Happy New Year!

I've taken a bit of a break from blogging while I've been on winter vacation but don't worry, I'll be back in full-swing in 2011. Cheers!

Don't you love it how the Veuve Clicquot is next to the Andre?  

Yum :: Oreo Balls

Image via Be Real Mom

Last year, I made my cousin Pam's recipe for Oreo Balls and they were a huge hit at holiday parties. They are super easy to make as they only require a few ingredients.

Oreo Balls
1 package Oreos
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 block Almond bark

Crush Oreos in food processor.  Add cream cheese and butter and combine.  Form into balls.  Put them in refrigerator to harden for about 30 minutes.  Melt almond bark.  Dip balls into almond bark and place on wax paper to cool and harden.


Enjoy! I most recently made Paula Deen's strawberry cake balls for my husband's birthday party and they turned out yummy.

Arctic Wrap

My friend Hannah is currently on an expedition cruise around Antarctica. Talk about walkin' in a winter wonderland. I hope she wrapped her Christmas presents before she left with this Arctic Animals gift wrap from The Nimbus Factory.

Wrap it Up

I absolutely love a beautifully wrapped gift. This year, my gift-wrapping skills have gone a bit by the wayside because I'm trying to use up of a ton of paper, bows, and ribbon that I already have.

For next year, my gift-wrapping inspiration will be from the the gift-wrapping guides by Jordan Ferney of Oh Happy Day. Check out her blog for where to find the inexpensive paper and ribbon. Don't these gifts look great?

Preppy

Luxe

How do you wrap your gifts? 

Bow Monde

A few favorite bow finds: 

Bow Wow Flats via design*sponge

Gold bow necklace via Etsy seller Angelene

Wrapper's Delight Honesty Bows from Fred Flare ($6)

Shoelaces as bows via DIY Life

Big Hair, Big Nails

 I'm surprised there's no Dallas themed shade in the lineup. 

TV Framework

I love the look of this vintage picture frame around a mounted flat-screen TV. It adds such a classy look, don't you think?

via Brooklyn Limestone

Mexican Lasagna

My good friend Molly shared her Mexican Lasagna recipe with me at my bridal kitchen shower. I completely trust her judgment in Mexican food because she likes Tortilla Jacks, our hometown favorite taco joint in Topeka, Kansas. 

Is Tortilla Jacks authentic Mexican food? Not quite. Is it delicious? Completely. Do you have to be from Topeka to truly understand Tortilla Jacks goodness? I think so. This recipe is almost as good as a JBD (Jacks Burrito Dinner). So that means it's pretty good.

I've made recipes like this before but I've never used cottage cheese or eggs. I accidentally forgot the olives, but didn't miss them (they are optional anyway). YUM! The prep is super easy on this one! There's lots of leftovers, too.  

Mexican Lasagna

1 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 package taco seasoning
1 small onion, chopped
1 can Enchilada sauce

1 can Rotel
1 cup cottage cheese
2 eggs
1 package soft corn tortillas
1 package shredded Mexican cheese
Black olives (optional)

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Brown beef/turkey, drain .
• Add seasoning packet, onion, enchilada sauce and salsa or Rotel
• Simmer 5-7 minutes.
• Combine cottage cheese and egg in small bowl.
• Spray pan with cooking spray (8 x 11)
• Assemble lasagna in the following order: 1/2 meat mixture, 1/2 tortillas, 1/2 cottage cheese mixture, 1/2 cheese, repeat and top with olives.
• Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.

Naughty Betty

Naughty Betty greeting cards been a favorite of mine ever since I first spotted them. They have such fun and witty phrases paired with simple, lovely designs.  They are $4 at many hip gift shops or you can order them online from Jack Cards. They have cards for all occasions.

  

Pretty in Pink

Pantone recently announced Honeysuckle as their 2011 Color of the Year. It's a pretty, punchy pink and similar to the Deep Mauve color that Jill helped me select for our wedding color palette.

