, but a kiddie table? I jumped on the opportunity.

I went with a Team Elf theme for my kiddie table and vowed to make it so gosh darn cute that children and adults alike would want to sit at it.

Let’s start with those handmade table leg covers, shall we?

I had seen the elf legs on Pinterest for purchase, but thought, why buy something that could easily be made? How hard can it be to make them?

Turns out, it’s a piece of cake!

You’ll simply need:

Striped fabric

red, green felt

white pom poms

Simply sew a tube the width and length of your table leg, put it on like a sock, and secure with a rubberband.

Free hand an elf shoe onto a piece of card stock and cut out your elf feet, 2 per table leg. Sew on the red details and hand stitch the pom poms. Place 2 elf shoes together and sew the outer edges closed. Easy peasey.

Monogramed mini stockings that hold utensils and perform as reusable favors?

Sign me right up!

Found in the Target Dollar Spot, those mini stockings easily become personalized (and reusable) favors AND serve double duty as utensil holders.

And last but not least, plain rice krispie treats get all dressed up by drizzling red and green candy melts and adorned with festive toothpicks and ribbon.

Long gone are the days when kids get stuck at the kiddie table, usually a card table with maybe a colored plastic tablecloth. Spend an afternoon crafting with your little one in anticipation of the big day and I’m nearly positive your guests will be fighting over who gets to sit at the little people’s table.

Probably my favorite quote from the article:

“When planning a table for little ones, it’s important to remember what Christmas is like through the eyes of a child,” says Broussard. “Everything is magical. And a table created just for them proves that it really is the best day ever.”

Does your family have a designated table for the kids?

Mason Jar Toasted Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cakes

0 · Dec 11, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Today’s Mason Jar Toasted Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cakes has been brought to you by Kraft Baking Products on behalf of Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SweetenTheSeason #CollectiveBias

Tis’ the season to bake your booty off! I feel like I’m drowning in a sea of to-do’s and can’t quite seem to catch up. It also doesn’t help that it’s 80 degrees again here. While we’ve had a couple of days when the temperature dipped and it started to feel like the holidays, there’s nothing worse than trying to feel festive, baking in your Christmas sweater…..and sweating.

Last week we hosted Brian’s office party at our home (can you believe I didn’t take any photos?! Makes me want to cry) and while the house certainly looks like Santa will be coming soon, we had people in shorts and I was worried my dogs were going to overheat in their holiday sweaters. Gotta love the Louisiana seasons, or lack thereof. Despite the fact that the temperatures refuse to drop and stay cold, I still crave my hot chocolate when looking at Christmas lights.

I’ve talked about it in the past, but Brian and I both enjoy driving around town scoping out the area’s own Clark Griswold’s. While I personally don’t ever aspire to decorate my house with a million blinking lights and more yard ornaments than fingers and toes, I will admit to having to be pried away from the homes set to music. Just last night, we stumbled upon a house that we circled 3 times because merely camping out in front of it, song after song, seemed creepy.

This weekend we will be heading to Nottoway Plantation for the annual lighting of the bonfires on the levee, and while I’ll probably still have my hot chocolate in hand, I was trying to come up with something easily portable to share with friends. These Mason Jar Toasted Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cakes are easy to whip together, travel well, and provide the same taste as hot chocolate without the worry of spilling liquid on yourself. I’ve stenciled utensils for the new cookbook a couple of times, and thought the “Stay Toasty” forks added a fun touch to my cakes, since they’re toasted marshmallows after all.

Let’s talk about the cakes and make some “Stay Toasty” forks, shall we?!

To make the cakes, you’ll need to do one of two things. Either purchase a store bought chocolate cake mix (no judgements here) or use this recipe for making it from scratch. While I’m no cake mix snob, I prefer it homemade here simply because we’re trying to get the rich taste of hot chocolate. And if you’ve never made a chocolate cake with a bit of chocolate Jell-O instant pudding, then you’re in for a treat. The addition of pudding keeps the cake really light and moist and provides a bit more chocolate oomph. You’re going to also need lots and lots of marshmallows, because, hello, what’s hot cocoa without marshmallows? I’ve toasted the Kraft Jet-Puffed mini marshmallows and used the Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme in the buttercream. Oh my word.

To make the cakes from scratch you need:

Mason Jar Toasted Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cakes

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

Author: Aimee

Serves: 24

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
1½ cups cake flour
1 cup baking cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup instant chocolate pudding
1 cup milk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Marshmallow Frosting:
1 stick butter, softened
3-4 cups confectioners sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 container (7 ounces) marshmallow creme, you'll use about 1½ cups

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line muffins tins with cupcake liners; set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl beat together the sugar, butter and vanilla. Add in eggs one at a time. In a separate bowl combine the cocoa, cake flour, baking soda, salt and pudding, Slowly add into the butter mixture. Add in the milk. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Fill each cupcake liner about ⅔ full and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
While the cupcakes are cooling, prepare the frosting by beating together the butter and confectioners sugar, adding in the milk and vanilla followed by the marshmallow cream with a hand mixer (or the bowl of a stand mixer) until light and fluffy.
Put the frosting in a pastry bag and into the refrigerator until you're ready to assemble the mason jars.

