Pie Pie, Oh My!

Well, I did it, I made my very first pie this past weekend and it turned out beautifully!

I had originally bought a few cans of pumpkin puree to make the pumpkin snickerdoodles with and noticed that there was a recipe for a pumpkin pie on the back so I think that may have been what triggered my interest even more (besides the gorgeous pie dish that I had been spying for a while now). I had prepared myself to be kind of scared as I went through the process but amazingly enough it was so simple! The ingredients were not out of this world and the whole prep time really only took about 10 minutes. I picked up some pie crusts at the store that are all rolled out and ready to be put in and formed to the dish so that was blissfully simple too. The packages come with two to a box so I was able to use one for my crust and the other one to cut out the shapes with my fun pie crust cutters I also got at Williams Sonoma.

(of course I had to add in a pumpkin butter jar with my purchases, I couldn't help myself!)

I have plans to make about 6 more pies for Thanksgiving festivities and then maybe a few more for Christmas. I have to admit that I am so proud of myself, I truly thought pies were only for the "real" bakers of the world and I am living proof that they are not!



My little helper of course...



Here's to the pumpkin pie lovers out there! 

November Gratitude

Well, welcome Fall!!!

I have neglected my lovely little bog for another 5 months and thought it time to really pick it back up since the holidays are quickly approaching and I plan to be a very busy bee.

I have found my passion and love for baking again and I am positively giddy with excitement! I had baked a few yummy treats in October that included a pumpkin pecan bread, my delish pumpkin butter cake and finally a successful batch of pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies!



Found the recipe here...

 

They didn't even burn!



My little helper



My baking inspiration supply store, Williams Sonoma



I have also made a gratitude journal that I will be keeping through out the month. I'm looking forward to having that to use to record all that I am thankful for during this beautiful time of year...

Here's to another successful baking season!

Oh good grief...

It has been MONTHS since I've blogged, how sad!

I just had breakfast with my dear friend Maria over the weekend and she said how she missed blogging and it got me to thinking that I am sad to have completely abandoned mine.

So Maria... thank you for planting the seed again!

Life has been good to me and my loves the past 6 months or so. We are still living in our little house with our sweet and wonderful little dog who is the best thing to have ever happened to us. I have seriously become one of those crazy dog ladies, ha ha! Lets just say, when we stop for Starbucks, Whoopie gets an ice water too...(see? told you!) She is totally worth it though!

I feel as if lately my creative juices have ceased to flow. I don't journal any more, I only make cards when I have to, the baking stopped a while back... I feel as if I don't really have anything to say any more. Hard for my husband to believe, I'm sure, but it's how I feel. I recently purchased a Smash Book and a gazillion little accessories to go with it and I literally had to force myself to put anything in it. And what I did put in was just glued down scraps, not even any words! I then was so discouraged by that I thought that maybe I'd try just writing in a new beautiful journal. Got in one page, ONE page before I set it down a week ago. I'm not sure whats going on with me. I am almost in a gloomy phase that is carrying over into other areas of my life. I have an idea of what I think it is and I'm in the process of tests and doctors visits to try to pin point the cause but I think my thoughts are just consumed with this, uh, possibility (for lack of better words) that I have nothing left to give these other parts of my life which used to be so alive. 

Well, here is to hoping that things get a little brighter in the coming summer months of sun dresses, flip flops and warm beautiful Peony weather...

Much Love,

Nikki

  

Love is in the Air

Wow! It's already the end of January and I've only blogged once this month?? I'm sorry! I will promise to get back into the swing of my blog and post new happenings.

Until then, here is a picture of my and my groom on our wedding day to help you feel the love that is coming it's was as we get closer to Valentines Day!!

xoxoxoxo!!!

My New Year

This picture of hubby and I makes me so happy! It was taken on our Christmas vacation in Las Vegas. I'm not sure what it is about it but I fall in love with him all over again and it makes me want to go on another get away as soon as possible! 

I have put a lot of thought into what my new years resolutions would be and decided that 1. I detest the the word resolution and 2. that I have some very big, lets say, aspirations for the year. I'm not going to bore you with the details but they go something like this:

- finish my weight loss and keep it maintained (bet you didn't see a weight "goal" coming, huh? lol!)

-give my very best at my job so I can go home at night feeling successful

-share more love with my sweet husband and our families

I'm not going to be planning on babies or big moves (although a few moves are in my brain "cooking") or anything life changing this time but next year will hopefully be bringing some of these thoughts to reality.

Here's to a Happy New Year!!

Las Vegas

I will be the first to admit it, I love love love Las Vegas! I love the food, the people watching, the sights, the music, almost everything! I am not a big drinker so I don't go for that but I will have a few while I'm there, haha! It seems like we always go in the winter time so the pools are never open but we do get to see Christmas done up in Vegas style and it's so amazing! The Bellagio is my favorite of all for their stunning displays... 

Made all out of flowers!

At Olives in the Bellagio

Bellagio bridge

Going back to my Irish roots in NYNY!