My bridesmaids bouquets. Photo by Jeremy Arnold

I love this pink-on-pink look from the J. Crew Spring 2011 Collection

Pink Flamingo Bath via Homescapes

What do you think about Pantone's selection of Honeysuckle as Color of the Year 2011?

Christmas Tree Redeux

Cool alternatives to a real Christmas tree:

Superstar Holiday Tree from Modernica

via Apartment Therapy 

via All the Luck in the World

Tanja Soeter 2-d xmas tree 

No Christmas tree? Lots of ornaments? Try hanging them freely on pretty ribbon.

via Apartment Therapy 

Our retro Christmas tree is starting to come together. I hope to get pics up soon!

Jingle Bell Tex

                  

You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. But do you recall, the most famous Catahoula Leopard Dog of all? 

I couldn't resist this adorable tartan Christmas collar for Tex from the cozy Sample House gift shop. There are little bells attached so he sounds like a little reindeer when he prances around. I love this picture and think it would be a great picture for The Dog (they don't have a Catahoula Leopard Dog in their collection). 

Just Food: Give S'more

My friend Katy recently got an idea to start a Holiday Food Bank Awareness campaign after seeing first-hand a lack of donations at her local foodbank, Just Food in Lawrence, Kansas.

If students at my school at can donate as much food as pictured below, then I'm challenging you, my wonderful readers, to donate to your local food bank this holiday season.

How can you help food banks? Try organizing a canned food drive at your workplace. Surely everyone can spare a can of green beans or two! If you think you're up for organizing a large scale drive or start a virtual donation drive, your local food bank like the North Texas Food Bank can help you get one started.

Do you like s'mores as much as I do? You can help the North Texas Food Bank by purchasing an OMG S'mores kit. Each kit sells for $15 and provides 16 meals to people in need. The kit is neatly packaged in a three-foot cylinder with enough graham crackers, marshmallows, Hershey's chocolate and skewers to make 16 s'mores. Yum!

via Side Dish - D Magazine  

Tis the season to do good!

Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner

I haven't spent a lot of time in the kitchen for the past few months but I have managed to make a few of the recipes I received at one of my bridal showers.

Here are some easy and delicious chicken dinner recipes!

Pam's Chicken and Rice
4-6 chicken breasts
1 stick margarine
1 cup rice (Minute Rice)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can French onion soup
1 "soup can" water

Melt margarine, add soups, water, rice, and chicken. Bake at 325 degrees for 2 hours uncovered.

Karen's Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 onion, chopped
15 oz can of black beans
15 oz can chili beans
1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh sweet corn (thawed)
8 oz can tomato sauce
12 oz chicken broth
2 - 10 oz cans sliced tomatoes with green chilis
2 T chili powder
1 t paprika
2 t cumin
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 chicken breasts

garnish:
corn tortillas cut into strips, shredded Mexican cheese, sour cream

Mix all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours. Use tongs to shred the chicken, serve with tortilla strips, cheese, and sour cream. Makes 10-12 cups.


Norie's Chicken Enchilada Casserole
3 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chopped green chilis
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese
tortillas
1 package Spanish rice

Prepare chicken, shred. Prepare rice. Mix shredded chicken, sour cream, chilis, soup, cheese. Layer mixture, tortillas, rice. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Christmas Cards

I've always loved receiving Christmas cards from friends and family and this is a tradition I'm excited to now do! I must admit that it was a big undertaking to send out Christmas cards the same year that I sent both Save the Date and wedding invitations, but I am so happy I did. 

I ordered our cards from Shutterly at the end of October, which was early but they were offering some big discounts so I jumped on it.

Do you sent holiday cards? My next step is figuring out how I want to display the cards we receive. 

Stocking Stuffers for Kids

1. Holiday Silly Bandz - $6 2. Holiday Scented Smencils - $10 3. Splash Watch - $10 4. Diary of a Wimpy Kid - $7 5. Hello Kitty Tooth Brush Holder - $6