Thanksgiving | Balloon Inflation Night

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Yesterday my mom and I decided to drive into the city to grab dinner and see the balloons being blown up for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was a great way to get in the holiday spirit.  You know when you plan something and it goes exactly as - and even better than - planned, that was our night. From the parking ($1.00) and weather (the rain stopped), to the dinner (prime location & delicious) and company (my mom's the best) - this was a Thanksgiving Eve I will never forget! 

If you're like me and love the parade but would rather cuddle up on the couch to watch it on TV than wake up early to find a spot on the parade route, then you probably would enjoy heading into the city the night before. If you should decide to go for 2014:

Take the subway. When they say take public transportation, they mean it! There is only one entrance - West 79th and Columbus Avenue - and it will inevitably have a huge line.  If you take the B or C train to the 81st Street stop, and exit thru the 79th Street exit, you'll bypass the line.

Eat dinner at Isabella's. Be sure to make reservations - we got lucky! The food was scrumptious, but the location is really key, it is behind the police guarded and gated area. If you have reservations you are can easily pass thru the gates.  We drove in, so the location allowed us to bypass the one entrance and we were able to stroll along the opposite and less crowded sidewalk.


Stay Tuned...

Amy Butler | Link of the Week

 My boyfriend's mom and sister are having birthdays soon, so after buying presents, I immediately got excited about gift wrapping. I'm still in a stage where I enjoy wrapping presents; I haven't yet reached the period in life where wrapping presents is a nuisance. On Christmas and for Birthdays I want my present to be the nicest wrapped present in the pile. I know it sounds a little ridiculous, but aren't you dying to see what's inside the box with big bows and unique wrapping paper?

Either way, during my attempt to find the perfect wrapping paper, I stumbled upon Amy Butler Wrapping Paper {oh the little things in life}. If you don't already know Amy Butler make sure to check out her website, she designs some of my favorite fabric; and now in addition to fabric she offers bags, bedding, wall art, stationary, wrapping paper, tableware, and more!

 
 Gift Wrap                                                                Tableware

Saltbox NYC | Link of the Week

The other day, a friend and I were discussing weekend bags. She asked me to suggest a bag that could be both professional and fun... I immediately thought of Saltbox bags. Saltbox founder and designer, Nicole Scheinholz, makes heavy gauge canvas totes in a variety of styles and fabrics; on top of offering a funky fabric palette and incorporating plenty of compartments, the bags are treated to be water resistant! Perfect for traveling, from weekend bags to carry-ons!

Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping

With fall in full force, I am thoroughly enjoying the crisp cool weather, vibrant red, orange and yellow leaves, and Sunday football. But, I especially enjoy the flavors and foods of autumn: apples, pumpkins, gourds, squash, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar!
The flavors and foods have sparked my interest in baking hearty flavorful breads. The following recipe for Pumpkin Bread is scrumptious and is the perfect treat, day or night. The sweet and slightly bitter flavor of nutmeg and cinnamon along with the rich sweet flavor of brown sugar combined with moist pumpkin bread captures many of the flavors of fall.

Pumpkin Bread with Streusel Topping

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 x 5 x 3-in. loaf pan with cooking spray.

Streusel 
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
2 tsp ground cinnamon 

Pumpkin Bread

2 eggs
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 can pumpkin pie filling
1 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmegStreusel: Put all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir with a fork until crumbly.

Pumpking Bread: Beat eggs, add water, oil, and pumpkin pie filling. In a separate bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and fold just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and sprinkle streusel topping.

Bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the bread.

Berry Brank Flake Muffins

After returning from vacations or weekend getaways, the first thing I try to do is unpack. It's the worst thing about going on vacation - second to packing. So, after returning from a week of rest and relaxation in Cape Cod, I hurriedly unpacked. Until, without even realizing it, my attention shifted and I ended up in the kitchen, organizing my cupboards. 

While rearranging and throwing away food, I found a(n) (old) box of Bran Flakes Cereal. As I remembered the cereal was so bland I barely ate it; but, as I looked at the box wondering who on earth could enjoy this cereal, I found a recipe for Berry Muffins on the side panel.

Looking at the ingredients, I noticed that I them all! So, I instead of throwing away a nearly full box of cardboard... I mean cereal, I decided to give the cereal a chance to redeem itself, and indeed it did! See recipe below!





Berry Muffins
(from Shaw's Bran Flake Cereal)

Makes 12
Muffins
1 3/4 cup Bran Flakes Cereal
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup fresh, frozen, or canned blueberries.

Topping
1/3 cup crushed Bran Flakes cereal
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400f. Combine cereal, buttermilk, egg and oil in bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes; stir to break up the cereal. In another bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. Add cereal mixture to the flour mixture, stir just until combined - batter will be thick. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide even among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with topping. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean.

To prepare topping, combine cereal, brown sugar, and butter; mix well.