Spooky Treats

My mother in law gave me these awesome Halloween silicone baking cups and I felt compelled to use them at least once for spooky season this year. So tonight, I whipped up a batch of chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing. Using vanilla icing allowed for adequate sprinkle decoration. So I'm not really a cake decorator yet; sue me.

For the baking part, I used this recipe from Joy of Baking. I was just looking for a basic chocolate cupcake recipe with simple ingredients (so I didn't have to make a mid-baking grocery run!). So far, they seem awesome. I'll let you know the real verdict after all my co-workers taste them tomorrow. :) My vanilla icing was a box mix - I know, I know I'm cheating on a scratch icing! But hey, I have chores and some work work to do tonight, yo. Anywho, these box mixes are organic and pretty tasty...and easy for that matter.

Happy baking!

Related posts: Organic Chocolate Cake and Icing Mixes, By Popular Demand, Flour Power.
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today Post Script

So being the (sometimes) smart/rational homemaker that I am, I made some good decisions tonight. I headed home from work a little early because, let's face it, I should have been in a bubble today void from other human connection. I blasted a little music on my way home, and then hit the gym for some cardio-infused steam blowing off. Success. I came home a much saner, nicer human being capable of eating leftover spaghetti and meatballs (hey, it was actually kind of good) and already-corked wine.

What are your fail-proof methods for remedying a bad day?
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today...

...is one of those days where I would like to eat my feelings - a large chocolate cake and a bottle of Cabernet to be exact.

But instead, tonight's dinner is leftovers and a half-drank, nearly past it's prime bottle of Trader Joe's (ok, semi-cheap) red table wine.

Ahhh to be a homemaker in control of my own dinner...and destiny for that matter...
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You can always get what you want...Part Two

In a continuation of yesterday's post here, I'm offering a list my favorite registry items.

Christine's Top 20 Registry Items:

1. China - It's expensive and people want to buy it for you...especially your grandmother! Plus, you won't want to fork over a minimum of $1000 for china in 3 years when you decide you actually have a place for it and will use it.

2. Everyday dishes - For goodness sakes, give up the random assortment of plates you gathered during college. Make sure you scan some coordinating serving dishes as well - bowl, platter, sugar, creamer, butter dish, etc.

3. Silverware - Pick out a set that will stand the test of time with your home decor tastes. Make sure you get a set of serving utensils that match!

4. Linens - Ours even included our new monogram (altogether now...awww).

5. Kitchenaid Mixer - A staple for any gal (or guy) who wants to bake.

6. Wine glasses - Get at least 12 of each, red and white...flutes if you want to be really well outfitted. Some like to get specific wine glasses like chardonnay, riesling, etc but we were pleased with basic red and white glasses.

7. Lamps - This seems sort of silly, but nice lamps can add a lot to a room. Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware have some pretty neat options.

8. Towels - Again, get rid of the thread-bare rags you used in college and pick up a few sets that coordinate with your bathroom(s). There are some really nice quality, soft options that aren't terribly expensive and Macys and other department stores.

9. Pots and pans - Another somewhat pricey item, but picking out high quality cookware will make dinnertime much, much easier. Make sure you get a few different sizes for sauce pans, saute pans and frying pans. I recommend the Stainless Steel Calphalon set.

10. Pretty photo frames - Pick out some fab frames for your future fab wedding photos!

11. Baking pans - Cake pans, loaf pans, baking sheets and cookie sheets will help all your baking endeavors be a success. You can find inexpensive options at many stores from Target to Williams-Sonoma.

12. Knives - If you don't have good knives, these are an absolute must. And they don't have to break the bank. Both Wusthof and Henckels have sets at various price points. And some places will let you register for each knife individually so they're more affordable for the gift giver.

13. Wooden Cutting Board - First of all, they're just prettier than plastic kinds. And they keep your knives sharper longer.

14. Cookbooks - No, you don't have to register for the Bride and Groom varieties, but there are some great books that will make weeknight cooking quick and simple...and tasty! Check out Williams-Sonoma's weeknight collection, for some nice options.

15. Blender- For all your frozen libations...or smoothies.

16. Wine/Beer - For those that have everything. Seriously, you can make a wish list at Wine.com or other sites for your guests to peruse.

