I love Christmas.
My mother LOVED this time of year. I was the first born, a June baby, meaning at the crawling age of 6 months I was immersed in the holiday traditions that my mom and dad began for me. Although I don’t remember those early “once upon a time” days, I have many photographs to reminisce with, and memorabilia that, to this day, grace my home. Continue reading
Every morning I wake up, snuggle under the covers just a little longer than I’d like to, get ready for work, have breakfast, pick up a cup of coffee on the road and prepare for my day. Sometimes those wakeups are a little earlier than others, depending on what’s I have prepared for that day, but each morning is the same. Continue reading
Sunday I hosted the lovely ladies from the Tampa Bay Lady Bloggers for our first annual holiday cookie exchange! We had SUCH a great time swapping recipes, sharing stories, and enjoying each others company. I decided to make Lemon Blueberry Almond cookies using this recipe as a base, then, of course, adding in some fresh berries and slivered almonds. They were a hit! (both at the party, and Mr. KKM’s work) 😉
Here are some highlights from the day!
carolinecalcote.com
mealsandmiles.com
I sure hope we decide to make this an annual event because it was an absolute blast! It’s always so much fun to hang with and meet (in real life) bloggers you stalk admire!
Want to see more? Check out these recaps from the lovely ladies!
Meghann @MealsandMiles
Caroline @CarolineCalcote
Rebecca @RebeccaRoams
Grace @GraceDishes
Diana @Sneakers2Sandals
Rachel @RunnersTalesMeghan @LittleGirlintheBigWorld
Enjoy! 🙂 Steph
I love recipes like this. No-brainers; but still from scratch. No yeast or rolling; but delicious with a spread of real butter, just like a regular bread. The perfect holiday gift for a housewarming visit or a treat to welcome unexpected guests. This “bread” does it all!
What I like most about this “bread” is that it has a consistency somewhere between a cake and a scone or biscuit. The oatmeal really creates a chewy texture, and the milk and oil in the batter turns the whole loaf into a beautiful, crusty golden color on the outside.
Scrumptious!
In all of this glorious texture lies just the slightest hit of nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger, mixed into just the faintest tang of sweetness from the sugar.
If you have 5 minutes and an oven, who needs a bread maker?! Here’s the recipe…
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1/2 cup Quaker old fashioned oats
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup skim milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated Splenda (can substitute white sugar)
In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In a mixer, combine eggs, oil, milk and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add eggs and Splenda (sugar) and combine well. Carefully and gradually add the dry ingredients. Mix well, but don’t over mix! Grease mini-sized bread pans and pour in mixture to about 3/4 high. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes, or until fork test proves done. Remove from pan and cool. Serve warm/room temperature with whipped butter or jam.
Do you give homemade gifts for the Holidays?Today we braved the mountainside, and with a really sharp saw in tow (and an awesome boyfriend who got down onto the cold, wet ground) Mr. KKM did this:
Can’t wait to get home a decorate our first tree together! Last year at this time we were getting ready to move into our new home and didn’t get a chance to have a tree (Christmas night was our first time sleeping there) so this tree is a very special one! We’re hitting the road back to Tampa (with a freshly chopped tree in the bed of the truck) bright and early tomorrow morning! See you soon, Tampa! We’ll miss you mountains! I’ll blog all about the trip on Monday. 😉
-Steph
We’re here!
9 hours, 585 miles, 2 gas stops, a pit stop in a sketchy part of town, lots of iTunes, and way too many “we’re in Georgia, The Walking Dead area” comments, we’re finally settled in!
We unpacked a bit then consulted my friend Yelp for some good eats to fill our road weary bellies. This Tampa girl was able to find a Cuban restaurant waaaaay up here in this teeny tiny mountain town that earned rave reviews on Yelp. When we saw the pic of the
not-so-ham-heavy Cuban sandwich at Dan’s Grill (nothing ruins a Cuban like excessive ham) we immediately had a craving for home and decided we would give it a shot.
Delish! Delish! Delish! In fact, better than most Cubans back home. We got to talking to the owners who were Miami transplants that fell in love with the area. They decided to open up shop and bring authentic Cuban food to the
thin-air breathing masses and have had huge success! Speaking of thin air, when I asked Dan where they get their bread from (since it tasted WAY too good to be a french loaf from the local
supermarket) they proudly boasted “from La Segunda Central in
Tampa. We have it shipped every week and freeze it. We tried to bake it but the altitude didn’t work well with the baking process.” Well, you can imagine our surprise when we boasted our trek from the hometown. Such a small world I tell ya!
Not only was the sandwich satisfying, but their black beans and tostones were as real as it gets.
As we paid our $20 tab, Dan dared us to try a few of his homemade croqueta de jaiba (devil crabs). Challenged accepted. We’ll be back before Sunday, and might even bring a few
home. 😉 After dinner we headed to the store for some essentials and now we’re cuddled on the couch enjoying our “datingmoon” by the fireplace, awaiting the arrival if my cousins.
Oh, and one last thing. There may or may not be Walkers hidden in the basement. We don’t have a key to it so we can’t be sure. Stay tuned…
-Steph 😀
On the 12th day of Stephmas, my true love gave to me,
12 rutabaga “fries”.
On the 11th day of Stephmas, my true love gave to me,
11 yummy Christmas cookies.
On the 10th day of Stephmas my true love gave to me,
10 really intense exercises.
On the 9th day of Stephmas my true love gave to me,
9 scrumptious strawberry cookies.
