Best Appetizer Ever

My mom passed this recipe along to me last weekend. I made it Saturday when we had some friends over for dinner and it was so good. Trust me, you need to make this ASAP. Sausage, ranch, and cheese mixed together- is that sounding good?? Well wait til it bakes and it is served in these cute wonton cups. This is an A++ appetizer. I am actually going to make it again this weekend, that is how good it was. I love an appetizer like this, that is easy to make, delicious, and most importantly looks cute sitting out on the table. Your friends will be impressed.

TEXMEX WONTONS
-1 PKG SAUSAGE, BROWNED AND DRAINED WELL
-1 SMALL CAN SLICED BLACK OLIVES, DICED
-CUP HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH
-1/4 DICED JALAPENOS (FROM JAR, NOT FRESH)
-1.5 CUPS SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE
-1.5 CUPS SHREDDED MONTERREY JACK CHEESE
-1 PKG WONTON SHELLS (IN THE FRIDGE SECTION NEAR DRESSING AND PRODUCE)

MIX FIRST 6 INGREDIENTS TOGETHER. PLACE EACH INDIVIDUAL WONTON IN A MINI MUFFIN PAN. LIGHTLY PRESS DOWN TO FORM AN OPEN CUP. SPOON ABOUT A TABLESPOON OF THE SAUSAGE MIXTURE INTO EACH CUP. BAKE AT 350 DEGREES ABOUT 15 MINUTES OR UNTIL WONTONS START TO BROWN.
THIS MAKES ABOUT 36-40 MINI WONTONS
ENJOY!

**NOTE: I FOUND THE WONTONS IN THE PRODUCE SECTION NEAR THE REFRIGERATED DRESSING AND CARROTS**
**ALSO DRAIN THE SAUSAGE WELL AND BLOT WITH PAPER TOWELS TO AVOID EXCESS GREASE WHEN BAKING**

Call Us Ralph Lauren

I couldn't resist posting these pictures of my sweet little nugget in his head to toe Ralph Lauren ensemble. I know I am biased because he is my baby, but would he not make a great model for RL??

Real Housewives of BH

Ok, so am I the only one whose guilty pleasure is all these Housewives Reality TV Shows?? It seems the previous one ends, just as I am getting sick of all the cat fights and weirdos (can you say Michele and Tareq on DC Housewives, seriously delusional people), and a new cast sucks me in! The girls of Beverly Hills are no exception, I am hooked as usual! It angers my hubby so much that I watch all these spoiled women, but I can't help it!! I am slightly envious of their lifestyles. I can't imagine shopping and traveling like that; but sometimes it isn't as it seems as poor Teresa of NJ filed bankruptcy.

A few notes on the BH ladies. Kyle is my favorite, she resembles Demi Moore, has fabulous hair, clothes and a cute husband. So far, she seems to have the best marriage and personality. Camille Grammer is a spoiled spaceball- I mean 4 nannies for two kids?? Almost as ridiculous as her dancing. Taylor seems nice enough, but married to major nerd. It cracks me up that she acts like she didn't marry him for money, I mean come on! Kyle's sister, Kim has social issues and is too dependent on her kids. Adrienne and the British lady (I can't remember her name, I think its Lisa?) are ok and at least entertaining to watch. Do you watch this show?? Tell me I am not the only one loving these ladies!!

My husband is seriously going to be pissed I wrote an entire post on these ladies. But all this thought about voting and campaign commercials has given me a headache and made me need a reality break.

Pillow Lust

I love the reality TV show Giuliana and Bill. Sadly, we switched cable providers and now we don't get the Style Network anymore! It makes me so sad I am missing this new season. I did ask my mom to dvr all the new episodes, so when I am home over the holidays I can catch up. I mean what kind of a cable provider doesn't carry the Style Network??

Anywho, I have always coveted their black and white needlepoint letter pillows on their sofa. I tried to google and find an image of their sofa but no luck. Well, my friend Erin said she had recently read an article about G and B and they said the pillows were Jonathan Adler. Not surprised at all, as I adore all his stuff! I quickly went to his website and found the pillows, I expected them to be $200+ but they are actually $98. Alot for a pillow, not nearly as expensive as I thought. Here are the letter pillows. I would love to do a N and M, for Natalie and Matt.


I also came across these that would be precious in a nursery. They are going in my design file for my next nursery.


The JA website also had a ton of gorgeous geometric pillows like this one, love the turquoise!

All pillows can be found HERE
PHOTO:PEREZHILTON.COM

My Little Pumpkin

Happy Halloween! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Just wanted to share a few pics of my sweet baby as a pumpkin. I am sure you have seen enough Halloween costume pictures, but I couldn't resist!

After all the pictures, someone was not happy with mommy!

Dear Santa

Dear Santa,
Now that Halloween is almost over and Thanksgiving is near, I wanted to go ahead and send you my list. I 'm easy this year there is only one gift I want- this beautiful Louis Vuitton Purse. And don't worry I've been good!
Love,
Natalie


Happy Friday! What's on your Christmas wish list?

Barefoot Contessa Strikes Again + Middle Eastern Salad

Any of you avid cooks know that Barefoot Contessa's new cookbook, How Easy is That, came out this week. I had already read a great article about it in House Beautiful (love that magazine) and watched her cook some recipes on the Today show that looked fabulous. I couldn't wait to pick it up and start cooking! There are so many recipes I wanted to try but I started with this simple salad, Middle Eastern Salad. I had most of the ingredients already at home and true to her word it was easy to make. This salad is filled with chick peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh feta, parsley, mint and basil! It is delish! Ina recommends serving this with hot pita bread, so I am going to try that today, but it is amazing all by it self! I think this salad could also be great served at a party with pita chips as a dip, since it is more of a chopped salad. Either way it will knock your socks off!

MIDDLE EASTERN SALAD

- 10 SCALLIONS, WHITE AND GREEN PARTS THINLY SLICED

- 1 POUND RIPE TOMATOES, SEEDED, CORED & 1/2 INCH-DICED

- 1 HOTHOUSE CUCUMBER, HALVED LENGTHWISE, SEEDED & 1/2 INCH-DICED

- 1 CAN OF CHICKPEAS, RINSED AND DRAINED

- 1/3 CUP CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY

- 1/3 CUP CHOPPED FRESH BASIL

- 1/3 CUP CHOPPED FRESH MINT

- 1/2 CUP FRESH LEMON JUICE (4 LEMONS)

- 1 TABLESPOON MINCED GARLIC (3 CLOVES)

- 1/2 CUP GOOD OLIVE OIL

- 8 OUNCES GOOD FETA, 1/2 INCH-DICED

- TOASTED PITA BREAD FOR SERVING

PLACE THE SCALLIONS, TOMATOES, CUCUMBER, CHICKPEAS, PARSLEY, MINT AND BASIL IN A LARGE BOWL AND TOSS TO COMBINE.

IN A SMALL BOWL WHISK TOGETHER THE LEMON JUICE, GARLIC, 2 TEASPOONS SALT AND 1 TEASPOON PEPPER. SLOWLY WHISK IN THE OLIVE OIL TO MAKE AN EMULSION. POUR THE DRESSING OVER THE SALAD, TOSSING GENTLY TO COAT ALL VEGETABLES. ADD THE FETA, SPRINKLE WITH SALT AND PEPPER, AND TOSS GENTLY. SERVE THIS SALAD WITH THE TOASTED PITA BREAD.