17. Kitchen Tools - Garlic press, pizza cutter, new spoons and spatulas, meat thermometer, etc. Upgrade or get rid of the crummy ones you have and pick some durable goods. Oxo has lots of awesome kitchen tools, available at many stores like Macy's, Bed Bath and Beyond and Williams-Sonoma.

18. Bar Tools - Get yourself a nice ice bucket, shaker and set of bar tools. Your husband-to-be will enjoy the process of selecting these, as well!

19. Vases - This was my one opportunity to get rid of all the freebies (not that they're bad!) from 1-800-Flowers and get some nicer options.

20. Toaster Oven - I like the combo option because you can bake small dinners or appetizers without having to pre-heat your oven.

P.S. Word to the wise - don't use the registry lists that each store gives to you. Unless your newlywed pad is 3000 square feet, you'll have to rent a storage unit with all the items they suggest!

*Photos courtesy of Bloomingdale's, Williams-Sonoma and Bed Bath and Beyond.

Related Posts: Going to the Chapel, Smitten with my Kitchen Gadgets.

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You can always get what you want...Part One

I'm definitely in that phase of life where everyone seems to be getting married. Exhibit A: 5 weddings this year. Exhibit B: 2 weddings already on the books for summer 2010. And in an effort to help those gals (and guys) who are simply overwhelmed with many aspects of wedding planning, I can help in one area - your registry. This is your one opportunity to put together an insane wish list to get you and your new spouse off on the right path with a well-outfitted home. And while it's tempting to register at every one of your favorite stores, here are a few hints that will help you navigate the wedding registry chaos and find affordable items you need to get going on your married life!

1. Limit yourself to 3-4 stores. No one wants to look through 6 or 7 registries online. Plus, it doesn't exactly present you as the gracious, appreciative bride that you really are!

2. Go national. Your favorite boutique in town may have all you need, but people that live 500 miles away will be grateful that you've picked Macy's, Target or Pottery Barn.

3. Pick stores that offer something different. You may find that one store has beautiful home
decor to outfit your bedroom, bathroom and living room ad another store that has phenomenal kitchen supplies. Like your financial advisor says, diversify.

4. Hit all price points - under $25, $25-$75, $100+, $200+. Once you've done a first pass with the scanner, take a look at the prices to ensure you have a wide range to suit all of your guests' budgets.

5. Do it together! After all, this is about building a wish list for your new home together. Be sure there are a few things the groom is excited about...after all many of the registry items are female-oriented.

*Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn.
Related Posts: Whats in a venue?, Wedding Etiquette for the Bride and Groom.
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Let's make a list

I am definitely a list maker. I have an insanely-organized notebook that houses my work to do lists and I usually use our kitchen white board for home to dos. Nothing brings me more satisfaction than completing the work I set out for myself, whether at home or at the office.

Today, I stumbled upon Real Simple's arsenal of checklists. Check out this site as it's pretty amazing. There are over 120 checklists in the archive and they span topics like identity theft, keeping kids entertained on car trips, car emergency essentials, best man duties, etc. One of my favorites is the "Keep it together" series which are issued each month and identify key criteria to accomplish that month and keep everything simple. Check out October's Keep it Together Checklist here. An added bonus of these checklists is that you can subscribe to them so that they're delivered to your email inbox each month.

Happy list making!
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Oh happy day!

Woo I won another giveaway! Thanks Everyday Mama! :) Just look at those pretty PJ's which will be making their way into my PJ drawer soon! I am so excited about these!

Be sure to check out this awesome Mama's site - she has awesome tips and lots of giveaways!

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Everyone in their place

When I was a kid, each year I would make place cards for our Christmas Eve and Christmas day dinner feasts. Usually my place cards were red or green construction paper tent cards with a Christmas sticker and each person’s name written as neatly as I could fathom. Now that I’m a bit older and have actually started hosting holiday gatherings at our own homestead, I’ve kicked up our place cards a notch. I previously posted here about the place setting and associated seat assignment for last year’s Christmas Eve dinner. And I made some nifty tent cards with cut out leaves, like these, for Thanksgiving a few years back. One thing is for certain, a basic tent card can take you a long way when you’re thinking about a simple or elaborate place card. And to make life easier for you, I made you a template that I use regularly for place cards! Download this template and follow the instructions below and voila, you’ll have some fab DIY’ed place cards that were a snap!