Then you’ll need to make the Toasted Marshmallow frosting. Unlike the cake mix, there is where there’s no room for cheating! Once you’ve had this Toasted Marshmallow buttercream made with the Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme, I promise you’ll crave it time and time again. It’s basically the marriage of buttercream and marshmallows and likely the most delicious thing on the planet.

I purchased a fancy blow torch to toast my frosting, but couldn’t get the darn thing to work. Lucky for you, I tested out the broil method and you can easily pop them into the oven a few seconds and get similar results. Just watch them CLOSELY. Only takes a moment.

To layer the cakes, you’ll need 4 6ounce mason jars. You’ll use 3 cupcakes for each mason jar. Begin by removing the cupcake liners and cut off the domed part of each cupcake- this will help layer your cakes neatly.

Place one cupcake bottom into the mason jar, layer with the marshmallow frosting, then place another cupcake bottom on top, repeat with the frosting.

Add some marshmallows and toast the topping.

To create the stenciled forks, you’ll simply need to purchase the wooden forks from your craft store and the mini stamping sets. Or, if you have pretty handwriting, just write on the forks with a paint pen.

Word of caution: if you use a sharpie, it will bleed into the grain of the wood. Just a heads up.

Attach the custom forks with a bit of bakers twine or ribbon to your Mason Jar Toasted Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Cakes and enjoy!

If you’re transporting them, just pipe a smaller swirl of frosting and top your jar with a festive fabric topper.

Who wouldn’t enjoy snacking on some hot cocoa cake while watching the Christmas lights?

Convenient and budget friendly, you can find everything you need to bake up some Hot Cocoa Cakes of your own at your local Walmart Bake Center. You can find your mason jars and fabric there, too!

Egg Nog Topped Hot Chocolate

0 · Nov 24, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Are your plans for Thanksgiving all buttoned up? Got the turkey all delegated so you can focus on your prized sides? I love, love, love Thanksgiving food. Sweet potatoes, green bean casseroles, pumpkin pie oh my- I love it all. I love gathering around the table to reflect on all the things we are most thankful for, and those special things that have occurred that particular year. I also love that Thanksgiving sort of signals us into the holidays. And man, do I love the holidays!

I spotted the new International Delight Hot Chocolate the other day and immediately my brain began to ponder yummy hot chocolate concoctions to bring along while looking at Christmas lights. One of the traditions my husband and I have adopted is hopping in the car after the dogs have been fed and walked for rides to look at the lights. We map out all the fun neighborhoods around town and make it a point to hit them all.

This year, we’ll be heading to the bonfires at Nottoway Plantation and since Nottoway is a bit of a drive, I’ll be filling up the thermos with something warm to sip for our travels there. That idea will have to wait until next month, however! Today, I’m sharing this quick, easy, and ridiculously delicious Egg Nog Topped Hot Chocolate. It combines an homemade egg nog whipped topping with the ready made hot chocolate…pretty much making it the best holiday drink on the planet! It screams Happy Holidays!

First, you want to whip together your whipped topping.

Egg Nog Whipped Cream

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Aimee

Ingredients

1 cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup egg nog
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Instructions

Tip: Make sure the heavy cream, eggnog, and even the bowl of your stand mixer are well chilled before whipping. Beat the whipping cream on high until peaks begin to form, slowly add in the egg nog and powdered sugar, beating until well combined and desired whipped cream consistency is reached.

Once your topping is all prepared, you’ll simply heat your International Delight Hot Chocolate in the microwave for about 45 seconds.

Swirl a bit of the egg nog whipped cream on top. Lightly dust with a bit of cocoa (if desired) and add a couple of mini chocolate chips.

Y’all.

I feel like I need to remind you that we are talking about EGG NOG ON TOP OF HOT CHOCOLATE!!!

I die.

It’s so good I might be adding it to the Thanksgiving dinner after party instead of coffee because, it is EGG NOG ON TOP OF HOT CHOCOLATE.

Just wanted to make sure we were on the same page!

Go, go now and get yourself some hot chocolate!

And since we are talking about my love affair with International Delight (have I mentioned they just aren’t about coffee creamers?), you might want to head over to their website and share your own memory of how YOU capture the spirit of the holidays. YOU can win $5,000 and a holiday brunch of a lifetime!

This conversation is sponsored by International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.

Creamy Shrimp & Sweet Corn Soup

4 · Nov 23, 2015 · 13 Comments

Update to the Creamy Shrimp & Sweet Corn Soup.

Originally posted using the Swanson Cajun Infused broth (which I still stand behind!) that is no longer available in your local stores. Insert massive wailing. WHY!??!?! Apparently, that flavored infused broth was a special edition item type of thing and it didn’t make the final round up. Boo.

Don’t you worry yourselves, though! I’ve updated the recipe and considering I just ate it for lunch, can verify that it is legit.

Original post:

In the town I grew up in there was this quaint little café that was only open for lunch and had the best Cream of Shrimp soup. They served the soup in demi cups with your choice of one of their croissant sandwiches. Birthdays, baby announcements, and other special occasions this quaint little café was the place you wanted to celebrate with its low frills environment yet seriously scrumptious food.

