Mardi Gras King Cake Shortcut

With great delight, our new home is within walking distance of 2 of the area's Mardi Gras parades. A total selling point, right?! Recently we threw our first official gathering and played host to the Mardi Gras parade pre-party with friends and lots of food. Hurricanes, red beans and rice, cornbread, slow-cooker jambalaya (graciously made by a friend), and of course.. King Cake!

Traditionally King Cake is made with a brioche dough, but when you, yourself, would eventually like to join the party too and not spend another hour in the kitchen.. you go looking for shortcuts. Through Pinterest, I was able to find this recipe provided by The Healthy Cooking Blog. I used her basic outline for the recipe, but instead of no-fat or reduced fat ingredients I used the regular full-fat foods. It is after all Mardi Gras, people.

King Cakes tend to be a lil on the dry side if you're not careful. Next time I might double the amount of cream cheese or skip the cream cheese and opt for an apple filling. It was definitely a crowd pleaser though at the party!

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

A simple lil something for your sweetheart this Valentine's Day:

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
ingredients:
one box of red velvet cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 c of veg oil
cream cheese icing of your choice

Mix first 3 ingredients together. Roll into little balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookie dough balls just a smidge. Bake at 350 degrees. Bake for 8-10 mins. Let cool on wire racks. Layer 2 cookies with frosting. Impress your sweetheart with homemade goodies.

Romantic Fort for Two.

After a lil time away from this blog, I'm ready to pick back up again. It's amazing what time can heal: body and spirit. Recently I was blessed to celebrate a one year anniversary in the best way we could have.. In our newly purchased home with a quite dinner for 2 in a quaint tent on the floor. It was simple and cozy and incredibly romantic.





I was inspired by some of the tents / forts that have been appearing online like this one and that one. A Beautiful Mess' writer created one with her hubby for a Christmas themed tent for 2. Precious.

Pancakes, Darling.

I recently had a few health problems which caused me to be home-bound for a couple of weeks. Having my mom's cooking with blueberry pancakes and real maple syrup.. Let's just say it made passing the days on the couch much more lovely and comforting.

Fourth of July Glitter Hairpin

The Inspiration:

Via: Delightfully Engaged
Made by: Giant Dwarf
(Way beautiful. And I can only imagine how much the German glass glitter sparkles!)

I wanted something sparkley to wear in my hair for Fourth of July.. Somewhere at the crossroads between vintage and the Statue of Liberty.

Directions:

Happy Fourth, Darlings.

Embroidery Hoop Earring Holder

I've got several of these 12" embroidery hoops I picked up a garage sale a year old. I've been waiting for just the right thing to do with them. (read: Moving them around from storage place to storage place.) Yesterday, I happen to think that they would make perfect earring holders.

Use a little bit of tape to help hold the baker's twine between the two hoops. Be sure to twist the larger hoop as tight as you can get it. I also made a second one using lace instead of twine to secure smaller earrings with backings to the lace. Charming and easy and free.

Vintage Summertime

Pinned: here.