You’ll need:

• Lightweight card stock (can be purchased at a craft or office supply store)
• Extra decorations or flair for your cards – stickers, extra ribbon or lace for trim, buttons, etc.
• Paper cutter, complete with built in ruler (I purchased mine for about $12 at an office supply store)

To make:

1. Download the place card template.
2. Customize the template to suit your party by edit the font type and names for each guest.
3. Add additional slides if your party is more than 4 people.
4. Print the customized templates on your home printer – doesn’t require fancy, custom printing.
5. Using a paper cutter, cut each page into 4 cards, using the lines as a guide. Note that you'll be cutting the paper into 4 equal sections, once in half lengthwise at 5 1/2 inches and once in half widthwise at 4 1/4 inches.
6. Fold each card in half, lengthwise.
7. Add any additional decorations or flair to each card to suit the occasion. If you’re not feeling super crafty, most craft supply stores have some really neat stickers that are tasteful and attractive to help dress up your cards.

*Photos courtesy of Martha Stewart.
Related Posts: Love is in the air, I heart...centerpieces.
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Boo!

Check out this darling kid's Halloween apron on Williams-Sonoma. So cute AND on sale! Perfect for baking Halloween cookies or pumpkin carving. Happy spook season!

*Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma.

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Use yer freezer

Being a measly family of two, I make good use of our freezer. I freeze pretty much everything - meat, bread, fruits and vegetables, nuts, butter, etc. One of the main benefits of freezing is prolonging the lifespan of food that would otherwise go bad. This also enables me to take advantage of awesome sales at the grocer and plan ahead for future feasts or fetes. In order to make the most of freezing food, I've outlined a few guidelines that I typically follow.

1. Always freeze food when freshest. If you know you're not going to cook your pork tenderloin in the next few days, toss it in the freezer when you get home from the grocer.

2. If you plan to freeze fruits and vegetables, make sure to peel, chop or de-seed before freezing. After strawberry picking this past spring, I ended up with some extras that I planned to use for smoothies and whatnot and first cut off the stem and sliced each in half for ease of use once thawed.

3. When you're ready to start thawing your food, the best and safest ways to thaw the food are in the refrigerator, in cold water or in the microwave. If you are a good meal planner, pull out your meat the night before and leave it in the fridge for about 24 hours worth of defrosting time.

So now you want to know how long you can leave a pork tenderloin in the freezer before it becomes mandatory dinner food?

Meat and Seafood
Large cuts of uncooked meat (i.e. steaks): 6-12 months
Ground meat: 3 months
Cooked meats: 1-2 months
Oily or smoked fish, shrimp, squid, octopus: 3 months
All other fish, oysters: 6months

Nuts: 6 months

Bread: About 6-8 months

Produce
Most fruits: 8-12 months
Citrus fruits and juices: 4-6 months
Vegetables: 3-6 months

*Photo courtesy of Real Simple.
Related Posts: Great Steak Dilemma, Decoding Dates at the Grocer, Fresh Berries.
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Chili Willy

Another 'first' of the fall season...chili! As a child, I really wasn't much of a fan of chili. The nights when this was dinner resulted in me eating lots of Fritos and some rice...not exactly healthy! As an adult, I've come to love and embrace this feel good comfort food that requires very little preparation or precision. My chili is different every time, but I have a few basics that I include with each batch.

Meat: I usually keep some form of ground meat in the freezer - turkey, beef, sausage- and use whatever is on hand. One of my favorite things about using ground turkey over beef is that it doesn't produce much grease and usually doesn't need to be drained.

Tomato-ness: Tomatoes are really the backbone to good chili. I usually use a combination of canned, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste - whatever makes the right consistency.

Vegetables: Diced onion, corn, chopped green pepper - basically whatever is in the fridge.

Beans: Sometimes I include black beans, as I'm not really that into beans.

Spices: Chili powder, Cumin, Garlic powder, Cayenne pepper, Oregano, Salt, Molasses, Brown Sugar.

I like to make a mini-buffet of accoutrements with our chili. Usually I include some sort of hearty bread (cornbread is preferable), corn chips (like Fritos), cheddar cheese, chopped jalapenos, hot sauce, sour cream, white rice.

*Photo courtesy of Food Network.
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What a productive weekend!

Like all places on the East Coast, we've been hit with icky, blustery cold, wet weather. And this past weekend was no different. In light of the cool temps and our first weekend in town (without major plans) in a while, we took advantage and tackled many house projects.