With the temperatures beginning to fall, I am reminded that there is nothing quite as comforting as a hearty bowl of soup and I begin to long for that little café with my most favorite soup. Because I’m unable to visit as much as I would like, I set out to recreate a similar soup to enjoy whenever the weather beacons a warm and comforting meal.

The marriage of sweet corn and sautéed shrimp is a delicious concoction with minimal effort. Rich and creamy, it is best served with homemade garlic toast and can be used as a meal.

However, if you’re like me, and you find yourself really missing home, you could purchase yourself some demi cups and serve it with a sandwich.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Creamy Shrimp & Sweet Corn Soup

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

25 mins

Author: Aimee

Serves: 8

Ingredients

½ cup chopped onion
2 tbsp chopped celery
½ cup (1 stick) butter + 2 tbsp more
¼ cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 cup frozen corn
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp Creole seasoning, divided
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup sherry
1 ½ tsp salt

Instructions

Saute the onion and celery in the butter in a medium saucepan for 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent. Add the flour and mix well. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the broth gradually, again stirring constantly to prevent burning. Stir in the whipping cream and corn.
Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes continuing to stir frequently. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, combine the shrimp with 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, and sauté the shrimp until they turn pink- about 3-5 minutes. Fold in the shrimp and green onion tops to the saucepan containing the corn mixture. Stir in the sherry, salt and remaining Creole seasoning. Add additional pepper if desired. Simmer just until heated through and ladle into soup bowls.

Irresistibly creamy and the flavors allow the main players, the shrimp and the corn, to take center stage.

Over the weekend, I ordered “Shrimp & Corn Soup” and let me just tell you, that unless the shrimp were pureed (and in which case is a travesty in and of itself) there was not ONE shrimp in my bowl. I nearly sent it back I was so disappointed. Not only was there no shrimp, the corn was overridden with tomatoes and other ingredients that it didn’t taste anything like I was anticipating. Awful, awful, awful.

It was in my dismay that I ran to the grocery store to make my own darn Shrimp & Corn Soup, thus realizing, that the broth I loved is no longer available. I didn’t let that stop me. Oh no, no, no. I needed SOUP.

So here ya go, the revitalized Creamy Shrimp & Sweet Corn Soup so that you, too can have a souper dinner tonight.

This blog post was sponsored by Swanson® last Fall.

Tuscan Inspired Friendsgiving

0 · Nov 10, 2015 · 4 Comments

Today’s Tuscan Inspired Friendsgiving post has been brought to you by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are my own. #HolidayPairings #CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

Disclaimer: Today’s Tuscan Inspired Friendsgiving post is incredibly long, but we will be walking through a complete menu plan- start to finish!

I’ve chatted about it a time or two, but my previous career had me traveling the country typically 8 months out of the year. Traditionally, if you were assigned out of state during the holidays Christmas was the only time you were able to travel home. Thanksgiving, and other holidays, without reserved time off, meant you’d be away from your friends and family….celebrating in unfamiliar places. If you’ve ever wondered why hotels offer fancy Thanksgiving dinners and if people really spend their Thanksgiving in them, they do. I was one of those people!

We’ve been calling them “friendsgivings” long before Pinterest made them trendy because for us, being separated from our families, spending time with work friends was the best way of making the day enjoyable. I’ve had turkey in Kansas City, Portland, Phoenix, and some little quaint town in Pennsylvania that I can’t even remember the name. I know how much it meant to have a couple of people from the office to spend the day with, so it got me thinking about making it tradition regardless if it is with people who are either too far from their loved ones to get home, or maybe they just don’t have loved ones to spend time with.

Rather than turkey, however, I opted for a Tuscan Inspired Friendsgiving that way, if anyone was partaking in turkey elsewhere, our day would offer a little something different. I kept the menu simple with a Sweet Basil Italian Sausage Pasta, a French Bread Hot Crab Dip, Grilled Sensation Salad, a Tiramisu pie and of course, lots of wine!

The new Barilla Pronto Pasta is the superstar in the Sweet Basil Italian Sausage Pasta.

It’s a new product eliminating the need to drain your noodles! One pot wonder lovers rejoice! Prepare it in a Dutch oven and you’re all set to go directly from stove to tabletop in less than 30 minutes.

Here’s the recipe and instructions:

5.0 from 1 reviews

Sweet Basil Italian Sausage Pasta

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Aimee

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 6

Ingredients

¾ pound Italian pork sausage (I used a basil flavored sausage)
1½ cups water
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes (I used the one flavored with basil and garlic)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 box (12 ounces) Barilla Pronto pasta noodles (I used Rotini but wanted Penne)
½ cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Instructions

In a medium sized Dutch oven (or large skillet that will hold up 3 cups liquid) over medium high heat, brown the Italian sausage, breaking apart and crumbling as you cook. Drain if necessary and return to pot. Add the water, undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce and pasta, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until pasta is tender. You may need to stir occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking.
Right before serving, sprinkle the Mozzarella cheese and allow to melt. Serve immediately.

