Dipped in Love

I have been seeing chocolate covered strawberries all over the place this week at different grocery stores in preparation for the big day Saturday.  And I always stop to look at them, drool over them and then I see the price tag.  I know it's a treat, and I am all for justifying an expensive chocolate indulgence, but the prices are so marked up for what they are, it made me think twice about buying them-(well, really more like five times because they just looked so good!)

But then I remembered I just bought strawberries at the store the night before, had melting chocolates on hand from a recent fondue night (yes, I believe fondue is a meal), and extra Valentine's themed sprinkles from making my something sweet popcorn snack.

So within fifteen minutes of preparation and decoration and only spending six dollars on the strawberries and sprinkles and already having the chocolate on hand (add another five dollars if you need to buy a new bag), you will have yourself close to two dozen, delicious chocolate covered strawberries.  They ended up saving me money without sacrificing the amazing taste.  These are easy to make the day before Valentine's Day so you can have them on hand for enjoying through out the day with the ones you love...or just for yourself-I won't judge ;)  Happy Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

• 1 container of fresh strawberries, washed and dried
• 1 12oz. package of dark melting chocolates
• Sprinkles for decoration

~Wash and dry strawberries
~Melt dark chocolate according to the package (usually involves defrosting in the microwave for 30 second intervals and stirring in-between...the stirring is key!)
~Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper
~Once chocolate is melted, dip each strawberry in chocolate and place on baking sheet
~Dip about four strawberries and allow to cool for a few seconds before adding the sprinkles (they will melt otherwise)
~Once finished, allow the chocolate to harden by placing them in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes
~Serve fresh or keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours

Something Sweet

My favorite thing about Valentine's Day is probably all of the sweets available around every corner you turn when out at most stores.  I know it's a day to celebrate love, and I do, my love for chocolates and sweets.  (My husband knows I celebrate my love for him every day, duh).  

But since I can't eat every single heart box of chocolate I buy (I never have a problem buying chocolates for myself, FYI), I decided to get my chocolate fix the semi-healthy way this time.  

Air popped pop corn is a low-calorie, healthy way to munch on something savory without feeling too guilty.  Add a little bit of melted white chocolate and some heart sprinkles and it becomes an extra festive treat.  

So go ahead and make this tonight or really any night this week if your heart desires.  It's the perfect Valentine's snack to enjoy for one, two or four.  Happy Monday!
Xo,
Laura

White Chocolate Heart Popcorn:

• 1/2 cup popped kernels (I use my Whirley Pop, it makes the best tasting popcorn I've ever had!)
• 1 12oz. bag of white chocolate melting chips
• Valentine's themed sprinkles (easy to find at grocery stores-mine are from Walmart)

~Make popcorn and set aside to cool in a large bowl

~Melt white chocolate according to package (usually involves defrosting in the microwave for 30 second intervals and stirring in-between...the stirring is key!)

~Once chocolate is melted, pour over popcorn and mix together-try to do this step quickly so the chocolate doesn't harden

~Mix in sprinkles

~Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a single layer (I used cut up wax paper bags since I didn't have parchment paper) and allow to cool at room temperature or put out in your freezing cold garage like me for twenty minutes

~Once chocolate has hardened, enjoy! 

Rose Infused Body Scrub

It's half way through the work week, and it's the perfect day to treat yourself to a nice hot bath, a glass of wine and an easy to make rose infused body scrub.  If you catch this post before you head home, all you will need is a stop at the grocery store for your ingredients.

You will need coconut oil, regular Epsom salt, dried roses or rose oil, and some Himalayan sea salt to add a little extra pink to the mix.  Combine and mix all the ingredients together in a jar and enjoy.  You won't need a top to the jar because I don't want you save it for another date-use it tonight.  

I hope you all have a relaxing evening and take a few moments to unwind and love yourself.  

Rose Infused Body Scrub:

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup Epsom salt
1/4 cup dried roses or rose oil
2 tbsp of Himalayan sea salt (for the added pink color and texture)

~Mix all together in a jar or bowl and bring to your bath tub or shower.  Enjoy for your whole body and face.  

Xo,
Laura

Breakfast in Bed

It's officially February and the month of Valentine's Day.  I have always found this holiday to be a good time to spread the love, no matter who you are with at the moment.  

It should be a month to love your family, your girlfriends, your four-legged friends, and anyone else who holds their owns special place in your heart...and that should include you!

Valentine's Day is the perfect day to treat someone you love {Valentine's goodies to come next week} and give them a big card with a bear holding a heart, but the time leading up to the day and even after, should be about loving yourself.  Sometimes it's so easy to get caught up trying to please everyone else and take care of them all before yourself.  And most of the time that is the way it should be.  Giving is better than receiving, definitely.  But we all need to remember to give some love to ourselves every once in a while.  

Even if it's having your breakfast in bed, taking a hot bubble bath with a glass of wine, or making yourself a healthy treat, you deserve it.  Giving yourself love will only fill you with happiness and peace.  And with this, you can spread the love to all of the others in your life.  

"I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is too great a burden to bear."  MLK Jr. 

So this week I will help you with taking a little time and effort to love yourself.  So when your husband is wondering where his dinner is, you can blame it on me that you are upstairs taking a bath and reading a book and forgot to cook-I swear that doesn't happen that often. ;)

Xo,

Laura

Breakfast in Bed Essentials:

Tray:  In hopes someone else will serve your food to you 

Plates: I believe in using our china for every day occasions, why not? 

