Time of Thanks (Day 17)

I am so thankful for my ability to be thoughtful, sit in silence and allow whatever thoughts come to be to be heard and entertained. I hope this makes me a more grounded individual.

Time of Thanks (Day 16)

I am beyond thankful to have such amazingly supportive, wonderful friends who let me be my wonderfully weird self and love me anyway. :)

Time of Thanks (Day 15)

Today I give thanks for my positive attitude. Some days it falters and doesn't always shine so bright, but I do my best to always find the good in every situation, person or event - even when it hurts more than words. God truly has blessed me with something special.

Time of Thanks (Day 14)

I love my freckles. Not many people have them, so they are a unique trait. My favorite ones are on my knees. I also love that more appear in the sun. It's magic!!

Time of Thanks (Day 13)

I love laughing, laughing is my favorite!! I am thankful for my sense of humor, ability to laugh and find pure joy in many different things.

Time of Thanks (Day 12)

Today I am thankful for my craftiness. It is a wonderful outlet and therapeutic. It helps me scrapbook and figure out how to make things like this (Photo by Moxie Blue):

I made the bouquet, not the gorgeous bride.

Time of Thanks (Day 11)

There simply aren't words grand enough to express how thankful I am for this country's Veterans. It takes a true, dedicated hero to be willing to risk one's life to protect millions, and a giant heart to give so selflessly. We must remember these women and men and take care of them, for without them we would not be where we are today.

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." - President John F. Kennedy

Time of Thanks (Day 10)

Not only have I been blessed to have already made it out of the country a few times by this point in my young life, I have managed to visit some countries more than once. I find it hard to express in words how incredibly lucky that makes me feel.

Time of Thanks (Day 9)

I am thankful for the almighty pumpkin, which gives so selflessly at this time of year to flavor a myriad of amazing and delectable desserts, beverages and breads. I do not know what I would do without the pumpkin whoopie pie, Starbuck's Pumpkin Spiced latter, or Hof's Hut's pumpkin pecan crunch cheesecake. Nom!

Time of Thanks (Day 8)

There is nothing better than getting into a supremely cozy, well made bed with clean sheets. I am so thankful for this simple blessing. (Bed pictured, not my bed although I wouldn't mind if it were.)

Time of Thanks (Day 7)

I love pizza. I am thankful for my Swiss Italian heritage and my ability to eat pizza everyday (even though I don't eat pizza everyday).

Time of Thanks (Day 6)

Today, we as Americans, have the amazing privilege to vote on numerous props and, maybe more importantly our next President of the United States. I am so thankful that I have the right and ability to flex my political power and vote! I am always reminded how fortunate we are to live in a country where we have this right that allows each and every one of our opinions to be heard. Heck, I am thankful we have the right to have opinions at all. If you have not done so yet, get your booty out there and rock your vote!

Time of Thanks (Day 1-5)

The last six months have been incredibly interesting for me, not the easiest and definitely not always the happiest. I have spent more time than not very frustrated, emotionally exhausted, and feeling like I do not have much to offer. Yesterday, I went out to the apple farms of Yucaipa with my friend Rachel and I was struck by the beauty of where we were. It didn't feel like fall, but it certainly looked like fall had arrived. The trees all had amazingly colored leaves adorning their branches, and the crispy smell of apples greeted us everywhere we went. I was once again reminded that my favorite time of year is upon us and instead of feeling excited about it, I am struggling to get into the spirit.

Folks on Facebook have started dedicating their statuses to what they are thankful for, and I think they have the right idea. I have decided that I will take the time to be thankful for what I do have and start listing them here. I have a few days to catch up on, so this first list will be a bigger one.

1. I am thankful that God gave me the best sister and friend a girl could ever ask for. She makes me laugh harder, scream louder, fight tenaciously, love intensely, and enjoy even the smallest things. She knows me just as well as I know myself, and she is one of the best listeners on the planet. She is a bright spot, and I do not know what I would do without her.

2. I am thankful for my puppy. She is the sweetest, most lovable dog. Unconditional love from a dog is the best gift anyone can receive, it is also the best band aid for a sad day.

3. I have two parents who love me with all they have, made sure I never went without even when that was hard, supported me in every sense of the word, and have made me who I am today. Saying I am simply thankful for them is an understatement.

4. I am so very, utterly thankful for Starbucks. Without that mermaid and her constant, steady supply of caffeine - some days would be unfinishable.   