• Reorganized and cleaned ALL of the closets in the house. This resulted in 4 very large trash bags of old clothing, bedding and other odds and ends taken to Good Will.
• Hubs reorganized the attic, rearranged our boxes and made room for about 200% more stuff - woo!
• Went through our pantry and threw away any items past their expiration and lots of old, stale cereal (we're not big cereal eaters, which resulted in about 4 opened boxes...all at least 6 months old)
• Fixed the hinge on our shower door.
• Bought and hung curtains for our office.

Let me tell you, our home looks pretty darn spiffy if I do say so myself! More than anything, I'm really disappointed that I forgot to take before and after photos because I am so overwhelmed with our progress. Here are a few of my general rules that I keep in mind when we decide to do some major spring (or fall) cleaning:

• If you haven't worn something in over a year, get rid of it. If you're hesitant to do so, try it on first. Sometimes a style may have changed enough that you don't really like it anymore.
• If it requires major alterations, probably time to pass it along.
• If you've upgraded, get rid of the old item. This goes for clothing, home goods, bedding, kitchen items, etc.

Here are a few ways that we made our bedroom closets a little more manageable:

• Hang all of your clothes the same direction in the closet
• Group items by color
• Group items by type - pants, blazers, skirts, dresses, shirts, etc. (I usually group by type and color - black skirts together, green sweaters together, etc. It makes life a lot easier when you are looking for a chocolate brown top and aren't sure which one will look best with your giraffe print skirt!)
• At season changes, move the previous season clothing out and move the next season's clothing in. I usually store the off season clothes in our guest room closet or neatly folded in under bed storage containers.

Photos courtesy of Real Simple.

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I don't have all the answers

This is definitely true. Case in point - my latest make-up needs. I'm really desperate for a new foundation and concealer. I have been unfortunately graced with awful dark circles under my eyes, no matter how much sleep I have, vitamins I take or water I drink. Basically, my current products just aren't cutting it. I'm fearful that as I approach the big 3-0, I need some heavy duty products. Eeek!

I'm definitely not the girl that strides confidently to the MAC counter, chit chats with her favorite MAC girl (clad in neon turquoise eye make-up), asks to wear what she's wearing and walks away with a shopping bag full of new make-up. So here's where I need your help ladies. Realizing that not everyone has the same complexion, skin or budget, how do you approach my dilemma? At which make-up counter do you start first? With the onset of Sephora (and other similar stores), my allegiance to brands is pretty much nil, so I'm open to most brands/counters here. Also, any make up artists out there who want to come to Southern VA and give me a make over, your services are welcome! I figured it was at least worth a try...

*Photo courtesy of Sephora.

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What's for dinner?

A frequent question in most homes, whether uttered out of the mouths of babes (or husbands) or in the minds of wives or the household chef. I've been trying to get us eating a little healthier at home these days - our 4 months of summer and early fall travel for weddings and other family affairs has wreaked havoc on our regular eating and exercise habits, and as a result, our waistlines (eek!). In addition to focusing on health, I'm working on planning meals a day or two in advance, so that we have proper ingredients and a main dish that ties together nicely with a few sides.

On the menu tonight: Pork Tenderloin, Baked Sweet Potatoes and a Green Salad.
I'm a huge fan of the pork tenderloin; they're definitely a staple in our kitchen and quite frankly, difficult to screw up! I typically season and marinate it with white wine, salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic and parsley.
To ease the incredibly long baking time for sweet potatoes, I usually peel and chop them into 1-2 inch cubes. Then I toss them with olive oil, brown sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. This enhances the natural sweetness of the potatoes and is a perfect compliment to the pork. Yummmm
And last but not least our green salad is pretty straightforward. I use whatever lettuce I have on hand - usually romaine, spinach or field greens - with a bit of balsamic vinaigrette, pine nuts and some freshly grated Parmesan.

What's on your menu tonight?