Since you’ve cut down the time preparing your main entree, you have all sorts of extra time to put together the incredibly comforting French Bread Hot Crab Dip. What I love most about this dip, is you serve it straight from the loaf of bread. Arrange the remaining bread pieces around the loaf and add some crackers for dipping variety.

I like grabbing some of the Pepperidge Farm Cracker trio packages. Lots of variety without having to purchase multiple boxes of crackers.

While grabbing the crackers, I also grabbed a box of Pepperidge Farm Chocolate Cookie Collection. I absolutely love the Pepperidge Farm shortbread cookies and knew immediately that the chocolate collection would make the most incredible pie crust for my Tiramisu Pie. And let me just tell, they did not disappoint! This pie is getting its own blog post, too because holy heavens, it’s incredible.

Here’s a peek:

The cookies, however, can be easily served on their own with some after dinner coffee and no one would think any less of you. And, besides the branding on the cookie is quite cute.

Now that your impossibly easy menu is out of the way, you’ll need wine for your Tuscan inspired meal. Reds pair well with pasta dishes, and I provided a variety; a Merlot, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Pinot Noir.

I also created these fun little favor tags and wrapped a couple of bottles for take home favors. Everyone appreciates extra wine during the holidays and it’s an easy way of showing your appreciation for your pal’s friendship.

Since our meal isn’t overly sophisticated, I kept the table decor simple and casual, too. Grocery store flowers become instantly more elegant when separated into multi sized glass containers- mason jars, vintage milk bottles, etc. Just try to keep your flowers relatively low in height so you can see across the table while chatting with your guests.

Wrapping your menu card with a bit of bakers twine with added greenery provides a bit of color to your table and shows that while you didn’t spend a ton of time and effort on your meal, you thought enough of your guests to create a few personal details. And a menu card makes even the simplest meals feel more fancy.

Now, all that’s left is to enjoy the day while sharing stories with those people in your life you are most thankful for!

Are you still here?!?! Told ya it was going to be a lengthy post!

Be sure to stop by the Simple Entertaining hub at Walmart for upcoming wine tastings, and Barilla & Pepperidge Farm demos during the months of November and December. Most everything featured today was purchased there- including the scrapbook paper used for the menu cards. A true one stop shop for all of your holiday entertaining needs.

Any plans for hosting a Friendsgiving of your own? What’s going on your menu?

Be My Valentine Breakfast

0 · Feb 4, 2015 · Leave a Comment

Confession: I have a serious love affair with the month of February.

For starters, it’s my birthday month and while I won’t admit to getting older each year I do love a birthday celebration. Secondly, it’s Mardi Gras season. It’s as if the state of Louisiana declares month long parades and revelry just for me- a girl can dream, right? And lastly, it’s the month of love. Is there anything greater than playing cupid and showering the ones you love with pink and red…..everything?

I know some will say oh, it’s a Hallmark holiday but so be it- if it means you take a couple of minutes out of your day to tell another person you care.

And if you don’t have a certain someone to enjoy this easy Be My Valentine Breakfast with, then create it for yourself and shower your own self with love. There’s no need to beat yourself up over not having a Valentine- I’ve been there and in my humble opinion, you will feel better if you buy yourself a treat and grab some cocktails with girlfriends. Trust me, you’re not the only one out there without a love bug.

But if you DO have a special someone, you should whip up this breakfast in bed tray.

And I know what you’re thinking. Breakfast means I would have to wake up early. Your tray looks like it’s time consuming.

Would you believe me if I told you you could do this in less than 30 minutes?

You can!

Let’s start with the pancakes. You have two options: you can make your own fluffy, buttermilk pancakes or….you can pop some ready made pancakes into the microwave then use your heart shaped cookie cutter to make them festive. Stack them up, and serve them with syrup, a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh strawberries.

5 minutes.

If you’re a coffee in the morning drinker, I have something for you coming later but on this day we’re sipping Strawberry Lemonade. A little more time consuming than the pancakes, but super simple nonetheless.

Valentine's Day Strawberry Lemonade

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

Author: Aimee

Recipe type: Drinks

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1½ cups fresh lemon juice (from about 6 lemons)
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
24-28 oz cold water
ice

Instructions

Make a simple syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a simmer in a small saucepot. Stir so that sugar melts completely then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Place the strawberries in a blender and process until smooth. I'm not a fan of pulp, so I strain the juice then pour the pureed strawberry juice in the sugar water and stir well. Add the lemon juice.
Combine the strawberry lemon syrup and the cold water in a large pitcher. Stir well and add lots of ice.
Garnish with an additional strawberry slice.

You know those weird people who like the taste of something, but they don’t actually like the something? That’s me with strawberries. I like the taste of strawberries but I don’t care for the seeds or pulp. Therefore, you’ll see in my instructions I strain the strawberry puree before adding it to my lemonade. It will decrease the color a bit, but gives a slight strawberry taste without the pulp. If you don’t mind the pulp, then skip that part.

Put your pancakes, your syrup, your homemade strawberry lemonade and some added strawberries all onto a serving tray and begin your cupid journey. I’d probably add a card, too.

