Category Archives: Entertaining

Holiday Favorites

Posted in Entertaining, the Holidays by

One of my favorite parts of the holidays are all of the traditions, but truth be told, life is always changing so traditions are changing. I wrote this post a few years ago about my favorite holiday traditions, and many of them still hold true. In fact, as I am writing this, I am held up on my couch watching the Holiday for the second third time this season.

This year my cousins, aunts and I got together to do a Christmas paint night. There are so many parties and things going on with our friends, it was nice to get together as a family and do a holiday activity together. Our amazing teacher (also a friend of mine so I may be biased) came up with the cutest picture for us to follow along and have a new holiday decoration each year. After we all went back to my mom’s for a soup party. I made this appetizer to bring and it was a hit, and super easy to make. So much of a hit I shared it with you earlier this week.

My girlfriends and I, for the past few years, have been getting together and doing an annual cookie swap. It’s a great way for us to get together, sit around a table, chat and eat all night and not have to worry about any responsibilities. This year we added in a Secret Santa ornament swap also. We don’t get each other girls for the holidays usually but it was a fun way to think of each other during the busiest time of year.

One of my favorite traditions every year is giving back. With work, I’ve always organized Adopt a Family, but this year we are doing a warm weather clothing drive. We’ve partnered with our local homeless shelter and the community to collect hats, gloves, scarves, and jackets to give to the people in our community that truly need it. Although I hate that we mainly focus on this around the holidays, I think it’s amazing to give back locally to your community.

This Christmas I picked up a few Christmas goodies that I am absolutely loving.

Christmas candle – I snagged this candle at the Newport Mansions a few weeks ago. As I walked into the souviner shop the scent of Balsam and Cedar filled the air and I was hooked. Lucky for me, I found it on Amazon at an even better price, and now I don’t need to drive two hours to pick up a replacement. And do you see that artwork on the outside of the candle.
Defined Dish cookbook – My favorite food blogger has finally gotten her own book deal. I don’t have it yet but this girl has been preordered for a while and I cannot wait for it to show up at the beginning of the year. Check her out, order her book, make her food. You won’t be disappointed. Promise.
Elin Hiderbrand Winter Series – This summer I got hooked on Elin Hilderbrand and her books about Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. This winter I’ve started her four part winter series. They are the perfect way to escape to the islands and stay in the holiday spirit. (Talk to me in February, I’ll be wanting her summer books ASAP.)
Old Navy Cozy socks – This is a tradition I have every year. Old Navy has their cozy socks on sale for $1 every black Friday and I stock up. They are great coworker gifts, paired with a candle and some tea, or a quick little way to make a bottle of wine and face mask night a little more special.

Fall Soup Party

Posted in Entertaining, Recipes Reel by

 

Fall is the time of year, here in New England, that we thrive. But we also start to get ready for our winter hibernation. My girlfriends and I started a tradition a few years ago during the cold winter months. We get together and each make a new soup. Its really just an excuse to all get together and spend the day relaxing.

One year we did it on Valentines Day so we decorated Galentines themed and make vision boards out of mason jars. Last year we did our soup party as my housewarming for my new at the time apartment. This year we opted for a fall theme. We sat around on a Sunday, ate all day and watched football.

Since our trip to Banff last year, I have been trying to find a spicy curry ramen as similar to Block Kitchen + Bar as possible. Sunday I made the Defined Dish’s Thai Red Curry Chicken Zoodle Soup but since we have some vegetarians in the group, I took our all the meat. I also used vermicelli instead of zoodles because…. Well #carbs.

For beverages I saw Lauren McBride made a Caramel Apple Cider Sangria last weekend for a Halloween party and decided I needed to try it. YUM. I am not a white wine or vodka girl… or even apple cider, but the three together are amazing.

Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice

Chrissy Teigen’s Thai Carrot and Coconut Soup

Cheddar Beer Soup

Zuppa Toscana

Favorite Chick Flicks

Posted in Entertaining, the Holidays, Updates by

Is there anything better than a movie night? Now a days we get so caught up binge watching the most recent Netflix or Amazon series that we don’t always sit down and watch a movie. Last weekend I dedicated my Sunday to sitting on my couch with some popcorn, in my sweats, with a cup of tea (which turned to a glass of wine as the night went on). It was good to get lost in some of my favorite movies. Bring on the couple that falls in love that you would never expect (but you always knew), the strong woman who is stronger than she knew herself, and the girl gang who you wish you were a part of. I ended up putting together a list of my favorite chick flicks for any occasion. So grab a glass of wine and enjoy. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

My 3 Favorite Holiday Drinks

Posted in Entertaining, Recipes Reel by

I love the change of seasons. Mind you I understand I am saying this at the beginning of the winter, and it so far as only lightly snowed twice. I guess we can revisit this in a few months when I am two feet under snow, can’t leave my house, and haven’t seen the sun in months. But for right now: I love the change of seasons.

One of my favorite parts of the beginning of each season is reintroducing myself to the season flavors that I haven’t had in the past nine months. Fresh fruits and veggies have always been a big part of the way I eat, cook, and drink thanks to my super all-natural mother who loves herself a farmers market. This year I have a lot of get togethers that I am hosting and attending and the Italian in me needs to bring something new to each one.