*Photo courtesy of Food Network.
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Well folks...made it on facebook

That's right, we have finally adapted to modern times and Part-Time Happy Homemaker is on facebook - woo! Go ahead and make my day...fan me if you'd like! :)
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Wrap it up

When I was in college, I sort of had a uniform for weekend evenings – typically jeans (or a jean skirt), black top, black shoes and I tied it all together (pun intended) with a black and white scarf, worn as a belt. Given the presence of lightweight scarves in fashion accessories these days, I’d like to think of myself as a trend setter. Yes? Ok, maybe not so much, but in any case I’m a huge fan of the lightweight scarves, capable of turning jeans and a white t-shirt into a more snazzy ensemble or pairing them with a plain suit for work or with a black cocktail dress to add a little zest of color. Here are a few of my favorites and one of these made its way into my closet by way of a recent birthday gift – woo!

1. Comet Trail Scarf from Anthropologie at $32, 2. Soft Floral Scarf from The Gap at $29.50, 3. Jersey scarf from Old Navy at $5 (!!) on sale, 4. Fab Plaid Scotch Scarf from Forever 21 at $3.50, 5. Floral Jacquard scarf from Forever 21 at $10.80, 6. Made of Me Explosion of Roses scarf from Nordstroms at $28, 7. Spotty Wool scarf from Boden at $48, 8. Paisley Scarf from Banana Republic at $70.

*Photos courtesy of The Gap, Banana Republic, Anthropologie, Nordstroms, Old Navy, Boden USA, Forever 21.
Related Posts: Looking Fab on Center Court, Cover up for just a few bucks, I heart...Lily.
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Comeback Kid - The Casserole

As a kid, I remember lots of casseroles around the dinner table – chicken divan, johnny marzetti, some cheesy chicken one with cornflakes on top – the list goes on. I think many children were scarred from eating weird concoctions that their mother’s so fondly called ‘casseroles.’ Now, many run when that dreaded word is uttered. For a while, I too was in that category with a slightly negative bias. In reviewing some recent recipes in books, magazines and online, I think the casserole is making a comeback. And believe it or not, I have a fantastic casserole recipe that is both relatively healthy and easy- it also captures my love for all things Mexican…that is when it comes to food.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

• 2 lb chicken breast, cooked and diced
• 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of celery soup (low fat or fat free are ok)
• 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup (low fat or fat free are ok)
• 1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes w/ green chile peppers
• 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
• 1 can yellow corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pinch garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 16 oz shredded sharp cheddar
• Jalapenos, diced (optional)
• 10 (6 inch) corn tortillas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a 5 quart pot combine the chicken, cream of celery soup, cream of chicken soup, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes and green chiles, onion, garlic, black beans, jalapenos, chili powder and cheese. Heat over medium high until the cheese is melted and all of the ingredients are mixed together well.
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, layer the mixture and the tortillas like you would lasagna. Make sure to put a thin layer of the mixture on the bottom of the baking dish to prevent sticking. If you prefer, top with extra cheddar cheese and diced jalapenos. After layering, place dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until cheese starts to brown and bubble. Let stand and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving!

As with all casseroles, it feeds the masses, but this one actually seemed to freeze pretty well. I divided the leftovers into lunch and dinner-sized portions and put each helping in the freezer for a later date. Now go ahead and make your family and friends interested in eating a casserole again!

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Brow Perfection

Another pseudo product review: Anastasia Brow Gel in clear.


In a word -genius! I am definitely one of those girls that has crazy eyebrows. I have often seen photos of myself with brow hairs spewing all over my face and thought to myself "how does that always happen??" Well, I think my Mom finally found the perfect remedy - brow gel. This wonder-product goes on clear (really, it does!) and helps shape your brows, perfectly. It feels a little hard or crunchy to the touch, but is definitely not visible. I actually asked a bunch of people to see if they could tell and no one could - it must be magic! So for all those gals out there with crazy eyebrows like me, I definitely recommend that you pick up this fab product. You can find it at Sephora or on Amazon and I've seem small tubes for about $12 and larger ones for about $21. I've been using my tube since Christmas (last year) and it's still going strong!


*Photo couresy of Amazon.
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Coffee in your garden?

One of my recent "hip horticulture" activities has been starting a compost bin in our yard. It has been a fun and results-driven process that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I started with an old trash can; in order to make it more like a true compost bun, I drilled small holes, about 2 inches apart and 1/8 inch in diameter in rows across all sides and added a few on the top to ensure it got some rain water. Voila! It was ready for some compost "food."

So what do I fill it with, you ask? Simple - anything and everything that originally came from the ground that becomes a scrap in the kitchen or garden.