Then sit back and watch your husband/boyfriend/significant other’s face light up at all the effort you put into making his/her morning so special.

Don’t you dare tell them you didn’t slave ALL MORNING LONG whipping this up.

That’s our little secret. 😉

Christmas 2014 Recap

0 · Dec 28, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Hi guys! I just wanted to pop in really quickly and highlight a few of our Christmas moments from this season. Sort of one of those things that if I don’t document it somewhere will I ever remember which year that happened type of thing! I hope you had a wonderful, wonderful holiday celebrating with friends and family. I hope you also enjoyed lots of delicious food and the comfort of your stretchy pants, too!

So here we go with the Broussard Christmas 2014 Recap!

Our Christmas season really began back in October when I set my holiday table and decorated the Christmas tree for our Junior League newsletter feature. My friend and fellow River Road Recipe committee member, Jessica and I worked our tushies off setting up and preparing a full on holiday dinner. From a signature cocktail to a delicious turkey, to an array of sides and completed with an entire buffet of desserts; we went all out.

This photo was taken by the talented Kaela Rodehorst Photography. She works a lot with some of our local fashion bloggers and I knew if we got our hands on her, she would create magic. And she did!

Nearly the same photo became our Entre Nous holiday cover:

(sorry for the icky photo, I have yet to receive my copy of Entre Nous and this was a screen shot on someone’s cell phone)

It was also featured in inRegister magazine.

(another icky photo but you can pop on inRegister’s site for more photos & all the recipes: Feast for the Eyes)

Once we were finished with the photo shoot, I had full intentions of leaving up my Christmas tree throughout November. I even commented how far ahead of the gang I would be! I must’ve jinxed myself because we were asked to host the Cookoff Before Kickoff crew when they were in town for the LSU/Ole Miss game and I just couldn’t see spreading the Christmas cheer during a massive football party.

See? Totally wrecks the early holiday mood wouldn’t you say?

So the tree came down….and then it went back up after Thanksgiving.

So much for being ahead of the gang.

Also this season, I had the task of creating the costumes for Mary & Joseph for our church Christmas parade and Christmas Eve live nativity scene. I totally stressed myself out over it and you’d have thought I was literally sewing for Mary and Joseph! I think they turned out nicely and if you had seen the pile of scrap material and pattern they handed me (there was no budget for costumes and the staff wanted to use what they had available) you’d be even more impressed that I pulled this off.

And here’s Mary & Joseph at the parade.

I’d be fibbing if I said I wasn’t super proud seeing my handiwork in action. And can we just pause at how wonderful our Mary looks? That bump is legit.

I made these White Chocolate Iced Gingerbread Cookies for the cookie swap, but they became the most requested cookies among family and friends so we’re going to highlight them in my 2014 holiday roundup.

Make them. That is all.

We added Murphy to our family toward the end of October so to celebrate his 1st Christmas with us, I hired my dear friend Kori from KoriClark.com (she also designed my Cook Off invitation, too) to hand illustrate all 3 of our dogs to be used for Christmas cards. It was much easier in my mind to have them sketched rather than figuring out how to teach them all to sit still for photos.

To say I was obsessed with the cards might be an understatement. She captured them so perfectly and it just makes my heart smile looking at them.

Milo, my black and tan approved 110% with having our cards printed on coffee mugs for a few people on our list who have just about everything and deserved a mug rather than a Christmas card.

I die.

He’s the cutest darn thing I have ever seen.

And miraculously, we were able to get a photo in front of the tree with all 3 of them.

Other than Stella totally not sitting like a lady, we got them all to somewhat sit still! I’m calling this a winning Christmas moment.

So, how was your holiday? Are you still celebrating or is your family visits complete and you’ve already moved onto Mardi Gras & Valentine’s Day?

We still have family to see and gifts to exchange on Jan 3rd so you could say we’re extending the Christmas season throughout the 12 days for sure!

Even though it is seriously belated, Merry Christmas friends!

Perfect Pre-Holiday Holiday Gifts

0 · Dec 8, 2014 · 3 Comments

The following Holiday Gift Giving post is being brought to you by the new Hallmark movie, Northpole and has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. Of course, all opinions are mine alone. #NorthpoleFun #CollectiveBias

Today we’re going to talk about Perfect Pre-Holiday Holiday Gifts because sometimes you end up seeing friends and family before and after the holidays, and this gift will work splendidly for those you see prior to the big day.

My husband jokes that in a previous life I was a professional shopper and gift wrapper. Giving gifts is definitely my love language and I’m always looking for excuses to shower loved ones with thoughtful “prizes”….and then spending just as much time packaging those gifts as I did shopping. What he doesn’t know is that I really was a professional gift wrapper back in the day. I say “professional” jokingly, but in college I was once paid to gift wrap Christmas gifts for one of Alexandria’s high end small boutiques. There’s a serious method boutiques use to cut the wrapping paper, strategically place the tape, and perfectly tie the bows. Maybe one day I’ll get around to showing you their secrets- if I can remember how. It’s fascinating stuff.