Today I put together my three favorite winter drinks that I am sure you will love. A Blackberry Whiskey Ginger, a Christmas Cran-Vodka, and a Hot Toddy for those snow days that you need a little pick me up.

Blackberry Whiskey Ginger


Last summer I became obsessed with Irish Mules. I love me some whiskey and ginger, but I just can’t do ginger beer anymore. Most of them are just too sweet for me and that means instant head ache. Here I made homemade rosemary simple syrup, used ginger ale and fresh blackberries and the drink is just so much fresher and lighter.

Rosemary Simple Syrup
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
5 springs of fresh rosemary

Place everything in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Let boil for one minute while constantly whisking to ensure all of the sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Remove rosemary and strain into a glass container. Allow to cool to room temperature and chill.

6 blackberries to muddle, 4 blackberries for garnish
ice
1 ½ oz Paddy Irish Whiskey
1 oz rosemary simple syrup
½ lime, juiced
6 oz Seagram’s ginger ale

1. Muddle six blackberries into the bottom of a copper cup or glass.
2. Fill cup halfway with ice.
3. Add Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, rosemary simple syrup.
4. Squeeze in juice from half of a lime.
5. Fill Seagram’s ginger ale to the top of cup.
6. Lightly stir with cocktail spoon, top with blackberry garnish.

Christmas Cran-Vodka


I’m not going to lie, I don’t enjoy cranberry or vodka too much but when you are hosting a dinner or a party, you got to have what the people want and for most people, you can’t really go wrong with a cran-vodka. This is just a little twist on a college cran-vodka.

Ice
1 ½ oz vodka
2 oz cranberry juice
Seagram’s ginger ale
½ lime, juiced
Cranberries for garnish

1. Fill 6 oz glass with a few ice cubes.
2. Add vodka and cranberry juice over ice.
3. Fill cup with ginger ale.
4. Mix lightly with cocktail spoon and top with juice from half a lime.
5. Top with cranberries and a lime sphere.

Hot Toddy


For as long as I can remember, as soon as anyone in my house started feeling sick, my mom would make you a hot toddy. It didn’t matter how old you were, you were having some tea with a shot of whiskey in it. Most cultures have some of this. While I was living in Los Angeles a lot of my friends would say their parents would give them a shot a tequilla when they started not feeling well. It’s a very old school way of self-medicating, (wow that sounds terrible) but I still make myself a hot toddy as soon as I feel a cold coming on.

English breakfast tea
1 oz whiskey or scotch
1 tsp local honey
Lemon wedge
Cinnamon stick

1. Steep English breakfast tea 5 minutes.
2. Add one ounce whiskey or scotch and 1-2 tsp of local honey.
3. Squeeze in one lemon wedge.
4. Top with cinnamon or add in a cinnamon stick.

 

Holiday Tablescape

Posted in Entertaining, Home, the Holidays by

Through out most of the year I am pretty minimalistic in my home décor. I like whites, and greys, and pretty much anything neutral just like my clothing. If you’re lucky, I may throw some gold in there, but that’s the closest to a color you’re going to get out of me. (Okay, last spring I threw in peach, call me crazy.) My sister says I’m sterile. She’s a nurse and white reminders her of a hospital, and for me, color is complete chaos. But for me, mid-September through January 1 I want the holidays to be plastered throughout my home.

Give me reds, golds, sparkles, ribbons, bows and all of the holiday goodness.

This year my sister and I are hosting our family of 45 cousins, aunts, uncles, and kiddos on Christmas Eve so I feel like I’ve been on Christmas prep since early October. While our table for 45 is going to be a little simpler than this, I set up this table for a much more intimate dinner last week.

Layers and fabrics

Different textures is the easiest way to add dimension and holiday spirit to your table. I started with a gold table cloth and layered on these placemats that have a little sparkle. I have a small addiction to napkins – Beverage napkins are my favorite but they’re more for cocktail hour. These cotton napkins from Home Goods are super cute and casual which is perfect for a small group of close friends or everyday dinner.

Add a little sparkle

The placemats already had a little sparkle but I love me some gold during the holidays. And these Nicole Miller gold bow napkin rings from Home Goods jumped out at me. (Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader.) Also these can be used all year round for girls nights or other casual dinner parties. Change up the napkin and you have a new, cute piece to use for the rest of the year.

Bring the outdoors inside

While most of the plants are heading into hibernation here in New England, my mom’s holly bush is #goals right now. So I snuck over to her house and pulled off a few branches. While I was there I grabbed a few pine cones and added them to the table top. The easiest way to make your table feel super seasonal. In the summer, go outside, clip some flowers and stick them in a vase. Centerpiece done!

Keep it low

One thing I hate while at dinner is having to lean over to talk to the person sitting across from you. Especially in an intimate setting, keep your center piece low so all of your guests can talk across the table from each other. When you are at someone’s home, especially for a smaller, more intimate meal, the lower centerpiece the better. It encourages conversation. Wine helps also.