• Coffee grounds
• Past-their-prime or rotten produce
• Produce scraps, i.e. apple cores, tomato stems, etc.
• Lawn clippings
• Weeds pulled from the garden

While you can pretty much put anything green in a compost bin, you definitely don't want any dairy or meat products - they'll rot and get very very stinky.

However, now I get to the main reason for this post - coffee grounds. They are probably one of the most easy and most fruitful ways to improve your soil, garden and plants. They are a great source of carbon and help produce heat, when added to a compost bin, which helps everything break down. Now, if you have a garden the size of those at Versailles and don't brew enough coffee at home to suffice, fear not! Some local Starbucks are offering their coffee grounds for use in gardens...for FREE! All you have to do is ask your buddy the Barista. They even feature it on their website and have some tips for using coffee grounds in your garden.

*Photo courtesy of Really Natural and Starbucks.
Related Posts: Cleaning your caffeinator, Kitchen Science Experiment, Green Thumbs Up.
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By popular demand...

...my latest fall dessert recipe - pumpkin cupcakes with cream cheese icing! Come to mama, pumpkin deliciousness! The "cake" was adopted from this Martha Stewart recipe - she's soooo good, isn't she? And I used my own cream cheese icing recipe, which probably isn't earth shattering for most, but it works, it's easy and it's tasty!

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
The Cake:

• 2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1 C packed light brown sugar
• 1 C granulated sugar
• 1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper or silicone liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; set aside.
2. In large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter and eggs. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
3. Divide among baking cups evenly, filling each about halfway. Cook 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack and cool.

The Icing:

• 1 8 oz package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 C (1 stick) butter, room temperature
• 3 C confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and sugar.
2. Spread evenly or pipe onto cooled cupcakes.

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Sugar Sugar

It's baking season, friends! And you know what that means - time to start stocking up on all sorts of ingredients to prepare cakes, pies, cookies and all sorts of holiday treats. One of my favorite baking "tools" is a Brown Sugar Bear. This nifty little ceramic bear helps keep brown sugar soft and moist and can be placed directly in the box or in a canister, if you store your sugar in a separate container. You can find this handy guy at Bed Bath and Beyond or any kitchen supply store for about $4. Trust me, it's worth it and will save you the trouble of buying a fresh box of brown sugar every time you find yourself baking some seasonal cupcakes.

*Photo courtesy of Bed Bath and Beyond.

Related posts: In a pinch, Handy tip: Measuring cup clean-up, Cookie Monster approved.

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Happy Birthday to me!

That's right folks, mark your calendars as today is basically a national holiday. Yes Mom, I realize that it's not actually a national holiday, but I like to celebrate as if it is. Being that I'm your only daughter, you should too! My Dad and I celebrating my birthday a few years back in London while my folks lived abroad.

And since it's my day, I'm going to do lots of things that make me happy. They will hopefully include:

• A pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks.
• Chatting with my parents.
• A nice long walk with my pooch.
• Chocolate cake in some form...cupcake or otherwise.
• Dinner out with my husband.
• Cutting out of work early (with approval from my boss...hey, she reads this once in awhile - Hi Natalie!).
• A French martini.
• Picking out pumpkins and gourds to decorate our home for fall at a local farm.
• Wearing my favorite outfit.

Related posts: How much is that doggie in the window, Be still my heart...fall is almost here, Product Review: Organic Chocolate Cake and Icing Mixes.

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Don't cry for me, Ms. Vidalia

I'm a pretty big fan of onions - typically cooked, but on salads and sandwiches a raw red onion is a-okay. They are absolutely a pantry staple and work well with just about any meal. They help add aroma and flavor. A few tips on picking a good onion to suit your meal and your recipe. Select onions that are firm, with short necks and papery outer skins. Blemished and soft onions, should be avoided, as well as those with sprouts. All onions may be stored in a cool, dry place for a few weeks.

Now, when it comes to knowing how much an onion equals in recipe terms, here are a few tips to help you with "onion math."

• 1 small onion = 1/3 C chopped
• 1 medium onion = 1/2 C chopped
• 1 large onion = 1 C chopped
• 1 large red onion = 2 C chopped

*Photo courtesy of PAPERMAG.

Related Posts: Kitchen Science Experiment, Skew me off a piece of that, Handy Tip for Produce Section.

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