5. Having grown up on the west coast, right next to the ocean, visiting her whenever I want - I can very much say I am grateful for the peace, sanctuary, amazing summers, lunch breaks, clarifying swims, and tranquil moments that she has given me. Some days all you need is 15 minutes at the beach to change your whole perspective.

Cinnamon Roll Cake (A.K.A. the most amazing cake ever!)

About three weeks ago we had a true blue, raining cats and dogs day here in LA. I was sitting at home, wrapped in a cozy blanket surfing Facebook when I was struck by the sudden and immediate urge to bake something. Something that would smell homey and warm, and make you want to keep snuggling on the couch. I wanted something that would envelope Paul when he got home from work and he would just have to see what amazing thing I had created. I started revisiting recipes I had pinned on my "All Things Cake" pinboard. I found a recipe I had pinned a while back that I thought would be absolutely perfect: Cinnamon Roll cake, first blogged on Cooking Up North. This cake is easy and delicious, very much a one bowl cake. This works well as both dessert and breakfast; it is amazing with a cold glass of milk or a piping hot latte. It truly tastes like the most wonderful cinnamon roll you have ever eaten, and it is much better than anything you could purchase in a store or at the mall.

Ingredients
For the Cake:
3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted

For the Topping:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

As always, the first step is to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan and have it ready to go. For this one particular recipe, I do grease the pan with butter but I am sure Pam would work just as well.

In one bowl mix together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Once all of these ingredients are combined, add in the melted butter. Mix a final time and pour into your 9x13 pan.

Now, in a separate bowl combine your topping ingredients: brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and softened butter. I like to use a fork to combine the ingredients. Mix until smooth.

Once this is ready, you want to distribute the topping evenly on top of your cake batter. As it bakes it will sink down and makes delicious grooves in your cake. Don't worry about how pretty it looks or how big the chunks of topping seem. It will all even out as it bakes. It seems like a lot of topping once you start, but trust me you will want every little bit of it on your cake.

Once your are done topping your cake batter, bake for 35-40 minutes. The original recipe says to bake for 28-32 minutes, but I have found that this is not long enough for where I live in California. If you live somewhere else, try the 28-32 time frame first and go from there.

While the cake bakes you can mix together your glaze, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Once the cake is done baking, let it sit for 5 minutes and then spoon the glaze over the top, drizzling it into whatever type of decoration you want.

This cake is excellent warm, and even at room temperature. This is also a great dessert to take to a party. Trust me, it will go over very well.

Baker's rating: Beginner

What's a Bramble?

Two years ago Paul and I were invited to a wedding. Being the ages we are, this is a fairly common occurrence right now. I am enjoying this time in our lives. Attending weddings can be expensive, but seeing the bride’s blushing face, her stunning dress, the groom’s eyes as he sees his bride for the first time, watching first dances and hearing those toasts – it never gets old. I love all of it. When this phase of our lives is over, I will certainly miss it.

Anyway, I digress. Back to the wedding two years ago. When we looked at the bridal registry, we were not in love with anything. We could have half heartedly picked some hand towels or placemats, but we wanted to feel a little more pizazz for our gift. We decided we would hand select a gift basket. This gave us the opportunity to choose personal items that would really please the couple making it a very memorable, meaningful gift. It took more time to put together, but it was well worth it. The bride, groom, and wedding attendants were so impressed with the basket and kept asking where it was purchased. They were extremely surprised when we revealed that it was homemade. This gift went over so well, we have made gift baskets as presents ever since. Little did we know this one gift giving experience would start a new passion for myself. Everything truly happens for a reason.

So, with no further adieu I would like to introduce: Brambles, the couture gift basket, hand selected for the extra special touch. My baskets are customizable as to cater to specific needs and interests. The Bramble basket pictured below is our "Let's Go To the Movies!" basket. This includes everything you would need for both a date night in, as well as an evening out. This particular basket has popcorn, two different types of candy, a bottle of beer, a bottle of wine, a pint glass, a wine glass, a hand selected DVD, and two tickets to the movies that can be used whenever the recipients would like.

We offer baskets for:

Engagements

Bridal Showers

Weddings

Baby Showers

Birthdays

Christmas

Valentine’s Day

New Pets (Pupkets and Baskitties)

House Warming

Masket (Man Basket)

Let’s Go to the Movies!

Away We Go (College Basket)

Mother’s Day

Father’s Day

Graduation

Hanukkah

If you have any questions, please let me know. We are working out exact pricing at the moment so I will update you accordingly. Feel free to contact me to work on a basket for you, and suggest us to friends!

