Love Affair

My love affair with spray paint continues. I had been on a white gloss kick but for this particular project, I went with black gloss. About a year ago my in-laws gave us this wine rack. They had it in their house, but then got an island that had built ins for wine, so they no longer needed the rack. This is not something I would pick out myself but I was more than happy to take this off their hands. I was super excited to have a large rack to store all my beloved wine. I have been wanting to paint this rack for awhile but couldn't commit to a color. I was really leaning towards white gloss (my obsession) again but thought it might not really go with my dining room color and decor, so I ultimately decided on the black gloss. I love it, it makes the wine rack feel like a new piece. Our dining room kind of opens up to our kitchen, so I really like how the black wine rack now matches our black granite countertops. The color ties the two rooms together. I really think the white would have been too light against my gray walls. This project only took two cans of black spray paint and about 2.5 coats. Spray paint is such a quick and cheap way to update your old furniture.

THE BEFORE:


THE AFTER:





We finally bought our Christmas tree this weekend, so I have been in full force decorating mode, hence the tree on the wine rack!

Gratitude

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We hosted Matt's family at our house this year. Everything went well except we really didn't account for how small our oven was. We could only fit the turkey in it, so we had to cook it and then take it out and cook all our sides. Needless to say we didn't eat until almost 9:00 but everything was delicious. I tried my hand at Paula Deen's oyster dressing and it was amazing.
Since Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings, I wanted to take a minute to reflect on all the many things I am thankful for:

-My Baby Boy. He has changed my life, enriched it, and made me a better person. His smiles and laughs are the highlight of my day. I can't imgaine my life without him!
-My Husband. He tirelessly works to provide for Sterling and I and he always makes me laugh! He has a huge heart and is honestly one of the nicest people I know. 9 years after meeting him, he is still my best friend and love of my life.
-My Family. I love them to pieces and I really wish we lived in the same city! Thank god for phones I talk to my mom and sister at least 10 times a day!
-Our Health. We are so fortunate to all be healthy, something we sometimes forgot about and take for granted.
-Wine. After 9 (really 10) long months of no alcohol it is so nice to be able to indulge in a few glasses after a long day with a fussy baby.
-My Purses. Sad but true, I love my purses. Just looking at them in my closet makes me happy. They were an investment but worth every penny because I will love them for years to come.
-Starbucks. The perfect treat for this time of the year. I love the pumpkin spice latte, peppermint mocha, carmel macchiato and the green tea latte is my newest obsession. Yes, gourmet coffee does bring me a bit of happiness!
-Fashion and Home Decor Magazines (and lets not forget US WEEKLY). It makes my day anytime I get one of my many magazines that I subscribe to in the mail. They provide me with alot of inspiration and ideas for my life.
-TJMAXX, Marshalls and HomeGoods. I love these stores, you can find the best deals and I love a bargain! While I was home my mom found some gorgeous Calvin Klein wine glasses that retailed for $30 and were at HomeGoods for $2.99. You can't beat that!
-Good Food. I love cooking and trying new recipes. I also love dining out but those days are few and far between with our baby boy. A good meal home cooked or from a restaurant makes me very happy.
-Cheese. Had to give this its own category. Love cheese and nothing goes better with a glass of wine than cheese. My newest favorite is manchego. I strongly feel that cheese makes everything taste better.
-Cookbooks. I have quite the collection of cookbooks. I will never get around to making all the recipes but I love browsing through them getting ideas for meals.
-Our Dog Nelson. She is the sweetest dog I could ask for. She is wonderful with Sterling . And even though this baby has come into her life and taken her parents attention away from her, she still just wants to love us.
-Good Jeans. I am beyond obsessed with my 7 for All Mankind "The Skinny" Jeans. They suck you in all the right places are so flattering. They are a little bit higher waisted than other jeans, preventing the dreaded muffintop. I wear them almost everyday.
-My House. I love our house and where we live.

What are you thankful for this year? My life is filled with so many blessings I thank God everyday (although I could stand to make it to church more often:)
Here are a few pictures from our Thanksgiving. You gotta love that everyone but Matt dressed up. He was rocking what I like to call his Bon Jovi jeans and Mountain Man top, but he looks handsome:0

Two Potato Gratin

If you are still tweaking your Thanksgiving menu and need another recipe, this is it! I am at home visiting my parents right now and we made this dish this weekend and it was AMAZING! The combination of the sweet potatoes and russet potatoes mixed with two different cheeses is perfection. This dish is creamy and rich and ohh so good. I highly recommend you try this recipe even if you don't make it for Thanksgiving it would be great for a dinner party or just a family dinner! I can't take credit for the picture at the top, it is compliments of Williams Sonoma. I forgot my camera cord to upload the pictures I took of our gratin. I will add them next week. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow!! There are so many things I am thankful for this year, including my lovely readers.

TWO POTATO GRATIN WITH CHEESE

-2 TBS unsalted unsalted butter, cut into small pieces.
-1 Cup half and half
-1 Cup heavy double cream
-Salt and pepper to taste
-2 ½ lb. Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
-2 ½ lb. Sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into rounds
-½ lb. Shredded Gruyere or aged Swiss or French Comte.
-¼ lb. Parmesan or Manchego cheese, grated.

Preheat oven to 325. Grease 9 x 13 baking dish.

