Friday, January 31, 2014

Fashion Friday - Faux Fur

Hi everyone! It's been a pretty long and exhausting week and I couldn't wait for the weekend to begin. 
In order to switch to relaxation mode we went out for dinner - faux fur, boots and all. 
Here's what my daughter wore:




Jeggings and faux fur = cuteness overload!

Have a great weekend!



Sunday, January 26, 2014

Sweet & Savory Sunday - Simple Apple Cake

Welcome to another Sweet & Savory Sunday! Today's treat is simple and easy to make - it consists of only 7 staple ingredients which makes it perfect for unexpected company or a quick sweet delight on a busy weekday.  Here's what you'll need:


Ingredients:

4 large apples, peeled and cut into slices
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder


Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat the eggs and sugar with a mixer. Slowly add the milk and oil.
3. In a separate bowl mix together the flour and baking powder and gradually add the dry ingredients to the eggs, mixing constantly.


4. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish. Arrange the apple slices on top.
 


5. Bake for 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  


Bon Appétit!

Linking to:

  The Weekend Re-Treat Link Party

Love Grows Wild
The DIY'ers 
A Bowl Full of Lemons
 photo TGIF_zps40a588c0.png
Yummy Healthy Easy

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Fashion Friday - A Heartwarming OOTD

Hi everyone! It's still pretty cold here so we've been tackling some indoor organizing projects. One of our hotspots for this week was the closet and we've had our very own home runway while purging and organizing. This revealed a couple of almost forgotten items and today's post is a mixture of both old and new. 
And since I'm lost for words when it comes to describing outfits I'll let the photos do that for me.



 

 I love these knit baby boots. Probably my favorite part of the outfit.




Hope you liked our choice for today. 
 
 Have a great weekend!

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Words of Wisdom Wednesday - 3 Baby Things I Regret Buying

Hello everyone! Today's Words of Wisdom post brings back memories from the time when I found out I was pregnant. Once you get that positive test result and know you are expecting, your heart melts and your brain immediately goes crazy with all the baby preparation. I went straight to the computer and started browsing through cute baby online stores and making lists of baby necessities. But even though the excitement and joy can make you purchase something on a whim, don't break the bank yet. Instead of getting all that cute stuff that you might end up never using, check out mommy blogs, forums and chat rooms to read what other people found useful. I researched a lot but still here are my 3 purchases I regret buying and why I think they were unnecessary.

1. Diaper bag 

You're probably wondering why the diaper bag made it to number one on my list, especially since it's considered an essential item. I thought so too, but soon after baby was born I found out that carrying a baby, and a diaper bag and my own bag was too much for me to juggle. Stuff usually ended up in a wrong bag, so after just a couple of uses I ditched the diaper bag and got myself a larger bag with two compartments - I used one compartment for my stuff and the other for my baby's. The bag also has some outer zip pockets which are perfect for smaller items, phones, wallets etc. It proved to be an effective solution, especially since it forced me to downsize on the amount of baby necessities I carried around (which I didn't need anyway). 
I keep toys, water, snacks and antibacterial wipes in my Car Kit so the bag stays pretty tidy. 
Of course, you could always get a stylish diaper bag but the cost of it for me was not worth it. 




2.  Bottles and pacifiers



My baby is exclusively breastfed and never used a bottle or pacifier. When she started solids, she drank water and juice out of cup so all those bottles that I bought (and I received a bunch more at my baby shower) were completely unnecessary. Before you invest in high priced bottles, try those that you received as a gift or get some inexpensive ones just so you can determine what your child needs and wants. With so many different bottle and pacifier manufacturers, materials, forms etc., you might just end up investing in the wrong one.


3. Wipe warmer 



I got my wipe warmer thinking that I would definitely use it. But since we were traveling a lot at that time I didn't use it as much as I thought I would. After a couple of months of collecting dust I packed it and put it in the basement. A friend of mine recently gave birth and was interested in buying one so it was the perfect opportunity for this warmer to find its new home. Ask around before you buy. And if no one in your surrounding has one, or you are on a tight budget, this is the product that you can do without (at least I did without feeling deprived).

What would you add to this list? Is there another baby product that you regret buying? I would love to hear from you! 


Sunday, January 19, 2014

No-bake Peanut Bars

The weekend is almost over and I'm glad I spent some much needed quality time with my family. Games, indoor activities, snuggling under a warm blanket, listening to the sweet sound of rain and enjoying some zucchini lasagna and these crunchy no-bake peanut bars. 
If you're like me and don't want to spend Valentine's day cooking all day long, these bars are just what you need - tasty, quick and easy to make, freeze well and can be made beforehand.


Ingredients:

300 gr sugar 
200 ml water
200 gr butter
300 gr unsalted peanuts 
250 - 300 gr ground cookies or biscuits
2 tablespoons cocoa or 50 gr dark chocolate
chocolate sprinkles



Instructions:

1. In a small pot put the water and sugar and cook for 4-5 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Add the butter and wait for it to melt, stirring continuously. 
3. After butter is melted, add the peanuts. I ground 200 gr of peanuts and finely chopped the rest. If you'd like a smoother texture grind all 300 gr.
4. Gradually pour the ground cookies, constantly stirring and checking the consistency of the mixture. It should be well combined and not too dry and crumbly nor too wet, so the amount of ground cookies might vary.
5. Divide the batch into three equal parts.
6. In one of the bowls add 2 tablespoons of cocoa or 50 gr of melted dark chocolate into one and combine well. 
7.  Line a baking dish with some baking paper for easier removal. Pour in the first third and gently press it.
8. Pour the chocolate layer and press gently.
9. Pour the remaining third, again pressing gently.
10. Decorate with some chocolate sprinkles and peanuts.

If you don't like peanuts you can easily substitute them with walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds etc. 


Enjoy!

Are you looking for other easy treats for Valentine's day? Check out our recipes


                        






Yummy Healthy Easy

Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom


A Bowl Full of Lemons
The DIY'ers 
buttercream Bakehouse
 photo TGIF_zps40a588c0.png

Friday, January 17, 2014

Fashion Friday - Jeggings and Lace Baby OOTD


It's another Fashion Friday baby edition and today's OOTD includes one of my favorite baby clothing items - jeggings. The are so comfortable to wear and so versatile that you can easily combine them with anything. Here I paired them with a grey and beige lacy top with a golden zipper and a black flower headband. 






Don't you just love the detail on the top? 


Have a great weekend everyone!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Quick & Easy Date Truffles

We're a month away from Valentine's Day and I am already busy planning a menu and a great gift for my dear husband. One of the items on my menu are these delicious date truffles which can be done easily and in no time. They also freeze well, so if you happen to have any left over, simply freeze them and enjoy later. 




Ingredients:

250 gr. pitted dates
150 gr. ground cookies or biscuits
100 gr. butter 
the zest of one orange
10 gr. ground cinnamon
150 gr. powdered sugar
chocolate sprinkles


Instructions:

1. Grind the dates in a meat grinder or process in a food processor. 
2. Melt the butter and gradually add the ingredients one by one
3. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
4. Take a tablespoon of the mixture and form into a truffle.
5. Decorate with some chocolate sprinkles.


   Enjoy!
Yummy Healthy Easy

Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom
A Bowl Full of Lemons
The DIY'ers 
buttercream Bakehouse
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