Until then, let’s talk about the art of gift baskets. I love filling gift baskets. Love, love, love baskets. It’s like the most multi purpose vessel you can use to house your Christmas gifts. Use a basket that isn’t necessarily holiday and you’re really giving your recipient 2 gifts. The actual gift and a basket they use throughout the year.

What I also love is gifting holiday gifts that can be functional for the entire family. Especially if you’re seeing a friend or relative prior to Christmas, a family night basket is always a winner. Recently, I was in Walmart and I immediately gravitated toward the Christmas aisles and a section filled with toys and gifts that coordinated with the new holiday movie Northpole.

And when I say coordinating gifts, I’m talking about these cute mixing bowls that look like sweaters:

And this plate and cheese spreader that I immediately used to hold my cookies:

And then I went ahead and grabbed a copy of the Northpole movie because 1. I’m obsessed with watching the Hallmark channel Christmas movies 2. The movie has coordinating Northpole gifts 3. The movie + gifts make the Perfect Pre-Holiday Holiday Gift for the baker who has children they want to occupy while they whip up some cookies of their own.

For the basket (note the generic basket), I tossed in the movie, the mixing bowls, the adorable plate, some sugar cookie mix and because I got carried away, I made some decorated sugar cookies to add as well.

You know, the coordinated kind.

My grandmother said one time when she was opening a gift basket from me, “oh, I hope there’s something to eat in there”, and thus I typically try to add a homemade element into my gift baskets in the form of cookies or candies.

I also grabbed an extra set of the cookie cutters because it’s always nice to attach the cutters to the bow when you’re gifting cookies to someone. What if they really, really think your cookies are fantastic and they go to locate a similar cookie cutter and they can’t find it? That dilemma is solved my friends if you just go ahead and buy your friend a set of their own.

And while I tossed the sugar cookie mix into the basket, here’s my favorite sugar cookie recipe:

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe

Save Print

Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

8 mins

Total time

1 hour 8 mins

Author: Aimee

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 24

Ingredients

¾ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
2¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg as well as the vanilla and almond extract. Mix well.
Combine all of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gradually add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl a little at a time. Mix it just until everything is combined.
Remove the dough and wrap in plastic wrap to refrigerate. Chill the dough for at least an hour.
When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and remove the chilled dough.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle about ½ inch thick.
Cut out shapes and transfer them to a silicone mat or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 7-9 minutes.
Allow to cool slightly before removing to a wire rack. Let cool completely prior to decorating.

Oh, and the easiest way for me to decorate cookies being a non-cookie decorator is with the Royal Icing mix. You seriously just add water and mix. I get it from Party Time. You are MORE than welcome to use meringue powder and all that jazz.

What type of gift baskets do you enjoy gifting, or receiving? Useful? Personal? Stuff you can eat?

If you want to learn a little more about the city of Northpole you can do so here:

I was going to gift my copy but I think I’m going to cozy up with some eggnog and watch it this weekend while baking, you guessed it, more cookie swap cookies.

Pumpkin Spice Oreo Place Cards

0 · Nov 24, 2014 · 2 Comments

Sometimes the most simple things to create become your favorite, and such is the case with these Pumpkin Spice Oreo Place Cards.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I was thinking up some pumpkin-ish things to implement and I came across some Wilton Pumpkin Spice candy melts tucked away in the pantry.

I’ve been in a bit of a baking rut lately and nothing has been inspiring so to get excited about stumbling onto the candy melts was at least a step in the right direction. I’ve been so overwhelmed with projects that I haven’t set foot into my craft room in weeks….and if you know me at all, you know that at some point this becomes really, really sad for me.

I think what I liked so much about playing around with these little Pumpkin Spice Oreo Place Cards is that it didn’t involve the oven, it included Pumpkin Spice candy melts and oreos, and….it involved some crafting.

Who knew how much I could miss twirling some twine around so much?

Nothing sophisticated and I probably could’ve whipped out the Silhouette or Cricut (and yeah, you guys I have both, one of which is still in the box) and made some really ornate name tags for these little guys, but I didn’t.

Just printed on some card stock and cut.

They weren’t meant to be place cards. I was just going to candy coat the oreos and wrap them in plastic- sort of like a take home pumpkin. But then, as I started playing around, I realized how incredibly cute they would be as place cards.

And thus my Pumpkin Spice Oreos became Pumpkin Spice Oreo Place Cards.

To recreate some for yourself, you’ll need:

Oreos or other sandwich type cookie (I used the vanilla ones)

Oreo mold (found at JoAnn’s)

Wilton candy melts- Pumpkin Spice

Lollipop sticks

Twine

Cardstock

You could probably figure this out without instructions, but dip your cookies into the melted candy using the oreo mold, reserving some of the candy melts for piping. Allow the cookies to set completely- I pop mine into the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes just to help speed things up considering I live in a humid climate. In a piping bag, reheat the candy melts if they’ve hardened and pipe on the pumpkin lines. Put them back in the refrigerator to set. Now, take your lollipop mold and cut them to the desired length you need. I used the sticks using for dipping apples so they had one pointy side and one flat. You’re going to want to use the pointy side to place into your dipped cookie. Use enough force to pierce, but delicate enough not to break the candy into pieces. Use the twine to cover your stick, print out some card stock name tags, and voila.