Thank you,
Your basket creator Erin

(I can also be contracted to make cupcakes for parties. Check out some of my cupcake creations here:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.660445454959.2200435.10804807&type=3&l=7d293d9615)

Céad Míle Fáilte!*

If it has not become completely, painfully, and obnoxiously obvious from my Facebook, Pinterest and just me in general - St. Patrick's Day shares top billing with Christmas as my favorite holiday. I have not collected quite as many St. Patrick's Day decorations as Christmas, but I am getting there slowly but surely. Someday, the house will look like a leprechaun clover village come February 15. If there were a holiday for which I would want to be showered with flowers, chocolates and jewelry I would prefer it be St. Patrick's Day over Valentine's Day.

I come from a 50/50 split of Irish and Swiss Italian (in that order) upbinging. I am proud of my Swiss Italian roots and credit it for my intense love of pizza, but I have spent a lot more time marinating in my mother's Irish side of the family. The Neville's, strong Irish folk who are full of love, adore family, laughter, and loud parties. We are a beautiful mess. So not only is St. Patrick's Day a celebration of the man, the clover, a somewhat religious holiday, and Guinness, for me it is a celebration of the family I come from, the family that shaped me. So, I go all out. I take it very seriously.

St. Patrick's Day is also a supremely fun holiday. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. It unifies people across the bar. I took to Facebook and asked my friends, "What do you think about St. Patrick's Day? Or what is your favorite thing about the holiday?" Here are some of their wonderful and excellent answers: 

"It is the unofficial start to the summer crazy beach party season! :)" - Ingrid B.

"First, it's the best holiday other than Christmas! And it's even better now that I can dress my daughter in St. Paddy's day outfits! :)" - Gina K. 

"I love St. Patrick's Day! I always feel lucky that day. Also, I love the old Irish blessings, corned beef and cabbage (we ate this every year with my Gramps), wearing something green and leprechauns!" - Trisha G. 

"Wearing an exTREMELY bright green shirt is not questioned during St. Patrick's Day. Most the rest of the year, people seem to wonder what type of person you are to love a bright green shirt enough to wear it. What if I just like bright colors? I happen to enjoy bright green." - Dave N.

"I have to say it's my least favorite holiday, except for the Irish dancing part which I love to watch and those sugar cookie shamrocks with the icing. Yum!" - Vania M.-J. 

"Corn beef & cabbage, and potatoes!" - Steven D.

"Your brown bread. Nuff said." - Caitlin S. (I love you, seeester.)

"I like that everyone is Irish for one day, I wear green and get to harass people for not wearing green, AND I listen to Irish music all day :)" - Natalie B. 

"Well... being Irish and damn proud of it, of course St. Patty's Day is one of my favorites! Being with family is what is most important to me." Maureen N.-L.

"I love that my bday is a holiday. Also I love that it is acceptable to start drinking at 8 am. Not that I would, of course." - Meagan L.

"I enjoy sharing my incredible talent with everyone- the Irish jig, of course." - Katie-Brice M.

"I remember as a kid my dad (who is Irish) would make a big giant dinner with corned beef, cabbage, green mashed potatoes, and green Milk! :) we always loved that! Plus my brother's middle name is Patrick and our grandma's birthday was on saint Patrick's day! :) I remember getting green bands on my braces for the special day! We always love it!" - Sara C.

"I always eat corned beef & cabbage. But my favorite thing THIS YEAR could be trying one of those awesome cupcakes (http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/03/14/irish-car-bomb-cupcakes/#more-11071)!!!" - Sharon W.

"Of course it is my favorite holiday....except for the fact I turn another year olde!! I miss you all! Love your faces!!" - Shannon N. 

Have fun this St. Patrick's Day. Be safe. Please, for the love of the shillelagh, wear something green. Drink some good Irish beer, find a pot o' gold, eat some corned beef, and hug a leprechaun. 

Sláinte!** ♣  

*A hundred thousand welcomes!

** Cheers!

Neville Clan

Peanut Butter Ball

Cupcakes? No, need a break. Whoopie pies? Naw. Rice Krispie treats? Not quite, too regular. Hmmm, what to make? This year when Paul and I were invited to a Super Bowl party I was pondering what dessert to make. I love making my cupcakes, but this group has probably had enough of those for a while and I wanted to try something a little bit new. I took to my "Foodie" pinboard on Pinterest and found something that looked easy enough to try, and I had yet to see it pop up at other events. I decided to make a peanut butter ball, much like a cheese ball but more delicious. I would suggest, if you are going to make this as a treat do not go the reduced fat route (Although, as you will notice I did get reduced fat Nilla Wafers). Just go big or go home. Also, do not use all natural peanut butter.