In a large bowl, stir together the half-and0half and cream, salt and pepper. Add all the potatoes and toss. Layer abut ¼ of the potato slices in the dish. Scatter ¼ of the cheeses over the potato layer. Repeat to make three layers and reserving a final sprinkling of cheese. Pour any cream mixture remaining in the bowl over the potatoes. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over all. Scatter butter pieces evenly over the cheese.

Transfer to the oven and bake until the top is browned, the cream has thickened and bubbling, and a knife inserted into the center meets little resistance, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Transfer to rack and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Serves 8-10. Recipe from Williams-Sonoma, Thanksgiving.

Why I Need a Huge Purse

To fit my sweet baby in of course! Matt put Sterling in my Gucci Purse/Diaper Bag this weekend and I could not stop laughing. Sterling actually liked being inside my purse. He sat in there for awhile and enjoyed his crackers. And no, I don't treat him like a dog and carry him around in my purse but these pics were too cute not to post. I knew I had a big purse for something other than diapers, formula, and baby toys:) Anything that will keep my baby occupied for a few minutes makes Momma very happy. For once Matt said my purse was money well spent!

The Ultimate Peanut Butter Cookie

With the holidays right around the corner (where did the past year go?) I am in full force cooking mode. I had to share this recipe because these are the best peanut butter cookies ever! I have made this recipe many times and it never disappoints. I think these are the perfect holiday gift and would be so cute sprinkled with red or green sugar if you wanted a more festive look. Sadly, I just made this batch for Matt and I, and I can't stop eating them! We store them in the freezer and if you have never put candy or cookies in the freezer you are missing out. Something about the freezer brings out and intensifies the flavor.

I added crushed Reese's cups to my cookies because I had leftovers from Halloween, but I have made these cookies with Reese's pieces, m&m's and peanut butter chips and they are all good. Add what ever sweet treat you like or keep it plain and simple with just the PB! Here is my adaptation of Miss Katie Lee's Peanut Butter Cookie recipe. Enjoy!
**Please excuse my Madonna man hand in the top picture**




PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

- 1 CUP ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
- 1/2 TEASPOON BAKING SODA
- 1/4 TEASPOON KOSHER SALT
- 8 TABLESPOONS (1 STICK) UNSALTED BUTTER)
- 1/2 CUP LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
- 1/2 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR
- 1 LARGE EGG
- 1/2 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
- 1/2 ALL NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER (I USE THE JIF ALL NATURAL)
- CRUSHED UP REESES CUPS, AS MUCH OR AS LITTLE AS YOU LIKE

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325 DEGREES.
IN A SMALL BOWL MIX TOGETHER FLOUR, BAKING SODA AND SALT.
IN A MEDIUM BOWL, USE A HANDHELD ELECTRIC MIXER TO CREAM THE BUTTER AND SUGARS UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY, ABOUT 4 MINUTES. ADD THE EGG AND BEAT UNTIL FULLY INCORPORATED. ADD THE VANILLA AND PEANUT BUTTER AND BEAT UNTIL FULLY INCORPORATED. ADD THE FLOUR MIXTURE AND BEAT UNTIL WELL MIXED. STIR IN REESES CUPS LIGHTLY TO THE BATTER.

USING A TABLESPOON, DROP THE COOKIE DOUGH ONTO COOKIE SHEETS, LINED WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. PRESS EACH COOKIE WITH A LIGHTLY FLOURED FORK. BAKE ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND LET COOL.
MAKES ABOUT 30-36 COOKIES

**KATIE LEE'S ORIGINAL RECIPE CALLS FOR CRUNCHY PEANUT BUTTER INSTEAD OF ALL NATURAL IF YOU PREFER. HONESTLY ANY PEANUT BUTTER WOULD WORK FOR THESE COOKIES, SO USE WHAT YOU GOT!**

Eat Your Heart Out

I was super excited to get my PEOPLE Sexiest Man Alive Issue in the mail yesterday with Ryan Reynolds on the cover! Matt took one look at it and said "Wow, he has come a long way since Alanis Morrisette." I could not stop laughing, I had totally forgotten that they dated and I actually think they were engaged. What a random couple! Now he has definitely upgraded with Scarlett Johanason. I think People made a great choice for their cover, he is funny, handsome and have you seen that body??? I thought I would leave you ladies with some eye candy of Mr. Reynolds to enjoy! Have a wonderful weekend!





IMAGES: GOOGLE

Bananas! A Zoe Baby is on the Way!

Rachel Zoe, finally confirmed what we have all known for awhile that she is pregnant. I am happy for her and Rodger. What I am most happy about is watching her maternity style and taking notes for the next time I am pregnant! You know she is going to look fabulous this whole pregnancy and probably stay tiny too! I on the other was as big as a house at the end of my pregnancy. At the hospital while I was walking around before being admitted to a room, someone had the nerve to ask me if I was expecting twins. That will never happen to Mrs. Zoe I am sure. I heard a rumor that she is expecting a boy, not confirmed. I am sure she is wanting a girl to pass all those clothes and jewelry on to. If it is a son maybe his future wife will get all that loot! Congrats to her and Rodger!

A first sneak at her tiny baby bump. She looks great.

**btw Matt said "I didn't know skeletons could get pregnant." He then asked me to post the picture of Rachel Zoe in her bikini beside this statement.