On the 8th day of Stephmas my true love gave to me,’
An 8 egg kale frittata.
On the 7th day of Stephmas my true love gave to me,
7 backyard tangerines.
On the 6th day of Stephmas my true love gave to me,
6 delicious Parkesdale salsas.
On the 5th day of Stephmas my true love gave to me,
5 strands of sparklyyyyyyy lighhhhhhhhttttsssssss!
4 pureed fruits,
3 bins of cheer,
2 strong feet,
And a cat sleeping in a bathroom sink.
How was YOUR week?Happy Holidays! -Steph 🙂
Did you catch Oprah’s favorite things Sunday evening on OWN? Even though she’s done with the talk show gig, she’s decided to keep the tradition of her favorite things show. This year her recipients were all military families, which made for a tear-jerker of an episode. I’m sure they’ll replay it throughout the holiday season, so check your local listings! I love this time of year. Tis’ the season of togetherness, love, friendship and giving. I believe in a good balance of gift giving and receiving, cooking and eating, and savoring every moment the season brings.
There are so many people who I care about that I love to shop for. One of my favorite parts of gift giving is watching them tear open the paper and enjoy that first look. Although I love gift-giving, I don’t believe a holiday gift needs to be expensive or extravagant. The part of shopping for my loved ones that I enjoy the most is choosing something meaningful and special that fit their personalities. Giving shouldn’t be about breaking the bank, even if black Friday commercials tell us otherwise. Homemade gifts like herb infused oils, baked goods, or handmade crafts can light up someone’s day. Check out my Pinterest board showcasing some of my favorite homemade gifts.
My motto is most definitely “it’s the thought that counts“. I thought it would be fun to do my own rendition of Oprah’s Favorite Things by sharing some of MY favorite things this year. If you’re looking for a gift for someone like me (foodie + outdoor enthusiast), you may find some inspiration for your own shopping adventures!
(I think this list could also double as my own Dear Santa wish list, but I won’t advertise that). 😉 😉
How great is this hairdryer caddy? It hangs right on your towel rack and neatly keeps everything at arm’s reach. 
I’m a HUGE fan of these Croc flip flops. They’re so comfortable and I literally wear them everywhere. This style comes in all colors, but I love this new camel/brown combination! 
One of my favorite color combinations is orange and navy blue. I just love this bedding set from Target. 
Have a baker in your life? These are my favorite tried and true Airbake cookie sheets. Nothing is better! 
I must have these reusable grocery bags in my life. Probably the most awesome idea I’ve ever seen. No need for disposable bags! 
These nesting bowls are great for mixing, prepping or serving just about anything. 
As a baker, I love my KitchenAid mixer. This scraper attachment would be a great accessory to add to anyone’s collection! 
I’m a big fan of crockpot cooking. When I saw this triple crockpot, I knew it would make a great gift in anyone’s kitchen! 
I saw these cell phone wall charger holders a long time ago, and have yet to buy myself one. This is a must-have! (PS- This particular Etsy user has them in a variety of patterns and colors! 
I’m a sucker for quirky kitchen tools, so when I saw these paring knives, I knew they would have to be on my favorite things list! 
A friend of mine bought these blue tooth wireless earphones a while back and they’re definitely a great gift for the runner in your life! 
I’ve been on the lookout for a handheld water bottle and it seems like this one has been a highly suggested one out in in the blog world. I love that it comes in so many colors! 
It took me a while to find a great pair of running socks. These Asics are so comfortable, dry-wicking and have a back cushion preventing them from sliding down! 
I’ve been in the market for a Garmin watch to use for running. I’ve heard rave reviews about this cute little forerunner. It’s comes in pink, green (my favorite) and black and it’s the most reasonably priced of all the forerunners.
Do you have any quirky, interesting, creative or fun gift ideas that won’t empty your piggy bank? Do share! Steph 🙂
I hope everyone enjoys an amazing day with your loved ones.
Eat, drink and be merry, and keep the dearest of memories from Thanksgivings past and present close to your heart.
With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to give back.
People are always asking me about how I’ve gotten involved forming teams for local 5ks and such. Truth is, it’s super easy to form a team for most charity races and fund raise as a group. All you need is a team captain who is willing to recruit members and spread the word (social media!). It’s amazing to think that Team Judy has raised over $2,500 in the past 6 months, and cannot wait to see what we will accomplish in the future!
So with all this giving in mind, here are 10 ways YOU can get involved and give back to your family, friends or community.
1. Support local businesses. Visit your local farmer’s markets, craft fairs or specialty shops and invest in your community.
2. Donate your gently used, clothing to organizations like The Spring or League of Mercy.
3. Volunteer at a local soup kitchen. See people who are just happy to have a full stomach. You can offer to serve, prepare or donate food items.
4. Become a mentor by volunteering with Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
5. Give blood. There always seems to be a greater need for blood around the holidays.
6. Offer to help out a friend and their busy family by grocery shopping, babysitting or running errands for them.
7. Volunteer at a local underprivileged school tutoring students, helping teachers or organizing projects (like cleanups and fundraisers).
8. Lend a hand at your local animal shelter. Donate towels or blankets, food, walk dogs or help with clean up.
9. Spend time at a senior center or hospice. Some don’t have families nor friends that visit. A little companionship goes a long way.
10. Write a letter or send a card or care package to a soldier overseas. Check out this site for a list or organizations to help with this.
How do you give back to your community, family or friends? Please share! 🙂