Halloween Treats For Dogs

0 · Oct 14, 2014 · 10 Comments

This Halloween Treats for Dogs shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. However, all opinions are and will continue to be mine alone. #TrickorTreatem #CollectiveBias

Just a warning: I’m going to start blowing up your inboxes and feeds this week with lots of Halloween fun. And of course, that fun couldn’t possibly exclude Stella & Milo. I mean, hello. So with that disclaimer out of the way, let’s kick things off with some Halloween Treats for Dogs, okay?

Y’all. This is one of my most favorite posts to ever share with you.

Second only to this post where I transformed my backyard into Stella & Milo’s Dog Barkery.

To say that I like to treat my dogs is an understatement. I totally acknowledge the fact that I tread lightly into crazy dog lady territory each time a holiday rolls around but honestly, I don’t think I care. Those pups function as our children, and as such, deserve to get in on some Halloween action. And what is it about dogs in costumes that is undeniably adorable?

I knew Halloween was going to go downhill quickly once I laid eyes on the bright red lobster costumes at the Home Goods grand opening. I scooped them up quicker than lightning and began my jet setting across town for all the things I would need to complete their Halloween Dog Costume extravaganza. Because if you’re going to put forth the effort into making your pup miserable by wearing a costume, then friends, go ahead and make it a full on extravaganza.

And dress up yourself.

(Milo wondering what the heck is on my head)

This is the way my brain works:

How cute is that costume? Oh my, my, my if Stella & Milo were to be matching lobsters (we’ll call them crawfish), then I could wear a chef’s jacket- monogrammed of course. I could set up the crawfish boil pot and put the Halloween treats in there and look like I was “boiling up” some Halloween treats. Of course, I’d need to monogram the pot also (I refrained). And I’d need some treats for the neighborhood dogs, too. You know, to go in the pot. YES! Done. Let’s drive around like a crazy person and make this happen.

As I was traversing around town, on my trip to the Kroger I spotted the super sale on Milk Bone, Milo’s Kitchen, Pup-Peroni & Canine Carry Outs. 2 for $5!

And not only that, but a chance to win $5,000 as well as determine your dog’s Halloween personality on the Trick or Treat Em website.

Both of my dogs were tricksters.

But I couldn’t stop by simply purchasing the dog treats.

Oh no, no, no. I had to decorate some of those Milk Bone dog treats and make them Halloween festive.

Did you know that Carob Chips are a safe “chocolate” alternative for dogs?

All natural and vegan, they melt just like chocolate chips!

You just melt, dip, then pop some “icing” polka dots on there and now you have dipped bones that to your dog, who has never had chocolate (because it’s deadly) now has a chocolately treat! Easy!

Even though carob is safe for dog consumption, I like to give it to my dogs sparingly.

Therefore, I packaged the treats with 2 of the healthier Milk Bone products, a few of the small bones, and 1 dipped bone.

Don’t want to be accused of making the neighborhood dogs chubby!

It’s the perfect addition to your snack bags to add a little bit of Halloween color without overdoing it with the dipped bones.

5.0 from 3 reviews

Dog Treat Icing

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Aimee

Serves: 10-12 cookies

Ingredients

2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp honey
2 tsp water
drop of food coloring

Instructions

Whisk together the cornstarch, honey and water thoroughly in a bowl. Add a drop of food coloring (or more to get your desired coloring). A thick, paste-like mixture should form. For better control of the icing, put in a disposable squeeze bottle or paint on the icing with a small brush.

Add the name of your neighbor’s dog and you’ll be overwhelmed with how appreciative they’ll be that you took the time to think of their pet.

I’ll bet you $10 on that.

Do you have any big plans for Halloween? Do you live somewhere where they do Trick or Trunk? I’m dying to participate in a Trick or Trunk one of these days !

Southern Candied Pecans {Holiday Gift Idea}

0 · Nov 21, 2013 · 4 Comments

Ever since I could remember my Lil’ Momo had an array of pecans at all her holiday gatherings.

Sidenote: When I was a child I had one grandmother who was heavy set, and one that was a tiny little thing. I differentiated them by calling one Lil’ Momo and one Big Momo. It stuck, and fortunately my great-grandmother didn’t mind being called “Big”. The grandchildren after me also learned to call my mom’s mother our “Lil’ Momo”.

Now back to the pecans.

Spicy pecans. Sugared pecans. Cinnamon pecans. And some secret pecans that I swear I think she said were made with a pudding mix.

Long story short, she had an entire serving platter of nothing but flavored pecans.

And then, in your gift bag you’d get your own take home goodie bags of, you guessed it, pecans.

I decided to try to recreate the cinnamon sugared pecans.

Southern Candied Pecans {Holiday Gift Idea}

Save Print

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

The perfect treat for holiday gift giving. Bet you can't eat just one!