WARNING: The wonderful dessert you are about to create is very peanut buttery, if you do not like peanut butter maybe this is not for you! Also, if you do not like peanut butter we may have a problem.

Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (this is what the original recipe called for, I went closer to a cup)
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chip (either semisweet or milk chocolate, although I imagine you could also use dark chocolate and it would be just as delicious)
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
Graham crackers, Nilla wafers, or whatever your imagination comes up with for dipping. I think I will try Oreos next. :)

First beat together the cream cheese, peanut butter, brown sugar, and powdered sugar in a large bowl until well mixed. Then scoop the mixture into a large piece of plastic wrap. Gather all four edges together, twist tightly and make a ball. It does not need to be perfect or pretty as you will later be covering it in peanut butter and chocolate chips. Place in the freezer for an hour and a half.

Mix together your peanut butter and chocolate chips. Lay them out in a large dish, or even the dish you plan to later serve on. Unwrap your peanut butter ball from the plastic wrap and place it on top of the chocolate chips. Roll the ball in the chips. For me it was easier to just take handfuls of the chips and press them into the ball. You do not want any bald spots. Once you are done with this, place the ball back into the freezer and freeze for two hours. If you have freezer room you can put the peanut butter ball back in the freezer on the serving dish or you can just move your peanut butter ball to a smaller dish for this part. You can also freeze over night, but if you do let it sit out for 20-30 minutes before you serve.

Serve with whatever vehicle you have chosen for getting the peanut butter goodness from the plate to your mouth. This is an excellent, no bake alternative to a delicious dessert.

Baker's rating: Easy

I Got a Magic Wand for You! (BONUS Opinion Post)

There is an affliction that plagues many a woman, including myself. It makes us feel small, less beautiful, and ashamed (yes, I am being dramatic). The affliction of which I speak: short, sparse, meager eyelashes. What a genetic disappointment. Talk about getting the short end of the DNA stick.

As I flip through magazines, watch glamorous divas effortlessly float the red carpet, and observe my fellow women in day-to-day life, one of the features I notice most are eyelashes. Let's be honest, I notice this on men too. And in the most unfortunate twist of fate, men - who do not care about their full, gorgeous, sweeping lashes at all - wind up with some of the most beautiful lashes out of anyone. And do I even have to mention Zooey Deschanel?

I didn't think so.

In my quest for luscious lashes I have tried many a brand of mascara. I tried one where you add length by using one end of the want first which adds lash extensions in white, followed by the mascara itself. This always ended in mascara graffiti all over my cheeks, which you can guess, is not very cute. I have tested the tried and true classic Maybelline in the pink tube, not my thing. I have donned fake lashes (which I love but it is not an everyday thing), curled, tweaked and attempted to manipulate my lashes in as many ways possible. I have spent way too much dinero on expensive make up brands, and at the end of the day some of my favorite mascaras come from the local drug store.

If your goal is lush, full, long lashes - then look no further! I have a magic wand just for you! Today I bring you two recommendations for excellent mascara that I have been supremely pleased with. The best part: they can be found at your local Target or your favorite drug store, and these bad boys will not break the bank.

The first mascara is Maybelline Lash Stiletto. This mascara has a thin wand which separates all the lashes, and coat even the tiniest lash with glossy shine. It has vitamin B in it, which helps condition your lashes, and has a nice smell. I also like this mascara because it has a patent shine to it affectively "popping those peepers."

Next on my list is a new find and to be totally honest with you, I was willing to give it a try because Gwen Stefani is the poster girl. Who would not want to look like this showstopper?

Am I right? L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Million Lashes is another mascara that does an excellent job separating, lengthening, and defining each lash so that those of us whose goal it is to achieve stellar lashes, can do so with ease.

Both Stiletto and Million Lashes come in different shades if you would rather have something other than black, they are both available in waterproof versions.

Some other eyelash notes:
- Using an eyelash curler always helps.
- Using an eyelash comb to separate lashes is a good thing.
- If you have a magnified mirror, use it while applying mascara. It helps you get every last lash.
- I do not suggest using mascara on the bottom lashes as it smears easily if you get warm throughout the day, and contributes largely to under-eye circles. I would only do this for short events, special occasions where you know you will not cry, or photo shoots for extra pop. Even then, have a mirror handy and check often to make sure you are not turning into Rocky Raccoon.