Cup: A perfect Tjmaxx find 

French Press: Nothing like a hot cup of coffee

Vase: A beautiful present from my mom

Silverware: Because it's French (and the knives are the sharpest I've ever used!)

Juice Glass: Old purchase, but similar style here

Super Bowl Sunday

This Sunday is the perfect excuse to get together with your friends and family and over indulge in plenty of snacks, drinks and too much television. 

I am not always the biggest sports fan, but I love any excuse to embrace a theme and make an evening out of it.  (Football is always more fun to watch when you have popcorn and cupcakes near by in football themed bowls, right?) 

All you need is a quick trip to Walmart for a few festive cups and bowls, your favorite candies and snacks, and to add a little variety to the snack selection, I embellished the pretzels with some different flavors: honey mustard, ranch, and buffalo wing sauce.  

Make these pretzels earlier in the day so when game time comes, all you have to do is grab a bowl and focus, on the food and the game.  

Xo,

Laura

Fruit Skewers: For the Patriots fans, alternate strawberries, bananas, and blueberries and for Seahawks fans alternate between green grapes (or kiwi slices) and blueberries

Dessert:  Most grocery stores have already baked treats to support your team.  Add some football toothpicks or football sugar toppings to make them a little more festive (Check out Party City)

Pretzels

Honey Mustard Bites:

• 12 oz. sourdough pretzel bites
• 2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. honey mustard
• 1 tsp. onion powder

~Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray

~Mix all ingredients together (except the pretzels) in a bowl 

~Add the pretzels to the bowl and mix until well coated with mixture

~Pour the pretzels onto the baking sheet and spread out in a single layer

~Bake for 30 minutes, mixing half way through

~Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving or storing until ready to serve

Ranch Dips:

• 12 oz. mini pretzels
• 6 oz. canola or vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp dill weed
• 1 tbsp garlic salt or powder
• 1 packet ranch salad dressing mix

~Preheat the oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray

~Mix all ingredients together (except the pretzels) in a bowl

~Add the pretzels to the bowl and mix until well coated with mixture

~Pour the pretzels onto the baking sheet and spread out in a single layer

~Bake for 30 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes

~Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving or storing until ready to serve

Buffalo Wing Pretzel Bites:

• 12 oz. thin pretzel sticks
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce of your choice 
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

~Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray

~Mix all ingredients together (except the pretzels) in a bowl

~Add the pretzels to the bowl and mix until well coated with mixture

~Pour the pretzels onto the baking sheet and spread out in a single layer

~Bake for 30 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes (pretzels do become soggy-ish, but they will harden back up when the cool down after baking)

~Allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before serving or storing until ready to serve

More Spaghetti (squash) Please!

Spaghetti squash has become one of my favorite substitutions for a comfort food meal.  I love pasta and spaghetti (who doesn't?), but I usually feel overstuffed and guilty after eating it.  

So, in order to still satisfy my cravings for something hardy and Italian (meaning a meal with a lot of cheese), I turn to spaghetti squash.  

This meal is easy to make, it just takes a little extra time in order to cook the squash and then allow the bake to cook all the way through.  It's a perfect meal to start making on a snowy afternoon, so by the time the sun sets, the fire is going and it's appropriate to be drinking your second glass of red wine, your dinner will be ready.  

Xo,
Laura

Ingredients:
serves 4

• 2 whole spaghetti squashes 
• 1 jar of pasta sauce
• 2 cups (or 3 if your me) of shredded cheese of your choice-parmesan or mozzarella is the best
• 2 cups of broccoli or other veggies

~Cut each spaghetti squash in half, vertically
~Scoop out the seeds and discard
~Drizzle squash with some olive oil and salt and pepper
~Place down on baking sheet with skin facing out
~Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-55 minutes or until squash is soft
~Using a fork, scrape inside of squash into a baking dish (it really does come out like cooked spaghetti)
~Add pasta sauce, cheese, and any other desired veggies to the dish and mix together
~Cook this in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-35 minutes
~Enjoy, with a glass of red wine, of course :)

Merry Christmas

It's been a busy past few weeks.  With life filled with lots of great challenges, road blocks, and a few nights lasting way too late, I've taken some extra time to stay quiet and just be.  As the year comes to an end, I have found myself naturally reflecting back on the year and critically judging myself.  Not celebrating the highs enough and focusing possibly too much on the lows. 

I've been working on accepting that negative energy is part of life, but being able to accept it, push it away, and move forward has become my new project I'm working on this time of year.  It has been necessary for me to literally take a few breaths, count my blessings (no matter how corny that sounds-you need to do it), and smile.  I am a true believer in making yourself happy first and not depending on only others making you happy. It's a recipe for disappointment and sadness and not a fulfilling way to go through this life. 

I may be all over with my thoughts and there is not a real theme for this post other than I am all over the place right now. Holiday activities, present shopping, animals needing to go to the vet, work overload, more animals needing to go to the vet, and trying to enjoy it all sometimes takes an extra cup of coffee and a few Christmas cookies for breakfast. Other days it's necessary to just drop what your doing and spend some time with the ones you love and really be in the moment. 

Right now it's important to enjoy who and what is already in your life and just be.  In just another week it's a new year and time to think of your new goals and who and what you would like to add to your life. For now, I hope everyone has a safe and healthy holiday, and I hope these Christmas picture outtakes make everyone smile a little (making three dogs sit still in a snow storm is harder than I thought!)  Merry Christmas to you all!

Xo,

Laura