Author: Aimee

Recipe type: Snack

Ingredients

¼ cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
2½ cups shelled pecan halves

Instructions

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, combine evaporated milk, sugar, water and vanilla.
Heat mixture until sugar is dissolved- stirring often.
Whisk in cinnamon.
Add 3 cups of pecans, stirring until completely covered.
Continue stirrng until pecans become well coated and mixture begins crystallizing to the pecans- aout 3 minutes.
Spread the covered pecans on wax paper, separating as you lay them out. Allow the pecans to cool completely.
Break apart pecans and store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Candied pecans, that is.

I always like having readily available homemade gifts around the holidays. Most of my neighbors are retired and you never know when the doorbell will ring, and you will find a box of divinity, bourbon balls, or a fresh baked bread loaf just waiting for you.

And you know when someone gives you something and you wish you had their recipe and knew how they made it?

Situation solved.

I made a fancy little recipe card to attach to my Southern Candied Pecans.

Do you know how ridiculously easy it is to design in PicMonkey?

I’m the farthest thing from being graphically inclined and I did this all by myself.

All. By. Myself I tell you!

And nope, the fine folks at PicMonkey didn’t ask me to say that.

Enjoy the pah-kahns!

Mustache Cake {Valentine How To}

0 · Jan 16, 2013 · 2 Comments

I mustache you a question. Shouldn’t your Valentine mustache party include a mustache cake?

Why yes, yes it should.

I’m no cake baker and this cake is well….a piece cake to make!

You take a basic 9 inch round cake, slice it, flip it, ice it, sprinkle it. Done.

Here’s a graphic that was posted on the Sur la table Facebook page.

Easy right?

And if you’re feeling like serving your guests in a matching apron…

You can purchase one here.

{Adult apron coming soon}

Serve it on a matching runner? Just click here.

Need coordinating cards? I found these cute free ones over at The Mom Bot.

Need a mustache template for those straws? Here you go:

Printable template found on Etsy How To Tuesday

I think you’re all set! Now, if you don’t mind I mustdache and have some cake. Get it…must dache……

I’m getting carried away, definitely time to go.

Do The Mardi Gras Mambo!

0 · Feb 21, 2012 · 13 Comments

It’s Fat Tuesday, Ya’ll and time to do the Mardi Gras Mambo!!

And if you didn’t know, Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday.

The New Orleans carnival season is the preparation for the start of the Christian season of Lent. It begins on Epiphany (Jan. 6th) complete with an abundance of parades, balls, and king cake parties. It has traditionally been part of the winter social season; at one time “coming out” parties for young women at débutante balls were timed for this season. My cousin, Kalynn was presented this year at Bacchus.

To New Orleanians, “Mardi Gras” specifically refers to the Tuesday before lent, the highlight of the season!

Here are some of my favorites from this year’s season:

Favorite Mardi Gras related blog post: You Dont Know Mardi Gras Like I Know Mardi Gras by Kristen Duke Photography.

I love that she de-boozed and de-breasted the world’s persona of Mardi Gras the way only a person having grown up in Louisiana can do. And, I especially loved seeing the pictures of her as a child dressed up in costume for the parades.

Favorite Parade Photo:

image via

I love this photo because it truly captures how nasty our weather was this past Saturday.

Endymion’s new motto should be “Rain Or Shine, Endymion Rides”.

Favorite Mardi Gras Wreath:

Saw a Valentine’s Day wreath tutorial on How To Nest For Less and immediately said “self, that would look lovely in Mardi Gras colors”. So I made it in Mardi Gras colors. And I liked it so much I refused to hang it outside.

Favorite non-traditional Mardi Gras treat:

Are you noticing the insane details on these cupcake toppers?

Like, um, the microscopic baby?!?!

Maria from Love & Sugar Kisses is one of the sweetest, most talented chicks on the planet.

She rocks my socks and I tell her so at least once a week.

Favorite traditional Mardi Gras treat:

image via

Gambino’s is a New Orleans based bakery known for their king cakes for over 50 years. Luckily, they have a location in Baton Rouge, too! If you ever wondered where Oprah Winfrey gets her king cakes from, it’s from Gambino’s.

My personal favorite are the ones filled with pecan praline cream cheese. Oh. Mmmm. Gee.

Favorite Mardi Gras mask photo:

And yes, my mask is totally on crooked, but that’s how I roll, yo.

Favorite Mardi Gras Jester Pet:

When you live in south Louisiana, you can expect your groomer to deck out your pet for carnival season…. without being asked.

Note: The bow in her ear lasted all of twenty minutes. {sigh}.

Happy Mardi Gras!!!!

Happy Halloween!

0 · Oct 31, 2011 · 4 Comments

It’s Halloween!

A day when most of my neighbors will turn off their lights and pretend not to be home in order to try to avoid the little ghosts and goblins that will take over our streets. I, however, will be the crazy lady in her Halloween apron, lights on, pumpkins lit, armed with way too much candy, praying that not everyone will boycott neighborhood trick-or-treating for the Zoo Boo.

You may remember my apron post a while back. I’m serious, I’m wearing the Halloween apron. Or a witch hat. I may even dress up my dog. I’m not sure.

One thing is for sure, though. There will be cupcakes.

Not-so-scary, but definitely kinda creepy…….cupcakes.